Nursery Rhymes Newsletter - Director's Corner

Welcome to the 2008-2009 school year at the Nursery! This year our school is filled with the exception of our UPK afternoon class and Little Hands 2 class. All our classes are in full session as well as our After School Music and Movement Class and Lunch Program. We welcome back most of last year’s staff and several new staff members. Elaine Toro is our Three’s PM teacher, Luz Frade, our Little Hands 2 teacher, Lucy Kallenberg , Assistant Teacher in Room 3 and Lynn Jones, Assistant Teacher in Little Hands 3. Welcome to our new staff!! We are also very fortunate to have Yahira Caceres, a student teacher from Lehman College working with Minia in Room 3.

Our staff this year is:
Little Hands 2: Luz Frade, Linda Krell and Nicole Roth
Little Hands 3: Lisa Wenz, Nicole Roth and Lynn Jones
Room 2 (AM Three’s): Maria Gentilella, Alma Jean-Louis and Jean Rogers
Room 1 (PM Three’s): Elaine Toro, Nicole Roth and Yasmin Mohammed
Room 2 (PM UPK): Andrea Weisinger-Ilardi and Alma Jean-Louis
Room 3 (AM UPK): Minia Sas, Kirsty Lorenzo, Lucy Kallenberg and Yahira Caceres
Room 3 (Full Day Four’s) Minia Sas, Yasmin Mohammed, Jean Rogers and Yahira Caceres
Ann McCormack is our School Secretary two days a week.
Mary Copeland is our Music and Movement Teacher on Thursdays.
Vicki Solomon, our former Director and Teacher, volunteers her time and wisdom several days a week. MANY THANKS!


Early in the school year two topics often come up for discussion when speaking with families. First are separation issues and second is toilet training.
Separation is a lifelong learning skill! – as adults we experience anxiety when beginning a new job or moving to a new home, so is it any surprise that children who have less control of their own lives feel anxious also! Keep in mind that your little one's unwillingness to leave you is a good sign that healthy attachments have developed between the two of you. your child needs to be able to remember that you always return after you leave, and that will be enough comfort while you're gone. Working through these feelings gives children a chance to develop coping skills and a little independence.
Some tips:
*Make sure your child has a comfortable unhurried routine in the morning before school. Keep things predictable and calm.
*Try your best to let your child know you are confident about leaving him or her at school and you are sure they will have a good time. If you are anxious, your child will often feel your anxiety and become anxious themselves.
*Follow the teachers lead on staying with your child or leaving.
* When you do leave, always say goodbye – never break your child’s trust by sneaking out of the room.
*Make your farewell short and sweet – often the most difficult thing for a parent to do!
*If you need to leave and your child is distressed, we will always call you if your child does not settle down after a short interval. We often try to call when we can to let you know all is well.
*Pick your child up on time – the anxiety returns for children when their grown-up is late in returning. For a child just feeling good about separating, this could cause a turn around in their progress.
Early in the school year it is very typical for children to experience change in sleep patterns, eating patterns and the child who is fully toilet trained may experiences a period of regression that usually works itself out over the period of a few weeks.

As for toilet training, we do not require a child to be toilet trained to begin our school program. We believe there are physiological as well as emotional components involved in the process and that hurrying a child along for a school deadline date is not necessary. Experts agree that about 2.5 years is the average time for children to approach the milestone of beginning the process, however the time is often between ages two and 3 plus years old depending on the child. The key here is not to push or get into a power struggle with your child over toilet training.

For families seeking to begin toilet training the experts all seem to agree that it is time to begin when:
* Child’s bowel movements come at fairly predictable times (though some children never become regular)
* Children have the physiological readiness – they should be able to stay dry for an hour or two stretch at a time
* Children feel uncomfortable when they are wet.
* They show interest in wearing underwear rather than diapers.
*The child needs to associate the feeling of needing to pee or poop with the outcome and is able to communicate that need.
*The child needs to have control to hold on when they feel the urge so that they can get to the toilet.
*Shows curiosity of bathroom habits of others.

Always remember that “accidents” are an inevitable part of learning to use the toilet. Making a fuss or issue out of “accidents” will only promote resistance or diminish confidence. React casually – reassure the child that they will soon be able to get to the toilet on time. Separation anxiety, stress, focusing on new exciting events, fatigue - all common to the start of school is common reasons for a relapse in toilet training.
Remember, our school has one major draw back to home; our bathrooms are not at the child’s immediate access. Although we have scheduled bathroom times, children need to ask at other times during the morning if they need to go – and asking can be unusual for many children. They may not want to leave the activity they are involved with or may not feel comfortable yet in asking. Be assured however that we will help your child work through this period successfully.
Just as a reminder, as the weather turns cooler to dress your child appropriately for outdoors. Outdoor play is crucial to a child’s development and it is important that your child be comfortable. When it becomes cool enough, please supply MITTENS, not gloves for your child. It is very difficult to assist a class of young children into all those finger slots!!! It is also helpful to have mitten clips or another method of attaching mittens to your child’s jacket. We do go out in the snow, so please begin to get boots, snow pants ready! Pack them up in a tote bag to have on hand for that first morning of snow! Lastly, please check your child’s extra change of clothing – be sure that it is weather appropriate and complete!
Thank you all for your support to the cooperative nature of our Nursery School! It looks like a great year ahead!!

Lisa