February ELC Newsletter

Thank you to our ELC families for your flexibility during our Parent/ Teachers Conferences. If you still would like to connect with your child's teacher, reach out via Rooms or call Ms. Lindsay in the front office.

Ms. Reyes- Music

Ms. Cardozo- Music

Ms. Griffith- Music

Ms. Burns- Music

Ms. Vallejo- Weather

Ms. Linnenburger- Signs

Ms. Webster- Signs

Ms. Fisher- Tubes and Tunnels

During Curriculum Studies, children are encouraged to document their learning through representation (drawings, writings, maps, graphs, collections constructions). It is important to display these items in the classroom. These experiences provide a great opportunity to practice writing letters, words, numbers and to recognize print. We also encourage guest experts to come in and share real world experiences with our students. This helps enhance their learning by providing a deeper and more relevant perspective.

We were lucky enough to have Ms. Eli, one of our Guest Teachers, play her saxophone to some of our classrooms who were learning about music. At the end of her performance one student said, "Wow, that was cool". Those are the WOW moments we are looking for! We have been so busy this month LEARNING THROUGH PLAY.

We had a great time during our Block Party Playgroup. Did you know that building with blocks is crucial for child development because it helps develop cognitive, physical and social skills? Play is important work!

The Family Advisory Council held our first Meet and Mingle. This was an opportunity for our parents to get their child connected with the community. Our community has a lot of income based opportunites for all families to get involved. I would like to give a shout out to the East Moline Library and Early Head Start for coming to our event. Thanks, Ms. Vjosa for picking up a delicious breakfast!

We LOVE feedback! Please fill out this brief survey if you attended one of our events, to offer suggestions/celebrations/concerns, or anything else you would like to share with us!

Home visits promote healthy child development and school readiness. It is required to have one home visit per school year.

Kindness Day Field Trip: Thursday, Feb. 12 at the Administration Building

Next Playgroup: Thursday, February 19th

This Playgroup will offer the opportunity for families to hear about upcoming events!

In this book study, “Empowering Your Child to Fly: A Family’s Guide to Early Childhood Inclusion” by Jani Kozlowski, family members of children with disabilities will have the chance to dive into topics about the importance of inclusion in early childhood education. Each participant will receive a copy of the book and through readings and group discussions will gain better understanding of ways to support their child through his or her educational journey!

• Meeting 1 (online)
  January 16, 2026
  12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
• Meeting 2 (online)
  January 30, 2026
  12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
• Meeting 3 (online)
  February 13, 2026
  12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

https://starnet.org/home/events/2624-book-study-empowering-your-child-to-fly/

If your family's SNAP benefits are being affected by the current government shutdown, please click the image below. This resource guide will provide local area food pantries that you are able to access if need be.

If you are experiencing a hardship or need a little extra help, please email tschofield@emsd37.org.

Click the image if your child is in need of a coat. The ELC has partnered with the East Moline Rotary Club to provide coats for our students. Supplies may be limited.

Our school implements The Pyramid Model, a framework for supporting the social and emotional development of our children. An important part of our Pyramid Model work includes supporting families and sharing information about promoting social and emotional skills at home.

In addition, as part of our focus on social-emotional learning, as a school we will be teaching social problem-solving. This is a necessary life skill that requires practice and sometimes a little help from grown ups. In early childhood, conflicts can emerge as children learn to play together. They are learning how to take turns, share materials, and share ideas. They may also experience verbal conflict or disagreements. This can lead to big emotions as they try to navigate social challenges, which is where the adults (teachers, caregivers, parents) step in to teach the skills that will help children learn how to collaborate, cooperate, communicate, negotiate, advocate for themselves, and learn to respect others.

Through our partnership with families, we can work together to use similar strategies, language, and techniques to introduce and practice social problem-solving in home and school environments. See below for some valuable resources that can be used in the home setting, that are aligned with what your children will be learning, seeing, and hearing at school. These are available in English and in Spanish. If you would like assistance printing any of these resources, please reach out to us and we will gladly send home a copy in your child's backpack.

Introducing the Solution Kit Family Handout (English) - Letter addressed to families announcing the use of the solution kit at the program.

We Can Be Problem-Solvers at Home (English) - Scripted story to help children understand the steps to problem solving at home.

Solution Kit- Home Edition (English) - Families can use these solution kit cards as prompts to assist in problem-solving.

Introducing the Solution Kit Family Handout (Spanish)

We Can Be Problem-Solvers at Home (Spanish)

Solution Kit- Home Edition (Spanish)

If you would like to be a guest reader for our Lending Library contact Ms. Tara

📚🎒 Looking for local community events and activities? The EMSD Digital Backpack is your go-to spot for community happenings!

Click the QR code to view this month's breakfast and lunch menus

Dates to Remember:

Feb. 12th- Kindess Day Field Trip

Feb. 16th- No School (Presidents' Day)

Feb. 17th- No School (District In-Service Day)

Feb. 19th- Kindness Jar Playgroup/ FAC Meeting

Feb. 26th- Quad City Music Therapy Family Event (times TBD)

Feb. 27th- Quad City Music Therapy Family Event (times TBD)

Do you have younger children? Bring them in for a developmental check-up! Open to EMSD residents with children aged 0-5 years old. Call our secretary, Lindsay, to schedule an appointment for a screening. Currently enrolled students do not need to be screened.

Important contacts:

Main Office: 309-865-6900

Lindsay Hill, Secretary (lhill@emsd37.org)

Tara Schofield, Family Educator (tschofield@emsd37.org)

Melissa McCullough, Principal (mmccullough@emsd37.org)