Putnam County Early Learning

Dear Putnam Early Learning Parents and Families,

As we move through the month of February, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt appreciation for each of you. Your commitment to your child’s learning, well‑being, and daily routines makes an incredible difference. Thank you for partnering with us, staying engaged, and supporting our program in so many important ways.

February is a month filled with themes of kindness, community, and connection—values that we see every day in our classrooms because of the foundation you set at home. Whether you’re helping with early bedtimes, attending family events, communicating with teachers, or simply encouraging your child to try something new, your efforts matter greatly.

Thank you for trusting us, working alongside us, and helping create a warm, supportive environment where children can grow, learn, and shine. We are grateful for your partnership and excited for everything the rest of the year will bring.

With appreciation,

Christel H. Nelson, Director

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month and Head Start/Pre-K is on a mission to make dental health for our young learners extra special! Health habits start young, and one of our goals is to make learning about dental care as fun as possible for our students. This month we had two very special guests,Dr. Meigan Miller D.M.D and Dr. Willie Oliver, DDS, to stop by and read and share dental health tips with or Pre-K and Head Start Students. #ChildrenDentalHealthMonth. Click HERE to enjoy dental health videos.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Mrs. Mary Bustion of the Comfort & Healing Ministry for her generous donation of 25 handmade blankets to the Putnam County Early Learning Program through Project Linus. Project Linus is a national initiative dedicated to providing blankets to children ages 0–18 across the United States who are seriously ill, experiencing trauma, or otherwise in need.

Thanks to Mrs. Bustion’s kindness, four PCEL children have already received one of these warm, comforting blankets, and many more will soon benefit from her generosity.

We are deeply appreciative of this meaningful gift and the comfort it brings to our children.

Putnam early Learning Pre-K Class Spotlight: Mrs. Watkins & Mrs. Hartley

This week, our class enjoyed a fun math and literacy activity inspired by the book The Day It Rained Hearts. After reading the story together, students rolled a dice to see how many red hearts “rained” and rolled again to find out how many pink hearts joined in. They then glued the correct number of hearts onto construction paper, arranging them so they looked like they were falling from clouds. To finish, students added the red and pink hearts together to find the total number of hearts that rained and wrote the equation on their paper. It was a great way for them to practice counting, adding, and following steps while having fun with a creative, hands‑on project.

100th Day of School!

Our students and staff had a fantastic time celebrating the 100th Day of School! Classrooms were filled with creativity, excitement, and learning as we marked this special milestone together.

Students participated in fun activities such as counting collections, creating “100‑themed” art, dressing up as 100‑year‑olds, and reflecting on how much they’ve grown since the first day of school.

This joyful celebration reminds us of the incredible progress our students have made in just 100 days and the bright learning moments still ahead!

National Hot Chocolate Day!

Students and staff celebrated National Hot Chocolate Day with warmth, laughter, and lots of delicious toppings! The smiles were sweet, the cocoa was flowing, and the memories we made were priceless.

The kids enjoyed choosing their marshmallows, sprinkles, and whipped cream, and our staff joined in for a cozy treat of their own. It was the perfect way to brighten up a chilly winter day and bring everyone together. ❄️❤️

Here’s to little moments that turned into big memories.

Family Sweetheart Dance

A magical evening where love and joy fill the air! This special event featured delightful music, delicious treats, and enchanting decorations that created the perfect atmosphere for celebrating with friends and family. The students danced the night away, captured fun moments at our photo booth, and enjoyd a variety treats. This was an unforgettable experience for all!

Inclusive Early Learning Week!

The SEEDS Program announced that the week of February 9th-13th has been proclaimed as Inclusive Early Learning Week (IELW) in the state of Georgia by Governor Brian P. Kemp. Inclusive Early Learning Week gave us the opportunity to highlight what makes our classrooms so special — a place where every child is welcomed, supported, and able to thrive.

Throughout the week, our little learners explored activities that encouraged teamwork, kindness, creativity, and understanding. We read stories that celebrated differences, engaged in hands-on play that supported every learning style, and created moments that reminded us that inclusion isn’t just a practice; it’s a value we live each day.

We’re proud of our students, grateful for our dedicated staff, and thankful for a community that believes in giving every child the chance to shine. ✨

Parent Resource on Phonological Awareness

Phonological awareness skills help students break the reading code. To decode words, students must be able to hear and manipulate sounds within words so they can connect those sounds with the letters that represent them. We do this daily in Pre-K. Attached are some rhyming books that help teach these skills.