"The child is not a vase to be filled, but a spring to be allowed to gush forth."

― Dr. Maria Montessori

What a joy it has been to see our little learners growing, exploring, and discovering new things each day! It’s hard to believe how quickly the school year is flying by, and we are so grateful for the energy, enthusiasm, and love you bring to our preschool community.

In this newsletter, you’ll find updates on all the exciting activities happening in our classrooms, as well as a few reminders about upcoming events. We are so proud of the progress our children are making, and we can’t wait to share their achievements with you!

Thank you for your continued support and for being such an important part of our school family. We look forward to the many joyful moments we’ll continue to share together!

As always, please call or email me with any questions, and thank you for sharing your children with us!

-Catherine

Catherine Bailey

Director of Early Learning

(904)827-2835

VP: (904)824-4540

baileyc1@fsdbk12.org

February 27th: Muffins with Mom

March 7th: Donuts with dad

April 17th: Spring Fling

May 23rd: ELC Graduation

May 29th: Splash Park

We embrace a bilingual approach to enhance our Montessori lessons and promote bilingualism among our students. Each month, we introduce an engaging American Sign Language (ASL) lesson that focuses on handshape awareness. This aspect is crucial for developing phonological awareness in ASL, which includes five parameters: handshapes, locations, palm orientation, movements, and non-manual signals.

By understanding how each of these components interacts, students can learn to express themselves fully in ASL. This focus not only helps students link ASL phonological awareness with their overall language and literacy skills but also improves their proficiency in both ASL and English prints.

• Handshapes- Handshape is the shape you make with your hand that represents concepts and ideas. The use of these handshapes is similar to the use of phonemes in spoken language.

• Movements- Movements refer to the way the hands and arms move while signing. It can convey different meanings and emotions in language, contributing to the overall tone. The way you perform the movements adds information, and there are many modifiers to consider. Movements can be fast or slow, smooth or sharp, straight or curved, left and right, up and down, and in various other directions.

• Location- The location makes a ‘signing space’ that demonstrates three-dimensional space in front of the signer, The signing space goes from the waist to the forehead and from one side of the body to the other.

• Palm Orientation- Palm orientation refers to the direction in which the palm orientation is facing correctly when making a sign.

• Non-Manual Markers- Non-Manual Markers are facial expressions and body language that convey meaning such as raised eyebrows, wrinkled nose, open or closed mouth, and the position, direction, and intensity of your eye gaze.

We use a small part of the Bilingual Grammar Curriculum to introduce ASL grammatical rules, reinforcing a strong foundation in both languages. We utilize a smart screen to practice structured lessons and applications. The students love this lesson because they can move the correct handshapes on the screen and match the handshapes with images displayed on the wall, which features five different colors indicating body locations.

The kids are to pick an animal and match the handshape then we discuss how many animals have the same handshapes and which body location, palm orientation, and movements for each animal.

One of the lessons we conduct involves choosing a handshape, and each student takes turns creating a sign that corresponds to that handshape. For example, with the "5" handshape, they might come up with signs like "father," "mother," "wind," "tree," or "leaf."

Through our ASL lessons, we aim to provide a comprehensive language-learning experience that benefits all students. We have observed significant gains for students when they can relate their prior experiences to new ones, helping them build their ASL vocabularies effectively.

What you can do for your child with the fun ASL activities at home.

• Scavenge hunt: Come up with a list of different handshape items for your kids to hunt for, send them off hunting, and then ask them to sign the words or teach them signs

• Reading a book: point to a picture and ask them to describe what the characters look like and what they do.

• Daily routine: talk with them about what the plan for the day is and what they do daily: wash teeth, go to a store, cook food for dinner, and many more.

• Animals/Objects Flashcards: Show your child the picture and ask them to sign them and work on fingerspelling and 5 Paraments together.

Those ASL activities provide a solid foundation for your child to learn, thrive, and succeed at school and at home.

Please feel free to contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions regarding these ASL lessons/activities.

February 27th: Muffins with Mom

March 7th: Donuts with dad

May 21st: ELC Graduation

May 29th: Splash Park

In a Montessori classroom, handwashing serves as a key practice for promoting independence, health, and respect. Children are encouraged to wash their hands independently, fostering responsibility and practical life skills. It also ensures a healthier environment by reducing the spread of germs. Handwashing is an essential routine that teaches mindfulness, respect for others, and contributes to the orderly, structured environment typical of Montessori settings.

Over and Under the Snow takes children on a journey through the winter woods, where they learn about the animals that stay active beneath the snow during the colder months. The book beautifully contrasts what happens over the snow (like skiing or animals leaving tracks in the snow) with the hidden world under the snow, where many animals, such as squirrels, foxes, and even bears, find shelter and warmth. Reading this book with the children has sparked fascinating conversations about how animals adapt to winter, what hibernation is, and how life goes on quietly under the snow.

To make this learning experience even more fun, we paired this story with an interactive winter animal search through our very own fake snow to bring the text to life. The students also practiced patience and fine motor skills as they sifted through the snow, carefully uncovering their hidden animal friends.

One of the recent activities that has been a hit in our classroom is a project where the children worked together to build a cave for a bear. This simple, yet engaging, project encourages problem-solving, teamwork, and a great deal of creative thinking. Here's a peek at how your child participated in this adventure!

The Big Idea: We started with a question: "Where would a bear live if it needed a cozy, safe place to rest?" This led to an exciting conversation about caves, the types of bears that live in them, and why a bear would need a cave. The children were asked to imagine a bear in their very own cave and to think about how they could create one using various materials.

The Process: With a variety of craft supplies, the children worked together to build their cave. They discussed the bear’s needs, like size, comfort, and protection from the weather, while adding their own personal touches to the design. As they built, they practiced important skills, such as measuring, balancing, and constructing structures that were both stable and imaginative.

Learning Through Play: This activity offered valuable opportunities for children to engage in dramatic play and practice language development. As they worked, they told stories about the bear and its adventures, using words like "cave," "shelter," "safe," and "hiding." These interactions encouraged them to express ideas and describe their thinking, strengthening both their social and communication skills.

At this stage in your child’s development, hands-on activities like building a cave encourage them to think critically, work with others, and explore the world around them. Through projects like this one, children develop not only fine and gross motor skills, but also a deeper understanding of the world through imaginative play.

Avast ye mateys! Join us for our Pre-Braille event hosted by the Parent Infant Program! FSDB Blind Department is hosting the Regional Braille Challenge on February 27th. For our Pre-Braille readers, we will be reading pirate themed books, playing pirate themed games, and participating in the annual drum circle! We hope to see you there!

Early Learning Center

PH or Text: 904-827-2835

Gore Hall Office (if you cannot reach anyone in the ELC)

904-827-2520

Cary White Office (if you cannot reach anyone in the ELC)

904-827-2739

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Health Care Center

PH: 904-827-2410

VP: 904-201-3910

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Transportation

PH: 800-992-8747

Parent Services

PH: 904-827-2212

VP: 904-201-4540

Campus Police

PH: 904-827-2315

207 San Marco Avenue,

St. Augustine, FL, USA

ELC Webpage

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The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind (FSDB) does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, political opinion, affiliation, marital status, genetic information, disability, veteran status or any other basis as mandated by federal and state law in its educational programs, services or activities, or in its hiring or employment practices. FSDB also provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups as required by law.

Contacts for questions, complaints, or requests for additional information are as follows:

Student Discrimination/Harassment

FSDB Boarding Program Administrator

PH: 904-827-2603

Requests in writing can be sent to:

Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind

207 San Marco Avenue

St. Augustine, FL 32084