The Sandcastle Times February 2026

Our dedicated team of educators participated in a comprehensive training session on January 13th. This training covered a range of valuable topics to enhance our teaching skills and create an even more enriching environment for the children. All of our teams came together at the Holiday Inn in Norwich. It was a day of collaboration, learning, and laughs. Our staff were treated to breakfast, lunch and everyone received some goodies to take home. All of our staff were also recognized for their dedication to Carelot and the Children they teach!

Here's a glimpse of what the training included:

1. Birth to Three- Infant and Toddler Professionals & Elizabeth Bakoulis presented dealing with children in your classroom and their needs for Preschool and School Age Professionals

2. Vision Development in Children - It's more than just 20/20 presented by Yvette Boutin MS, OTR/L

3. Taming the Temperment with Cheryl Hovey-, EdD

4. Fill your Cup: Protect your Peace, Find your Joy: a realistic refresh with Cheryl Hovey, EdD

5. CPR and First aid for Childcare professionals with Carol Harkness - Red Cross

We believe that continuous learning is essential for personal and professional growth, and we are committed to providing our educators with the tools and knowledge needed to excel in their roles.

A huge shout out to Heidi Pafias, Carelot's Education Consultant for putting together such a dynamic day of team building and learning!

Dear Carelot Families,

What an exciting month it is! This marks a monumental milestone for Carelot as we celebrate our 28th anniversary! We are filled with gratitude for the journey we’ve shared with all of you — our families, children, and dedicated staff. Thank you for making Carelot the wonderful place it is, where connections are made, friendships bloom, and our little ones thrive.

It’s truly special to see families who’ve been with us since the beginning in 1998. Some of those children have returned to Carelot as staff members, or have now enrolled their own children, which speaks to the lasting trust and relationships we’ve built over the years.

As we look ahead to 2026, we are thrilled to share exciting events and new memories with you. Stay tuned for some fantastic celebrations, programs, community events, and more in the months to come.

Parent-Teacher Conferences:

A heartfelt thank you to all the families and staff who have worked so hard to prepare for our upcoming parent-teacher conferences. Whether it’s by phone, Zoom, or in person, we greatly appreciate your participation. Please make sure you’ve had your conference with your child’s teacher and completed any necessary paperwork. These conferences are an important opportunity to discuss your child’s progress and work together to support their education and development.

Important Reminder: This is the first of two times this year we will be providing formal written reports, so your involvement is crucial in shaping your child’s educational journey.

Open Communication:

We believe that open communication between home and school is the foundation of great education and the best care for your children. Our goal is to align your expectations and home practices with ours to create the most supportive environment possible. We encourage you to review your child’s developmental portfolio, which can be found in the black binders with your child’s name in the classroom. We think you’ll be amazed at their growth!

Teacher’s Dedication:

Our incredible teachers have been working hard to assess and guide the children in our care. While it may seem like playtime in the classroom, every activity is designed to help children develop socially, emotionally, intellectually, and physically. Our teachers craft thoughtful, academically sound lesson plans while nurturing each child’s growth. Please continue to engage with our teachers daily — your feedback is vital to supporting your child’s development.

We kindly invite you to complete the form below to share a little about your child. Your insights help us nurture their growth and learning, and we truly value your input as we work together to support your child every step of the way. You can opt out of having a conference or share your availability to allow us to schedule a time to meet with your child's teacher.

As we continue working together to provide the best possible care and early learning experience for your children, we’d like to share a few important reminders regarding our scheduling policies.

1. Schedule Changes
Our staffing is carefully planned based on the hours you have contracted with Carelot. If you need to make any changes to your contracted schedule, please reach out to your Site Manager or Executive Director as soon as possible, or complete the schedule change form on our website. This helps us ensure appropriate staffing levels and maintain the high standards of care your children deserve.

2. Drop-Off Times
For consistency and to support your child’s learning routine, we encourage families to follow their scheduled drop-off times. If your child will be arriving late, please notify the center by 9:00 AM so we can adjust staffing as needed and keep our classrooms running smoothly.

3. Pick-Up Times
Many of our dedicated staff members have families and commitments after their shifts or once the center closes. We kindly ask that you honor your contracted pick-up times and our closing hours. Your cooperation helps create a positive, respectful environment for both our team and families.

Thank you for your continued partnership and understanding. We truly appreciate your support in helping us provide a safe, organized, and nurturing environment for every child. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your Site Manager or Executive Director.

Don't forget to submit your answers! You can win a $25 tuition credit!

It's easy to win by clicking below and submitting your answer!

Thanks for helping us make our programs better! Without everyone’s input, we are not able to effectively assess how our programs are doing! We appreciate you taking the time to help us assess our policies, procedures, curriculum, and more!

January Winner: NO SUBMISSIONS_ NO WINNER.

Thank you for your feedback!

2026 kicked off in full swing with our co-sponsorship of the Carelot Children's Center Annual In-service day for the staff!!! Staff from all of our programs participated in a day of professional development and curriculum planning made possible in part by the generosity of our PTO and Carelot!! The experience and information gained at in-service day come directly back to our children and their families through our teachers! We are proud to have been able to support such a wonderful day for the staff!!!!

As we celebrate the month of love, Carelot Children’s Center is sending a heart full of warm wishes for a Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤️ We can’t wait to share the love with our little ones — don't forget to sign up for the classroom celebrations, where there will be plenty of fun, friendship, and, of course, treats!

A huge thank you to all the families who joined us for Family Conferences in January! (It's not too late if you did not request a conference. Just complete our family input questionaire to get yours scheduled) We hope you enjoyed the one-on-one time with your child's teachers and found it as insightful as a sweet Valentine’s card. Your partnership helps us create a nurturing and supportive environment for each child’s early learning journey, and for that, we are forever grateful.

Our classrooms have been buzzing with excitement as we focus on early learning standards and developmental milestones. We encourage you to peek into your child’s portfolio and be amazed at the incredible progress they’re making. It’s like finding little gems of growth and development!

In February, we’re turning up the love and kindness! Our theme of the month will guide us through lessons on compassion, while our Preschoolers explore a new letter of the alphabet each week. Get ready for a month filled with heartwarming activities and learning experiences! Be sure to check our calendar of events so you don’t miss a thing!

Save the date for our Carelot Cupid's Ball in each classroom on February 13th. Your little ones can look forward to special snacks, exciting activities, and of course, sharing the love with their friends. Ask your teacher for a class list of names if you want to send out valentines. It’s going to be a day full of smiles and giggles!

Looking ahead, we’re already planning an exciting summer at Carelot! We’ll be offering both our Preschool Camp and a Camp for School-Age children in grades K-5. Spots are limited, so don’t wait too long to register! Keep an eye out for sign-up details later this month — you won’t want to miss out on all the summer fun!

"Building Strong Foundations for a Lifetime of Learning"

Providing education to Children ages 3 months to 12 years!

Email: adminassist@carelot.net
Website: www.carelot.net
Location: 315 Flanders Road, East Lyme, CT, United States
Phone: 860-739-1993
Facebook: facebook.com/carelotctr