Tuesday Thoughts

Hope you each enjoyed time with your families and a relaxing Fall Break. I did!! It was a great week and much needed. I was thankful to see so many smiling faces today as children and families entered the doors. We truly are an amazing team of educators, family advocates, support staff, and administration. We have lots to be thankful for as we transition into the fall season. I pray you will take a few moments this week and be thankful for the fabulous team we have here at Paducah Head Start Preschool!!! It is an honor to work along side you all!!!

Find a few items on this list to do with your class, family, or friends. Have fun, make memories, and build experiences!!!!

Teacher teams, Family Advocates, and Administration!!!! WHO IS GOING TO WIN???? Make sure to pick your Pumpkin, Pick a Book, and HAVE FUN!!! Voting will start the week of Halloween!! We will set up a table in the lobby for voting. We will also have online voting!!

10/17: Barnyard Buddies: 1/2 day session

10/17: Parent Committee meeting,

10/18-19: Wurth Farms

10/19: Paducah Police Come Read -- 3pm: NHSA Initiative

10/20: 8:00-11:00: Education Meeting --11:45-?: General Staff Meeting

10/22-10-25: KHSA Family Engagement Training

10/23-24: Staffing

10/26: Sub Training: WAY TO GO, Tanya!! Getting some GREAT subs!!

10/27: Agency Assessment Due, IEP Progress Reports, Parent Conferences start

10/27: SOUPER Staff: Soup Bar -- 11:00-12:00

10/31: Fall Parties, Candy Walk, PJ DAY!!!

Parent Conference Dates: 10/27, 11/3, 11/14 (In the PM to accomodate families, this is Parent Committee night, dinner will be served to staff and families who attend the PC mtg), 11/17

Teachers.....if you need help with your TPGES binder please let the Director know. It is an easy way to help you gather the evidence and documentation that you need to be successful and build leadership capacity in your role as an educator. If you have questions please do not hesitate to email, call, or ask. I am happy to assist you in your success as a teacher!! It's easy to do and easy not to do. Please make sure you are taking time to reflect on your lesson plans each week and how you will carry over skills not learned to other small group/large group instruction. Thank you for all you do!!!

Next Tuesday and Wednesday, 10/23-24, we need ALL hands on deck to help with AM transition. 4 of our Family Advocates will be at KHSA Family Engagement Summit. If you are not scheduled to help with morning duty please come up to the front each morning to help with transition of students to the classrooms. I greatly appreciate Tiffany and Rachael assisting as well, they always assist when needed!!! Thank you!!! The more help we have the smoother it all goes. You can go back to your rooms as soon as your classroom has need for ratio requirements. Thank you!!!

We need treats.......candy, snacks, fruit snacks, whatever you want to bring. On Halloween we will have a CANDY WALK through the building. Students will parade the building during designated times and get treats from Family Advocates, Disability staff, Administration, Clark's Jr Beta Club, WKAECE Student Group, and MUCH MUCH MORE!!! We have bags for them!! Thank you to the staff who mentioned this GREAT idea!!! Also, wear your cute PJ's for some fun!!! We may even show a cute FALL video in the Library!! Details to come soon. That would be a come and go as you want!!!!

I have noticed differing nap times throughout the program. I have researched what other programs are doing for naps and what is best practice for the length of naps. One of the reasons we are going full day is to provide more instructional time to our most at risk and vulnerable children. The National Institute of Health recognizes that preschool nap times should range from 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. We need to ensure our nap times are at that length. When the first child is laying down the clock starts. Not necessarily when the first child falls asleep. After 1 hour and 15 minutes instructional activities should resume. There are however "other circumstances" where specific children can and will need to sleep longer. Those are acceptable. But not for an entire classroom. Please direct and questions to the Director.

Education news:

-Welcome back everyone!!

-Check the agency calendar!!

-Barnyard Buddies for Half day classrooms Tuesday, Oct 17. 9:30-11:00; 1:30-3:00

-Wurth farms for full day classrooms Wednesday, Oct 18--Rms 5,6,7,8; Thursday, Oct 19--Rms 1,2,3,4

-IEP Binders due in Tanya's office--4:15 Oct 20

-Professional Development plan (PD plan) AND Self Reflection due --Oct 27.

-"Data Day"--we will review our agency data!! Library, Oct 27; 8:00am-11:00AM (?)

-Are you interested in attending the Conscious Discipline training; see Kristy ASAP.

-Staffing meetings will begin next week! Woohoo! Due by 10/26 (I will make copies for you.)

-The IEP training held in Madisonville was very good. If you missed it, please see Tanya.

-Lauren is printing our new Progress Reports (report cards). Make a copy for your parents.

-Parent conferences dates: Oct 27, Nov 3, Nov 14 (night session), Nov 17. Plan accordingly.

Inquiring minds have asked about-

-Visual Phonics---our plans did not work out. We will work on this for NEXT year.

-Door knobs--door knobs were reconfigured. The bathroom doors (in the Preschool wing) are not lockable.

-Jason has volunteered to start blowing up the DrumFit balls. 😊

-We are also working on painting the concrete pad. It will be completed soon.

Fall is here. Woohoo!!

Teachers-

Just wanted to remind you that the 1st quarter IEP progress reporting period ends on Friday, Oct. 20th. That means the data that you will put on your progress report will reflect data from the first day of school through Thurs, Oct 19th. The IEP 1st quarter progress report that you complete in IC is due to me (Tiffany) at end of work day on Friday, Oct. 27th. They are to be turned in to me on the 27th and sent home to parents in backpacks on Monday, Oct. 30th. Make sure that you are adding analysis of the data you have for that reporting period.

New teachers- please get with an experienced teacher (maybe on Friday Oct. 20th or whenever) and let them show you how to complete one of these if you aren't sure. You do these in Infinite Campus and it's very simple. You just need your IEP ongoing progress data right there beside you to complete it. Also, you can come to me for assistance. You guys are always welcome to call or text my cell as well if you happen to be working on IEPs, progress reports, etc. after hours. My cell is 270-562-0298.

Let me know if you have questions....thanks!

Conscious Discipline:

Stress and Trigger Thoughts

Stress manifests itself in shallow breathing. We developed an evolutionary response to breath shallowly when experiencing a Survival State. This served us well when the threat was a wild animal we needed to hear and physically protect ourselves from, however, this “fight or flight” mode shuts off our thinking brain. All we can do is defend or attack, which is not well suited for resolving most modern-day threats. Belly breathing, also known as diaphragmatic breathing or S.T.A.R. breathing, is one of our most important tools in regard to disciplining our children and ourselves. Take a deep belly breath. Breathe in through your nose as your belly pushes out and then exhale as your belly goes back in again.

Make S.T.A.R. breathing a way of life: Build S.T.A.R. breathing into every transition throughout your day. Add “S.T.A.R. Person” to your student job list. Send home a note about S.T.A.R. breathing to familiarize families with the concept.

Love You Ritual:

Your Fingers are so sleepy (p.133 Love Rituals book)

Your fingers are so sleepy

yawn and speak slowly and softly, hold child's hand in one of your hands, palm facing upward, stroke child's hand

It is time they went to bed

with your other hand, cover child's hand as if to cover it up in bed

First you, baby fingers

remove your hand and begin to put fingers to bed, start with pinky finger and give it a gentle massage

Tuck in your little head

Tuck finger into child's palm and hold it there in your supporting hand

Ring finger, now it's your turn

tuck down the next finger with the same loving care

Then comes the tall one, this is just great!

continue as before

Pointer finger hurry because it's getting late!

Increase your speed of speech when saying this line still in soft tone

Is everyone here and nestled in?

Massage the tops of fingers and child's knuckles

No there is one to come

with a surprised and concerned face, discover the thumb

Move over everyone, here comes the thumb!

Open all the fingers and tuck child's thumb into his palm, tuck the child's other fingers down over the thumb and encompass the child's hand with both of yours like a cozy blanket

Mental Health:

You will be discussing the DECA results with parents during the next round of Parent Conferences. Remember, any rating that shows up red in your classroom profile is a Concern. Any rating in blue is typical and any rating in green is a strength. When looking at the DECA, we want to focus on the child's strengths and abilities and work towards increasing those.