The Sandcastle Times - Sept. 2024

We’re thrilled to extend a heartfelt welcome to all the new students joining our Carelot Family! As we kick off the new school year, we have an array of exciting activities lined up, and our dedicated staff is busy preparing their classrooms and programs to ensure continued fun and learning.

This time of year is full of transitions—back to school, changes at work, shifting weather, and more. Embrace these changes as they bring fresh opportunities and excitement into our lives. Take a moment to savor the special moments with your children and cherish each one!

For easy planning, be sure to check our calendar of events and visit our website for the latest updates. Our site managers and executive directors are hard at work organizing programming and special events from October through February. All details will be shared in our monthly newsletter and on our website.

Don’t forget to take advantage of our Referral Program! Find the flyer on our Facebook page and in this newsletter. Who doesn’t love free money?

We look forward to a fantastic year ahead with all of you!

We ask that you keep informed of new events and classroom-specific events by reading your monthly newsletter (hardcopy or visit our website calendar) and classroom information boards. Our Family Procare Connect App for daily communication is also a great tool for communicating.

To continue to offer our children the best learning experiences that we can with supplies, materials, and programs; we have an annual activity fee of $70.00 per family. This fee will be added to each family account with the 8/30 billing. We thank you for committing to your child’s education and learning experience. We look forward to a fantastic year filled with discovery, experiences, and developmental growth.

Time to think about scheduling your Flu Shots! Please be advised that it is the Connecticut State Law that all children attending child care have a seasonal flu vaccine if they are between 6 to 59 months by December 31st, 2024. Please be sure your child gets their flu shot unless you have proper documentation stating they cannot get the vaccine.

ALL CENTERS:

Please follow your scheduled hours. This helps keep state mandated ratios in order as per the amount of staff that are scheduled. If you need to change your hours to earlier or later please give proper notice to the office so we can adjust our staff schedules. You can find the request for schedule change form on our forms page on the website. A two-week notice to the director/site manager is required for any schedule changes.

Soon cool weather will be here. Check your child’s extra clothes bins and bring home bathing suits and towels. It is important that your child has a change of clothes just in case.

Also, if your child will be late or absent, please call the center to let us know or send a message to your teacher via the procare app. We kindly ask that you call before 9:30am. This allows for our teachers to plan their day accordingly.

We know many of you utilize emails and Facebook pages. Not only is this a quick and effective means of communication it also saves paper and our environment.

We kindly ask that all of our Families and Staff LIKE our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/carelotctr or on Instagram @carelotchildrenscenter

We also ask that you provide us with a current email address to email you about current events and news as well as include you on our Procare Family App.

Website- You can visit us at www.carelot.net to keep updated on our center events and center photo gallery! Check it out! The website is updated as soon as new activities and events are planned. You can also view our monthly newsletter as well.

Don't forget to submit your answers! You have won a $25 tuition credit on your account.

It's easy to win by just emailing us an answer! $25 tuition credit!

Click the link below to submit a response. 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!

Congrats to Denise T. Family in Killingly for winning the August Question of the month! You will see a $25 credit added to your tuition account. We thank you for participating.

Our staff uses a process of documentation that aligns with the CT Early Learning Standards to record children’s growth and development. Through photographs, anecdotes, and children’s work samples, teachers put together a visual account of each child’s accomplishments. Using recognized developmental milestones, growth in the following seven areas of development are assessed:

1. Thinking, Reasoning, and Problem Solving

2. Emotional and Social Competency

3. Language and Communication

4. Gross Motor Development

5. Fine Motor Development

6. Reading and Writing Development

7. Creative Development

The Assessment process recognizes and celebrates that all children develop at different rates and with various strengths. Collections are completed for fall and spring and kept in their portfolio binder as long as the child is enrolled in the program. At the end of the child’s enrollment, the portfolio becomes a memento to be taken home and treasured. This collection is a representation of the child as an individual with distinct interests, backgrounds, skills, and desires. Teachers will meet with you in family/teacher conferences twice a year to share these treasured collections and celebrate the accomplishments of your child. This is the time that you will also share information on the growth and development of your child. Conferences are an ideal time to share expectations and your family philosophies. A conference can be scheduled at any time outside these set dates.

CLUBHOUSE 2023/2024 Sign up for before and/or after-school care now! Limited spaces are available! You need to register even if you attended last year!! Call Heather or Lorraine @ 860-739-1993 Ext. 120 TODAY!!!! Programs are offered in the Waterford Elementary schools as well as at The Friendship School in Waterford.

CENTER NEWS:

Summer has been flying by and we can't believe it is September already! We are very excited to start the school year with some great activities such as Grandfriends Social, Family Collages, Graphing, Friendship murals, Good Neighbor Day, EL and Killingly Trunk or Treat, and more!

Upcoming events:

One-stop shopping - November 3rd - East Lyme High School

Come shop amongst several vendors selling some amazing items! This is one of our biggest fundraising and community events. Stay tuned for more details.

Fall Fundraisers:

Every year the Carelot PTO supports and sponsors a variety of programs for children,

families and staff at Carelot Children’s Centers. Support is given for several events

throughout the year such as ice cream socials, annual staff training day in January, provider

appreciation week, family nights, slumber club, toys and equipment for classrooms, scholarships for high school students, community events, incoming programs and so much more!

We offer several opportunities throughout the year with several fundraising events, however, we also offer a “No Frills” fundraiser that allows those individuals who do not wish to participate in fundraising efforts to make a one-time donation to help fund all of our amazing programs. No buying, no selling, no deliveries... It’s that easy! Plus 100% of your donation goes directly to the PTO!

If you wish to make a donation to the Carelot Children’s Center PTO, please complete the

information below. Any amount is welcome and we appreciate your generosity.

Thank you,

The Carelot Children’s Center PTO

Thanks for all of your continued Support! We are always looking for new ideas for fundraisers if you have an idea drop by the office and share it with us.

Any old working Ipads, Iphones or tablets for our classrooms! Recycle!

Shaving cream, Board Books, Bubble Wrap, outdoor toys (bubbles, chalk, hula hoops, balls, etc), buckets, shovels, water toys.

Outdoor Materials:

Tree slices (large & small)

Sticks (various lengths and widths)

Rocks (a variety of sizes)

Tree nuts

Acorns

Pine cones

Large movable tree stumps

Flat wooden boards

Pots & Pants

Muffin tins, cake pans, pie pans

Plates, Bowls, Cups

Mixing spoons

Large mixing bowls

Pitchers

Canisters

Scoops

Buckets

Spray Bottles

Watering Cans

Large tubs for holding water

Wood Boards (various sizes work great for construction projects, ramps, etc.)

Milk crates

Balls (a variety of sizes)

Wood Block Set

Old Tire(s)

Movable Tree Stumps

Rope(s)

Buckets

Our Preschool will begin its school year curriculum on Sept. 3rd! We offer mornings, full-day, 2, 3, or 5-day programs. Please be sure to sign up and share our program with family and friends. Our curriculum is based on the CTELDS (CT early learning and development standards) and NAEYC criteria for a quality learning environment.

Our program is rich in:

• Social/Emotional Development
  
• Physical Development and Health
  
• Language and Literacy
  
• Creative Arts
  
• Mathematics
  
• Science
  
• Cognition
  
• Social Studies
  

"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