CEEP Family Newsletter!
Week of October 25, 2026
Newer News!
🚨 Lockdown Drill Information 🆘
The safety of your child and all children in our school, as well as the safety of the staff, is our highest priority. In order to maintain a safe environment for our children, it is necessary that we practice our emergency and crisis response plans by having drills designed to rehearse our procedures. This year, we have already practiced two Fire Drills and will be conducting our biannual lockdown drill next week. The purpose of this drill is to keep the students safe from any danger outside or inside the building. The classroom teachers will be covering and practicing how students and staff can stay safe during this type of drill this week. Please read the information regarding evacuations.
We understand that practicing these safety procedures can sometimes be confusing or even a bit scary for young children. Rest assured, we will approach the drill in a calm and age-appropriate manner, focusing on the importance of listening to teachers and following directions.
Daytime Event
The Storybook Character Day parade is tomorrow, Monday, October 26th. Students will take a quick fun walk in their storybook character costumes around the front parking lot. Families are invited to join and wave to the students as they walk past. If you are going to join us please complete the rsvp form below. Parking is limited. Please arrive on time so that you can see your little one walk. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdxOsHMRuabmWAZ5ytYpiuhFMdDxDHucPODgjFMVKh6SjR5mQ/viewform?usp=publish-editor
Evening Event: 🎃Family Trunk or Treat 🍭
Get Ready for Our 2nd Annual Trunk or Treat!
Last year was a hit, so we are bringing this fun family event back again this year. Please join us for Trunk or Treat Family Event on Monday, October 26th. We want every family to be a part of the fun.
There are two great ways you can participate this year:
Option 1: Decorate and Share! Park your car in the lot, decorate your trunk in a fun theme, and hand out candy or small treats to the kids.
Option 2: Dress Up and Walk! Dress your children in their favorite costumes and bring them to walk from trunk to trunk to collect goodies.
Whether you want to show off your decorating skills or just enjoy the creative displays with your little trick-or-treaters, we cannot wait to see you there!
📸 Picture Day
Our little ones looked sharp! It was hard work indeed, but their smiles were priceless and worth all of the sweat. The admin team would to send a big thank you to our families who signed up to volunteer during Picture Day!
It was truly an "all hands on deck" effort, and we could not have done it without your incredible help. From keeping entertaining our students to helping our students look their absolute best, your presence made a huge difference as our staff worked to capture these special memories. We are so appreciative of our wonderful community and your continued support!
🎃 Halloween Safety Tip 🍭
As we look forward to Halloween, please remember to keep safety in mind while celebrating! Encourage your child to walk with an adult, wear costumes that allow them to see and move safely, and check treats before eating. We wish all of our families a fun and safe Halloween!
Thank you for your continued support and partnership! We are looking forward to another great week ahead. I wish you well!
Mrs. Daniels
Dear CEEP Families,
In the event of an emergency situation, the Colonial Early Education Program (CEEP) has outlined the below response plan. Please know that we will attempt to notify you if ever an emergency arises, so please keep your emergency contact information up to date.
Evacuation / Relocation
If the emergency is confined to the immediate area at the Colwyck Center, e.g. fire, and the children cannot stay on the premises, the children will be taken to Harry O. Eisenberg Elementary School, located at 27 Landers Lane New Castle, Delaware. The children and staff will remain at this location while you or your emergency contact is notified of the situation. Please refrain from coming to the school until notified by the police department that reunification is taking place. Eisenberg Elementary School is 0.2 miles away from Colwyck. The children will be transported by walking.
If the emergency is more widespread, encompasses a larger area such as the neighborhood due to an environmental threat, e.g. flood, and the children cannot remain in the immediate area, they will be transported to Calvin R. McCullough Middle School, located at 20 Chase Blvd New Castle DE 19720. The children and staff will remain at this location while you or your emergency contact is notified of the situation. McCullough Middle School is 1.5 miles away from Colwyck. The children will be transported through the Colonial School District Transportation Buses.
Notifications
For emergencies in which the police are involved, the police will take the lead and all information related to the situation will be disseminated by the police. The Colonial School District will provide general information and may rely on the police to communicate all facts regarding the emergency to the public. The CEEP staff will remain with and care for the children at all times during an emergency.
If the school/school district cannot reach you, they will call your emergency contacts. During emergencies, children will only be released to you or your emergency contacts.
Information about the event can be found on the Colonial School District’s website and Facebook page, radio station WDEL (1150), WILM (1450), WJBR (99.5) AND WSTW (93.7) and local television station, etc.
Emergency Supplies / Shelter-in-Place
You may want to leave in your child’s classroom a change of clothes, a few family photos, and a comfort item like a small teddy bear to help your child during a crisis.
If we need to shelter in place, we will remain in our classrooms or in a neutral area within the school. First aid supplies are located in each classroom as well as the school nurse’s office. Emergency food and water are located in the cafeteria.
As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about this emergency plan.
Sincerely,
Katrina Daniels
Principal
The school and district uses one or all of the following system to send notifications to families, Infinite Campus Notifications (phone, text, and email), and Classdojo. The successful delivery of information using these platforms is dependent upon accurate contact information for each student, so we MUST HAVE current phone numbers and email addresses on file for your child at all times. If your phone number(s) change during the school year, the front office MUST be notified immediately. If there is a specific number that you would like the school to use for general announcements, please notify the main office.
Please complete the following actions to ensure that you receive school-wide communication messages from the principal, school district, and classroom teacher.
Verify that your child’s contact information is updated in our school system. You can email Erin Kirby Erin.Kirby@colonial.k12.de.us, Kim Tomlinson Kimberly.Tomlinson@colonial.k12.de.us with your updated information.
Ensure that you have opted into all of the notification sources that are listed below.
Please be assured that our top priority is to keep all students and staff members safe. In the event of an emergency and communications sent via law enforcement, we are required to respond and act swiftly even with limited information. If you have concerns in the midst of an emergency situation, I respectfully ask that you voice those concerns once clearance has been given and students and staff have been properly escorted to their families and guardians. Calling the school or coming to the door may prolong safety clearances for all involved.
Thank you again for your patience and your understanding of the school’s decisions to keep students safe in situations that are out of the routine. I wish you all well.
🔥 Fire Safety Awareness Month – Week 4
Family Safety Tip:
In an emergency, children may hide if they are scared. Help your child learn that firefighters are helpers. Show them pictures of firefighters in uniform and remind them that even if they look different in gear (helmets, masks, heavy coats), they are safe to approach. Reassure your child that if they ever see a firefighter in their home or school, the safest choice is to go to them.
👉 Try this week: Look at pictures of firefighters in full gear with your child, and practice saying, “Go to the firefighter.”
Would you like to volunteer at CEEP? Parents will need to apply via the Colonial School District website. It takes up to 10 days for it to be approved.
https://www.colonialschooldistrict.org/parents-students/volunteer/
Once it is approved, you will show up on our school's volunteer list. You should apply for all of the schools because the approval list lasts for 3 years. When your child(ren) moves up or to another school, you will show up on the “new schools” list because you have applied for all of the schools. If you do not, you will not show up on the new school list and will have to sign up again to become a volunteer.
Parents' Right to Know Notice which states, “UNDER THE DELAWARE CODE, YOU ARE ENTITLED TO INSPECT THE ACTIVE RECORD AND COMPLAINT FILES OF ANY LICENSED CHILD CARE FACILITY. TO REVIEW A CHILD CARE FACILITY RECORD CONTACT: the administrative specialist, OFFICE OF CHILD CARE LICENSING, 3411 SILVERSIDE ROAD, CONCORD PLAZA ǀ HAGLEY BUILDING, WILMINGTON, DELAWARE 19810, phone (302) 892-5800.
You may also view substantiated complaints and compliance review histories by visiting the Office of Child Care Licensing’s child care search at https://kids.delaware.gov/occl/search-for-child-care.shtml”