Bulldog Buddies Bulletin

Hello Bulldog Buddies Families,

September has been full of new beginnings—discovering routines, making friends, exploring the classroom, and learning so many new skills! Our focus this month has been on helping children feel comfortable, building connections, and learning how to work and play together as a community.

Thank you to all our families who participated in the at-home eLearning activities! Your support helps make learning fun and meaningful, even from home. We appreciate you taking the time to explore, create, and learn alongside your child.

As we move into October, we’re excited to begin our Fall Study! We’ll be exploring apples, pumpkins, the changes fall brings, and plenty of fun seasonal activities. Be on the lookout for new songs, stories, and projects your child may want to share at home. We’re especially looking forward to our visit to County Line Orchard—a wonderful way to bring our fall study to life with hands-on learning, exploration, and lots of seasonal fun!

Thank you for partnering with us to make preschool such a joyful and engaging experience—we couldn’t do it without you!

Sincerely,

Kristy Elsey

Check out our Bulldog Buddies Spirit Wear Shop! From tiny tees to cozy gear, now’s the time to stock up before the shop closes on October 15th. Let’s show our Bulldog Buddies pride!

Our All About Me study was so much fun! Each of our preschoolers is unique and special and they enjoyed sharing and learning more about each other, our families, our bodies, and our feelings.

During the month of October, we will be learning about fall. Our Fall Study provides many opportunities for fun, hands-on learning both inside and outside of the classroom. We have lots of activities planned to answer the following questions throughout the study:

• How do we know its fall? What changes happen outside in the fall? What do we wear in the fall?
• Where do apples come from? What can we make from apples? How do apples grow and change?
• Where do pumpkins come from? What can we do with pumpkins? What’s inside a pumpkin?
• How do people celebrate fall? What special foods do we eat in the fall? What fun activities can we do in the fall?

Your child’s teacher will communicate additional information about weekly activities and any classroom needs.

Play is crucial in preschool for healthy child development. It's not just fun — it's how young children learn, grow, and make sense of the world. The more active children are in their work and the more engaging and meaningful an activity is, the more children will learn and remember. Engaging in play meets learning goals in all areas of development:

Social/Emotional Development

• Learning to cooperate: Play teaches sharing, taking turns, and negotiating with peers.
• Understanding emotions: Pretend play helps children express feelings and build empathy by imagining different perspectives.
• Building confidence: Mastering new tasks in play builds self-esteem and a sense of capability.

Physical Development

• Gross motor skills: Outdoor play, running, climbing, and dancing help develop coordination and muscle strength.
• Fine motor skills: Activities like drawing, manipulating small objects, or using tools (like scissors) support hand-eye coordination and dexterity.

Language Development

• Vocabulary: Children expand their vocabulary through pretend play and interaction.
• Communication: Children use language to express ideas, needs, and feelings; and engage in conversations with others.

Cognitive Development

• Problem-solving skills: Figuring out puzzles, building with blocks, and imaginative scenarios help children think critically and explore cause and effect.
• Foundation for academic skills: Play introduces early math (counting, shapes, classification) and literacy (storytelling, letter recognition) in a natural, engaging way.
• Through role play, storytelling, and open-ended materials, children think symbolically and stretch their imaginations, experiment, and innovate.
• Play supports exploration and curiosity about nature, science, and how things work.

A free program where children practice reading by sharing stories with therapy dogs, building confidence and fluency.

• Programs run September–May at Winfield, Munster, Merrillville, Highland, Dyer/Schererville, and St. John libraries (times vary; check website/Facebook).
• Reading to dogs improves motivation, fluency, comprehension, and confidence in a non-judgmental setting.
• Programs are free; all volunteer dogs are AKC CGC (Canine Good Citizen) certified.

Learn more at www.powerpawsforkids.org or email powerpaws4kids@gmail.com.

November 4, 2025 is an eLearning Day for elementary schools, including preschool. This day is dedicated to Parent/Teacher conferences. Our goal is for all parents to attend a conference to discuss your child's progress on this day. Teachers will send a sign-up through ParentSquare. Please mark your calendar with your conference time. We will also send home activities for students to complete during the eLearning Day.

📅 Tuition Schedule

• Monthly tuition fees are posted on the 15th of the previous month

• Payment is due by the 1st of each month

• Payments can be made online through PowerSchool or at the school office

• If payment is not received by the 10th of the current month, your child will not be able to attend preschool until the balance is paid in full

• Monthly Tuition: $180/month for 3-day (AM) program, $300/month for 5-day (PM) program. First tuition payment is due by September 1st.

💰 Fees

• Supply Fee: $65 (one-time fee for all preschool students) — Please pay during August

📄 Free & Reduced Tuition
If you’re interested in applying for financial assistance, the Free & Reduced Application is available here: Free & Reduced Application

📞 If you have any questions, please contact the Early Learning Centere at (219) 663-4330. Thank you for your attention to these important details and for being a valued part of our Bulldog Buddies community!

Please mark your calendars with these key dates:

• Oct.1 - October Tuition Payment Due
• Oct. 3 - County Line Orchard for Didier, McFadden, Lozano, Littrell
• Oct. 10 - County Line Orchard for Jolliff, Hart, Majszak
• Oct. 13-17 - Fall Break, no preschool classes
• Oct. 24 - County Line Orchard for Peters, Winland, Keane, Gorney, Lahners, Edgington
• Nov. 1 - November Tuition Payment Due
• Nov. 4 - eLearning Day/Parent Teacher Conferences, no preschool classes
• Nov. 26-28 - Thanksgiving Break, no preschool classes

Bulldog Buddies will follow the district calendar for the 2025–2026 school year, with one important exception:

📅 The last day of preschool will be:

• AM Class: Thursday, May 21, 2025

• PM Class: Friday, May 22, 2025

Please mark your calendars and plan ahead! We’ll share reminders as we get closer to the end of the year. 🐾

Did you know CPCSC offers a Birth to School Program for children ages 0–5 who live within the Crown Point Community School Corporation boundaries?

Our Little Learners series includes:
🍼 Baby Class (0–12 months)

🚼 Toddler Class (13–24 months)

🧸 Little Learners Class (25–36 months)

👫 Multi-Age Class (0–5 years)

✨ Imaginarium Classes for children ages 0–5

🌟 If your child is already enrolled in Bulldog Buddies, your family can still participate in Birth to School events and classes!

🎉 All Birth to School classes and events are free and are designed to support families and encourage early development through play, exploration, and connection.

For more information, visit: www.cps.k12.in.us/bts

Questions? Contact our Birth to School Coordinator: Jamie Kalk – jkalk@cps.k12.in.us

Kristy Elsey, Assistant Director of Elementary Education

Email: kelsey01@cps.k12.in.us

Charissa Leestma, Preschool Specialist

Email: cleestma@cps.k12.in.us

Christine Johnsen, Preschool Treasurer

Email: cjohnsen@cps.k12.in.us

Website: https://preschool.cps.k12.in.us/

Location: 720 Summit Street, Crown Point, IN, USA

Phone: 219-663-4330