October 2025
OCTOBER 2026 CALENDAR
10/7 - Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:30pm-6:30pm
10/8 - No School - Parent/Teacher Conferences 8:00am - 7:00pm
10/8 - Policy Council Meeting 11:30am-12:30pm
10/9 - No School
10/13 - Early Head Start Socialization 10AM & 3:30PM
10/15 - No School - Staff Work Day
10/16 - No School - Staff Work Day
10/29 - Dental Screenings
10/24 - Victory Electric Pumpkin Painting Parent Event 9AM-11AM
LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL
Dear Bright Beginnings Families, 🐝💛
As we buzz into October and watch the leaves begin to turn, I am so grateful for the wonderful start to our school year! 🍁✨
September was a month dedicated to building strong hives and even stronger foundations. Across all our classrooms, our Little Bees worked together to establish daily routines, practice strategies for self-regulation, and build sweet connections with friends and teachers. 🐝🤝 These early weeks set the tone for a fantastic year of learning, helping our students feel grounded, confident, and ready to soar! 🌟
I also recognize that events outside our school walls deeply touch our community. In light of recent activity in our local area, I know that many families may be feeling extra worry, stress, or uncertainty right now. During times like these, it is essential to affirm what Bright Beginnings stands for: a safe, caring, and welcoming home for every single child and family. 💛🏡
Our school is more than a place for learning—it is a community anchor. ⚓ Our predictable routines and strong connections provide our bumblebees with a sense of safety and stability when the world outside feels unsettled. Our entire staff remains whole-heartedly committed to ensuring every child who walks through our doors feels secure, loved, and valued just as they are. 🐝❤
️
If your child is feeling anxious or if your family needs extra support, please do not hesitate to reach out to me, your child’s teacher, or our school team. We are here to wrap our wings around our families and walk alongside you. 🍯🐝
Thank you for your trust, partnership, and for making our Bright Beginnings community such a warm, compassionate place for all our bumblebees to thrive! 🌻🐝
With warm bumblebee buzzes and bright wishes, 💛
Bianca Alvarez
Principal/Director
Bright Beginnings Early Childhood Center
USD 443
#eeii
Every Encounter Is Important
September: Exploring Pets & Math Foundations
- Learning Focus: Children are learning about household pets, how to care for them, and what animals need to live. In math, we are recognizing numbers from 0 to 4, learning to instantly recognize small amounts of items without counting, and naming primary colors.
- Family Challenge: Shape & Animal Hunt! Walk around your neighborhood or home to spot animals (real or pictures) and call out shapes you see along the way (e.g., circular wheels, rectangular doors).
BRIGHT BEGINNINGS OPEN LIBRARY SCHEDULE
STORY TIME IN THE LIBRARY
THE LIBRARY WILL BE OPEN TO PARENTS - EVERY THURSDAY
Morning Session 11:10am
Afternoon Session 3:15pm
Join us in the library right after your child’s dismissal time for a fun Story Time activity and snack!
During Story Time, you and your child can explore our library and check out 2 books to take home for the week. Reading together at home is a great way to build your child’s early literacy skills and a love for reading! ❤️📖
Remember: Please return your 2 books the following Thursday so your child can check out 2 new books to enjoy at home.
We hope you and your child will join us every Thursday for stories, activities, snacks, and books! 🐝
POLICY COUNCIL
- By-Laws - Learn about what Policy Council Members do.
- Monthly Fiscal Report
- Information Memorandums
- What is Policy Council?
We voted on our Officers for this school year:
- Chairperson: Makayla Davis
- Vice Chairperson: Dora Gamboa-Monreal
- Secretary: Rocio Montiel
Our next Policy Council Meeting is on October 8 from 11:30-12:30pm in the Policy Council Room at Bright Beginnings.
If you are interested in participating in Policy Council, please contact your teacher, advocate, or Brenda Carmona for more information. Please click here to read more about Policy Council. We are so excited to share our program information with parents and have our parents guide our program decisions.
A NOTE FROM MISS MELYSSA
Greetings!
Thank you for sharing your children with us and being a part of our Bright Beginnings School Family!
I have had the JOY of meeting your children by greeting in the hallways, joining in their classrooms, playing on the playground, or during Friend's Time in your child's classroom family.
This month, we’re helping children build their Attention Skills—learning how to notice what is important and choose where to focus. Our teachers and staff will model these skills throughout the classroom and school day so children can see what attention looks and sounds like in action.
Children will use their “Attentascope” to help them focus on the behaviors and actions that keep themselves and others safe, connected, and ready to learn. When we give our attention to the things we want to see more of, children have more opportunities to practice and grow those behaviors.
For example, when we are walking in the hallway, we might say:
“We walk together with our class.”
“We hold hands with our family as we walk down the hall.”
“Walk with me.”
Using positive language helps children know exactly what we want them to do. Instead of focusing on what not to do, we can guide their attention toward a safe choice. We might say, “Walking with me helps me keep you safe.”
Families can use this same approach at home! Notice and name the behaviors you want to see more often. A simple, positive reminder can help children know where to focus their attention and how to be successful.
When we learn and practice these skills together, we create a strong and supportive school family. Thank you for helping us grow our attention, focus, and connection together!
You are invited to join in for Parent Connection Groups/Mini Sessions on shared topics. Meet me with Miss Amanda for the Afternoon Story Time at least once a month. All of these will include the monthly focus your child is learning in the classroom.
Be looking for ways to join in any or all of these opportunities as well as on Facebook, Parent Square, and when we see each other in the hallways. We are in this together!
Thank you for being a part of our Bright Beginnings Family! You got this family!
~ Melyssa Walker--aka; Miss Melyssa
I Love you Connection: Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater
Share this connection with your child to bring eye contact, playfulness, touch, and connection.
Sophie Book: Sophie's Big Voice
Children are learning to use safe actions and words to share what they need.
Shubert Book: Shubert's Big Voice
Children are learning from Shubert in School how to be assertive and use their safe actions and words to communicate what they need.
NURSE TIEBEN'S CORNER
Some notes from our Nurse:
Pre-K Dental Screenings will be October 29 - Teachers will have consent forms at conferences that will need to be signed for dental screens.
Please make sure that your child is up to date with:
- Physical Exam
- Update Immunizations
- Lead Blood
- Hemoglobin
- Dental Exam
It is important to have these Health Requirements because our program has deadlines to meet to have these health items due for this school year. If your child is still missing health requirements see below the information of doctors offices.
Kendra Tieben BSN, RN
Health/Nutrition Facilitator~School Nurse
Bright Beginnings Early Childhood Center
BB 620-371-1227 T/Wam/R
EHS 620-371-1260 M/Wpm/F
BRIGHT BEGINNINGS CHILDCARE
Dear Families,
Happy October! We are excited for a full month of learning, exploring, singing, and playing together. This month, our activities focus on familiar things from children’s everyday lives while building early learning and communication skills.
Our preschool aged rooms are learning about shoes through songs, stories, conversations, and hands-on play. Our focus song is “The Wheels on the Bus”, we will sing, make motions, and explore different sounds and actions. Our focus number is “2”, shape is “Rectangle”, and color is “yellow”.
Our Toddlers are focusing on talking to build their vocabulary. An example could be, if our child says “bus!” you might respond “yes, a big yellow bus going down the street!”
Infants are seeing, reaching, and playing with all items. We provide safe opportunities for them to look at interesting objects, reach toward toys, grasp materials, and explore their surroundings.
We do have open spots for children aged 0-2 ½ . Please call 620-371-1220 to set up an appointment to enroll.
Thank you for trusting us with your children.
Kimber Barry
Early Head Start Specialist
EARLY HEAD START
During the month of October the Home Visitors will host a Socializations in their Early Head Start Building
Event: Play Group
When: October 10th
Where: Early Head Start Building - 1900 First Avenue
Time: 10am & 3:30pm
- Your will have the opportunity to explore different centers.
- Given the opportunity to parent and child to socialize with other families.
If you need transportation, please let your Family Home Visitor know.
We will also be at the Victory Electric Festival on Saturday, October 24th from 9am-11am.
There you will find our Early Head Start staff . We are inviting our families to come attend the event and visit our booth to do a fun hands-on activities with their child where they can work their fine motor skills.
We hope to see you there!
