January ELC Newsletter

Who doesn't love a fresh start? After all the busyness of the last couple of months, it is time to start new, settle in and enjoy the calmness of winter. We had such an amazing December at the ELC. The excitement of events, decorations, a movie, popcorn and all around winter fun, was felt by staff, students, and families. I would like to personally thank all of the families who volunteered/ attended the various events we hosted in the month of December. Our Conscious Discipline Parent Workshop was such a success that we are going to follow up with a part 2 series! We closed the month out having our Winter Festival decorating cookies, reading about sneaky snowmen, and enjoying a concert together as a school family. School Family has a nice ring to it. With each event, conversation, and smile we really are building something special! Here's to the New Year!

We use Creative Curriuclum at the Early Learning Center to enhance the Current Studies that the children choose to learn about. Creative Curriculum is a comprehensive, research-based curriculum that features inquiry, exploration, and discovery as the foundation of all learning. Children have opportunities to think critically and develop process skills with rich, hands-on investigations of relevant and interesting study topics in the classroom.

During our studies, or long-term investigations, children learn concepts and practice skills related to literacy, math, science, social studies, and the arts. They develop thinking skills as they observe, investigate, ask questions, solve problems, make predictions, and test their ideas.We are currently finishing up our last series of Studies and moving on to some new and exciting topics of interest!

We were so fortunate to have our Conscious Discipline coach, Alyssa McGraw, lead our Parent Workshop. We had so many families engaged and asking great questions on how to regulate emotions, how to build routines, how to respond to behaviors, etc. We hope that you all found the training helpful and meaningful. Now that parents are understanding on a larger scale what Conscious Discipline is, we are going to break down some of the specific areas in a part 2 training. So make sure to stay tuned!

Our theme this year was all things Snow. From a snowman book, snow related songs, to a school wide snowman competition, we had SNOW much fun turning the ELC into a Winter Wonderland. Thank you families for joining us!

We LOVE feedback! Please fill out this brief survey if you attended one of our events, to offer suggestions/celebrations/concerns, or anything else you would like to share with us!

Home visits promote healthy child development and school readiness. It is required to have one home visit per school year.

Click image to sign up for the Meet and Mingle

In this book study, “Empowering Your Child to Fly: A Family’s Guide to Early Childhood Inclusion” by Jani Kozlowski, family members of children with disabilities will have the chance to dive into topics about the importance of inclusion in early childhood education. Each participant will receive a copy of the book and through readings and group discussions will gain better understanding of ways to support their child through his or her educational journey!

• Meeting 1 (online)
  January 16, 2026
  12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
• Meeting 2 (online)
  January 30, 2026
  12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
• Meeting 3 (online)
  February 13, 2026
  12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

https://starnet.org/home/events/2624-book-study-empowering-your-child-to-fly/

If your family's SNAP benefits are being affected by the current government shutdown, please click the image below. This resource guide will provide local area food pantries that you are able to access if need be.

If you are experiencing a hardship or need a little extra help, please email tschofield@emsd37.org.

Click the image if your child is in need of a coat. The ELC has partnered with the East Moline Rotary Club to provide coats for our students. Supplies may be limited.

Our school implements The Pyramid Model, a framework for supporting the social and emotional development of our children. An important part of our Pyramid Model work includes supporting families and sharing information about promoting social and emotional skills at home.

Teachers are currently focusing on teaching very specific friendship skills such as asking to play, taking turns, using gentle hands and managing emotions, to help children become "Super Friends." Children who demonstrate these discrete friendship skills in preschool tend to have better peer acceptance and friendships, fewer behavior problems, and stronger early academic outcomes. Families can also use this scripted story at home to reinforce these important skills, as well. Let your child know when you notice them being a super friend by using positive descriptive feedback, "You took turns with ____ and you both got to play with the car. Way to be a super friend!"

If you would like to be a guest reader for our Lending Library contact Ms. Tara

📚🎒 Looking for local community events and activities? The EMSD Digital Backpack is your go-to spot for community happenings!

Click the QR code to view this month's breakfast and lunch menus

Jan. 21st- Meet and Mingle Family Advisory Event

Jan. 19th- No School in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Jan. 28th- Block Playgroup

Jan. 29th- Parent/ Teacher Conferences time TBD

Jan. 30th- Parent/ Teacher Conferences time TBD

Do you have younger children? Bring them in for a developmental check-up! Open to EMSD residents with children aged 0-5 years old. Call our secretary, Lindsay, to schedule an appointment for a screening. Currently enrolled students do not need to be screened.

Important contacts:

Main Office: 309-865-6900

Lindsay Hill, Secretary (lhill@emsd37.org)

Tara Schofield, Family Educator (tschofield@emsd37.org)

Melissa McCullough, Principal (mmccullough@emsd37.org)