Concept Room

The tree is almost completed and I love it!  All four seasons are displayed on the tree. 
Come in and take a look next time you are here. 

Concept Room

I'm so excited about this new project we have started in the Concept Room. 

Stefania Hardy, a Sunshine Mom and very talented artist, is painting this mural in the concept room. 

We will be painting the entire room with this tree as the focal point.  I'll post pictures as the project progresses, but if you have time take a look when you pick up or drop off tomorrow. 

Looking for some fun christmas activites for kids.  Check out Krayon Kids, a local children's

theater company.  Krayon Kids is putting on a Christmas program which includes a

show, crafts, treats, and pictures with Santa.  They are having a sale on tickets

today only for $10.  Visit www.krayonkids.org for more information or to buy tickets. 

Winter Menu 2010-2011

Winter Menu 2010 - December

Delphina's Bakery



I am pleased to annouce that Sunshine School is now having
bread delivered fresh each week from Delphina's Bakery. 
Our first delivery is Monday, December 13th. 



December Newsletter

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

Please take note of our holiday schedule:

      Christmas Program: Sunday, December 12th @ 6pm

      Non-academic weeks for Kindergarten:  December 20th-30th

      Christmas Eve (12/24): closed

      New Year's Eve (12/31): closed  

For staffing purposes, please indicate days your child will be at school during the holidays.  Class lists are posted in the hallway (preschool only) or in your child's classroom for you to indicate which days you child will be at school.  If you would like to apply vacation credit to your account, please contact the office. 

Sunshine School Christmas Program

Sunday, December 12th at 6pm

This is a very sweet program featuring the preschool and kindergarten students at Sunshine School.  All families are welcome to attend.  Please invite friends and family as well! 

Preschoolers should be in their classroom by 5:45pm 

Kindergarterners should be in their class by 5:30pm.   

Immunizations

This is a reminder to make sure your child’s immunization record is up to date.  Every January the school has to report all immunizations to Multnomah County for children 18 months and older.  Your child has most likely received new shots over the past year and if you haven’t turned in an updated copy of their immunization record please do so by December 15th

Preschool

December Themes:

November 29-December 3: Library
December 7-10:  Post Office
December 13-17:  Christmas
December 20-23: Christmas
December 27-30: The Gingerbread Man

Memory Verses:
November 29-December 3: Joshua 1:9
December 7-10:  Isaiah 9:6
December 13-17:  Isaiah 9:6
December 20-23: Birth of Jesus, Isaiah 9:6
December 27-30: Birth of Jesus & Review

Lamb's Fold

Happy 2nd Birthday! 

Tyla Ramirez - 12/12

Zechariah Gibbs - 12/18

Potty Training

Most of the Wobblers are working on potty training and we hope to move two of them up to preschool as soon as possible.  In order for potty training to be the most effective it needs to happen at school and at home.  It’s my desire that we have an open dialog between parents and teachers as we work on this together with each child.   Thank you for your help! 

Immunizations 

This is a reminder to make sure your child’s immunization record is up to date.  Every January the school has to report all immunizations to Multnomah County for children 18 months and older.  Your child has most likely received new shots over the past year and if you haven’t turned in an updated copy of their immunization record please do so by

December 15th. 

Nut- Free School

Just a reminder that Sunshine School is a nut-free (especially peanuts) school.  Please take a look at any snacks or meals you send with your child and make sure it doesn't contain nuts. 

The Backpack Program

This week you received a flyer about the Backpack Program that Sunshine School and Trinity Fellowship are starting to collect food for.  This program is run in several elementary schools in the Portland area.  One thing that I really like about this program  is the school counselors at those schools select the food given to each child based on the child's individual needs.  For example, the counselor knows whether or not the home has a microwave or a can opener and sends home the appropriate food items for each child.  If you are interested in contributing to this program, please keep in mind what an elementary student could prepare for themselves or siblings at home with little assistance from an adult.  Canned goods are welcomed and ones that can be easily opened are best.  Below is a more complete list of the items this program is looking for.  If you have any questions please contact Jen. 

 

• Nuts

• Pudding Cups

• Jelly/jam

• Cup of noodles

• Fruit cups

• SpaghettiOs

• Fruit snacks (low/no sugar)

• Boxes of 100% fruit juice

• Protein/granola bars

• Tuna fish, canned

• Chicken, canned

• Pop Tarts (unfrosted)

• Crackers

• Dried fruit, raisins

• Shelf-stable milk or soy milk

• Cereal, non-sugar

• Cans of soup, stew, and chili

• Snack Packs' cheese & crackers

• Trail mix

Thanksgiving Announcements

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is just around the corner?  Next week we will celebrate Thanksgiving at Sunshine School with our annual Thanksgiving Lunch.  Students in the Wobbler room, Preschool and Kindergarten are welcome to invite two special guests to join them for lunch.  Lunch will be from 11am-noon.  If parents are unable to make it, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends are also welcome.  If a guest or two will be joining your student, please sign up this week so that we can have the right amount of food prepared.  We hope you can join us!

Also, many of you may be heading out of town for Thanksgiving or just taking some extra days off.  Near your child's sign in sheet is a page for you to indicate which days your child will be coming the week of Thanksgiving.  This helps us with staffing and allowing teachers to have time off as well. 

Princess Visit

Today we had a visit from the Oregon Dairy Princess.  Princess Hannah is from Tillamook and is touring the state and talking with preschool and elementary students about healthy eating and physical activity.  The students learned about dairy cows and how milk

gets from the farm to the store.  Ask your child about what they learned today

about cows and milk. 



Miss Alyssa's class



Kindergarten Class



Cassidy ready to answer a question



Family Movie Night

Family Movie Night: Mary Poppins

We hope you can join us for Mary Poppins on Friday night!  This is our first of two family movie nights this school year.  Join us for dinner at 6pm and we will start the movie around 7pm.  Mary Poppins is a little over two hours in length, so feel free to stay for the entire movie or as long as it holds your child's attention.  Parents do need to stay with your child throughout the movie.  Feel free to invite other friends and family, but please sign up in the front lobby.   

November Menu 2010

Fall Food Sampling

Our theme this week in preschool is Farms, Food & Harvest.  Yesterday the kids did a little food tasting with pomogranite seeds, pumkin seeds, bell pepper, tomato, spinach, dried cranberries, and brussel sprouts.  Some ate all of their samples and some didn't know what to think of the brussel sprouts and spinach.  All in all I think most students tried at least one new things.  Here are some pictures from our Fall Food Sampling. 

about to try a brussel sprout



not sure about this...



November Newsletter

Dear Sunshine Families,

I have a lot of information to pass on to you today and tomorrow.  I'll try not to overload your inbox too much.  First up, the November Newsletter and Menu.  The school wide news and information is first followed by Lamb's Fold, Preschool and Kindergarten.  You can skip to the sections that apply to you.     

SUNSHINE SCHOOL NEWS

 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS ENDS NOVEMBER 7TH

PLEASE REMEMBER TO SET YOUR CLOCKS BACK 1 HOUR

MESD Classroom Observations
I have been in contact with the Multnomah County Educational Service District this fall and became aware of several free services offered through their Early Childhood Program.  As a result, I have decided to have an early intervention Specialist come to Sunshine School and conduct informal classroom evaluations for our preschool and kindergarten classes.  If you have any concerns about your child’s speech, language, motor skills, behavior, learning, or social skills and would like your child to receive a free formal evaluation please contact Jen in the office.  Many of the services available are free/low cost for families. Sunshine School conducts these informal observations every fall as a service to our families.  Below is an explanation of what this observation is and why I feel like it’s an important service to offer.  Hillary Hyde EI/ECSE Outreach Specialist will be at Sunshine School on Friday, November 5^th. 

Classroom Observation Information from MESD

We know that identifying and offering developmental support to young children before they enter elementary school can be very helpful should they need it. Providing assistance early has been shown to:

    * Decrease the need for special education services

    * Decrease the chances of being held back in school

    * Increase the chances of completing high school and attending college

    * Increase scores on achievement tests

    * Decrease anti-social and delinquent behaviors

The most common area of delay and eligibility for young children is speech and language, but other areas where children are screened and evaluated for delays can include motor skills, behavior, socializing, learning, vision, hearing, and independence in daily activities and routines. 

This is not a formal screening, and we are glad that we can take advantage of this useful service. If she recommends a screening for your child, we will speak to you about her observation.

If you have any additional questions about EI/ECSE, you can find out more on their website http://www.mesd.k12.or.us/ece/index.shtml or contact the EI/ECSE Outreach Specialist, Hillary Hyde at hhyde@mesd.k12.or.us or 503-548-4400 x22.

Scholastic Book Club
Each month you will receive a Scholastic Book order forms.  This fall we have switched to online ordering for parents and it couldn’t be easier for you and for us. 

Here’s how it works:    

·        Create an account at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs.  On the parent page, click the “Don’t have a User Name and Password” link, then register for your own username and password.  When prompted enter the one time class activation code: GKRPR (also found on the top left corner of your scholastic order form. 

·        Select the books you would like to order.

·        Submit your order online before the due date (also found on the top left corner of your order form).  Your credit card/debit card will be charged at the end of the month when I submit the order for the enter school.  Books will be delivered to the school and we will put your order in your child's cubby.   

Sunshine School receives a free book for every book that you order online.  This is one of the reasons we have switched to online ordering.  We are no longer accepting orders made here at school.  If you have any questions, please contact Jen or Myrna in the office. 

Thanksgiving Lunch

You are invited to join your child for a special Thanksgiving lunch on Thursday, November 18^th.  Wobblers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners can have 2 special guests come to lunch.  Preschool and kindergarten will perform a special song and Tammy makes a delicious meal.  We hope you can join us! 

Upcoming Events:

November 5^th @6pm          Family Movie Night

November 7th                   Day Light Saving - Fall Back 1 hour

November 9^th                   Blue Day

November 18^th                  Thanksgiving Family Lunch @ 11:30

November 25-26^th              Sunshine School Closed for Thanksgiving

LAMBS FOLD NEWS

Happy Birthday!

Joshua Halvorson (1 year old) on November 2nd 

 Jackson Whittaker (2 years old) on November 9th. 

Potty Training

The Wobbler Room is continuing to work on potty training each day.  We have some students in the infant room waiting to move up to the Wobbler Room once the older Wobblers are potty trained.  If your child is currently potty training, we ask that you help us by being very consistant with potty training at home.  Once a child is potty trained and 2 1/2 years old, they can move up to the preschool program.  There is also a significant price difference in tuition for preschool,  hopefully this will be an incentive for some.  Thank you for your help. 

Healthy School Policy

We are also entering cold and flu season, so please remember that if your child displays any of the following symptoms, please keep them home: 

         

fever, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, severe cough or cold, or any illness, infection, or injury that may be passed to others or cause your child difficult at school 

Upon returning to school each student needs to be symptom free of vomiting and diarrhea for at least 24 hours.  We are required to send a child home with a fever of 100° or higher.  Thank you for your understanding. 

PRESCHOOL NEWS

Weekly Themes and Bible Verses:

November 1-5             Nutrition & Grocery Store       Memory Review

November 8-12            Restaurant & Cooking             2 Thessalonians 5:16-18

November 15-19          Thanksgiving                         2 Thessalonians 5:16-18

November 22-24          Thanksgiving                         Joshua 1:9

November 29-Dec 3     Library                                 Joshua 1:9   

Cooler Weather and Healthy School Reminder

A fall starts to turn into Winter, please remember to send your child to school with jackets, gloves and hats as needed.  We try and go outside as often as possible provided it’s not too wet outside.  We do have extra coats and sweatshirts here at school on  

We are also entering cold and flu season, so please remember that if your child displays any of the following symptoms, please keep them home: 

         

fever, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, severe cough or cold, or any illness, infection, or injury that may be passed to others or cause your child difficult at school 

Upon returning to school they need to be symptom free of vomiting and diarrhea for at least 24 hours.  We are required to send a child home with a fever of 100° or higher.  Thank you for your understanding. 

KINDERGARTEN NEWS

Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming up the first part of November.  A reminder flyer was put in your child's cubby confirming the date and time of your conference.  Please see Mrs. Gibbs is you have any questions. 

Upcoming Events

November 5th @6pm     Family Movie Night

November 7th              Day Light Saving - Fall Back 1 hour

November 9th              Blue Day

November 10th            Papa's Pizza Field trip

November 11th            Veterns Day - Non-Academic Day for Kindergarten

November 18th            Thanksgiving Lunch @ 11:30am

November 22-24           Non-Academic Day for Kindergarten

November 25-26           Sunshine School is Closed for Thanksgiving

Family Movie Night - Friday, November 5th

We would like to invite you to the first of two family movie nights on Friday, November 5th.  Join us for dinner at 6pm and the movie will start around 7pm.  Our theater for the evening will be the church sanctuary.  The chairs will be cleared out of the sanctuary leaving plenty of room for kids to spread out with blankets and pillows. 

The Disney Classic Musical "Mary Poppins" will be our feature film for the evening and feel free to sing-a-long as you watch.  Parents do need to stay with their children throughout dinner and the movie.  Feel free to invite friends and family to the movie.    

Orange Day is Friday, October 22nd. 

We will have an fun day of Orange art, Orange food,

and Orange clothes.  (Go Beavers!)

 Fall Fun Day is Wednesday (10/20)

Our fall themed party will be loaded with games, crafts, and activities.  Students will be making their own healthy snack of apple "cupcakes." These cupcakes are made from an apple and decorated to look like a cupcake.  Thank you to those who provided stickers and sprinkles for our fun day.  Thank you also to those who are volunteering to help during our party.  

School Pictures

Mrs. Sarah's 1st grade picture.

 School pictures are this week on Monday and Tuesday. 

In a couple of weeks you can preview your student's pictures and decide which packet to buy. 



 Don't forget to wear yellow on Wednesday (10/6)

School Pictures

Jen in preschool

In the spirit of school pictures, I thought I would share these little gems with you.  I didn't go to preschool, but I was about 4 in the first picture and my Elton John impersonation at 18 months.  I hope to bring you more staff photos this month. 

School pictures will be taken on Monday, October 11th and Tuesday, October 12th.  Information was sent home this week with a permission form for you to fill out, sign and return to school.  We must have a permission slip for your child in order to have their picture taken.  You will be able to preview the pictures at a later date and decide if you would like to purchase a photo package.  Please return the permission slip even if you don't plan to purchase pictures.  We would like your child's photograph to be in our school composite picture.

October Newsletter

Upcoming Events

October 6         Yellow Day 

October 8         Non-Academic Day (Kindergarten)  

October 11-12   School Pictures

October 20       Fall Fun Day   
October 22       Orange Day
October 27       Harvest Party @ 6:15pm - Trinity Fellowship 

Preschool Themes and Bible Verses

October 4-8        Dance & Physical Fitness                             

October 11-15     Dental Health & Hygiene

October 18-22     Fall Fun

October 25-29     Farm, Food & Harvest

Romans 4:21-22

being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.   This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness."

Ephesians 4:32

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Preschool and Lamb's Fold Home Visits

Home visits are a Sunshine School tradition and we invite you to participate.  Home visits are designed for your teacher to come and visit your child in his/her home environment.  Visits usually last 15-20 minutes.  For families with multiple children at Sunshine School, we will try and schedule home visits at the same time.  We encourage you to participate if you are interested.  Please see your child's teacher or contact the office if you have any questions. 

Join us for our annual Harvest Party!

Wednesday, October 27 @ 6:15pm

Join Sunshine School, Trinity Fellowship and neighborhood families for activities and fun for the whole family!  Dinner starts at 6:15pm ($1 per child, $2 per adult) Dress in your favorite (non-scary) costume and enjoy a fun, safe evening together. 

Back to School BBQ & Open House

Thank you for coming to the 1st Annual Back to School BBQ and Open House!  We hope the evening was as fun for you and your family as it was for our Sunshine School Staff.  We enjoyed getting to know you better and it was a joy to watch our families interact and get to know each other. 


You recieved some information from your child's teacher regarding Home Visits at the Open House.  Home visits are a long standing tradition at Sunshine School.  It's a fun, unique way for our staff to get to know your family better and a special treat for your child to have their teacher visit them at home.  We want to encourage all families to participate in a home visit, however it's not a requirement.  If you are interested in scheduling a home visit, please talk directly with your child's teachers.  For families with multiple children at Sunshine, we can schedule a time for both teachers to come together.

Atkinson Elementary After School Care Pick Up

Sunshine School is now offering after school pick up from Atkinson Elementary School.  Our After School Teacher, Mallory, takes a van from Sunshine School to Atkinson each afternoon.  We need your help to spread the word about this new service.  If you or someone you know would be interested in sending their K-4th grader to us after school please call the office at 503-775-1533 or send me an email at jennifer@trinity-fellowship.com.  Monthly tuition is $225 and daily tuition is $15.00.   

*Remember there is a $100 referal credit available upon enrollment of a new family. 

Red Day and Back to School BBQ & Open House



Tuesday, September 21st is the beginning of color days at Sunshine School. 

We are starting the year off with RED Day.  Everything will be RED today.

RED clothes, RED art, and even some RED soup. 



Tuesday, September 21st is also the Back to School BBQ and Open House. 
All Sunshine Families are invited to join us for a BBQ dinner anytime between 6-7pm.
Teachers will be in their rooms until 7:45pm.  





picking cucumbers with mrs. jaime. 
we have enjoyed our preschool garden this summer. 
there are a lot of green tomatos that we hope start to turn red soon.



September Menu 2010

It is my desire to offer healthy and kid friendly meals each day at Sunshine School.  We are striving to serve meals made from scratch so that we control the ingredients in all of our meals.  We are also using fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables as much as possible.  Recipes are available for all of our meals if you have any questions or concerns about the ingredients used. 

One significant change is a move to create seasonal menus.  So the menu that you see above will be the menu for September, October and November.  You can download or print this menu if you would like to have a copy of it at home.  I will also put some copies out in the lobby by the preschool cubbies if you would like to pick one up.  If you have any questions or concerns regarding our menu, please let me know.  I hope your child enjoys their dining experience at Sunshine School!