January 2023 Newletter
January 5, 2023
Happy New Year Jack & Jill Families:
We have all been through a lot in the past few years. We are thankful that Jack & Jill Childcare has been able to support your families for the past nearly three years of the pandemic. Thanks to our wonderful families for your continuous support over the years – we made it!
The staff at Jack & Jill are motivated to make 2023 count! We will make it count by continuing to provide quality and educational care for your children. We will make it count by partnering with you for communication and customer service. We will make it count by empowering our team to build an even better childcare experience for your family.
Community COVID levels remain low and therefore we will no longer require mask wearing in common space areas, and child drop off and pick up. We will continue to take a variety of actions daily to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, including COVID-19.
The following set of strategies remain in place:
We will continue to notify families of infectious illness in the classroom setting, including exposure to COVID-19, indicating the individual’s last date of attendance to the best of our ability.
Encourage staff and children to stay home when they are sick! Anyone with symptoms of respiratory or gastrointestinal infections, such as cough, fever, sore throat, vomiting or diarrhea, should stay home. Testing is recommended for anyone with COVID-19 symptoms as soon as possible after symptoms begin. While the CDC no longer recommends quarantine (staying home) after an exposure to someone with COVID-19, it is still recommended that people take precautions, including testing and wearing a mask, regardless of vaccination status or if they had a previous infection.
We will continue to demonstrate hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette. Children and staff continue to wash hands throughout the day. Hand sanitizing stations remain at the entrance of the program and each classroom. Staff continue to teach children to reinforce covering coughs and sneezes to help keep individuals from getting and spreading infectious diseases, including COVID-19.
Using the Geneon Mister Cleaning System: An electrolyte solution is used nightly in each building, using a hospital grade disinfectant, that kills 99.99% of all germs, viruses, etc.
Use of air purification systems in each classroom, main entry ways and in the staff lounge areas that kill over 99.9% of germs.
Masks will be required if COVID-19 community levels increase.
All staff and children who have known or suspected exposure to COVID-19 should also wear a mask for 10 days from their last exposure, regardless of vaccination status or history of prior infection.
Any staff or child who chooses to wear a mask at any or all times will be supported in their decision to do so.
Testing remains available for staff as needed.
Children or staff who come to school with symptoms or develop symptoms while at school, will be excluded from the program as necessary. Symptomatic children who cannot wear a mask (i.e. under the age of 2) will be excluded from the program until symptoms subside.
If we experience an increase in any communicable illness, including COVID-19, additional prevention strategies will be implemented, including the return of mask wearing.
Valentine's Day Celebration - Tuesday, February 14th
Valentine’s Day will be celebrated with our children on Tuesday, February 14th. The kids will have a Valentine’s exchange within their classroom POD. The celebration consists of some fun friendship games and a Valentine card and treat exchange if you like. If you want to bring a treat to share in your child’s classroom, please bring a pre-packaged, peanut and tree-nut free item if possible. No treats will be consumed at the time of the party and will be sent home to be enjoyed with your family.
To keep things simple, classroom treat exchange quantities are as follows:
Preschool: (Fish, Frogs and Tree Frogs – both locations): Each child should bring 20 Valentines to Exchange
Pre-Kindergarten: Each child should bring 20 Valentines to Exchange
Toddler Classrooms: (Penguins and Ladybugs) Each child brings 16
Infant Classrooms: (All Bebe and Baby Bear rooms) Each child brings 12
Please have the Valentine’s signed with your child’s name and sent to school in your child’s backpack or given to the staff at drop off.
We encourage all kids to dress in red, pink, white or their favorite color for the day.
Upcoming Theme Dress Days
Friday, January 13th: Flannel Friday!
Wednesday, January 25th: Wacky Wednesday! Wear your craziest outfit!
Thursday, February 2nd: It’s Ground Hog Day – Wear Your Pajamas To School…
Friday, February 10th: Wear your favorite sports team!
Tuesday, February 14th: Red, Pink & White or your child’s favorite color
Wednesday, March 1st: Crazy Socks Day
Friday, March 17th: Everything is Green!
Reminder: Center Closed for Staff Training Day: Friday, April 7th
School Photos
School photos are scheduled as follows:
St Anthony:
Tuesday, April 4th: Infant & Toddler Picture Day
Wednesday, April 5th: Preschool & Pre-Kindergarten (Graduation)
Blaine:
Wednesday, April 12th: Infant & Toddler Picture Day
Thursday, April 13th: Preschool & Pre-Kindergarten (Graduation)
JJ's Jam Summer Camp Registration
Registration in opens in less than a month for our summer program, JJ's Jam! This program is filled with a summer full of fun, including field trips and on-site fun. We visit a variety of places throughout the summer including stadiums, water parks, nature centers, parks, zoos, and more! We also have an extensive on-site curriculum that includes an art program, sports program, makerspace program, and more!
Registration for Zoom Sessions is open, and you can sign up by clicking the button below. If the available times do not work, please reach out to set an alternative time. For any questions regarding summer registration, please email info@jjsjam.com or call 612-416-0108.
Tuesday, January 10th: Frequently Asked Questions about Summer Registration sent out via email
Thursday, January 12th: First Day of Zoom Conferences for Summer Registration
Thursday, January 19th: Brochure Reveal for JJ's Jam & the Pros Program. This includes pricing for summer 2023, highlights of summer, and more!
Friday, January 20th: Second Day of Zoom Conferences for Summer Registration
Wednesday, January 25th: Summer Spotlight & Open House from 3:00 PM - 5:30 PM at our Saint Anthony location.
Thursday, January 26th: Summer Spotlight & Open House from 3:00 PM - 5:30 PM at our Blaine location.
Wednesday, February 1st: Summer Registration Form Sent Out via email
Thursday, February 2nd: Summer Registration Opens! Children who attended JJ's Jam last summer and pre-K families currently attending this school year are able to register.
Thursday, February 9th: Summer Registration opens to children who attended in past summers at JJ's Jam and siblings of currently attending children at Jack & Jill. **Enrollment is subject to availability by age group at both locations.
Monday, February 13th: Summer Registration opens to children who have not attended JJ's Jam or are not siblings of currently attending Jack & Jill children. **Enrollment is subject to availability by age group at both locations.
March 2023: Reveal of Summer Calendar
Pre-Kindergarten Screening
Early Childhood Screening is a quick and simple check of your child’s development, based upon their age. Minnesota State Law requires that all preschool aged children be screened before entering public, and some private, kindergartens. The ideal age for screening is three and a half years old, or before a child turns four.
Each school district has a specific location where screenings are held. Below you will find a link to your school district’s early childhood screening website and their contact information.
Roseville School District:
Fairview Community Center
701 W County Road B
Roseville, MN 55113
651-487-4378
ecfe@isd623.org
St Anthony New Brighton School District
St Anthony Community Center
3301 Silver Lake Road
St Anthony, MN 55418
612-706-1166
Mounds View School District
Pike Lake Education Center
2101 14th St SW
New Brighton, MN 55112
651-621-7350
ecscreening@moundsviewschools.org
Minneapolis School District
Locations vary by neighborhood
Contact by either phone or email
612-668-3715
screen@mpls.k12.mn.us
Anoka Hennepin School District
Sandburg Education Center
1902 2nd Ave
Anoka MN, 55303
763-506-2400
Spring Lake Park School District
Early Childhood Program’s District Service Center
1415 81st. Ave NE
Spring Lake Park, MN 55432
763-600-5800
We appreciate your continued support.
Warm Regards,
Carol L. Arens,
Owner/Administrator
carol@jackandjilledu.com