March 2024 Newsletter
Dear Jack & Jill Families:
As the seasons shift and the days grow longer, we’re excited to bring you the latest updates on upcoming events taking place at Jack & Jill.
We are beginning to prepare for our first staff development day of 2024 on Friday, March 29th. Our training will be a discussion-based training presented by Applied Hope on the following topics:
Maintaining Motivation in a Complex Industry.
Communication, collaboration and Psychological Safety.
Self-Care: Identify ways for staff to be successful in goal setting.
Communication: Focus on empathy and engagement in a changing world.
Emotional Intelligence.
Spring Forward
Daylight Savings Time is Sunday, March 10th – please remember to set your clocks ahead one hour this weekend.
Upcoming Theme Dress Days
Friday, March 15th: Everything is Green!
Tuesday, March 19th: It’s the first day of spring! Wear your favorite spring outfit and think sunshine!
Save the Date Pre-K Open House March 20th and 21st
WHO:
We strongly encourage all currently attending preschool families to attend. Any currently attending family at Jack & Jill is able to attend.
WHEN:
March 20 & 21: 4:00-6:00 PM
WHERE:
March 20: Saint Anthony Location
March 21: Blaine Location
WHAT:
An Open House is a perfect opportunity to learn more about our Pre-Kindergarten program. Come and meet the staff and discover the programs, activities and curriculum offered to your child in our Pre-Kindergarten program.
In the Pre-Kindergarten program, our goal is to help every child sharpen the skills they’ve already developed and learn new skills that will be needed for entry to kindergarten. The Pre-Kindergarten program is offered to children 4 or 5 years old and takes place the year before Kindergarten to prepare children for the social and academic challenges in elementary school.
The Pre-Kindergarten program helps each child become an independent learner, setting up to be successful in the classroom. Jack & Jill uses a social emotional based curriculum based on the Minnesota Early Childhood Standards.
Children have in-depth discussions about a given topic and participate in question-and-answer time.
Introduction of charts and graphing components.
Master concepts of writing and be able to compose their first and last names.
Children learn to identify and match uppercase and lowercase letters.
Develop early reading skills such as phonics and blending letter sounds.
Math concepts include one-to-one counting, patterns, and simple addition.
Science concepts of cause and effect, gravity, force and movement are introduced with hands on experiments.
Focus on independent conflict resolution.
Focus on socialization and building friendships with peers.
As children learn these pre-academic skills, they can enter Kindergarten and grade school better equipped to learn more advanced concepts.
By attending Jack & Jill's Pre-Kindergarten program, you also gain priority registration to JJ's Jam, our summer program for children entering Kindergarten through age 12. This program typically fills up quickly and priority registration guarantees you a spot in our program.
School Photos
Lifetouch will be taking our school photos again this year.
St Anthony: Wednesday, March 27th: Infants & Toddlers
(all infant classrooms, Penguins and Ladybugs)
Thursday, March 28th: Preschool & Pre-Kindergarten
(L’ll Fish, Red Fish, Both Frogs & all Pre-Kindergarten)
Blaine: Wednesday, April 3rd: Infants & Toddlers
(both infant classrooms, toddlers)
Thursday, April 4th: Preschool & Pre-Kindergarten
(L'll Fish, Frogs, Tree Frogs and Pre-Kindergarten)
Jack & Jill will provide blue graduation caps and gowns to graduating pre-k children for pre-k graduation pictures.
Parent Teacher Conferences
In April you will receive an email to register or your child’s parent teacher conference from signup.com for a zoom meeting with your child’s teacher.
Pre-Kindergarten and Preschool classroom conferences will take place early to mid-May. Infant and Toddler conferences will be done the latter part of May.
Upcoming Closing Reminders: Jack & Jill is closed on the following days
Each day the center is closed is a paid tuition date.
Friday, March 29th: Staff Development Day
Friday, May 24th: Staff Development Day
Monday, May 27th: Memorial Day
Thursday, July 4th: 4th of July Holiday
Friday, July 5th: Floating Holiday
Clothes Exchange
In the upcoming weeks, please be sure to send extra clothing for your child to school that are the correct size and seasonally appropriate. We will be sending home any clothes currently in your child’s locker that may no longer fit and are not seasonally appropriate.
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