“If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.” – William Arthur Ward
Message from the Principal:
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had an opportunity to enjoy family and friends and experience true peace and joy that accompany this season. Can you believe that it is 2015? I know that I can’t believe it! I came to Carrington seven years ago this month, and at the time, my first child was only seven weeks old. Fast forward to 2015, and I am struggling to accept the fact that my big kids will be going to public school in a few short months. I have seen many children come to Carrington and move from our infant class all the way through to our Pre-K programs including two of my own kiddos. I still can’t grasp the concept that my first class of Carrington Academy three-year old students will be entering into Middle School in the fall. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to watch so many children learn and grow, and to run into them years later while out and about in the community. We are thrilled to have such amazing parents and children as a part of our Carrington family, and we thank you for choosing to spend another year with us in 2015! I also would like to welcome the Nichols family. We are so happy to have you as part of our Carrington family!
2015 will bring a wealth of exciting opportunities at Carrington. We will be holding registration for our Private Pre-K, TK, kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade classes soon and will be holding an information night as well for these programs and our SSo and Tuition Assistance programs. Be on the lookout for these important dates.
May you be filled with many blessings in 2015! “In your life, may there always be love and laughter in the air; Someone wonderful to pair; and warm kisses and life to share.” – Author Unknown.
Happy New Year!
Tiffany Batts, Principal
Reminders:
- Refer a new family to Carrington Academy and receive a $100 statement credit. Credit given when the new family begins attendance and pays the admission fees.
Important Dates:
- January 1-2: School Closed
- January 5: No School – Forsyth & Fulton County, GA Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd
- January 5-9: Coat & Mitten Drive
- January 7: Relay for Life Jeans Day
- January 9: Wacky Tacky Dress Day
- January: National Hat Day
- January 19: No School – Forsyth & Fulton County, GA Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st & 2nd
- January 26-30: Souper Bowl Canned Food Drive
Links to Learning Goals:
This is a glimpse of what each classroom will be focusing on. Please see the classroom bulletin board for more detailed lessons.
Infant:
Baby Sign Language – This month’s baby sign is “milk.” To sign the word “milk,” open and close your hand to resemble milking a cow. For further assistance, have your child’s teacher show you how to make the baby sign, or refer to videos and articles on the Web.
Toddler:
This month, your child will practice retelling familiar stories in her own words, understand the concept of four, and learn names for types of locations (i.e. beach, park, mountains).
Preschool:
This month, your child will continue using sequence vocabulary (i.e. first, second), name basic shapes, and learn about farms and farm animals.
Pre-K:
This month, your child will continue to identify uppercase and lowercase letters, recognize numerals 1-40, and create original patterns.
Transitional Kindergarten:
This month, your child will describe the similarities and differences between two stories, create her own short story and tell it aloud, and identify whether a group of objects is greater than, less than or equal to another group of objects.
Read Together, Talk Together:
This is a glimpse of the books that will be introduced this month. Please see classroom bulletin boards for additional themed books.
- Sam and the Lucky Money by Karen Chinn
- New Year’s Day by David F. Marx
- Happy Chinese New Year Kai-Lan! by Lauren Silverhardt
Vocabulary Words: new year, calendar, celebration, resolution, happy, bells, party, decorations, balloons, time
Monthly Spotlight: Marshmallow Snowman Treats
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place graham crackers and marshmallows in a baking dish.
- Cover it up loosely so that the marshmallows won’t turn brown.
- Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven.
- Meanwhile, prepare snowman’s heads.
- Place heads on the heated marshmallows, then press them down a little bit.
- Wait for them to cool down, then decorate the snowmen the way you like.
Classroom of the Month: Infant 1
Our classroom of the month for January is Infant I. Sondra, Nuzrat, and Katie are truly an amazing team, and work so well together. They love and nurture the babies on a daily basis, all while providing a safe and happy classroom that stimulates and challenges the babies, and encourages all areas of their development. Peek into the Infant I classroom and you will commonly find Sondra reading to the babies in “Circle Time” on bobby pillows, Nuzrat singing “Soft Kitty” to them, and Katie playing with them on the floor for “Tummy Time.” We are so grateful that our babies have such a wonderful team and that they are in a fun and soothing classroom!
Employee of the Month: Brittany Elrod
Our January Employee of the Month is Miss Brittany. Brittany is such a happy, bubbly person, and we enjoy her enthusiasm and zest for life on a daily basis. Every time we see Miss Brittany, she is always sporting a smile, and her good attitude is contagious. She really has the perfect personality to teach a classroom full of toddlers. Not only is Miss Brittany a happy, fun spirit, but she is a sweet and gentle teacher as well. She provides the perfect balance of fun and nurturing to her classroom, and we are so thankful that she is a part of our Carrington family. Thank you Miss Brittany for being such an awesome team player!
News from the Education Department:
Embracing Diversity and the Traditions of Others
Children as young as two years old begin to notice differences among people. For instance, they may notice differences between boys and girls, or recognize that some families eat different foods or celebrate different holidays than their own family.
Research shows that children who learn to have a strong appreciation of their own family traditions and culture have an easier time appreciating the traditions and cultures of others. With this foundation, as children progress through elementary school and beyond, they have more social confidence and success in interacting with many different types of people.
Below are some ways that we focus on self-awareness and the appreciation of diverse cultures in the classroom, as well as some ideas you can try at home.
Infants/Toddlers: In our classrooms, infants and toddlers look at photos of familiar people and practice pointing to and naming each person, helping them to communicate a concept of self and family.
At home, collect photos of people your baby knows, and place them where he can see and reach them. Talk about the photo with your baby. For example, “Look Jake, here’s your grandmother. Who’s she holding? That’s you, Jake!” Toddlers may be able to find and name different family members.
Beginners (Ages 2-3): We introduce Spanish in our Beginner program to give children a head start on mastering a second language and understanding different cultures. In addition to Spanish language, students explore different traditions in Spanish speaking countries, such as music, musical instruments, and food.
At home, discuss your own family’s traditions with your child. Show him photos from different holidays and explain why you celebrate your traditions, such as why you go to Grandma’s house for Christmas or why you light candles for Hanukkah.
Intermediates (Ages 3-4): As children read stories about different family structures, home environments, and traditions around the world, our teachers encourage them to share their own experiences. During circle time for example, we may read a story about children living in a different country, in a different type of house and wearing a different type of clothes. Afterward, the teacher connects the story back to what the children know by asking, “What does your house look like?” and “Who lives in your house with you?”
Recommended books to read with your 3 or 4 year old include The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss, The Color of Us by Karen Katz, Why Am I Different by Norma Simon and It’s Okay to be Different by Todd Parr. After you’re done reading, share what’s unique about your child and ask him to discuss how he is different from the characters in the story.
Pre-K/Pre-K 2 (Ages 4-5): Pre-K children are curious to share their experiences and learn about those of others. Our teachers cultivate this curiosity with a focus on diversity. One way is by transforming their classrooms into international markets. Parents and teachers provide food, magazines, currency and musical instruments from various countries, and children are given the opportunity to shop for items found around the world. Some schools hold a cultural block party in which families share their heritage, including traditional foods.
Recommended books to read with your child at this stage include Whoever You Are by Mem Fox and Hats Off to Hair by Virginia Kroll.
In summary, we provide many opportunities for children to build self-identity, share family traditions, and learn about diversity in the classroom and around the globe. The better children understand themselves and the world around them, the easier they will make friends, accept others and appreciate differences as they transition into elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD- Director of Early Childhood Education
January 2015 News
“If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.” – William Arthur Ward
Message from the Principal:
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had an opportunity to enjoy family and friends and experience true peace and joy that accompany this season. Can you believe that it is 2015? I know that I can’t believe it! I came to Carrington seven years ago this month, and at the time, my first child was only seven weeks old. Fast forward to 2015, and I am struggling to accept the fact that my big kids will be going to public school in a few short months. I have seen many children come to Carrington and move from our infant class all the way through to our Pre-K programs including two of my own kiddos. I still can’t grasp the concept that my first class of Carrington Academy three-year old students will be entering into Middle School in the fall. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to watch so many children learn and grow, and to run into them years later while out and about in the community. We are thrilled to have such amazing parents and children as a part of our Carrington family, and we thank you for choosing to spend another year with us in 2015! I also would like to welcome the Nichols family. We are so happy to have you as part of our Carrington family!
2015 will bring a wealth of exciting opportunities at Carrington. We will be holding registration for our Private Pre-K, TK, kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade classes soon and will be holding an information night as well for these programs and our SSo and Tuition Assistance programs. Be on the lookout for these important dates.
May you be filled with many blessings in 2015! “In your life, may there always be love and laughter in the air; Someone wonderful to pair; and warm kisses and life to share.” – Author Unknown.
Happy New Year!
Tiffany Batts, Principal
Reminders:
Important Dates:
Links to Learning Goals:
This is a glimpse of what each classroom will be focusing on. Please see the classroom bulletin board for more detailed lessons.
Infant:
Baby Sign Language – This month’s baby sign is “milk.” To sign the word “milk,” open and close your hand to resemble milking a cow. For further assistance, have your child’s teacher show you how to make the baby sign, or refer to videos and articles on the Web.
Toddler:
This month, your child will practice retelling familiar stories in her own words, understand the concept of four, and learn names for types of locations (i.e. beach, park, mountains).
Preschool:
This month, your child will continue using sequence vocabulary (i.e. first, second), name basic shapes, and learn about farms and farm animals.
Pre-K:
This month, your child will continue to identify uppercase and lowercase letters, recognize numerals 1-40, and create original patterns.
Transitional Kindergarten:
This month, your child will describe the similarities and differences between two stories, create her own short story and tell it aloud, and identify whether a group of objects is greater than, less than or equal to another group of objects.
Read Together, Talk Together:
This is a glimpse of the books that will be introduced this month. Please see classroom bulletin boards for additional themed books.
Vocabulary Words: new year, calendar, celebration, resolution, happy, bells, party, decorations, balloons, time
Monthly Spotlight: Marshmallow Snowman Treats
Directions:
Classroom of the Month: Infant 1
Our classroom of the month for January is Infant I. Sondra, Nuzrat, and Katie are truly an amazing team, and work so well together. They love and nurture the babies on a daily basis, all while providing a safe and happy classroom that stimulates and challenges the babies, and encourages all areas of their development. Peek into the Infant I classroom and you will commonly find Sondra reading to the babies in “Circle Time” on bobby pillows, Nuzrat singing “Soft Kitty” to them, and Katie playing with them on the floor for “Tummy Time.” We are so grateful that our babies have such a wonderful team and that they are in a fun and soothing classroom!
Employee of the Month: Brittany Elrod
Our January Employee of the Month is Miss Brittany. Brittany is such a happy, bubbly person, and we enjoy her enthusiasm and zest for life on a daily basis. Every time we see Miss Brittany, she is always sporting a smile, and her good attitude is contagious. She really has the perfect personality to teach a classroom full of toddlers. Not only is Miss Brittany a happy, fun spirit, but she is a sweet and gentle teacher as well. She provides the perfect balance of fun and nurturing to her classroom, and we are so thankful that she is a part of our Carrington family. Thank you Miss Brittany for being such an awesome team player!
News from the Education Department:
Embracing Diversity and the Traditions of Others
Children as young as two years old begin to notice differences among people. For instance, they may notice differences between boys and girls, or recognize that some families eat different foods or celebrate different holidays than their own family.
Research shows that children who learn to have a strong appreciation of their own family traditions and culture have an easier time appreciating the traditions and cultures of others. With this foundation, as children progress through elementary school and beyond, they have more social confidence and success in interacting with many different types of people.
Below are some ways that we focus on self-awareness and the appreciation of diverse cultures in the classroom, as well as some ideas you can try at home.
Infants/Toddlers: In our classrooms, infants and toddlers look at photos of familiar people and practice pointing to and naming each person, helping them to communicate a concept of self and family.
At home, collect photos of people your baby knows, and place them where he can see and reach them. Talk about the photo with your baby. For example, “Look Jake, here’s your grandmother. Who’s she holding? That’s you, Jake!” Toddlers may be able to find and name different family members.
Beginners (Ages 2-3): We introduce Spanish in our Beginner program to give children a head start on mastering a second language and understanding different cultures. In addition to Spanish language, students explore different traditions in Spanish speaking countries, such as music, musical instruments, and food.
At home, discuss your own family’s traditions with your child. Show him photos from different holidays and explain why you celebrate your traditions, such as why you go to Grandma’s house for Christmas or why you light candles for Hanukkah.
Intermediates (Ages 3-4): As children read stories about different family structures, home environments, and traditions around the world, our teachers encourage them to share their own experiences. During circle time for example, we may read a story about children living in a different country, in a different type of house and wearing a different type of clothes. Afterward, the teacher connects the story back to what the children know by asking, “What does your house look like?” and “Who lives in your house with you?”
Recommended books to read with your 3 or 4 year old include The Sneetches by Dr. Seuss, The Color of Us by Karen Katz, Why Am I Different by Norma Simon and It’s Okay to be Different by Todd Parr. After you’re done reading, share what’s unique about your child and ask him to discuss how he is different from the characters in the story.
Pre-K/Pre-K 2 (Ages 4-5): Pre-K children are curious to share their experiences and learn about those of others. Our teachers cultivate this curiosity with a focus on diversity. One way is by transforming their classrooms into international markets. Parents and teachers provide food, magazines, currency and musical instruments from various countries, and children are given the opportunity to shop for items found around the world. Some schools hold a cultural block party in which families share their heritage, including traditional foods.
Recommended books to read with your child at this stage include Whoever You Are by Mem Fox and Hats Off to Hair by Virginia Kroll.
In summary, we provide many opportunities for children to build self-identity, share family traditions, and learn about diversity in the classroom and around the globe. The better children understand themselves and the world around them, the easier they will make friends, accept others and appreciate differences as they transition into elementary school and beyond.
– Lauren Starnes, PhD- Director of Early Childhood Education