Monthly Newsletter

Broadway Children’s School Monthly Newsletter November 2023

January 17, 2024

It was a treat to see so many of you at our Halloween Parade on Monday! The paparazzi were everywhere 😉 Hope you scared up some Halloween fun last night, too. Now that Halloween has come and gone, the children will watch our pumpkins decompose—invite them to tell you more about this messy Broadway tradition!

Calendar

Nov 07 — Kindergarten Information Night, at school, 7pm; more info below
Nov 10 — Veteran’s Day Holiday, No School for Friday classes
Nov 15 — Parent/Teacher Afternoon Conferences, No Extended Care
Nov 17 — Parent/Teacher Afternoon Conferences, No Extended Care
Nov 20 — Nov 24 Thanksgiving Holidays, School closed for the week
Nov 27 — School Resumes
TBA — Board of Trustees Meeting, 7:30pm on Zoom; all are welcome!
Dec 23 — Jan 7 Winter Break, School Closed
Jan 08 — School resumes

Kindergarten Information Night at BCSO will take place on Tuesday, Nov 7th at 7pm. Alumni families and others will share information about specific schools and more; a Q&A will follow. This is a great opportunity to start learning what the kindergarten process is all about or take it as that needed push to shift kindergarten planning into high gear. Please sign up to attend—the sign ups are by the daily sign in sheets.

Parent/Teacher Conferences: We are offering Rainbow Room and Sunshine Room parents a conference at school with your child’s teachers on the afternoons of Wednesday, Nov 15th, and Friday, Nov 17th. These 15 minute meetings at school are for parents only and are an opportunity for you to check in on how your child is doing at school and raise questions or concerns you may have. Conferences will follow a regular morning program. All children will be dismissed at 12:00 on Conference Days; there is no Extended Care on these days. Conference sign ups will be available beginning Wednesday, November 1st; you will find them next to the daily sign in sheets.

Helpers Needed: Please Lend a Hand

  • Your helping hands are needed to work on building our new outdoor playhouse! The playhouse is a hub of yard activity, the setting for everything from baby doll play to pop up pizza parlors to the “safe zone” during chase games. Robert Smith, Chair of our Board of Trustees and dad of two former BCSO students, began the building process last Saturday with Daniel O’Neil, dad of Isaac in our Sunshine Room. This new structure will be enjoyed by children for years to come—and more immediately it will be enjoyed by your own little ones! Come be a part of this new little bit of Broadway history! There will be a need for many different kinds of skills, from hammering and painting to perhaps offering a coffee or lunch run, helping with clean up, and more. Reach out to Diana right away about how you can help; she will get you connected to Robert.
  • We are always in need of plastic bags to send home wet or soiled clothing. If you have some to spare, please bring them in—bread bags, plastic produce bags, etc. Thanks!
  • Please keep placing your reviews of BCSO on Yelp, Google, and Berkeley Parents Network. It is extremely helpful to our outreach to have current reviews readily available for parents searching for a preschool. Whether you keep it simple or pour your heart out, your words are very influential! Prospective families should call school at 510-763-9337 or email office@broadwaychildrensschool.org. Thank you!

Annual Fund: BCSO’s Annual Fund for 2023-2024 kicks off this month; watch for an appeal letter coming soon. We’re counting on your support! Thank you.

Gentle Reminders: Family Boards

  • We are still hopeful for more family boards—we want to add yours to our classrooms! A single photo of the family is terrific, by the way; don’t get caught up in the idea that it has to look a certain way. Your children love you just the way you are and we do, too!

Rainbow Room Parents: Independent or Parochial School Applications: If you will be applying to independent or parochial schools for Kindergarten in Fall 2024, email your child’s teachers as soon as you can with the links to the Teacher Recommendation Forms. The links are provided by the schools you’re applying to. Teachers complete the forms before Winter Break and need time to give each child’s form thought and care. It’s okay if you haven’t decided yet on all your schools—send the online application links for any you have chosen. We will send copies to any schools you add to your list later on.

PLAY DATES are a fun way for your child to get to know a classmate outside of school. “Neutral territory” such as a park can be the perfect place to meet up. Play dates need not be lengthy; 45 minutes to an hour together is fine! Play dates are invaluable for helping children make social connections they can carry back into the classroom. Preschool is all about learning to get along with others outside of the family. Ask your child’s teachers for suggestions; or ask your child who they’d like to play with! After the playdate, we encourage you to mention the meet-up to the teachers, who will look for opportunities to nurture newly developing friendships.

From the Classrooms: What’s happening at school this month? The children will continue to practice listening, taking turns, speaking with friendly voices, and using words to express needs and feelings. November is also a month to explore our senses in the classroom: “touchy-feely” boxes, textured art projects, musical instruments, and making Broadway’s special Cranberry Relish! We will need help in the Sunshine and Rainbow Room classrooms for that project; requests for volunteers will go out soon. We will be helping the children practice good manners as well, and talking about what it means to be thankful. We are ever thankful for each day spent with your children!

Best wishes,
Jennifer McManus
Assistant Director

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