Looking at the Next School Year

It is now time to look ahead to the 2002/03 school year. If Children's School parents have a sibling to be enrolled in the three-year-old group in September 2002, please contact Mrs. Simpson immediately.

Letters to reserve your child's place in the three, four and kindergarten programs will be mailed the first week of February. At that time, you will be asked to submit a $100, non-refundable deposit by February 28 to reserve a place for your child for the 2002/03 school year.

There are two observation days for our preschool program and two observation days for our kindergarten program. Parents will be able to talk to our director about our program and observe in the classrooms.

Preschool Observations: Monday, January 14 at 12:45 PM or Thursday, January 17 at 9:00 AM.

Kindergarten Observations: Tuesday, January 15 from 8:00 to 10:00 AM, or Wednesday, January 23 from 8:00 to 10:00 AM.

Please call Rachael Fairweather at 412-268-2199 to reserve a space in either the preschool observation or the kindergarten observation. Both of these events are for parents only.

Speech, Hearing and Language Screenings

On Tuesday, January 22, Thursday, January 24 and Friday, January 25, Margie Dubner from the Easter Seals Communication Department will be here to conduct a speech, language, hearing and middle ear screening program. This service helps to identify communication and/or hearing problems early and will recommend courses of treatment. Written results will be given to parents.

If you would like your child to be screened, please send $12 (cash only) along with the completed form (enclosed with this newsletter) by Wednesday, January 16, 2002.

Winter Reminders

The recent weather reminds us to listen to the radio or television after 7:00 AM if you suspect that the Children's School will close due to the weather conditions. We announce our school closing on both WTAE (1250 AM) and KDKA (1020 AM). The Children's School is announced under preschools. WTAE also announces school closings on their web page, wtaetv.com.

During the winter months, please send labeled hats and mittens to school every day. We take our children outside daily, except in the most extreme weather conditions. If your child is not well enough to participate in outdoor play, please keep him/her at home. On snowy days, please also send labeled snow pants and boots. Children who do not have appropriate snow clothes will be restricted to playing on the sidewalk when there is snow on the play surfaces. Feel free to provide a set of outdoor clothes to be kept in your child's locker.

Now that the weather is turning colder and many of our children are showing signs of colds and flu, please remember to keep your child at home if he/she shows any of the following symptoms:

• Oral temperature above 99 degrees within the past 24 hours
• Uncontrolled diarrhea
• Rash, bump or other out-of-the-ordinary skin conditions
• Flushed face, "watery" or "glossy" eyes
• Excessive running nose
• Deep or dry cough
• Continuous sneezing
• Sore throat
• Vomiting within the past 24 hours
• Unusual irritability, listlessness, fatigue

Any of these symptoms may indicate the beginning of an illness, which might be easily communicated to other children. When your child will not be in school, please call the school at (412) 268-2199 before the school day begins.

Thank You!

The Children's School has received a very generous donation from Mrs. Margaret Cyert as part of a "three year commitment toward quality education in early childhood education at the University". Margaret Cyert has a Masters degree in Child Development from the University of Pittsburgh and has directed personal, professional, philanthropic efforts to the enhancement of early childhood education for many years. Her late husband, Dr. Richard Cyert, was a former president of CMU. We are grateful for Mrs. Cyert's support of our school and will keep you posted as we make specific plans for use of the funds.

Thank you also to Ken Zuroski for arranging an overhaul and donation of four computers, a scanner, and other computer equipment for use by our children and staff.

Thanks to our Winter Break College Student Assistants!! We appreciate the help that we have and will receive from the two college students who are serving as classroom and office assistants during the break between CMU semesters. Becky Lamb, a senior majoring in elementary education at Edinboro University, has been working with the 3's and Christy Lamb, a junior majoring in elementary education at Geneva College, has been working with the 4's. They both have also been working with the extended morning program, the office, and generally wherever needed. Please join us in offering best wishes to both of these students as they return to their respective colleges at the end of this week.

Practicum in Child Development

The Practicum is a "guided field experience" designed to help students deepen their understanding of developmental psychology by assisting in a preschool or kindergarten classroom and discussing the ways that their experiences relate to the theories they have learned previously and to new readings. Each student works in one of our classrooms for 6 hours per week, in a role similar to that of our work study students. In addition, the students do readings related to various aspects of early childhood development, keep a journal of their experiences and how they relate to the readings, and meet as a group with Dr. Carver once per week to discuss the readings and their experiences in the classroom. Please join me in welcoming the following students for the Spring Semester, which begins on January 14th.

Nina Udvadia Afternoon Four Year Old Class Tuesdays / Thurdays
Nate Stimmel Morning Extended Day Class Tuesdays / Thursdays