Mrs. B's Preschool

Session 6 February/March

2012-01-31T08:44:00.001-08:00

Thank you so much for the additional supplies. We are hoping to do more art projects in the next few months.

Session 6
February 7, 9- Letter "K"
February 14, 16- Letter "L" and Valentine swap
February 21,23- Letter "S"
February 28, March 1- Letter "R"

We are having a valentine swap on Valentine's Day. Please have your student try to write their own name on their valentine if they can. Or have them grip their crayon while you assist them. They do not need to write who the valentine is for. We have 8 students. If you have any shoe boxes or tissue boxes, we use them to make our valentine mailboxes. Thank you!

Mid year assessments

2012-01-26T11:26:00.000-08:00

I like to follow the local school district calendar, including when the semesters are since I like to record some progress with the preschool students via assessments. I am still completing them, I like to do a little each day since they have the attention span of 3-5 minutes. When I am completed with your students assessments, I will email the results and add suggestions for homework. Thanks again for being so supportive!

Help with supplies

2012-01-26T09:37:00.000-08:00

Hey there parents! I was hoping to appeal to you for a call for craft supplies. Since the school year, we have gone through a more than a few boxes of crayons, run through a box or two of dry erase markers, countless snacks, and broke some scissors. This is all great, but we are diminishing our supplies quickly. I was wondering if you had any gently used supplies you could donate to the preschool. They don't have to be new, and anything would be greatly appreciated.

Here are some options:

Crayons
Pencils
Colored pencils
Glue, elmers or glue sticks
Safety scissors
Dry erase markers
Copy paper
Construction paper

Also, we have hooked up a computer in the preschool room, and the kids love it. If you have any computer games to donate, that would be super! Thanks!

We are good on flashcards, activity books, books, puzzles, toys, and manipulatives.

Some of you have asked about snacks. Please feel free to bring in snacks at any time. I tend not to use snacks with high sugar content or anything artificial. The kids like crackers, pretzels, cheese and/or fruit. That is what I usually give them.

Sorry again for having to ask for help, but we have gone through more supplies so far this year than my years previous years, and we are only half way there!

Thanks again!

Session 5 January/February

2012-01-03T10:17:00.000-08:00

Hello session #5!

We hope everyone had a great holiday break! The students were excited to talk about what they did over the break.

We are beginning 2nd assessments this session. If your student has mastered recalling the letter names AND sounds, please move on to blends, digraphs, and small sight words. I will be emailing you the assessment results and what you can be working on for "homework." I know it seems silly sometimes to have homework for preschool, but this is the time to prepare for kindergarten. Each students is at their own level, and move at their own pace, so don't stress. I have found that those students who practice just a little more at home tend to grasp concepts a little quicker, and when they do "click" they move along faster as well. Thank you for all of your support- you are the best!

Here is what we have planned for this session:

January 10, 12- letter "X" and letter "Z"
January 17, 19-letter "M" (Martin Luther King Day)
January 24,26-letter "U" (Up and Under)
January 31, February 2-letter "G"(Groundhog Day)

This Year's Session Schedule

2011-12-15T09:36:00.000-08:00

Here is the schedule for this year, just in case you have misplaced your copy. Thank you!

Mrs. B’s Preschool

2011-2012

Session Schedule

Session 1: August 30, September 1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22

Session 2: September 27, 29, October 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20

Session 3: October 25, 27, November 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, 17

Session 4: November 22, (no school 24, 29, December 1)

December 6, 8, 13, 15, January 3, 5

Session 5: January 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26, 31, February 2

Session 6: February 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, March 1

Session 7: March 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29

Session 8: April (no school- Spring Break 3, 5)

10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26, May 1, 3

Session 9: May 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29, 31

Over Break

2011-12-15T09:19:00.001-08:00

I am going to assess all of my students when we come back from break. Please work with your kids over the break if at all possible. Each student is different developmentally when it comes to phonemic and phonological awareness, so it is hard to say exactly what should be worked on over break. Most of my students are still working on identifying letters and their sounds, but if your child has mastered that, please work on blends (sl, fr, bl, gr, etc) these are two consonants together and each letter's "sound" is heard.

In math, sorting anything would be beneficial. (sort utensils, blocks, macaroni). You can sort by size, shape, etc. Identifying numbers and how many they represent can also be practiced. Ex: "what number is this?" (the number 4) "count to four" then show me four beans.

Have a fun holiday and we will see you soon!

Session 4 November/December

2011-11-15T11:22:00.000-08:00

Session four is right around the corner, along with our holiday season. I hope to have some fun themes/activities planned for the students. Here is the schedule and the letters/themes we will be studying. Thank you!

November 22- Letter "P" Pilgrims, Thanksgiving Activity
December 6, 8- Letter "W" Winter
December 13, 15-Letter "H" Holiday Party
January 3, 5- Letter "Y" New Year

Please note the days off from preschool:
November 24, Thanksgiving
November 29, December 1- My family vacation
December 20, 22, 27, 29- Winter Break (I may be able to schedule the make up day from session 3 during this time- keep an eye on the blog for updates :)

Thanks again and have a happy holiday season!

Session 3 October/November

2011-10-24T21:16:00.000-07:00

Along with the weather, we are changing (or adding) a new phase in preschool! Yeah! It is time to get more familiar with our letters with the use of alphabet bear. Each week we will be studying a letter. Share time will be an opportunity to share something about that letter, and we will also be taking turns with alphabet bear. If you get alphabet bear, just follow the directions on the paper sent home with alphabet bear corresponding to that week's letter. The students have fun with the bear, and then bring him back for share time the next school day. Here is the schedule for this next session.

October 25th, and 27th- The letter O
November 1st, and 3rd- The letter N
November 8th, and 10th- The letter V
November 15th, and 17th-The letter T

Session 2 Sept/October

2011-09-26T20:51:00.000-07:00

We are still completing our beginning of the year assessments, but I will be emailing you the results when they are complete. Here is the themes we will be studying this session. Thank you :)

September 27th, 29th- Colors, Shapes

October 4th, 6th- bigger, smaller

October 11th, 13th- matching pictures

October 18th, 20th-first, last

Session 1- August-September

2011-08-29T20:30:00.001-07:00

The new school year is here! What a fun time for new experiences. I am looking forward to another great year. Here is our schedule for this session. See you soon!
August 30th, September 1st- Get to know you week. Please bring a picture or something to share for circle time this week. Thanks!

September 6, 8- Favorite things week. Please bring favorite toy, snack, or anything "favorite" this week.

September 13, 15-Friendship Week
September 20, 22- Fall Week

Parent Handbook

2011-08-24T20:16:00.000-07:00

What is this school's purpose?

This school has been in the planning stages for years. The basic focus for this school is to prepare our little ones for not only grade school, but for a place in society. This main focus drives for a concentration on small class sizes, a wide range of subject criteria, acceptable social behavior, and instilling self-confidence.

What will be taught?

A broad curriculum is also an important aspect to this school. Besides the vital literacy and math concepts; multiculturalism, learning about various occupations, observing animals and plant life, as well as exploring the earth and the sky and all they hold are a few examples of the areas we will study.

What days and times are available?

I am holding classes on Tuesday and Thursday morning from 9:00 am to 11:30am.

This school will correspond to the CCSD Nine Month Calendar.

What is the cost?

I have enrolled my son in two different preschools, as well as have had many opportunities to see how tuition is paid. I want to be as fair as possible, and felt it unreasonable to ask for a month's payment- regardless of holidays, etc.

My son's most recent school organized each pay period by sessions. Each session has approximately 8 days of school, so payment is not by the month per say, but by a grouping of 7 or 8 classes.

I have completed a session calendar for the entire year and will post it on this site as well as have copies available at school.

The cost of the tuition is $100 per session (approximately one month)

What about late fees?

A late fee of $10 per week will be added to each session's tuition of $100.

Is there a registration fee?

A one time non-refundable registration/ materials fee will be required of $50.

What if my child does not attend for a full session?

If you enroll your student after a session has begun, you will be responsible for the registration/materials fee of $50 and then prorate the month at $25 per week. If you have already enrolled, and are late starting that session, you will not be charged the first week of late fees, but will still have to pay the full session amount. We will not be able to provide "pay as we go" tuition. This makes budgeting for the school impossible and also planning for your student's spot to be filled etc. If I am not notified of an interest in returning and you have not paid, your child's spot may be given to a child on the waiting list. Please give 30 days notice if your child will not be attending, or you may be charged for that upcoming session.

How do I register?

First, add a comment to this post or email me directly at mariebindrup@gmail.com to hold your spot. Then, you may come to the school and fill out the registration form as well as pay the non-refundable $50 registration/materials fee. The first month will be $150 for the first month's tuition and the registration/materials fee.

What age does my child need to be?

I am planning for activities and lessons for 3-6 year old students. This is possible due to the small class size of 6, and more one-on-one time with me. It is preferred that the student be toilet-trained to attend.

Will there be homework?

Work to be practiced at home will be available, but not mandatory. I strongly encourage every parent to take the time to go over each practice sheet whenever possible as well as reading to your child daily. Since I work with each student one-on-one, their homework will also be customized. I will be sending emails to the parents throughout the year updating the student's progress and altering the homework.

What is assessment time?

Each day I will be pulling each student aside for informal assessments. This is to make sure your child gets one-on-one instruction, as well as allows me to better understand what each student needs as to additional instruction/attention.

I will also be performing formal assessments at the end of each quarter. This schedule will correspond to the CCSD Nine Month calendar.

I will be posting the daily routine/schedule as well as the first session's activities soon. Please feel free to post a comment or email me at mariebindrup@gmail.com for any questions and concerns you may have.

Session Schedule for 2011-2012

2011-08-24T20:01:00.001-07:00

Here is the session schedule for the new school year. I have a copy for every student as well.

Mrs. B’s Preschool

2011-2012

Session Schedule

Session 1: August 30, September 1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22

Session 2: September 27, 29, October 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20

Session 3: October 25, 27, November 1, 3, 8, 10, 15, 17

Session 4: November 22, (no school 24, 29, December 1)

December 6, 8, 13, 15, January 3, 5

Session 5: January 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26, 31, February 2

Session 6: February 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, March 1

Session 7: March 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29

Session 8: April (no school- Spring Break 3, 5)

10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26, May 1, 3

Session 9: May 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29, 31

Fall Registration

2011-08-24T19:58:00.000-07:00

Hey there! I have the fall registration forms ready to be filled out. I have some already printed and I can email them to you if you would like as well. The Parent Handbook is also available for those returning and for those new to the school. I am looking forward to a fun fall!

Change in Dates

2011-08-11T08:56:00.000-07:00

I had talked to you parents, but I noticed that I didn't make the change on the blog for the change in the week off in August.

We have off the 16th and the 18th, and are now having school the 23rd and 25th. I will be emailing you the registration for the fall for those who are returning or new. Thanks :)

SUMMER 2011

2011-05-17T11:52:00.000-07:00

I know I gave a schedule to my current parents for the classes over the summer, but here it is on the blog as well. I have made a few minor changes, but overall it is the same. This is also open to children in elementary school as well. We will be making crafts and the lessons will be geared toward science.

I am going to need to know the weeks you are going to attend in order to purchase the supplies for each student. I also am only allowing for 6 students, so space is limited and on a first come, first serve basis. Thank you! Here is the schedule for the summer. This year it is based on the elements. I think it should be fun :)

Session 1- AIR
June 14- Birds
June 16- Bird Homes
June 21 and 23-Dirigibles Week
June 28-Clouds and Rainbows
June 30-Fireworks (don't worry- no real fireworks- just an art project)

No classes for the week of July 5 and 7

Session 2- EARTH
July 12- Earth- the planet
July 14- Rockhounds/Soil
July 19 and 21- Landforms
July 26-Plants
July 28-Trees

Session 3- WATER
August 2- Oceans
August 4- Ocean Life
August 9-Rain
August 11-Water Cycle
August 16-Lakes
Auguest 18-Rivers

The price is $30 per week per child. This includes all materials and snacks. You will need to pay half of each week in advance in order to hold your spot and to order materials. This would be $15 per student per week. This will be due by June 2nd to allow for enough time to order materials. Thank you, and I look forward to a fun summer!

Session 9- May/June

2011-05-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

The last session of the year! I can't believe how quickly this school year went by, and I am so amazed by the growth of each and every student. I am a proud teacher :)

Here is the session schedule for session #9

May 17- Review S, T
May 19-Letter X
May 24-Letter Y
May 26- Letter Z
May 31- Review all letters
June 2-Assessments
June 7-Assessments
June 9-Last Day Party

Remember to let me know what your plans are for the fall. If you have already told me, no worries. I just need an accurate count for how many spaces I have open for other interested families. Thank you!

Session 8 April/May

2011-04-12T09:41:00.000-07:00

Spring is officially here, as well as the nice weather. Let's hope we can hold off the 3-digit temps for as long as we can! We are wrapping up the alphabet, as well as getting ready for the end of year assessments. Please remember to work with your student daily-with the areas they are working on. I will be sending out an email to each individual family stating what these areas are. Reading daily to your student is important for all students, all ages. Thank you for all of your hard work!

April 12, 14- Letter R
April 19, 21- SPRING BREAK! Have fun!
April 26, 28- Letter Q
May 3, 5- Letter S
May 10, 12- Letter U

Remember to let me know which weeks you would like to sign up for in the summer. There is a limited amount of students I am taking each week. I have new students coming in to the program for the fall and they are also registering for summer as well. Thanks again!

Session 7- March/April

2011-03-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

Wow! It is finally feeling like spring! Hopefully it doesn't get too hot, too quickly, because this is the time when we like to have lots of outdoor activities and games during preschool.

In celebration authors and poets, we will focus on one author or poet per week. Here is this session's schedule:

March 15th and 17th- Dr Seuss Week

March 22nd and 24th-Shel Silverstein Week

March 29th and 31st-Eric Carle Week

April 5th and 7th- Stan and Jan Berenstein Week

***important****
Please let me know if you are interested in summer classes and/or for the fall of 2011. I have some parents who are interested in registering for the fall, but I need to know how many students are returning to have an accurate count. I will have new registration forms for the fall ready in May. Thank you!

Session 6- February/March

2011-02-15T08:08:00.000-08:00

Happy belated Valentine's Day! It is warming up outside and Spring is coming, and session 6 is here as well. Here are the letters we will be working on this session:

February 15th and 17th- Letter "e"

February 22nd and 24th- Letter "f"

March 1st and 3rd- Letter "g"

March 8th and 10th- Letter "o"

Please remember to working on the homework that has been suggested: reading to then nightly, and if they don't know their letters and then letter sounds to be working on those as well. Thanks!

Session 5- January/February

2011-01-17T20:35:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone has been enjoying these past few days of nice weather. We are into the 5th session and I am completing the assessments for the winter. You should be receiving an email from me within the next week with those results. These are the letters we will be studying for this session. If your child would like to bring something for share starting with the corresponding letter, that would be great. They can bring whatever they wish, but please keep their share to one item. Thank you!

January 18th and 20th- Letter "d"

January 25th and 27th- Letter "a"

February 1st and 3rd- Letter "b"

February 8th and 10th- Letter "i"

Please remember to work on the homework previously suggested. Some students have different homework than others, but please try to read to them daily and to work on their pencil grips, writing their name, and letter recognition, or phonemic awareness (sounds each letter makes).

Session 4- December/January

2010-12-02T08:15:00.000-08:00

We are on to session 4 and some more holiday fun! Here is what is planned for this session:

Tuesday: December 7th- letter "H"

Thursday: December 9th- letter "H"

Tuesday: December 14th-assessments

Thursday: December 16th- Holiday party

Tuesday: January 4th- letter "J"

Thursday: January 6th-letter "J"

Tuesday: January 11th-"C"

Thursday: January 13th-"C"

Please remember that payment is due the week of December 6th. Thank you!

Session #3- November/December

2010-10-31T17:16:00.000-07:00

It is time for the next session already! I hope you all had a fun Halloween and we look forward to more activities relating to fall this session.

Payment is due this week for this session. Thanks you!

Tuesday, November 2nd-More Fall activities, Letter L

Thursday, November 4th-Leaves, Letter L

Tuesday, November 9th- Veteran's Day, Letter V

(No school on Thursday, November 11th in observance of Veteran's Day)

Tuesday, November 16th-Temperature, Letter T

Thursday, November 18th-Turkey Trivia, Letter T

Tuesday, November 23rd- Thanksgiving Craft

(No school on Thursday, November 25th for Thanksgiving)

Tuesday, November 30th-Watercolors, Letter W

Thursday, December 2nd-Water cycle, Letter W

Session #2 2010- October!

2010-09-30T14:40:00.000-07:00

Fall is finally here! Hopefully the days of the 3-digit temperature are gone. We have some fun activities planned for this session- hopefully the weather will cooperate with us!

Tuesday, October 5- Theme: Flowers

Letter: Ff

Activity- plant flowers

Take own little flower pot home to take care of

Thursday, October 7- Theme: other plants and trees

Letter: Ff

Color a picture of plants and flowers

Tuesday, October 12-Theme: Orange

Letter: Oo

Activity:Bring something orange to share

Thursday, October 14-Theme: Opposites

Letter: Oo

Activity: Opposite game

Tuesday, October 19-Theme: Puzzles

Letter: Pp

Activity: Puzzles (they can bring a puzzle to school)

Thursday, October 21- Theme:Pumpkin experiments

Letter: Pp

Activity: Guess how many seeds?

Paint a pumpkin

Tuesday, October 26-Theme: Where we live

Letter: Nn

Activity: map of Nevada

Thursday, October 28- Halloween Party!

Wear costumes and we will be making special "healthy" Halloween treats!

Welcome to 2010-2011!!

2010-08-30T08:44:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for school to start? Sometimes it is hard to believe that the summer is over, but beginning a new school year is so exciting! We have four new students this year so far. We have two for the morning program, and two for the afternoon. I am looking forward to spending more time with our new and returning students. I am sure we have lots of stories to share. Here is the session calendar and subject areas we will be studying for that day. I look forward to see you!

Tuesday, August 31- "I Spy" around the room .The students will becoming familiar- or being reintroduced to what is available for them to play with around the room. We will also be reminded of classroom rules and rewards.

Thursday, September 2- Labor Day and Get to Know You Activities

Tuesday, September 7- Our Favorite Toy Day- Today each child will bring his/her favorite toy and we will practice "Share" time and taking turns.

Thursday, September 9-Our Favorite Vegatable- Each child will bring their favorite vegetable and we will graph the results.

(There is no school the for September 14 and 16 due to my recovering from surgery.)

Tuesday, September 21- First Day of Fall

Thursday, September 23- "Falling" into Friendship

Tuesday, September 28- Dinosaur Week

Thursday, September 30- Dinosaur Week

We have share time everyday. This is an opportunity for each child to learn to speak in front of others, learning to take turns, and to practice listening skills. If your child wants to bring in something to share, they are more than welcome to do so.

Fall 2010

2010-08-16T10:02:00.000-07:00

About This Preschool

What is this school's purpose?

This school has been in the planning stages for years. The basic focus for this school is to prepare our little ones for not only grade school, but for a place in society. This main focus drives for a concentration on small class sizes, a wide range of subject criteria, acceptable social behavior, and instilling self-confidence.

What will be taught?

A broad curriculum is also an important aspect to this school. Besides the vital literacy and math concepts; multiculturalism, learning about various occupations, observing animals and plant life, as well as exploring the earth and the sky and all they hold are a few examples of the areas we will study.

What days and times are available?

In order to be the most flexible for the parents, I am holding classes on Monday and Wednesday, morning or afternoon, and on Tuesday and Thursday, morning or afternoon. In the registration form, you will number your preferred day and time as 1st, then your second choice, and so on. I want to accommodate all of my parents if possible. The decision will be made by the order of registration. Full day is also available on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 3pm. Half days will be from 12:30-3pm.

This school will correspond to the CCSD Nine Month Calendar.

What is the cost?

I have enrolled my son in two different preschools, as well as have had many opportunities to see how tuition is paid. I want to be as fair as possible, and felt it unreasonable to ask for a month's payment- regardless of holidays, etc.

My son's most recent school organized each pay period by sessions. Each session has approximately 8 days of school, so payment is not by the month per say, but by a grouping of 7 or 8 classes.

I have completed a session calendar for the entire year and will post it on this site as well as have copies available at school.

The cost of the tuition is $100 per session (approximately one month) or $225 for full day students. (the $25 extra is for the extra snack and lunch that will be provided each school day)

What about late fees?

A late fee of $10 per week will be added to each session's tuition of $100.

Is there a registration fee?

A one time non-refundable registration/ materials fee will be required of $50.

What if my child does not attend for a full session?

If you enroll your student after a session has begun, you will be responsible for the registration/materials fee of $50 and then prorate the month at $25 per week. If you have already enrolled, and are late starting that session, you will not be charged the first week of late fees, but will still have to pay the full session amount. We will not be able to provide "pay as we go" tuition. This makes budgeting for the school impossible and also planning for your student's spot to be filled etc. If I am not notified of an interest in returning and you have not paid, your child's spot may be given to a child on the waiting list. Please give 30 days notice if your child will not be attending, or you may be charged for that upcoming session.

How do I register?

First, add a comment to this post or email me directly at mariebindrup@gmail.com to hold your spot. Then, you may come to the school and fill out the registration form as well as pay the non-refundable $50 registration/materials fee. The first month will be $150 for half- day/ $275 for full-day students.

What age does my child need to be?

I am planning for activities and lessons for 3-6 year old students. This is possible due to the small class size of 6, and more one on one time with me. It is preferred that the student be tiolet-trained to attend.

Will there be homework?

Work to be practiced at home will be available, but not mandatory. I strongly encourage every parent to take the time to go over each practice sheet whenever possible as well as reading to your child daily. Since I work with each student one-on-one, their homework will also be customized. I will be sending emails to the parents throughout the year updating the studnent's progress and altering the homework.

What is assessment time?

Each day I will be pulling each student aside for informal assessments. This is to make sure your child gets one on one instruction, as well as allows me to better understand what each student needs as to additional instruction/attention.

I will also be performing formal assessments at the end of each quarter. This schedule will correspond to the CCSD Nine Month calendar.

I will be posting the daily routine/schedule as well as the first session's activities soon. Please feel free to post a comment or email me at mariebindrup@gmail.com for any questions and concerns you may have.

Summer Schedule

2010-06-07T13:35:00.000-07:00

I have had this summer schedule planned for many weeks. This is a tentative schedule, availability of library resources, weather, and cooperation with those museums we plan on visiting for the field trip may cause a change in the schedule. Also- if there is an entry fee for the field trip, that will be extra. I will try to get a discount due to our being a school, etc. Thanks again for being such great parents!!

Notice that the first 5 weeks will have morning sessions, and the last 5 weeks will be held in the afternoon except for field trips being held in the mornings due to hot weather.

Week 1 -9:15 AM to 11:45 AM
June 8- Sports week (if weather permits)
June 10- Sports week (if weather permits)

Week 2 -9:15 AM to 11:45 AM
June 15- Asia
June 17- Leid Discovery Museum (Field Trip) Please be at school by 9 for field trip

Week 3 -9:15 AM to 11:45 AM
June 22- Science Experiments
June 24- Africa

Week 4- 9:15 AM to 11:45 AM
June 29- North America
July 1- Fourth of July

Week 5 - 9:15 AM to 11:45 AM
July 6- Habitats
July 8- Habitats

Week 6 -12:45 PM to 3:15 PM
July 20- Pioneer Week
July 22- Desert

Week 7- 12:45 PM to 3:15 PM
July 27- South America
July 29- Australia

Week 8- 12:45 PM to 3:15 PM
August 3-Animal Week
August 5- Animal Week

Week 9- 12:45 PM to 3:15 PM
August 10- Europe
August 12- Antarctica

Week 10 -12:45 PM to 3:15 PM
August 17- Game Week- Cooperation Games
August 19- Game Week- Cooperation Games

Remember: you have already paid for 1/2 of your weeks as a deposit. You will only have to pay $15 on the Tuesday of the week your child attends. If you would rather pay in advance, as a few of you have requested, that is fine,too. See you soon!

Mrs. B

Session 9 Calendar

2010-04-26T15:10:00.001-07:00

Here is what is coming up for session 9:

April 27th-Weather/Temperature, Behind/Beside, letter K
April 29th-Weather Review, Between, letter k
May 4th-Cinco de Mayo, Right/left, letter x
May 6th-Mother's Day, Grouping, letter x
May 11th- Sports Day/Fitness, Same number, letter y
May 13th-Human Body/Digestion, Same number, letter y
May 18th- Human Body/Muscles, Before, letter z
May 20th- Human Body/Lungs, First/next, letter z

I will be posting the last session, which is a half session, next week.

Also, don't forget to sign up for those weeks you wanted to reserve for the summer! Summer registration is due on May 18th so I can have the materials ready etc. Thanks!

Summer Fun!

2010-04-02T18:45:00.000-07:00

I am posting the weeks that I will be having the preschool this summer. There are 10 weeks total, and you can sign up for weeks rather than the month or session. This makes it easier for vacations etc. I feel strongly about not charging for standard vacations, and I wouldn't feel right requiring the parents to pay for the whole summer when they wouldn't be attending at various times.

I will also be charging for the week- $30. This includes snacks and supplies for that week as well. If we go on any field trips, there will be an additional fee, but I will let you know about those in advance.

To reserve your weeks, you will just sign up for those you are interested in, and then a payment of $15 per week you reserve will be required by May 18th. This is so I can purchase the projects/ supplies and materials in advance. The remaining balance of $15 per week can be paid in advance, or on the Tuesday of the week you will be attending.

Here is the schedule for the summer:

Week 1: June 8, 10
Week 2: June 15, 17
Week 3: June 22, 24
Week 4: June 29, July 1
Week 5: July 6, 8
No school July 13, 15
Week 6: July 20, 22
Week 7: July 27, 29
Week 8: August 3, 5
Week 9: August 10, 12
Week 10: August 17, 19

We will also be meeting at 9am at the parks in Henderson for splash pad fun! I will have the summer sign up sheet available on April 6th, and then the fall registration soon to follow.

Upcoming Session Calendar (and a change)

2010-02-15T15:26:00.000-08:00

It is already time for session 7! Wow! Time is sure flying. I wanted to post the schedule for this session since there is a change in the days in the first week. I am going to start posting EVERY session from now on just in case you lose the calendar. Having the children prepared with something to share about the letter or the subject makes for interesting discussions in share time. Also, Alphabet Bear is making his rounds, and I want there to be a reference for those who have him and lose his paper. Thanks again parents!

Session 7

February 23rd- Moved to Friday, the 26th
Thursday, February 25th- Spring Week, Flowers Sound is beginning blend of /fl/
Growth- plants (review and observation of flowers planted in pots)
Friday, February 26th- Transformation/ change (decaying bananas) , /fl/ blend
Tuesday, March 2nd- Transformation/Change with COLD ,/i/
Thursday, March 4th-Transformation/Change with HEAT , /i/
Tuesday, March 9th-Solar System Week, Mars and Mercury, /m/
Thursday, March 11th- Solar System Week, meteors, /m/
Tuesday, March 16th-Rainforest Habitat, sloth,/r/
Thursday, March 18th- Trees, /r/

A Typical Day at Preschool

2010-01-14T13:40:00.000-08:00

Since our parents are busy getting errands done, or getting a much deserved break during preschool time, I thought I would give an idea of what happens throughout the day.

Today would be a great example since we started our groups, and it went great!

First, I meet with the kids individually as they come in. I didn't do any assessment as the school started, because I was planning on completing some formal assessments later on.

We had circle time- Welcome, calendar (months, days of the week, updating our calendar), we go over the letter we are working with that week. They do a "hunt" for things that start with that letter/sound etc.

Blue Group met with me first. The other three were to participate in the centers. At first green group wanted to sit with me, but soon they figured out that they got to "play" first.
The blue group worked with me on making patterns using unifix cubes. They did abab patterns, and abbabb patterns. They had a great time working independently, then showing the others what colors they used.

As they were working independently, I pulled the green group members one at a time to work on a formal assessment- concepts of print. I would ask them to pick out a book, show me the cover, the back cover, the title, the author. I would read the title to them and ask them what they think it is about (prediction). I would ask them to pretend to read, (see if they could follow the text from left to right etc). This gives me an idea of how familiar they are with books etc.

The next activity for the blue group is tracing, cutting, and gluing squares. Sometimes these projects don't seem that complicated, but to a child who is working on fine motor skills, it is a challenge. They have fun completing these little projects. Some of the students colored their projects when they finished gluing them. They looked a little messy, but they spent a lot of time on them.

Then it was time to trade groups. I would have gone outside for a break or snack, but they were working so well and behaving, I didn't want to push my luck.
Green group worked on unifix cubes,too- but they were working on sorting. This is a great activity to do with any group of objects. Give them a box of plastic utensils. or mix up pasta for them to sort, anything you can think of. They really feel proud to be able to sort by color, or shape, or whatever!
This group is still working on holding their scissors, so we practiced that a little, but then I cut the remainder of the squares so they could practice tracing and gluing. I have to be careful not to expect TOO much from them, or they get frustrated. They have to build confidence before you introduce the next skill.

I pulled the blue group members independently while the green group was working.

They did awesome with cleanup! They worked together and didn't fight over who got to put what toys away. Since there was only 2-3 playing at a time, the mess was a minimum!

Then it was snack time. I had apple slices and triscuits for the students. We had a student who brought some snacks and wanted to share. Thanks for the orange and organic treats! They were so yummy, and the kids were being so good outside, I taught them their lesson on ears and hearing outside. It was fun to talk about sound waves, to be careful with our ears, to make sounds with our bodies- clapping, clicking our tongues, etc. Also, it was nice for them to discover how the wind made a sound, but you couldn't see it. Just as sound waves are invisible, but they make sounds, too. We could hear cars, birds, etc. This is also a fun acitivity to do when out on walks, etc.

It was time to go inside for music time. I think they still had some energy to burn off, they were pretty mellow outside, so we played freeze dance. We are still learning how to respect other people's space, so this is when we saw a few behavior problems, but we used this time as learning experiences.

All in all, this was a great day. We have many great days at preschool! Every day is different, and hopefully the students learn something new everyday!

Thanks for being such great, supportive, parents!

Please feel free to talk to me about any questions or concerns you have.

New Schedule

2010-01-09T13:38:00.000-08:00

Since this week is about completion of assessments, and since we have 6 students now, I felt it was a great time to alter my daily schedule to better accommodate the needs of our class. I do spend one on one time with the students, but would like to spend more time with them independently and in smaller groups according to the skill that is being taught. The new schedule will come in to effect on January 12th. This is how we will work:

9:15-9:30 Individual assessment
9:30-9:45 Welcome, Calendar, Sharing Time
9:45-10:00 Shared Reading (whole group)
10:00-10:30 Group A meets with me while
Group B has center time
10:30-10:45 Snack & Outside (weather permitting) or activity
10:45-11:15 Group B meets with me while
Group A has center time
11:15-11:30 Craft/Thematic Activity
11:30-11:45 Music and movement

Please be on time at drop off as to allow enough time for all of the activities planned for the day.

We have a great time each preschool day and are learning more every day! Thanks!

Penguins, Polka dots, and Planting

2010-01-09T13:33:00.001-08:00

This last week was all about the letter "P" and studying animals who live in the tundra. The students love anything penguin or polar bear. We also looked at pictures of An Arctic Journal with real people studying the Arctic. The kids of course related everything to Happy Feet. At least they remember how the baby penguins are cared for the father when the mother hunts, and how the parent penguin feeds their baby by regergitating in their mouths!

The kids made these cute penguins on Tuesday, then on Thursday made purple and pink polka dots on the letter "P."

They also planted plants in pots. We were all about the letter "P"! Too bad we were out of pretzels, but they did have peanut butter!

Session 5

2009-12-21T21:04:00.000-08:00

We have a fun session planned. Here are the scheduled activities/ themes:

December 15: Fire Safety Position Words "f"
December 17: Holiday Party and Crafts

January 5: Penguins Patterns "p"
January 7: Tundra Patterns "p"

January 12: Senses (sight) Square "s"
January 14: Senses (smell) Square "s"

January 19: Animals Shape Review "a"
January 21: Asian Culture (Chinese New Year) Shape Review "a"

Please take note of what we are studying each day in order to participate in sharing/ circle time. I like to encourage the students to learn to be comfortable speaking in front of others, as well as teach listening skills. The students may bring in anything they would like to share, if at all possible have them bring in something relating to the theme, or the letter we are discussing that day. Thanks for being such great parents and letting me teach your children! Happy Holidays!

Letter J, and Jobs

2009-12-03T16:26:00.001-08:00

The students had a fun time making the letter J j out of their pretzels and making brown paper bag costumes for various jobs in the community.

They loved pretending to wear the Home Depot Aprons and work with the tools.

They loved designing their uniforms.

Here is our Police Officer and our Doctor.

Session 4

2009-11-24T15:29:00.000-08:00

To keep the parents updated on the themes, the letters, and numbers that will be studied in the upcoming session- here are plans:

Session 4- November 17-December 10

November 17: Dinosaurs
letter D
number 9

November 19: Dirigibles (Hot air balloons)
letter D
numbers 0-9

November 24: Thanksgiving (we are thankful for our families)
letter T
number 10

November 26: Happy Thanksgiving!

December 1 & 3: Community Helpers
letter J
numbers- one to one ration

December 8 & 10: Airplanes and other modes of transportation
letter A
position words

Preschool Complete!

2009-09-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

Finally the chairs and table I ordered came in and, voila!- the preschool is complete! I do have a few more manipulatives I would like to buy, but I need to take it easy on the $ going out until there is more $ coming in. My kids love to come in and play with the puzzles and the living center. As you can see, there is a 'bee" theme for Mrs. B's Preschool- I kind of went a little overboard- but it is fun! I have my long range plans completed for the year and am having a blast researching for fun activities that are engaging and educational. Feel free to send me any fun activities- I am all about new ideas! Here are the pictures I took of the preschool room.

Notice the bathroom and closet through the door on the right.

Ryan put in rain gutters to hold the books. The living center is in the left corner. Notice the vacuums- the kids love to "pretend" clean.

Here is the "circle time" area. There is a calendar and a map behind the projection screen.

Last, but not least, is the child size chairs and adjustable table that finally came in. The kids love to play at the table and the chair sizes are just right.

Tutoring

2009-08-30T20:22:00.000-07:00

Great news! I have been asked quite frequently if I could tutor as well as teach the preschool. I am definitely up for tutoring in the afternoons. I will be performing assessments pre-tutoring as well as communicating with your child's teacher to expedite the process of narrowing down the exact areas your child would like help in. I have tutored before, and loved it immensely due to the one on one interaction. Many children really need that one on one help, even if it is just with their homework. Please feel free to email me at mariebindrup@gmail.com if you have any questions about tutoring or are interested in reserving a day and time. I will be charging $15/hour. Good luck with the new school year!

Track Break and Off-time Kindergarten

2009-08-22T14:09:00.000-07:00

I have been talking with some parents lately, and they seem to see the need in having a preschool program for track breaks only or for those parents who don't have their child in all day Kindergarten, but would like them to have a couple of extra mornings a week. I have thought of this before, and am implementing this idea. If you have a track break where you would like to enroll your 5 or 6 year old child in all day, half day, or only a few mornings or afternoons per week, I can accommodate you. I will need some notice and a materials fee based on the number of days your child will attend. Please feel free to email me if yo have any questions at mariebindrup@gmail.com.

Afternoon time change

2009-08-08T14:32:00.000-07:00

I didn't want there to be a conflict with any parents who have their children going to the local schools, so I moved the afternoon start time from 12:30pm to 12:45pm. The end time of the school will be 3:15pm now instead of 3:00. This will make it possible for parents to be able to pick up their child from school, and then have time to pick up their child from this school. I hope this helps a little!

Fall Preschool= Full Steam Ahead!

2009-06-30T16:55:00.000-07:00

We are finally wrapping up the last details of the move- we are only waiting on our carpet to be delivered and installed and then we can finally get everything organized! The room set aside for the school is huge with it's own large bathroom, closet, and lots of light! I can't wait to get the room set up to post pictures! We are presently enrolling for the fall, so don't procrastinate- spaces are limited!

Summer School Change

2009-06-30T16:51:00.000-07:00

Due to the fact that we are moving into our new home at a much later date, unfortunately we are unable to accommodate the Psyched for Summer day camps. Please keep Mrs. B's Preschool in mind for next summer! A whole year to plan equals even better, more exciting activities! I can't wait!

The Exact School Location is....

2009-05-12T14:36:00.000-07:00

Yeah! We have the preschool site. The location is in Village South, on the corner of Paseo Verde and Gibson road in Henderson, Nevada. This school is one block south of I215 and Gibson- very easy access. It is in a gated community, and the exact address and gate code will be given out when I respond to your email at mariebindrup@gmail.com for privacy reasons.

The classroom set up is perfect! There is an additional large master bedroom in the downstairs of this home. The room is quiet with big bay windows, an attached bathroom, and plenty of room! There is a quiet area for those who would like to read, a practical living center, puzzles/games center, and an area for sharing time and calendar time. There is a table by the bay window with great light for instruction. The children will feel like home, but have the structured classroom setting as well as areas to learn and explore.

I will post pictures of the classroom when it is all organized and looking spiffy! I can't wait to make all of the lessons and activities I have been planning come to life! I am looking forward to a fun summer and school year!

Education & Experience

2009-04-14T22:01:00.000-07:00

I thought it would be important for any parent interested in this school to be aware of my previous experience in teaching and my education background.

I worked as a nanny and with the the Clark County Parks and Communities while I was in college. In that time I became the site supervisor for three schools over their Safekey program and Summer Safari programs. I graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a BA in Liberal Arts/Psychology. After graduating from college, I began substitute teaching for the Clark County School District when I learned not only did I love teaching, I was pretty good at it, too! I decided to get my teaching license through Sierra Nevada College. I taught the third grade for a few years until my oldest child was one, and decided to stay at home to care for him. I tutored from my home until I had my second child, and have missed teaching ever since. I have taken some continuing education courses and am on the road to receiving my masters degree.

How This Preschool Got Started

2009-03-17T13:56:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was in college I had thought of one day having my own preschool, now that day has finally come! I love to teach, and I taught for the Clark County School District for a few years until I decided to stay at home with my oldest son. I have never regretted my staying home, but I have truly missed teaching. Now that my children are getting a little older, I found it was time for me to pursue opening Mrs. B's Preschool!

About This Preschool

2009-03-16T14:38:00.000-07:00

What is this school's purpose?

This school has been in the planning stages for years. Only in the past few months has this dream of a school come into fruition. The basic focus for this school is to prepare our little ones for not only grade school, but for a place in society. This main focus drives for a concentration on small class sizes, a wide range of subject criteria, acceptable social behavior, and instilling self-confidence.

What will be taught?

A broad curriculum is also an important aspect to this school. Multiculturalism, learning about various occupations, observing animals and plant life, as well as exploring the earth and the sky and all they hold are a few examples of the areas we will study.

What days and times are available?

In order to be the most flexible for the parents, I am holding classes on Monday and Wednesday, morning or afternoon, and on Tuesday and Thursday, morning or afternoon. In the registration form, you will number your preferred day and time as 1, then your second choice, and so on. I want to accommodate all of my parents if possible. The decision will be made by the order of registration.

This school will correspond to the CCSD Nine Month Calendar. The only difference is I will be adding an additional day on June 3rd.

What is the cost?

I have enrolled my son in two different preschools, as well as have had many opportunities to see how tuition is paid. I want to be as fair as possible, and felt it unreasonable to ask for a month's payment- regardless of holidays, etc.

My son's most recent school organized each pay period by sessions. Each session has approximately 8 days of school, so payment is not by the month per say, but by a grouping of 7 or8 classes.
For example: In August the first day of school is August 25th. Some schools would ask for a full month's payment for only two days. Instead, the first session's payment will be $100.00 for August 25th, 27th, September 1st, 3rd, 8th, 10th, 15th, and 17th. Session 2's payment is due on September 22nd for the next 8 school days.
I have completed a session calendar for the entire year and will post it on this site as well as have copies available at school.

What about late fees?

A late fee of $10 per week will be added after the first week.

Is there a registration fee?

A one time non-refundable registration/ materials fee will be required of $50.

What if my child does not attend for a full session?

If your child does not attend for a full session, and you have not yet paid for that session, but you have notified me that they are returning, a $40 late fee will be added to that session's payment just as you were adding $10 per week. If I am not notified of an interest in returning and you have not paid, your child's spot may be given to a child on the waiting list. Please give 30 days notice if your child will not be attending, or you may be charged for that upcoming session.

How do I register?

First, add a comment to this post or email me directly at mariebindrup@gmail.com to hold your spot. Then, you may come to the school and fill out the registration form as well as pay the non-refundable $50 registration/materials fee.

I will be posting the daily routine/schedule as well as the first session's activities soon. Please feel free to post a comment or email me at mariebindrup@gmail.com for any questions and concerns you may have.

What age does my child need to be?

I am planning for activities and lessons for 3-6 year old students. This is possible due to the small class size of 6, and more one on one time with me. Students need to be potty-trained to attend.

Will there be homework?

Work to be practiced at home will be available, but not mandatory. I strongly encourage every parent to take the time to go over each practice sheet whenever possible as well as reading to your child daily. When a practice sheet is returned, the student will receive a small reward.

What is assessment time?

Each day while the students are being dropped off, I will be pulling each student aside for informal assessments. This is to make sure your child gets one on one instruction, as well as allows me to better understand what each student needs as to additional instruction/attention.

I will also be performing formal assessments at the end of each quarter. This schedule will correspond to the CCSD Nine Month calendar.