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- A Note from Diana
- Center Wide News
- Transitions
- School age
- Summer Camp 2021
- Virtual Tours
- NEW! Family Advisory Committee
- Now Hiring
- Community News
- Family Fun
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As we welcome the month of February, we hope everyone continues to be safe and healthy.
We are excited to share with all families, we are almost ready to launch the Family Advisory Committee. Please see information about this in this newsletter.
We will once again be celebrating Black History Month at the ELC with our sharing of the many contributions African Americans have made to our national history; we also want to recognize the purpose of why Black History Month was developed and our stance and responsibility of acknowledging the current and historical contributions of African Americans 365 days a year.
For those who may not know the origin and organization each year, Black History Month celebrates Black Americans’ contributions to society and raises awareness of Black American history. It began when Carter G. Woodson, an American historian, grew frustrated with the under representation of Black people in conversations that shaped American history.
Every year, a theme is applied to focus the public’s attention, with this year’s theme centering around “The Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity”. Black History Month takes place during the month of February in the U.S. and Canada, and is recognized throughout October in the United Kingdom.
February is also National Children’s Dental Health month. Check out this site for information about importance of taking care of baby’s oral health.
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From Jessica Peace; Associate Director, Preschool/School Age |
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Transitions from PS to PK to SA
February is the time of the year that start to predict the summer and upcoming fall enrollment. Teachers and the leadership team collaborate to plan for each individual child’s journey in our typical transitions. We communicate with families to share ideas, thoughts and plans. Here is the typical transition timeline for Preschool to PreK to School Age:
June-August 2021
- Our Full time Preschool and PreK students stay in their current classrooms through the summer. At times, we may transition Preschool students to PreK a little earlier than the August transition. You will not need to register for summer camp, as your current classroom is already established.
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School Age children join our Summer Camp program (Rising 1st graders through 5th grade) sign ups start in February
- New This summer! Kindergarten Enrichment Summer Camp! This summer camp is designed specifically for children who have experienced most of their Kindergarten year virtually. This camp will help to boost social and emotional skills through hands on discovery learning and collaborative play. Sign-ups will begin in February
End of August 2021
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Preschoolers who are four before Aug. 31st transition to PreK
- Preschoolers who are just turning 4 will remain in Preschool (individual decisions can be discussed)
- Preschool 3 children remain together in a multi-age classroom
- Enrollment of new families into all age groups
- School Agers who attend West Park Place, Aspira or Newark Charter School sign up for before and after school program
Intent Forms for the 2021-2022 School Age went out to PreK students and school agers on Friday. Please be sure to turn in this form by Friday, February 12th. This will be important data as we plan programmatic decisions for the Fall.
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Supporting the School Age Community |
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The ELC has experienced moments of beauty through this pandemic. Our teachers, children and families have collaborated very well this fall to support remote learners. As children learned that they would not be going back to traditional school, families were searching for educational support and care for their school age learners. The ELC rose to the challenge and created a new school age program out of our typical before and after school program. We asked staff members to pivot, switching from Preschool classrooms into School Age classrooms. And pivot they did! The dedicated teachers have supported our remote learners by working with families, schools, teachers and most importantly, the children. Each day, they uphold our goal of balancing the rigor of the online learning platform, with the developmentally appropriate vision of learning through play, discovery, collaboration and inquisition. The smiles, laughter and joy of learning shine through, despite the challenges. We are proud to be a part of the community solution. The ELC family continues to be strong- and the children benefit from it greatly. |
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Camp Information will come out to current families by February 19th. Sign-ups will begin on February 22nd and will be open to current families and siblings first. Then, we will open to the community.
We have two different camps this summer. The format for the program and the themes are the same. The registration page and theme list is attached.
- The UD ELC Kindergarten Enrichment Camp is designed to create learning opportunities for our Kindergarten children, many of whom were in remote school for much of the year. Our primary goal is to support social and emotional growth, with an emphasis on skill building in all developmental areas. Peer relationships in a safe, secure environment will be the focus for this community.
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The UD ELC Super Summer Camp offers a comprehensive camp for children who have completed 1st through 5th grade. Through discovery learning opportunities, campers will foster their passion to learn, think and grow. Thematic activities will focus learners to experiment, create and interact with friends.
Camp Details:
Dates: June 20th through August 20th (9 weeks)
Hours: 9:00-4:00, with extended care 7-9 am and 4-6 pm (included)
Cost: $325 - Includes meals, extended day, activity fees
Deposit: $325 (credited to the final week of camp)
Sign-ups: Begin February 22nd ; Registration requests are recorded on the wait list.
Confirmation of a spot: By the end of March, 2021
Campers must sign up for a minimum of 4 weeks in order to join our ELC summer camp.
Limited number of POC spots available- clients must sign up for all 9 weeks, and miss no more than 5 days in a month.
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Spread the Word...Virtual Tours happening Now! |
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Virtual Tours are going very well and will continue through June. Please spread the word to the community and friends alike. If you know someone who is interested in learning about all the great things happening at the ELC they can email Kathy at kkampe@udel.edu to register.
Upcoming tour dates/times:
Feb 10, 2021 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Feb 24, 2021 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Mar 10, 2021 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Mar 24, 2021 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Apr 7, 2021 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Apr 21, 2021 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
May 5, 2021 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
May 19, 2021 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Jun 2, 2021 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Jun 16, 2021 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Recent testimony from a community member who joined a recent virtual tour:
We can't thank you enough for our (virtual) tour of the ELC today. It was the most thorough tour we've seen, and you answered all of our questions. My husband and I have both been involved in research through our prospective careers, and we appreciate the work your program does. We are so impressed by the ELC's mission and approach to education and children in general, focusing on all aspects of their development and fostering respect and inclusivity. I work exclusively with children with disabilities, and I admire this piece especially.
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NEW! Family Advisory Committee |
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We are excited to announce the launch of our Family Advisory Committee (FAC) at the Early Learning Center. This committee has been in the planning phase for some time and we are ready for the next stage; recruiting ELC family members! The purpose of this committee is to create equitable learning experiences for all children at the ELC. If you are interested in learning more, please read the FAQ sheet attached. If the FAC is something you feel you would be a good fit for, please complete the attached application and submit to Diana no later than Monday, February 15, 2021. You can either email it to her at dmorello@ udel.edu or send it to school with your child.
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Now Hiring Full Time Classroom Assistants |
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We are excited to announce that the Early Learning Center has secured the approval by the University of Delaware to recruit multiple full-time Classroom Assistant positions in our Infant and Toddler Program in order meet our projected current and future enrollment and staffing needs. This opportunity includes full University of Delaware benefits.
We are looking for inspiring educators who have a passion for working with and educating infants and toddlers. If you or someone you know are interested in joining our wonderful team, candidates are encouraged to submit an application at www.udel.edu/jobs.
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- Check out our Facebook page
- "Like" our page
- Share our page with others
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Restore the Corridor Wilmington |
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Restore the Corridor Wilmington is a significant DelDOT transportation project along the I-95 corridor in Wilmington that will make the repairs needed to extend the bridges’ service life and avoid major and costly rehabilitation work for a minimum of 30 years. Planned construction includes the repair of 19 bridges, I-95 pavement, and ramps within the project limits. Major construction on I-95 is expected to start on February 12, 2021.
Please plan for safe travels to the ELC and anticipate longer commute times on I-95 especially in the evenings.
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Recent Recalls from the
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
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Virtual Kindergarten Academy Series Continues Delaware Readiness Teams |
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Join the Delaware Readiness Teams on the second Tuesday of every month for any or all of our 6 Virtual Kindergarten Academy sessions.
Kindergarten Academy prepares children who will enter kindergarten in the 2020-21 school year. It's an educational journey full of learning opportunities for four-year-olds. Parent sessions will be pre-recorded and available on our website. The 6:00 p.m. sessions are geared toward children with adult supervision.
Each month the academy will focus on a different learning area. See below for the schedule and click on the link to register:
(All times 6:00 - 6:30 p.m.)
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Many families have asked about the sun catchers hanging in the trees at the front doors. Ms. Alexis, School Age 2 Teacher, shares the recipe with us!
You will need:
Translucent pony beads
Disposable aluminum pans (I used the Weber drip pans)
Grill
Drill
Arrange the beads in the pan so they are flat on their side. You can sort the beads by color, or create a design of your choosing. The possibilities are endless! Once the beads are in the pan, place the pan on a preheated grill (I did high, indirect heat) for about 5 minutes. Check frequently. Once the beads are melted, carefully remove the pan from the grill to cool completely. Once cool, remove from the pan, drill a hole in the top and hang in your desired location.
This should be done outside on the grill as the smell is awful.
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The entire purpose of 1000 Hours Outside is to attempt to match nature time with screen time. If kids can consume media through screens 1200 hours a year on average then the time is there and at least some of it can and should be shifted towards a more productive and healthy outcome!
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