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February 2025

Giving MECK Pre-K families the tools to succeed!

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Children learn by observing the adults around them. By demonstrating kindness, practicing healthy habits, showing resilience, modeling self-care, encouraging lifelong learning, and communicating effectively, you set a powerful example for your child. When you show kindness and respect to others, your child learns the importance of empathy and consideration. Practicing healthy habits and self-care teaches them the value of looking after their own well-being. By handling challenges with resilience, you show them how to cope with difficulties. Encouraging a love for learning and effective communication fosters curiosity and strong interpersonal skills. Your positive role modeling helps shape their values, attitudes, and habits, making a lasting impact on their growth and development.

Feb 18: CML Workshop: Language development & communication

Feb 20: CML Workshop: Language development & communication (Spanish)

Feb 26: Parent Advisory Committee (PAC)

Learning about patterns is a fundamental math skill that young children begin learning in preschool. Like all math concepts, children begin with learning the basics and then build upon them. Start with an ABAB pattern and work up from there once they show understanding. Here are some fun ways to work on teaching and understanding patterns at home.



• Go on a nature walk – Collect items from nature such as leaves, sticks, and flowers. Show how to make a simple pattern using them.
• Use toys – While playing with toys, make a pattern with the pieces. For example, if you are playing with Magna-Tiles, show how a pattern can be a red square, blue triangle, red square, and blue triangle. You can also make patterns with toys by size by arranging shape in a repeating pattern, such as small, medium, large, small, medium, large.
• Make sounds – Create a pattern using sounds! This could be something like a clap, clap, stomp, clap, clap, stomp.
• Move your body – Use your body to make a movement pattern! Have your children jump and touch their toes. Then repeat the movements to show the pattern.

As many of our MECK Pre-K students are transitioning to kindergarten for the 25-26 school year, it will bring a big change in schedule, routine, teachers, friends and emotions. Our MECK Pre-K students are still learning new skills in the domains of academics, self-help skills and self-regulation. Now is a great time to discuss with children the changes they will experience and address any questions or fears they may have about going to kindergarten. Listed below are some strategies to be used to support these conversations:

• Field trip to their new school
• Read books about kindergarten/starting a new school
• Read books and talk about emotions
• Encourage independence with self-help skills (tying shoes, packing up lunch bags, putting on and taking off outerwear, etc.)

The book titles below are great resources to read with your children:

Big Feelings

Author: Alexandra Penfold

Llama Llama Misses Momma

Author: Anna Dewdney

Lola Goes to School 

Author: Anna McQuinn



The King of Kindergarten

Author: Derrick Banes and Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Through a partnership between CDSA, MECK Pre-K, and Smart Start of Mecklenburg County, Guiding Parents to Services (GPS) is proud to offer Parents Guiding Parents.

This monthly, virtual group offers parents, guardians, and primary caregivers space to talk to others who are going through the challenges and joys of raising a young child with medical, developmental, or behavioral concerns.

Facilitated by Amy DeShazo, M.Ed., GPS Manager and Autism Parent, this discussion group supports your journey as a family.  For more information and to register: 

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