March 2014 News

by
Here comes March! We’re in the last days of February, and its been quite a busy month.  We still have chapel on Thursday and Friday (11:40am) led by the Red Room, and Mrs. Jennifer’s Yellow Room has bake sale too! Don’t let the incoming rain stop you from stopping by the bake sale table – they’ll have lots of yummy treats for sale!

Daddy N Me Night was a great success! We hope that everyone enjoyed this fun time of crafts, and that Mommy was quite surprised and delighted with her present.

We also were visited by the Tooth Fairy, who came to teach us about the importance of taking care of our teeth (when she’s not swapping out teeth for money at night, she works at a dental office).  And our Kindergarten class attended a special off campus field trip to the Planetarium at Santa Ana College to learn about outer space!

Coming Up in March…

REGISTRATION FOR FALL 2014 Opens March 1 to the Public – Registration is currently open for you, with a discounted registration fee that’s valid through March 28.  Learn more about classes and schedules for next year here.

1911253_10151927136533314_234118306_o (800x533)Picture Day: It’s time for Spring Pictures!  Children will be photographed individually and with their class (unless you’ve opted out for pro pictures on your paperwork).

  • Thursday March 6  for Red, Yellow, Purple, & Orange
  • Friday March 7  for  Red, Yellow, Purple, Green & Blue
Thursday March 6 is Siblings Day, by appointment in the afternoon. See Mrs. Stefanie in the office to schedule a time for non-Creek older or younger siblings to get their portraits done.

Developmental Readiness Screenings for Kindergarten/1st Grade Readiness are March 10 & 11. All pre-K and K classes received a packet in their bucket; if you have a younger child and are interested in the screenings, please stop by the office to pick up a packet.

The Chancy Bruce testing is a great way to see your child’s developmental age in a variety of situations, and can be a great resource for helping strengthen areas of their development as we prepare them for elementary school. There is a parent meeting to go over results on March 26 at 7pm at The Creek.

Chapel – March 13 & 14, we’re learning about “The Boys and Girls and Jesus” and how much he loves and values children. The Purple Room will be leading us!

Bake Sale – March’s bake sale benefits Purple Room and will be on the 27 & 28.

OPEN HOUSE – March 28 6-7:30pm   The Creek is showcasing all the children’s hard work in this community night!  Visit preschool, pre-kindergarten, and kindergarten rooms and see what all the kids have been working on. In addition to the classrooms being open, there is a community information area with vendors and a dinner food booth for a fun and festive night.

Spring Break – March 31 through April 4 – The Creek is closed, but Coach Joel is running camp for kids preschool through 5th grade.  Learn more here or contact him 714 728-3237.

February 2014 News

by

Yesterday the groundhog saw his shadow, signifying six more weeks of winter… which out here in So Cal seems to mean winter is finally starting after an 80° January!  Here at the Creek we’ve been learning about winter all last month, and now we’re at the point where we need jackets!

Speaking of which, please make sure you are sending your child to school with a jacket – we are outside at recess and it is cold! Don’t forget to label their jackets so if they’re lost we can get them back to you!

We’ve got a lot of fun things happening in February, so make sure you have them down on your calendar:

Registration for the 2014-15 School Year has opened for our currently enrolled families. You get first enrollment for this coming fall before we open to the public March 1 – and a discounted registration fee of $150 (will go up to $200 on April 1).

The Tooth Fairy Visits Us – she’s coming to talk to us about the importance of taking care of our teeth

  • T/T Classes and Orange Room on Tues Feb 4 11am
  • MWF Classes & Blue Room on Fri Feb 21 11am

Daddy N Me Night – Tues Feb 11 from 6:30-7:30pm for all classes – It’s Daddy’s time for a special night at The Creek! Bring Daddy and come in your Pajamas for this fun craft project. We’re making a top secret Valentine’s Day project for mommy, so don’t spoil the surprise!  (Daddy unable to come? Substitutes welcomed).

Valentine’s Day Card Exchange – We’re exchanging cards for Valentine’s Day to show how much we love our friends! If your child is bringing cards for their classmates, please make sure that you bring one for every student so no one is left out. Younger students may want to leave the “to” section blank and just sign them to make distribution easier since they’re still emerging readers.

  • MWF on Feb 12
  • T-Th & 5 Day Classes on Feb 13

Chapels: 11:40am
Join us on February 12 & 13 as the Yellow Room teaches us about how much God loves us and will take care of us, just like he took care of Noah and the animals on his big boat.
On February 27 & 28 the Red Room will be teaching us about how we can trust God to help us do big things, just like David trusted God to help him defeat a giant!

President’s Day Holiday – No School on the 14th or 17th

Valentine’s Day Kids Night Out – Coach Joel is offering Kids Night Out on Valentine’s Day from 5pm-9pm here at the Creek!  It’s just $5 and hour per child (third child free) and he’ll feed them pizza, play games, and they’ll have way too much fun… while you get to enjoy the evening!  Kids Night Out is for kids ages 6 months through 5th grade.  Sign up on the clipboard in the office to claim your night out!

Bake Sale: Ms. Diane’s Blue Room raised over $130 at their bake sale in January and she’s looking forward to getting some more of one of the classes favorite manipulative building sets, and then using it for some Open House surprises! Thanks to everyone who bought goodies!   February’s bake sale benefits Mrs. Jennifer’s Yellow Room and is the 27 & 28th so stop by for some treats!

Pre-K & Kindergarten Classes have official conference week February 24-28 by appointment.  Check with your child’s teacher for their conference schedule.  Conferences are a short 15 minute check in on your child’s progress as they prepare for kindergarten/first grade next fall.  Preschool classes (Yellow and Purple) will officially have their conferences later in the year, but you can always request a conference now if you want to check in!

Download a February at a Glance Calendar | Download a March at a Glance Calendar

Fall 2014 Registration

by

We’re already planning for the next school year at the Creek!

If you’re  joining us for the Fall 2014 school year, here’s the basics:

The school year starts August 25, 2014

Registration for currently enrolled families opens February 1
Registration for new families opens March 1

The Creek will once again be offering Preschool (starting at 2.5 with potty training optional), Pre-Kindergarten, and Kindergarten.  As always, we’ll maintain our small 12:1 ratio in preschool & pre-k and a 15:1 ratio in Kindergarten!

Preschool and Pre-K schedule options include Tuesday & Thursday, Monday/Wednesday/Friday and Monday through Friday. Select from the 9am-12pm Academic Day, or the 8am-3pm Extended Day.

Kindergarten/Transitional Kindergarten‘s Academic Day is 8:30am-12pm, with 8am-3pm care available in Extended Day.

And we will continue our Early Birds, Lunch Bunch, and Extended Day options at the low $5 per hour rate for those that do not need regular 8am-3pm care.

Download a Registration form with rates and schedules

Once registered, you will need to complete your forms packet, which must be received by August 15.

Downloads: New Student Forms Packet |Returning Student Forms Packet

 

Classes for 2014-15 Information

Kindergarten/Transitional Kindergarten:
 5 by Dec. 1, 2014 | M-F 8:30am-12pm

This small ratio-kindergarten class, 15:1, is a complete Kindergarten experience at The Creek! Our class meets all the state standards of academic achievement but has a wonderful Bible foundation woven in.  Kindergarten students use the ABEKA curriculum.

5 Day, 3 Day & 2 Day Pre-K:
 4 by Dec. 1, 2014 | M-F 9am-12pm, MWF 9am-12pm or T-Th 9am-12pm

This class is geared for children who will be entering Kindergarten in 2014. This kindergarten prep program utilizes our Zoo Phonics curriculum, and is an excellent introduction to the school experience as well as laying the academic foundation for Kindergarten.

2.5-3 Year Old Preschool:
2.5 by Sept. 1, 2014 | M-F 9am-12pm, MWF 9am-12pm or T-Th 9am-12pm

This class is an excellent introduction to the school experience. Our preschool curriculum is an engaging 5-senses exploration of their world and an introduction to letters, colors, shapes & numbers.  In addition, they are introduced to our Zoo Phonics animal friends and start building a foundation for Pre-Kindergarten experiences.  Potty training is not required in this age group.

A Reminder About Teacher Requests

As we build classes for the coming school year, we do not finalize any staff placements until the current school year comes to a close. We know you’re eager to find out who your child’s teacher will be, but please be patient as we juggle registration needs and staff schedules for next year.

Happy 2014

by
We’re back and having a ton of fun here in 2014 at The Creek!  Welcome back everyone, and welcome to all of our new students too!

With the start of the new year, we have added a new preschool class! Purple Room MWF with Mrs. Ceighte has opened for children ages 2.5-3.5 years (with the option of being in pullups) and they’re having a ton of fun starting their first time in school.  If you know if any families that would like to join them (or any of our preschool & Pre-K programs) send them our way – we love new friends more than we love new toys!

We’ve some fun January Chapels – 11:40am – you’re invited to join us!

  •     The Blue Room (Th) and Orange Room (F) will be teaching us on the 16 & 17 about “The Boy Who Went Away” – we’ll be learning about how even when we’re naughty, God still loves us!
  •     On the 30 & 31st, The Purple (Th) and the Green Room (F) will be teaching us about how we need to care for one another with the story of “The Man Who Helped”

Blue Room’s Bake Sale is Jan 30 & 31st so come support our Kindergarten class with the purchase of some baked treats. All proceeds go directly to Ms. Diane for use in her classroom.

Also, looking ahead to February, make sure Daddy has “Daddy and Me Night” on his calendar! It’s February 11; a fun pajamas night for all classes and runs from 6:30-7:30pm. We’ll be making a top secret Valentine’s Day project for Mommy!

We’ve an updated 2014 Year Calendar for download (it also just went out in buckets) full of everything that’s going on this second half of the school year.

Download January Calendar | Download February Calendar

Merry Christmas!

by

photoThe Creek had a great time at the City of Orange tree lighting this past weekend sharing the secret to making ooey gooey Christmas flubber with our community!

And we’ve been loving the elf delivery of the Christmas grams – its a favorite part of each day!

Christmas Parties: We’ll be celebrating Jesus’ birthday with our class parties on Dec. 12 (T-Th classes) or Dec. 13 (MWF & 5 Day Classes) at 11:15am. Sign up for food items in the classrooms, and come celebrate with us!

Don’t forget! The Christmas program is thus Thursday evening for all classes! The program will start at 6:30 pm; doors open at 6:15. We’ve already started rehearsals, and the classes are working hard on their parts.

Cookies Needed: After our Christmas program we’ll be having cookies and milk in Fellowship Hall… but we need some cookies! Sign up in your child’s classroom, and drop the cookies off by 3pm the day of the performance. We’ll make sure there’s milk (chocolate and regular) as well as something for those lactose intolerant.

Christmas Break starts December 14 – have a wonderful holiday, enjoy the season and the birth of our savior and we’ll see you back at school January 6th!

“Winter Wonderland” Camp: Need care (or something for the kids to do) during the winter break? Coach Joel is running Winter Camp here at The Creek. It’s for kids preschool through third grade, and not just for current Creek students: siblings and friends are welcome to come too. Call (714) 728-3237 to get more info.

Looking ahead…. download our January Calendar

Christmas Grams!

by

ChristmasGramsBe sure to buy a Christmas Gram this week! They range from 25 cents to $1. Buy one for your little one, their teacher or their whole class. Special elves will deliver them all week.

October Newsletter

by

We had a very busy September at the Creek!  Not only did we get to learn about fire safety when the fire truck visited us for our very first on-site field trip, gathered together to play and socialize at Chuck E. Cheese, and  we started music classes, sports and dance classes, and had our very first chapel; plus we celebrated our grandparents!October is also a very busy month; we’re continuing music, chapels, sports and dance, plus its Picture Day, the Book Fair, and our Halloween parade and parties!

Here are the details on all this and more:

Book Fair: You may have seen the mini bookstore from Scholastic on campus last week during our special preview days…  the Book Fair will be open before and after school from Sept. 30 through Oct. 11.  (Please note that the hours may vary a bit as the store is staffed by a parent volunteer).

This is a great way to get books for your children at home… but also for gifts for the holidays!  Each teacher also has a ‘wish list’ at the book fair of books they’d love to have for their own classroom.  The Creek also receives a percentage of book fair sales, which will go towards the next phase of our school security improvements plan. So stop in and go shopping with your children!

Chapels: 

  • Oct. 10 & 11 – 11:40am – the Red Room leads us in the story of “Joshua and the Big Wall” where we’ll be learning about  how e can trust God to help us do big things.
  • Oct. 24 & 25 – 11:40am – the Purple Room leads Thursday, and the Green Room on Friday, as we learn about how God loves us, even when we’re naughty, through the story of “Jonah and the Big Fish.”

Halloween Parade and Parties: At the Creek, we love to dress up and pretend, and Halloween is a fun time for us to get to do so as we celebrate this fun fall holiday.

The parade starts promptly at 11am on the basketball court; each class will get to travel about showing off their costumes to the rest of the school.Your child can come dressed in costume to school (make sure it’s bathroom self-care safe!) or you can come a bit early and help them dress.

*Costume Rules: no witches, ghosts, goblins, devils, undead or other evils allowed*

After the parade, we’ll be heading back to the classrooms for our pot-luck party!  Sign up in your child’s classroom for what you can bring to share.

Director’s Coffee – Oct. 1 starting at 9:10 out on the patio. Come join us for a time of socializing and getting to know one another!

School Pictures – This is the time to come with your sad face… no, wait, your smiley happy face, for school portraits!

T-Th (Red, Yellow, Purple) will be photographed on Oct. 3; MWF (Red, Yellow, Green) and 5 Day classes (Orange & Blue) will be photographed on Oct. 4.

Individual and class portraits will be taken.  Images will be online for viewing approximately one week after picture day.  Details on how to access your child’s gallery will follow.    The background for portraits is the one shown on the class boards.

Adjustment Conferences – We’ve been in school for about a month now, and it’s a good time to check in for a semi-formal sit-down conference with your child’s teacher. These short 15 minute (before or after) school meetings are a way to connect with the teacher, talk about goals for the year, and share any special goals or concerns you may have.  We want to make sure we’re partnering with you for the best school experience for your child!

During the conference time, your child will attend lunch bunch or early bird. Please check with the teachers for their exact schedule for conferencing.

Bake Sale: Mrs. Nicole’s Orange Room class raised over $100 towards special goodies for their classroom in last month’s bake sale.  This month we support Mrs. Elizabeth and Mrs. Cathy’s Red Room classes, so stop by on Oct. 24 & 25 to get some treats!

Date Change:  Please make a note on your calendars that due to a scheduling conflict we’ve moved the Christmas Program (for all classes) to Thurs. Dec.12!   You can download an updated school year calendar at the link above.

September News at The Creek

by
Here we are back in school, and there’s a lot going on in our first full month!
Director’s Coffee: Wed. Sept. 4 – 9:15-10am on the patio (we’ll move inside if it’s too hot!) This is a fun opportunity for our families to mingle and hang out a bit, getting to know one another.Dance Starts – Sept. 4 – Wednesdays from 1pm-1:45 –  Stardreams Dance and Gymnastics comes to teach music and movement classes! This fun blend of ballet, jazz, and creative movement also includes some tumbling.   Download a sign up form for more info.

Sports – Starts Sept. 9 & 10 – Mondays and Tuesdays from 1-2pm – Coach Joel’s sports sessions are geared geared especially towards preschoolers.  This round of combo fun is soccer and basketball. The emphasis is on team play and cooperative challenges, not on keeping score. Download a sign up form for more info.

Vision Screening – Sept. 9 & 10 – The Elks Club is providing a free vision screening on campus on these days. To participate, please fill out a permission slip and your contact info on a screening form. These forms are available in the office and in each classroom.
Fall2013
School Pictures – Sept. 12 & 13 – every class has a reminder paper up with the actual backdrop that is being used for the pictures.   Children will be photographed individually and with their class. (If you have not approved professional pictures on your Field Trip/Photo form, your child will not be photographed for either picture set, in accordance with your wishes.) Blue and Orange room have picture day on Friday.

This is a sample of the exact background shown here too!  Questions? See Mrs. Stefanie in the office.  There is also a school pictures FAQ page online at the Carlson Photography web site. 

Music Class – Music with Mrs. Karen starts Mon/Tues Sept 16 & 17! We’re excited to have her back with us every other week for the music enrichment program full of songs, puppets, finger plays, and instruments we get to play!

Chuck E Cheese Night: Sept. 17 from 3-9pm at the Orange Chuck E Cheese.  This is a great time for us to gather as a school and just have fun getting to know one another.  Alumni and friends are always welcome to join us.  This is also a school fundraiser, and all purchases of food and tokens at the counter will count towards our school’s gate fund!  (Stock up on tokens for future visits on this night too!)

Big John the Fire Truck Visits: Wed. Sept. 18 for MWF, Blue and Green room classes. He will return on Sept. 26 for our T-Th classes.  Big John is a talking fire truck to help us learn about fire safety and he’s staffed by real fire fighters who will show us how they look in their special protective gear. We’ll learn about 911 and “stop, drop, and roll” too!  You’re invited to come join us (and bring your cameras) for this fun on-campus field trip. This is also a great day to wear your Creek t-shirts!

Wed. Sept. 18 – 9:15am Blue and Orange
Wed. Sept. 18  – 10 am Yellow, Red, and Green
Thurs Sept. 26 – 9:15am Red, Yellow, and Purple
Bake Sale – Sept. 19 & 20 - Our Orange Room starts off the monthly bake sales with all proceeds going to Mrs. Nicole’s classroom for special supplies and surprises. Come ready to buy some sweet treats!Grandparents Day Chapel & Treat – Sept. 26 & 27 11:15am (Blue on Thurs, Orange on Friday – they’re leading our chapel for us!).  Invite the grandparents (or a special family member or friend can substitute) to come join us for a special time of chapel together followed by a classroom treat.  Please RSVP to your child’s teacher so they know how many grandparents to expect – we want to make sure we’re prepared to celebrate each one of them!

Were excited about this school year, and we’re off to a great start full of fun and learning!

Don’t forget that if you need to reach us, you can connect on Facebook, email us at info@thecreekpreschool.org, call us at 714 633-0402 or use the after hours voicemail at 714 497-0581 or stop in at the office.

School Start Dates – Reminders

by

Don’t Forget! Your paperwork packets are due August 15!  Don’t delay – especially if your student needs the physician’s report filled out, or updated shots for their school records. The first tuition payment is billed August 1, due August 15. Packets must be completed and 1st tuition paid for your child to start with us August 26.

NEED FORMS? 

Download the 2013-2014 Forms Packet – Returning Students

Download the 2013-2014 Forms Packet – New Students

 

Download the YEAR in full calendar!

Download August Calendar | Download September Calendar

Class lists will be posted Thursday August 22 by 10am.

Meet Your Teacher Days: Thurs. and Fri. August 22 & 23 from 10am-noon is your chance to stop in and meet your child’s teacher! The teachers will be working in their classrooms getting ready for the start of the year, and would love to get to meet your child before the first day of school. You can stop by either day regardless of your class schedule.

Orientation Days: Our first days of school are special, as the children go to their class while you go to ‘your class’ – the parent orientation meeting. This abbreviated first start day is a great way to ease back into the school year, and makes the drop off process less intimidating for first year students (and their parents!)

  • MWF & 5 Day Class Orientation is 10am-11:30am Mon. Aug. 26
  • T-Th Orientation is 10am-11:30am Tues. Aug. 27

You will not need to pack a snack for Orientation Day.  Regular Schedule starts Wed. August 28 – on this day you’ll want to have your snack (two healthy food choices) and your bucket for school!

Extended Day starts on Wednesday August 28 for all classes.
5 Day Class Students: Tue. Aug. 27 is an Academic Day only. 8:30/9am start with noon pick up. Don’t forget your nutritious snacks and your buckets!

If you’re not signed up for regular extended day (billed with your tuition) your child can always join us for Early Birds (8am-9am), Lunch Bunch (12pm-1pm) and Extended Day (1pm-3pm) at the rate of $5/hour. If your child is staying for the afternoon, please make sure to pack a separate lunch. Tickets for the Extended Program are available through the school office.

Remember that snack and lunch come from home, and we recommend packing the snack separately to avoid food confusion for your child.  In addition, we do not heat food.

 

We hope you’re having a great summer! See you soon!

 

Student Packets

by

Need the student forms packets for the start of the school year? Download them here!

 

Download the 2013-2014 Forms Packet – Returning Students

 

Download the 2013-2014 Forms Packet – New Students