Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Fire Safety Week

This week we have learned all about Fire Safety.  Firefighter Frank visited our class too!  Check out the pictures in the November Picture Album!

                                                                            



Star Students this week are Luke and Mallory!  

Happy 1/2 birthday to Katie!

***Santa Shop is next Tuesday (AM) and Wednesday (PM).  
***December Scholastic Book orders will be coming home soon.  They are due by Dec 10th so sthey arrive before break.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Feast Video & Pictures

The video from our Thanksgiving Feast is ready!  Click here to watch or download it.  You can send the link the family and friends.

The pictures that were used for the video will be uploaded to the November Picture Album (located in the Picture tab above) next week.  Sorry, didn't have a chance to get it done today and cannot access it from home. 




Monday, November 19, 2012

Thank you!

Thank you for all of your support with the COINS FOR CORNERSTONE project.  We raised $68.15 which we will donate to the Cornerstone of Hope for their Holiday Ornament Event.  Helping others sure does make you feel special!

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving!

thanksgiving turkey clipart 1 400x307We have been learning about turkeys and Thanksgiving.  Hope you all have a wonderful holiday with family and friends.  I will post the feast pictures/movie by Wed, Nov. 21st.  

This weeks stars and birthday girls are Megan and Haley!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Friday, November 9, 2012

Down on the Farm

This week we learned about farm animals.  Letter Cc was our letter of the week for cow and corn.  We made some cookies that were yummy!

Some of the great stories we read included The Cow Who Laid an Egg, Three Little Pigs, Hogwash, and The Flea Who Sneezed.

We enjoyed a trip to the Children's Museum where we got to play in the Big Red Barn!

Happy Birthday to Kevin and Melinda!
Star Students this week are Melinda and Vinnie.


**Notice, our Thanksgiving Feast was moved to Monday, November 19th at 10:00 & 2:00 in the cafeteria.  You should have received a slip of paper with a food to bring in.  See you then!

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Peer Information


2013-2014 Peer Information


Deadline for application is January 31, 2013. 
Don't wait...apply now! There is NO fee to apply.

If you have any questions, please contact Tara Gruskiewicz: 216-642-5870 x 1412 
 tgruskiewicz@independence.k12.oh.us

**Peers who are currently enrolled/attending the Independence Preschool Program do not need to re-apply.

Click to download:

Monday, November 5, 2012

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Coins 4 Cornerstone


This week is Character Counts week at IPS. We have many activities planned to teach our students about positive character qualities.  Trustworthiness respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship are the six pillars we will be focusing on this week and throughout the year.  The preschoolers will be doing a "Coins for Cornerstone" activity.  For those of you that are not aware of Cornerstone of Hope, it is an organization right here in Independence that is dedicated to providing support, education, and hope for the grieving. For more information, check out there website:  www.cornerstoneofhope.org.

The goal of our project "Coins for Cornerstone" is to raise $50 to donate to the Cornerstone of Hope.  The organization will use the money to purchase Christmas ornaments for the their Ornament Decoration event held in December.  This is a great way to teach our children about caring, kindness, and helping others in need.  It is also going to be a great learning activity as we will be working on identifying and sorting coins.  Later in the month of December, when we are decorating our own ornaments in class, I will remind the children (and hopefully share pictures) of how they helped other children share the wonderful experience of making Christmas ornaments.

The project will begin this week so you can start sending in coins whenever you would like. The coin jar is in the classroom and ready to start collecting!  You can send coins in with your child, they can do some chores around the house to earn coins, maybe they want to take some out of their piggy banks, or they can earn coins in the classroom.  During the project time, our Treasure Box days will be Coin Days.  Students who earn a trip to the treasure box will be given a coin.  They may use the coin to purchase a gum ball or they can donate it to the "Coins for Cornerstone" jar.  My goal is to help the children understand that sometimes they may have to give up something to help another person.

I appreciate you support and help with the project.  If you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns please contact me.  Our project will begin this week and continue until Thanksgiving.  Our donation will be sent to the Cornerstone of Hope on November 20, 2012.  I will keep an update on our preschool website as to how our project is going.  


Our star students this week are Sullivan and Mosha.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Family Fun Friday #2 Information


It is time for another “Family Fun Friday”.  Our next event will be on November 9, 2012 at The Children’s Museum from 1:30-2:30. This is an opportunity for the preschoolers to enjoy some fun with their family, friends, and teachers outside of the classroom. This is not a school sponsored field trip as preschoolers do not have school on Fridays; however I will attend the event.  This event is not mandatory and parents are responsible for transportation as well as any admission fees. We will be receiving the group discount rate.  The Children’s Museum tour will include three exhibits:  Big Red Barn, Splish! Splash!, and Centuries of Childhood.  A description of each exhibit is below as well as on the Museum’s website:  http://www.clevelandchildrensmuseum.org. 
    
The cost is $6.00 per child.  One adult is admitted free with each paid child admission.  Additional adult admissions are $7.00 per adult.  However, to guarantee this rate we must have at least 10 children attend.  Miss Gruskiewicz will collect money AT the museum.  Please do not pay it to the Museum.  Below are the group visit policies for you to review.

GROUP VISIT POLICIES:
·       Plan to arrive 15 minutes BEFORE the start of the tour.
·       Parents are responsible for their child at all times.
·       Adults MUST assist their child during entire visit (involve them in hands on activities, make sure they walk through museum, return items when finished).
·       Due to space, eating facilities are NOT available at the Museum.
·       Pay admission fee to Miss Gruskiewicz when you arrive at the Museum.  Do NOT pay the Musuem.  Checks need to be payable to Independence Board of Education.

 Families, siblings, and friends are all invited to have some fun!  Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns (tgruskiewicz@independence.k12.oh.us).



 Splish! Splash! is the water exhibit and it is sure to engage little ones. This permanent exhibit teaches children about water transportation, weather and the earth's water systems.  It features a two-story climbing structure that is designed to teach basic principles of the water cycle.  Also part of Splish! Splash! is the Kaleidoscope Stop where children experiment with and create patterns of all kinds and the Weather Forecast Center where children will learn how water affects the weather. They can also use the anchor desk to present their very own forecast in front of a camera so their family and friends can see them as a meteorologist.
  
Inspired by Margaret Wise Brown’s beloved children’s classic of the same name, Big Red Barn is designed specifically for children ages birth-4 yrs. It is comprised of several distinct areas, all with hands-on activities that encourage child/caregiver play. Come see the two-story barn, working silo, apple orchard, and more! 

 In Centuries of Childhood: An American Story, children will connect the stories of American history to their own experiences by learning about the lives of five historical children and their families. Each historical character will have its own distinct environment based on the time period and location in which they lived.  By creating immersive environments with replicas of artifacts, home settings and traditional dress, children and families will feel like they are stepping into another time and place.



Directions to The Children’s Museum:
10730 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, Ohio 44106
(In University Circle) 
216-791-7114 (Phone)

Take the ramp I-77 N  
Take exit 163 for I-90 E toward E 9th St   (0.2 mi)
Follow signs for I-90 E/Erie Pa and merge onto I-90 E   (0.7 mi)
Take exit 173B for Chester Ave   (0.2 mi)
Turn right at Chester Ave   (2.8 mi)
Turn right at E 105th St   (0.1 mi)
Turn left at Euclid Ave.  The Children’s Museum on the right.  (0.2 mi)

Total Travel Estimate:   20 minutes   /   14 miles   


Click here for the flyer.