May 2008 Parent Newletter
Parents and Faculty,


The first week of May I would like to dedicate to ALL of you: Parents, Teachers, Family Members, and Church Staff. We will celebrate your unending efforts to work with the children and guide them in a loving and nurturing way through their growth and development. Throughout the week Teachers will be appreciated in their classrooms. Please watch for information from our Parent Volunteer Committee on various activities that have been planned to let your child’s teacher know just how much you appreciate
their efforts. Parents, Family, Friends and Neighbors are invited to attend a special Chapel of recognition on Thursday, 8 May and/or Friday 9 May at 9:30 AM. This Chapel will be presented by Pastor Greg Finke (known as “Pastor Greg” by the children). After Chapel the faculty has provided a buffet including food items for our well deserving volunteers to enjoy as they enjoy the company of each other. We sincerely hope you will be able to attend and accept our token of gratitude for your time, energy and support provided.

In order to continue to serve the children in our program better, parents are encouraged to participate and complete an ECM
Parent Survey. The survey will allow us an opportunity to identify areas of strength in our school, and also those areas where we need improvement. Thank you so much in advance for your contribution and suggestions. You may click on the link provided to access the survey information. http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB227R9HMLW2R

Now that the weather is much nicer, many of the children and classrooms are visiting the Outdoor Chapel. The children are taught in their classrooms that the Outdoor Chapel is a place of God (as is the indoor Chapel) and needs to be treated with respect and reverence. Running through the gardens, climbing all over the wall and cross, jumping off of the bench, pulling up the hoses, leaving trash and treating the Outdoor Chapel area as a playground is not appropriate chapel behavior. Please help to reinforce this with your children whether they are with their class, enjoying the outdoors with their friends, or after program hours and during parent pick up.

The children in the Toddler through the PS-3 classes will participate in “Water Play Day” Monday,
12 May through Friday, 16 May. Please watch for a schedule to be posted for your child’s scheduled day and time. We will have sprinklers and water tables set up in the play yard and will be serving popsicles for outdoor refreshment. Please send your child to school in their swimsuits AND with sunscreen applied liberally. Please also send a towel and a complete set of dry clothing for them to change into. Children in the PK-4, PK-5 and Kindergarten classes have scheduled alternative activities. Please check with your child’s teacher for their planned activities and schedules.

Thursday, 15 May and Friday, 16 May will be a very special Chapel for the PK-T4 through Kindergarten. They will lead Chapel in praise as we get close to the last Chapels of this school year. Thursday, 22 May and Friday, 23 May will be a very special Chapel
for the Toddler III through PS-3. They will lead Chapel in praise during the last Chapel of this school year. You are welcome to worship with the children as Jesus encourages us to “let the children come to me so I may touch them and bless them.

Tuesday, 27 May is the ECM Kindergarten Graduation. The Kindergarten students and their families will begin the Graduation Ceremony at 6:30 PM in the Life Center Auditorium. A dinner will be provided to the children and their families immediately following the Kindergarten Awards. We are so proud of our students as they graduate from their years at Gloria Dei Early Childhood Ministries. We know the children understand that their strength comes from facing challenges and successes with the grace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Thursday, 29 May is a special evening for ALL of the ECM children and their families. This evening will celebrate the 2007-2008 School Year with a Closing Program beginning at 6:30 PM. This year’s program will be held in the ECM classrooms and the Life Center Auditorium. The children will receive their Year-End Books and may enjoy refreshments and a slide show in the Life Center Auditorium throughout the evening.

Please Note: For those that may have participated in this event in past years, we have noticeably changed the venue of the evening. We have tried to apply the many suggestions that we have received from parents, teachers and others to make this event less stressful on the children and allow the children (and teachers) to get home to bed at a more reasonable time. I would appreciate your comments and suggestions regarding this year’s changes.

With many children on vacation during the summer months or graduating from our program altogether, please remember to collect your child’s belongings (i.e. clothing, medications, and backpack) and return any ECM items (i.e. Library books, classroom materials, spare clothing) prior to the end of the school year. Throughout the summer months, you will receive communication and information regarding the ECM program. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. We pray that you are able to cherish the special moments you have with each other during these months ahead.

In His Name,
Kathie Walker
Director of Early Childhood Ministries

Water Play Schedule - Monday, 12 May - Friday 16 May
Weather permitting; your child will have Water Play Day Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, May 12-16.
Please send your children to school in their bathing suits and with sun block applied prior to arriving at school. Please have them wear sandals or water shoes (the sidewalks can get hot). They will need to bring a towel, a change of dry clothes (including dry shoes) and a plastic bag to put their wet suit and towel in after they change. It would be very helpful if everything was labeled with their name.

2008 Water Play Schedule
Monday: Playground 1
9:30-10:00 Room 137
10:00-10:40 Room 133 / 162
10:40-11:20 Room 161 / 163

Tuesday: Playground 1
9:30-10:00 Room 122
10:00-10:40 Room 133 / 162
10:40-11:20 Room 135

Wednesday: Playground 1
9:30-10:00 Room 122
10:00-10:40 Room 151 / 153
10:40-11:20 Room 135

Thursday: Playground 1
9:30-10:00 Room 123
10:00-10:40 Room 151 / 153
10:40-11:20 Room 124

Friday: Playground 1
9:30-10:00 Room 123
10:00-10:40 Room 136
10:40-11:20 Room 124