August 2025 | Community Helpers
September 3, 2025
Hello Friends!
August was full of excitement as our students explored the world of Community Helpers through hands-on learning and special visits!
Over the past two weeks, students learned about people who serve the community—like police officers, teachers, firefighters, and chefs—through art, dramatic play, fine/gross motor activities, and engaging circle times.
Classroom Highlights:
- Ms. V’s Class: Focused on identifying community helpers through painting, dramatic play, and crafts like police badges and nurse bags.
- Ms. Holly’s Class: Learned about helpers through play-based activities, made fire trucks with beads, kinetic sand police cars, and shredded paper mail.
- Ms. Brie’s Class: Explored helper roles with toys, made shape-based art like trash trucks, and used bandages for creative projects.
All classes enjoyed the book “Whose Hat is This?” by Sharon Katz Cooper.
Special Visitors:
- Lightning McQueen (Gordon Wickert): Mr. Wickert brought his wrapped Camaro to share his mission of spreading Bible verse messages in memory of his son. Kids loved taking photos with the car.
- Peoria Fire Department: Brought a fire truck! Students explored inside and learned about fire safety.
- Dental Hygienist (Thunderbird Kids Dentistry): Gave a hands-on demo on dental care—with help from student Selene!
- Mr. Pasquier Biyo: A staff member who also works in semiconductors gave an interactive presentation on circuits while wearing his "bunny suit" work uniform.
It’s been an amazing, educational month—full of fun and inspiration. We can’t wait to share what’s next!
Hello Friends! We’re thrilled to share what our little learners are up to this week—it’s one of our favorite themes of the year: Pets! So many of us—students and staff alike—have pets at home, and this week is all about celebrating them! Whether your pet is furry, feathery, scaly , or even a little slimy , we want to hear all about them. Big or small, cuddly or quirky—every pet is welcome in our conversations! Sharing is Caring We’re inviting families to send in photos of your pets! These pictures will be added to our classroom family trees and displays, creating new ways for students to connect with each other and their teachers. It’s a great chance for kids to talk about something meaningful to them and learn about the different animals their friends have at home.
Howdy, Partner! We’re saddling up for Wild West Week, and each classroom has exciting activities planned! From preschool to school-age, students will explore the Wild West through age-appropriate lessons, including circle time, art, gross motor play, and dramatic dress-up. This week, students will make their own cowboy and cowgirl hats using card stock and construction paper—great for building fine motor skills like cutting, gluing, and shape recognition. They'll also design custom sheriff badges using fun materials like foam, cardboard, or cardstock, giving them another chance to practice name writing and creativity. Another highlight is a cactus-themed art project using yarn, stickers, tissue paper, and more—no two cacti will look the same! Plus, the kids will go on a gold nugget hunt , searching for hidden treasures around the classroom. Let’s have a rootin’-tootin’ great week—be kind, be joyful, and don’t forget to smile! We’ll wrap up the week with a Western dress-up day —bonus points for Woody or Jessie costumes! Throughout the week, children will also enjoy reading, sensory play, and making memories with friends.
