Welcome to the Blog of the Robin’s Nest Preschool

PARENT ADVOCATE CLUB  –  Due to the hurricane, PAC meetings will be held Thursday 9/21 and Friday 9/22. Two PAC meetings are scheduled the first Thursday and Friday of each month so you may choose which day to attend. We try to keep all meetings to no longer than 1 hour in length. Children are welcome to attend with you!

YANKEE CANDLE FALL FUNDRAISER  –  The Robin’s Nest is excited to have Yankee Candle as our fall fundraiser. The fundraiser will run from Sept. 18^th – Friday, Oct. 6^th.  Packets have been sent home with your child. This is a great time to get a jump start on your Christmas shopping, birthdays, and special occasions. Gifts start as low as $5. Proceeds will go to school and playground improvements. We appreciate the support you give The Robin’s Nest!

INDIVIDUAL PICTURES  –  Picture Perfect Images is our school photographer. School pictures will be taken October 30^th, 31^st and November 3^rd.

Monday 10/30:  5-day 3’s, 3-day 3’s and Blake/Biewend VPK

Tuesday 10/31:  2-day 2’s, 2-day 3’s and Hibbens/Dorsett VPK

Friday 11/3:  3-day 2’s, Bombar/Brinton VPK and Martz/Lilly VPK

PALM HARBOR FOOD FEST –  Save the date! On Saturday, October 14^th 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Palm Harbor United Methodist Church is having a FOOD FEST! This is going to be a FUN time! There will be lots of children’s activities, bounce houses, food trucks, live music, vendors and carnival games.

SNACKS  –  Reminder . . . the Robin’s Nest is a PEANUT/TREE NUT FREE school. Please read the snack notice carefully when it is your child’s turn to be snack helper. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask your child’s teacher or the office.

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM – ADOPT A CLASS – The Robin’s Nest 2017-2018 Community Partnership Program has begun. Individuals, families or businesses may adopt a class, music program or the school by making a $150 tax deductible donation. 100% of your donation goes directly to your child’s classroom. Teachers may purchase classroom materials such as furniture, carpets, manipulatives, books, CD’s, and any curriculum materials. If you are interested in adopting a class or would like more information please stop by the office for a brochure. We greatly appreciate all the wonderful individuals and businesses who generously adopted so far this year. Let’s keep it going!

The Brannon Family                                                              Wayne and Julia Sager

The Brightman Family                                                           The Fernandes-Miller Family

The Gonnelli Family                                                              The Wortham Family

Audrey and Marc Ford                                                          Chicken Salad Chick/The Rohr Family   

The Rouse Family                                                                 The Kratimenos Family

The Schmidt Family                                                              Clay and Christie McDaniel

The Hanff Family                                                                   The Flynt Family

The Jordan Family (3)                                                           The Jackson Family

The Knable Family                                                                The Barlas Family

The Strong Family                                                                 Makenzie Attuso’s Grandma

John and Jenny Goad                                                           The Christensen Family           

EMAIL CONTACT – You should be receiving regular information from The Robin’s Nest office. If you have not heard from us we may not have the correct e-mail address for you, so please send a message to us at amartinelli@phumc.net.

Follow us on Facebook @ PHUMC The Robin’s Nest

FEBRUARY 15 – To clear up any confusion, YES there will be school on Wednesday, February 15^th.

REGISTRATION SCHEDULE 2017-2018  –  Registration will take place in the Robin’s Nest office Jan. 31^st, Feb. 1^st,  2^nd , 3^rd, 8^th, and 9^th.

Open registration on Feb. 10^th will take place in the main church hallway outside the multipurpose room starting at 9:30 a.m. Please a see description of the dates below.

• Tues., January 31, 2017:                 VPK registration for currently enrolled 3 year olds
• Wed., February 1, 2017:                  VPK registration for currently enrolled 3 year olds
• Thurs., February 2, 2017:                Registration for currently enrolled 2 year olds
• Fri., February 3, 2017:                     Registration for currently enrolled 2 year olds
• Wed., February 8, 2017:                  Registration for siblings of currently enrolled students of                                                                                                                                                            The Robin’s Nest, Westlake Christian School and Stars & Comets
• Thurs., February 9, 2017:                Registration for Palm Harbor United Methodist Church members’ children                                                                                                                                  and for siblings of previously enrolled Robin’s Nest students
• Fri., February 10, 2017:                   Open registration for all ages

Registeration Forms are available on our website or in the office. Registration forms and a check for $150 registration fee and $100 activity fee are required for registration. We will also need your child’s Health and Immunization Forms.

IMPORTANT: EVERY line on the forms must be filled out. VPK vouchers due no later than July 1, 2017. Download our REGISTRATION CHECKLIST to make sure you are prepared.

Note: VPK students are not required to pay registration or activity fees but are asked to make a voluntary donation of $250 at registration. This is to cover the cost of extra enrichment activities that are not covered by the amount that we receive from the State of Florida.

100 ACTS OF KINDNESS CHALLENGE 2017 – Simple acts of kindness can change lives. During our challenge this month we are going to help teach our children to be kind and do more for others in simple ways. Each time our students commit an act of kindness we will add a heart to the Kindness Tree. Check out our Kindness Tree in the Robin’s Nest hallway and watch it grow!

PEACEMAKERS – The Robin’s Nest is helping to create a new generation of peacemakers by having our VPK students participate in the Peacemakers program. The Peacemakers program is a holistic program developed to empower children and youth to live peaceful lives. Mr. John and Ms. Kim will visit each VPK class the during the month of February,  providing a 4 week Peace curriculum addressing peace, peacemaking skills, individuality and diversity, identifying & expressing feelings, safety planning and respect for the environment. Make Peace!

“The more peace there is in us, the more peace there will be in our troubled world.”  – Etty Hillesum

SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR – The book fair will be held Monday, February 27^th thru Friday, March 3^rd in room 120. Money raised will be used to enhance our preschool literacy program.

DAD’S NIGHT – Dads of children in the 3 year old and 4 year old classes are invited to come to school with your child for a special evening Thursday, March 2^nd. You will be receiving an invitation, but we’d like you to have an early notice so you can plan to attend! Be ready to visit your child’s classroom and see a show!

SNACKS  – Please remember that we strive to provide the children with nutritious food snacks. Highly sweetened treats, such as cookies (all types), potato chips, brownies, granola bars, gummy bears, and fruit roll -ups, will be permitted only for special occasions. As a reminder, The Robin’s Nest is a peanut free school. No nuts of any kind or any nut butters are allowed.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Feb. 2 & 3                     PAC meeting – 9:15 a.m.

Feb. 20                         School closed-Presidents Day

Feb. 27                         Class pictures for rooms 102, 108, 112, 114, 116

                                      Graduation pictures for rooms 114, 116

Feb. 28                          Class pictures for rooms 112, 108, 104, 110

                                       Graduation pictures for rooms 1104, 110

Feb. 27 – March 3          Scholastic Book Fair

March 2                          Dad’s Night at The Robin’s Nest 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

We hope you had a wonderful and joyous holiday season. Welcome back!

It’s wonderful to see all the children back in school. We know the holidays are always busy, yet we had many parents volunteering their time. We thank all of you who have volunteered at The Robin’s Nest during the year. Parent participation is very important to the school and the children love it too!

The children enjoyed a busy and exciting holiday season at The Robin’s Nest. On the evening of December 15^th  more than 500 people attended the annual Christmas program presented by Mrs. Kelly Groves and The Robin’s Nest children. It was enjoyed by all!

Breakfast with Santa was a fun and festive morning for children and their families on December 10^th. Robin’s Nest wants to thank Waffle House and Sam Norman for sponsoring our breakfast. We are so blessed to have such wonderful support again this year. We would also like to thank our volunteers, cooks, and teachers for making Breakfast with Santa a success.

SANTA SHOP

A big thank you to Jill Pearen, Kayla Marsh, Leslie Admire, and all of our volunteers for their help with shopping, organizing, wrapping, and staffing the Santa Shop. The Santa Shop would not be the success it is without you!

WESTLAKE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

Westlake Christian School is giving a special tour designed exclusively for parents of Robin’s Nest students. They will meet in the Westlake Cafeteria on Friday, January 13^th, at 9:15 a.m.

ROBIN’S NEST REGISTRATION FOR 2017-2018 SCHOOL YEAR

Registration begins January 31! To register for next year’s program, all parents are required to complete a new set of application forms. Please be sure to fill out the application completely. When you fill out the emergency pick up form, please be sure to put the full address as well as the phone number for each person you have listed. A non-refundable registration fee is required at the time of registering. It is not necessary to get new health and immunization forms unless your current forms are expired.

SAVE THE DATE

On February 12^th the Palm Harbor United Methodist Church is having the Robin’s Nest students sing at the 9:45 a.m. service. We would love to have everyone attend. Details to come!

DRESS CODE

Dress code reminder: For the safety of the children no sandals, open-toed, or open-back shoes are to be worn to school. Girls who are wearing a dress to school must wear shorts. (Please refer to your parent handbook for all the policies and procedures).

ILLNESSES

Our school takes the health of our students very seriously and takes many precautions to control the spread of illnesses and to protect the health of your child. There are additional measures you can take at home to protect your child’s health as well, including:

• follow the basic prevention measures of hand washing, cough and sneeze etiquette and regular cleaning of high touch surfaces
• monitor your child for signs and symptoms of illness
• keep your child home from school and other activities when ill
• keep children home until they no longer have symptoms of illness and are feeling well and able to fully participate in daily programs – children must be free of fever and vomiting for 24 hours before returning to school
• seek medical attention if your child becomes ill, especially if they are at increased risk for complications from illness

A word from the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County (DOH-Pinellas): Epidemiology Program has detected an increase in clusters of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) among children in daycares and preschools. HFMD is a common childhood illness that is caused by several different viruses. Symptoms include fever, sore throat, malaise (general discomfort), and a rash in the mouth, the palms of the hands, and the soles of the feet. There is no vaccine and the best prevention is frequent hand washing. Children who are ill with HFMD should be excluded from all group settings until the rash is completely crusted over or they are cleared by a healthcare provider to return.

We thank you for your cooperation and hope to get through the season with as few illnesses as possible.

DATES TO REMEMBER

Jan. 2                                       School closed

Jan. 3                                       School resumes

Jan. 12 & 13                              PAC meeting at 9:15 a.m.

Jan. 16                                     School closed – Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday

Jan. 26                                     Wonders of Nature

Jan. 31                                     Registration begins

Feb. 20                                     School closed – Professional Education Day

Feb. 27 & 28                             Graduation and class pictures

Feb. 27 – March 3                      Book Fair

March  2                                  Dads Night

DEAR PARENTS,

It’s hard to believe that December is upon us already. As we begin this holiday season and are faced with the many events, “have-to-do’s” and “have-to-get-done’s,” I urge you to keep in mind the true meaning of Christmas. It is a time of God showing His great love for us; a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus; a time to invite Him into our hearts and a time to Rejoice! And so, as you celebrate your faith and family this holiday season… The Robin’s Nest wishes the light of the Christmas star to you the warmth of home and hearth to you; the cheer and good will of friends to you; the hope of a childlike heart to you; the joy of a thousand angels to you; the love of the Son and God’s peace to you!  ENJOY the season!

THE SANTA SHOP IS ALMOST HERE!

The Robin’s Nest annual Santa Shop will be open Dec. 5 – 9^th! This is a special store for children to shop for gifts for everyone in their family. All items are priced$3, $4, & $5. It’s a wonderful opportunity for children to experience the joy of shopping on their own for their family and friends. Look for shopping gift lists to be sent home with your child. Your child’s teacher will let you know the day their class will shop. Please return your child’s shopping list to their teacher by Friday, Dec. 2^nd. Unfortunately if a shopping list with the enclosed payment is not turned in by that date, your child will be unable to shop. If you have more than one child shopping, they must have their own shopping list to be able to shop with their class. Additional forms are available in the Robin’s Nest office.

SPECIAL CHRISTMAS CHAPEL

We invite you to share with your child a very special Christmas chapel the 4’s will be presenting at 9:15 a.m. on December 12^th and 13^th in the sanctuary. The Robin’s Nest is participating in a Christmas mission for our Feast clients and Metropolitan Ministries in need. This is a great opportunity to help teach your children the joy of giving. When entering the sanctuary, your child will place the gift he/she helped choose on the stage. The gift should be new, in the range of $5.00 – $10.00 and for a child age infant – 17 years old. Please do not wrap the gift.

All classes will attend one of the following days:

Monday, Dec. 12^th at 9:15 a.m.: 3-day 2’s, 3-day 3’s, room 110 and room 104.

Tuesday, Dec. 13^th at 9:15 a.m.: 2-day 2’s, 2-day 3’s, 5-day 3’s, room 114 and room 116

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

On Thursday December 15, at 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary, The Robin’s Nest will be    presenting its 20th annual Christmas program; “Mystery at the Manger”. Kelly   Groves and the classroom teachers are working with the children to prepare for this special musical presentation. Please drop your children off promptly at 6:15 p.m. in their classroom.

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM DVD

The Christmas Program on December 15^th will be videotaped by Felten Video. Please note that the center aisle of the sanctuary will be roped off the night of the program so that the children’s performance will not be interrupted and the videographer will be able to capture the best possible photos of your children. A great way to enjoy the program and preserve the memories is to pre-purchase the DVD. Look for an order form in your child’s backpack or folder. Additional forms will be available in the Robin’s Nest office.

CHRISTMAS PARTIES

Wednesday, December 14^th

3-day-2’s, 3-day 3’s, room 114, room 116

Thursday December 15^th

2-day 2’s, 2-day 3’s, 5-day 3’s, room 110, room 104

FRIDAY DISMISSAL!

All Robin’s Nest students will be dismissed at 12:15 p.m. on Friday, Dec 16^th. There will be no Lunch Bunch or Extended Care offered that afternoon.

DATES TO REMEMBER

December 1 & 2          PAC meeting

December 5-9             Santa Shop

December 10              Breakfast with Santa

December 12 & 13      Special Christmas Chapels

December 14 & 15       Classroom Christmas parties

December 19 – Jan. 2   Christmas holidays – school closed

Januayr 3                      Classes resume

THANK YOU

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches and we count our many blessings, we are once again reminded of what a genuine privilege it is for all of us at The Robin’s Nest to work with you and your children

We would like to say THANK YOU for all the support we have received in the way of donations: To the volunteers in the classrooms, lap readers, and to the PAC volunteers for all their help. We appreciate everything you do!

COOL WEATHER REMINDER

With the cooler weather approaching, we’d like to remind you to label jackets and sweaters and perhaps exchange long pants in your child’s extra clothes bag at school.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD

The Robin’s Nest is overjoyed with all the wonderful “WOW” items, smaller toys, school supplies and personal hygiene items that have been donated. What an exciting project and experience this will be for our Robin’s Nest children. We will start building the boxes November 1^st -4^th.

GIVING TREE MUSIC

Imagine an interactive circle of kids, all drumming together, holding a common pulse and weaving a facilitated rhythm into a cohesive musical experience. This is what The Robin’s Nest students will be experiencing when Giving Tree Music brings their drumming program to the school on Wednesday, November 9^th.  Their only rule- ‘if you don’t drum, you have to dance!!!”

THANKSGIVING FEASTS

On Thursday, November 17^th, and Friday, November 18^th, the children will celebrate Thanksgiving with a special feast snack. To help with the celebration, the room mothers will help set up the snack. This is not a party for all parents to attend. We ask that each child bring in a specific food item. Look for the feast sign-up sheet located outside each of the classrooms as we get closer to thE Feast date.

REINDEER RUN IS COMING!

Join your community as we run to end human trafficking. Saturday, December 3 the race will start at Pop Stansell Park, located at 797 Florida Avenue in Palm Harbor. There will be a 5k Kick Off, 1 Mile Fun Run, and Tot Trot races for our littlest runners. Register, volunteer and view sponsorship opportunities at www.phumc.net

THE ROBIN’S NEST SANTA SHOP

The shop will be open December 7^th – 11^th. All the children have the opportunity during school to do some Christmas shopping for their family, grandparents, and other loved ones. The gifts range in price from $3.00 to $5.00. All proceeds from The Santa Shop help keep our classroom equipment and curriculum current and new. Watch your child’s backpack for more information.

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA 

The Robin’s Nest PAC is proud to present Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, 9:00 a.m., December 10^th in the multi-purpose room. Breakfast buffet includes waffles, eggs, sausage, bacon, and choice of beverage – orange juice, milk, or coffee. Your child will have an opportunity to visit with Santa so bring your camera! Advance reservations are required. Tickets are $8.00 on sale beginning Monday, November 7^th in the school office (children under two are free, but must share a seat).

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

A big Thank You to our new Community Partner, The McLane Family! Thank you so much for your classroom adoption. It’s never too late to adopt your child’s classroom!

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

Nov. 3 & 4                     PAC meeting and gift wrapping 9:15

Nov. 7 – Dec. 2            Tickets go on sale for Breakfast with Santa

Nov. 9                            The Giving Tree (special event)

Nov. 17 & 18                 Thanksgiving feasts

Nov. 21 – 25                 School closed – Happy Thanksgiving!

Dec. 5 – 9                      Santa Shop opens – Sponsored by PAC – forms will be sent home

Dec. 10                          Breakfast with Santa

Dec. 12                          Christmas chapel 3-day 2’s, 3-day 3’s, room 104, room 110

Dec. 13                          Christmas chapel 2-day 2’s, 2-day 3’s, 5-day 3’s, room 114, room 116

Dec. 14 & 15                 Christmas parties

Dec. 15                          Christmas program @ 6:30 p.m. – Sanctuary

Dec.19 – Jan. 2            Winter holidays – school closed (school starts back Tues., Jan. 3^rd)