This document provides information from an ECC Curriculum Night at St. Paul's school. It includes: 1) An overview of the school's values around parent involvement, communication tools like blogs and conferences, and health policies. 2) Details about curriculum offerings like music, PE, Spanish and library. It outlines goals and class structures for different grade levels. 3) Information about special events like musical performances, class parties and a focus on developing life skills each month. 4) Suggestions of books for parents to read with insights around praise, sleep, and nurturing creativity in children.

1. ECC Curriculum Night September 2, 2010

3. Open door policy: You are welcome to visit and volunteer throughout the school day. Room parents and teachers will let you know of these opportunities.

6. If your child has a contagious illness: Pink Eye, Strep Throat, Lice, etc., please notify both your classroom teacher and Mrs. van asap.

8. Goal – Improve communication with our parent community. So much happens in a day at St. Paul’s and we want you to be informed!

9. While we are pleased with the interactive capabilities offered by the blogs, they are only to be used for educational purposes. Parents, teachers and anyone else who may have access, are not to use the blog for social or marketing purposes, or for forwarding jokes or stories unrelated to school.

11. New policy and procedures can be found in this year’s student and parent handbook.

12. While we cannot declare any part of the school “Nut Free”, please make every effort to keep peanut butter and nuts out of the classrooms and teaching spaces.

13. PreK -8th grade students can have peanut butter in their lunches because they eat in the cafeteria.Tip: Sun Butter (made with sunflower seeds) is a good peanut butter substitute.

16. Work with your classroom teachers and room parents in order to be as helpful as possible.

17. Please keep siblings home; the teachers need your help supervising students.

18. The focus during the parties should be on the students.

19. Allow the teachers to handle any student conflict or problems.

21. Please understand that some events are just for the children. School experiences play a crucial part in developing independence and self-esteem.

23. Toddlers – 20 minutes/week

24. Preschool – Two 20 minute classes/week – one class is integrated into the classroom

25. Pre-Kindergarten - Two 20 minute classes/week

26. Kindergarten - 2nd grade = Two 30 minute classes/weekObjective: To provide each child at St. Paul’s with an exciting and inviting opportunity to explore and create in a supportive and nurturing environment. Based on the Orff-Schoolwork approach, students learn through song, movement, speech and instrument-playing while working together to produce a quality musical experience.

27. 2010/2011 Musical PerformancesMultipurpose Room Christmas Performances Toddler/Preschool: December 10th, 9:00 AM Pre-K/Kindergarten: December 15th, 9:00 AM First/Second Grade: December 16th, 9:00 AM

28. Grade Level Musical Performances Kindergarten: September 29th – 9:00 AM Theme: Folk Tales For Fall First Grade: October 21st – 9:00 AM Theme: Fall & Halloween Pre-K: February 10th – 9:00 AM Theme: Valentines Day Toddlers: April 27th – 9:00 AM Interactive Demo Preschool: April 28th – 9:00 AM Interactive Demo Second Grade: May 19th – 9:00 AM Theme: Spring/Culminating Themes

30. Richer content with added time to devote to skills and concepts.

31. Emphasis can be placed on more developmentally appropriate skills and concepts.

32. Less crowded audiences allowing all spectators to see the children perform.

34. SpanishSra. LaMartinaPreschool – 5th Grade Objective: To provide students a foundation for foreign language study. To provide students with comprehensible input in Spanish, using gestures, illustrations, everyday objects and artwork. Grammar is taught in the context of oral communication. Method: Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS). This is not a total immersion program. Preschool: Two 20 minute classes weekly. One class is integrated into open work time in the classroom. Pre-Kindergarten: Two 20 minute classes weekly Kindergarten -2nd grade: Two 30 minute classes weekly

36. Toddler and Preschool: One 20 minute class in the classroom.

37. Pre-Kindergarten: One 20 minute class weekly in the big library.

39. Life Skill Focus August and September: Responsibility and Effort October: Sense of Humor & Problem Solving November: Friendship & Common Sense December: Caring and Sharing January: Patience & Perseverance February: Respect and Integrity -- Celebrate Diversity March: Flexibility & Curiosity April: Cooperation & Taking Initiative May: Sense of Humor

40. Book Ideas 1.) Nurture Shock by Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman 2.) Drive by Daniel Pink 3.) The Hurried Child by David Elkind 4.) Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell 5.) Mindset by Carol Dweck

42. Teach that intelligence can be developed.

43. The brain is a muscle. Give it a harder workout to make you smarter.

44. Give specific praise.

45. Discuss mistakes and allow children to make them.

47. Children get an hour less of sleep each night than they did 30 years ago.

48. The lost hour appears to have an exponential impact on children that it doesn’t have on adults.

49. The performance gap caused by an hour’s difference was bigger than the gap between a normal fourth grader and a normal sixth grader.