Mrs. Stortini's Preschool Class News

Please enjoy these pictures from preschool bike day!

Hemlock Park Field Trip

We had a great time at our Hemlock park field trip!

Can you believe it is already May?

The end of the school year is rapidly approaching and we have so many fun activities coming up to celebrate the end of the school year! keep reading for information about our upcoming field, trip, bike day, end of the year celebration, and home visits.

Field Trip to Hemlock Park

Tuesday, May 14th will be our field trip to Hemlock Park! Children will have an opportunity to practice bus behavior and safety skills, then enjoy an afternoon of playing at the park. We will then have a picnic lunch at the park before returning to school at 12pm. Parents who are attending should be at school no later than 9:15am. The bus will leave promptly at 9:30am and we will not be able to wait for late arrivals. Please pack a healthy lunch for your child if you did not choose to get a lunch from school.

Where: Hemlock Park

When: Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Leaving: 9:30am

Returning to School: 12:00pm (we will be back by 12:30pm)

Bike Day

Preschool bike day will be Thursday, May 23rd! On this day children will bring their bikes (and helmets if they have them) to school and practice bike safety skills while riding around the school track. A few things to remember:

• Put your child’s name on their bike and helmet (we often get multiple of the same bike and want to make sure everyone takes the correct bike home)
• Dress for the weather, and make sure your child is wearing comfortable play clothes and closed toes shoes. NO dresses or sandals please!
• Bicycles, tricycles, and push scooters are great! NO motorized vehicles (electric scooters, electric bikes, cars, etc) will be permitted.

Most importantly, make sure to have your child riding their bike BEFORE bike day!

Last Day of Preschool Celebration

Our last day of Preschool Celebration will be on Wednesday, May 29th from 9-10am. This is not a regular day of school, children will come to the celebration with their parents at 9am, and then leave at 10am when the celebration is over.

Where: Our classroom #111

When: Wednesday, May 29th

Time: 9-10am

Spring Home Visits

Spring Home Visits will take place June 3-5th. Ms. Chalhoub and I are so excited to visit everyone, celebrate student accomplishments, and talk about ideas for things to do over the summer! Home visits will take place at student homes, and last approximately 45 minutes. Please let me know if you have any changes in address or contact information so I can update emergency cards before your appointment.

Monday, June 3rd Home Visits

Tuesday, June 4th Home Visits

Wednesday, June 5th Home Visits

A Look into Our Classroom…

This week the children participated in a Star Wars STEAM lessons! Our classroom was transformed into the spaceship the Millenium Falcon for two days, and we blasted off for an exciting learning adventure. We began by “translating space alien transmissions” during writing time, then built our critical thinking and engineering skills by using “hoses, wires, electrical tape, and decals” to build our own droid robots. Children used the (magnetic) Force to make stardust galaxy paintings using magnet wands and metal balls. We traveled across the hall to the “spaceport” cafeteria for lunch and went on a “galactic peace mission” to Planet Saad (Ms. Saad’s classroom) to read with our 1st grade book buddies. Throughout the two days children were involved in social emotional lessons and discussing the difference between good guys and bad guys, ways to play safely with toys and friends, as well as using kind words and gentle hands. Our lesson concluded with Jedi lightsaber training! Please enjoy these pictures from our Star Wars STEAM Lesson!

A Look Ahead…

Spring Break 2024

Dearborn Public Schools will be closed March 25th- March 29th for Spring Break. School resumes Monday, April 1st. Have a great break!

Eid Break

There will be no school Tuesday, April 9th and Wednesday, April 10th. Happy Ramadan and Eid to everyone celebrating!

March is Reading Month

Thank you so much to all of our guest readers this month! The children loved getting to meet everyone’s family members and listen to new and favorite stories.

A Look into our Classroom…

A Look Ahead…

Pajama Popcorn Party!

On Thursday, March 21 we will be having a Popcorn Pajama party to celebrate the last day before our Spring Break vacation! Children may wear pajamas to school if they choose and Ms. Chalhoub and I will provide a special popcorn snack for the children in the afternoon after rest time.

Spring Break

Dearborn Public Schools will be closed Monday, March 25th- Friday, March 29th for Spring Break. School resumes for all grades on Monday, April 1st.

Eid Break

There is no school Tuesday, April 9th and Wednesday, April 10th in observance of Eid. Happy Ramadan and Eid to everyone who is celebrating!

A Look into our Classroom…

This spring weather has been fabulous and the children loved taking our snack outside for a playground picnic!

During March is Reading Month at Henry Ford the children have been participating in a book report contest. Each child who completes a book report is entered into a raffle for a chance to win a prize basket! We have been completing these book reports as a class, and the children have loved exploring new and favorite books! In preschool, book reports look a little different than in the older grades. Last week the children chose a favorite book and drew something from the story they remembered and described the reason they enjoyed the book. This week we read the books Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee and The Pigeon Will Ride the Roller Coaster! by Mo Willems as a class and discussed what we knew about roller coasters. Afterwards, children used strips of paper, tape, and scissors to design and build their own roller coasters!

A Look Ahead…

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent Teacher conferences will continue after school on Tuesday, March 12th and during the school day on Thursday, March 14th. March 14th is a no school day for preschool students. Conferences are by appointment only, take place in our classroom #111, and last approximately 45 minutes.

March is Reading Month

During the month of March we celebrate all things reading! The children have been enjoying sharing their favorite books with our first grade book buddies. Thank you to Ms. Saad’s class for coming to visit our classroom and read with us!

Our Favorite Books

Each child chose their favorite book from school or home and shared it with the class during greeting time. Afterwards the children used a graphic organizer to write a book report explaining what they enjoyed about the book.

A Look Ahead…

Voting Day- No School Tuesday, February 27

There will be no school Tuesday, February 27th for voting day. Don’t forget to vote!

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent Teacher Conferences will take place on March 7th, March 12th, and March 14th. Conferences will last approximately 45 minutes and take place in our classroom. March 7th and March 14th will be no school days for preschool due to conferences taking place all day.

A Peek into our Classroom…

Experimenting, Predicting, and Drawing Conclusions

We have been participating in some exciting science experiments in our classrooms over the past few weeks. Most recently; children explored baking soda and vinegar and made predictions about what they thought would happen when the two ingredients were combined. After making their predictions children used eye droppers to drop small amounts of vinegar onto the baking soda to see what happened!

S.T.E.A.M

One of the many skills we work on daily in our classroom is problem solving with materials and creative problem solving. This week we read the story “Harry and the Hot Lava” and brain stormed things we could use or build to keep safe if our floor turned into lava like in the story. Children used tape, glue, scissors, cardboard, foam pieces, bottle tops, and pipe cleaners to build contraptions to stay out of the lava!

Measuring

One of the math skills we have been working on is measuring. In the beginning we focus on learning standard measuring techniques such as; starting at the end of the object you want to measure, placing what you are using to measure right next to each other without leaving any space, as well as recording our results using graphic organizers.

A Look Ahead…

Library Parent Meeting

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our February Parent Meeting at the Henry Ford Centennial library! The children enjoyed listening to several stories, learned new rhymes, and played a felt board game with one of the children’s librarians. Parents were treated to a tour of the library and provided information on the many programs the library has to offer.

Library Trip- Tuesday, February 13th

This Tuesday, February 13th will be our class trip to the library. This library trip counts as our monthly parent meeting and is NOT a regular day of school. Parents and children will meet at the Henry Ford Centennial Library at 10am on Tuesday. Children will participate in a special story time with the children’s librarian while parents get a tour of the library and learn about the many programs the library has to offer. When the tour and story time are complete children will go home with parents. If you and your child cannot attend the library trip together your child would stay home from school on this day.

Henry Ford Centennial Library

16301 Michigan Ave, Dearborn, MI 48126

Book Buddies!

Thank you to Ms. Saad’s first grade class for inviting us to be their book buddies and welcoming us into their classroom! The children were so excited to walk to the “big kid” classroom and see where they will go going for first grade. Each preschooler was paired up with a first grade reading buddy and the children enjoyed listening to each other read special stories from their book bags.

Animal Assembly

This week preschool had a special animal assembly take place in our classrooms! Children were able to see, touch, and learn about some very special animals!

Parent Teacher Conferences- Tuesday, November 14th and Wednesday, November 15th

Parent teacher conferences will be Tuesday, November 14th and Wednesday, November 15th. Conferences will be in our classroom, room #111 at Henry Ford and last about 45 minutes. Conference time reminders will go home in your child’s folder a few days prior to your appointment. Please enter through the main office when you arrive for your conference.

Classroom Spotlight

A Look Ahead…