WESTMINSTER Newsletter 8200 Devonshire Dr. • Dallas, TX 75209 • www.wpcd.org Cristine L. Watson, Director • [email protected] April 2016 CURRICULUM CONNECTION Chapel Stories Christian Education: Optimism MARK YOUR CALENDAR April 2: Spring Carnival April 18-22: No extended day classes April 21-22: Conference Days - NO SCHOOL (Toddler classes still meet) April 25: Popsicles in the Park: New family welcome; 1-2pm April 27: Camp online link closes May 1: Enrollment forms due online May 6: Fine Arts Celebration Day (4’s & Kindergarten; all families attend) Spirit Days April 1: Carnival Shirt Day April 13: Inside Out/Backwards Day NEW ADDITIONS TO WPPK FAMILIES Christy & Sayers Brown welcomed Claire born February 1 Big brothers, Reid & Cooper Tessa & Russ Hubbard welcomed Max born February 3 Big brother, Grant Sarah & Arthur Bravo welcomed Thomas born February 3 Big sister, Olivia Rachal & Greg Nettune welcomed Henry born March 2 Big sisters, Gianna & Anne Frances Hillary & Aaron Murff welcomed Mary Bryn born March 7 Big brother, Park & Big sister, Pearson Ann Much happiness to you! COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS Dallas Zoo • Dallas Roars!-Under the Sea, Saturdays April 16-May 22, 1:00-5:00 Dallas Children’s Theater: • Balloonacy, April 15-May 1 Dallas Museum of Art • Toddler Art, April 8, 12, & 15 • Arturo’s Art & Me, April 9, 13, & 14 • Nature Explorers, April 5 Klyde Warren Park • Nature (hosted by Perot Museum). April 2 • Spanish in the Park, April 9 • Imagination Playground, April 5, 12, 19, 26 Dallas Arboretum • Mommy and Me Mondays April 4 10am-2pm • Tiny Tot Tuesdays April 5, 10am-2pm, Fair Park • Get Kidz Fit Fest, April 16 Grapevine Vintage Railroad • Day Out with Thomas the Train, April 1-April 10, 9:00-5:15 Dallas Heritage Village • Barnyard Buddies: April Showers, April 13 11am-12pm Texas Discovery Butterfly Gardens at Fair Park • Daily Butterfly Release and Talk, noon • Stories & More, April 7, 11 am WPC events April 16: FEEDING THE HOMELESS AT AUSTIN STREET SHELTER. Westmin- ster will prepare and serve the evening meal for approxi- mately 450 people at Austin Street Centre on Saturday eve- ning, April 16. All are welcome to participate, in- cluding children. Much help will be needed in preparing the food and supplies in advance so that it may be transported to the Center that evening. Please contact Mike Stanley for more information [email protected] or 817-724-7430. April 24: WPPK SUNDAY & BIBLE PRESENTATION 6 – 11am Join us for this family-friendly, hands-on worship service de- signed for people of all ages. Graduating Kindergarteners will be presented with Bibles. Hot dog picnic following worship. June 21 & July 27: FAMILY VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 5:30 - 7:30PM Dinner * Kathleen Fischer speak - ing to adults on parenting * Activities, Games and Music for children ages 3 - 5th CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP PRESBYTERIAN PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN 2015 - 2016 Matthew 27:57-28:10 • Jesus is risen & Appearance to Mary Magdeline • Message: The very first to spread the good news was Mary! Luke 24:30-31 • Seeing Clearly Message: On the road to Emmaus Matthew 14:14-20 • The boy Who shared his lunch Message: Jesus performs a miracle! Psalm 23 • The Good Shepherd Message: Listening to the Shepherd April 4` April 11 April 18 April 25 Capers Stories The Naughty Elves It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny The Sparrow Who Couldn’t Sing Emma’s Strange Pet April 5 April 12 April 19 April 26 Be flexible! Be positive! Be hopeful! Imagine the best! SNACK SCHEDULE PARENTS CLUB NEWS Cereal Mix Grapes & Cheese Clementine’s Pretzels Fresh Snack Graham Crackers Wheat crackers & Hummus Apple Slices Animal Crackers Fresh Snack April 4 April 5 April 6 April 7 April 8 April 11 April 12 April 13 April 14 April 15 Goldfish Bagels & Cream Cheese Guacamole with pita chips NO SCHOOL NO SCHOOL April 18 April 19 April 20 April 21 April 22 Cereal Mix Carrots & Hummus Strawberries & cheese Pretzels Fresh Snack April 25 April 26 April 27 April 28 April 29 The WPPK Parents Club is springing ahead by filling many Board positions. Parents are already hard at work for the next school year! We are still looking for volunteers so please us let know if you are interesting in joining the team next year! We hope to see everyone at the Spring Carnival on Saturday, April 2nd! Thank you to the Spring Carnival Committee for planning a fabulous Spring Carnival 50th Birthday Celebration! We are grateful to have your participation in this spring fundraising event. It is a fun-filled day that you don’t want to miss! • Many thanks to our Spring Carnival chairs,Elizabeth Conger and Rachal Nettune, for leading the Spring Carnival Committee with enthusiasm in making sure the Spring Carnival is fun for all! • Thank you to the Spring Carnival Committee: Katey Hall, Jill Harvey, Kristi Merritt, Ashely Morriss, Emily Morton, Erin Richardson, Leslie Sullivan, Courtney Westerburg, Evan Westerburg, Jessica Whitsitt and Jenica Williamson. We are so appreciative for your time and hard work. Parents Club will be honoring WPPK’s 50th Birthday by participating in The Birthday Party Project. Its mission is to bring joy to homeless children through the magic of birthdays. We will be collecting birthday party supplies the week of March 28th and throughout April. This is a wonderful opportunity for kids to help kids. We hope we can count on your participation! Teacher Appreciation Week is May 2nd-6th. You will receive information in the coming weeks about how we will celebrate our wonderful, caring teachers. Thank you to Vincelee Singer for planning a special week for school staff. Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions. Thank you again for being an important part of our wonderful community, and I look forward to a fantastic spring. Molly Schulte, WPPK Parents Club President 214-738-7185 • [email protected] NEED TO KNOW WELCOME NEW FAMILIES Julie Arnot (Toddler) Claire & Bates Connors Ashby (Toddler) Caroline Ashby (5 day 3's) Jamie & Chip Jeb Barber (Toddler) Liz & John Charlotte Cardwell (2's - returning family) Nicole & Kyle Cora Coleman (2's) Kendall & Will Neely Cordon (3's - returning family) Lee & Justin Mary Edwards (Toddler) Susan & George Harry Friedman (Older 2's) Becky & Baynard Emmie Grant (Toddler) Charlie Grant (5 day 3's) Annie & Peter Ivy Jones (Older 2's) Barrell & Jacob Tilly Mayon (3's) Susanne & Mike Eliza Payne (Toddler) Lauren & John Sage Phillips (Toddler) Tully & Dan Margot Pross (Older 2's) Lauren & Robert Reid Rubottom (3's) Suzanna & Jay Thatcher Roosevelt (3's) Emily & Toby Eva Slaven (Toddler - returning family) Jessica & Dan James Stewart (2's) Elizabeth & Phipps Matthew Shuford (3's - returning family) Janna & Matt Elizabeth Samaha (Older 2's) Jennifer & Joseph Hilda Stinson (Older 2's - returning family) Nikki & Matt Parenting Principles 2016-2017 Registration Information We have completed our registration for the 2016-2017 school year and classes are full with 1 spot available in our 5 day 3’s class for an older boy -- if you should know of an interested family. Enrollment will be online again this year with Ren Web. We hope this process will simplify the enrollment process each year. If you need any assistance completing your forms or logging onto your account, please contact the office. Whitney is a notary and can notarize the medical treatment form. Please complete all online forms by May 1st. Spring Conference Days: April 21 & 22 Conference days for 2’s - Kindergarten will be held on April 21st and 22nd. We value this time to share with you your child’s growth and development in all areas as well as receive needed input from parents. You will be receiving your Parent Preparation Form to complete and return to your teacher. Please return these forms as this enables teachers to focus on your comments and questions. This will be our final time to share with you all of the wonderful experiences your child has had, put closure on the school year and begin plans for next year. Please be punctual in arriving and please do not park under the carpool porte-cochere. Childcare will be provided from 8:30-12:30 for Westminster children age 12 months and older. Toddler classes still meet. Summer Camp at Westminster Summer camp brochures for our 14th year of camp at WPPK have been electronically sent home to review. If you have any questions regarding age appropriateness, please contact the office. Each session requires a registration form for each child. School and church families have priority to register until April 4th, when the program will open to the community and wait list families. Come join our summer fun! Camp balances are due May 1st. Family Time ese thoughts were shared with the staff at one of the Staff Development meetings from Kathleen Fischer. If you have not had the opportunity to attend one of her numerous enlightening, informative and helpful talks, I strongly encourage you to attend one or several! Her website is www.kathleenfischer.com. AS A FAMILY: • Pick one thing this week and cancel it. Allow your pace to slow down and make space and time for family interests. • Talk to your children weekly abut a human value; ask them what it is, how to practice it, how to improve on it. • Do chores together, talk, laugh, slow down and enjoy the time together vs. dreading the task. • Simplifying our lives (and slowing down the hectic pace) means saying no at times. • Our homes reflect who we are and what we value. • Leave room for the unexpected. Teach Alphabet Manners Teach Alphabet Manners A - Accept a compliment graciously B - Be on time C - Clean your hands D - Do chew with your mouth closed E - Elbows off the table F - Friendliness to others G - Good grooming shows self-respect H - Hang up your clothes I - Interrupt only for important reasons J - Join in and include everybody K - Kindness to all living things L - Lend a helping hand M - Magic words “please” and “thank you” Teach Alphabet Manners N - Never point or laugh at others O - Obey the rules P - Pleasant tone of voice is a plus Q - Quiet when others are working or sleeping R - Remember others on special occasions S - Sit up straight T - ank the host or hostess U - Use your beautiful smile V - Visit a friend who is lonely or sick W - Watch out for little ones X - “X” out bad habits Y - Yawn if you must, but cover your mouth Z - Zip your zipper