February 2024 Newsletter

February Dates:

Monday, February 19 – No School, President’s Day

Calendar Change:

MCPS has added a day back into the school calendar.

Friday, February 16 th was a designated day off for MCPS. Classes will now be in

session due to the snow days.

4CCN Snow Policy:

Speaking of snow days, 4CCN has several snow days in the calendar, totaling about 2

weeks; 4 snow days for 2-day students, 6 snow days for 3-day students, and 10 snow

days for 5-day students. As of this writing we have used 3 of our snow days, 2 on

Tuesday/Thursday and one on MWF. We have had one early release on January 9 th

which counts as a school day.

Will Punxsutawney Phil predict more winter on the 2 nd ?

February Snacks:

This month the children will enjoy these delicious snacks:

Ritz crackers and peanut butter, Graham crackers and apple juice, Ginger Snaps and

applesauce and Chex cereal with dried fruit.

Valentine’s Day Celebrations:

Valentine’s Day will be celebrated on Tuesday, February 13 th or Wednesday, February

14 th . Please check with your child’s teacher for more information about celebrations in

your child’s/children’s classrooms.

Please Help 4CCN Get a Google Boost!

Like what we do at 4CCN? We are working to optimize our Google listing.

Next time you are on your laptop or phone, kindly leave a review of 4CCN on our

Google listing. The more reviews, the higher we show up on a search.

Thank you so much for helping us out!

Open House/Community Registration

We have been very busy giving tours for prospective families. Please continue to let

your family, friends and neighbors know about 4CCN! Community registration begins

on Thursday, February 1 st . Applying is easy with our on-line registration. Paper

applications are also available on-line or in the office. Word of mouth is our best

marketing tool. Thank you for telling your friends and neighbors about us.

4CCN Extended Day

4CCN offer an extended day program starting September 2024.

Interested families will have the option to extend the 2s program from 12:15 to 1:15 and

3- and 4-year-old programs until 3 pm. More information will be available soon.

Spring Consignment Sale

Planning will begin soon for the spring consignment sale. The spring sale will be the

week of March 11 th . The fall and spring consignment sales are the only fundraising

activities at 4CCN. Everyone’s participation is required for the success of the sale.

Money raised for the sale pays for playground equipment and maintenance as well as

purchase furniture and materials for the classrooms. More information will follow in the

coming weeks.

Vision Screening:

The 3- and 4-year-old children will have their vision screened on either February 21 or

February 22. If your child wears glasses, be sure that they have them at school on the

day of screening. Results of the screening will go home with your child at the end of the day.

27 Interesting, Funny, & Statistical Facts About

Valentine’s Day

It may be a day reserved for romance, but it is also the when the telephone was patented!

Reviewed by Cheyenne Bostock, Life & Relationship Expert

Written by Sneha Tete, Integrated MA, Certified Relationship Coach

Edited by Asmita De, MA (English)

Fact-checked by Gracia Odile, MA  •  Nov 16, 2023

Valentine’s Day is on the cards, and all you couples must be busy planning your day with plenty

of excitement. Wait! Spare us two minutes! Do you know any interesting facts about Valentine’s

Day? If you are shaking your head, cheers! You are not alone. For most couples, this special

day is all about an opportunity to show their love and affection for each other. Well, this time,

impress your spouse and look knowledgeable and smart by letting her know some historical and

fun Valentine’s Day facts. What are they? Keep reading!

19 Funny Facts About Valentine’s Day

1. Cupid Actually Started Out as A Greek God

Let us begin our Valentine’s Day fun facts list with the most common symbol for love –

Cupid with his cherubic looks and angel wings. He was originally the Greek god, Eros.

Eros was the son of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and procreation. Cupid is known to

shoot two types of arrows – one to make people fall in love and one to make them hate

each other.

2. ‘X’ Was Originally Not a Symbol For Kiss

Though we sign off our letters and texts X’s these days as symbols of kisses, this was

not this letter’s original purpose. In medieval times, when people did not know how to

sign their names, they would simply sign off with an X. To show their loyalty and

affection, they would then kiss the X before sending the letter. Isn’t that one of the most

interesting facts about Valentine’s Day?

3. Candy Hearts Started Out as Medical LozengesSave

The popular Valentine’s Day candy, candy hearts, started out as medical lozenges

for the throat! Boston-based pharmacist Oliver Chase invented the machine that

produced small medical lozenges. When he saw the popularity of these small pop-in

medicines, he turned them into candy with cute messages on them.

4. Roses Symbolize Love

Roses are said to be the flowers of love. Venus, the Roman goddess of love, used to

adore red roses. This story made people start spreading love by giving roses to the

object of their affection. The gift of a rose either on stems or in bunches of petals is an

artful expression of love.

5. Different Places Celebrate Valentine’s Day in Different

Ways

Valentine’s Day is celebrated in many ways around the world. In Japan, women give

chocolates to men. Men reciprocate this gesture a month later March 14th, i.e., White

Day. In Finland, February 14th is celebrated as Ystävänpäivä, which translates to

Friends Day. Valentine’s Day is all about the expression of love.

6. Alexander Graham Bell Applied for A Patent for The

Telephone on Valentine’s Day

It was on this romantic holiday that Alexander Graham Bell applied for a patent for his

revolutionary invention – the telephone! Now, the telephone is the biggest medium for

sending and receiving.

7. Valentine’s Day Is the Second Most Popular Day for

Sending Cards

Valentine’s Day is a day when people all around the world send and receive

cards.  A greeting card with a personalized message makes for great memories,

especially as you grow older together. It is second only to Christmas in this regard.

Valentine cards are mass-produced, and most of the stock is sold out by the time the

holiday rolls around.

8. This Is the Day That Penicillin Was Introduced

Penicillin, the world’s first antibiotic and one of the greatest scientific discoveries, was

introduced to the world on Valentine’s Day.

9. Lace Is Commonly Used in Valentine’s Day Gifts

Lace is commonly used to in making bouquets of roses and in other items during

Valentine’s Day. The word ‘lace’ comes from the Latin word ‘laques’ which means to

snare or trap a person’s heart. Isn’t that fitting?

10. The First Valentine Was Sent from Prison

The first Valentine ever sent was by Charles, The Duke of Orleans. When he was

imprisoned after a war, he sent a love poem to his wife, who he would meet only 15

years later. Quite the romantic, wasn’t he?

11. ‘Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve’ Is Quite A Literal

Idea

In the old days, people would pick out a name from a bowl to find out who their

Valentine would be. The chit they picked would then be pinned on their sleeve for the

world to see!

12. There Is a Sad Reason Behind Giving Chocolates On

Valentine’s Day

Physicians in the old days would recommend chocolate to people who were suffering

from a broken heart or pining after a lost love. Ouch!

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13. We Need to Thank Richard Cadbury for Chocolate

Boxes

In 1861, Richard Cadbury invented the first chocolate box. Always the businessman, he

realized that he could capitalize on Valentine’s Day by producing chocolate boxes and

marketing them as something to be given to your sweetheart. Now, that’s one

interesting fact about Valentine’s Day we bet you didn’t know!

14. St. Valentine Was Quite a Rebel

St. Valentine, to whom this romantic holiday is dedicated, was quite the rebel. Emperor

Claudius of Rome outlawed marriage because he believed that single men made better

soldiers. St. Valentine went against his decree and performed wedding ceremonies in

secret.

15. The Oldest Valentine’s Day Card Is 600 Years Older

Than You

The oldest Valentine’s Day card was written in the 1400s. It has been preserved in the

British Museum for all to see.

16. Valentine’s Day Was Declared by The Pope

Pope Gelasius declared the Valentine’s Day holiday around 498 A.D.

17. Roses and Baby’s Breath Make Quite the

Combination

For years now, florists have been selling the ‘Signature Rose’ which comprises of a

single red rose with a tuft of baby’s breath. This Signature Rose is especially popular on

Valentine’s Day.

18. The Most Popular Valentine Card Recipients Are

Teachers

According to a survey, the most popular recipients of Valentine’s Day gifts and cards are

teachers, followed by children, mothers, wives, sweethearts, and pets. This is definitely

one of the most surprising Valentine’s fun facts, isn’t it?

19. Hallmark Did Not Make the First Known Valentine’s

Day Card

Hallmark, then known then as Hall Brothers, introduced the Valentine’s Day card as we

know it only at the beginning of the last century. The first Valentine’s Day card is said to

have been given way before that in 1477. The lucky recipient is believed to be a man

named John Paston, whose fiancé Margery Brews wrote him a love letter.

8 Statistical Facts About Valentine’s Day

Save

1. A Popular Time for Getting Engaged

Approximately 6 million couples are said to get engaged every year on this romantic

holiday.

2. Love Letters Are Still Romantic

Verona, Italy – where the popular Shakespearean tragedy Romeo and Juliet took place

– receives more 6000 love letters every year from romantics all around the world. These

letters are diligently answered by The Juliet Club.

3. Cards, Cards, And More Cards!

Every year, approximately 14 million cards are produced and sent on and around

Valentine’s Day.

4. Chocolates Vs. Flowers? Chocolates Always Win

It has been noted that between chocolates and flowers, people tend to buy more

chocolates for Valentine’s Day. Chocolate sales on this day are 75% higher than flower

sales.

5. Heart-Shaped Boxes Are the Way to Go

Approximately 36 million heart-shaped boxes are sold every year on Valentine’s Day.

These boxes are used to pack chocolates, gifts, and anything that may mean something

special.

6. Pets Are the Best Valentines

While Valentine’s Day was originally a celebration of love between people, people have

now started to consider their pets as their valentines too, and why not! Approximately

million pet owners per year buy gifts for their pets on this special holiday.

Katie, a blogger shares her experience of celebrating Valentine’s Day with her pet cats.

For this reason, she adds, “I still love the idea of a holiday all about love. And what

better love than the unconditional love one receives from cats?” She talks about her two

male and two female cats and elaborates on how these furballs love her and shower

their affection on her. She further adds, “These four fill my heart with love and meaning.

I could not ask for more from a valentine.”

7. Plans Aren’t Necessarily a Thing

Studies have proven that 64% of men around the world do not plan the day in advance.

Spontaneous plans such as a surprise date night are usually the way they roll!

8. Between Men and Women, Men Are Higher Spenders!

The average man spends more compared to women on Valentine’s Day. Studies have

shown that men are more likely to spend up to $120, while women only spend up to

$70.

Valentine’s Day is the one day of the year when you have a great excuse to shower

your loved ones with care and warmth. This special day commemorating love has

numerous stories and history behind it. Learn more about the fascinating facts about

Valentine’s Day and the significance it holds in many people’s hearts. These facts will

shed light on some intriguing topics you may not have known about and provide some

new perspective on this romantic day. Share these facts with your closest friends and

family, and enjoy this wonderful day with them to the utmost.

Valentine’s Day is a day of love. Everyone can experience that love. All forms of love –

for your family, friends, and kids – can be honored on this day. Valentine’s Day is a

reminder to show love to the people you care about. Showing love is never limited to a

romantic relationship.