January 2025 Newsletter

4CCN NEWS JANUARY 2025

REGISTRATION Enrollment for current families opens on January 6. In house registration for 2025 – 2026 begins, Monday, January 6th. Registration is open to current students as well as siblings of current students. Registration can be completed online through our website. If you would rather paper registration, please stop by the office to pick up the forms. Registration is first come first served.

CLASS OFFERINGS WILL BE AS FOLLOWS: 2s Tuesday Thursday: $410/month 2s Monday Wednesday Friday: $515/month 2s 5 Days: $630/month 3s Tuesday Thursday: $410/month 3s Monday Wednesday Friday: $515/month 3’s 5 Days: $630/month 4s Monday Wednesday Friday: $515/month 4’s 5 Days: $630/month Registration Fee (Non – Refundable): $90/month

DAYS TO NOTE

JANUARY DATES 1/6: In-house registration 1/20: Martin Luther King Jr. Day – No school 1/27: Alumni registration begins 1/29: MCPS No school day – No school

FEBRUARY DATES 2/3: Community Registration 2/7: Ice Cream Social 2/17: Presidents’ Day – No School

4CCN SNOW POLICY 4 Corners Community Nursery School follows the Montgomery County School’s closing policy. MCPS will notify the public of the decision, usually by 6 am. If it is necessary to close early, 4CCN will close at 11:45 AM. When MCPS is delayed by 2 hours, 4CCN will open at 11:15 am and remain open until 1:15 pm for all ages.

JANUARY SNACK The children will enjoy the following snacks this month: Cheerios & vanilla yogurt, Goldfish & juice, crackers & peanut butter, cookies & applesauce, pretzels & juice. If your child cannot consume one of the snacks, please notify your child’s teacher.

IN PERSON TOURS We have begun scheduling tours for prospective families. Please spread the word to your friends, family, and neighbors about 4CCN. Word of mouth is our best advertising. TAX FORMS Some of you may be able to use child care expenses as a deduction on your income tax. If this is the case, please stop by the office for more information. ICE CREAM SOCIAL Mark your calendars for the annual ice cream social. Our ice cream social will be Friday, February 7 from 4:00 – 5:30. We are so excited that Down by the Bagel will be providing entertainment for this fun family event!

PARENT – TEACHER CONFERENCES The 2, 3, and 4-year-old classes will have their parent-teacher conferences in January/February. Conferences will be held on the second floor in the library. Children will have a regular school day on their conference day. A substitute will be in the classroom for the teacher on conference days. If school is closed due to inclement weather, we will reschedule conferences. Jan 23: Sarah Jacobs and Chela Bodden Jan 24: Sarah Jacobs and Chela Bodden Jan 27: Allison Nadelhaft Jan 31: Alana Kravitz Feb 6: Pia Chirinos Feb 7: Ashley Campbell

PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCE CHECKLIST

BEFORE THE CONFERENCE: Ask your child how he/she feels about school. Ask your child if there is anything that he/she wants you to talk to their teacher about. Make a list of topics that you would like to talk about with the teacher. Prepare a list of questions that you have for the teacher.

DURING THE CONFERENCE: Be on time/early. End the meeting on time. Other parents will have conferences after you. Relax and be yourself. Stay calm during the conference. Ask the most important questions first. Ask for explanations of anything that you don’t understand. Ask your child’s teacher for ways that you can help your child at home.

AFTER THE CONFERENCE: Talk about the conference with your child. Talk about the positive points. Tell your child about any plans you and the teacher created. Keep in touch with the teacher and follow up consistently.

THINGS TO REMEMBER: If you are having a conference, it does not mean your child is in trouble. Teachers are meeting with all of the parents. Both the teacher and family want what is best for the child. You can help your child by working together as a team!

December 2024 Newsletter

4CCN NEWS

DECEMBER 2024

2025 – 2026 REGISTRATION

Enrollment for current families opens on January 6.

Registration is right around the corner. Current families are offered the chance to enroll early and secure their spot. To enroll, simply visit our website www.4ccn.org and click the Enroll now tab. If you prefer to do a paper registration, just stop by the office and we will give you the paper registration forms. All registration is on a first come, first served basis.

Important Dates

12/23 – 1/1: Winter Break

1/6: In-house registration begins

1/20: No school, Martin Luther King Jr. Day

1/27: Alumni registration begins

1/29: No school, MCPS off

2/3: New family registration begins

4CCN TOURS FOR PROSPECTIVE FAMILIES

We are currently scheduling appointments for tours. Please help spread the word to your friends about 4CCN. Word of mouth is our best advertising. Please post information on your community listservs, parent groups, and social media. Registration for new families begins Monday, February 3, 2025.

WINTER BREAK

The school and office will close at the end of the school day on Friday, December 20th and will reopen on Thursday, January 2, 2025. Whether you are staying close to home or traveling, have a safe and wonderful holiday!

STAY AND PLAY

Our second Stay and Play period runs from December – February.

We still have openings available. Children enjoy playing with friends from different classes and participating in a variety of activities. Children get the opportunity to spend time with teachers from other classes as well. We will continue to use the playground during Stay and Play if the weather cooperates. If you are interested in enrolling in Stay and Play, please stop by the office.

PARKING LOT REMINDERS

Parking lots can be dangerous. We want to keep everyone safe. Please remember to drive slowly through the school parking lot. Please always hold your child’s hand when walking through the parking lot. Please do not leave children in your car unattended. Please do not park in spaces designated for no parking. Thank you!

DECEMBER SNACKS

This month we will enjoy graham crackers, juice, trail mix, and a variety of snacks we’ve previously had as we clean out our cupboard before winter break.

DRESSING FOR COLD WEATHER

We will continue to play outside during the winter months. This is a pleasant experience if your child is dressed appropriately for the weather. Please make sure that your child has a warm coat, pants, appropriate shoes, a hat, and mittens. Please make sure everything is labeled with your child’s name.

CARROT SOUFFLÉ RECIPE

Here is a recipe my family enjoys on most holidays. It is easy to make and delicious.

Ingredients

1 lb carrots boiled until soft (I use a bag of baby carrots)

½ cup sugar

3 eggs

3 Tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 stick butter, melted

Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into greased (8 x 8) baking dish

November 2024 Newsletter

4CCN NEWS NOVEMBER 2024

4CCN TOURS & REGISTRATION

We are very excited to be adding a 5-day 2’s class

In late November/early December, 4CCN will begin scheduling tours for the 2024 – 2025 school year.

• Registration for in-house families will begin on January 6, 2025

• Registration for alumni families will begin on January 27, 2025

• Registration for the community will begin on February 3, 2025

Word of mouth is our best form of advertising. Please help spread the word about 4CCN to your friends and family!

Upcoming Days Off

NOV 4 & NOV 5:

No school

NOV 27 — 29:

Thanksgiving break

DEC 23 — JAN 1:

Winter break

NOVEMBER SNACK

This month we will be enjoying animal crackers and juice, crackers and peanut butter or cheese, cheerios and yogurt, and graham crackers and juice. Please notify the office and teachers if your child cannot have one of the snacks so we can provide an alternative snack.

THANKSGIVING

We will be closed Wednesday, November 27 through Friday, November 29 for the Thanksgiving holiday. We hope that everyone enjoys this time with their loved ones. Travel safely if you are headed out of town. We will reopen on Monday, December 2.

DRESSING FOR COLD WEATHER

As the cold weather approaches in November, please remember to dress your child for outdoor play. We will continue to go outside to play in the winter months. Please send your children to school with hats, mittens, warm coats, etc. Please make sure everything is labeled with your child’s name. It is also important that your child wears appropriate shoes to school. Please send your children to school with sturdy, close-toed shoes. Also, remember to change out the spare clothes in your child’s cubby at school so they are seasonally appropriate.

FALL CONSIGNMENT SALE

The fall consignment sale was a huge success! We are so grateful to all our families who volunteered and participated in the sale. We cannot do this without all of you. We appreciate your hard work and dedication. A huge shout out to Brittany Hammond, our consignment chair, who took this sale on solo. Without Brittany, we could not have had this sale. Brittany will be moving at the end of this year, so we really need families to take the leap of faith and help take over this task. We would like to bring on a cochair for the spring so Brittany can teach them the ropes. Please let Jodi know if you are interested. Our spring sale is March 17 – 21.

ALL IN A WORD

By Aileen Fisher

T for time to be together, turkey, talk, and tangy weather.

H for harvest stored away, home, and hearth, and holiday.

A for autumn’s frosty art, and abundance in the heart.

N for neighbors, and November, nice things, new things to remember.

K for kitchen, kettles’ croon, kith and kin expected soon.

S for sizzles, sights, and sounds, and something special that abounds.

That spells ~~~THANKS~~~

for joy in living and a jolly good Thanksgiving.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

October 2024 Newsletter

4CCN NEWS

OCTOBER 2024

Happy October! I am happy to say that all of our children have settled beautifully into school. Sounds of joyful learning fill our hallways daily. We are so grateful to be a part of your childrens’ lives. Thank you for trusting us during these formative years.

Our Open House/BBQ will be October 4th. The weather forecast looks perfect, so we anticipate the event will happen. The sign up Genius remains the same. If you are unable to commit to what you originally signed up for, please make a change so that someone else can fill your slot.

Thank you!

Days to Note

10/3: NO SCHOOL

10/18: NO SCHOOL

10/21 to 10/25: CONSIGNMENT SALE

OCTOBER SNACKS

The snack calendar is posted on the bulletin board outside of the office. Snacks this month include: Goldfish and juice, Pretzels and Peanut Butter (Juice for peanut free classes), Saltines and cheese slices, and Cookies and apple sauce. Please let the office and your child’s teacher know if you do not want them to consume one of these snacks. Thank you!

Please check out our calendar on the 4CCN website. This is a quick and easy reference to school closings and activities.

HALLOWEEN CELEBRATIONS

Please check your classroom newsletter/emails for more information about your child’s classroom activities.

FALL CONSIGNMENT SALE

This year’s fall sale will be held the week of October 21st.

DENTAL HEALTH MONTH: October is National Dental Hygiene Month. This month is dedicated to promoting healthy mouths and celebrating the hard work of your dental hygienist. If your child has never been to a pediatric dentist, now is the time to make an appointment.

Please mark your calendars with the following important dates for consignors, shoppers, and parent volunteers:

CONSIGNOR DROP OFF TIMES:

• MONDAY, OCTOBER 21

9:30 AM - 1:00 PM

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

• TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22

9:30 AM - 12:30 PM

SALE DATES:

• TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

• WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23

9:30 AM - 1:00 PM

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

• THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24

9:30 AM - 1:00 PM

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Thursday is half price day!

The fall consignment sale is right around the corner. We will have a huge selection of season specific children’s clothing (NB - 14), plus toys, books, games, baby gear, costumes, maternity clothes, and more!

In addition to shopping the sale, you are also encouraged to consign at the sale. This is a great opportunity to clean out your closets and support the school at the same time! If you are interested in consigning, you will need a consignor code. Codes are $5 each. Please come to the office to pay for your code and pick up tags, an information packet, and a pricing guide. If you have any items you’d like to donate to the sale and give the school 100% of the proceeds (instead of a 50/50 split for the consignor and the school), you can pick up tags in the office and label them with code A1.

As you know, an event of this size can only be successful with the help of many hands. Please help us make the most of this sale, our only fundraising event at 4CCN, by signing up for and completing your required volunteer shifts. If you have not received an email with a link to the sign-up, please contact our chairwoman, Brittany Hammond via email at consign4ccn@gmail.com

The sale is located on the lower level of Luther Rice Memorial Baptist Church in the Social Hall. Both consigning and purchasing are open to the community, so please share this information with your friends and family!

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

PLANS FOR 4CCN

4 Corners Community Nursery’s philosophy is to always keep your child{ren} safe when he/she is in our care.

We have developed an emergency plan that will be put into place if special circumstances require a different type of care. Plans for these special types of care are reviewed annually. The 4CCN staff is trained in the appropriate response and local emergency management is aware of these plans. The specific type of emergency will guide where and what special care will be provided.

SHELTER AT THE SITE: This plan would be put into place in the event of weather emergency or unsafe outside conditions or threats. In this plan, children will be cared for indoors with secured and locked doors. Parents will be notified if they need to pick up their child before regular time.

EVACUATION TO ANOTHER SITE: This plan would be put into place in the event that is not safe for the children to remain at 4CCN. In this situation, staff has predetermined alternate sites for care. The choice of the site is determined by the specific emergency and what would be an appropriate site.

METHOD TO CONTACT PARENTS: In the event of an emergency, parent will be called, a note will be placed on the door, and radio/TV stations will be alerted to provide more specific information. You can also check for information on our website www.4ccn.org. Depending on the distance from the center, the children will walk if feasible or be transported to the alternate site.

EMERGENCY ENDS/REUNITING WITH CHILDREN: When the emergency ends, parents will be informed and reunited with their children as soon as possible. The contact methods listed above will be used to inform parents.

The purpose for sharing this information with you is not to cause worry, but to reassure you that we are prepared to handle all types of emergencies in a way that will ensure the safety of your child(ren). In the event of an actual emergency, please do not call 4CCN - it will be important to keep the lines open. If you have questions regarding this information, talk with the director or your child’s teacher

September 2024 Newsletter

4CCN NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2024

DEAR 4CCN FAMILIES,

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year!

We are so excited to kick off this school year. The teachers have so many wonderful things planned. I am equally excited to take on my new role as director of 4CCN. I am enjoying greeting everyone at the door each morning. Please introduce yourself. I am still learning everyone’s names.

The hallways have been filled with sounds of joy and tears. We are doing everything we can to make this transition for the children as smooth as possible. In just a few short weeks the children will be settled into their new routines.

I’d like to wish all of the families and staff a fantastic 2024-2025 school year!

JODI SIFF, DIRECTOR

Please check out all the staff bios on our website’s staff page.

STAFF

4CCN has been fortunate to consistently retain staff from year to year. We are thrilled that they are part of our 4CCN family.

We have had some changes and movement from last year. Here is a list of who is where in 2024-2025:

This year we welcome back two staff members to 4CCN; Chela Bodden and Pia Chirinos.

We also welcome Bianca Chapman.

2’s MWF: Ashley Campbell & Buffy Stutz

2’s T/Th: Pia Chirinos & Buffy Stutz

3’s: Chela Bodden, Bianca Chapman, & Sara Robb

3’s: Sarah Jacobs, Katie Keach, & Sara Robb

4’s: Allison Nadelhaft & Kate Spigler

4’s: Alana Kravitz & Kathleen Ficco

TUITION/PAYMENT

4CCN has enrolled in a payment option through QuickBooks.

Each month, you will receive an invoice with an option of paying via bank transfer. You many also schedule payments with your bank to arrive by tuition due date or drop off a check. Tuition invoices are sent to emails on file on the 25th of each month (August – April). Payments are due by the 5th of the following month.

A $25.00/week late fee will be assessed for late payments.

STAY AND PLAY

We are so excited for our new Stay and Play program. The children enrolled are having a wonderful time playing with friends after school. Please remember that the playground must be cleared by 2 PM for our Stay and Play children. If you are interested in learning more about Stay and Play please drop into the office or email Jodi.

SEPTEMBER SNACK

In the month of September, we will serve graham crackers and apple juice for the entire month. In October we will rotate snacks each week. Snack menus will be posted in the newsletter each month. If your son/daughter has an allergy, please make sure it is noted in your child’s health inventory and on their emergency form. You can also send Jodi an email.

PARKING

We are fortunate to have a very large parking lot. You can enter the lot from two locations, one from University Blvd and a rear entrance from Eastwood Ave. There are other tenants who use the building and parking lot. Hold your children’s hands when walking through the parking lot. Never leave children unattended in your car while you drop off siblings. For the safety of all families and children, the first 4 parking spaces by the front door will be blocked. This includes parking in front of the playground. Cars backing up while families are entering and exiting is too dangerous. Please do not park on the outside of the yellow lines. We have many families entering and exiting, and blocking the traffic flow makes for a very dangerous parking lot.

The playground must be cleared by 2 PM for our Stay and Play children.

4CCN Substitutes

We are always looking for substitutes to fill in when a staff member needs a day off. If you are interested in substituting, please contact Jodi Siff for more information: 4ccndirector@gmail.com.

Scholastic Volunteer Needed

We are still looking for a volunteer to handle our Scholastic Book orders. This is a great way to help at 4CCN and help build our classroom libraries. Please email Jodi if you are interested in taking on this position. Last years chair will show you how the job works.

Email Communications

Some communication regarding upcoming events, emergency closings and general 4CCN happenings is made via email. If you have not been receiving emails regarding Open House and the start of school or you would like to be added to the list, please send me an email at 4ccndirector@gmail.com.