May
2016
Mott Community College
Early Childhood
Learning Center
May 16
Closed:
Records Day
May 24-26
Extended Days
Due to Closings
May 26
Last Day: 8:00 - 11:30am
Inside this issue:
Welcome to May!
1
Recap of April
Activities
1
Registration and
Enrollment for Fall
2
CCAMPIS Grant
Opportunity
3
Winter 2016 MCC
Student-Parents
4
MCC ECED Practicum
Students & Award!
5
Parents as Partners
6
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Welcome to May!
Thank you for Visiting!
It has been wonderful to see your children learning and
growing throughout this past year in preschool! Thank
you so much for the support you have given to your
children and to our preschool program. Your children
will benefit in many ways as you continue to support
them in their transition to Kindergarten.
We would love to hear about your experience in Kindergarten and invite you to
come back to share your stories with us.
Thank you for allowing us the privilege of
being a part of your lives this year and
CONGRATULATIONS on the completion
of this preschool year! Have a fun and
safe summer!
MCC President Dr. Beverly
Walker-Griffea Reads with
MCC ECLC Children April 26!
GSRP Kindergarten Transition Celebration: May 19th!
School Calendar Extended Due to Closings: Last Day May 26th
RECAP OF SOME OF APRIL’S ACTIVITIES
Tidbits& Timbits
Color Me Healthy
7
GSRP Parent
Advisory Team
8
Kindergarten
Transition Ideas
9
Family/Child Trips
10
PTC Conferences
Kindergarten Transi- 11
tion Celebration!
Red Room News
12
Yellow Room News
13
Green Room News
14
Parent to Parent
Transition Ideas
15
Community
Happenings
16
Flint Schools Visits!
Story-telling at Flint Public Library
Visiting Burton Glen Kindergarten
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Our nationally accredited Mott Community
College Early childhood Learning Center is the
home of the Mott Bear Cubs and provides high
quality early education and child care for the children of MCC students and employees who are ages 2 ½ to 5 years old. Our center was established
in the 1980s to serve the children and families of
Mott Community College and the Flint community. An average of 75% of the children served by our center are children
of Mott staff and/or student-parents!
The Early Childhood Learning Center provides childcare services to
MCC students and the community, while providing laboratory practicum experience to students in the Early Childhood Education Program.
The ECLC also provides experiences for other Mott programs and
courses including Storytelling and Dental Hygiene. Students gain
practical experience under the guidance of the staff of the ECLC.
Located adjacent to the MCC main campus, our ECLC is an ideal
childcare center for students and employees who are attending classes
and working at MCC. There are a variety of funding sources to offset
the cost of childcare including: DHS payments, CCAMPIS grants, the
Great Start Readiness Program, Loans, and Pell Awards.
Registrations now being taken for the
Fall 2016 Semester!
Call for more information: (810) 239-0046
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Now Registering for Fall 2016-17
Great Start Readiness Program!
The Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) is a free
or low cost child development program that serves eligible children who are 4 years old by September 1st
of each school year. The MCC GSRP is operated by
Mott Community College and is funded by the Michigan
Department of Education. Call (810) 239-0046.
The Child Care Access Means Parent In School
(CCAMPIS) program is a federal grant funded
by the U. S. Department of Education with the
purpose of providing support to studentparents. This program supports the participation of low-income, Pell-eligible studentparents in postsecondary education through
the provision of child care subsidies.
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Will you need child
care for yourConnection:
2 1/2 - 4 year old for Fall?
Home/School
Are you Pell Eligible? HOMEWORK!
Do you have a 2.5 GPA or above?
Will you be enrolled in 6+ credits for Fall 2016?
You may qualify for a child care grant!
Applications being taken for this coming Fall!
Stop in the office for an application or go to:
http://www.mcc.edu/eclc/pdf_eclc/CCAMPIS_App.pdf
Call (810) 239-0046
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Congratulations to our
MCC Student-Parents for
persisting and/or graduating
this year!
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Meredith Mead Memorial Award Recipient!
Best Wishes to our MCC Early Childhood Students
who have completed their practicum hours in our
program as they work toward their degrees in
Early Childhood!
And a very SPECIAL
CONGRATULATIONS to
our very own Ms. Ashley
for being awarded the
Meredith Mead Memorial
Award for Outstanding
Graduate of the Early
Childhood Education
Program!
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Parents as Partners
Kindergarten
Representatives Visit
2:30-3:00
Stop by to talk with local
school representatives and
pick up information about
Kindergartens in our area!
Eagle’s Nest
 New Standard Academy
 North Ridge Academy
Richfield Academy and more!
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Monday & Tuesday
May 9 & 10
and Timbits
This months’ topic:
Science!
Tuesday, May 10
7:30AM - 8:30AM
OR
Flour Salt Playdough
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Stop by to pick up the fun,
learning activity to use at
home that had the most of
YOUR votes!
COLOR ME HEALTHY VISITS!
MCC ECLC children and families will
have the opportunity to participate
in four Early Childhood Nutrition
Education activities! Healthy
Schools Healthy Families is a federally funded SNAP Ed program in
the Health, Safety & Nutrition department of Genesee ISD . Nutrition facilitators will be bringing
tasty ideas to help parents raise
healthy eaters! Stop by and sample the snacks on their next visit,
Wednesday, May 4th, 2:30 - 3:00!
May 16
Closed: Records Day
May 24-26
Extended Days Due to Closings
May 26
Last Day: 8:00 - 11:30am
Home/School Connection:
HOMEWORK!
Preschoolers eating and moving healthy!
Home/School Connection:
Family “Homework”!
Look for the following
“homework” this month:
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Telephone Numbers
Addresses
Don’t forget to drop off your homework in your classroom mailbox!
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May Parent Advisory News!
Parent Voting Day!
Join in the decision-making
process for our curriculum by
voting for a Science activity!
Stop by the Family Resource
Room #110 to cast your vote on
Tuesday, May 3!
Parent Advisory Team Meeting
Parent
involvement
equals school
Please plan to join us for our 3rd Parent Advisory Team
gathering on and help us continue to address ways to
improve our program quality! Parent involvement is vital
to the success of our program in providing high-quality early
childhood education!
Your time and ideas
are deeply
appreciated!
Wednesday
May 11th
3:00
.
YOUR VOTE IMPACTS THE FUTURE!
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Saying Goodbye to Preschool and Hello to Kindergarten
Many preschoolers feel anxious about moving on to kindergarten. They worry that they won’t have friends,
won’t like the teacher, will get lost, or won’t be able to
do what the teacher asks.
Here are some tips to guide your child through the move
from preschool to kindergarten.
To Help With End-of-the-Year Feelings
Place a sticker or make a mark on each day of the calendar every day during the last month of school.
 Encourage children to talk about their feelings about
preschool ending; talk about your feelings too.
 Draw pictures and/or write good-bye messages for
your child’s friends or teachers.
 Revisit the events of the past year with your child by
looking at drawings, paintings, photos, and writing. Celebrate how much your child has
learned this year.
Offer stress-reducing activities at home such as water play, puppets, or playdough.
Help the class plan an end-of-the-year family potluck.
Plan ways to keep in touch with classmates or organize a regular play group.
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To Ease the Move to Kindergarten
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Visit the new school before your child’s first day. Point out ways the room is similar to
his preschool room, but also discuss how it holds new materials to explore.
Plan playdates with new classmates.
Read books about starting school, such as Look Out, Kindergarten, Here I Come! by
Nancy Carlson; Will I Have a Friend? by Miriam Cohen, illustrated by Ronald Himler;
and If You Take a Mouse to School, by Laura Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond.
Describe the daily routines, including arrival, breakfast, snack, lunch, and bathroom
practices.
After your child is well settled into kindergarten, plan playdates with old friends.
Source: Adapted from the Message in a Backpack for Debora Jones, 2010, "Letting My Butterflies Go.
Helping Children Move on to Kindergarten," Teaching Young Children 3 (4): 21–22. © National Association
for the Education of Young Children — Promoting excellence in early childhood education - See more at:
http://families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development/child-development/saying-goodbye-preschool-and-hello
-kindergarten#sthash.x4UuSaIX.dpuf

- See more at: http://families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development/childdevelopment/saying-goodbye-preschool-and-hellokindergarten#sthash.x4UuSaIX.dpuf
Retrieved from: http://families.naeyc.org/learning-and-development/child-development/saying-goodbye-preschool-and-hello-kindergarten
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Family
to MCC Public Safety!
Visit
Children and their families are invited
to meet the teachers at the MCC Public Safety for an opportunity to tour a
police station!
Thursday
May 5th
2:30 - 3:00
Early Dismissal 2:15
Please turn in Participation Forms
.
Parent
Teacher
Conferences
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Family Visit to ForMar
Nature Preserve
Children and their families are invited
to meet the teachers at the ForMar
Nature Preserve to explore signs of
spring and BUTTERFLIES!
Thursday
May 12th
12:30 - 2:00
Early Dismissal 12:00
Please turn in Participation Forms
MCC ECLC will hold our second Parent Teacher Conferences, as required by the Michigan Department of Education, May 9, 10 and 17. We are looking forward to
meeting with each of you to talk about your child’s
growth and development during this year as well as the
transition to Kindergarten during our Parent Teacher
Conferences. All conferences will be held here at the
Center in your child’s classroom. Conference sign-up
sheets will be posted on the Parent Boards next to your
child’s classroom.
During the conferences with your teachers we would appreciate you sharing some of your experiences from preschool. Your input is very important to us as we continue
to strive for excellence in meeting the needs of the children and families who are part of the GSRP. We are
asking for your help by completing a short survey at the
time of your conference. Thank you in advance!
Kindergarten Transition
Celebration!
Thursday, May 19
Red Room 11:00-12:00
Yellow Room 12:00-1:00
Regional Technology Center
Room #1301
“Bridge” Ceremony
(Children “cross the bridge” from Preschool to Kindergarten!)
Kindergarten “Supply Store”
Kindergarten Supply “Store” - FREE supplies that children can take to Kindergarten.
Children who are enrolled in the MCC GSRP can come to the “store” where they will receive “coupons” to go through the store and choose a variety of items for Kindergarten
such as pencils, crayons, glue and a backpack!
•Pizza •Story-telling •Tattoos
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RED ROOM NEWS!
NEW BOOK SERIES!
The Children have been enjoying the four book series by Sandra Markle “What
If You Had Animal Teeth”, “What If you Had Animal Hair”, What If You Had
Animal Feet”, and “What If You Had Animal Ears.” The children were captivated by the colorful illustrations of the animals known to them and astonished by
the animals that they did not know existed. We used the books in the classroom
to promote diversity, that
everyone is valuable, unique
and have diverse capabilities in their own special
way.
Aquatic Animals in the
Water Table!
The Red Room added aquatic animals to
the classroom Water Table. The animals
included are Sting Rays, Octopuses, Tropical Fish and Lobsters, along with Lego People, and Boats. Parents don’t be alarm the
aquatic animals are made of rubber and
plastic.
Bug Under the
For Large group Time the children were introduced to a
new memory game. It is called Bug Under the Rug.
Materials: Children, large parachute or large blanket.
1 adult to be bug catcher.
Step 1. The children and adults gather together while
standing and spread out in a circle on a large rug.
Step 2. The children and adults are asked to turn
around and close their eyes….keep them ….close don’t
peek.
Step 3. Adult quietly chose a child or adult and put
child or adult under the parachute.
Step 4. Adult begins to say: Bug under the rug,
Bug under the rug, Who’s that bug under the rug?
Step 5. The children turn around open their eyes, and
guess which child or adult is missing from the circle.
The children had a wonderful time with this activity!
YELLOW ROOM NEWS!
Spring is Here!
Hurray! Our classroom has new learning
opportunities in each learning area! For
example, upstairs in the House Area
has bee turned into a Doctor’s Office!
There are lab coats, doctor’s tools like
thermometers,
medicine vials,
etc. The children
are learning a lot
of new medical vocabulary!
Visit to a Local
Kindergarten
Our MCC GSRP visited Burton Glen Academy’s Kindergarten
on April 15th. The
parents received information and resources to help them with the transition of their children in Kindergarten.
They went on a tour. The children
enjoyed hands-on activities, had pizza
and juice and were able to play on
their beautiful playground for a bit!
A big thank you to Burton Glen Academy. A fun time was had by all!
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Water Area!
In the Water Area
we are learning
about ocean animals. There are
sting rays, turtles
and octopus, etc.
We have several
books are the animals for the children to explore.
We also have been discussing animal
teeth, ears, and tracks. The children
have drawn pictures of themselves with
animal teeth which they seemed to find
pretty funny!
Flint Public Library Visit
The MCC GSRP went on a field trip
to the Flint Public Library. If you
haven’t been there you are in for a
treat! The children were given an
opportunity to register for a library
card and chose
library books!
It’s important to
spend time reading!
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GREEN ROOM NEWS!
A Talent Show!
The children put on a
talent show, showing
off their moves and
singing their hearts
out.
Pirates Searching for Treasure
They have been pirates
searching for treasure, but
finding alligator infested
waters instead.
Going on a
Bear Hunt!
They have worked together,
to build the path from the song
“Going on a Bear Hunt”.
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PARENT to PARENT PAGE!
From our
PARENTS!
Ideas for helping children transition to Kindergarten:
Make it sound fun! If there are older siblings, share the experiences
amongst them!
 Show them the building and playground in advance.
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Take the child to the new school before starting. Show them around
the school.
 Just being as prepared as possible. Reading.
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Workbooks.
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Older siblings can help and help them get an early start on reading.
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Help them in learning their alphabet and numbers.
Teach them numbers and counting. Read to them and teach them to be
nice to all the kids.
 Getting them to relax. Letting them know they can talk to their teacher
and help them with anything they need help with.
 Practice reading. Help with behavior at home.
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Practice times of things, schedules.
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Talk to them about it. Let them know it is fun!
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Make sure to support their feelings through the change and be understanding with children about their new school.
Thanks to our parents for these great ideas!
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Mott Community College
Early Childhood Learning Center
1509 East Court Street
Flint, MI 48503
Phone: 810-239-0046
Fax: 810-768-4002
Our program is proud to have earned NAEYC Accreditation - the mark of quality for early childhood education programs.
These materials were developed under a grant awarded by the Michigan Department of Education.
Community Happenings!