Dear Park’s Edge Preschool Families:

I cannot believe it is June already and summer is almost here! May was a busy month celebrating mothers and grandmothers with many gifts and goodies throughout the first week of May. PEP is looking ahead to Father’s Day. Park’s Edge Preschool fathers and grandfathers will be treated special too, in June. Mr. Cody Tess, PEP’s beloved bus driver became a first-time father on May 27th…just in time for PEP’s Father’s Day Ice Cream Social celebration on Thursday, June 17th! Thank you to all of PEP’s mothers and fathers! Without mothers and fathers, Park’s Edge Preschool would not be here.

Park’s Edge Preschool was able to hold our bi-annual Parent-Teacher Conferences on Thursday, May 13th, in person this year. I am happy to report that PEP staff met with 40 children’s families to discuss their child’s individual growth and development. The teaching staff goes through each child’s portfolio with the parent(s) and the Portage’ Assessment Tool used to document each child’s progress physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. The portfolio is a wonderful keepsake, especially after the child leaves PEP’s early childhood program, for the entire family to reflect upon. Thank you to all the families that participated. It is best for PEP to staff for one night of conferences rather than to try to find classroom coverage during the day. Thank you for your participation.

PEP’s Conference Night allows families the opportunity to evaluate Park’s Edge Preschool on the Parent Survey created by/ for NAC Accreditation. Your family’s feedback is critical to the quality and success of Park’s Edge Preschool. If you have not completed a family survey yet, please do. We need a minimum of 75% family participation to report back to NAC to maintain accreditation. The surveys are available on PEP’s Family Mailboxes in the office entrance area. The survey is printed on bright orange colored paper. Thank you!

The Park’s Edge Preschool held the Annual PEP Preschool Graduation Ceremony for PEP’s preschool graduates on Thursday, May 27th. Sixteen children entering 5-k in fall participated in the graduation ceremony held in Emanuel Church’s beautiful sanctuary. After the ceremony, family, staff, and the preschool graduates were treated to ‘Granny’s Treats’. The old-fashioned ice cream truck with individually wrapped ice cream treats came to PEP early this year. It was a ‘cool’ way to celebrate this milestone! PEP is proud to provide preschool graduates with tools, supported with Christian values, for life-long learning. Congratulations to all 2021 graduates!

The ‘Nollau to You Too’ retreat, provided staff with a genuine and unique experience with their individual classroom teammates, in building stronger communication and rapport with each other. The bonds developed are an essential component in creating a loving and trusting environment, for all children to reach their full potential at Park’s Edge Preschool. The last activity for the day was beneficial to all staff, in articulating what their purpose is at Park’s Edge Preschool. It was interesting to discover that although most PEP staff answer to the same job description, each teacher conveyed their individual purpose differently. The PEP staff is excited that the CHHSM Team will be back on Friday, November 5th, for the second part of the ‘Nollau to You Too’ training.

Summer Fun starts the week of Monday, June 14th. If your child is 4 years old or older, please be sure to complete the required paperwork for field trips, and turn it in. (If you did not receive the field trip packet for those eligible, age 4 and over, please let the office know.) The summer activity fee for each child age, 4 and over is a flat fee of $75.00. It will be charged to your account on Friday, June 11th. Thank you!

Happy Anniversary Park’s Edge Preschool…another milestone… June 1st, 1999, is Park’s Edge Preschool’s 22nd Anniversary! Thank you, to Emanuel Church, for their continued support of Park’s Edge Preschool.

Sincerely,

Ellen M. Kvalheim