Dear Park’s Edge Preschool Families:

Can you believe summer is right around the corner? The details of Park’s Edge Preschool’s summer program were distributed along with an enrollment survey form to be completed and returned by Friday, April 28th. If you did not receive a summer packet or the enrollment survey form please let an office staff member know. If you do know someone that is interested in enrolling their child in PEP’s summer program, please let them know there are a few open enrollments left. It is going to be another active and fun-filled summer at PEP!

Did you know that Park’s Edge Preschool’s Board of Directors is made up of a combination of Emanuel Church members and PEP parents whose skill sets compliment the vision and mission of Park’s Edge Preschool? Marcia Goecks plays the role of Park’s Edge Preschool’s Board President; PEP board officers include Sue Sorce as Secretary and Stacey Zelinski, Treasurer. Continuing the PEP Board of Directors is Bridgette Frommell, Cindy Mixon and Robyn Schuchardt. New to the board this year is Matthew Egan, Grace Hayden, Adam Johnson, Kim Kozlik, and Michelle Scott-Grant. The board continues to focus on Park’s Edge Preschool’s Strategic Plan. I want to congratulate and thank each member for giving of their time and talent to Park’s Edge Preschool. I truly look forward to serving the families, children, staff and community with you at Park’s Edge Preschool.

Park’s Edge Preschool honored parents, staff and young children by celebrating the national Week of the Young Child April 23rd through the 29th. The WOYC served as a time to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that every child experiences the type of environment that promotes learning…at home, school, and in the community. My hope for the future is that children in our care today will reflect on positive early childhood learning experiences and happy memories imprinted by Park’s Edge Preschool’s nurturing staff in a loving Christian environment.

The 2017 WOYC Celebration included a Children’s Talent Show and Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser for the preschool classrooms. The fundraising efforts are for individual cubbies for each child age two and a half through six years old. Each unit consists of 5 cubbies and costs approximately $500.00; twelve cubby units are needed to accomplish our goal for all three preschool classrooms; the goal is to raise $6000.00. The design of the classroom cubby project is posted in Emanuel Church’s Narthex. A special thank you goes to Kate Egan the architectural designer who put the plan to scale for us. It is too soon to announce the total raised from the fundraiser but will be announced in next month’s newsletter or watch for details on the fundraiser thermometer located by the display. I’d like to pay tribute to the talented children and staff of Park’s Edge Preschool for sharing their time and talent! We look forward to our new individual cubbies coming to our preschool classrooms in fall 2017!

The WOYC Celebration also includes a special ‘Teacher Appreciation Dinner’ in honor of the PEP staff. The members of the ‘Good News Group’ of Emanuel Church are making special preparations for the staff’s annual WOYC celebration. This year’s event will be held Saturday, May 13th is a terrific way for staff to celebrate WOYC. Thank you, in advance, to Emanuel Church and the Good News Group!

Happy Mother’s Day to Mothers and Grandmothers! Moms and grandmothers are invited for a Mother’s Day Breakfast Celebration on Friday, May 12th from 7-8 am…this is PEP’s way of honoring moms and grandmothers! Check your family mailbox for invitation(s). The invite is extended to grandmothers too.

Thursday, May 25th we celebrate another milestone…the 2017 Park’s Edge Preschool Graduation Ceremony in honor of the preschoolers entering 5K in the fall of 2017. This is an exciting event for all PEP staff and parents, who have nurtured and encouraged these children from infancy on. Thank you to Emanuel Church and the Good News Group for gifting the PEP preschool graduates with a special gift bag. Congratulations to all 2017 graduates!

Sincerely, Ellen M. Kvalheim