Dear Park’s Edge Families:

Happy New Year— 2019! December has flown by…but my favorite highlight of the Christmas season at Park’s Edge Preschool always will be Jesus’ Birthday Celebration. Children’s Christmas Pageants and programs is a wonderful tradition in starting the Christmas holiday season!

I want to be sure to say thank you Nancy Erenz, an Emanuel Church member for her talented music accompaniment for ‘The 10 Reasons for the Christmas Season’. This was Nancy’s 10thyear of playing for PEP. The holiday favorites sung by the children included ‘Away in a Manger’; ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’; and ‘Silent Night’.A ‘thank you’ goes to Pastor Bill for warming our hearts with a beautiful Christmas Story. Ms. Jenele directed PEP’s Christmas program this year and was honored at the finale with a beautiful bouquet of Christmas colored flowers which included a sprig of fresh pine. Thanks to everyone for bringing in the holiday spirit and cherished memories to start the season with Christ!

Thank you for bringing the ‘birthday gifts’ to the party-like celebration. We appreciated your participation in bringing one or more non-perishable food items for the Hunger Task Force. The overflowing box of donated, non-perishable foods will soon be picked-up by the Hunger Task Force truck. Sadly, hunger is year-round, but every non-perishable food donation helps fight against hunger. Food items will be collected through the holiday season. Food donations to the hungry is a great way to acknowledge the birth of Jesus and serve others. Thank you again!

I hope you were entertained with our hearty rendition of ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’, and that our wish for you came true! I want to thank you, on behalf of the staff and myself, for helping to make our Christmas wishes come true. Thank you for the many gifts and treats—you’re spoiling us with your generosity!

2018 has been a year full of surprises…especially theroundabout project being promoted to a 90-day road construction project rather than the originally projected 2-years. I believe God was behind that decision and many prayers were answered; especially for the DOT in meeting their deadline! I appreciate our family’s patience during those long 90 days this summer!

We are excited about our 2018 construction project on the lower level. The hallway has a fresh coat of paint, a new handrail, a new closet door replaced an accordion door in the purple room, and PEP has new register covers too! PEP has new carpet in the purple room, library and hallway. The color scheme is beautiful and calming. Thank you to KMF Construction!

2019 will bring new flooring to the classrooms; up and down…and an added precaution in protecting our most precious ones, security measures will be added throughout the building. ThePEP’s front office will be getting a face-lift too. Watch for details and updates throughout the school-year. It is good for us to set goals for the New Year and achieve them. The environment is an important element and the foundation in supporting quality child care.

Our staff set Individual short/long term goals (resolutions) for the New Year! It is fun to look back on the last years goals and see how we’ve done. Mine is always ‘better time management’…still working on it from last year! The number one goal that we all agree on is our commitment to the children and families we serve at Park’s Edge Preschool.

What are you looking forward to in 2019?

Happy New Year!

Ellen M. Kvalheim