Today is pajama and movie day at Discovery Center!  This is the easiest day of the year to get ready for school!  We'll be watching "Winnie the Pooh" and having a relaxing day before the Thanksgiving holiday.  DON'T FORGET: DONATE NEW PAJAMAS, TOYS, BOOKS TO FOSTER KIDS TODAY.  DONATION BOX IN LOBBY.  HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Our toddlers had a great week!  We managed to get outside for a little bit and play in the fresh air and sunshine, which fooled us into thinking it was warmer than it really was!  We read stories about Thanksgiving and families, and sang "10 Fat Turkeys" and "Turkey is a Funny Bird".  We painted with water colors, and we drew colorful turkey feathers.  We've been practicing walking up and down the steps (a.k.a. the boat), and we love to dance and sing!  Don't forget to bring hats and gloves for outside play!
  
Turkey is a Funny Bird (tune of All Around the Cobbler's Bench)
The turkey is a funny bird.  His head goes wobble, wobble.
He only knows just one word: gobble, gobble, gobble!!

Dear Kelly Alonzo,

Thank you for your application to Early Achievers, Washington’s Quality Rating and Improvement System, your application has been approved and you have been awarded Level 2 designation!

Early Achievers Application for Level 2

DISCOVERY CENTER I

11/12/2013

Approved

Your facility is now eligible to submit a Request for On-Site Evaluation in MERIT. You have the choice to decide if you are ready to request the evaluation or if you could use more time to prepare. Facilities have one year from time of Level 2 completion to request an evaluation; applications are received on a rolling basis. If you have not requested an evaluation after one year your facility will be assigned a Level 2 rating.

Programs should only request an evaluation when they feel confident they can meet the minimum thresholds for ERS and CLASS. Each assessed classroom/focal child must score at least a 2 on Instructional Support in the CLASS, a 3.5 on Emotional Support and Organization/Emotional and Behavioral Support in the CLASS, and a 3.5 on the ERS to achieve a Level 3-5 rating. Facilities that do not meet these minimum thresholds will receive a Level 2 rating. We recommend that you use the results of your self-assessments to help determine your readiness to request a rating.

Evaluations are scheduled during three month assessment windows; you may want to consider application deadlines and assessment windows when you make your request.

Applicant Cohorts:

• Apply between January-March 1, on-site evaluation occurs April-June
• Apply between April-June 1, on-site evaluation occurs July-September
• Apply between July-September 1, on-site evaluation occurs October-December
• Apply between October-December 1, on-site evaluation occurs January-March

Congratulations on achieving Level 2, we are pleased to recognize your commitment to quality early learning experiences for the children of Washington.



Thank you,

QRIS Support Services
Department of Early Learning
E-mail: qris@del.wa.gov
Website: merit.del.wa.gov

The Stone Soup Story:  A beggar asked alms at a lordly mansion but was told by the servants they had nothing to give him. “Sorry for it,” said the man,” but will you let me boil a little water to make some soup of this stone?” This was so novel a proceeding, that the curiosity of the servants was aroused, and the man was readily furnished with saucepan, water, and a spoon. In he popped the stone, and he begged for a little salt and pepper for flavouring. Stirring the water and tasting it, he said it would be the better for any fragments of meat and vegetables they might happen to have. These were supplied, and ultimately he asked for a little catsup or other sauce. When fully boiled and fit, each of the servants tasted it, and declared that stone soup was excellent.  (As explained in the Dictionary of Phrase and Fable,written by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer and published in England in 1905.)  Please join us on Tues. 26th during your child's lunch time for our version of Stone Soup.  See sign up sheets in classrooms to bring veggies to add to the soup.

The preschool/pre-k class (Ms. Kelsey's class) will be going to the Kid's Quest Museum tomorrow (Thursday, 11/14).  We will leave here at 9:30 and return by 12:00.  Please sign the permission slip on the lobby counter and leave car seats.  Also, there is a $5 charge (cash preferable).  This is a great field trip, and the kids get a lot out of it.  There's climbing, face painting, a truck to pretend to drive, scarves to shoot up a vacuum tube, and much more!  Chaperones are still needed and as always are free of charge!  Have a great night!

Welcome November!  The Bears Class is looking forward to Thanksgiving.  We worked hard to draw a turkey using shapes.  They turned out so cute!  We are helping each other write our names.  In our science center we took some objects we found for our Nature Hunt homework project and put them into jars filled with water and glitter.  They are very interesting and pretty.  Next week we have a field trip to the Kid's Quest Museum.  Please sign permission form and leave car seats.  Want to chaperone?  Let me know.  On Wednesday the 27th we will have PAJAMA DAY!  Since we are talking about giving and being thankful, we would like for you to donate to foster children in the Seattle area by bringing in new pajamas (or books or toys) on that day.   We will have a donation box set up, and information about the foster children charity.  Thank you, and have a great weekend!

Our parent/teacher conferences are going very well.  We will continue through Wednesday.  If you haven't made an appointment to meet with your child's teacher yet, please see the sign-up list of available times on the lobby counter.  If you need a different time or day, just let us know and we'll be happy to accommodate.  Have a great evening!  (Try to stay dry!)