February Early Childhood Center of the Month!

Rockford Lutheran Academy, Rockford, IL

Faith Stories:
1.       One director reported the joy of seeing a staff member develop a wonderful new prayer journaling program in her classroom.  This same staff member had previously been somewhat opposed to integrating faith into the school’s curriculum when the school became more of a ministry of the church.  The Holy Spirit has truly worked hard on her heart in the last few years.
2.       Another school reported about how a new sermon series based on Joshua 1:9 was used with both the church and school.  It had a great impact on the children and adults.  Lots of visuals were used.

Conferences:
1.       Dr. Jean:  April 18, 2018     
Hilton Garden Inn, 7675 Walton St., Rockford
2.       Concordia Early Childhood Conference:  August 3, 2018
Concordia University, Chicago
$110 person + $10 optional lunch;  Gateways and ISBE credits
3.       NID Teachers Conference: October 19, 2018                               
Concordia University, Chicago
$90 person (lunch included); Gateways and ISBE credits


Online Resources Recommendations:
1.       www.himama.com
80+ different podcasts for early childhood leaders; blog, child care helps, parenting topics
Free
2.       Pre-K Pages
Helps for preschool teachers


3.       Fairy Dust Online Early Childhood Conferences

Ideas for Staff Relationships and Recognition
1.       -Using days such as “National Compliment Day” (January 24) https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-compliment-day-january-24/
-Integrate with Scripture on compliments: Romans 15:2, Philippians 4:8, Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 100:3, Ephesians 2:10, Isaiah 40:8
-Compliment Sheets:  Have one staff name on each piece of paper.  Pass the papers around and add compliments to them about the person.  Eventually return the sheet to the appropriate person with a fancy ribbon on it, attach a chocolate bar to it, etc.
-Post-It Notes: Use a variety of fun, bright post-it notes to leave little messages of appreciation, congratulations, love on teachers desks.  It’s fun to slip them on these desks/areas when they are not expecting anything.  Pick up lots of great, inspiring,fun, colorful shapes especially during August/September during “Back to School” time
(St. Peter, Arlington Heights)
2.       There is real POWER in feeling appreciated.   It’s a great feeling to work with a group of people who you love to be around.  Appreciated work keeps people motivated to keep on going. (Immanuel, Belvidere)
3.       -Host baby showers for staff members; live life with them through both the good and low times.
-“One Eared Reindeer Award”   Pass this object (or any other fun/silly object)  around from classroom to classroom to show appreciation for projects/activities/actions that are “well done”
-“Great Elf Competition”-  Small containers are put out in a common area where families can drop off/vote with coins/$ based on the names of the various teachers.  The teacher(s) with the most $ in their container at the end of a certain time period, would then dress up as an elf for the day.  All proceeds goes to a charity.
-Celebrate such special days as National Popcorn. https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-popcorn-day-january-19/   or Pancake Day https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-pancake-day-september-26/   and offer these food items  to everyone in the building.
-A handout with “9 Fun Ideas for Employee Recognition at Your Center” was shared
(Rockford Lutheran Academy, Rockford)
4.       Celebrate “National Have Fun at Work Day” (January 28) https://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-fun-at-work-day-january-28/
-Honor employees with “fun foods” and bags of silly items (rubber  bands, kalidoscopes, etc)
(TLC – Trinity, Huntley)


Early Childhood Staff:
Teachers: Stephanie Wilburn, Cortney Rehfeldt,
Lianette Lucena, & Megan Schultz
Principal: Curtis Wudtke



The staff is pictured in the middle of their newly remodeled preschool gym area




Preschool Rainbow Color Experiment
-clear cups
-white paper towels
-food coloring



Each preschool room is designed with a full classroom theme such as jungles, dogs, oceans, etc.  New lofts are being added this spring to all of these classrooms with theses theme as the basis for them. Come visit next year to see these completed lofts.  Principal Wudtke is building all of them.



Rockford Lutheran Academy uses the D.I.G. (Develop, Inspire, Grow) materials as the basis for the preschool curriculum.  It is published by the Abrams Learning Trends Company.  It is a 9 month integrated, thematic program.  It uses as variety of charts, puppet “Letter People”, CDs, readers, alphabet friezes, and other related materials. 



A Classroom Rules Chart used “Mr. Potato Head” parts to illustrate the expectations for appropriate classroom behavior.



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