By Lisa McEntyre

First Quarter Newsletter

We decided to change our Newsletter format and publish each quarter instead of each month.  With everyone’s busy schedules, it seems a more efficient and informative way to provide news and upcoming events to parents.  We started the Parent Committee last September, and will have our next meeting on January 26^th at 6:30 PM.  Each upcoming quarterly newsletter will also include minutes from these meetings, as well as upcoming information from the Parent Committee.  We hope this new format will work better for parent communication.  We feel this is a great time to make a change since we have SO many new families that have recently joined Children’s U and are beginning in this New Year!  So, here’s to a great new year and a happy and hearty welcome to new families. 

New Payment Options

Our webmaster has finalized our new Online Payment site!  We have chosen Google Checkout as our payment portal.  It’s quite simple to use:  Come to me for the form to request access to the secure, online payment site (this form is also available on the web).  After the webmaster has received your form, a user name and password will be enabled to allow you access to your payment page.  From there, you will find Google’s link to do a one-time registration for Google Checkout, unless you already have a Google Checkout account.  They offer payment through Visa, Mastercard, AMEX and Discover.  All information can be found on our website’s main page by clicking on “myCU” in the upper right-hand corner.  We’ve offered dual protection to your personal information, for your peace of mind.  As always, we have our locked tuition box right beside my office door and hand-delivered payments are always welcome.  Google Checkout does charge a 2% processing fee if you elect to use the online service. 

ADT Security System Update

Our security system has exceeded our expectations!  We find great comfort in knowing the doors are securely locked and we can fulfill our classroom duties without worry over who is coming and going from the main center door unsupervised.  With that in place we now have a new issue of parents forgetting or losing cards.  Each family was, issued a card to allow access. With that card was a letter of explanation of the importance of not only keeping that card, but making sure if it’s lost to inform the Director immediately.  We are happy to reissue a card, at the cost of $20 per card.  When you leave your card or misplace it, and keep ringing the bell, it is a major distraction to the faculty and staff, and a potential ratio risk to the classroom.  No teacher will EVER leave a classroom out of ratio.  If you do not have a card and cannot gain access, a teacher’s only option is to either take their entire classroom to the door to unlock it, or leave you outside. If the only choice available to our staff is to leave you waiting until another teacher can assist you, this is the process they have been instructed to follow.  Please inform the Director immediately if you need a new card.  The system was primarily installed for the protection of your child.  Please, help us help keep your children safe.

New Seasons Bring Change

Seasonal changes bring so much, including temperature fluctuations and the infamous Cold and Flu Season.  As we all experience North Carolina is famous for its “strange” weather patterns.  Please plan for the worst:  bring your child to school in cold weather clothes, preferably in layers.  Label each layer to ensure your child’s items are properly placed in their cubby.  They thoroughly enjoy playing outside, and we want to allow them as much outside playtime as we can.  If you do not provide us with proper outside play apparel, this makes it difficult for the teachers.  When you are checking those cubbies, ensure two changes of clothing are always available.  We must also take this moment to remind parents of the sick policy:  your child MAY NOT return to school until he/she is at least 24 hours fever and symptom free.  We are always battling the introduction of viruses into our Center that not only impact other children in your classroom, but also exposes our teachers, possibly passing it on to their families.  We all understand your need to work but please understand we are here to service ALL children; our teachers cannot perform at our best if we are battling illness and out with sick family members of our own.  You know if your child is ill; please be aware and know we will be calling the moment we see your child is too ill to be at the Center and expect you to immediately pick them up.

Christmas Parade

On December 13^th we participated in the Chapel Hill Jaycee’s Annual Chapel Hill-Carrboro Christmas Parade!  It was loads of fun:  Ms. Robenia’s father let us borrow his pickup truck and trailer.  We decorated it with lots of multi-cultural bits and pieces and handed peppermint candies to the crowd.  Most of our staff and their children rode along, along with a few families from Children’s U (many thanks to the Criglers).  We just got into the parade under the wire, and have put it on next year’s calendar to start our float decoration earlier.  So, watch out Jaycees!  Children’s University will be back and bigger than ever!  And, we will be posting the event around November and hope any and all families interested in “floating” down Main Street will attend.

CreativeCurriculum

We are into one full year of this wonderful program.  It is a complex program, but I think we’ve finally got the hang of it!  If you have not had the chance to get online and experience it for yourself, we strongly encourage you to do so.  Simply come by my office with your email address, we will send you an electronic email with instructions from Creative Curriculum that will setup your own password protected portal.  From there, you can view observations, developmental milestones and even art work!  Our teachers have also been working on getting Parent/Teacher Conferences done.  If you have not had one, and would like to schedule one, please see your teacher as soon as possible for a good date and time.  We are also happy to give you a print out of your child’s observations if you need them.  Just let us know how we can all utilize this tool to help you and your child as much as possible.

Parent Forums and Information

On the main page for www.cuChapelHill.com, you will find a new link called “myCU.”  As mentioned, you can make online payments through this link; we are also planning on offering Webcams and Parent Forums in the near future.  We encourage all of you to join.  You can meet other parents both past, present and future.  This will be a place for you to discuss questions or concerns you may have not only about Children’s University, but parenting in general.  We’ve also had much discussion amongst parents regarding yard sales and donated items they’d like to share.  So coupling this with our Parent Committee meetings and subsequent minutes, we feel parents will be much more informed, and hopefully involved, in the daily on goings here at Children’s U.

Teacher Spotlight

Ebony Goodwin has been a member of our staff since November 2007.  She is an Assistant Teacher in our Jellyfish Classroom, and loves working with 2 and 3 year olds.  The kids all adore her and she brings much liveliness and delight to their daily schedules (even though we adults feel her singing is just a BIT off key!)  She has a two year old daughter, Ayana, who is a Seahorse here at our Center, and is expecting her second child in April!  We look forward to many years of fun with Ms. Ebony!

Closings

All closings are listed on our website.  We do our best to inform you with notes on the front doors and through verbal reminders.  Please refer to the upcoming list of closings and print a copy for your personal use.  Our next upcoming closing will be Martin Luther King Day on January 19^th.  We thank you for your cooperation and understanding especially on our much needed Teacher Workdays.  These are a time for the teachers to get their rooms in order and group on-site trainings to further our education requirements.