Hello Branch Families!
Branch Families,
Welcome to the Branch Room! Let’s start by saying how excited we are for this upcoming school year! The Branch Room is unique because you will see your child grow and flourish in many developmental domains. Children develop many language, physical, and social skills at this age. It is truly amazing to watch the growth each child experiences from their very first day to their last day in the Branch Room. We cannot wait for you to witness it for yourselves!
One of our main priorities in the classroom is to help develop our social-emotional skills, such as problem-solving, emotional regulation, and a sense of independence. These skills create an important foundation for learning and help children feel confident and capable in the classroom. We are confident you will love the growth you’ll see in your Brancher!
We would also love to introduce ourselves! We are Miss Heather, who has been at GT for 10 years, and Miss Gracen, who has been at GT for 5 years. This will be our fifth year teaching together, so the Branch Room is truly a well-oiled machine!
That said, we have an exciting addition to the Branch Room: Miss Gracen will be welcoming her first baby! She plans to take maternity leave from November through February. But not to worry, we are committed to building strong relationships and maintaining consistency and a sense of familiarity throughout the school year. We want your children to feel safe, comfortable, and supported every step of the way.
We cannot wait to get to know each of you and your families better, and we hope the feeling is mutual! If you ever have any questions or concerns, please feel free to ask. We are always happy to provide clarity and support. We are dedicated to your child’s development and to creating a fun, welcoming, and safe environment for your entire family!
In September, our unit will be “Getting to Know One Another and Our Classroom!” Entering a new class can bring mixed emotions. It can be exciting and fun, but also very intimidating and nerve-wracking. That is why it is so important to us to make the transition as smooth as possible for the children. By taking the time to learn the ropes of the Branch Room, we believe we will accomplish just that! We will focus on classroom procedures and expectations and incorporate fun, engaging activities to help us get to know one another’s personalities better!
Once we have established the Branch Room Basics, we also plan to tackle a “Germ” unit throughout the month of September. This unit is designed to help the children learn more about their bodies and the importance of keeping themselves and the classroom clean and germ-free! And what better time to learn about being mindful of germs than at the start of a new school year?
Reminders:
- Please bring one small blanket and one lovey for our rest times.
- Please ensure that your child has a change of clothing in their cubby basket. Accidents happen; when they do, we want to ensure your child is comfortable throughout the day.
- Please bring in pictures of your family for our classroom Family Board! You may bring as many pictures as you like. We say, “The more, the merrier!” The children always love to show off their pictures!
Cheers to a wonderful year ahead!
– Miss Gracen & Miss Heather