DRESS UP

We are trying to create three tubs of dress-up clothes for the children. We would like a Toddler set, a Preschool set, and a Pre-K set. If you have dress-up clothes (in good condition) or old Halloween costumes that no longer fit your child, please consider donating them to MDO. We are also looking for hats, gloves, and accessories too, appropriate for playing pretend. The Toddler tub would be sizes 2-4 while the others will proably be 4-6.

Thank you!

All Those Things I Forgot!

Oh, yes, we knew I would forget a few things today! So much info - so little time!

1. The downstairs area is undergoing some improvements. I told my teachers that we just "ran out of summer". The carpets have been cleaned and the rooms have been organized; however, we still need to paint and our recess room needs to be organized. And all I can say is that the playground is on the agenda; we are going to buy a few transportable things for the kids until plans can be finalized. We have also ordered new tables and cabinets for some of the rooms.

2. Your child's teachers have been coming up with creative ways to ensure that learning takes place and that the behavior of the children allows that. Please help us by learning what ways they plan to deal with behavior problems and supporting them in their endeavor. Children usually want to please parents, so if you also express disappointment, they tend to pay attention. If the behavior becomes too much of a distraction to the rest of the class on a consistent basis, we will have to discuss options with you.

3. With the addition of another class we decided to change Chapel on Thursdays a little. Your child will attend one of three Chapels. Pre-K and Preschool will have one time. Toddler 1 and Toddler 2 will have their own Chapel, and we will go to the Nursery for their Chapel time. Ms. Joyce will be teaching the Pre-K and Preschool Bible lesson, and I will be teaching Toddler and Nursery lessons.

4. Preschool and Pre-K classes will now have an additional music class on Thursdays! Ms. Maria agreed to work for us full-time this year, and she has some additional plans for these little guys on Thursday.

It was great to see all the returning parents this year and to meet some of you today. Please make sure you stop and introduce yourself to me and Kely during the month of September if we haven't had a chance to meet you yet!

Thursday, August 27th

Well, the time is almost here! I can feel parents silently cheering that they will now have a few hours to themselves each week! So what should you expect next Thursday?

First of all, our teachers will spend Tuesday (25th) getting ready for your children. We will have inservice for them from 9-2 that day. I think we have absolutely wonderful teachers that love the children and work hard planning for their days in class. As parents you can be confident that your children are in good hands!

Secondly, on Thursday there will be class lists along with room numbers and names of teachers on the doors outside the children's area. You may park in the lot next to the children's area (watch for small children!) and find your child's name on the list as you enter the building. There will then be people in the lobby to direct you to the classroom if you are unsure. After you meet the teachers and drop off your child, you will head to our chapel area for a parent meeting. We will have handbooks and other materials for you. After a brief meeting going over the highlights, you will have time to ask questions, fill out forms, and then pick up your child from his/her classroom.

Tuesday, September 1st will be our first full day. Car lane will not begin until the first week of October, so please bring your children in for the first month. This also allows you a chance to get to know the teachers and familiarize yourself with the classroom.

The only things that you need to bring on Thursday are diapers or pull-ups if your child is still wearing them and a pen to fill out forms! The children will probably be in their classroom for about 45 minutes.

We look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new ones!

FCC Members

Beginning this Sunday, the 23rd of August, there will be a MDO tuition box located in the upstairs foyer at the welcome center desk (right outside the sanctuary). If you are a FCC member, you may place your tuition check in the labeled box. Please remember the following: checks are made payable to Franklin Christian Church; in the memo area write the month for which you are paying and MDO. Kely or I will collect the checks after church. Thank you!

Notes

Well, it's that time of the year again when I have to get my college-age children settled in at school. This year we are allowing our middle child to take her car which means a long drive to Phoenix, Arizona! So I will be away from my desk August 12 - 17 as I travel with her out there and get her moved into her first apartment. So considering the drive, heat and moving furniture (never my favorite!) I will probably not be checking e-mail!

Some of you have questions about the Parent Meeting on the 27th. You do not have to sign up for a specific time, but you may choose to attend either time slot. Last year we had parents tell us which time, and it ended up being evenly divided, so we hope for the same scenario this year! The hour time slot will allow your child to become familiar with his/her room and teacher and also allow you a chance to meet with me and go over the Parent Handbook and fill out forms such as "Medical Release", "Permission to Pick-Up", "Photo Release", etc.

I will say this - the 10:00 AM time slot seems to be a popular one, so you might want to avoid the crowds and choose 11:30 AM. I promise that we will be prompt and efficient! There will be people to direct you and your child to your room and the meeting area. The parent meeting will start 15 minutes after the designated time and will last 30 minutes which will allow you an additional 15 minutes to fill out paperwork and see your child's teacher again - oh, and to take your child home with you too!

Parent Meeting/Meet the Teacher

If you are unable to attend the Parent/Meet the Teacher meeting on Thursday, August 27th, please e-mail Joni Myers at mdo@fcctn.org. We want to make sure that you receive a copy of the Parent Handbook and fill out the necessary forms on Tuesday, September 1st. We will have these in the foyer with your name on them, and please do not leave your child until all the forms have been completed and given to Joni or Kely. Afterwards, please read the Parent Handbook and give us a call or e-mail if you have any questions regarding the information in there.

Allergies

Please be aware that FCC is a nut-free zone! We do not serve any snacks containing any type of nuts. Please make sure when you pack lunches this fall that they are nut-free. This means no peanut butter or candy, chocolate, or cookies with nuts in them. We have children with severe allergies that cannot even be around the smell or within touch of nut products, so we ask all parents to help us by avoiding bringing them into the building.



There will be a form to fill out at the Parent Meeting (Aug. 27) that will ask you to list all allergies. When you check your child into his/her classroom that morning, please inform the teachers of any allergies too.



Thank you!

Every Prayer

Greg Johnson is a songwriter in town who has written a new single for Tracy Lawrence's new album coming out. Greg happens to be the husband of one of our teachers at MDO, Kellie Johnson (Pre-K). Check out the website and listen. Greg's song is called "Every Prayer". It is very good! You can also vote for your favorite (which we hope will be "Every Prayer")!