Burlington Early Childhood Center

Handwriting and Letter Play

2012-01-19T05:16:00.003-05:00

Lisa Bottiglio, teacher of the Cub Cadets, shared this post with the families in her classroom. This approach to beginning writing skills is used throughout the program. I thought it was a great post to share with all of our families at the Burlington Early Childhood Center.
Handwriting and Letter Play

Our program has using been using the researched based curriculum called Handwriting Without Tears. It focuses on fine motor readiness skills as well as promote the correct way to form letters and numbers. We have been using a variety of materials to explore how letters are formed with this program. This is a part of every day in school. The children really love it.

We use Ipad apps to promote letter writing as well. This app is called Iwrite words. It is an interactive way to have the students write letters.

We have used snow(really shaving cream) to hid letters. Then students were asked to use their pointer finger to trace the letters. This was a fun way to promote left to right progression and letter awareness.

We have HWT letters on rice trays. The children use their fingers to move the rice to reveal the uppercase letters hidden in the colored rice.

Along with these hands on activites, we use handwriting books, songs to promote letter formations(ie;"Where do you start your letters?), and building Mat Man. He is a man that is formed using big and little lines and big and little curves. The children love him.

Fun Ideas

2012-01-15T17:29:00.004-05:00

The cold winter weather is upon us and it's hard to get out and play. Here are some fun indoor sensory ideas to keep your children busy and continue to develop fine motor skills.

Messy play ideas

http://nurturestore.co.uk/messy-play-ideas

ON OCTOBER 15TH, 2009

Don’t be afraid of a little mess! Sensory play is so beneficial for children: it’s creative and good for role playing, relaxing, great for fine motor skills, and teaches lots of science too. Try some of these ideas.

Ice Cream Playdough recipe

Top 10 playdough ideas

Foot print painting

Air drying clay models

Top 10 water play ideas

The Messy Play Carnival 2010

Kindergarten Registration

2012-01-12T12:59:00.001-05:00

BURLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Louise D’Amato 123 CAMBRIDGE STREET

Interim Director of Special Education BURLINGTON, MA 01803

(781)270-1822

FAX (781)270-1990

PRESS RELEASE

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION

Registration of children entering Kindergarten in September, 2012 will be held at the Fox Hill, Memorial, Pine Glen and Francis Wyman Schools on Monday through Friday, February 6, 2012 through February 10, 2012 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. each day. A child entering kindergarten must have attained the age of five by August 31, 2012.

At the time of registration, parents are required to bring:

1. Birth certificate for child.

2 Proof of residency in the Town of Burlington. This requirement can be satisfied with the presentation of a lease or a recent utility bill.

3. Medical form must be completed by your family physician, and returned to school two (2) days prior to the opening of school. Children will not be able to attend school in September 2012 unless a complete medical form is provided. Your family physician must detail that your child has been given the following immunizations and also indicate the dates the immunizations were given:

5 doses Diphtheria, Pertussis, and Tetanus (DTaP)

4 doses Polio

3 doses Hepatitis B

2 doses Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR)

2 doses of Varicella Vaccine or Chicken Pox disease

Proof of Lead Screening

Vision and Hearing Screening

4. Pre-school form will need to be completed by the pre-school provider and returned at the time of your child’s scheduled kindergarten screening in the spring of 2012.

The medical forms can be picked up at registration or by clicking the following link:

http://www.mass.gov/Eeohhs2/docs/dph/com_health/school/health_record_form.pdf

http://www.mass.gov/Eeohhs2/docs/dph/cdc/immunization/record_certificate_of_immunization.pdf

Open House

2011-12-28T09:47:00.001-05:00

The Burlington Early Childhood Center will be hosting an Open House on Friday, January 20, 2012 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Burlington High School - where the programs are located. This Open House provides families with an opportunity to view the programs, meet the teachers and pickup registration packets to enroll their children for next year. Students must be 3 years old by August 31, 2011. For more information call Sandy at 781-270-1808.

Holiday Break

2011-12-23T14:26:00.001-05:00

The Burlington Early Childhood Center will be closed until Tuesday January 3, 2012. Best wishes for a safe and happy holiday break.

Changes

2011-12-21T15:13:00.002-05:00

12/21/2011

Dear Preschool Families,

I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some changes that will be taking place at the Burlington Early Childhood Center in January of 2012. Dr. Cath Estep, Director of Pupil Services, will retire from the Burlington Public Schools in February of 2012. I have been asked to be the Interim Director of Special Education from January to June. This is a wonderful opportunity for me to learn some new skills, and gain a broader view of the district from pre-k to 22.

In my absence Deborah Clark, Speech-Language Pathologist at the Francis Wyman School, will take over as Interim Director of the Integrated Preschool. Ms. Clark is a well respected speech pathologist who has a strong working knowledge of language based disabilities as well as augmentative communication devices. During the summer time, Ms. Clark serves as one of the directors of the Burlington Public Schools Summer Elementary Literacy Program. In this role she oversees the daily operations of the program, supervises staff and coordinates curriculum. She does this flawlessly every summer.

The transition will take place over the month of January with the full transition in place by the end of the month. Please know that even though I will not be in the preschool on a daily basis, I will only be moving a couple of feet away to central office. If you need to get in touch with me for any reason please send me an email to d’amato@bpsk12.org. After January any questions about the daily operations of the program you can email Deborah at clark@bpsk12.org.

Best wishes for a very happy and healthy holiday season.

Louise D’Amato
Director B.E.C.C

What Does the "Special" in Special Education Mean?

2011-12-19T20:20:00.003-05:00

Next month the Burlington Early Childhood Center will hold an open house for families that are interested in attending for the 2012/2013 school year. One of the questions that is asked over and over again is how do you meet the needs of all students, and will my child be challenged? The following article does a nice job explaining what differentiated instruction is and how teachers are able to meet the needs of all learners.

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/special-in-special-ed-marisa-kaplan

Quiz of the Day: What does the "Special" in Special Education mean?

A. That every child learns in a special way?
B. That every teacher teaches in a special way?
C. That a teacher specializes in educating all kinds of learners?

Actually it's
D. All of the above

What kind of chef are you? How are you in the kitchen?

If I posed this question to all of my friends, I would receive a wide range of responses. Perhaps I would have one group of people who could barely follow the instructions to make a box of macaroni and cheese. Others could probably make eggs and spaghetti but that is the extent of their culinary expertise. Then I would have this top tier of friends who are so amazing in the kitchen that they make their own sauce from scratch! That's how I judge top notch: sauce from scratch.

What does this have to do with learning?

Well, I would never ask my "macaroni friends" to make their own sauce, nor would I toss a box of macaroni to my top tier friends, when I know they could be creating a divine meal from scratch! Let's apply this idea to the classroom.

Four Paths to Differentiation: Content, Delivery of Instruction, Resources, Product and Assessment

These four ideas are interconnected, but to truly understand how to differentiate instruction, it is more manageable to look at them separately.

1. Content: Content is what we teach. It is what we want students to learn, understand and be able to apply as a result of instruction.

2. Delivery of Instruction: Delivery of Instruction is the how of teaching. This can mean how activities are designed to help students make sense of content. Delivery of Instruction also includes the process of teaching and even integrating different co-teaching models if you have multiple adults in the classroom.

3. Resources and Materials: Resources act as the medium through which you teach students. Resources can include texts, supplies, videos, materials, field trips, etc.

4. Product/Assessment: A product is the evidence of learning. It is how the student demonstrates his or her understanding of an idea. A product is a method of assessment, and in a differentiated classroom there are multiple product/assessment styles offered to students.

One Lesson, Four Differentiations

Here's an example. Let's say that in a differentiated classroom, students are learning about communities.

1. Differentiated Content: Some students may be working on developing an understanding of the term "community" by exploring different books, photos and videos about communities. Others might be working on understanding the difference between rural, urban and suburban communities. Here, the content for each group of students is different.

2. Differentiated Delivery of Instruction: A teacher might teach a lesson about the different types of communities by watching a video and taking shared notes. He or she might then pull a group of students and do a read-aloud activity using a book with vivid photographs that show the different types of communities. Here, the students are learning the same content through different learning activities. The instruction is being delivered differently.

3. Differentiated Resources: A teacher might have three groups of students researching communities. One group might be using a series of easy readers and picture books to compile their information, while another group uses higher-level non-fiction text with chapters and features such as glossary and index. Perhaps there is a third group doing independent Internet research. In this case, three groups of students are using appropriate texts in the classroom.

4. Differentiated Products To assess learning, perhaps some students do an oral presentation of their findings, while others create a poster based on their research. Others design a test and answer key on the subject! In this case, student learning is beingdemonstrated in different ways.

The Takeaway

In education, one size does not fit all.
All students deserve and are entitled to appropriate instruction.
We can accommodate in small, simple ways that will support growth in all of our students.

If you have any tips for differentiation -- especially small, simple things we can do -- please share them!

Parent Teacher Conferences

2011-12-08T10:23:00.005-05:00

There is no school on Friday December 9, 2011 for parent teacher conferences. If you have not scheduled and appointment for tomorrow please email your classroom teacher to set up an appointment.

Friendly Frogs, Andrea Hayes

ahayes @bpsk12.org

Puppy Pals, Tiffany D'Abbracio

Dabbraccio@bpsk12.org

Lucky Ducks, Naomi Abelson

Abelson@bpsk12.org ***

Busy Bees, Courtney Stratton

Stratton@bpsk12.org

Barnyard Buddies, Shannon Conroy

Conroy@bpsk12.org

Cub Cadets, Lisa Bottiglio

Bottiglio@bpsk12.org

Spunky Monkeys, Amanda Nasta

Nasta@bpsk12.org ******

The Lucky Ducks conferences will be held on Monday December 12, 2011

The Spunky Monkeys will not have conferences tomorrow. This classroom is new and just opened a few weeks ago. Students are still transitioning into the program and learning the routine. Amanda will hold conferences in late January early February. However, she is available at any time to discuss your child.

Learning Through Predictable Books

2011-12-04T14:14:00.004-05:00

Learning Through Predictable Books

by Rynette R. Kjesbo, M.S., CCC-SLP

What Are Predictable Books?

Predictable books are books that are written in a way that makes it easy to guess what will happen on the next page. Many predictable books repeat words, phrases, or sentences throughout the text. For example, in the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr., the question “What do you see?” and the answer “I see a ___ looking at me.” repeat throughout the entire story. Deborah Guarino’s book Is Your Mama a Llama? is another kind of predictable book that uses rhyme and rhythm to help children solve riddles about animal mothers. Other predictable books build on storylines or sequences that are familiar to children. For example, Cookie’s Week, a story by Cindy Ward, follows the misadventures of a cat through the familiar sequence of the days of the week.

Why Are Predictable Books Important?

There are many benefits that come from reading predictable books with your children. Here are just a few:

• Children learn pre-reading skills. As you begin to read books with your children, they learn pre-reading skills, such as reading from top to bottom, reading from left to right, and turning pages. They also learn that a story has a beginning, middle, and end.

• Children participate in reading. Predictable books are easy to understand and remember. Because of this, children become familiar with predictable books quickly, which allows them to fill in words and phrases when they read the books again.

• Children learn about rhyme and rhythm. Many predictable books use rhyme and rhythm to make them predictable. As a result, children learn these skills as they read and re-read predictable books.

• Children learn inflection in a natural way. We don’t usually speak in just one tone of voice. Inflection is the change between the high tones and low tones in our voices when we speak. Predictable books often have a rhythm that is read with a singsong inflection which is easier for children to imitate.

• Children get additional speech practice. Because words and phrases are repeated in many predictable books, finding a book that repeats your children’s targeted speech sounds can give them additional speech practice as they read.

• Children experience success with reading. Reading predictable books can make children feel successful with the skill of reading. Children who feel successful with reading will want to continue reading.

List of Predictable Books

There are many wonderful predictable books that you can read with your children. Here is just a small sample list. Your local library can assist you in finding more.

An Egg Is an Egg by Nicki Weiss Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman

Don’t Climb Out of the Window Tonight by Richard McGilvray

I Went Walking by Sue Williams

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Numeroff

It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles G. Shaw

My Very Own Octopus by Bernard Most

This Is The Bear by Sarah Hayes

Where Does the Brown Bear Go? by Nicki Weiss

Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen

Who Says That? by Arnold L. Shapiro

Family Traditions

2011-11-29T21:02:00.001-05:00

Our theme this month in the preschool is family traditions. I came across this article and thought I would share.

By Amanda Morin

http://www.education.com/magazine/article/creating_family_rituals/

Every family has those inside jokes or groan-inducing nicknames that set them apart from the rest of the world. Did you know that those goofy little jokes are actually family rituals? Contrary to what you may think, rituals don't need to be elaborate, fancy or religious, they just need to be meaningful. Even something as simple as a monthly dinner at your family's favorite restaurant or a weekly trip to the park can serve to help your child develop a sense of belonging.

According to Professor Barbara Fiese, PhD., Chair of the Psychology Department at the University of Syracuse, simple family rituals serve an important role in creating a child's sense of identity. "For young children in particular, this is really important.. It's sort of the foundation of their sense of identity and it provides a protection from stress," she explains. "All families experience some forms of stress and the expectation for these regular, predictable routines and these meaningful rituals can sort of ease transitions."

Since in today's busy world families face lots of transitions, it's especially important to create some rituals to strengthen a potentially tenuous family bond. "The rituals that we have and that we create are all sort of shorthand for who we are as a group together," says Fiese. So, the jokes that get repeated over and over again until the punchline alone is enough to make your child spurt milk out his nose help your family develop a common sense of humor and history. But those jokes are rarely intentional. Is an artificially-created ritual as powerful as one that occurs spontaneously?

According to William Doherty, author of The Intentional Family: Simple Rituals to Strengthen Family Ties, all traditions begin as artificially-created experiences. "The issue," he states, "is whether they fill a need and feel good over time." That's where the idea of simple, but meaningful comes in. If your trip to the park was so much fun that your family decided to make it part of a predictable routine, then you've managed to create a ritual without even trying. Though it won't always be that easy to create a family ritual that stands the test of time, both Fiese and Doherty offer some tips of how to create meaningful rituals. Here are some of their thoughts:

Identify a few things your family looks forward to doing together. Sometimes these things are obvious, but sometimes they're not. For example, Fiese points out that many families are "plugged in" to music at the same time, but separately. Her suggestion? Create a family playlist. Once you get over the moans and groans, you'll have a chance to learn about each other's tastes.
Preserve and modify the rituals you already have. If your current rituals are meeting your family's need for connection, and provide a sense of identity, keep those traditions going however you can. Continuing to have a large dinner together over Thanksgiving is a great ritual, but as time goes on, you may need to move it from Grandma's house to your own. This meets the need for connection, but also can help keep the ritual from becoming stressful.
Be flexible. Your family doesn't stay the same over time, so neither should your rituals. As Doherty puts it: "Rituals have their seasons for planting, cultivating, pruning, and harvesting." Evaluate your traditions periodically to see if they meet everybody's needs and have evolved as your family has aged.

Above all, keep communicating with each other. Open communication is what keeps rituals (and families) healthy. Talking to each other about what makes you happy about what you're doing and what you've done is as crucial as talking about what doesn't work. "One of the key elements in healthy rituals is being able to have open communication about how important people are for the group and to really celebrate the symbolism of each family member," emphasizes Fiese. So the next time your child complains about being called "Pooky," you can tell him it's bringing you closer together!

5 Little Turkeys

2011-11-22T18:09:00.001-05:00

The staff of the Burlington Early Childhood Center would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving break. Take some time the next couple of day to relax and enjoy your family and friends.

Reminder school will close at 11:30 on Wednesday and there will be no afternoon session. School will remain closed on Thursday and Friday for the Thanksgiving break. Relax and enjoy and we will see you on Monday.

Taming Temper Tantrums

2011-11-19T18:19:00.001-05:00

Taming Temper Tantrums

Posted: November 17th, 2011 by Michele Borba

What research says are best ways to curb a tantrum before, during and after the storm. The tips I shared on TODAY this morning

Temper tantrums—those annoying kid wails and frails and meltdowns—are common. Studies show that almost 70 percent of young kids have them.

Tantrums are equally as common in girls as in boys. Older kids sometimes resort back to the tantrum stage, especially if there’s been a recent stress or change in their lives or they’ve learned they work to get their way. So if tantrums are common, how do you stop them? New research finally gives parents important clues.

Yale University and King’s College London findings tell us we can hold those sticker charts, fancy point systems or our pleads and threats. The techniques are largely ineffective in changing kid behavior for the long haul.

Studies confirm what is more effective in curbing a tantrum is how the parent responds to the outbursts.

In fact, how parents respond will largely determine whether those kid outbursts decrease or increase.

Here are a few tips I shared with Matt Lauer this morning on TODAY to do before, during and after the storm to curb meltdowns. I also had an enlightening phone chat with Dr. Alan Kazdin (who you may have seen in the B-roll before the set and author of Parenting the Defiant Child) who shared the parenting management programs his team at Yale is doing. His tips for praising good behavior and the using the “Untantrum Game” to teach more appropriate behaviors are below.

Before the Tantrum

Young kids do not have internal brake systems and need you to calm them down or their frustrations can quickly escalate. In some cases you have only seconds before an exorcism begins so don’t wait until your child is in full meltdown to apply these strategies.

Your best defense is to anticipate a tantrum’s onset. Watch for your kid’s signs that a tantrum is on its way: tension, antsy, a whimper. Then try some of these techniques. Hint: You really have to experiment with what works for your child but these are worth the try.

Predict tantrums triggers. The biggest frustration triggers young kids are fatigue, hunger and boredom. You’ll reduce many of those meltdowns by taking him shopping after the nap or eating a snack, or letting him play with something while you wait.

Distract and redirect. Try to redirect your child’s attention: “Let’s go get your teddy.” “I bet you can’t jump up and touch the sky!?” Or try distracting your little one: “Look at that little boy over there.” Your best bet is to try to divert your child’s attention long enough to reroute his energy. But be quick-you may have only sections before the meltdown.

Name the upset feeling. Telling an upset kid to “Calm down” won’t cut it , but it helps to name the feeling to a nonverbal child. Get down eye-to-eye and in an exaggerated tone, put into words how the child is feeling.“Johnny is soooooo mad!!!” It’s almost as though you see your little one look up at you with a, “Well yep. That’s how I feel! Glad you caught on!”

I learned this technique from Dr. Harvey Karp, author of the Happiest Toddler on the Block, during a Parentsmagazine advisory meeting (we serve on the Parents board of advisors). Harvey is fabulous to watch when he talks to kids. I swear he’s the ultimate Toddler Tamer.

Turn DON’T to DO. Little egos are forming and their little independence streak is churning, so watch out for overusing the word NO which can cause frustrations. You’ll get far better responses if you turn your “Don’t run” into “Let’s walk.” Firmly phrase your instructions in terms of what to do, instead of what not to do.

Use calming transitions. Try rubbing his back, holding him gently, or humming a relaxing song. Try using softer voice tones or turn your hand into an instant puppet and make your hand talk. This is a magical age when you can use their imagination to your advantage-but only if you turn on your magic before the meltdown. (Another great Dr. Karp tip!)

During the Tantrum

Once an attention-getting tantrum begins there is little you can do to control it, so remain calm. (I know, I know, but doing so is essential). Your calm behavior will help your child get back in control.

Ensure safety. If there are sharp edges, glasses or objects that could hurt your child, move him to a “safe zone.” If you’re out in public, stop what you’re doing and remove your kid to secluded spot or take him home. Yes, it’s inconvenient, but he’ll learn you’re won’t tolerate inappropriate behavior. Consistency is critical. (Repeat that line, “Consistency is critical.” Again: “Consistency is critical.”)

Ignore. Ignore. Ignore. Don’t give the outburst any attention. No eye contact, no words, do not react. Once your child learns that her outburst “works”—that is she gets her way—she’s likely to try it again (and again and again). In fact, research at Boston shows that the longer you give attention to a tantrum, the longer it lasts.

Once you start ignoring a certain behavior you must keep ignoring. Attention-getting behaviors may increase slightly before subsiding—because the child is testing you, so just don’t let him win! Also, if you are upset, walk away. The fastest way to increase a tantrum is for you to yell or grab your child. Walk and get yourself calm (it will also help you ignore the outburst!)

Don’t try to reason. Forget trying to rationalize with a wailing, flailing child. Doing so is like trying to reason with a goldfish. Once in tantrum-mode your child is beyond understanding. Also, don’t coax, yell, or spank. It doesn’t help, and you’re libel to escalate the outburst.

After the Tantrum

Your goal is to teach your child “replacer” behaviors to reduce those outbursts and help the child learn healthier ways to handle upset feelings.

Praise efforts. The fastest way to change behavior is to point out the moment your child uses the right behavior! So the second your kid uses the right behavior reinforce it! (“Thank you for using that nice tone! What did you want to ask?”)

Dr. Kazdin says the best praise for changing behavior has three parts:

~Uses an exaggerated or enthusiastic tone (I tell parents it’s like when you add an exclamation point to the end of your praise. Sound elated!)

~Is specific so your child knows exactly what he did right. (I teach parents to add “because” to the praise so as to help the child know exactly what he did that you hope is repeated: “Great job because you told mommy you were tired. Thank you!”

~Is warm and uses touch. Give him a hug, a big pat on the back or a high five!

Point out the desired behavior in other children: “See how nicely that boy is playing with others” (Do hold those judgments: “Why can’t you do that?”) Kids learn a new skill quicker by seeing, not hearing it. So don’t describe, but show the behavior you want your child to use. .

Practice “Untantrums.” New behaviors take lots of practice. Dr. Alan Kazdin suggests helping your child practice how to behavior without tantruming. Of course, you can only do this strategy when your child is calm. You’d say,

“Okay, let’s try another way of acting without the tantrum. I’m going to tell you that you can’t have a cookie (we’re just pretending remember). And you’re going to show me how to act without hitting and screaming. Ready?”

The child then practices the new way of “untantruming” and you praise the heck out of the little rehearsal.Dr. Kazdin then suggests saying, “I bet you can’t do it again!” And most kids relish in trying again (and again, and again).

The trick is to rehearse the new behavior many times so when the heat of the moment comes the meltdown doesn’t kick in, but the new pre-reheased behavior does. Try it!

Don’t give up! It can take weeks for behavior change. You should see a gradual diminishment of the tantrums. Track the frequency of those tantrums on a monthly calendar. You may be surprised (and elated) to discover those meltdowns really are slowing down!

Get help if tantrum continue or increase. If those tantrums escalate, are more frequent, last longer in duration, or your child is in danger or hurting himself or others, then it’s time to get help.

A recent APA publication advised that young children who have daily, intense temper tantrums are significantly more at risk to have later behavioral and emotional problems. Don’t wait! Early intervention is key!

Dr. Michele Borba, Parenting Expert

Follow me on twitter @micheleborba or on my blog, Dr. Borba’s Reality Check where I provide late-breaking parenting news and tips to raise compassionate kids with strong hearts and minds

The Circus is Coming!

2011-11-16T18:59:00.001-05:00

The Burlington Education Foundation is hosting a Circus presented by Cirque Du Jour this Saturday, November 19, 2011.Three show times at 11, 1:30 and 4 with entertainment for all. Former Ringling Bros. performers, acrobats, daredevils, BMX bike team and more. Tickets are $10 each, or a 4-pack for only $30. Tickets are available on-line athttp://www.burlingtonedfoundation.org/ or at the door

All Dressed Up

2011-11-12T09:37:00.003-05:00

I recently came across this blog post on dress up in the dramatic play area, and thought I would share it. I think the author has done a great job explaining the skills children develop when they play and interact in the dramatic play/dress up area.

All Dressed Up

Posted on November 12, 2011 by jlevine

http://www.childcarelounge.com/blog/

Why Dress Up Is Important

by Janine

When a child plays dress up, they are doing so much more than putting on a costume. Dress up is a great way to encourage many social and emotional skills that children need to be successful in school, and even later on in life. Here are a few reasons why every preschool classroom should have a bin of dress up clothes.

Dress up encourages creativity. Children can pretend to be whatever they want. They can express their sense of style. It is a way for them to role play scenarios they find interesting. The world becomes as large as the child’s imagination.

Dress up encourages language skills. When children dress up, they often have conversations to act out their play scenarios. They may pretend to be a specific character, such as a waiter taking your food order, or a doctor caring for a sick baby doll. No matter what the set-up, you can bet the child is engaging in some form of conversation.

Dress up encourages positive relationships and cooperation with peers. Children will have to not only share the dress up materials, they will also engage one in another in their play scenarios, often working together to form a role play.

Dress up encourages self-confidence. Children may feel more confident to express their thoughts and ideas while in costume. Often a shy child becomes more expressive while dressed up, because they feel the attention is on what they are wearing and not on them. This allows the child’s personality to shine through.

Dress up encourages children to become comfortable with scary and unfamiliar situations. Role playing about a sick baby doll that needs taken to the hospital may ease the child’s fear of going to the doctor. Children may role play that they are parents leaving their baby doll with a sitter when they go to work, which can help them problem solve separation anxiety issues.

Most importantly, dress up is fun. It is a way for children to escape the real world and let their fantasies and imagination take flight. Make sure to refresh your dress up bin on a regular basis. Keep in mind that just after Halloween is a great time of year to get some amazing deals on costumes and accessories for your classroom

Notice from the PAC

2011-11-10T10:15:00.000-05:00

Dear Parents,
The Burlington PAC will hold an open meeting next Tuesday November 15 in the Burlington High School lower library at 7:00 P.M. We were considering Wednesday night, but the middle school has parent teacher conferences that night and I want to keep in touch with families before the holidays roll around. Please pass the word. This meeting can be whatever you as members want it to be. The topic for the night is up to you, the parents. Possibilities include the following. 1. The challenges you and your kids are facing.
2. Your feelings about RTI and how services are being provided.
3. The intervention process and the part you play as a parent.
4. What you want from your PAC.
Sincerely,
Dennis McCarron PAC Chairman
781-273-5663

Important Dates

2011-11-05T17:33:00.002-04:00

Please make note of the following dates:

This week we will not have school on Thursday and Friday. Thursday is a Professional Development Day for Staff. School is closed Friday in observation of Veteran's Day.

On November 23, 2011 there will be no afternoon session. All schools will be dismissed early for Thanksgiving Recess. School will be Closed November 24th and 25th for Thanksgiving break.

NOVEMBER 10^TH – No School for Students - Professional Development Day for Staff

NOVEMBER 11^TH – No School – Veteran’s Day

NOVEMBER 23^RD – Early Dismissal

NOVEMBER 24-25^TH – Thanksgiving Recess

If you have any questions please feel free to call the office at 781-270-1808.

New Classroom/Staffing Changes

2011-11-01T15:58:00.000-04:00

Dear Preschool Families,

Here we grow again! On Monday November 7th 2011, the Burlington Early Childhood Center will open a new classroom. The new room will be called the Spunky Monkeys, and will run 5 mornings a week from 8:30 to 11:30. When this new room opens we will have some staffing changes that will impact some of the other classrooms. The changes are as follows:

Amanda Nasta who is currently the teaching assistant in the Friendly Frogs room will become the new classroom teacher of the Spunky Monkeys. Amanda has a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Special Education and is certified by the State of Massachusetts.
Alissa Leto will be the instructional assistant in the Spunky Monkey classroom. Alissa has a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and is also certified by the State of Massachusetts. Alissa has spent the past year working as a lead teacher for the Goddard School.

Ashley Toltz will become the new Instructional Assistant in the Friendly Frogs room. Ashley has a master’s degree in Early Childhood Development and has worked as a developmental educator for Thom Mystic Valley Early Intervention. Ashley will be with the Friendly Frogs in the morning and the Barnyard Buddies in the afternoon.

We have also added 3 additional teaching assistants and a permanent substitute teacher that will support the classrooms daily.
The teacher’s aides are Liz Bishop, Elaine Cornell and Mary Giradi. Liz is a recent graduate of Dean College with a degree in Dance. Liz will be working with the Puppy Pals and the Barnyard Buddies. Elaine Cornell ran her own home day care for a while and she will be working with the Cub Cadets and the Spunky Monkeys. Mary Giradi will also join us on November 7th and she will float between the classrooms. We are very fortunate to have Rhonda Casper as our permanent substitute. Rhonda has worked for years as a special education teacher at the Fox Hill Elementary School. She retired in June and has decided that she would like to continue working with children. We are very fortunate to have her expertise at the Burlington Early Childhood Center.

On a side note, we still have AM openings in the Spunky Monkey classroom. We are looking for 3 more neighborhood students that are looking for an am program (T,W,Th from 8:30 to 11:30).

We are very excited about the addition of the Spunky Monkeys and are looking forward to an exciting year of fun and learning.

Thank You,

Louise D’Amato

Delayed Opening

2011-11-01T11:50:00.002-04:00

Dear Preschool Families,

Please use the following guidelines when the Burlington Public Schools has a delayed opening:

Whenever there is a two hour delay all AM sessions are cancelled.

If your child is in the Cub Cadets with Lisa and Pat your child will have school from 10:30 to 12:30.

If your child participates in the full day programs the Puppy Pals and Barnyard Buddies they will have school. Only the children that attend full day will come in on delayed openings. If your child is dismissed at 11:30 they don’t attend school on delayed openings.

The afternoon sessions will run as scheduled from 12:30 to 2:30

Please keep this letter as a reference for the winter months.

Thank You,

Louise D’Amato

No School

2011-10-30T20:04:00.001-04:00

School will be closed on Monday October 31, 2011 due to power outages from the storm.

Trick-or Treating Safety Tips

2011-10-29T10:56:00.001-04:00

This is a fun poem/song that many of the classrooms have worked on this past week. The staff of the Burlington Early Childhood Center wishes you all a safe and happy Halloween.

Halloween safety: Tips for trick-or-treaters

Make Halloween safety part of your holiday fun. Start with these practical Halloween safety tips.

By Mayo Clinic staff

It's the time of year for costumes, sweets, and tricks and treats. Put Halloween safety first with these common-sense tips.

Carve safely

Are your children begging to carve pumpkins? Make Halloween safety a family affair.

Decorate with markers or paint. Let young children draw faces on pumpkins with washable markers or child-friendly paint. Leave any carving to an adult.
Use candles with care. Place candlelit pumpkins on a sturdy surface away from curtains and other flammable objects. Never leave candlelit pumpkins unattended. Better yet, light pumpkins with flashlights or battery-operated flameless candles instead.

Get clever with costumes

From furry animals to princesses and superheroes, choosing costumes wisely is an important part of Halloween safety.

The brighter the better. Whether you buy a costume or make one yourself, choose bright colors and flame-retardant materials. If your child will be trick-or-treating outdoors after dark, attach reflective tape to his or her costume.
Size it right. In case it's chilly outdoors, make sure your child's costume is loose enough for warm clothing to be worn underneath — but not long enough to cause tripping. Avoid oversized shoes and high heels.
Skip the masks. A mask can obstruct your child's vision, especially if it slips out of place. Use kid-friendly makeup instead.
Limit accessories. Pointed props — such as wands, swords and knives — may pose safety hazards.
The promise of Halloween candy may leave stars in your child's eyes, but Halloween safety still rules.
- Get in on the fun. Accompany trick-or-treaters younger than age 12. Pin a piece of paper with your child's name, address and phone number inside your child's pocket in case you get separated. Encourage older kids to trick-or-treat with a group of friends, parents or older siblings. Make sure someone in the group carries a flashlight with fresh batteries.
- Stay close to home. Don't allow your child to go door to door in an unfamiliar neighborhood.
- Set ground rules. If your child will be trick-or-treating without you, establish a route and set a curfew. Review safety rules, including staying with the group, walking only on the sidewalk, approaching only clearly lit homes and never going inside a home. You may want to give your child a cell phone for the evening should he or she need to contact you.
- Inspect the treats carefully. Don't let your child snack while he or she is trick-or-treating. Feed your child a healthy snack before heading out, and inspect the treats before allowing your child to dive in. Discard anything that's not sealed, has torn packaging or looks questionable. If you have young children, weed out gum, peanuts, hard candies and other choking hazards.
- Ration the loot. If your child collects gobs of goodies, dole out a few pieces at a time and save the rest. You may even ask your child if he or she would like to swap some — or all — of the candy for something else, such as a special toy, book or outing. You might also suggest donating excess candy to a food shelf or other charity.
- http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/halloween-safety/CC00072/NSECTIONGROUP=2

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything

2011-10-26T17:52:00.001-04:00

This week many of the classes are reading the book "The Little Old Lady That Was Not Afraid Of Anything" It is a favorite of many of the children. Ask your child about the books and see if they can recall any of the details from the story.

A Tribute to Dr. Allen C. Crocker

2011-10-25T16:49:00.001-04:00

Dr. Allan Crocker was an exceptional human being that dedicated himself to children and families with Down Sydrome. He will be greatly missed by the members of the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress. For more information on Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress visit them at MDSC.org

Fine Motor Development

2011-10-24T20:24:00.003-04:00

On Friday, the staff of the Burlington Early Childhood Center participated in professional development on the development of fine motor skills. We talked about the beginning stages of writing and the skills children need to develop before we can expect them to sit at a table and write. I found this blog post that speaks to how to develop hand strength and visual motor skills. Two very important skills that young children need to develop before we can expect them to sit and write letters. One of the things that I liked about this post is that it gave great ideas for developmentally appropriate toys that will develop these skills. All of the toys shared in this post are great tools to help develop fine motor skills.

http://childhood101.com/2009/08/keeping-little-fingers-busy-and-learning-too/

Keeping Little Fingers Busy (and Learning too!)

When we think of a child’s physical development, it is the large motor skills that usually first come to mind – running, jumping, and kicking.

The physical development of a child’s fine motor skills are just as, if not more important, as the development of the larger muscles. This group of skills includes finger speed, arm steadiness, arm and hand precision, and finger and hand dexterity. They are closely linked to the development of eye-hand co-ordination and are essential for eventual control over pencils for learning to form letters as a beginning writer. As well, mastery of fine motor skills requires the child to apply increasing levels of self control (patience, perseverance) and to concentrate closely on what they are doing.

Children learn to control their large muscles before they do their small, therefore are more likely to walk before able to construct a tower with tiny blocks. Maybe it is because mastering these small muscles is less obvious than that of their large muscle counterparts, that the celebrations we have when a baby first crawls or a toddler first walks are more likely to be recorded for prosperity than the date they were first able to stack blocks one on top of another without them instantly toppling over.

There are many activities that encourage the development of these skills. Here are just a few, all wooden I must admit as I have a weak spot for wooden toys!

Beads
Clockwise from top right: 1. Threading Beads: www.toy-box.com.au 2. Car beads: The Toy Bug 3. Sequence Beads: The Toy Bug 4. House Shape Sorter: The Toy Bug

For children not yet ready to thread on string try a set like the one Immy is using in the first picture, it is one we borrowed from our local toy library. I like toys that are multi functional like the car beads and the house shape sorter with beads. The sequence beads are great for older children (generally over preschool age).

Puzzles
Clockwise from top right:1. Craggy Arches and Crooked Houses: Etsy 2. Clock Puzzle: Ecotoys 3. Melissa & Doug Beginners Pattern Blocks: Amazon 4. Natural Wooden Turtle Puzzle: Etsy

There are a myriad of puzzles available now. The craggy arches double as a construction and dramatic play toy and the clock puzzle can be used for different learning purposes over a number of years. I really like the learning potential of the pattern blocks.

Blocks
Clockwise from top right: 1. Rainbow Nesting Blocks: Ecotoys 2. Golden Castle Blocks: Etsy 3. Wooden Tree Block (Barkless): Honeybee Toys 4. Baby Sound Blocks: Ecotoys

Think outside the square when choosing blocks and construction toys for your child. I love the nesting blocks for the potential of the negative space, the castle blocks for their randomness and the sound blocks for their uniqueness.

A couple more
L:Hape Bamboo Pickup Game: My Wooden Toys R: Melissa & Doug Latches Board: Amazon

Loving the idea of the pick up game for older children and what child doesn’t go through a stage of loving to open doors, flick switches and play with keys and locks!

When choosing manipulative activities for your child it is important to consider their current level of fine muscle control, their ability to concentrate, and their emotional control in terms of how they deal with frustration. Very young children (prior to preschool age) will most definitely need an adult’s guidance, encouragement, and support as they first learn to manipulate these types of toys. Adults should not expect young children to spend long periods of time playing with these materials as they require significant amounts of self control and should balance such play with periods of more active play.

These materials lend themselves to opportunities for talking with your child about colour, shape, similarities and differences, patterns and counting but remember, don’t overdo it andencouragement, not praise, is the way to go!

Handwriting Without Tears

2011-10-22T11:48:00.005-04:00

On Friday the staff of the Burlington Early Childhood Center participated in a workshop provided by Peggy Morris, OTR, on Handwritting Without Tears. This fun interactive workshop focused on the precursor skills young students need to have before they are able to sit at a table and begin writing. We focused on spatial concepts, body awareness, pencil grasp and finally how to begin to teach students how to form upper case letters. The first steps of teaching pre-writing skills is for students to gain body and spatial awareness, Handwriting Without Tears does this through a fun interactive character called "Mat Man." Please see the post below on exactly who "Mat Man" is and how he will be created. I have attached a parent link if you would like to learn more about Handwriting Without Tears. http://www.hwtears.com/hwt/parents.

Meet Mat Man

2011-10-22T11:17:00.002-04:00

Mat Man is a character that will be introduced in all of the preschool classrooms. The students in the Lucky Duck class have already met him and enjoy creating him. In the next few weeks he will be introduced in all of the classrooms. I hope this video helps to introduce "Mat Man" and the reasons why we he has become part of the preschool curriculum. The goal of "Mat Man" is to teach body awareness, drawing and pre-writing skills, counting, building, socializing and sharing.

Field trip

2011-10-20T17:44:00.002-04:00

Dear preschool families,
Thank you all for your patience and understanding today. We were all very disappointed that we couldn't attend Parlee Farm. This morning,I was hopeful that we could reschedule for next week, but after talking to the farm and staff this will not be option. Your $10.00 fee will be returned at the beginning of next week. Please make sure you check your child's backpack for your trip reimbursement.

Thank you again for your understanding

Louise

Field trip update.

2011-10-20T06:49:00.002-04:00

The field trip to Parlee Farm has been postponed due to weather. I will talk to them today and see if we can reschedule for next week. If we can't all money will be returned ASAP. Today will be a regular scheduled day.

Thanks,
Louise

Field Trip Information

2011-10-18T14:19:00.001-04:00

Dear Preschool Families,

On Thursday we will go on a field trip to Parlee Farm in Tyngsboro. As of today it appears as though the weather is going to be partly cloudy and the temperature is due to be in the low 60’s. If this is the case we will participate in the field trip as scheduled. Please use the following guideline to prepare for the trip:

All children are to bring a snack and a drink. Please place this in a bag and label it. We will have limited space and we will not to be able to accommodate lots of lunch boxes.

Dress your child appropriately for the weather. It is going to be cool so dress your child in layers. It is supposed to rain all day on Wednesday so the farm will be muddy. Please make sure your child has on appropriate shoes.

Have your child at school promptly at 8:30. The plan is to be on the buses and heading towards the farm by 8:45.

We will arrive back at the preschool at 11:30. All children will be brought back into their classroom and then dismissed by teachers. This can be a very confusing time and we understand that you are excited to see your child but we want to ensure everyone is safe and with the proper parent. Please be patient with us.

Remember if your child is transported to and from school by bus there is NO transportation the day of the field trip. You will be responsible for dropping your child off at school and picking them up promptly at 11:30.

The following is the rain policy from the farm:

Parlee Farms will make a decision no later than 7am on the day of the trip to cancel and reschedule. We

review multiple weather sources and if it appears that there will be rain here between 9-1, we will cancel.

This is an outdoor trip and we do not have anywhere indoors for large numbers of people to wait out a storm.

We will inform you Thursday morning if the field trip will be postponed. Please check the preschool blog that morning to see if the farm cancels our trip. The preschool blog is: http://burlingtonintegratedpreschool.blogspot.com.

We are excited about our trip and looking forward to a fun day.

Thanks,

Louise

New Classroom

2011-10-15T09:27:00.005-04:00

Burlington Early Childhood Center

The Burlington Public Schools is opening a new preschool classroom.

Where: The program is located around the back of Burlington High School

When: The classroom will open on Tuesday November 9^th 2011.

Days: The program will run Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

Time: 8:30 to 11:30

Cost: The cost is $232.00 per month.

For more information please feel free to contact Louise D’Amato, program director, at 781-273-7632 or d’amato@bpsk12.org

For more information visit us our web site at:

www.burlington.mec.edu scroll down to integrated preschool and read our FAQ’s or frequently asked questions, http://www.burlington.mec.edu/ips/commonquestionsfaq.pdf

Field Trip

2011-10-13T16:09:00.000-04:00

Parlee Farm Tyngsboro, MA
WWW.Parleefarms.com

We are going on a field trip to Parlee Farm

When: Thursday October 20, 2011

Where: Parlee Farm, Tyngsboro, MA www.parleefarms.com

Who: All of the students that attend preschool are invited to join us. On Thursday October 20, 2011.

Time: We will leave the preschool at 8:45am and return at 11:30pm.

How: We will travel on several large yellow school buses.

Cost: the cost of the trip is $10.00 per student and $6.00 per chaperone. The price of the trip covers the cost of buses and the entrance to the farm.

Chaperones: We will need 3 to 4 chaperones per classroom. If we have more than 3 or 4 volunteers per classroom we will hold a lottery. If you are interested in attending the field trip you need to have a Cori on file. (If you have filled out a Cori form within the past 3 years, you don’t need to be Cori’d) Cori forms can be filled out in the preschool office. We will need to photocopy your license when you fill out the form, make sure you have it with you. All Cori forms need to be completed by no later than Friday October 7th. Please fill out and return the attached permission slip to school as soon as possible. When returning your permission slips please submit the $10.00 in cash to pay for the trip.

If your child will be attending the field trip on Thursday October 20th, please return the permission slip and money by Wednesday October 12th. If we don’t receive money and a signed permission slip we will assume your child will not be attending the trip on Thursday the 20th.

The Boston Globe Magazine to Feature FWS

2011-10-11T19:48:00.001-04:00

This post is from Francis Wyman Schools blog.

The Boston Globe Magazine to Feature FWS

On October 9, 2011, Francis Wyman School will be featured in an article in the Boston Globe Magazine. This magazine is found in the Sunday edition of the Boston Globe. The article focuses on issues related to special education and the increased incidence of children with disabilities. The author, John Marcus, begins his story in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Brigham and Women’s hospital as he researches the increased incidence of children with disabilities. He follows the issue through to the impact on schools and the struggles schools face trying to meet the learning needs of all children. John had contacted the Massachusetts Commissioner of Education to obtain his recommendation of model school districts who implement successful programs. The Commissioner suggested he contact Dr. Eric Conti to learn about the Response to Intervention (RtI) program in Burlington. Dr. Conti suggested to John that he visit FWS to see the program in action. John visited several classrooms and interviewed teachers. Later, a photographer was sent to capture the program in action. It was exciting to share our enthusiasm for the positive impact our RtI program has had on meeting the needs of all our students. It will be interesting to read this article and see how FWS fits into the story!

A thank you to Steve Jobs from a special needs mom

2011-10-06T18:04:00.002-04:00

In Burlington we are very fortunate to have iPad's in the integrated preschool. They are an amazing device especially for our friends that have delays in their ability to communicate. I'm amazed every day when I watch our young students interact with the devices and how easily they are able to navigate them. The apps that they have for young learners with special needs are simply amazing and we are so fortunate to be able to use this technology with our students. I think this blog post speaks volumes to what a wonderful tool an iPad is and how lucky we are to be able to use them daily in the integrated preschool.

http://www.lovethatmax.com/2011/10/thank-you-to-steve-jobs-from-special.html?spref=fb\

Dear Steve,

I am hoping you will read this on your iPad in The Great Beyond, assuming there is a good Internet connection there (and hopefully a Starbucks, too).

My son, Max, has cerebral palsy. Doctors told us he might never talk, and so we are very grateful for the words that he has. He has a lot more going on in his mind than his mouth can speak, however, and we knew early on in his life he would need a communication device. He was 4 when I first asked the speech therapist at his school about it. "He's not ready for one," she said.

I challenged her. We had an augmentative communication evaluation, paid for by our school district, in which a team of therapists determined that Max was, indeed, ready for a speech device. We got one. Only it was a total clunker, and I mean that in every which way. It was heavy to lift; my son, who has challenges using his hands, wasn't able to carry it himself. Programming it was a pain, and my husband and I detested the task. We rarely used it at home, preferring instead to guess what Max was trying to say or nodding even when we weren't quite sure we understood him. Sometimes, we all got frustrated.

Cut to the spring of 2010 and the iPad's debut. Around that time I heard about a speech app, the Proloquo2Go. I asked Max's speech therapist at his current school, an enthusiastic and dedicated woman open to trying new technology, about them. Turns out the school was buying four iPads with speech apps, and would we like to trial one with Max? YES YES YES, please, WE WOULD.

Max took to the iPad from the start. He was fascinated. Who wouldn't be? Here he is, the first weekend he had it:

I hadn't ever seen Max use his pointer finger like that, no small feat for a child with cerebral palsy whose hands and fingers tend to be stiff. The iPad motivated Max to isolate his finger and maneuver it. Soon enough, he'd learned to use a lighter touch on the screen and he'd zoom around the iPad. He also discovered YouTube and Lightning McQueen videos, another life-changing event for him.

We had somewhat of a challenge in our house when Max's little sister, insanely jealous of his iPad, started hiding it in her room. But then my husband got an iPad and now she hides my husband's in her room.

The iPad has enabled Max to share what's in his mind with the people around him. Some parents worry that a speech app will discourage verbal communication, but Max's has motivated him to communicate more. His current favorite button is the one that announces "That stinks." He enjoys telling people how much he loves spaghetti and the color purple. There is no button yet that says "Mom, leave me alone!" but I am sure he'll request one soon.

Max uses the iPad to draw, read stories, and play educational games, along with silly ones kids love. Apps made for fun, such as Talking Ben the Dog and Songify, motivate him to articulate sounds and words; ones likeCut the Rope help develop fine motor skills. He continues to watch too many Lightning McQueen videos and I hear "I. Am. Speed" in my dreams.

Other kids in our neighborhood consider Max's iPad and speech app cool—not something they would have ever thought with the previous communication clunker. It helps him fit in. I can't even imagine how many more social and educational doors it will open for him in the coming years.

Steve, you have been an inventor and innovator beyond compare, known for the Apple, Mac, iPod, iPad, even Pixar. Yet many are unaware of how much the iPad has been a game-changer for kids and adults with special needs. When I tell people that Max uses an iPad for speech communication, they are often surprised to hear that technology exists.

But this community knows.

This child knows.

This mom knows.

And I am eternally grateful to you for opening up my son's world.

So I'll say R.I.P., and by that I mean Refresh In Peace. Because I can only imagine that you will keep going, wherever you may be.

Making Inferences and Drawing Conclusions

2011-10-05T19:21:00.002-04:00

The following article from Reading Rockets is a great resource on how to begin to teach young children inferential skills.

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/43410/

By: Reading Rockets

Observations occur when we can see something happening. In contrast, inferences are what we figure out based on an experience. Helping your child understand when information is implied, or not directly stated, will improve her skill in drawing conclusions and making inferences. These skills will be needed for all sorts of school assignments, including reading, science and social studies. Inferential thinking is a complex skill that will develop over time and with experience.

Families can create opportunities to practice inferential thinking. Below are a few ways to help familiarize your child with this way of thinking and learning:

Explain to your child that we make conclusions about things and draw inferences all the time. Draw a conclusion together and then talk about what clues were used to come to that conclusion. For example, Erin played outside today. How can we tell? Muddy shoes, jump rope on front porch, water bottle out. Dad seems tired tonight. How can we tell? He's rubbing his eyes, he's on the couch, he was yawning at the dinner table.
Paper bag mystery person: Put a few items into a brown paper bag. Tell your child the bag belongs to a certain type of person. Their job is to tell you something about the person. Then, take out each item one by one and talk about it.

Example #1: goggles, a swim cap, a swim ribbon, a stop watch
Example #2: a bookmark, a library card, a stuffed animal, a book

Wordless picture books provide your child with practice using clues to create meaning. There are no wrong stories with wordless picture books, only variations based on what the "reader" sees and puts together. Rosie's Walk(Hutchins), Good Dog, Carl (Day), and Beaver Is Lost (Cooper) are all interesting and fun wordless picture books to explore.
Play twenty questions! This familiar word game helps build inference skills. As your child develops skill with the game, encourage him to avoid asking direct questions like, "Is it a dog?" Rather, encourage him to ask broader questions, "Does it walk on four feet?" Then, when your child figures it out, ask him to tell you the clues that lead to the right answer.
Create scenarios in which your child must use what they already know to predict an outcome. For example, growing seeds. Present your child with various scenarios (a seed will be given water and sunlight, a seed will get no water, a seed will be in a dark room). Ask your child to predict whether the seed will grow. Help your child become aware that she used information she knew about growing seeds, combined with new information, to fill in information about the seeds.

Learning to draw conclusions and inferences is a skill that develops over time. The skill requires children to put together various pieces of information, and relies on good word knowledge. Help your child develop skill by providing experience with inferential information, making implied information more clear, and helping your child draw conclusions based on the evidence.

Recommended children's books

Archaeologists Dig for Clues
By Kate Duke

Archaeologists on a dig work very much like detectives at a crime scene. Every chipped rock, charred seed, or fossilized bone could be a clue to how people lived in the past. In this information-packed Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science book, Kate Duke explains what scientists are looking for, how they find it, and what their finds reveal. (Age level: 6-9)

Purchase book

Beaver Is Lost
By Elisha Cooper

A beaver's adventure begins on a log that floats away from his home and into the city. Before finding his way back, the beaver has many plausible adventures. The action is depicted in well-placed, realistic illustrations in a nearly wordless book. (Age level: 3-6)

Purchase book

Home
By Jeannie Baker

This wordless picture book with Baker's characteristically beautifully detailed collage illustrations conveys a subtle message about how we can bring positive change to our communities. Every double-page spread is a view through the same window, a view that changes over a generation. Children can share what they think is happening to the neighborhood based on the illustrations. (Age level: 5-8)

Purchase book

If Not for the Cat
By Jack Prelutsky

"If not for the cat/And the scarcity of cheese,/I could be content." The essence of animals is evoked in rich language and the short form of haiku poems in this engaging book. The brief but rich language can prompt children to think about what creature is being described. (Age level: 6-9)

Purchase book

In the Woods: Who's Been Here?
By Lindsay Barrett George

A girl and a boy and their dog explore the woods on an autumn afternoon and begin to notice all kinds of things around them — an empty nest, a gnawed branch, feathers, and bones. Each observation prompts the question, "Who's been here?" Turning the page reveals the answer. Others in the series include In the Garden: Who's Been Here? (Age level: 3-6

Playdough Recipes

2011-10-03T18:17:00.003-04:00

I recently found this blog post on different playdough recipes. We have a lot of fun in the preschool playing and creating with playdough. If you are not familiar with how to make playdough check out all of the fun different types of recipes. If you make your own playdough it tends to last a lot longer than the type you purchase just make sure you store it in a airtight container.
Playdough Recipeshttp://earlyliteracyconnection.blogspot.com/

I recently found this amazing website that offers a LARGE variety of play dough recipes. Playdough is an amazing material. Children love exploring its texture by poking, squeezing, patting, pushing, rolling, cutting, and so on. Children can develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination by playing with this interesting substance. In addition, think about all the wonderful vocabulary they can learn with proper scaffolding. They can some of the many complexities of language including prepositions like "on top", "beside", "behind", "under", or even labels for their creations like "dog", "table" or develop their understanding of familiar concepts, "What sound does a dog make?", "How many legs do we need on your chair to make it sturdy?"

Check out some playdough recipes here!

PAC Workshop

2011-10-02T11:06:00.000-04:00

Dear School Community,

The Burlington PAC will host our annual Basic Rights Presentation on Wednesday October 12, 2011 in the School Committee Room in the rear of the Burlington High School at 123 Cambridge St. in Burlington. The meeting will begin at 6:30 P.M. with time for people to meet and become familiar with our group. The Basic Rights Presentation will begin at 7:00 P.M. with Donna Murphy from the FCSN as presenter. Donna does a great job with this speaking engagement and always has tremendous advice for parents, both new to the world of special ed and to those of us who have been around the block a few times. Please make time to attend this event if you want to know how to advocate for your child. Feel free to email or call with any questions about this presentation or the PAC.

Sincerely,
Dennis McCarron, Chairman Burlington PAC

781-273-5663

Paint Bag Writing

2011-10-02T11:00:00.002-04:00

Here is a fun hands on way to work on writing letters, numbers and shapes. Please make sure that the bag is taped tight or it will make a terrible mess. Have fun and enjoy exploring!

http://lets-explore.net/blog/2009/10/paint-bag-writing/

Paint Bag Writing

by AMY on OCTOBER 6, 2009

Learning to write letters and numbers can be frustrating for little hands! I like to offer lots of play activities that help build those fine motor skills in a relaxed, fun way. Toddlers and up will enjoy making shapes, swirls, and even letters on a ziploc bag filled with paint!

To make your own paint bag writing tablet, put some finger paint or tempera paint into a sturdy freezer ziploc bag. Seal it well and smoosh the paint around the entire bag. (You could even add a strip of packing tape across the top if you are worried about your child opening the bag!) That’s it!

We like to tape ours down to the table so it doesn’t wiggle around too much. Try doodling and writing with your finger first. Your child may also enjoy using a cotton swab to write with. When your tablet is full of scribbles (or sight words for older kids!), smoosh and smear the paint around and start over. No mess, just fun!

Happy playing!

PAC Meeting

2011-09-22T18:20:00.000-04:00

Attention Parents,
The Burlington Special Education Parents Advisory Council (PAC) is holding their first morning get together this coming Wednesday morning, September 28, 2011 from 10:15 A.M. to 12:15 at the Burlington Public Library on Sears St. This event will be hosted by Lizzette Grattan, PAC board member. This is your chance to meet and talk with other parents in an informal setting about school matters, your child's progress or any other issues that we can help you with.
The Burlington PAC can help you:
1. Help your child be successful in school.
2. Help your child be happy.
3. Help your child learn how to help themselves.
4. Discover how your child learns.
5. Understand how to work cooperatively with the Burlington Public Schools.
This is just a partial list of the benefits of attending PAC meetings. Please come, you'll be glad you did.
Sincerely,
Dennis McCarron, Chairman Burlington PAC

For more info on this morning get together contact Lizzette at dlc2dgrattan@verizon.net
For more info on the Burlington PAC contact Dennis McCarron at dandmmccarron@hotmail.com

Bus Company

2011-09-16T18:34:00.005-04:00

Reminder:

If your child is transported to and from school daily by bus, please remember to call if your child is not going to be in school for the day. The number for the bus company is 781-229-0111.

Preschool Staff

2011-09-16T18:09:00.004-04:00

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce the staff of the Burlington Early Childhood Center. Over the summer we have made some changes to the early childhood programs. The LABBB Collaborative is no longer housed at the high school. They have moved to the new Memorial School. The early childhood space has been renamed to the Burlington Early Childhood Center and it houses all of the early childhood programs that the Burlington Public Schools provides. Currently there are 6 integrated preschool classrooms and the high schools early childhood program. (the high school program use to be run by Rosemary Bransfield who has retired)

As the Burlington Early Childhood Center continues to grow and develop so does the staff. The staff for the 2011/2012 school year is as follows:

Louise D'Amato, Director

Sandy Lagenfeld, Program Secretary

Heidi Walll and Jen Lenardo are the speech and language pathologist for the program.

Laura Impemba is returning as the occupational therapist and Kim Russell is the new physical therapist

Jessica Gearin is the nurse for the early childhood programs and Burlington High School.

Classroom Teams:

Busy Bees: Courtney Stratton (head teacher) Wendy Woods and Lisa Poli

Lucky Ducks: Naomi Abelson (head teacher) Liz Williams and Lisa Poli

Puppy Pals: Tiffany D'Abbraccio (head teacher) Lori Coleman and Emma Menz

Friendly Frogs: Andrea Hayes (head teacher) Amanda Nasta and Jeannie Koch

Barnyard Buddies: Shannon Conroy (head teacher) Liz Bonivata and Emma Menz

Cub Cadets: Lisa Bottiglio (head teacher) Pat Prime and Jeannie Koch

The High School Early Childhood Program is taught by Shelia Kennedy

Parking

2011-09-13T14:30:00.001-04:00

Dear Parents/Guardians,

The first few days of preschool have been a great success. All of the children have successfully transitioned into their classroom and all seem very happy. We have to be honest every once in a while a student will ask for mommy and daddy but then will go back happily to what they were working on. It has been a pleasure to see so many happy faces. We also want to thank you for helping make the transition such a smooth one. Sometimes it’s harder on the parents than the children. We would like to take this opportunity to outline the parking situation at the early childhood section of the high school.

Parking
Fire lanes need to be clear at all times. Only buses are allowed to park in front of the building in the fire lanes. We ask that you don’t block them so we can load and unload the buses. You can park in the fire lane after the front entrance to the preschool. You can also park across the street after the orange cones. When parking and walking your child to his/her teacher, we ask that you please have complete control of your child. Pick up and drop off are busy times and we want to ensure that all our friends are safe at all times. We also ask that you avoid parking on the corner by the administration entrance of the building. It is difficult to see as you come around the corner and it has the potential to be a dangerous situation. When parking, the best bet is to park at the bottom of the hill and walk your child/children to their teacher. As people get use to the routine things will go much more quickly and smoothly.

Buses
When the red lights are flashing on the buses or the vans you can not pass them for any reason. If you pass a school bus or van with red flashing lights, it is a $200 fine for the first offense. The second offense is a fine and suspension of your license. The third offense is a permanent loss of your license. We know it takes us a few minutes to load and unload the buses; this is done to ensure the safety of all children. Please be patient with us. Your patience will ensure that all students are safe at all times. It should be noted that periodically the Burlington Police Departments Safety Officer comes to watch the pick up and drop off and is very generous when handing out fines.

The state of Massachusetts has a new mandatory booster seat law. It is important that all children are safely secured in the back seat of the car in a booster seat. We have attached the new law for your information. Again we ask that you keep your child safe in their booster seat until you drop them off. Nobody plans for an accident that is why they are called accidents.

We understand that parking can be frustrating and difficult but if everyone follows the guidelines it will ensure everyone’s safety and a smoother pick up and drop off.

Thanks You,
The staff of the Burlington Early Childhood Center

2011-09-13T14:23:00.000-04:00

BURLINGTON EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER
123 CAMBRIDGE STREET
BURLINGTON, MA 01803
(781) 273-7632
FAX (781) 270-1733
Louise D’Amato
Director of Integrated Preschool

Dear Preschool Families,

Tuition payments are due on the first Tuesday of every month; tuition due dates are as follows:

September 13th October 4th November8th

December 6th January 3rd February 7th

March 6th April 3rd May 1st

June5th

If your child attends the three day morning program your tuition is $2,320 for the year or $232.00 a month.

If your child attends the five day morning program from 8:30 to 11:30 your tuition is $3,860 for the year or $386.00 per month.

If your child attends the five day morning program from 8:30 to 12:30 Monday through Thursday and 8:30 to 11:30 on Friday your tuition is $4,600.00 for the year or $460.00 per month.

If your child attends the four day afternoon program your tuition is $2,000.00 for the year or $200.00 per month.

If you have any questions about tuition or tuition payments please give me a call 781-273-7632.

Thank you,

Louise D’Amato

New District Domain

2011-08-18T18:41:00.004-04:00

There will be many changes in the district this coming year. One important change is that the district moved to gmail. Our new domain name is bpsk12.org. In other words, everyone’s email address is changing from (last name)@burlington.mec.edu to (last name)@bpsk12.org. If there are two individuals with the same name, then add the first initial to the last name (ksmith)@bpsk12.org.

Preschool new email addresses:

Louise D'amato@bpsk12.org (Director)

Andrea ahayes@bpsk12.org (Friendly Frogs)

Tiffany dabbraccio@bpsk12.org (Puppy Pals)

Lisa bottigllo@bpsk12.org (Cub Cadets)

Shannon conroy@bpsk12.org (Barnyard Buddies)

Courtney stratton@bpsk12.org (Busy Bees)

Naomi abbleson@bpsk12.org (Lucky Ducks)

Heidi wall@bpsk12.org (Speech)

Jen lenoardo@bpsk12.org (Speech)

Laura impemba@bpsk12.org (OT)

Kim russell@bpsk12.org (PT)

Transition to preschool

2011-08-07T13:56:00.003-04:00

In the next week or so you will be receiving a letter from your child’s teacher introducing themselves and letting you know about open house on Thursday September 8^th. Open house provides your child the opportunity to meet their teacher, classmates and become familiar with their new school environment. It will also provide you the opportunity to learn about what your child’s day will look like, the activities they will participate in and most importantly meet their teacher’s. The following are some suggestions to help with the transition to preschool.

Talk about it

Begin talking with your child about preschool. Share with them all of the fun things they will have the opportunity to explore. Mention several times through out the day different fun activities that they will participate in during their preschool day. For example, when you go to preschool you will paint at the easel. In preschool there will be blocks, a sensory table and a fun dramatic play area. Etc…

Read books about preschool

Visit the Burlington Public Library and ask the Liberian to assist you on finding books about preschool. There are lots of different book out that share with young children what preschool is all about. Reading books about preschool will provide you with more opportunities to talk about the positive things your child will learn while at school. Reading and discussing books will also provide the opportunity for your child to ask questions. Make sure when answering questions about school you are always positive and excited for them to attend school.

Let him or her help with the shopping

Go shopping together to pick out a backpack and lunch bag. When food shopping help your child pick out nutritious snack that you will pack for them daily.

Visit the classroom

Make sure you attend open house on Thursday September 8th. This will provide your child the opportunity to become familiar with what happens in school.

Good-bye is no big deal

On your child’s first day, you will drop your child off outside with their classroom teachers. There will be tears and the initial transition into preschool can be a tricky one. Some children will cry for 2 minutes other children will cry for two weeks. This is harder on you then it is on anyone else. The preschool teachers are masters at helping children transition. As soon as the routine becomes familiar and predictable the crying stops and the smiling and learning begins.

A child’s first day of preschool is a big deal. Because it is such a huge change to their life and schedule it can be very scary for them. But by following the above tips, you will make your child’s first day of school a smooth and happy transition.

Burlington PAC

2011-08-05T12:29:00.001-04:00

Dear Parents,

School year 2011-2012 is almost on top of us. Who is helping parents learn how to help their children who may be struggling in school or in life? When a child struggles, the whole family struggles too. The Burlington PAC can help parents learn how to advocate for their children in a positive manner with outstanding results. Simply put, the PAC wants to help you cope with difficulties by sharing our experience so that you do not have to reinvent the wheel every time there is a problem.

The Burlington Special Education Parents Advisory Council (PAC) is looking to kick off the year by building a strong membership. We look forward to continuing our work with the Burlington School Department, with whom we have built a great working relationship. The PAC, along with the Burlington schools has been successful in rebuilding the way services are provided in our town and we look forward to the continuance of this relationship.

To keep a strong PAC and to keep Burlington's educational supports moving forward, we need parents to be involved for their children. Please consider the benefit to your children of getting involved. Your involvement may be the one thing that helps your child understand themselves and learn where their talents and strengths lie so that they may build their confidence and succeed in life.

Please contact Dennis McCarron, PAC Chairman for more information and to be added to our email list. We are currently working on ideas for this year's meetings and how to build a better parent's group. Any ideas are welcome, the time commitment is minimal, the benefit to your child is tremendous.

Sincerely,

Dennis McCarron

Chairman, Burlington PAC

email: burlingtonpac@hotmail.com

phone 781-273-5663

Back to School Letter

2011-07-30T17:09:00.000-04:00

Burlington Integrated Preschool

Louise D’Amato Office Phone: 781-273-7632

Program Director Fax Phone: 781-270-1733

July 18, 2011

Dear Preschool Families,

Summer is now in full swing, and I hope you are all enjoying some rest and relaxation. Your child’s teacher will be contacting you by mail in the middle of August to let you know your child’s class. In the meantime, we are busy getting ready for the first day of school. The first day of preschool will be on Monday, September 12th. However, you and your child will be invited to a meet and greet on Thursday September 8th, at 10:00 a.m. for the morning session and 12:30 for the afternoon session. This will give you and your child the opportunity to meet the classroom staff and view the classroom. We find that the meet and greet helps with the first day of school jitters. Please make every opportunity to make it. Your child will receive a postcard from the classroom teacher inviting them to the meet and greet.

Enclosed is the orientation packet. Please, fill out all of the forms and return them with you on Thursday September 8th. We realize that it’s a lot of paper work and this is why we send it to you over the summer. The state requires that we have an updated physical and immunizations on file. The computerized forms are fine as long as they are signed by the pediatrician. Please make sure that all forms are filled out thoroughly and accurately. Please, double check emergency contact information phone numbers.

I will be available the rest of the summer, feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. The best number to reach me is 781-273-7632. I can also be reached through email at D’Amato@Burlington.mec.edu.

Additional program information can be found Burlington Public Schools web site, www.burlington.mec.edu Once on the page go to schools and then click on the integrated preschool

Enjoy the rest of the summer and I look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday September 8th.

Thank You,

Louise D’Amato

Director of Burlington Integrated Preschool

Fun Free Fridays

2011-07-22T08:51:00.002-04:00

Every Friday for nine weeks during the summer, the Highland Street Foundation is providing free admission to museums and cultural attractions across Massachusetts. Since the inception of the program on Friday, July 1st, nearly 30,000 people have visited one of their first eight venues. Twenty-eight great venues remain, including the Norman Rockwell Museum, Peabody Essex Museum, the Museum of Science, and Old Sturbridge Village. These venues will be absolutely free. No tickets or advanced reservations are necessary. The Highland Street Foundation recognizes that it can be very difficult for families to afford admission to these wonderful places. In response, they are making their program available to all families in Massachusetts who might enjoy attending one or all of their free admission days. *The Schedule of Events is below. Please email Jen Willis at* *jen@highlandstreet.com* *if you have any additional questions. You can also find Highland Street Foundation online at* *www.highlandstreet.org, on Facebook and Twitter @HighlandStreet.* Free Fun Fridays 2011 Schedule Friday July 22rd Franklin Park Zoo 1 Franklin Park Rd – Dorchester The Sports Museum TD Garden – 100 Legends Way – Boston Norman Rockwell Museum 9 Route 183-Stockbridge Peabody Essex Museum 161 Essex St – Salem Friday July 29th Boston Children’s Museum 308 Congress St – Boston American Textile Museum 491 Dutton Street – Lowell New Bedford Whaling Museum 18 Johnny Cake Hill – New Bedford Shakespeare on the Common Boston Common- Boston Friday August 5th Institute of Contemporary Art 100 Northern Ave – Boston Cape Cod Children’s Museum 577 Great Neck Road South – Mashpee Springfield Museums 21 Edwards Street-Springfield Concord Museum 53 Cambridge Turnpike – Concord Friday August 12th JFK Presidential Library & Museum Columbia Point – Boston Arnold Arboretum 125 Arborway-Jamaica Plain Tanglewood (BSO) 297 West Street-Lenox Stone Zoo 149 Pond Street – Stoneham Friday August 19th Boston Harbor Island Alliance Free ferry transportation to the Harbor Islands 408 Atlantic Ave – Boston Children’s Museum in Easton 9 Sullivan Avenue-Easton USS Constitution Museum 22 Charlestown Navy Yard – Charlestown Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 1000 West Columbus Ave – Springfield Friday August 26th Old Sturbridge Village 1 Old Sturbridge Village Rd – Sturbridge New Repertory Theatre 321 Arsenal Street-Watertown Berkshire Museum 39 South Street – Pittsfield** Friday August 19th Boston Harbor Island Alliance Free ferry transportation to the Harbor Islands 408 Atlantic Ave – Boston Children’s Museum in Easton 9 Sullivan Avenue-Easton USS Constitution Museum 22 Charlestown Navy Yard – Charlestown Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 1000 West Columbus Ave – Springfield Friday August 26th Old Sturbridge Village 1 Old Sturbridge Village Rd – Sturbridge New Repertory Theatre 321 Arsenal Street-Watertown Berkshire Museum 39 South Street – Pittsfield

Water Wednesday

2011-07-20T15:25:00.004-04:00

Here are some fun picutres from Water Wednesday

Summer Program

2011-07-01T08:53:00.004-04:00

The summer program will begin on Tuesday July 5th. Your child will need the following supplies daily:

Sunscreen

A hat

Change of clothes

A healthy snack daily
Juice/water to drink daily
If your child is not toilet trained, please send diapers and wipes.

The teachers intend to plan “fun water days” for the children. On these days, children will need a bathing suit and a towel.

You can either send these items daily to the program with your child or your child can bring these items on the first day of summer school and leave them in their classroom for the duration of the program.

If you have any questions about the summer school program, please give me a call at 781-273-7632, or email at d'amato@burlington.mec.edu

Preschool is on Vacation

2011-06-24T14:11:00.000-04:00

The Burlington Integrated Preschool is on vacation. School will open on September 12, 2011 for the 2011/2012 school year. You will receive a letter from your child's teacher in late August. The letter will share with you who your child's teacher is as well as when open house is. I will be around all summer if you need anything. Feel free to give me a call, 781-273-7632.

Preschool 2010 2011

2011-06-24T13:30:00.000-04:00

IPAD Training

2011-06-15T20:24:00.006-04:00

Last week Tiffany D'Abbraccio, Special Education Preschool Teacher, along with Deb Clark and Melissa Angelo, Speech and Language Pathologist at Francis Wyman School, provided local Special Education Directors a tutorial on how we are using i Pad's in the Burlington Public Schools. Participants had the opportunity to explore applications that are being used in the preschool as well as in speech and language therapy.

(Tiffany's presentation to workshop participants)

IPADs in the Burlington Integrated Preschool

The Burlington Integrated Preschool supports the school district’s initiative to integrate technology in our classrooms. Each classroom in the Burlington Integrated Preschool has 4 IPads. The IPads have proven to be an effective teaching tool for several reasons.

Our students are digital natives; born into a society dependent on constantly evolving technologies. Many of the students in the preschool have been exposed to similar technologies at home prior to their first school experience. Many children enter the preschool with the prior knowledge necessary to navigate personal computers, IPods, smart phones, and IPads.

Another reason the IPads are an effective teaching tool is that children are highly motivated by this technology. Young children who have difficulty attending to task, following multi-step directions, working independently, working in a group, or taking turns with a peer are motivated to attempt these difficult tasks when presented in the form of an IPad activity. Children are so motivated to use the IPads that teachers can use IPads as an incentive for children who earn a reward in school. The IPad is a wonderful reward for students because they have earned a reward that allows them to engage in an educational experience, rather than enjoy their reward by spending time out of programming.

The use of technology in classrooms, including IPads, supports a multimodal, multisensory approach to instruction.

The IPads serve several functions at the Burlington Integrated Preschool. Here is a list of some of the apps we use and their functions:

· Developmentally appropriate apps to enhance lesson plans for curriculum-related activities

o FirstWords - literacy

o Preschool Lunchbox

o Game Factory – vocabulary

o Preschool Adventure

o Counting – number skills

· Augementative Communication Device

o Proloquo2go

o Look-2-Learn

o TapToTalk

o Baby ASL

· Data Collection

o Behavior Tracker Pro

o Skills Tracker Pro

· Fine Motor Development – navigating an IPad includes practices with fine motor skills and visual motor integration

o iWriteWords

· Discrete Trial Training

o Kindergarten.com: object function, receptive vocabulary, identify category, etc.

· Eye Contact

o Look!

· Video Modeling/Social Stories

o Going Places

o Stories2Learn

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/education/ct-met-ipad-for-prek-0511-20110510,0,943811.story

Educational Games	Communication	Data Collection	Social Development	Cognitive Development	Storytime/Music Enhancement
FirstWords: FWAnimals FWVehicls	Prologquo2go	Behavior TrackerPro	GoingPlaces	Kindergarten.com Alphabet (flashcards)	Kidztory1
PreschoolLunchbox	TapToTalk	SkillTrackerPro	Stories2Lears	Kindergarten.com Actions (flashcards)	Five Monkeys
TTCountingLite	Look-to-Learn	IEP Checklist		Kindergarten.com Receptive By Class (discrete trial)	Sesame Street Playground
PreschoolAdventure	Baby ASL			Kindergarten.com Receptive By Feature (discrete trial)
Look! (attending skills)	Grace			Kindergarten.com Receptive By Function (discrete trial
Preschool Playground				Intro to Math
ABC Phonics				Counting
iWriteWords (literacy/OT)				Pocket SLP

IPad

Preschool's Benefits Linger Into Adulthood, Study Finds - US News and World Report

2011-06-14T21:07:00.001-04:00

There has been a lot of research lately on the long term benefits of high quality early childhood programs. This article outlines the long term benefits to students when they have the opportunity to participate in preschool programs. We are very fortunate in Burlington to have high quality early childhood programs that support the development of Burlington's youngest learners.

Preschool's Benefits Linger Into Adulthood, Study Finds - US News and World Report