the FIRST step to success

10/8: Gia 10/13: Gibbs 10/15 Ms. Riley 10/27 Maya

INFANT - Kindergarten

Atlanta First Day School

October @ AFDS

October Mini-Messenger

October Birthdays!

Exploring “Seeds and Trees” PINK FRIDAYS - Breast Cancer Awareness Monday, Oct. 9th: School is OPEN - note change Tuesday, Oct. 10th - Friday, Oct. 13th: Fall Break Camp (School aged 5-7) Monday, Oct. 23rd - Friday, Oct. 27th: Spirit Week

Monday 23rd: Pajama Day Tuesday 24th Team Spirit Wednesday 25th Tacky Day Thursday 26th Storybook Character Day Friday 27th Costume Day

Friday, Oct. 27th: Costume Parade, 3:30pm Friday, Oct. 27th: Fall Festival, 4-6pm

Exploring “Transportation, Tubes and Tunnels” Monday, Nov. 6th - Friday, Nov. 10th:

Random Acts of Kindness Week Parent-Teacher Conferences

Wednesday, Nov. 15th: Thanksgiving Luncheon, 11:30am-1pm Thursday, Nov. 23rd - Friday, Nov. 24th:

Thanksgiving Break

November @ AFDS

A F D S

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27TH FROM 4-6PM Bounce House, Face Painting, Train Rides, Pumpkin Painting

& FUN! A Food Truck and an Ice Cream Truck will be on site!

fall festivalCostume Parade begins @ 3:30pm

Infants This month in the infant classroom our theme has been focused on “Let’s Move”. We have worked on some of our cognitive skills and fine motor skills with the assistance of our teachers. We are learning how to pick up and grasp Cheerios along with picking up and holding our bottles. We have enjoyed animal puppet play with the teachers as well as walking on different colors of paint using butcher paper. We have been able to feel different textures; from oatmeal to water and even our scarves.

In the meantime, let’s welcome Nicholas , Kennedy and Cadence to our Infant Classroom.  

Parents, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns please don’t hesitate to reach out. We will be glad to assist you!

Ms. Sanders - msanders@a1kids.org Ms. Desmond - jdesmond@a1kids.org Ms. Bowden - kbowden@a1kids.org Ms. Riley - jriley@a1kids.org

Young Toddlers The Young Toddlers have had a lot of fun this month learning all about their bodies and movement. They learned a few yoga moves like; The Warrior Pose and the Upward Blow which seemed to be their favorites. Our activities focused on helping them develop their gross motor skills. The class also identified different body parts as part of this lesson. We have also been focusing on table manners. The young toddlers have been practicing blessing their food, using eating utensils and saying please and thank you. They are all doing a great job and are progressing everyday! We would also like to WELCOME our new friend Aarohi to the class.

Ms. Powell - tpowell@a1kids.org Mrs. Mitchell - smitchell@a1kids.org Ms. Nickle - knickle@a1kids.org

Toddlers We are excited and ready to explore seeds and trees.....This month is all about nature and what trees do during the season change. We will study how trees grow and how you plant seeds. We want to encourage the children to appreciate the season changes with activities and games. Our classroom will be well represented with tree and leave decorations.

We also would like to take the time to congratulate our classroom friends Carter and Emerson for accomplishing the task of walking. Way to go Guys!!!!

As we welcome the fall season we would like to thank you all for the support in the classroom and helping us and the children meet their milestones. We also would like a few donations of cleaning disinfected wipes for the fall clean up of the classroom. Thank you for all that you do!

Ms. Nkuchwayo - bnuckwayo@a1kids.org Mrs. Garrett - cgarrett@a1kids.org Mrs. Gamble - sgamble@a1kids.org

Twos A and B This month Two A and Two B has been nothing short from excitement! We are still working very hard on our self-help skills, including cleaning up, taking off and putting on our clothes by ourselves and washing our hands as well as continuing to work with some of our friends in the potty training mode.

The theme “Let’s Move” helped us to learn about our bodies, how we can move them around and how to take good care of them. We have learned and worked on how to stretch our bodies, eye-hand coordination, and even how to do somersaults! We have also incorporated yoga in our morning activities, where we warm up our bodies for a stimulating day at school!  We invite everyone to join us! We meet at 9 am on the upper playground and on inclement weather days, we meet in the gym.

We’ve also talked about dental health and how we brush our teeth and what is good and not good for our teeth. We’ve even learned about bones in our bodies and how we need and use them in everyday activities. What happens if we hurt our bones?! Well, we go to the doctor! We’ve learned about doctors and their many different tools to keep our bodies and bones healthy! Next month’s theme is “Seeds and Trees” where we will learn about seeds and how they grow and what they can grow into. ** Thank you to everyone who has donated towels for yoga!!**

Ms. Pearson - tpearson@a1kids.org Ms. Lewis - elewis@a1kids.org Ms. Massar - jmassar@a1kids.org Ms. Fite - tfite@a1kids.org

Classroom Recap

Preschool During the month of September, our class learned about our bodies and how they move. We read the book, This Is My Body, by Mercer Mayer, and enjoyed tracing around our bodies, adding features, and  cutting them out. This helped to build our fine motor skills. The children have enjoyed kicking, throwing, and rolling balls to each other. This helped us to increase our body strength. In addition, we participated in science experiments that were awesome! We had fun pouring pop rocks into water and listening for bubbles. Then, we smashed butterscotch candy so it cracked into two pieces.

In Math, we made long snakes from play dough and tootsie rolls. Mrs. Lara asked us to compare the snakes and tell her which snake was longer.  In addition, we matched blocks in the shape of rectangles and triangles to a large puzzle on the floor.

Trees! Trees! Trees! Trees are all around us. In October, we will be focusing on different  types of seeds and what seeds need in order to grow into trees. Then we will talk about the different kinds of trees and what can grow on trees.

Our class enjoyed celebrating Clayton, Eleanor, and Hazel's birthdays in September. It was fun breaking open the piñatas that Clayton and Hazel shared with us. We have a new student in our class. Her name is Sairah. Her excitement for learning is contagious and we love to learn with her! Welcome Sairah!

Mrs. Lara - clara@a1kids.org Ms. Jackson - ijackson@a1kids.org Mrs. Altizer - saltizer@a1kids.org

Pre-K In the month of September, Pre K was introduced to the “Let’s Move” study. They spent some time learning about how and what makes our bodies move, how movement keeps us healthy, and what community helpers keep us healthy. For Phonics and Writing, the students spent some time reviewing letters by learning the proper way to write them, their sounds, and words that begin or use that letter sound. For Math, they reviewed numbers 1-15 by tracing the numbers and number words. For Science and Social Studies, they learned about the different body parts, muscles, and the bones in our body.

Next month, the children will be introduced to the “Seeds and Trees” study. They will spend some time refreshing our school garden and learning about the life cycle of trees and plants. For Math, they will be introduced to several concepts such as categorizing, sorting, and comparing more or less. For Writing, they will spend some time writing words that pertain to the theme and for Science, they will be doing many hands on science experiments. For Phonics, they will be focusing on lowercase letter recognition, reviewing letter sounds, and understands the concept of beginning and ending sounds. During our art time, they will be getting messy creating many different types of masterpieces.

Mrs. Felix - sfelix@a1kids.org Ms. Brinkley - dbrinkley@a1kids.org Ms. KJ - kjackson@a1kids.org

Kindergarten During the Tunnels, Tubes, and Transportation study the Kindergarten students have been having fun learning about all the different places we can see these things. While exploring this study the students learned about where we can see different tunnels and how there is three-forms of transportation: land, water, and air. For Math, the students worked on their shape unit, where they learned about color words, basic shapes, 2d and 3d shapes. The students also learned how to count the sides of the shape and were introduced to symmetry. During English Language Arts, the students worked on rhyming words. The Kindergarten students were also introduced to new family words and sight words. We ended this study by finishing up our Science unit. The students enjoyed doing different science experiments by exploring the scientific method. The students are looking forward to ending this study with our field trip this Friday!   As we move unto the “Seeds and Trees” study the students will be learning all about fall and why leaves change colors and how trees grow. The students will also have fun making applesauce to help us get into the fall season. During math the students will be working on fractions by learning about equal parts and identifying halves, thirds and fourths. For English Language Arts (ELA), the students will be comparing and contrasting characters by using different stories. The students will also start working on the main idea and retelling during our daily 5. The Kindergarten students will be jumping right back into Social Studies by learning about “Our Nation”. The students will be learning about the purpose of national holidays and describe people and events that are celebrated. We will also spend some time learning about American symbols and their meaning. Ms. Sutton-Cannon - msuttoncannon@a1kids.org Mrs. Lowe - alowe@a1kids.org

Classroom Recap

Ingredients for Burger Mixture • 1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef • large onion, chopped (1 cup) • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce • 1 teaspoon garlic salt • 1cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz) • 1/2 cup milk • 1/2 cup Original Bisquick™ mix • 2 eggs

Directions - Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups

with cooking spray. - In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium-

high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Cool 5 minutes; stir in Worcestershire sauce, garlic salt and cheese.

- In medium bowl, stir baking mixture ingredients with whisk or fork until blended. Spoon 1 scant tablespoon baking mixture into each muffin cup. Top with about 1/4 cup burger mixture. Spoon 1 tablespoon baking mixture onto burger mixture in each muffin cup.

- Bake about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, and muffin tops are golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. With thin knife, loosen sides of muffins from pan; remove from pan and place top side up on cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes longer, and serve with garnishes.

AFDS Parent’s Corner

A1Kids.org Email: Info@A1Kids.org 404-333-0270

Adjusting to having a new baby in the house can be difficult for the whole family. Sleepless nights and a change in routine can leave mom feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. Offering support can help the family adjust to their new normal. Here are some ideas:

Stop by the store. Going to the store with a newborn and possibly older children for the first time can be a daunting task. Offer to pick up a few things the family needs. This is especially easy if you are already running errands. Many grocery stores now offer drive- through pick up. Have the family order and pay for groceries online, then pick them up and deliver them. Helping to put them away would be an extra bonus.

Help around the house. Sweep the floor, fold laundry, vacuum, or do dishes. Even a little bit of tidying up can make a big difference. A clean house during a time of transition can bring order to a time that feels chaotic. However, mom may prefer to clean herself. Offer to care for the baby and other children while she works on a household project.

Come when others don’t. Not all new moms are “new moms.” Families that are adding their second, third or fourth child need help just as much as first-time moms, if not more. When there are older children there is no time for resting when the baby rests. Their activities do not stop just because a new baby arrived and mom and dad are tired. It can be difficult to entertain a toddler while mom is nursing or changing diapers. Offer to take care of the older children for mom or offer to take care of baby so she can spend some alone time with her older children.

Provide a meal. Friends and family often send versatile casseroles like lasagna. Try thinking outside the 13×9 pan. Why not bring the family the fixings for breakfast and lunch rather than just dinner? Stock the freezer with easy, ready-to-make items like pizza, pasta dishes, soups and crock pot meals or bring their favorite takeout or send a gift card.

Let her shower. A new mom may feel she doesn’t have time for basic things like a shower, rest, or time to eat a meal. One of the simplest ways to help a new mom is to hold the baby and watch the other children while she eats lunch, enjoys a relaxing shower, or takes a nap.

Help with the older kids. Show support by offering to pick up the older kids, even if it’s just for a couple hours. If you are taking your own children to the park, swing by and pick up her’s for the afternoon. This gets them out of the house and gives mom a break. Driving the kids to school or activities is also a big help for a family with a new baby. Time alone with baby may be just what mom needs.

Bring a gift for mom. Many people bring gifts for the baby, but mom is usually the one doing all the work. Bring a snack or treat. Other great gifts are ones that pamper mom. A delivery of flowers is another great way to bring cheer and make mom feel special.

Don’t stay too long. Families generally like to have company. However, don’t overstay your welcome. Visit, bring a meal, and help out but watch for clues from mom as to when the family would like some alone time.

Take her somewhere. Mom may not be able to drive for a few weeks after birth. Offer to take her on errands or just out for coffee. Being able to get out of the house can do wonders for someone’s attitude.

Don’t give advice. An important tip for anyone chatting with a new mom is to listen but don’t give advice unless you are asked. It can be frustrating and overwhelming to get unsolicited advice from everyone.

It’s important to ask mom what would help her. Would she prefer to have help with housework? Would she like you to hold the baby while she gets some things done? Offer several options and see what sounds most appealing to the new mom. Any offer to help is always appreciated by a family adjusting to having a new baby in the house.

Cooking Project Corner IMPOSSIBLY EASY MINI CHEESEBURGER PIES

Thank you! You are awesome!

David Stephens for chaperoning the Kindergarten Class on their field trip.

10 Ways to Support a New Mom

Save

Date! the

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” December 8, 2017 - 2:45 pm