Welcome to the first monthly edition of The Downey upBeat for the 2015-16 school year.  Here, you’ll find the latest information about what’s happening at Downey as well as updates from our teachers and board president.  Please be sure to direct your friends, family and any Downey Co-op alumni you know to this website so they can enjoy our newsletter and all the other features of the site.  And if you would like to contribute an article or photographs, or if there is anything you would like to see featured in the upBeat, please feel free to contact the newsletter coordinator (marydsparks@gmail.com) at any time.  Enjoy!

“Education is not filling a pail but the lighting of a fire.”                                        ~William Butler Yeats

Well, you’ve survived the first month of school!  We’ve asked a lot of you, and you’ve jumped in with both feet to get the school year off to a great start!  Thank you.  As a parent-led organization, the school is only as good as its members.  Now that most of the “business” (orientations & CPT) is behind us, it’s time to settle into the fun.  Coming up, we have school pictures, Fall Break and TB testing and the Halloween Festival at the end of the month.  (Just announced: TB testing will be administered at 9 am on Tuesday, Oct. 27th and read at 9 am on Friday, Oct. 30th.)

Everyone’s job is integral to the functioning of the co-op.  Finding a balance between what Downey asks of you and the other demands of life isn’t always as easy as it seems like it should be.  If you ever have questions or concerns about your role in the preschool, please don’t hesitate to ask me, Mindy, or a Downey veteran.  We hope you’re enjoying your time at school as much as your preschoolers!

Cheers,
Erin

Hello Frog Families!  I hope everyone has enjoyed the start to the school year as much as I have.  It has been so much fun getting to know each of your children a little better these last few weeks.  They are all doing a great job adjusting to our daily routines.

The Frogs have been exploring their five senses through various activities in the classroom including the use of sensory balloons, sound jars, musical instruments and scented paints.  We also discovered ways that we can use our senses while we took a hike at Southeastway Park.  When we return from Fall Break, we will delve into the world of fall and things related to harvest.

-Mrs. Lovold

The Polliwog classroom is off to a great start!  The children have enjoyed exploring the classroom and our playground.  It’s been so much fun to see their excitement and feel their energy as they bounce from activity to activity during class!

The Polliwogs started their study of apples by taking a field trip to Pleasant View Orchard.

In the classroom, the children have explored apples by creating prints with cut apples, creating their own scented apples and visiting the “Downey Orchard” under our loft.  Over the next couple of weeks, the children will get to help make homemade applesauce and build their own apple trees.

-Mrs. Lovold

Editor’s Note: Special thank you to those parents who have been helping with classroom set up and clean up duties. Please keep in mind this is an “all hands on deck” responsibility.  All parents need to participate so please try to arrive a few minutes early to pitch in.  Thanks!

We have made it through our first month of preschool.  It was an easy transition for some and a not-so-easy transition for others.  However, the tadpoles have prevailed!  Thanks to the courage, patience and sense of humor of the parents and the participating parents.

Some tadpoles have already found their favorite activity like painting, puzzles, cars and dress up.

October we will start our fall exploration.  We will learn all about apples, maybe even make some apple sauce.  We will work with colors red, green and yellow.

Remember our tadpoles have only been on this planet for two or three years.  They already know so much but still have a lot to learn.  The good thing is they have plenty of time to learn.  They all learn at their own rate, so we as adults have to be patient and help guide them.

Our goal here is mostly socialization, and along the way we may learn colors, name recognition, shapes, songs, and hopefully sharing (that one comes and goes).

Thank you for all of your help this past month.  Co-oping is so much fun.

Thank you for choosing Downey.

-Mrs. Egan

“Children have to be educated, but they have also to be left to educate themselves.”                     ~Abbé Dimnet, Art of Thinking, 1928

PARENT ED OPPORTUNITY

Our first parent education opportunity of the year is Thursday, October 22, 6:30-7:30 pm with dietician Laura Dean of IU Riley Health.  Join us for ideas and inspiration for healthy eating, even on the go.  Sample food pairings that help increase veggie and protein intake.  Discover new ways to present favorites like peanut butter and Greek yogurt.  And leave with recipes that sneak more veggies into your preschoolers’ diets.  You can even bring the kids along to see what foods they like.

As an added bonus, those who attend will be entered in a drawing to win grocery gift cards!

Advance registration is required, so watch your inbox and/or our website for details and the signup genius link.  Per the Downey family agreement, each family is required to attend at least two parent education events during the year.

Event is free for Downey and other ICPC families.  Community admission is $5. For more information, contact jkwallman@gmail.com.

 

IT’S DOWNEY POINSETTIA TIME!

Hello Downey Families,

My name is Cassandra Crutchfield, and I am the coordinator for our Poinsettia Fundraiser this year.  My daughter, Charlotte, is in the Polliwogs class.  We are new to Downey and very excited to be here!

The Poinsettia Fundraiser is the biggest fundraiser of the year for Downey!  The money that we raise from selling these beautiful plants goes directly towards operating our school.  We will need everyone’s help to make this a successful fundraiser!  You will soon be receiving a packet with everything you need to know- including your order form, but below, please find a summary of this year’s program.  If you have any questions, comments or ideas, please contact us:

Cassandra Crutchfield – Poinsettia Coordinator – 317-270-0522 – cassandra78@gmail.com                                                             Jen Wilkinson – Fundraising Chair – 317-506-9566 – jenkikendall@gmail.com

Products and Pricing:

• 6.5” pot (7+ blooms)- choose red, white or burgundy – $10 (note: burgundy is a new color this year and only available in this size)
• 8” pot (15+ blooms)- choose red, white or pink – $15
• 12” straight up- red/white combo only – $25 (note: these are new this year)

Responsibilities – Each Downey family is responsible for:

• Selling at least 15 poinsettias.  (This is an easy sell to your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, Downey alumni and more!)
• Helping to unload, sort and/or deliver orders the morning of Monday November 30^th.
• Picking up and delivering the poinsettias you sell.

Bulk Orders:

We would love to get some bulk orders from local businesses this year.   This would greatly help us to reach our fundraising goal!  Bulk orders can come from:

• Churches
• Businesses
• Restaurants
• Hospitals, Nursing Homes or Healthcare Facilities
• Law or Accounting Firms
• Car dealerships
• Others who might place large orders for decorations or to give clients as gifts

We think that businesses, churches, etc. would be more willing to place an order with someone they know.  If you have any connections, we have included a bulk order form and letter with information about the school and the fundraiser.  If you would feel more comfortable with us making the sale, please pass along your ideas.  We will help with delivering all bulk orders.

Key Dates:

• Wednesday, October 28^th – Deadline For Orders
• Monday, November 30^th – Poinsettia Delivery Day

Orders and Payment:

• An order form has been included in your folder (and is linked below).  Please fill it out in its entirety.  It is very important we have clear and accurate information.
• Payment MUST be submitted with orders.
• Cash and Checks payable to Downey Cooperative Preschool are acceptable forms of payment.

FamilyOrderForm2015

DOWNEY HALLOWEEN BOO!th

The Irvington Halloween Festival this year is going to fall on Halloween Day!  Downey has had a booth at the festival for several years, and we have found it is a great opportunity for us to show the community who we are and what we believe in: that children learn best through play.  At the booth, we will have a sensory table and (weather permitting) chalk and bubbles.  Each child who comes to the table will be able to walk away with a bag of Downey play-doh and a cookie-cutter this year.

It is a required participation event for all Downey families.  Whether you are helping to make play-doh, assemble the giveaway bags, setting up, tearing down, or manning the booth at the festival, we need your help!  Please be sure to sign up asap using the sign-up genius link below (password is Halloween).  It will be a fun event!

Halloween Festival Signup (click below):

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS AT DOWNEY CO-OP!

This is a very special year at Downey, as it marks the 50th Anniversary of our pre-school!  Plans are underway to mark the occasion, and if you have ideas for a celebration or would like to help on a 50th anniversary committee, please contact Erin or Mindy.

“Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.”                                   ~Chinese Proverb