Around the World with JPP: Family Multicultural Night

Students and families joined us for a unique Pre-K Multicultural Night, where we celebrated diversity and cultural heritage!

This year, we were excited to feature a special room dedicated to Asian culture in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month.

We also featured countries from the island of Hispaniola, Dominican Republic, and Haiti. Families were able to explore and experience the rich traditions, art, and customs of different cultures during this festive and enlightening event. JPP celebrated unity in diversity together!

Firehouse Fun With JPP: Sirens, Sprinklers, and Safety

Our pre-K students had an exciting and educational experience visiting Fire Engine Number 6! They got to see the firefighters in action, learn about fire safety, and they even got to spray the fire hose. The children were in awe of the bright red truck and all of the equipment it carries. If you think that's amazing, a group of firefighters made a surprise visit to JPP that afternoon and handed out cool fireman hats and coloring books to all the students. It was a memorable day for our young learners as they got a firsthand look at the important work that firefighters do to keep our community safe. 

Thank You to Elizabeth Fire Engine #6!

Cookies & Canvas with JPP

We hosted a Cookies and Canvas event showcasing " Starry Night" by Vincent Van Gogh. Each child received a canvas and created amazing pieces of art. The event encouraged our pre-K students to express their creativity and imagination through painting on canvas. Families had a great time bonding, and even teachers joined in on the fun. It was a wonderful event and who doesn't like cookies? Everyone welcomed the special treat.  We would like to think introducing them to famous works of art like "Starry Night" by Vincent Van Gogh sparked an interest in art and art history.

Spring into Fun: Spring Fest at JPP

This year's Spring Fest was exciting. Spring always symbolizes new beginnings, and students kicked off spring break with an epic egg hunt.

Not only are egg hunts fun they can be educational for preschool students in several ways:

1. Developing Problem-Solving Skills: Students have to search for hidden eggs, which can help them develop problem-solving skills and think critically about where to look.

2. Enhancing Fine Motor Skills: Picking up and handling the eggs can help preschoolers improve their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

3. Counting and Sorting: Teachers can incorporate counting and sorting activities by asking students to count the eggs they find or categorize them by color or size.

4. Social Skills: Egg hunts encourage students to work together, take turns, and communicate with each other while searching for eggs.

5. Following Instructions: Preschoolers can practice following instructions as they listen to the rules of the egg hunt and follow the guidelines provided.

As you can see an egg hunt is an enriching activity with lots of educational benefits. 

Dive into Reading: Read Across America Week at JPP

We recently observed Read Across America, even though our young learners are not able to read yet. Introducing them to stories and books is crucial in building the foundation for reading. Literature plays a key role in their success, and we prioritize fostering a love for reading here at Jefferson Park Preschool.

We took a different approach this year when it came to Read Across America Instead of focusing on a specific book each day, we suggested having the children dress up according to a daily theme to show enthusiasm for reading. 

JPP is Filled With Love

At JPP, we believe in spreading love the JPP way! This year, we organized a Valentine Gram exchange where each class created cards for another class. This activity provided students with a deeper understanding of kindness and familiarized them with the spirit of the season. Kindness is truly shining bright here at Jefferson Park.

Black History Month

To commemorate Black History Month this year, we expanded our library collection with popular books by African American authors and illustrators. Additionally, we showcased both well-known and lesser-known African American pioneers on bulletin boards in the hallways. It is crucial for our students to understand that Black history is not only significant on its own but also a substantial part of American history.

Fall Harvest

Yellow, Red, Orange, Brown, All the leaves are falling down! We have a deep appreciation for Autumn at Jefferson Park. Fall is a vibrant season that offers children ample opportunities to explore and learn about the environment in various ways. This year, we took our activities outdoors to immerse ourselves in nature. We organized a scavenger hunt, discovering elements right in our backyard. Additionally, we were fortunate to receive a generous donation from Casola Farms in Aberdeen, NJ, consisting of over 50 sugar pumpkins. The children thoroughly enjoyed painting the pumpkins and had a great time.

Back to School Night

The “Popsicle in the Park” back-to-school night was a fantastic way to start off the school year on a positive note. Families had the opportunity to gather, socialize, and discover more about Jefferson Park Preschool. We believe the event was a success and look forward to the exciting things this school year will bring.

Moving Up Day 2014

This year was filled with love and smiles. It was bittersweet saying good by to the children that we grew close to this year. We saw so much growth over the year and it was fun to celebrate with families and community member just how far our children had come. We look forward to hearing the success stories of our children in the future.

This year was the first year that our school had a Teacher of the Year award. The teacher that was named was Ms. Towanda of room 4 along with her assistant Ms. Ruby. Each of the teachers was awarded with an award based on the highest area they scored in a given criteria. The criteria was: attendance, letter or recommendation from their teacher's aide, number of CE credits, parent surveys, personal teaching philosophy, professional designations & affiliations, evaluations, quality of lesson plans and team work. We are happy to celebrate the wonderful teaching staff here at Jefferson Park 

Preschool Cancer Hope: Mia Lopez

Jefferson Park Preschool is proud to have among its students Mia Lopez, a cancer survivor. Mia is an extraordinary child with an extraordinary story. In December 2012, Mia was diagnosed with Wilms tumor (cancer of the kidney). That day was by far the “hardest day of their lives”, according to Mrs. Lopez. However, after the surgery to remove the tumor and the subsequent chemotherapy treatment, Mia is doing very well. Her treatments that ended in June 2013 were sponsored by The Valerie Fund’s, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide support for the comprehensive health care of children with cancer and blood disorders. Mia’s family is extremely grateful for the support and help The Valerie Fund offered during critical times. Through it all, strength came from knowing they were never alone.

      It is in this spirit that we want to remind everyone that on June 14th, the Valerie Fund will be conducting a fundraising 5K Run and walk. We encourage everybody to participate in any capacity they can towards the goal of raising as much money as possible for this most worthy organization. The Lopez family appreciates your joining with them in supporting the charity that has done so much for Mia. Let’s give back to this amazing organization that has touched so many children’s lives. For detail ask the teachers or see: https://www.thevaleriefund.org/Walk2014/index.php