Updates & Announcements
NEWSLETTER
November 2023 Newsletter
November 2023 Newsletter
November Calendar
Wednesday, November 1 – No School
Wednesday, November 22- Friday, November 24 – Thanksgiving Break
December Dates:
Monday, December 25 – Tuesday, January 2, 2024 – Winter Break
November Snacks:
This month we will be enjoying Ritz Crackers & peanut butter or cheese, animal crackers and apple juice, oatmeal cookies and yogurt and Saltine crackers and cheese slices.
Dressing for Cold Weather
As the cold weather approaches in November, please remember to dress your child for outdoor play. We will continue to go outside to play in the winter months.
Please send your children to school with hats, mittens, warm coats, etc. Make sure every piece is labeled with your child’s name. It is also important your child wears appropriate shoes to school. Please send your children to school with sturdy, close-toed shoes.
4CCN Tours & Registration
Late fall (end November, early December) 4CCN will begin scheduling tours for the 2024-2025 school year.
Registration for in-house families will begin in early January 2024.
Registration for alumni family, January 24, 2024
Registration for the community, February 1, 2024
More information about registration will follow in the coming weeks.
Word of mouth is our best form of advertising. Please help spread the word about 4CCN to your friends and family!
Consignment Sale
The 4CCN Fall Consignment Sale was a huge success! A special thank you to all the families who helped with this year’s sale. We appreciate all your dedication, hard work, and volunteer efforts. Sharing flyers, photos, and posts with friends, family, and neighbors was a huge help in gaining more customers and consigners.
Also, special thanks to Donna Rinaldo who did the accounting for the sale, assisted in introducing credit card processing for purchasing, and helped keep our sales floor organized. The money raised for the sale funds important school items such as our beautiful playground equipment and maintenance, in- house field trips, and classroom equipment.
Many of the remaining items that did not sell were donated to different amazing local organizations and served a variety of needs. What a great feeling for all of us to come together as a school community to make such a large event occur that ultimately benefits all our children as well as our greater community.
Our Spring sale is scheduled for the week of March 11 - 15, 2024. We are hoping to build off the success of this sale in the spring! It never hurts to get started tagging early, so if you just consigned with us, let us know if you want to keep your code.
Thanksgiving Holiday
We will be closed on Wednesday, November 22 thru Friday, November 24 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Have a wonderful holiday. Safe travels to those of you who are heading out of town. We will be back open on Monday, November 27th!
We Can Be Thankful
They are in their tender years of life, our infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. As parents we can sometimes be overwhelmed by the daily traumas, bored with mundane routines. But let us remember all that we must be thankful for.
We can be thankful that a healthy toddler can live on three peas and a cracker on one of “those” days.
We can be thankful that neighborhood teenagers continue to assume the role of responsible caregivers on Saturday nights.
We can be thankful that we can see the wonders of the world through “young again” eyes.
We can be thankful that disposable diapers come in large toddler sizes for the reluctant potty trainer.
We can be thankful that by the time they board the kindergarten bus, children will be able to skillfully use spoons and forks.
We can be thankful that little noses stop running by April.
We can be thankful that small, whining voices often spontaneously break into song.
We can be thankful that lack of sleep is rarely fatal.
We can be thankful that there are rocking chairs.
We can be thankful that if we perceive them as lovable and capable, they will perceive themselves as lovable and capable too.
We can be thankful that parenting is an equal opportunity profession and that nurturing skills are neither innate or gender specific.
We can be thankful that the terrible/terrific twos prepare us for adolescence.
We can be thankful that nature has provided so well for the survival of the human infant by giving each a face that his/her parents will love.
We can be thankful, most of all, that we have them to be thankful for.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
October 2023 Newsletter
October 2023 Newsletter
October Dates:
Monday, October 9 – No School
Monday, October 23-Friday, October 27 – Fall Consignment Sale
October Snacks:
We will be serving these delicious snacks in the month of October:
Saltines & cheese slices, Ritz crackers & peanut butter (or cheese), Rice Chex & dried fruit, Goldfish & juice, and ginger snaps & applesauce.
Welcome Back to 4CCN to these 4CCN alumni!
The DMV has a reputation for being a very transient area. Take a closer look at our small community here at 4 Corners Community Nursery!
4CCN alumni are coming back to where their structured education began.
4CCN staff Katie Keach & Amelia Temenak both attended 4CCN and are now on staff. Katie working on MWFs in a 3s class and Amelia in 2s class on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
David Chapman, Kelly Barnard & Zack Burger both attended 4CCN (in the original building) and now their children are in our 3s classes.
We also have four grandchildren in attendance from former staff members.
If I have missed anyone, please let me know.
Stop by the office, we may have you picture in our photo library.
Many of our staff members started their journey here with enrolling their children and joined the staff.
Ashley Campbell, Rachael Wetter, Sarah Jacobs, Katie Keach, Carla Temenak, Sara Robb, Alana Kravitz, Allison Nadelhaft, Kate Spigler & Susie Ostermeyer.
So, next time someone says we live in a very transient area, think about our little community and over 30+ years, so many have not gone far at all.
Halloween Celebrations:
Please check your classroom newsletters/emails for more information about your child’s classroom activities.
4CCN FALL CONSIGNMENT SALE
From our Co-Chairs
The Fall Consignment Sale is quickly approaching! This year's fall sale will be held the week of October 23, 2023. We will have a huge selection of season specific children's clothing (NB-12), plus toys, books, games, baby gear, costumes, and maternity clothes and more for sale.
In addition to shopping the sale, you are also welcome to consign at the sale. This is a great opportunity to clean out your closets and support the school at the same time! If you are interested in consigning, you will need a consignor code. Codes are $5 each. Please come to the office to pay for your code and pick up tags, information packet and pricing guide.
If you have any items you would like to donate to the sale and give the school 100% of the proceeds (instead of the 50/50 split for the consignor and the school), you can pick up some green tags in the office and label them with code A1. Only donate items that you do not want returned to you.
Please mark your calendars with the following important dates for consignors, shoppers, and parent volunteers:
Consignor Drop Off Times
Monday, October 23, 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM and 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Tuesday, October 24, 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Sale Dates
Tuesday, October 24, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Wednesday, October 25, 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM and 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Thursday, October 26, 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM and 7:00 - 9:00 PM
(Thursday is half price day!)
As you know, an event of this size can only be successful with the help of many hands. Please help us make the most of this sale, our one and only fundraising event at 4CCN, by signing up for and completing your required volunteer shift(s). If you have not received an email with a link to the Sign-Up website, please contact our chairwomen, Brittany Hammond and Sara Robb, via email at consign4ccn@gmail.com.
Do not forget, everyone who has signed up for their volunteer hours will be able to shop at the pre-sale on Tuesday, October 24 from 5:30pm-6:30pm!
The sale is located on the lower level of Luther Rice Memorial Baptist Church in the Social Hall. Both consigning and purchasing are open to the community, so please share this information with your friends and family.
Visit from Pediatric Dentist
October is Dental Health Month
Everyone loves a clean mouth, right? And we think keeping that mouth of yours clean on the regular is worth celebrating. In fact, we think it’s worth celebrating not just for a day, but for an entire month; hence, the recognition of the month of October as National Dental Hygiene Month. This month is dedicated to promoting healthy mouths all across the country, and celebrating the hard work your favorite dental hygienist does to keep your pearly whites squeaky clean.
Silver Spring Pediatric Dentistry will visit 4CCN on October 13 & November 2 to teach our children the importance of their oral health. During our visit they will read a book about preventing cavities, and the importance of brushing and flossing, demonstrate how to properly brush and floss and play a short game.
Emergency Preparedness Plans for 4CCN
4 Corners Community Nursery’s philosophy is to always keep your child(ren) safe when he/she is in our care. We have developed an emergency plan that will be put into place if special circumstances require a different type of care. Plans for these special types of care are reviewed annually. The 4CCN staff is trained in the appropriate response and local emergency management is aware of these plans. The specific type of emergency will guide where and what special care will be provided.
· Shelter at the site – This plan would be put into place in the event of weather emergency or unsafe outside conditions or threats. In this plan, children will be cared for indoors with secured and locked doors. Parents will be notified if they need to pick up their child before regular time.
· Evacuation to another site – This plan would be put into place in the event that is not safe for the children to remain at 4CCN. In this situation, staff has predetermined alternate sites for care. The choice of the site is determined by the specific emergency and what would be an appropriate site.
· Method to contact parents – In the event of an emergency, parent will be called, a note will be placed on the door, and radio/TV stations will be alerted to provide more specific information. You can also check for information on our website www.4ccn.org. Depending on the distance from the center, the children will walk if feasible or be transported to the alternate site.
· Emergency ends/reuniting with children – When the emergency ends, parents will be informed and reunited with their children as soon as possible. The contact methods listed above will be used to inform parents.
The purpose for sharing this information with you is not to cause worry, but to reassure you that we are prepared to handle all types of emergencies in a way that will ensure the safety of your child(ren). In the event of an actual emergency, please do not call 4CCN – it will be important to keep the lines open. If you have questions regarding this information, talk with the director or your child’s teacher.
Former 4CCN Parent Offers Therapy
Is your child showing signs of anxiety: Excessive worry? Constant checking? Fear of separation? Heightened attention to every physical symptom?
Have you, now as a parent or in your past, managed anxiety? Do you wonder how your experiences of anxiety impact your parenting and your ability to enjoy the moment?
Psychotherapy can help alleviate anxiety symptoms while also helping you strengthen your sense of self and life satisfaction. As a licensed psychotherapist, I offer short- and longer-term therapies including SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions), ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), as well as mind-body methods to help you and your child create lives full of the things that matters to you all.
Appointments are available in-person in Kensington or via telehealth for clients located anywhere in Maryland. To learn more, visit or call:
www.AshleyThorndike.com
301-200-9210
Ashley Thorndike, LGPC, C-SLDI
Ashley is former 4CCN parent
she/her
Small Space Education & Therapy is owned and operated by Ashley Thorndike, LGPC, C-SLDI and offers psychotherapy, dyslexia intervention, and holistic Pilates. Ashley's practice is supervised by Ronnie Biemans, LCPC, a Maryland board-approved counseling supervisor. Ashley Thorndike, LGPC is an out of network provider but psychotherapy may be covered in part by your insurance via reimbursement.
September 2023 Newsletter
Dear 4CCN Families,
Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year!
This time of year, is filled with many emotions. It is always very exciting to begin a new year. Each year
brings some change as well as the familiar. The quiet halls are filled with children’s laughter (and some
tears) and parents reconnect with friends they have not seen all summer or connect with new friends.
Along with the excitement of a new school year, there is anxiety for children and parents who are
experiencing the first day for the first time. In just a few short weeks as the routine becomes familiar
and that anxiety fades. Whether you are cheering as you leave school or filled with tears we will make
your child’s/children’s experience(s) memorable while they are here at 4CCN.
The area is seeing a spike in COVID cases. Maryland Department of Education has released a statement
regarding COVID cases and outbreaks. We will continue to follow CDC guidelines for COVID. The
memorandum from MSD is attached to this newsletter for your reference.
One of my favorite parts of my job is to greet you and your children in the morning. Please be patient as
I learn everyone’s names. I am at the front door mornings and afternoons. I look forward to seeing you!
Wishing families and staff a fantastic 2023-2024 school year!
Susie Ostermeyer
Director
SEPTEMBER 2023 DAYS TO NOTE:
September 4 – No School, Labor Day
September 5 & 6 First Day of 2022 School Year!
September 25 No School
4CCN CALENDAR ON WEB SITE
For quick check on upcoming dates at 4CCN, please check out our calendar on
the web site. It is now on the home page. This is a quick and easy reference to
school closings and activities.
4CCN STAFF for 2023-2024
4CCN has been fortunate to consistently retain staff from year to year.
We have had some changes and movement from last year. Here is a list of
who is where in 2023-2024:
MWF 2s Ashley Campbell & Buffy Stutz
T/Th 2s Amelia Temenak & Sarah Jacobs
5-day 3s Jodi Siff & Rachael Wetter
MWF/WF 3s Sarah Jacobs & Katie Keach
MWF 4s Allison Nadelhaft & Kate Spigler
5-day 4s Alana Kravitz & Kathleen Ficco
5-day 4s Carla Temenak & Sara Robb (MWF) & Allison Nadelhaft (T/Th)
We welcome our newest staff members Sara Robb & Katie Keach.
Please check out all the staff bios on our website’s staff page.
New 4CCN Staff for 2023-2024
This year we welcome two new staff members to 4CCN; Sara Robb and Katie Keach.
Sarah Robb will be working with Carla Temenak in the 4-year-old classroom and Katie Keach as the aide
in the 3s classroom with Sarah Jacobs.
Both Sara & Katie are 4CCN parents, have a true understanding of children and will make wonderful
additions to the 4CCN staff. Welcome Sara & Katie.
TUITION PAYMENT
4CCN has enrolled in a payment option through QuickBooks.
Each month, you will receive an invoice with an option of paying via bank
transfer. You many also schedule payments with your bank to arrive by tuition
due date or drop off a check. Tuition invoices are sent to emails on file on the 25 th of each month
(August – April). Payments are due by the 5 th of the following month.
A $20.00/week late fee will be assessed for late payments. Your first tuition payment for the school year
is due on September 5 th .
PLAYGROUND SECURITY CAMERAS
Over the summer we had 2 security cameras installed. One facing the front gate of the playground, the
other facing the playground towards the backside of the fence. Last year we agreed to install fence
screening as well as cameras. The cameras do not take the place of staff or parents being aware of their
surroundings. If you see something suspicious, please say something to a 4CCN staff member or if it is
more urgent call 911 ASAP and then let a staff member know.
4CCN List Serve
Some communication regarding upcoming events, emergency closings and
general 4CCN happenings is made via email. If you have not been receiving
emails regarding Open House and the start of school or you would like to be
added to the list, please send me an email at 4ccndirector@gmail.com.
September Snack
In the month of September, we will serve graham crackers and apple juice for the
entire month. In October we will rotate snacks each week. Snack menus will be
posted in the newsletter each month.
Allergy Check
If your son/daughter has an allergy, please make sure it is noted in your child’s health inventory and on
their emergency form.
PARKING
We are fortunate to have a very large parking lot. You can enter the lot from two
locations, one from University Blvd and a rear entrance from Eastwood Ave.
There are other tenants who use the building and parking lot. Hold your
children’s hands when walking through the parking lot. Never leave children
unattended in your car while you drop off siblings.
For the safety of all families and children, the first 4 parking spaces by the front
door will be blocked. This includes parking in front of the playground. Cars
backing up while families are entering and exiting is too dangerous. Please do not park on the outside of
the yellow lines. We have many families entering and exiting and blocking the traffic flow makes for a
very dangerous parking lot.
FALL CONSIGNMENT SALE
Mark your calendars! The Fall Consignment Sale is quickly approaching! This year's fall
sale will be held the week of October 23 rd . We will have a huge selection of season
specific children's clothing (NB-size 12), plus toys, books, games, baby gear, costumes,
and maternity clothing for sale.
An event of this size can only be successful with the help of many hands. Please help
us make the most of this sale, our one and only fundraising event at 4CCN, by signing
up for and completing your required volunteer shift(s). A link will be sent to you in a few
weeks for you to sign up for a shift. Our chairpersons for this year are Sara Robb and
Brittnay Hammond. The consignment sale email is consign4ccn@gmail.com if you have
any questions.
JOB OPPORTUNITY AT 4CCN
4CCN Substitutes
We are always looking for substitutes to fill in when a staff member needs a day
off. If you are interested in substituting, please contact Susie Ostermeyer for
more information 4ccndirector@gmail.com.
4CCN SECURITY
A camera/door buzzer is located to the right of our front door. Other than drop off
and pick up, the door will be locked. If you come during the school day to drop off
or pick up your child, please ring the intercom, identify yourself and we will buzz
you in. The inside doors are also locked during the school day, you will be given
the code for the inside doors at Open House.
4CCN Annual BBQ!
Weather permitting, we will have the BBQ on Friday, September 29 th from 5 pm -dusk.
Classrooms will be open from 5-5:30 for to meet the staff, and see what is happening in the classrooms.
Hot dogs and sides will be served on the playground. Family members are welcome to join!
More information will be emailed to you in a few weeks.
Guest Newsletter Contributor
Laura-Lee Nuttall is an RN and freelance writer. She is a mom of 3 children ages 12, 5 & 4. She will be
writing articles for our newsletter on topics which I hope are relevant to you and you enjoy reading. Our
September topic is Healthy Lunches for Picky Eaters. Her newsletter is attached, I hope you find the
information helpful! If there are any topics which you are interested in, please let me know. I
appreciate any feedback!
Unplug to CONNECT, LEARN, BE HEALTHY, and PLAY
http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/sites/default/files/ccfchealthykids.pdf
What's Going On Inside a Toddlers Brain?
As the parent of a toddler, your big adult mind is always trying to make sense of what’s going through their tiny kid one. “Why are you flopping on the ground?” “Why are you biting me for no particular reason?” “Why are you peeing yourself while maintaining eye contact?” The biggest issue is that you don’t know what they’re thinking, and they can’t tell you yet. But science can.
Dr. Dean Burnett, a neuroscientist (and author of the Idiot Brain, and Guardian columnist who moonlights as a stand-up comic), says that the early days of brain development are fascinating because all of the connections needed throughout life are forming and coming together. Dr. Burnett is also father to a 4-year-old son and a one-year-old daughter, so this is basically applied science. Here’s why your kid’s still-forming gray matter makes their behavior anything but black and white.
Your Kid Is Dory From Finding Nemo
Adults have mental models based on experience and the memory of how things should work. These are schemas to organize situations. Young children don’t. “Everything for toddlers is new and exciting; they don’t have a wealth of experience on how to judge things,” says Dr. Burnett. In fact, kids younger than 7 are basically hardwired to not store many memories. Since they’re not Arnold Schwarzenegger, you can’t assume a child will have total, or even partial, recall.
Repetition Vs. Comprehension
The brain doesn’t grow in the exact same way as the rest of the body. A kid can master crawling through repetition, but that doesn’t mean they will grasp the concept of why they need to put on shoes. What toddlers do understand is that when something is different than the day before, it sets them off. “All the connections in their brains aren’t made yet,” says Dr. Burnett. “When their expectations aren’t met, toddlers have lost control. They don’t know how to react, so they get distressed and sound the alarm bells because you’ve given them a red sippy cup instead of the green one.” (To be fair, that red sippy cup is superior.)
Small Brains Work Twice As Hard
“There’s actually a lot more connections in a child’s brain than in adult one,” says Dr. Burnett. “It isn’t until adolescence that the process of pruning begins, whereby the brain starts losing memories that aren’t ever activated to be more efficient.” Yes, your toddler is processing too much, not too little, which should blow both your minds. Conversely, teens are doing a ton of pruning, which is why they’re always sleeping instead of mowing the lawn.
It’s All Fight Or Flight
There’s a safety detection system that resides deep within the brain, right around the hippocampus, which triggers the “fight or flight” response to high-stress situations. Some of the potentially-lethal things to avoid are part of the evolutionary process (spiders, snakes), while others are learned human behaviors (roller coasters, Phish concerts). A young child’s brain doesn’t recognize the difference. What’s benign to grown-ups isn’t necessarily to toddlers. “They don’t know when a thing is harmless, they just know it’s unfamiliar, which can set them off,” says Dr. Burnett.
The Evolution Of Screaming
Your toddler’s freak-out over anything (everything?) is to be expected. It’s a form of self-preservation. “From an evolutionary standpoint, part of the reason a child cries and throws a tantrum is to get the most possible attention from an adult within a group or community,” says Dr. Burnett. Flailing and wailing can both scare off predators and call an adult, which makes screaming fits a biological imperative. You can share this exciting scientific discovery the next time you bring your kid on a plane.
They’re Not Tasting Broccoli The Same Way
We all want to teach our kids to be good eaters. But, there’s a cerebral reason children prefer birthday cake over, say, broccoli cake. “Toddlers have different taste sensations, foods can be more vivid for them, so spinach and broccoli may be more bitter or sharp, says Dr. Burnett. “As opposed to ice cream, which is full of sugar. The brain likes it because it’s high energy, so treats will be sought out.” Well, if nature says you should eat this doughnut …
Doomed to Repeat the Past, Only Louder
You thought that, as kids move out of the toddler years, things get more mature. Wrong. As their brains form more permanent memories, kids can be even harder to handle. “At, say 5 years old, children have a base level of understanding, which can make crying fits worse because they have a sense of how things should go,” says Burnett. Tantrums may be infrequent, but they can be doozies because kids, like adults, have to work through their anger. It’s the difference between a toddler melting down for a minute before being distracted by a shiny object, versus a kindergartener’s entire world collapsing when you turn off Doc McStuffins.
The Good Will Hunting Takeaway
A toddler’s head is a complex place. But think about how chaotic your fully-formed brain can be — and you’ve had 30 to 40 years operating it. Dr. Burnett says parents should always remember, it’s not their fault. “They don’t mean it,” he says. “They don’t want to keep you up all night, ruin your schedule, or make your life actively harder.” Or maybe science just hasn’t discovered your kid’s long con, yet.