GBC JLS NAKAYOSHI PRESCHOOL NAKAYOSHI PRESCHOOL NEWSLETTER

Fall, 2020

Page-1NAKAYOSHI PRESCHOOL
NEWSLETTER
1st term 2020-2021
DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Welcome to the newly enrolled children and welcome
back to the returning children.

Excited voices of the children saying, “Good morning”
and “I am good” and their big smiles are back although
our Preschool was closed for more than six months due to

COVID-19. We were looking forward to seeing the chil-dren and their families again. Due to COVID-19, we havedevised daily activities and events, and created curriculum
so that the children can have a safe and fun preschool environment.

It is difficult for the children to maintain social distanceper the new guidelines. To help keep distance, we havecreated individual “play spaces” by outlining the floors in

the classrooms with blue tape. Like older children, eventhe two-year-old children can play within their designatedspaces. Morning activities in the classrooms are based on
weekly themes just like before the shutdown. Our October themes are “My Body and Feeling”, “Friends” and“Halloween”. Each grade has age-appropriate curriculum

play. They can ride on tricycles, play hopscotch, or bal-ance on a beam. Furthermore, we have “Chalk Art on theGround Day” and “Bubble Day”. After the children playin their individual spaces, they can move to the Exercise
Area (there are ten big circles outlined with chalk) where
they can dance

to music or exercise

Exercise Area,

they take a walk toin each circle.

After playing at theother areas of premises, run a race, or move their bodies.
For the two-year-old classroom children, it is difficult toplay in the individual spaces outside; however, they dance,
run a race, ride on a tricycle, or take a walk. Outside timein the morning and afternoon (9-5:30 program) lasts forabout forty minutes.

Regarding the cleaning regimen, toys are sanitized everyday. For the bathroom, two children at most use it at onetime. After use, the toilet seat and handle are sanitized.

We keep doors and windows open to allow for ventilation.
In addition, all the classrooms are sanitized by the janitors
after the children leave.

based on those themes. In free-choice time in the morn-

The children have become used to having their tempera-baskets with toys that the teachers have prepared in ad-

ment is finished. Surprisingly, almost all of them wear

put them back to the designated area. Furthermore, whenand nap time. For the most part, they fol-on the yellow and blue stickers that are on the ground andlearn. For the parents/guardians, thank you for taking youring as well as afternoon, the children choose their favorite

ture taken every morning and waiting until the measure-vance. After the children finish playing with the toys, they

their masks all day except during meal

the children line up in the hallways or outside, they standlow the new rules and play vigorously andspaced six feet apart.

Like the classrooms, we have created individual playspaces that are outlined blue tape at the playground. We

prepare baskets with toys on the wagons outside. Besides
baskets with toys, the children have a variety of choices tochild’s temperature at home and having him/her wear amask. We will continue these safety measures for the foreseeable future; therefore, we kindly ask for your cooperation.

Keiko Damiata, Director

GBC JLS NAKAYOSHI PRESCHOOL NAKAYOSHI PRESCHOOL NEWSLETTER

ANNOUNCEMENTMs. Madoka Hull, Principal, who had worked for thechurch and Japanese Language School for twenty-threeyears retired at the end of last September. She worked
on Japanese language education for long time withideals and passion. She also participated in Preschool
events and supported us in general. Likewise, Ms. Hisako Takamura and Ms. Miyoko Nishiya (Saturday program) retired at the end of June. They had a great dealof experience on early childhood education and took
good care of the children. Thank you for supporting thePreschool, Ms. Hull, Ms. Takamura, and Ms. Nishiya.
We pray for their health and continued success.

Halloween Parade
on October 30 (Friday)
We plan to have a Halloween Parade this year. Trickor-Treating will be done by class while maintaining
social distancing. Unfortunately because of COVID-19,
the parade will be held without parents/guardians’
participation. If your child wants to wear a costume,please have him/herwear it from home.
Please have a costume that is easy tomove around in (nosandals, no holding
small items in his/her hand). Also
please bring extra clothes for those children in the allday program.

Appreciation
While the Preschool was closed, we received a lot of
support from the Building Maintenance Crews andother helpers. They placed stickers in thehallways to mark out physical distance,
installed shelves in the bathrooms for disinfectant bottles, installed new canopies
in the playground, and took general care of the premises. We would like to say thank you to the following
people: Alan Miwa, Brian Imada, Wallace Yuki, JohnNakamura, Ken Nishida, Joe Nishihira, Daniel Iwamoto, James Yokota, Tom Sasaki, Tom Fukuman, Linda
Shimizu, Christine Miwa, and Cathy Uyemura.

Fall, 2020

Page-2Service Award of Teachers~10 years~
Ms. Tomoko Nakagawa (Preschool)
Ms. Harumi Uehara (JLS)
Ms. Eri Nelson (Office)Congratulations on receiving the service award. We
appreciate your hard work for the Preschool.

IMPORTANT REMINDER
1)WEAR the MASK and KEEP the SOCIAL DISTANCE while you are in the schoolgrounds.
2) SMOKING IS PROHIBITED entirely on theschool grounds. (California State law)3) DOGS ARE NOT ALLOWED on theschool grounds. (any time and for any length oftime) Please do not bring your dog to the schoolor even keep your dog in the car while you arebringing/picking up your child/ren.

4) The speed limit on the premsis is strictly under 5 miles/hour. Please hold your child’s hand when you go throughthe parking lot.
We appreciate your full cooperation on the above matters.

SCHOOL CALENDAR
October 30 (Fri)Halloween Parade

November 11 (Wed) Veteran’s Day
School Closed
November 26 (Thu) Thanksgiving Day
27 (Fri) School Closed
December 18 (Fri)

1st Semester ends

December 21 (Mon)~January 1 (Fri) Winter Vacation