Sunshine News
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March 2021 Newsletter: Transitions as a Skill-Building Opportunity
Sustaining consistent routines can be a challenge even in the most predictable of times, but routines can also very helpful for maintaining a sense of control, even in times of change. Children thrive on routines. They look forward to participating in “now/next” predictions and quickly become masterful at initiating next-steps in the day themselves. We
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February 2021 Newsletter: The Benefits of Early Music Education
Music has always been an important part of the curriculum at Sunshine Academy. We believe in the value of musical literacy as an essential part of education, not just for the support it provides to other domains of learning, such as math, language and socio-emotional development, but also for its capacity to enable children to
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January 2021 Newsletter: Young Children and Sleep
Adequate sleep is critical for healthy development in young children. Good sleep habits correlate with improved attention, better memory retention, more consistent emotional regulation, better listening skills, improved balance and muscle coordination, and better physical health. Inadequate sleep correlates with an increase in injuries, hypertension, obesity and depression, among many other disorders. The American
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December 2020 Newsletter: Resources to Support Parents under Stress
Please note that there is community support for parents under stress. We encourage you to seek out resources before you need them so that you have a plan for how to respond to the sometimes overwhelming emotions that can arise with unexpected events. The phone number for the parental stress hotline is 1-800-632-8188. Parents Helping
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November 2020 Newsletter: Supporting Children’s Socio-Emotional Skills
Children develop the basics of socio-emotional learning in their earliest years. How the adults around them act among themselves and interact with them strongly influences their sense of trust, self-esteem, confidence, friendliness, persistence, patience, and ability to recognize and manage their emotions. Strategies that have a positive influence on socio-emotional learning include the following:
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September 2020: Sunshine Kindergarten to Start Sept 16
We are pleased to announce that we are opening a kindergarten classroom at Sunshine Academy North to accommodate 10 children. The teachers are Haley Bettinson, who is licensed to teach Pre-K through grade 2 in Massachusetts and has three years of experience teaching in the public schools, as well as Tessa Hansen, who has worked
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March 2020 Newsletter: Spring Nature Programs for Families
Welcome Spring with your child at any of these amazing nature programs being offered in the Greater Boston area. You can learn how maple syrup is made at any of three events on Saturday, March 7. From 8:45 am to 1 pm, Drumlin Farm sponsors a Sap to Syrup Farmers Breakfast (massaudubon.org). From 10 am
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February 2020 Newsletter - Supporting Children’s Physical Development
Early childhood is a time of foundational growth in children’s physical abilities. To support your child’s core strength, balance, coordination, sensory integration, planning sense, flexibility and fitness, please keep in mind the following basic lifestyle choices that influence how your child develops and interacts with the world: · Avoid “Container Baby Syndrome”: Babies who go from
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January 2020 Newsletter - The Benefits of Multilingualism
The diverse cultural origins of the families and teachers in our school benefit all of us and strengthen us as a community. Interaction with people of differing perspectives, social experiences and language abilities helps educate all of us and leads to our greater understanding of the human experience. Across our three schools are representatives from
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November 2019 Newsletter - Early Mathematics, Much More than Counting
Young children actively engage in exploring math concepts as early as infancy. Research conducted by Elizabeth Spelke at the Harvard Laboratory for Developmental Studies demonstrates that children as young as six months can distinguish quantities as they observe objects around them. Some studies suggest that even newborns have number sense (www.mathematicalbrain.com/reviews.html). As children engage with
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November 2019 Newsletter - NAEYC Re-Accreditation Achieved!
We are very proud to announce that we received our re-accreditation report from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in October, and it showed that our assessors passed us on each of the ten standards and gave us a perfect score (100%+) on five of the standards (relationships, curriculum, family engagement,
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October 2019 Newsletter - Protecting All of Our Children from Illness
As flu season begins, please review our illness policies (Parent Handbook, page 31) and note that we will send home any child with a fever, diarrhea, unexplained rash or other symptoms at the discretion of the director. Children must remain home for a full school day fever-free without the aid of medications and must no
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September 2019 Newsletter - Communicating with Your Child’s Teachers
As we start the new school year, we want to invite you to participate in your child’s classroom experience. The upcoming Meet-and-Greets start a conversation about expectations and routines. Please use the time to meet fellow parents, communicate concerns and coordinate on common goals for the children. Please also feel free to schedule Parent-Teacher Conferences
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August 2019 Newsletter - Art Experiences for Young Children
Many of our classrooms are exploring Art in August in preparation for our annual Stepping Up Day Art Show. You, too, can create an art space for your child with basic materials such as paper, crayons, markers, colored pencils, paint, chalk and clay. For sculpture and collage work, you can add glue, contact paper,
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July 2019 Newsletter - Summertime Family Fun
Summertime brings lots of great family-friendly events to Brookline and the Greater Boston area. Please check out some of our favorites. The Farmers Market on Centre Street in Brookline has begun and is operating every Thursday through November from 1:30 pm until dusk. Brookline Recreation’s Free Summer Concert Series begins July 10 at 6 pm
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June 2019 Newsletter - Summer with Young Composers
Each summer, in July and August, our Pre-K children have an amazing opportunity to work with David Hanft on our Young Composers music curriculum. Along with regular music classes, Pre-K children work in small groups with David to write and record their very own musical compositions. If your child is participating in Young Composers, you
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May 2019 Newsletter - Outdoor Play and Precautions
As the weather gets warmer, our outdoor playtimes undergo a change. We like to use outdoor time for nature exploration, longer walks and soon-to-come water play. Please coordinate with your child’s teachers on the following outdoor precautions so that your child can participate safely in these activities. · Please bring in sunblock, a sunhat and extra
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April 2019 Newsletter - Explore Spring at Boston-Area Events
You can enjoy the great outdoors and celebrate spring with your child through many upcoming Boston-area events and activities. On Saturday, April 27th are the annual Charles River Clean Up from 9 am to noon at multiple sites along the river (www.crwa.org/charles-river-cleanup); the State Volunteer Day at the Audubon Wildlife Sanctuaries from 9 am to
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March 2019 Newsletter - The Value of NAEYC Accreditation
The three Sunshine Academy schools are currently the only early education centers in Brookline that are accredited with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (https://families.naeyc.org/find-quality-child-care). Cambridge, Boston and other surrounding communities have a much higher percentage of NAEYC-accredited programs, and the goal of achieving accreditation is much more of an expected norm
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February 2019 Newsletter - Let’s Celebrate and Support Our Community!
The Brookline community is a great place to live and work and is very supportive of your children and the work we do with them. We’d like to thank the Parks and Open Space Division for the amazing parks throughout town and for their continuous maintenance of the parks. Thanks also to the Public Libraries
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January 2019 Newsletter - The Benefits of Multilingualism
The diverse cultural origins of the families and teachers in our school benefits all of us by broadening our understanding of language, religion, politics and worldview. Across our schools are people from more than twenty countries speaking languages that include Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, Nepali, Arabic, Farsi, Hebrew, Turkish, Greek, Armenian, Russian, German,
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December 2018 Newsletter - Holiday Gifts that Promote Child Development
Throughout the holiday season, toy marketers and manufacturers will be pushing digital media, electronics, toys with media tie-ins and many other materials detrimental to child development. Toys and materials with far greater cognitive and social benefits are those that promote face-to-face social interactions, verbal interchange, independent storytelling and sensory exploration. Our favorites include: Infants:
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November 2018 Newsletter - Fall Family Food Activities
Fall is an ideal time to teach children about healthy food and enjoy family food activities together. Fresh apples, pumpkins, winter squash, sweet potatoes, apple cider and many other fall foods are the basis for fun cooking activities we are doing in our classrooms and you can do at home too. When children help cook
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October 2018 Newsletter - Protecting All of Our Children from Illness
As flu season begins, please review our illness policies (Parent Handbook, page 31) and note that we will send home any child with a fever, diarrhea, unexplained rash or other symptoms at the discretion of the director. Children must remain home for a full school day fever-free without the aid of medications and must
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September 2018 Newsletter - Communicating with Your Child’s Teachers
As we start the new school year, we want to remind you of systems we have in place for you to participate in setting goals for your child and communicating concerns. The upcoming Meet-and-Greets start a conversation about expectations and classroom routines. Please use the time to meet fellow parents, communicate concerns and coordinate with
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August 2018 Newsletter - Transitions as a Skill-Building Opportunity
Over the next month, there will be many changes throughout the school as we graduate ten children into kindergarten, transition others into the next classroom, and welcome new children into the school. Transitions are an ideal opportunity for supporting and modeling socio-emotional skills in children. As you prepare your child for his or her next
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July 2018 Newsletter - Summer with Young Composers
Each summer, in July and August, our Pre-K children have an amazing opportunity to work with David Hanft on our Young Composers music curriculum. Along with regular music classes, Pre-K children work in small groups with David to compose and record their very own musical compositions. If your child is participating in Young Composers, you
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May 2018 Newsletter - Young Children and Screens
The Screen Time Action Network Conference on April 20-21 at Wheelock College brought together pediatricians, child development experts, teachers, directors, family counselors and technology developers for discussions about the effects of screen use on children, especially young children. The most exciting news that came from the discussions is that parents can be very effective in
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April 2018 Newsletter - Explore Spring at Boston-Area Events
You can enjoy the great outdoors and celebrate spring with your child through many upcoming Boston-area events and activities. On Saturday, April 28, are the annual Charles River Clean Up from 9 am to noon at multiple sites along the river (crwa.org); the Work for Wildlife Day at the Audubon Wildlife Sanctuaries from 9 am
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March 2018 Newsletter - Sleep and the Young Child
The American Academy of Pediatrics and American Academy of Sleep Medicine endorsed sleep guidelines in 2016 that include the following recommendations: Infants 4-12 months old should sleep 12 to 16 hours per 24 hours; Children 1-2 years of age should sleep 11 to 14 hours per 24 hours; Children 3-5 years of age should sleep
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February 2018 Newsletter - The Importance of Consistent Routines
Consistent routines are essential for young children to develop a sense of predictability in their lives and greater control over their day-to-day transitions. When children know through consistent experience what to expect, they engage less frequently in challenging behaviors such as tantrums, acts of aggression, back-talk and crying. They look forward to participating in “now/next”
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January 2018 Newsletter - Creating a Caring Community
With the start of the new year, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the potential of the Sunshine community to support each other more effectively and set an example for the children about the positive potential of social relationships. Below is our wish list for the coming year to enable all of
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December 2017 Newsletter - Holiday Toy Recommendations
While electronic toys, computer games and movie character tie-ins consistently top the toy list “must haves” of the season, please keep in mind while holiday shopping that solitary, passive activities are detrimental to children’s development. Toys and materials that promote children’s own imagination, social interaction, verbal interchange, independent storytelling and sensory exploration provide children with
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November 2017 Newsletter - Keeping All Children Healthy
As flu season begins, please take time to review our illness policies (Parent Handbook, page 31) and note that we will send home any child with a fever, diarrhea, unexplained rash or other symptoms at the discretion of the director. Children must remain home for 24 hours fever-free without the aid of medications and must
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October 2017 Newsletter - Understanding the Natural World
Most of our classrooms this month are focusing on the fall season as we explore changing weather, leaves, pumpkins, apples, harvest foods and other outdoor fun. As we do, it is helpful to remind ourselves of the importance of the natural world in children’s lives. The amount of time that children spend outside has been
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September 2017 Newsletter - Communicating with Your Child’s Teachers
As we start the new school year, we want to remind you of the systems we have in place for you to participate in setting goals for your child and communicating with your child’s teachers about his or her learning. The upcoming Meet-and-Greets start a conversation about expectations for classroom and learning goals appropriate for
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August 2017 Newsletter: Transitions as a Skill-Building Opportunity
Over the next month, there will be many changes throughout the school as we graduate fourteen children into kindergarten, transition others into the next classroom, and welcome new children into the school. Transitions are an ideal opportunity for supporting and modeling socio-emotional skills in children. As you prepare your child for his or her next
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July 2017 Newsletter: Encouraging Children's Physical Development
Early childhood is a time of foundational growth in children’s physical abilities. To support your child’s core strength, balance, coordination, sensory integration, planning sense, flexibility and fitness, please keep in mind the following basic lifestyle choices that influence how your child develops and interacts with the world: – Avoid “Container Baby Syndrome”: Babies who go
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June 2017 Newsletter: Summertime Fun in Boston
Check out the Farmers Market on Center Street in Brookline every Thursday through November from 1:30 pm until dusk. The Dragon Boat Festival is June 10-11 with boat races both days and activities along the Charles River on Sunday noon to 5 pm (bostondragonboat.org); the Chinatown Main Street Festival is July 8 from 10-6 in
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April 2017 Newsletter: Food Pantry Fundraiser
Thank you very much to everyone who contributed to the Brookline Food Pantry fundraiser. Parents and teachers raised $8,758 which we matched for a total $17,516 donation to the pantry. We also collected three large bags of toiletry items which we will deliver this week. We are immensely proud of our wonderful community. For information
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April 2017 Newsletter: Celebrate Spring at Boston-Area Events
You can enjoy the great outdoors and celebrate spring with your child through many upcoming Boston-area events and activities. On Saturday, April 22 from 9 to 11 am, the Trustees of Reservations is celebrating Earth Day at the World’s End site in Hingham with activities and tours of their nature preserve (www.thetrustees.org). On Saturday, April
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March 2017 Newsletter: Support Services for Developmental Delays
As children grow and develop, there is a wide range of what is considered normal for the emergence and mastery of different skills. We can support the differences by varying teaching strategies, grouping or partnering children or modeling appropriate behaviors. On occasion, however, we have seen indications of more serious developmental delays. When we do,
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Sunshine Academy Solar Installation
Sunshine Academy in Washington Square has installed a massive solar array of 110 photovoltaic panels on our flat roof for an estimated electrical generation capacity of 35.2 kilowatts of green energy. This solar array is unique in that the system is 100% ballasted (or weighted) on the roof so that no penetrations of the rooftop
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January 2017 Newsletter: The Benefits of Early Music Education
What can music do for young children? Quite a lot, according to a large and growing body of research on early childhood music education. Musicians and music teachers emphasize the enhancement to human life and enjoyment that music can bring regardless of other benefits, yet the other benefits are considerable too. Take language ability. Research
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December 2016 Newsletter: Diverse Language Learning at School and Home
The diverse cultural origins of the families and teachers in our school community benefits all of us and is one of many gifts we are grateful for in our lives. Interaction with people of differing perspectives, social experiences and language abilities helps educate all of us and leads to our greater understanding of the human
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November 2016 Newsletter: Fall Family Food Activities
Fall is an ideal time to teach children about healthy food and enjoy family food activities together. Fresh apples, pumpkins, winter squash, sweet potatoes, apple cider and many other fall foods are the basis for fun cooking activities we are doing in the classroom and you can do at home too. When children help cook
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October 2016 Newsletter: Keeping All Children Healthy
Please review the illness policies for the school (Parent Handbook, page 31) and note that we will send home any child with a fever, diarrhea, unexplained rash, conjunctivitis and other symptoms at the discretion of the director. Your child must remain home for 24 hours fever-free without the aid of medications, and must no longer
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September 2016 Newsletter - Communicating with Your Child's Teachers
As we start the new school year, we want to remind you of the systems we have in place for you to participate in setting goals for your child and communicating with your child’s teachers about his or her learning. The upcoming Meet-and-Greets start a conversation about expectations for the classroom and learning goals appropriate
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Space and Enrollment Update
Sunshine Academy is currently enrolling for Fall 2018 and Winter 2019. Please call today to apply or tour.
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August 2016 Newsletter - Eat Well and Keep Moving
Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health have released new resources for parents and teachers to help teach children about good nutrition, exercise and healthy life choices. Please see their websites http://eatwellandkeepmoving.org/Home/Parents and http://foodandfun.org/ for resources in English, Spanish and Chinese about sugars, fats, whole grains, exercise, hydration, screen time limits and other topics. There
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July 2016 Newsletter - Splash and Swim in Brookline and Beyond
Water play is a wonderful activity for young children, not only to stay cool in hot summer weather but also as a learning activity. Through water play, children learn about buoyancy, gravity, absorbency, evaporation, reflection, surface tension, paths of least resistance, wave motion, temperature and many other concepts. We are fortunate to have our own
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June 2016 Newsletter - Summer with Young Composers
Each summer, in July and August, our Pre-K children have an amazing opportunity to work with David Hanft on our Young Composers music curriculum. Along with regular music classes, Pre-K children work in small groups with David to compose and record their own musical compositions. Favorites from past years include “I Like to Sing at
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May 2016 Newsletter - Supporting Children’s Socio-Emotional Skills
Children develop the basics of socio-emotional learning in their earliest years. Prior to age five, children develop their sense of trust, self-esteem, confidence and friendliness toward others. Their basic interactional patterns become much more difficult to influence from their early elementary years onward. It is important, therefore, to establish as early as possible strong emotional
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April 2016 Newsletter - Food Pantry Fundraiser
Thank you very much to everyone who contributed to the Brookline Food Pantry. Parents and teachers raised an astounding $7,913 which we are matching for a total $15,826 donation to the pantry. Every penny donated goes directly toward the purchase of food for families who demonstrate financial need. For information about the pantry and its
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April 2016 Newsletter - Sunshine Park Renovation
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Sunshine North Earns NAEYC Reaccreditation
Brookline, March 25, 2016 – Sunshine Academy, located at 302 Harvard Street in Brookline, has earned NAEYC re-accreditation for an additional five years. Sunshine Academy was one of the first early childhood programs to earn accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – the nation’s leading organization of early childhood
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Spring Music Shows
Sunshine Academy’s Spring Music Shows will take place June 14 – 16, 2016. Outlined below are the schedules and dates for the different Sunshine Academy locations. Washington Square June 14, 2016 Please join us in the PreK classrooms on Tuesday, June 14th for our winter music workshop and show. 4:45 – 5:15 – Infant/Toddler Music Workshop
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March 2016 Newsletter Article - New Website
New Website Sunshine Academy has a new look on-line with a re-engineered website to meet your needs. Through the website, you can now: Use a mobile device to view all parts of the page and all pages of the site; Download events and school holidays to iCal or Google calendars; Download the monthly menu and
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February 2016 Newsletter Article - Physical Movement and Self-Regulation
Physical Movement and Self-Regulation When children have regular opportunities to experience a broad range of physical movements, they tend to have an easier time regulating their emotions and moderating their responses.
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January 2016 Newsletter Article - Reading for Vocabulary Development
Reading for Vocabulary Development Children’s earliest years (zero to three) are critical for vocabulary development and, by extension, later school success.
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Parent Advisory Board Meetings for March
Parent Advisory Board meetings for March are scheduled for March 22, 23 and 24. Click through to see the details of your location.