Welcome to the Branch classroom! Let us start off by sharing just how excited we are for this upcoming year! What makes the Branch room so special is that you will see your children grow and flourish in so many developmental domains. At this age, the children are really picking up language, physical and social skills. It is truly amazing to witness the amount of growth that occurs in each child from their first day, all the way to their very last day in the Branch classroom. We cannot wait for you to witness the transformation for yourselves!
One of our main priorities in the classroom is to help create and develop our social-emotional skills, such as problem-solving, emotional, and self-regulation, giving them a sense of independence. The children will be more receptive to learning once these skills are established. We are confident you will love the growth you’ll see in your Brancher!
With that said, we would like to introduce ourselves:
My Name is Ms. Heather. I have been a part of Growing Tree all together for nearly 10 years, but have been teaching for over 20 years! Although I have worked in both Elementary and Middle school classrooms, Pre-K is the place to be! I love how each child can be themselves, explore, create and imagine to their heart’s content! When I am not in the classroom, I enjoy spending time on the lake in the sunshine! From paddleboarding to wakeboarding, the water is where you’ll find me! Bend has been home to me since 1999 (besides a few years in California) and Bend will always have my heart!
My name is Ms. Gracen. I have lived in Bend for most of my life and this past May, I got married! I have been working with children for the past several years. This will be my second teaching year at Growing Tree, and I have enjoyed the connections made with both the children and the Growing Tree staff! When I am not working, I love to be outside. I love hiking, camping and going to the lake in the summer and snowshoeing in the winter!
In September, our study will be “Me and My Classroom”. Coming into a new class can be filled with a mix of emotions. It can be exciting and fun, but can also be intimidating and nerve wracking. This is why it is important that we make this transition as smooth as possible for each child. By taking the time to learn the ropes of the Branch room, we believe we will accomplish just that! We will be focusing on classroom procedures and expectations, as well as incorporating fun and engaging activities to help us get to know each other’s personalities better! We also plan on tackling a “Germ Study” mid month, to help the children learn more about their bodies and the importance of keeping them clean!
Reminders:
- Please bring one small blanket and one lovie for our rest time.
- Please ensure that your child has a change of clothes. Accidents happen, and when they do we want to make sure that your child is comfortable throughout the day.
- Please bring in pictures of your family for our classroom Family Board! You may bring however many you wish!
Cheers to a great year ahead
-Ms. Heather & Ms. Gracen