Pre-Primary Weekly Memo
31 January 2025
Dear Parents,
What an incredible week it has been! Our little ones have been busy playing, making new friends, and settling beautifully into their routines. We are especially proud of our new learners, who have adjusted with such confidence and are already feeling right at home. This week also saw the exciting start of our extra murals! The children had an absolute blast in the pool with Coach Liam and Coach Courtney and enthusiastically dove into all the other activities, including golf, cricket, Little Chefs, speech and drama, music, tennis, and ballet. It’s been amazing to see their joy and confidence grow as they explore new interests. We can’t wait for another fun-filled week ahead!
In our curriculum, Grade R learners have the opportunity to participate in Robotics lessons, Grade 00 learners engage in STEAM Park activities, and the younger children enjoy creative Lego soft brick building and creating.
Grade 00 children were captivated by the world of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) for their first lesson this week and Grade R children were fascinated with the Robotics Lab. They eagerly look forward to attending their weekly lessons. Below is an overview of why STEM education is vital for pre-schoolers.
Understanding STEM in Preschool
STEM in preschool education fosters a love for learning and curiosity in young children. It’s a holistic approach that encourages hands-on exploration, critical thinking, and problem-solving. STEM activities for preschoolers emphasise play, discovery, and imagination.
The Importance of STEM Education for Preschoolers Building a Strong Foundation
Early exposure to STEM concepts lays a solid foundation for future learning. Preschoolers are naturally curious, and STEM activities harness that curiosity to help them build essential skills and develop a lifelong love for learning.
Developing Critical Thinking
STEM activities promotes critical thinking skills. Children learn to observe, predict, and experiment, which are valuable skills for solving problems and making decisions.
Encouraging Creativity
STEM encourages creativity and innovation. Preschoolers can explore and invent, making connections between different subjects and expressing their ideas in unique ways.
Hands-On Learning
Preschoolers learn best through hands-on experiences. STEM activities often involve building, experimenting, and exploring, which align perfectly with the natural way young children learn.
Thank you to most parents who completed the forms below, ensuring a smooth and efficient start to the year. For the few outstanding forms, we kindly request parents to click and complete the forms.
PARENT CONTACT DETAILS, ALLERGY AND AFTERCARE FORM
Kindly follow the link below to complete the form, which you are welcome to obtain from your class teacher should you wish to use this information to contact parents for birthday parties.
Parent Contact Details, Aftercare and Allergy Consent Form
SHOWS
We enrich our curriculum with carefully selected, tailor-made shows that reinforce learning interactively and enjoyably. If you have not yet done so, please take a moment to complete the consent forms for your child.
PRE-PRIMARY PARENT AND LEARNER INFORMATION DIRECTORY
Please follow the link to our Parent and Learner Information Directory.
PRE-PRIMARY PARENT CALENDAR
Kindly follow this link to add Christopher Robin Pre-Primary Parent Calendar
Lost Property
EXTRA MURALS
The start of this year’s extra-murals has been truly delightful, with a variety of activities captivating the children’s interest and sparking their enthusiasm. It’s heartwarming to see their joy as they actively engage in the diverse offerings available, and we’ve captured a few photos of their first experiences, which we’ll continue to share throughout the quarter.
This week served as the start for the compulsory Grade R programme and a trial for the selected extra-murals for Grade 000 to Grade R. As we move forward, please ensure your child comes prepared with the required items, such as a lycra swimming cap, goggles, towel, or tennis racket for those continuing with sport, ballet attire for the ballerinas, and most importantly, a sun hat!
For Grade R swimming classes at 08:00, kindly ensure your child arrives dressed in their swimming attire and packs a change of clothes for afterwards.
Link to the weekly Summer Quarter Extra Mural Timetable
Health
What Are Milestones?
Milestones are key skills that children are expected to reach at certain ages, such as taking their first step, smiling, or waving “bye-bye.” These milestones occur in areas like play, learning, speech, behaviour, and movement. While every child develops at their own pace, most reach these milestones around the same age. This quarter, we’ll focus on the milestones for each age group.
Registered Nurse: Amy Dolley
Milestones 1-2 years (1).pdf
Library Adventure
A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away… (sorry, wrong story!)
… lives a boy called Jakob in a space station on the edge of a galaxy with his granny and his robot chicken called Derek. He also has a grumpy robot called ToolBot. One day, while exploring, Jakob finds a massive rusty rocket in a hangar. Grandma excitedly tells him that this is the famous lost Space Train, that used to travel at incredible speeds across the universe, visiting thousands of other space stations. For this lonely boy, this sparks visions of finding a universe full of friends and he is determined to fix the magical train.
Have fun with lifting flaps and spectacular illustrations by Karl James Mountford. A delightful joyride of a story for all space-loving parents and children.
Elise Crouse - Librarian
2025 Dates
Please note that there has been a slight change to the 2025 dates indicated in blue below:
Provisional dates for 2025
Summer Quarter: 20 January – 28 March
Autumn Quarter: 08 April- 25 June
*Mid-term break: 29 April – 2 May
Winter Quarter: 22 July – 23 Sept
Spring Quarter: 14 October – 05 December
Important Dates - Summer Quarter 2025
5 February: World Read Aloud Day - donate a book
6 February: Happy Birthday Chloe Mathee
6 February: CRPP group photograph
10 February: Teddy Bear’s Day (picnic lunch & bring a teddy bear to school)
14 February: Friendship Dress-Up Day @R20- donating to Casual Day (People with Disabilities - Friends
Daycare Centre)
Manner for Minors: Friendship Show (Grade 000 - R)
14 February: Happy Birthday Ingrid Lubbe
15 February: Open Day
21 February: Grade 00 Cake Sale
28 February: Making Fruit Kebabs (All grades)
1 March: Happy Birthday Nadine Fourie
2 March: Happy Birthday Vuyo Raqa
9 March: Happy Birthday Abigail De Witt
11 March: Happy Birthday Christopher Robin Pre-Primary 45 years
Jig Saw Children’s Theatre: Seasons and Colours Show (ALL)
14 March: Grade 000 and Crackerjacks Cake Sale
15 March: Happy Birthday Riëtte Pieterse
24-27 March: Grade 0000 - 00 Feedback meetings & Grade R Report meetings
21 March: Public Holiday - Human Rights Day
28 March: Last day of the quarter (school closes at 13:00)
Extra Mural Open Week
We warmly invite parents to our Extra-Mural Open Week from 14–20 March! This is a great opportunity to observe your child’s lesson, experience their progress, and, for some activities, even join in. Attendance is entirely optional, but we would love to share this special experience with you. We look forward to welcoming you!
14 March: Little Chefs (Group 3)
Orchestra
17 March: Ballet
Tennis
18 March: Swimming
Cricket
Minor Repertoire Grade 000 - 00
19 March: Speech and Drama
Intro-golf
Little Chefs (Group 1)
20 March: Intro-golf
26 March: Little Chefs (Group 2)
Individual music lessons will be liaised directly with the parents
Ed-Admin Multi Portal Installation
The new Ed-admin Multi Portal App (Ed-admin MP) is now available on the Google and Apple App stores. The features include access to your child’s reports, calendar activities and daily attendance records to mention a few.
To install the App please follow the below instructions:
1.) Download the Ed-Admin Multi Portal App by using the relevant link below:
● Apple App Store:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ed-admin-multi-portal/id646910856
OR
● Google Play Store:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.edana.edadmin&hl=en&gl= US
2.) Enter 230034 (Parklands College Code) and your email address to log in. For your convenience, please refer to the image below:
3.) The next step will require you to enter the login code sent to you via email. For your convenience, please refer to the image below:
Please ensure that you keep this App updated otherwise you will be logged out and will have to repeat the above process to regain access.
LEARNING:
Theme Discussions
Theme Discussions
We are passionate about a creative, rich, authentic, and layered approach to learning for our little ones. Theme-related learning allows for the child to learn about their world and the world around them. Below is an overview of our Summer Quarter weekly theme discussions and learning focus, as well as an overview of the 2025 themes.
Please click on the link below for details on our summer quarter theme discussions in each grade:
Outreach
Parent Business Directory
Parklands College and Christopher Robin Pre-Primary parents who are in business are able to list their businesses in our Parent Business Directory – www.parklands.co.za/parent-business-directory/
LISTINGS ARE FREE and include contact information as well as the opportunity to include a business logo or advert. Listings are available 24/7 on the College website and will be updated each quarter.
Should you be interested in marketing your business to over 1000 families, email: marketing@parklands.co.za to get started.
All listings will be subject to the College’s final approval.
This week's feature business is...
Monthly Cake Sale
We sincerely appreciate your support in making the cake sale a success! The children were delighted with their special treat, and it wouldn’t have been possible without your generous contributions. Thank you for adding to the excitement and helping create a memorable experience for them.
Safety and Gate Times
In our ongoing commitment to prioritising the safety and well-being of our little ones, the school gate access times are as follows:
Morning drop-off: Gates open from 7:30 to 8:30.
Half-day collection: Gates open from 12:45 to 14:00, as aftercare begins promptly at 14:00.
Aftercare collection: Gates open from 16:00 to 17:00.
To help make the half-day collection time (12:45–14:00) more convenient, Grade 000 and 00 children will be waiting in the foyer for quick and easy collection.
However, we have noticed that many parents collect their children after 14:00. Please be aware that from this time onwards, all children will transition into aftercare, and accounts will be billed the ad hoc aftercare fee for any additional care provided.
Aftercare Lockers:
Each child attending aftercare from Grade 000 to Grade R has a designated, labelled locker space for their bags in the passageway closest to reception. This ensures the safekeeping of their belongings and makes it easier for parents during afternoon collection.
World Read Aloud Day
Celebrating World Read Aloud Day: The Power of Storytelling
Albert Einstein once said, “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” The magic of storytelling, especially through reading aloud, cannot be overstated. It's not just about sharing a story—it's about nurturing growth, connection, and development in young minds.
On this World Read Aloud Day, we celebrate the incredible role stories play in shaping our children’s futures. Reading aloud to children promotes language skills, cognitive growth, and a sense of wonder. Whether it's through reading books, telling stories, singing songs, or exploring picture books, storytelling opens doors to countless learning opportunities.
Here are some key reasons why storytelling is so important:
Brain Development: Reading and storytelling foster brain growth, imagination, and cognitive abilities.
Strengthening Bonds: Storytime is a wonderful way to bond with your child, creating meaningful moments together.
Language and Learning: Repetition, rhythm, and rhyme in books help children learn new words and develop communication skills.
Encouraging Questions: Storytelling sparks curiosity. When children ask questions, it shows they are thinking and engaging with the material.
Enhancing Memory: Stories help children build their memory, making learning more enjoyable and effective.
Exploring Concepts: Through stories, children learn about shapes, colours, sizes, numbers, and even emotional concepts like empathy.
Cultural Appreciation: Storytelling introduces children to new worlds, different cultures, and diverse perspectives, fostering an appreciation for the global community.
The beauty of storytelling is its flexibility—it works for all types of learners and can be done at any time. Whether it’s a bedtime ritual, a fun afternoon activity, or a spontaneous moment, sharing a story each day makes a significant impact.
As part of our celebration of World Read Aloud Day, we kindly ask for a book to be donated by each child. This gesture will help build our classroom library, providing even more opportunities for learning and adventure through books.
This World Read Aloud Day, let’s embrace the magic of storytelling!
Happy birthday!
Wishing Chloe Mathee a very happy birthday on Thursday, 6 February!
We hope your special day and the year ahead are filled with joy, love, and many unforgettable moments.
Have a lovely weekend!
Riëtte Pieterse
Principal: Christopher Robin Pre-Primary
E-mail: rpieterse@parklands.co.za
Tel: 0861 EDUCATE
PRE-PRIMARY PARENT CALENDAR
Christopher Robin Pre-Primary Parent Calendar
LINKS TO THE BLOGS FROM THE PREPARATORY AND SECONDARY FACULTY
JP: https://jpblog.parklands.co.za
SP: https://spblog.parklands.co.za
Sec: https://secblog.parklands.co.za
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