Bike Safety

The weather is finally getting warmer, and summer is just around the corner! Most of our children will begin to learn to ride their trikes and bikes this year. What a fun milestone, and one we can all remember learning. Children discover their freedom when they learn to ride a bike, and the outside world opens to new adventures and places. It’s not uncommon for young children to resist the use of a helmet, but if we instill this safety measure at the very beginning of their biking journey, they have a better chance of continuing this important and life-saving practice.

Our annual trike-a-thon to support St. Jude's Children’s Research Hospital is quickly approaching on Tuesday, April 29th. We will have a practice day on Thursday, April 24th, and request that you bring your child’s helmet to school that day. We will be reinforcing and teaching the components of bike safety throughout the week leading up to the trike-a-thon.

Sadly, head injuries occur in about 15% of childhood bicycle-related crashes. Wearing a bike helmet decreases the risk of head injury by 85%, severe brain injury by 88%, and facial fractures by 31%. Together, we must protect our children by teaching them the safety rules of biking. Here are a few articles that expand on the importance of all aspects of bike safety.

“Riding a bicycle is the closest you can get to flying.”

– Robin Williams

Safe on Wheels: Bicycle Safety - Kids in Danger Injury statistics and incidence rates | Children's Wisconsin

Holy Week

As we enter Holy Week, I am reminded that God calls us to take the time to pause and reflect on our lives, our blessings, and our challenges. The sacred days culminating with Easter can remind us of where our purpose stems from, offering optimal pauses for reflection. Taking time to pause and reflect can be challenging as we navigate the many commitments to which we have dedicated ourselves and the people in our lives who depend on us. The awakening of spring calls on us to walk confidently into the future, alongside our Beloved Community with audacious hope for renewal.

Holy Week reminds us that our service and faith are interconnected. Our body, mind, and soul require the sacredness of stillness, and embracing the quiet is a bold act of self-love and servant care. I encourage you to take time this week for you and your families to enjoy some quiet time embracing God’s endless love.

Together, we hold our world and each other in love and prayer.

Worship, Storytelling & Prayer at Home

1) Holy Week Tenebrae / Tenebrae means “shadows,” and for centuries, Christians have held Tenebrae services to explore the mysteries of Holy Week. These simple services using candles are appropriate for all ages.

2) Prayers for Children and Families for Holy Week / Super short prayers for each day of Holy Week. Watch the videos or read the prayers yourself.

Big Emotions

I have had the pleasure of speaking with three families in the past few weeks regarding recent behavioral challenges. I am grateful to hear your questions and concerns and understand that as first-time parents, there are a lot of questions. Whether you are the parent of the child exhibiting aggressive behavior or the parent whose child has been affected by the behavior, both situations are concerning and challenging. Our children come into the world without instructions and a uniqueness that is all their own. We are inundated with information to supposedly be able to solve any parenting challenge. We do not have all the solutions, and it may feel overwhelming due to the myriad of approaches presented. From giggling and babbling to meltdowns and defiance, the world of toddler behavior leaves us perplexed.

The toddler years span from about 12 to 36 months of age. It’s a period of rapid growth and change, building upon the foundation laid during the normal newborn behavior phase. During this time, your little one is evolving from a dependent infant into a more independent (and opinionated!) little person. A toddler's emotions are a place where joy, frustration, and every feeling in between can occur within the span of five minutes. Their need for independence is very real. The phrase “Me do it!” becomes a battle cry as they insist on putting on their own shoes (backwards), feeding themselves (hello, spaghetti hair), and generally asserting their autonomy. This drive for independence is crucial for their development, even if it sometimes results in epic meltdowns.

Emotional regulation is a skill that takes years to master, and toddlers are just at the beginning of that journey. Their big emotions often overwhelm their little bodies, resulting in spectacular displays of frustration, anger, or disappointment. While challenging for parents, these outbursts are a normal part of emotional development.

Interacting with peers and siblings also becomes more complex during the toddler years. Your little one might show interest in playing with other children, but their social skills are still developing. Sharing, taking turns, and understanding others’ feelings are all works in progress. We see a constant mix of parallel play, tentative interactions, the occasional toy-snatching incident, and physical aggression to express big feelings.

CCEP is rooted in developing children who have strong social and emotional skills, including learning peaceful conflict resolution skills. When there is an incident of physical aggression, we are in that moment with the children. Teachers bring the two children together and acknowledge the signs of emotion, tears, sadness, anger, and frustration. We teach them that all our feelings, including anger, are ok, but it’s not ok to hurt our friends. We model alternative, kind, and gentle behaviors and practice those with the children, often taking their hands and demonstrating a soft touch or a gentle hug. We maintain low student-teacher ratios, and all of us are responsible for the safety of our children, which translates to “all hands-on deck” when a member of our community is struggling.

While we know that physical behaviors to express big feelings represent normal development, our children must always be safe and feel safe. These situations are taken very seriously and involve a close partnership with the family to provide resources and services to address the source of behavior challenges.

Earlier this year, we amended our Behavior and Communication Protocols in order for teachers and families to have a set of guiding principles when there are behavior challenges. Prompt communication with all involved is essential to the process. This begins with a phone call from the teacher and then documentation in Brightwheel.

Please take a moment to review these protocols and know that your teacher and I are available to meet, preferably outside of the school day, without children present. While we are equipped to handle most child behavior issues, there are rare times when we are not equipped with the necessary skills, or the environment is not servicing the child experiencing extreme physical aggressive behaviors. When this happens, the school serves as a place of support, compassion, and understanding, working closely with the family to develop a transition plan.

Enjoy these resources and know that we are always here for you and your precious children.

Resources

Free Conscious Discipline Resources for Educators & Families

Explore Parenting Books, Webinars and DVDs | Love and Logic

More Discipline That’s Actually Backed By Research

https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2025/04/quaker-parenting-research/682277/

Chasing Curiosity!

Chasing Curiosity, Discovering Friendships, and Sparking Joy are phrases we use to describe the magical CCEP experience. We have the privilege of seeing our students chasing curiosity every day! While it’s easy to see young children express their infinite capacity to be curious, it’s a bit harder to describe what it looks like.

When young children chase curiosity, it often looks like a whirlwind of exploration, wonder, and excitement. Their faces light up with wide eyes as they encounter something new. They are spontaneous, quick, and filled with energy. We can expect to see a child kneeling close to inspect a bug, picking up a rock to see if something is under it, or running to a new sound or sight.

Our children ask a lot of questions like "What is this?" or "Why?" They often touch, taste, and smell things without hesitation, driven by a natural desire to understand the world. They exhibit pure joy and excitement, sometimes expressing triumph when they figure something out or get an answer to their question. Our children revisit things multiple times; maybe it’s a quest for deeper understanding or simply because they’re still fascinated by what they discovered.

Curiosity in young children looks fluid, messy, and beautifully unfiltered. It’s a constant journey of wonder, not just about the world around them but about how they relate and interact with the world.

Recently, in Chapel, our Lion friends noticed the organ and began asking questions. Their curiosity inspired Mrs. Long and Ms. Curtis to set up a time with Mr. Barber to learn more about the organ and how it works. I became curious to know more about the developing music interests of our students. I learned that since the beginning of the year, our Lion friends have been fascinated by all different types of musical genres. They listen to music

by Igor Stravinsky, Firebird Sweet, Rhapsody in Blue and Gershwin. Traditional, classic, and jazz genres are all favorites.

Curiosity takes us all to new places. I am grateful for our children's reminder to get out there and chase curiosity!

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning. Albert Einstein

Inclusivity

Our mission reminds us to always nurture children in the Episcopal tradition. What does this mean and what does it look like? How do we express the principles and ideals of our Episcopal Identity at Christ Church Episcopal Preschool?

A few examples include weekly chapel which draws fully upon liturgical resources and is a large part of our school community. We honor reflection, prayer, and matters of spirit nurturing our physical, mental, and emotional health. The ideals and concepts of equity and justice are woven throughout the life of our school. Helping others through service is an integral part of who we are. We are an inclusive community and intentionally teach our children to be kind, respectful, and loving human beings.

I had the opportunity to give two tours this week, one for an incoming prekindergarten student and another for an incoming beginner student. Our visitors enjoyed touring the school, meeting teachers, and spending time in the classes they will join.

These experiences provided beautiful reminders of our inclusive community; a place where we graciously welcome new friends.

During the classroom visit to prekindergarten, several CCEP students took their new friend by the hand, inviting her to play with dolls. One student put her arm around the visitor, patting her back as she lovingly handed her a blanket for the baby. The beginner visitor joined a music class where our youngest children guided their new friend to the circle while handing her an instrument. Before long, we were all holding hands as we danced and sang together.

Modeling and teaching kindness, grace, love, and acceptance to all people is fundamental to who we are and makes our church and school so very special.

A Note on Progress

Progress Reports will be sent home on February 24 and February 25. While we don't have a parent/teacher conference on the calendar, conferences are always encouraged and may be initiated by parents or by the teacher. If there are concerns regarding learning and/or development, we deeply believe in early intervention and talking with our families as soon as possible.  We have extremely knowledgeable and experienced teachers who are experts on all matters of child development, teaching, and learning. And they are always here for you! 

The reality is that most of our children need early intervention services in one or more areas of development. Addressing them now means they will have increased school success preparing them for a lifelong love of learning.  There are times when a teacher's assessment and a parent's assessment differ. This is to be expected and it's important for teachers and parents to both advocate on behalf of the student.  For teachers to accurately assess areas of development, skills must be observed more than once and in various settings. When a child has fully learned the skill, it will be seen both at home and at school. Early childhood educators are usually the first ones to let parents know that they see an area of atypical development. Identification is not a diagnosis, it's just information. Really good teachers, like our teachers at CCEP, understand this and work hard to convey sensitivity and clarity of information. At the forefront is the fear that their communication may not be received in the way it is meant. Please know that all of us at CCEP love and care for your children. Being a good teacher means that we believe in developing healthy relationships where we are partners advocating for what our children and families need. 

Tools like the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, along with teacher and parent assessments and observations, are all important. However, what's most beneficial for the child is when teachers and parents comfortably share their observations, accomplishments, and concerns regularly. 

Choices?

Raising children is the best job around! And also, the most challenging. Young children are finding their voices, learning to navigate big feelings, and discovering their likes and dislikes. As language develops, understanding what they want, or need can be extremely difficult. We know that giving children choices helps them to feel a sense of agency and empowerment that often leads to cooperation. Providing choices helps children learn to make good decisions as they grow. Ideally, giving children “two great choices” is a strategy we have found to be very effective for avoiding power struggles while helping parents stay in charge in a positive, loving way.

There are times, however, when giving choices isn’t ALWAYS helpful to children. When children become dysregulated and spiral out of control, their brains are flooded with stress, and they cannot think clearly. Giving choices at these times feels overwhelming, like a big black hole that they get lost in leading to further upset and dysregulation.

At these times, they need boundaries to end the madness which helps them to calm down and adapt. Children won’t be happy with or thank us for the boundary, but setting clear limits allows the child to move on positively. Our goal is to prepare children for the world in which they will live, and often we have choices, but sometimes we don’t. Teaching our children to navigate those times when they don’t have a choice is an important life skill and an essential part of healthy development.

Enjoy these two articles regarding more guidance on when children need choices versus when they need a firm, loving boundary. A reminder that all of us at CCEP support your parenting needs, we are partners in raising well-adjusted, healthy people.

When Not to Give a Child Choices | Psychology Today

We're always told to give kids choices—but here's where it can backfire - Today's Parent

What Makes CCEP Special?

As we look forward to the remainder of this school year and the start of a new school year in September, we are reminded of how special CCEP is.

We nurture and honor young children in the Episcopal tradition. At the heart of our educational philosophy is the belief that children need space to grow—both academically and personally. A play-based, literacy-rich curriculum coupled with a low student-to-teacher ratio, provides each child with the individual attention and guidance they deserve. This fosters deeper connections with our children and ensures that every child’s unique needs are met. CCEP students chase curiosity, discover friendships, and spark joy every day!

Our expansive 22-acre campus offers endless opportunities for exploration and discovery. Whether they’re wandering through the woods, playing on our playgrounds, or simply touching the world around them, children here have the freedom to learn and grow at their own pace.

We understand that these early years are the most critical for brain development. That’s why we prioritize giving children the time and space they need to be young, free, and adventurous. The freedom to explore and express themselves fosters resilience, emotional intelligence, and critical thinking. We believe that by giving children a joyful, exploratory foundation, they are better prepared for the next steps in their educational journey.

Celebrating Community Helpers!

January is community helper month at CCEP! We know that we have lots of community helpers at CCEP, so we are thrilled to invite our friends and families to come to CCEP to share a brief presentation. Your teachers will reach out to you directly to make the arrangements.

We value our close community and want to recognize those in our lives who play a vital role in maintaining the well-being, safety, and function of our community. Teaching our children about community builds their awareness of how different people work together to keep our community safe and healthy. Our children learn to develop empathy and appreciation for the efforts of others. This helps them recognize the importance of kindness and respect for people in different professions, from teachers to sanitation workers. Children who learn about different community roles can develop a sense of responsibility. They may come to understand how their actions impact others and how each person in a community plays a part in maintaining harmony and well-being.

Take some time to talk with your children about the community helpers in your family and neighborhood. Stop and say thank you to those you encounter. For example, trash collectors, doctors, nurses, police officers, and firefighters. Children learn gratitude and develop empathy by watching the adults in their lives sharing thanks and kindness. 

Read more Here for additional information about what children learn from our valued community helpers.

Career Exploration: Learning about community helpers can spark children’s curiosity about future career options. It can help them explore their interests and potentially guide them toward a profession they may want to pursue when they grow older.

Promoting Safety and Awareness: Understanding the roles of emergency responders (like firefighters, paramedics, and police officers) teaches children how to react in emergencies. This knowledge can be crucial for their safety and helps them feel more secure in their environment.

Encouraging Cooperation: By learning about how different helpers contribute to the community, children can understand the importance of teamwork. They can see how collaboration and cooperation are vital for a functioning society.

Building Communication and Social Skills: Children often encounter community helpers in their daily lives, such as police officers, firefighters, or doctors. Understanding these roles helps children interact positively with these individuals, which in turn can improve their communication and social skills.

Overall, learning about community helpers fosters respect, empathy, and an understanding of the world around them, while helping children develop a foundation for future learning and personal growth.

1.     Ensure Safety: Police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel keep the community safe by responding to emergencies, preventing crime, and handling natural disasters or accidents.

2.     Promote Health: Healthcare professionals like doctors, nurses, and pharmacists are crucial in keeping people healthy by providing medical care, advice, and treatments. They help prevent the spread of diseases and promote overall wellness.

3.     Support Education: Teachers, school staff, and counselors help guide and educate the next generation, ensuring that children and adults have the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life.

4.     Maintain Infrastructure: Workers such as sanitation workers, road maintenance teams, and utility service providers (water, electricity, etc.) maintain the physical infrastructure that supports the daily lives of community members.

5.     Foster Social Services: Social workers, counselors, and other professionals assist individuals and families in need, offering emotional support, guidance, and resources to improve their quality of

6.       Provide Basic Services: People like mail carriers, grocery store workers, and delivery drivers ensure that essential goods and services are accessible, making life more convenient and functional for everyone in the community.

  Cultivate a Strong Community: Community helpers also include leaders, volunteers, and activists who work toward creating a more inclusive, compassionate, and supportive environment for everyone, fostering a sense of belonging and unity

Imagination

I love spending time in our learning spaces and listening to the children play when their imaginations are hard at work. Building a magnificent block tower, creating a grocery store shopping experience or reenacting familial roles by “playing house”, these experiences are crucial to healthy development. Children today have many opportunities to participate in sports and extracurricular activities which are an important part of their development. Equally important is unstructured time to play through imaginative experiences. What happens when children are immersed in imaginative play?

Social Development Children have a natural way of relating and connecting when they play. They learn to take turns, share, and work together. As children join in imaginary play, they begin to understand relationships better. They have opportunities to experiment with social boundaries. They improve their social skills and become more connected, confident, and self-reliant. As a result, they build better relationships with their peers.

Emotional Development

Imaginative play fosters emotional competence and empathy. During make-believe play, children practice caring for others and showing empathy. For example, when they participate in doctor pretend play, they learn how to be kind, gentle, and to help others. As children begin to understand their feelings and emotions, they learn how to interact appropriately.

Language Development Growing research confirms the importance of imaginative play in early childhood language development. Play is all about communication. Sit back and listen to your child while they play. They love to describe and narrate what’s happening. This conversation enhances their vocabulary and language skills. By providing a supportive, high-quality play environment, you can boost your child’s language skills.

Encourages Independence

Imaginative play allows your child to make their own rules, explore new ideas, and create stories. As a result, they begin connecting with the world and incorporating what they have learned into their dramatic play. This encourages freedom to take risks. Subsequently, those risks are essential to gaining their independence and becoming critical thinkers.

Increases Creativity Creativity can be a stress reducer and is instrumental to your child’s well-being. Engaging in fantasy play allows children to stimulate their imagination which will increase their creativity. With a good imagination, your child can pretend to be anything or anyone they want!

Develops Problem-solving Skills

Excellent problem-solving skills require creativity. Children need time and space to figure things out for themselves. They learn to develop these skills through imaginative play. For instance, they negotiate who gets to play what role. They might re-enact real-life situations and role-play activities which develop their problem-solving skills.

Children become more curious when caregivers and parents join their imaginative play, but make sure you give them space to solve their problems.

Thank you for reading this week’s Abio Avenue, and take some time to enjoy imaginative.

Exchange EveryDay

Welcome to Mrs. Abio’s Avenue, a  new addition to our weekly newsletter. I am excited to share my own thoughts and reflections regarding topics relevant to early childhood development and practice. Enjoy!

Exchange Every Day is a valued resource of mine. A piece was recently published by Miriam Beloglovsky, highlighting why children are naturally drawn to nature's beauty. We deeply value nature at CCEP and I wanted to highlight why our unique outdoor playgrounds are essential for optimal childhood development.  

“Whether it be the brilliant colors of a sunset, the intricate patterns of a snowflake, or how leaves change colors in the Fall.” The designs and experiences provided by the environments we offer our children contribute greatly to their healthy development.

When we play and explore outside in nature, children are surrounded by PATTERNS. Patterns represent the interconnectedness of all things and the delicate equilibrium that sustains life. Children thrive with routine and structure; RHYTHM organizes daily events into predictable and coherent patterns which increase neuroplasticity. We strive to create equitable and inclusive spaces that embrace DIVERSE relationships, rhythms and system patterns. Nature’s MYSTERIES spark a sense of wonder, curiosity and an eagerness to learn. UNITY brings us together with nature, and each other, and our shared responsibility to preserve balance and harmony.

Our students get to connect with nature every day! By doing so, they are creating a beautiful and sustainable world for generations to come.