ELC Caterpillar Buzz 4.28.25 

🐛 Caterpillar Buzz

Early Learning Center Weekly Family Newsletter

Monday, April 28, 2025

It’s an exciting time here at the ELC as we continue to grow, learn, and celebrate all of our amazing students! As we near the end of the year, we have some fun upcoming events to share with you:

 ELC Events

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Family Fun Day at the Park – Friday, May 9, 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
Mark your calendars! There’s no school for students, but we’ll be gathering for a fun-filled morning at the park. Please register using this link to help us plan for food: Family Fun Day Registration. We can’t wait to see you there!

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🍎 Teacher Appreciation Week: May 5–9, 2025

Theme: "Not All Superheroes Wear Capes, Some Teach!"
We’re ready to honor our incredible ELC teachers who truly are superheroes! To show our appreciation, we’re planning a surprise “shopping day” where each teacher will receive a grab bag and get to shop for classroom supplies.

How YOU can help:
We’re asking our amazing families to donate school supplies! You can drop off donations in the collection box during arrival and dismissal or at the front office from Monday, April 28 to Friday, May 2. (Remember – it’s a surprise, so let’s keep it under wraps!)

Suggested Supplies to Donate

Examples of helpful supplies:

Supplies	Supplies
*Crayons	*Planners
*Markers	*Stickey notes
*Dry erase markers	*Hand sanitizer
*Glue sticks	*Tissues
*Construction paper	*Disinfecting wipes
*Play-Doh	*Stickers
*Small Prize Items	*Cardstock
*Index Cards	*Pens

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Supporting Language Development at Home

As we continue to see growth in language development in our students, there are many ways you can help support their learning at home. Here are a few suggestions to encourage language skills:

• Read Together Daily: Choose books that interest your child and engage in conversation about the story. Ask open-ended questions like "What do you think will happen next?" to help expand their vocabulary.

• Engage in Conversations: Talk with your child about their day, their interests, or any new things they are learning. The more they speak and hear new words, the more confident they become in using them.

• Sing Songs and Rhymes: Incorporating songs or rhyming activities helps children tune into the sounds of language, making learning fun and interactive.

• Ask and Answer Questions: Encourage your child to ask questions and answer theirs thoughtfully. This promotes deeper thinking and enhances communication skills.

• Play Word Games: Simple games like "I Spy" or "Guess the Object" can be fun ways to build vocabulary and practice descriptive language.

By engaging in these activities, you can play a pivotal role in helping your child continue to develop their language skills and confidence. Thank you for supporting our efforts to create a language-rich environment!

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Community Events

Letterland Days at Pullen Park – Monday, May 5 & Thursday, May 8, 5:00–8:00 PM
Come join us for an adventure in Letterland! Meet the Letterland characters and enjoy tons of fun literacy activities! Admission is free, and ride tickets are just $2. It’s going to be an unforgettable time!

Smart Start Block Party – Saturday, May 17, 10:00 AM–2:30 PM
It’s going to be a BLOCK PARTY you won’t want to miss!
Location: Roberts Park, 1300 E. Martin St., Raleigh
Enjoy FREE food trucks, diapers, and food boxes, plus bounce houses, a sensory calming zone, live performances, and more! Bring the whole family for a fun day out!

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Thank you for helping us create a warm, exciting, and thriving environment here at the ELC. We’re so grateful to have each of you in our community! 🌱🦋

With Appreciation, 
Ms. Williams
Director, Early Learning Center