NEWS FROM THE DESK OF THE EXCUTIVE DIRECTOR: SPRING 2010

In this Issue:

• Readers Circle
• Executive Director’s Breakfast
• Contract Renewals
  • Frequently Asked Questions
• Staff Update:
  • Training-First Aid
  • CITE Training
  • NAEYC
• Did you know: BBL is Featured in the First Hoboken Digest
• Upcoming Events

Readers Circle

What an exciting month it has been at BBL with the ‘Readers Circle’ event. Both parents and grandparents alike spent time in the classroom reading from familiar children’s favorite books such as Dr. Seuss, Curious George, Narnia, and other favorites. It was a delight for me to meet with some of the families and see the excitement in the children’s faces as their parents read in their classrooms. One of the children exclaimed, “My mommy, my mommy” as his mom read to his friends. Even at this very young age, children are sensing that something very special is happening at BBL.

Many of you may not have realized, but the Readers Circle event was a suggestion made from one of our current parents. Last year, Ms. Erickson suggested that we consider having an author’s series at the school—and from there the “Readers Circle” was born! Going forward, BBL will designate the month of March “The Readers Circle” month as we invite all of you and your family to join.

Executive Director’s Breakfast:

Thank you to all the families that participated in the Executive Director’s Breakfast in February. During the breakfast, we discussed upcoming events, contract updates, and the Summer Program. We also included time slots to meet with the Executive Director for those families that didn’t have the opportunity to stay or would like to meet for further discussions on the program.

For those who did not have the opportunity to attend, I have included the frequently asked questions in this email that was distributed during the breakfast. A special thanks goes to the parents in the Jade Caterpillar (South) and Green Butterfly (North) rooms for their participation.

Contract Renewals

We will begin distributing Contract Renewals on Friday, March 19. As you consider your choices, please note that in July and August offer many possibilities to your day selection. However, the school year is a 10 month commitment that enables us to provide consistent programming such as Music Together, Puppet Shows, Training, and other activities without adding a surcharge.

In the frequently asked questions detailed in this document, you will have information that will help you plan for the Summer and the School Year program. Please note that the School ‘Flip’ Calendar distributed in September contains the school closings through August 2010. All contract renewals will be due Friday, March 26th.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Beyond Basic Learning contract renewal process is the opportunity for families to customize their schedule according to their needs. We ask families to commit to us for the school year, which ends in June, so that we can provide the same commitment to our teachers.

BBL is scheduled to close at 7:00 p.m., what drove the decision?
We currently have about 1% of the families utilizing the services between 7 and 7:30p. Although some of our costs have increased, we feel that we can contain tuition from increasing if we restructure some of our expenses and conserve on our utilities.

Will there be any opportunity to keep my child in the program until 7:30, if I need it?
We understand that some families may need to use the services from 7:00 to 7:30. For this, a fee of $10.00 would be accessed on a per day basis.

How does the Summer schedule selection work?
Families may decide to change their schedule for the summer and then resume their normal desired schedule in September.

For example: In July, a family may decide to enroll for 3 days a week but then be enrolled 5 days in September, or a family may opt for a leave of absence in August and return in September.

Do you charge a contract renewal fee for re-registration?
No. There are no re-registration fees, and for new siblings, the re-registration fee is discounted.

What will happen if I reduce my schedule for the September school year?
During the contract renewal process, priority will be given to 4/5 Full Day families. A space for 3 or 2 full days is depending on availability.

How is my Last Month Payment applied?
Your last month payment will be applied to your contract end date unless you renew for the Summer or September school year, at which time it will be rolled over with the contract renewal.

When do I request a transfer to either the North or South school?
The time to request a transfer is during contract renewal. There will be a place where you can make your request to transfer. Families currently enrolled will have first priority contingent on availability.

When do the children move to the next classroom?
The children will be moving to their new classroom in September. However, we begin to familiarize them with their new room through a planned transition that begins in August.

What does the Summer Program entail?
The summer program is our opportunity to take the classroom outdoors. Children experience music, water play, sports, and other fun filled activities outside. There will be water days, visiting our neighboring parks, taking a trip to the local farmers’ market or simply enjoying a picnic lunch outside. We partner with various programs scheduled around Hoboken for young children.

If my child attends Summer Camp, may I enroll him/her for back-up care during the days that I would like to keep her/him in Hoboken?
Yes. Last year, some of our children who missed BBL or needed to bridge the gap between sessions enrolled in back-up care for the desired dates, as long as there was space available and no conflict with planned excursions.

When re-enrollment occurs, will I be guaranteed my enrollment and schedule?
Unfortunately, we will not be able to accommodate all the families going into the Butterfly Rooms. After the schedule selection of families has been made, we will seek to accommodate families based on their child’s date of enrollment.

Will my teachers change during the summer program?
Maybe. In May, teachers undergo their staff evaluation. Some teachers work at licensed childhood programs to gain the experience needed to work in Elementary schools, while others would like to work with other age groups. Some teachers want to remain in their rooms, while others request a leave of absence for the summer and then return in September.

When will it be required for me to phase-in my child?
You will be required to phase-in your child when the following occurs: 1. Absence from the school for more than one consecutive month. 2. Transferring from one school to another. 3. Enrolling a sibling in the school.

Staff Update

First Aid Training

First Aid training arrived again at BBL in January. Although the state of NJ only requires one teacher to be Infant/toddler CPR certified per school, we are excited to say that we had over 13 teachers trained including Ms. Mary, Ms. Dorothy, and Ms. Marge.

Due to the great feedback from the teachers and administrators, I’m excited to say that that we are bringing First Aid training to BBL again on April 30 and opening it up to parents. This is a four hour workshop and will begin at 10:00 a.m. If you would like to join us at the workshop, please email Dorothy at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (there will be a small fee charged by the trainer).

CITE (Coalition for Infants and Toddlers)

BBL is proud to announce that 9 infant toddler teachers were selected to participate in the Annual CITE Conference held at Somerset, NJ on Saturday, April 13th. The conference was focused in supporting infant/toddler educators to better assess the stages of development in infants, finding ways to bring forth activities in the classroom, and providing appropriate language exchanges with young children.

I also had the opportunity to present a workshop focused in providing Beyond the Basics Art Experiences for young children. I must say this has been one of the most exciting workshops that I have provided. I had over 35 individuals sign up for the training and two teachers from BBL elected to be in this workshop with me as well (it is nice to know that the teachers don’t mind seeing you again on a Saturday). The following teachers attended the event: In the North it was Maria, Wendy, Dana, Yessica, and Deborah, and at the South, it was Ermira, Ayda, Cathy, and Martha.

NAEYC in Washington, D.C.

I’m excited to say that Ms. Mary and Ms. Jennifer attended the NAEYC re-accreditation workshop in Washington D.C. At this time, we are assessing our direction with the organization. We will keep you posted.

Did you know…

• Beyond Basic Learning is featured in the First Hoboken Digest April/March 2010 issue.
• Beyond Basic Learning Website has a parent portal where you can download forms and view the calendar.
• We have a presence in Facebook for our alumni families. Recently, we received updates from our past families as far as India and Holland.
• BBL Green Butterflies will be attending the Hoboken Museum for weekly programming.
• BBL has a breakfast table for the BBL families during the Baby Parade held on the Sunday, May 16th (South Location)
• Ms. Dorothy is being recognized by The Hudson County of Freeholders on March 23. They are honoring the women under the title “Writing Woman Back into History” for women history month.
• Ms. Marge has been selected to represent her Parish at Chrism Mass at the Cathedral in Newark.
• Did you know that BBL teachers attended the CITE training as professional development which enabled us to be open on Friday, March 19th.

Upcoming Events:

• Week of the Young Child April 12-16
• Parent Teacher Conference: North, April 7th, South, April 8th
• Mothers day: Sunday, May 9th
• Baby Parade: Sunday, May 16th

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