Director's Message
Happy October to all Happy Hall Ortega families! I hope your fall season is off to a great start! We have some fun and engaging activities lined up for this month, and we look forward to watching the children continue to grow and thrive in our program over the coming weeks! As always, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Program Highlights
Engagement Activities
This month in our preschool, we’re excited to explore Helpers in Our Community alongside Halloween Spooky Fun! Our preschoolers will engage in creative art projects and hands-on activities to learn about the important roles community helpers play, while also enjoying festive crafts and science experiments with a spooky twist. It promises to be a month full of creativity, exploration, and excitement!
As we begin October in our school age program, we’re excited to wrap up our exploration of Space and transition into our new theme: Weather & Seasons. Students will engage in various activities that deepen their understanding of how weather changes throughout the year. From collaborative projects to hands-on experiments with rain and hail, this month will be filled with learning and fun!
Professional Development
On Wednesday, September 25th, our school age staff participated in a comprehensive training session focused on enrichment activities, classroom management, engagement, and health and safety. This training helps ensure our team is equipped with the best practices to support your child’s learning experience. We’re also looking forward to our next training on November 1st for both school age and preschool staff, where we will continue to enhance our skills and strategies for fostering a positive and safe environment for all students.
Community Events
On Friday, October 4th, our preschool students had a special visit from Officer Lancaster and his K9 partner, Bandit, who shared insights about community safety.
Join us for a fun-filled single-day camp at Happy Hall's Ocean Shore location on Monday, October 14th! Enjoy exciting fall activities. Register at: https://go.happyhall.com/campoceanshore
We’re excited to invite parents to our Preschool Learning in Action event on Friday, October 18th, from 4:00 to 5:00 PM. This is a great opportunity to join us for a quick circle time demo and explore our discovery centers alongside your children, giving you a glimpse into their day.
Friday October 31st, our entire program—both preschool and school-age—will celebrate a Happy Hall version of Trunk or Treat, where our older kids will design poster boards and hand out goodies to the younger children at their stations. We look forward to seeing you at these exciting events!
Student Achievements
Last month, we introduced Life Skills and Life Skill Tickets to our school-age groups. Each week, children have the opportunity to earn tickets by demonstrating their life skills throughout the day at Happy Hall. At the end of the week, we draw several tickets from each group, and the winners get to choose a prize. The following week, we start fresh with empty jars and new tickets to be earned.
This month, we’re excited to launch our Star Student program, which recognizes those who excel in applying their Life Skills. Each week, teachers will select two students from each age group (TK-K, 1-2, 3-5) to honor their achievements. Star Students will choose a prize and have their names proudly displayed on our Star Wall! We look forward to celebrating our students’ accomplishments as we continue to introduce and discuss Life Skills.
Preschoolers are also practicing their life skills in the classroom by earning dots on their classroom rainbow. When they completely fill their rainbow, they will be rewarded with a movie party and a special treat. It's a fun way to encourage teamwork and positive behavior while celebrating their achievements!
Reminders
Please remind students that toys, collectibles, and other personal items from home should not be brought to Happy Hall, as we are not responsible for any lost, broken, or stolen items.
If your child will not be attending Happy Hall for any reason, please send an email or text before the end of school so that we do not try to locate your child.
Please enable notifications for 1Core if you haven’t already. By doing so, you’ll receive incident reports, messages, and important updates from the teachers throughout the day. Thank you for helping us keep you informed!
Looking Ahead
Please be on the lookout for emails with more details about our upcoming Learning in Action Preschool event and the Ortega Happy Hall Halloween event! We encourage all children to participate, and we would love for parents to join in the fun as well. Thank you!
Stay Connected
Check out our photo galleries:
Thank You!
Brigette Gauthier
Program Director
Happy Hall @ Ortega
&
Nichole Lancaster
Assistant Director
Happy Hall @ Ortega
