News
Mural by the Blue Room
Inspired by The Blue Hour by Isabelle Simler
Halloween
Halloween is next Friday, and each class is celebrating in their own age-appropriate way. We ask that families save costumes for after school as they can scare the younger children who are just learning to distinguish fantasy from reality. We don’t want children to feel overwhelmed at school. We also ask that candy be kept for an afterschool treat.
Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent Teacher conferences are coming up on November 4th (all day) and November 11th (evening). Most of you have received an email from your child’s teachers to sign up for a conference. School will be closed for conferences on Tuesday, November 4th, with no children in attendance.
During your conference time, childcare will be available in the gym between 8:30am and 3:00pm. School is open November 11th with a regular schedule. There is no childcare for evening conferences.
Conferences are a wonderful opportunity to gain insights into your child’s life at school and help formulate goals for the school year with your child’s teaching team. At the end of the newsletter, we have included an article published by NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) outlining how parents can prepare for conferences with their child’s teachers. I hope you find it helpful.
Open House for Prospective Families
We are hosting an Open House for prospective families tomorrow Saturday, October 25th from 10:00am - 12:00pm. Please spread the word to your friends in the community! Children are welcome and there is no RSVP necessary.
Admissions
Admissions season is underway, and applications are open for the ‘26 – ‘27 school year! Please remember to complete our online application for any sibling applicant by going to the admissions page on our website. All applications for priority applicants, including siblings, should be completed by November 15th. If you have any questions, reach out to Andrea. Re-enrollment for current students will take place in the new year.
Yankee Fair
Mark your calendars for the Yankee Fair on November 8th from 10:00am to 3:00pm, a fun family festival hosted by Plymouth Church and Plymouth Church School. There will be lots of activities for everyone in the family including a pumpkin patch, rides, games, and a bouncy castle. Everyone is welcome and it is a wonderful way to connect with other Plymouth families! We hope to see you there. To volunteer, please sign up using this link.
Yankee Fair Clothing Jumble
The Yankee Fair is holding a clothing jumble sale for clothes in good condition from newborn to size 5T. All unstained clothing and jackets will be accepted (no shoes/socks/underwear/swimsuits please). At the end of the clothing jumble sale, whatever is not sold will be donated to migrant families.
Please bring donations to school next week (10/27-10/31). There will be a bin in the front hall to place donations during drop off. Ideally your donations would be separated by sizes: 0-12 months, 12-24 months, 2T-3T, 4T-5T in separate bags to help with the organization of the event.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Chloe DeComo.
Label All Clothing
Now that the weather has gotten cooler, your children are wearing more layers to school. Please label all clothing, shoes, bags, scooters and helmets with your child’s name. This greatly increases the likelihood that a missing item will be returned to you and helps teachers keep all those articles of clothing organized.
Flu Reminder
The NYC Department of Health (DOH) mandates that all children receive one dose of the influenza vaccine (flu shot) by December 31, 2025. We must have a record of your child's vaccine by that time; otherwise, we will be out of compliance with the DOH and subject to fines.
Due to this, children will not be permitted to attend school when we return from the Winter Holidays on January 5, 2026, without proof of their influenza immunization.
Important Dates to Remember
November
4 - School Closed for Parent/Teacher Conferences
8 - Yankee Fair
11 - School Open – Evening Parent/Teacher Conferences
15 - Priority Application Deadline
26-28 - School Closed for Thanksgiving
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent-teacher relationships are most effective when participants have frequent and open communication with each other and demonstrate mutual respect for each other’s role in a child’s life. When families are positively involved in their child’s education, the child will flourish. Teachers prepare for conferences by thinking about each child’s interests and progress. Here are some ways parents can prepare so they too can be active participants in parent-teacher conferences.
Be willing and ready to share information about your child and family. Families are the most important influence in a child’s life. You know your child better than anyone else and have valuable insights to share with the teacher. Advocate for your child. Share things about your child’s life at home—personality traits, challenges, habits, friends, hobbies, and talents. Focus on the things you believe the teacher needs to know. What kinds of things do you enjoy doing with your child? How do siblings relate to their brother/sister and vice versa? What kind of discipline do you use? What are your dreams for your child? What are your concerns?
Stay focused on your child. In our childhood, some of us might have been shy students who avoided the teacher’s gaze. Others were very active and seemed to always need the teacher’s help to stay on task. It is natural for our ideas about teachers and their role to be shaped by our own school experiences. Think about and then put aside your past experiences as a student. Stay focused on your child and his or her unique temperament, individual needs, and special interests.
Attend every parent-teacher conference. If your work schedule makes it difficult to meet during regular hours, make this clear to the teacher and try to set up a meeting time that is good for both of you. If you can’t visit in person, schedule a telephone call to discuss your child’s progress. Whether in person or by phone use the conference as a time to exchange information with the teacher and discuss ways to work together to enhance your child’s education.
Arrive on time. Teachers usually have a tight schedule for conferences—typically 20 minutes per child and family. If you would like additional time to talk, ask for it ahead of time so you and the teacher will have plenty of time to discuss your ideas, concerns, and suggestions. Be considerate of other parents whose conferences will take place after yours. Remember that the teacher needs a few minutes between conferences to record the information shared and to prepare for the next parent.
Listen with an open mind. Try to concentrate on what the teacher is saying instead of what you are going to say next. Ask questions when you don’t understand. Speak up if you disagree with a strategy or don’t understand how it will support your child’s development and learning. Explain the reasons for your views and voice your concerns but be open to suggestions. Stay on the subject: your child’s progress.
Be prepared. You might think about or write down one or two questions to ask the teacher. It’s a good idea to ask the most important question first, in case time runs out. Remember, while teachers have specialized education, they don’t have answers for everything. Teaching just isn’t that simple.
Keep the conversation focused on what can be done for your child. When there are problems, both teachers and parents need to stay calm and work together for the best interest of the child.
Stay involved. Try to visit the school frequently, not just for conferences and Back to School Night. Ask the teacher to suggest activities you can do at home to reinforce your child’s learning. Look for opportunities to engage yourself in your child’s education.
Source: Adapted from H. Seplocha, 2004, "Partnerships for Learning: Conferencing with Families,” Family Ties, Young Children 59 (5): 96–99. © National Association for the Education of Young Children.
