Ms. Sandy on NPR!!!!

Our very own, director, Mrs. Sandy Hilton, was on Michigan's National Public Radio Station, 91.7. The interview is entitled, "Grading Michigan Schools: Learning Must Start From Birth". To hear or read the interview and learn about the importance of quality early childhood education, visit: www.publicboradcasting.net/michigan/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1182617

Welcome Back Students!

The school year is back on track and the fun has begun! We would like to welcome all our new families, and welcome back our returning families to Perry. We look forward to a great school year and new friendships!

Perry Welcomes Miss Jessica!

Miss Jessica is our new teacher in the blue room. She is off to a great start and we are very happy to have her here as part of our family. Welcome!

Peek at Perry

September 13, 2007

8 a.m.- 9 a.m.

The first Peek at Perry for the '07-'08 school year! All are welcome to get an inside "peek" at what Perry has to offer! We hold Peek at Perry's monthly, so check back for new tour dates!

Milan Public Library Perry Display

Passing through Milan anytime this week? Stop by the Milan Public Library to check out our artwork display. The display will be at the library until Friday, September 14.

In The Week Ahead...

Parent Workshop

September 20, 2007

5:30 p.m.

ALL PARENTS! Please plan to attend this workshop. The subject will be the High/Scope Curriculum, which Perry uses in all our classrooms. Check back for a summary of this workshop, which will be posted on the blog the following day.

Fifth-Third Bank Perry Display

September 17th - 28th

Please stop by the Fifth-Third bank, located on Washtenaw Avenue, our artwork display will be in the lobby!

Why I Love Perry Reason Of The Week!

"I love this school!"

While typing away in my office... I overheard a child outside my door enthusiastically expressing to their teacher their feelings about Perry. The teacher responded back, "Good! The school loves you too!" Enough said. :)

Last Week At Camp Perry!


World Traveler’s Day
Thursday, August 24th
Perry Nursery School transformed into a mini U.N. as each classroom represented a different country. Australia, India, Japan, Germany, Spain, Indonesia, Italy and Poland were represented with traditional dress and food.

Children from the Purple Room dressed in traditional Indian attire! All were welcome, as friends and family explored each room to taste test the food!


Even Miss Michelle and Miss Erin from the Red Room joined in the festivities, (pictured below) in Australian attire. "G'Day Mate!"

Isabella, (pictured below) shows off her fortune cookies, and offers them to the constant stream of "tourists" coming into the room.

Visit from the Ann Arbor Fire Department!
Friday, August 24th, 2007


The staff and children at Perry would like to thank the Ann Arbor Fire Department for their informative and fun visit! The children learned what to do in case of a fire and were shown what a firefighter looks like with all his/her gear on. Of course the firetruck was the highlight of the visit!
















U of M School of Dentistry Volunteers
Saturday, August 25th, 2007


Last Saturday morning, 35 U of M students packed into the large meeting room at Perry to get into groups. They came to help prepare Perry for the fall school year, and offered their painting, carpentry and cleaning skills for 3 1/2 hours.
Thank you from all the staff and children at Perry for your hard work and dedication! (Also for getting up so early on a Saturday!)

In The Week Ahead...

Monday, September 3rd, 2007
NO SCHOOL! LABOR DAY!

Tuesday, September 4th, 2007
Perry re-opens for the fall school year.
Welcome back!

Camp Perry Winding Down As Fall Quickly Approaches!

It has been a busy summer, and an even busier last couple weeks. This weeks blog will be short and sweet, as there are alot of items to call attention to.

Calling All Parents of 4 Year-Olds! ENROLL NOW!

Perry is now enrolling for fall! We have immediate openings for all children who will be 4 years-old by December 1st.

Please contact Linda at 734-677-8130 for enrollment information.

Perry Open House

Wednesday, August 22nd

3:30-5:30 p.m.

"World Traveler's Day"

Come one come all! Each room has adopted a country to display their culture, including their dress and food. Perry will open it's doors to parents, staff and friends to join us in celebrating each country chosen. Feel free to join us!

Children's Art Display

We are currently working on a children's artwork/Perry informative display which will be set-up at the Ypsilanti District Library, Milan Public Library, Fifth-Third Bank, and Arby's!

The dates are not yet confirmed for most of the locations, but we do have firm dates for the Fifth-Third display!

August 20-31st

Come to the Fifth-Third bank on Washtenaw Rd, in Ypsilanti to see Perry's artwork display! Thanks to board member Abbie Vander Meulen for allowing us to place our exhibit at her branch!

Calling All Runners/Walkers! Help Support Perry! (Cancelled)
We are signed up to participate in the Running Fit’s 5K/1M Big House Big Heart Fun Run. Perry is looking for participants to join our team and help earn pledges for Perry!

All it takes is four easy steps!

1. Go to www.bighousebigheart.com and register as a runner/walker

2. Designate Perry Nursery School as your charity

3. Raise pledges from friends/family/co-workers

4. Join us Sunday, September 30th at 9 a.m at the UofM “Big House”

Please see the attached flyer for more details! If you have any questions please contact Sarah Pocock at 734-677-8130.

Coming Soon...

Campbell's Label's For Education Drive

Perry will be participating in the 2007-08 Campbell's Label's for Education program. You purchase Campbell's products anyways.... why not help Perry with your purchases? It's easy! Just clip and save the UPC code from Campbell's labels.

Start saving now, and more updates will follow.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK, CHECK BACK FRIDAY FOR MORE PERRY NEWS!

Farewell Miss Renee

Farewell Miss Renee! We Will Miss You!

Miss Renee will be leaving us Wednesday, July 25th to teach 4th grade in Fredricksburg,VA. She has been a teacher here at Perry in the Red Room, where some of our three year-old’s are placed. I tracked down Renee during her break, and asked a few questions, here are her responses:

What will you miss most about Perry?
“The Red Room and all my little darlings in it!”

What is your favorite memory of your classroom?
“All the hugs I get every morning when I walk into the room.”

What did you enjoy most about working at a non-profit, as opposed to working in a public school?
“I know everyday no matter what, the children and parents absolutely need me.”

We will miss you Miss Renee, and we wish you the best of luck teaching your new children! They will be fortunate to have you as their teacher and friend!

"Ocean In Motion"

The theme for this week at Camp Perry is "Ocean in Motion." The Children took a trip to Aqua-Tec Engineers, in Ann Arbor, where the children viewed fish and other aquatic life in the aquariums.

The children made fish of their own, and stories to go along with them.

In The Week Ahead...

"Animal House"

July 23rd- 27th

The Theme for next week is "Animal House" at Camp Perry! The children will be taking a field trip to Maybury Farm! Be sure to check back for updates.

Why I love Perry Reason of the Week...

(pictured above: Chef Kelly with her famous lasagna!)

Kelly Masey! She is our chef here at Perry. She prepares daily breakfast, lunch and snacks for the children and staff. Kelly prepares meals according to specific nutritional guidelines and has fun in the process!

When I first came to Perry, I expected meals of hot dogs, fish sticks and pizza. Who knew I would be eating stir-fry, quiche (kee-sh), tuna pasta salad and cheesy potato soup! Every meal is delicious, and it amazes me how quickly she prepares a meal for 90 children and 18 staff. I have a hard enough time cooking for any more than myself!

What really makes Kelly special? Her constant upbeat personality, and positive attitude combine with her great sense of humor to make every workday a great one!

Thanks Kelly for all that you do!

Summer Camp In Full-Swing!

Tuesday, July 10, 2007
"Out of This World!"

Perry's Summer Camp provides week-long, themed programs. This week was, "Out of This World." The children took a field trip to the UofM Exhibit Museum where they learned about space, dinosaurs, Native Americans and my personal favorite, rocks and minerals.

Of course the dinosaurs were the main attraction for the children





After visiting the museum, the children made their own "out of this world" creations!


Perry Garden Project!

Update! Can you believe the garden is already producing veggies?

Look! The beans are growing! The children are doing a great job taking care of the garden, and now their hard work is producing real results.

When I went outside to speak to one of the teachers, Miss Kristine, she had a small cup in her hand full of yellow beans. The children were gathered around her glowing from excitement about seeing the beans grow from their garden.

The tomato plants are growing rapidly too!

In The Week Ahead…

Ocean In Motion!

This coming week's theme for Camp Perry is "Ocean in Motion!" Check back next Friday for a re-cap of the weeks events.

Mark Your Calendars!
September 30, 2007
Perry Nursery School is partnering with other area non-profits and Running Fit, to participate in the Big House Big Heart 5K 1M Fun Run, to be held September 30th, ay the University of Michigan “Big House” Football Stadium.

We are looking for participants to be a part of Perry’s team. The cost is $28 entry fee for the 5K or $10 for the 1-mile Fun Run. $7.00 of the entry fee will go to Mott Children’s Hospital, and ALS Research.


Participants will collect pledges from friends, family, co-workers and 100% of the pledges will go directly to Perry Nursery School!
Please mark your calendars and plan on attending! To sign up, go to http://www.bighousebigheart.com/.

Why I Love Perry Reason of the Week...

Sometimes it's the simplest things in this world that can turn a bad day into a great day- for me it's dancing. Dancing has never been one of my strengths. The beauty of children is they just don't care how good or bad they are at anything, they will give it their all regardless. Today, Heavenly came in the office and told me downstairs was a 60's party, and that the children were doing the twist. I had to see for myself.

When I arrived downstairs, the twist was over, but "Wolly Bully" was blasting from the speakers of an un-seen radio. My smile grew into laughter as I watched the children dance. They each had a signature move- moves that I could never re-create even if I practiced.

Summer Fun!

Perry Garden Project
June 26, 2007

(above left: Daesun Reaves (DJ) and Celisa Thompson water the newly planted flowers)
(above right: Anne Greashaber helps DJ decide where to plant)

We would like to thank our volunteers who came to Perry to help set-up a garden with the children! Despite temperatures in the 90’s, the ladies made the garden a fantastic success!

The Saturday prior, we also had volunteers help
prep the garden by weeding and laying out the boxes. Also, thanks to those who contributed financially for the purchase of the dirt and plants.
A special thanks to Sally Preston, our board member, who organized this volunteer group:

Helen Baker
Pam Briegel
Cindy Bylsma
Debbie Peters
Karen Elliott
Debbie Fitch
Lucinda Fleckenstein
Lois Gannon
Anne Greashaber
Kathy Kibbie
Sue Meyer
Pam Pasley
Sally Preston
Jan Weaver

According to Miss Kristine from the Purple Room, the children loved planting the garden. “We had to think of a very creative way for us to get the water to the gardens today. We gave the children small watering cans for them to use, and we refilled the cans with water, then had the children carry them to the garden area,” said Miss Kristine.

In The Week Ahead...

Fourth of July!
July 4th, 2007
NO SCHOOL! HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY 4th!

July 5th, 2007
School Re-Opens

Why I Love Perry Reason Of The Week!
Field Trips! (My first Perry field trip!)

When I arrived at Perry on a sweltering day last week, I was not prepared for what I had in store for me.

I went into my office, hooked up the laptop, and went through my daily to-do list when Miss Renee appeared at the door.

"We're going to Dairy Queen today if you want to come with our class!" She informed me her class was short a chaperon, and that I would be a big help.

I practically yelled my response to her request. "OOO! Ice cream! Yes! When should I be down at your classroom?"

By the time the children were done eating and lined up to walk to the bus stop (directly in front of our building,) I was more than ready to get my ice cream treat. Every child I saw, I enthusiastically shouted, "I can't wait for the ice cream!"

Anywhere but a preschool, I would have received disapproving looks for shouting this, but the children smiled and proceeded to tell me what kind they were going to get.

"Sarah! I'm getting mixed!" proclaimed Olivia. Other children smiled and laughed as they sensed my excitement.

Then, the hand-holding began. You wouldn't think much of the "buddy-system" in terms of getting it coordinated, but believe me it was anything but simple.

With Olivia latched onto my hand, and three others trying to hold my hand, there just weren't enough hands of mine to hold. They held each others, but problems arose when a child decided her partners hands were too sweaty.

Sitting on the lawn in front of the school, all eyes were down the road. The children eagerly waited (sometimes patiently, sometimes not) to catch a glimpse of the bus.

Believe me I was anything but miserable sitting in the hot sun waiting for the bus. Someone decided it would be a good idea to style my hair, so... the braids (more like knots) began showing up on my head. At one point, someone took off my flip-flops (to "paint" my toe nails,) the chain hanging off my belt was being played with, and there must have been 4 pairs of little hands "braiding" and "cutting" my hair.

Although it sometimes hurt ("O.k., you just have to remember that I'm not a Barbie."), I wouldn't trade that moment for the world. It was more fun than I have had in awhile. The affection the children show to adults is truly amazing. Their innocent hearts are something to be admired.

We boarded the bus as quickly as possible, took our seats, and off the bus went.

Dairy Queen was fun! The children were happy to get into the air-conditioned room, and the teachers were glad to finally get the children seated at tables.

The chocolate ran out, which caused some disappointment from the little customers, but it was quickly fixed once they had their first bit of vanilla ice-cream. All sorrow seemed to disappear.
The children came back happy as can be (and hyper,) as the teachers were preparing the children for a nap.

My first field trip is something I will never forget! It gave me a new perspective on Perry, and an insight into the little personalities of all the children.

For days the teachers who went on the trip with me thanked me. It seems silly for me to be thanked, when the trip meant so much to me. I would like to thank the teachers for all they do, and for engaging their students at every field trip and everyday in the classroom.

I have a new-found appreciation for parents and children alike. I was exhausted when I returned... and I was only gone for about an hour!

Tons of Recaps!

There is always a lot going on here at Perry! Here are some recaps of the preview weeks:

Farewell to Friends

June 7th, 2007

It was a night to remember, when Perry's kindergarten students walked up and down the steps to receive their certificates and bid "farewell" to Miss Pat.

This is Perry's last kindergarten class, as we will no longer include our kindergarten program beginning next fall.

Farewell to all our kindergarten students and we wish you the best of luck!

(above) Erik proudly receives his certificate

Field Day

June 8th, 2007

The morning and afternoon of June 8th, we had Field Day! Volunteers from Deloitte came and barbecued hot dogs, helped beautify our landscaping and took charge of the children's games. Thanks Deloitte for all your hard work, even in the rain!

(left)Deloitte volunteers cheer Kylee On!
(bottom) Big thanks to Boo Boo the Clown!

Camp Perry!

June 11, 2007

Camp Perry sprung into action with a near full enrollment! As of today, there are only three spots available. If you are interested in enrolling your child, or know of anyone who may be interested, please contact us at (734)677-8130. Camp Perry continues through August 24th.

Bubble Man!

June 13, 2007

I knew something exciting was about to happen when I came into work that morning. The children were gathered in the center of the play area, and I saw a gigantic metal stand with a small area on top filled with bubble mix.

"What's going on?" I asked Linda in the office.

"Bubble Man!" answered Cindy, "You have to see what he does!"

Sure enough, I was thoroughly impressed by the show.

(above) The grand finale! With one sweep of the hand, Ron Loyd ("Bubbleman") sends zillions of little to filled the room!

(below left) The children watch on as Bubble Man performs

(below right) Have you ever seen such a giant bubble?!

"Peek at Perry"

Our monthly public tours will resume again in the fall. It's not too early to plan on attending one! Here are the dates:

9/13 All tours are 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

10/11 If you have any questions about the tours, feel free to contact:

11/13 Heavenly Jackson, (734) 677-8130

12/11 Please also keep in mind the tours are scheduled, however if the dates and times

1/15 are not convenient for you, please let us know. We can schedule private tours.

2/21

3/20 At our tours, you will get a walk-thru, hear from our president and director, and

learn about our plans for the future!

4/17

In The Week Ahead...

Parent/Child Workshop on Personal Safety

June 21

4 p.m.

This rescheduled workshop is now for both children and parents. We are encouraging parents to attend the workshop when they come to pick up their children.

Remember... a quick re-cap of the workshop will be posted on next weeks blog for those of you who couldn't attend.

And finally...

Why I Love Perry Reason of The Week!

Our in-house speech therapist, Julie Kennel

My office door is located directly across from the table she works at. I always get excited when she comes in, because I know I will able hear her working with the children from my office.

It's pretty amazing, but after hearing the same children over and over, I can really tell when they are improving.

Although my back is to the office door, I still feel a part of the sessions, because I am learning just as the child is.

Thank you Julie for all you do! I look forward to seeing you soon!

What a Week! (Whew!)

2007 Legacy Builder's Breakfast!

Months of preparations, complications, no relaxation and no vacations paid off as our 2007 Legacy Builder's Breakfast was a success! Although we don't yet have final numbers in terms of how much was raised and how many people showed up, we do know the following:

(Pictured above left, Sandra Hilton, Executive Director and "Visionary Leader" of Perry Nursery School.) Great job Sandy!

* More than 100 friends, family and colleagues were in attendance.

* There were no problems with the microphones and none of the speakers lost their voices!

* Much to my personal relief, most guests showed up on time (this was my greatest worry.)

* The children who sang were as adorable as ever and Miss Sharon and Miss Amber did a great job corralling them where they were supposed to be.

* The food was excellent!

* The children's murals didn't fall down, the decorations were beautiful, and the souvenir boxes were enjoyed by all!

* The tears were flowing in abundance (this is a good thing! people were touched by our mission!)

* And most importantly- Perry Nursery has gained priceless friendships and much needed exposure, which will help us continue our mission for generations to come!

In The Week Ahead...

Board Meeting

Wednesday, May 23rd 6 p.m. Meeting Room

The 2007 Legacy Builder's Breakfast will be discussed!

RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 21st
Parent Workshop

Thursday, May 24th 5:30 p.m.

This workshop is on Personal Safety. PLEASE NOTE beginning with this workshop, all workshops will be summarized on this blog, as a resource to parents who couldn't attend.

Miss Sharon's Birthday!

Saturday, May 26th

Word has it, she LOVES Macy's! (and presents)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISS SHARON!

Why I Love Perry Reason of the Week!

Junior League of Ann Arbor

When I hired in at Perry, I heard the Junior League of Ann Arbor was a major supporter of Perry. They donated an outreach board, purchased play equipment for our indoor play area, cooked meals for our parent workshops etc.
Unfortunately, I didn't get to actually meet any of them until their going away party/meeting room dedication yesterday.

I spent the afternoon learning about Junior League, getting to know their members, and eating a slice of yummy cake (or 2!)

I can honestly say that I can't recall meeting such an amazing group of woman since I got hired in here and met the teachers. To dedicate such a great amount of time and energy volunteering to help out an organization you may otherwise not have been associated with, is something I will always have great respect for.

They were incredibly kind, had tremendous amounts of energy and really cared about their work.

I was also happy to see many parents stop in and sign their thank-you card (decorated by the children of course.)

Organizations such as Junior League really make me feel fortunate to work for a non-profit, and be able to see first-hand the impact of connections between non-profits who are so different from each other. As I always believe, collectivism is always stronger than individualism, no matter what form it may take.

Thank you Junior League for giving so much to Perry (three years worth of support!), and good luck with your next project!

Exciting new developments!

There are many exciting things happening right now in the land of Perry. Here is a run-down of this week:

New volunteer!
Perry has a new volunteer, Rachel Schultz!
She comes to us from Huron High School, where she is vice president of the National Honor Society. She will be helping Miss Michelle and Miss Janis in the Gold room, where she will practice her Spanish-speaking skills.

Roxella was very excited to meet her last Thursday as she asked, "Are you going to stay?"

Perry Video
This week some of our parents, teachers, staff and board members already have or will soon view the draft of our video. The video, which includes parent testimonials, video of children, and staff relays the mission of Perry in a 7-minute time span.

It's emotional, funny at times, and very real. The parent testimonials really tugged at my heart, and made me want to run around and hug every child at Perry and their parents too.

The video will be shown at the "Legacy Builder's Breakfast" as well as at outreach events and presentations to potential sponsors and supporters.

Thanks to Russell Video Services for their hard work!

Legacy Builder's Breakfast
Don't forget the date! May 16, 2007 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Morris Lawrence Building, Washtenaw Community College. We still need volunteers to help before, during and after the event. Please E-mail Us to find out more.

Camp Perry!
We are busy passing out fliers and preparing for Camp Perry. Remember the dates: June 11-24. ALL children preschool through kindergarten age are welcome, regardless of income. Know of a friend who may be interested? Are you able to post our flyer on a communication board at your place of employment? Please let us know!

Peek-At-Perry Tours
Our monthly tours will resume into the summer, dates TBA. Please start thinking of who you know may be interested in attending our 1-hour tours. Our goal is to get 10-12 guests out at each tour!

Our very own blog!

Yes! We have joined the age of technology and now have a new blog.

What will our blogs be about?

Think of this page as an online parenting newsletter, staff calender, and photo album. We will be posting information on school closings and upcoming events, as well as some funny pictures taken here, anecdotal stories and helpful links.

If you'd like to know more about Perry, this is the place to be! If you just want to see pictures of our cute children, well that's fine too. There is no shortage of them here at Perry :)

This blog will be updated weekly, so be sure to check back every week to see our updates!

What's happening this week?

Construction: Our meeting room is now just that; a meeting room! Our Family Service Coordinator, Mary and our Programming Director, Jan are now located upstairs! The pounding of hammers and the sound of the electric tools has passed, and now we are happy to hear the comforting sounds of children laughing, dancing and singing.

Perry Video: As some of you know, a crew has been filming the school for a bit, and now the video has been sent to be edited. This video will be used for a variety of purposes including our promotional video to be shown at our Legacy Builder's Breakfast.

Legacy Builder's Breakfast: Only 2 weeks away!? As of today the staff of Perry has been hard at work along with volunteers and parents to get everything ready for the fundraising breakfast.

Don't forget the date! May 16th from 8am-9am at the Morris Lawrence Building, WCC.

The breakfast is FREE, and you will learn more about Perry from our director, parents and children! Please invite a friend, there is still time!

The United Way Day of Caring: This Saturday, May 5th is the United Way Day of Caring. There will be volunteers from UW as well as church groups, individual volunteers and staff. Please consider volunteering for a couple of hours, we have lots to do!

Camp Perry: Summer is quickly approaching! Children will of course spend more time outside, which in turn means more crazy fun! Our camp is for ALL children, not just those enrolled at our preschool. Ages 2.5-5 years are welcome! June 11th - Aug. 24th are the dates of the camp. Tell a friend with a child, bring your own child, or donate your time!

What I love about Perry thought for the week.

The teachers! They aren't just teachers, they are the children's friends. It amazes me every time I see them interact with the children. A while back we had Lori Fithian from Drummunity teach the children about music through massive banging, clanging, shaking and jiggling of instruments.

While I myself was taking pictures, the whole room participated including the parents and staff. To my amazement, the teachers joined in the circle and danced just as silly as the kids. They were having a blast and the bond between the teachers and students was very memorable.

Miss Michelle, look how much fun you are having!

This is Miss Michelle from the Gold room. Just after lunch, when the children are rounded up to go to the bathroom (outside my office,) she tells her students to be quieter and wait patiently because her "friend" is in the bathroom now. She refers to all students as her "friends" and it makes me smile every time.