FRAMINGHAM   CENTRE   NURSERY   SCHOOL

24 Vernon Street, Framingham Centre, MA 01701

508-875-8260

 

 

SUMMER PROGRAM

General information:

·       Our Summer Program hours are 9am – 1pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from mid-June through the last Thursday in July. There is usually enough interest in extended hours to offer Early Arrival from 8:30 – 9am, Stay Day from 1 – 3pm and Extended Day from 3 – 4 or 5pm.

·       This 6-8 week program will be open to our current students as well as any children already 2.9 during the summer who will be entering our program in the fall.

·       We also welcome children from other programs that do not have a summer option meeting the needs of families.

·       A child currently enrolled at FCNS will probably be assigned to a different classroom with different teachers and some new children – we will combine our AM & PM groups along with children from other area preschools, but our past experience has been that it really does work very well.  It is a good idea to talk with your child about these possible differences shortly before the program begins.  Classes will be divided by age.

·       Our regular staff members will be teaching, which is the main reason we do not continue the program into the month of August. August is a time to get ourselves and the school ready for another school year.

·       Depending on enrollment, children may be placed in groupings that are slightly different than will occur during the remainder of the weeks.

·       Summer is a time for being outdoors on our spacious and shaded playground for a large part of the day.  Teachers plans interesting “units” for indoor time each week that integrate art, math/science, dramatic play, music and English language arts around a theme such as “Up, Up, and Away” (things that fly), “Crawling Creatures” (insects, spiders and caterpillars), “Dinosaurs, Donuts and Drip Painting” (the letter D) and “Red, White and Blue” (celebrating Independence Day).

 

Thank you for your attention to these details that will make the Summer Program safer for all children:

·       Children need to have daily:

o      A backpack with a labeled change of clothing.  Please label the outside of your child’s backpack with his/her name or initials.

o      Sneakers/rubber soled shoes (required) - NO sandals or Crocs are allowed because they make it hard to climb safely and mulch and pea gravel will easily get inside to hurt feet.   

o      Sunscreen and/or insect repellent (our playground is sometimes buggy, particularly in the early summer) applied before camp.

·       Paperwork required:

o      Currently enrolled children – updated and/or corrected "Green Sheet" emergency contact numbers.

o      Children attending FCNS for the first time – a completed "Green Sheet" emergency form and Developmental History on file.

o      All children must have an up-to-date Medical Form on file in the office (physical exam within past 12 months; annual blood lead screen until a child’s 4th birthday.

·       The teachers of each class will be planning special activities for that group over the course of the summer.  You will receive this information on your child’s first day of camp.

 

Summer Program lunch routines: 

·       Children’s daily lunch should contain:

o      An ice pack and a drink (NO glass containers).  Foods to be eaten hot should be put in a pre-heated wide-mouth thermos.

o      NO foods containing peanuts or tree nuts -- see lunch suggestions for alternatives.

·       Please label the outside of your child’s lunch box with his/her name or initials.  Also, label each container or package of food with your child’s name and the date – this is required by NAEYC to protect all children by eliminating any chance of confusing parts of your child’s meal with those belonging to another child.

·       Please provide your child with a lunch that is both "healthy" (see lunch suggestions) and easy to handle – our aim is to encourage as much independence as possible in the children.  They are so proud when they can do everything themselves!

o      Please send utensils and a napkin from home.

o      It’s a good idea to limit the number of choices of food – too many confuse and overwhelm the children.  One item per food group is plenty.

o      Fruit should be peeled and cut up if that is the way your child prefers it.

o      Food should be in bags or containers that can be opened by your child.

o      Candy is not permitted at FCNS.

·       The following items/foods are too dangerous for us to manage in a school setting – thank you for leaving them at home:

o      Sharp edges – metal cans with ring pull tops.

o      Choking hazard – popcorn.  Also grapes, hot dogs, cheese cubes unless they are cut up into very small pieces (not round slices – can easily block a windpipe).

 

Nutritious peanut and tree nut-free lunch suggestions:

Main Course                                                                                      Vegetable and Dip/Dressing

            Sandwiches on whole-grain bread, bagel  or crackers:                     Cherry tomatoes

                        Yogurt, string cheese                                                             Cucumber, carrot, celery sticks

                        Cream cheese and jelly                                                          Raw zucchini rounds

                        Chicken or turkey                                                                   Salad

                        Tuna fish                                                                                 Raw broccoli

                        Chicken salad                                                                         Sliced red pepper

                        Egg salad                                                       

                        Lettuce, tomato and cheese               

                        Cheese , grilled cheese

            Soy nut butter (only exception to nut-free rule)                                                                   

Soups                                                                                      Fruit

                        Ravioli                                                                                                Orange

            Pastas:                                                                                     Pear

                        Macaroni and cheese                                                              Seasonal fruit:

                        Spaghetti/meatballs, spaghettios                                                       Melon

            Other                                                                                                               Plum

                        Cereal                                                                                                 Peach

                        Pizza, English muffin pizza                                                   Apple

                        Chicken nuggets                                                                     Banana

                        Hummus and pita                                                                   Applesauce, fruit cocktail          

Beverage                                                                                            Dessert

            Milk                                                                                                    Granola bar

            Juice – 4 oz. 100% juice (can be considered                                     Pudding

                        A serving of fruit)     

            Water

 

*A nutritious lunch incorporating USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program suggestions should be balanced keeping the different food groups and quantities in mind.  All groups should be represented in a child’s lunch. 

·       grains - ½ slice bread or equivalent

·       vegetables - 2 x ½ c. **

·       fruits - 2 x ½ c. or **1 x ½ c. @ fruit and vegetable

·       milk - ¾ c.

·       meat or meat alternates - 1½  oz. or equivalent

 

For those concerned about adequate protein intake, the following foods have approximately the same amount of protein as 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter:

·       1 ounce meat

·       1 cup milk

·       1 egg

·       1 ounce cheese

·       1 cup yogurt

·       1 cup raisin bran

·       1 bagel

·       2/3 slice cheese pizza