JANUARY 2026
Hello, January!
Hello, January, (wave hello)
New year starts, we grow, grow, grow! (reach up tall)
Cold outside, brrr, brrr, brrr, (hug yourself)
Warm inside with friends so dear! (group hug or point to friends)
We clap, we stomp, we laugh, we play, (clap & stomp)
Happy New Year—hooray, hooray! (hands in the air)
Welcome to 2026 at St. Catherine’s Preschool!
As we begin the next chapter of this school year, our focus for the months ahead will be supporting kindergarten readiness and thoughtfully preparing each child for the important transition to the next stage of their learning journey.
Across our school community, children are building independence and growing more confident in their skills and abilities. Our classrooms are developing into supportive, connected spaces where friendships are forming and children are learning to work and grow together.
We look forward to a year rich in learning, discovery, and meaningful experiences that will support every child’s development.
REGISTRATION for September 2026
All of our children born in 2022 and 2023 will be receiving Registration Forms to be filled out for the September 2026 school year.
Currently enrolled families will get PRIORITY PLACEMENT ONLY IF they return their registration forms WITH DEPOSIT CHEQUES ATTACHED before JANUARY 31st.
Community Families will be slotted in to all the remainder spots on Feb. 1st so if you do not get your registration in on time, you may not get priority placement.
If your child is in the 4s program but you have a child who will be 30 months or older on September 1st, 2026, please let the office know and we will forward you a Registration Form. You can pick up a copy in the Office or download one from our website.
Keeping Us Informed
We encourage families to let us know when big or emotional changes are happening at home. You don’t need to share details—just a general awareness is helpful.
Even when adults try to shield children from difficult situations, children often sense when something is different, which can affect how they feel, behave, and learn.
When we are aware that a child may be experiencing stress or strong emotions—such as a move, a change in family dynamics, or a loss—our teachers can respond with extra care, understanding, and support to help your child feel safe and supported during a challenging time.
RAINBOW ROOM
Danielle, Karen, Vibha, Monica, Marjan
December in the Rainbow Room
Happy New Year Rainbow Room families!
We want to begin by sending a heartfelt thank you to all of our Rainbow Room families for the generous gifts for the teachers and for supplying the delicious food for our Christmas parties. Your kindness and thoughtfulness truly made this festive season feel extra special and very much appreciated.
December was filled with meaningful experiences and joyful moments. One of our highlights was our walk to the local library. A big thank you to the parents who joined us on this outing—it was a wonderful experience for the children and staff alike. Sharing stories, exploring books, and enjoying the sense of community made this trip especially memorable.
We were so proud to share our Christmas Concert with our families. The children worked incredibly hard practicing songs, movements, and routines, all to help create a memorable tradition here at St. Catherine’s. Their excitement and confidence shone brightly, and it was truly heartwarming to see their efforts come together in such a special way.
Throughout the month, our art activities and circle times were centred around the themes of Christmas and the Nativity, exploring what it means through stories, discussions, and creative expression. The children also enjoyed learning about familiar seasonal symbols such as Santa, stockings, candy canes, presents, stars, and snowmen, which inspired many conversations, songs, and artworks.
As December comes to a close, we are preparing for some changes in the Rainbow Room. We will be welcoming new children into our class in January, while also saying goodbye to a few friends this month. These transitions are always bittersweet, and we are grateful for the time shared with each child and family.
We would also like to share a staffing update: Danielle will be away for most of January, and we are pleased to welcome Carol, who will be joining us during her time away.
Thank you again for being such a supportive and caring community. We wish all of our Rainbow Room families a warm, joyful holiday season and look forward to all that the new year will bring.
TREEHOUSE ROOM
Gabi, Mary, Catriona, Marjan, Monica
Hello Treehouse Room Families
Happy New Year!
We hope you have a wonderful holiday season. December was a fun and busy month in the Treehouse Room with gift-making, the Christmas Service, and making gingerbread cookies. The children and teachers had a great time together.
We began with the story of the Nativity—Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, the angel, and the stable. The children explored the story through toy Nativity sets, books, art activities, and puzzles to help them understand and retell it. At the same time, we continued practicing Christmas songs, which began in mid-November.
We prepared for our Christmas Service all month by practicing songs, learning simple sign language, and practicing waiting in the side room and walking into the church.
The Christmas Service took place on the evening of December 10th. Each child proudly wore a costume, took part in the Nativity story, and sang Christmas songs with sign language. It was an exciting and special moment for the children and a lovely experience for everyone.
We would like to thank parents and families for bringing your children to the church and for your wonderful support and collaboration. The children did a fantastic job, and it was truly a great and memorable evening.
We began preparing our secret Christmas gifts and cards at the end of November. The children really enjoyed making them and especially loved keeping the surprise for their parents.
At the art tables, we made gingerbread men from beginning to end. The children experienced all the steps of making gingerbread cookies while listening to The Gingerbread Man story. They also created gingerbread men and gingerbread house crafts with their little hands, which they found very interesting and enjoyable.
The children also made different kinds of Christmas art to develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Each week in the Treehouse Room, we worked on journals. Some weeks, we used simple worksheets to help prepare the children for kindergarten and support their cognitive development.
During Circle Time, we read books, shared stories, played counting and matching games, listened to stories on CDs, and sang many Christmas songs.
The classroom was set up and decorated with different activities to support the children’s development in many areas. Most activities were related to the season and Christmas while also helping to improve cognitive and social skills. Different play areas, such as a shopping corner and a tools area, were set up at different times. Through play and interaction, the children learned, explored, and enjoyed themselves.
We played both outside in the yard and inside the classroom. In the gym, we played fun games such as “Ho, Ho, Ho Santa” and asked the children to find pictures of Christmas symbols that were set up on the gym walls.
During our final week, we celebrated with a class Christmas party. We played games, sang Christmas songs, enjoyed special party snacks, and watched a DVD together. Thank you to the families who contributed food to the party as it made the celebration extra special. When we return to preschool in January, our theme will be “Winter”.
We would like to say thank you to all families for the thoughtful cards and generous gifts we received for Christmas. Your kindness is truly appreciated. We hope you enjoyed a calm, loving, and restful holiday season. Now we are excited and ready to welcome the New Year together!
RESOURCE ROOM
Marion
Happy New Year!
I hope everyone has had an enjoyable holiday break, celebrating with family and friends. I want to thank you for your thoughtful gifts and well wishes; they are very much appreciated.
The Christmas service was wonderful, and all the children did their very best to show their joy for Christmas. Thank you for sharing some Christmas spirit with us.
I am excited for the next six months, as all the children are expanding their interests and interacting, playing with their peers as they explore more cooperative activities. Their problem-solving skills have improved, and they have become more independent.
The fours will be focusing on kindergarten readiness skills, and the teachers will be providing games that incorporate turn-taking, numbers, and letters. Art activities will be more complex by adding additional steps such as cutting, matching, and gluing.
Each program is geared to provide age-appropriate activities. Children learn through repetition, rhymes, stories, and songs. During circle time, the children learn to be respectful of their teachers and peers. Our goal is to provide the children with many opportunities to develop their social skills and prepare them to be caring and empathetic towards others.
Here’s to 2026!