JUNE 2026
June is here with sunny skies,
And happy cheers from little eyes.
The school year ends, what fun they’ve had,
So many things learned — make parents glad.
They’ve counted, painted, read, and played,
New friends and memories they’ve made.
Soon Summer days will be warm and bright,
With bikes, splash parks, and fireflies at night.
Here’s to laughter, rest, and play,
And making sweet memories every day.
A Goodbye Message from Danielle
Dear St. Catherine Families,
As I write this, my heart is full of gratitude and a touch of sadness. Over the past 20 years, I have had the absolute privilege of sharing in the lives of so many incredible children and their families. Each child who walked through my classroom has left a lasting imprint on my heart.
Watching your children grow, learn, laugh, and discover the world—from their very first days as curious two-year-olds to confident five-year-olds ready for their next chapter has been one of the greatest joys of my life. It has been especially meaningful to welcome siblings from the same families and to see familiar faces return years later, reminding me how special this community truly is.
Thank you for trusting me with your precious children. That trust has meant more to me than words can fully express.
Now, a new chapter is calling me to Australia, where I will spend cherished time with my aging parents and my new grandson. While I am excited for what lies ahead, it is incredibly difficult to say goodbye to a place and people who have meant so much to me.
Please know that I will carry the memories of your children, their smiles, their laughter, and their little milestones are with me always. Though I may be far away, a part of my heart will forever remain here with all of you.
Bon voyage—for me, and for all the beautiful journeys your children will continue to take.
With love,
Danielle
BUTTERFLIES!!
We hope you all had a chance to see the butterflies that we raised from caterpillars before we release them into the Memorial Garden.
Every year we get some but this year they came to us ready to spin their cocoons and they were FAST!
The children had fun releasing the fully grown butterflies into the Memorial Garden so they could enjoy all the tasty flowers!
GRADUATION DAY
The 4s will be having their Graduation Ceremony at 2pm on Friday, June 19th in the Treehouse Room. Parents are asked to arrive at 1:45pm.
NOTE: Ponytails do not work with the Grad Caps so please try not to do that type of hairstyle. Use clips instead if you can.
YEAR-END SCHOOL PICNIC – YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS THIS!
Preschool might wrap up on June 19th, but the fun definitely doesn’t stop there! Mark your calendars for Wednesday, June 24th from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM and join us for one last hurrah at Mahon Spray Park!
This is the perfect chance to celebrate an amazing year with teachers, friends, and families from both classes. Pack your picnic blankets, lunches, bathing suits, water toys—and don’t forget hats, towels, and sunscreen for some sun-safe fun! And yes, we’ll be there rain or shine—after all, getting wet is part of the fun at a spray park!
And you won’t want to miss the highlight of the day: Marion’s legendary CANDY TOSS! It’s always a crowd favorite and guaranteed to bring big smiles to little faces.
Let’s send the school year off in style—see you there!
RAINBOW ROOM
Dear Rainbow Room Families,
We started off May by finishing our Mother’s Day gifts, which the children thoroughly enjoyed creating for their moms. It was wonderful to see the care, creativity, and excitement they put into making something special.
This month, we also jumped, hopped, roared, and explored our way through our exciting theme, Animals Around the World! The children learned about many fascinating animals, including the lion, tiger, bunny, sloth, giraffe, cow, dolphin, panda, koala, kangaroo, elephant, moose, zebra, penguin, fox, gorilla, cheetah, javelina, and Komodo dragon.
Throughout our studies, we discovered so much about each animal — what they eat, their size, how they move, where they live, what they provide for us, and many other interesting facts. The children especially loved sharing their knowledge and favourite animals with their classmates.
A very special thank you goes out to all the parents who came in to support their children during this wonderful experience. We know it took extra effort and time, and we truly appreciated it. Seeing the children so enthusiastic and proud to share with their friends was incredibly heartwarming.
As we begin June, we will be working on our Father’s Day surprises and enjoying some beloved children’s stories by Eric Carle, as well as Pete the Cat stories by Kimberly and James Dean.
We will also be having our year-end parties on Thursday the 18th and Friday the 19th. More details will follow closer to the dates.
We would like to say a heartfelt farewell to Danielle, as this will be her final year at St. Catherine’s. She will be greatly missed, and we wish her all the very best in her next adventure.
Thank you again to all our Rainbow Room families for your continued support and involvement.
And don’t forget about our year-end picnic at Mahon Park on June 24th— rain or shine! We look forward to celebrating together.
Danielle, Karen and Vibha
TREEHOUSE ROOM
May in Preschool: Butterflies, Lobsters, and Bossy Teachers!
What a wonderful month of May we’ve had! The days have been filled with learning, laughter, adventures, and a few very important preschoolers making sure the teachers followed the rules.
We began the month exploring Community Helpers. The children were especially interested in the people who help keep us safe. Doctors, firefighters, and police officers were definite favorites, and we had many thoughtful conversations about how these helpers take care of others when they need it most.
One of our most exciting science experiences began when Marion brought caterpillars to the classroom. The children carefully observed them every day as they transformed from caterpillars into chrysalises. There was much excitement, wonder, and a lot of “Look! I think it’s moving!” When the butterflies finally emerged, we watched them spread their wings before releasing them outside. It was a magical experience that reminded us how amazing nature can be.
The highlight of the month was undoubtedly our visit to Thrifty Foods. The children loved getting a behind-the-scenes look at how a grocery store works. The cargo elevator was a big hit, as were the giant walk-in freezers. But nothing could quite compete with watching a giant lobster being lifted out of the seafood tank! There were many wide eyes and excited retellings afterward.
We also enjoyed two lovely outings: a trip to Dudley Place Playground and a picnic at Eldon Park, where we had plenty of time to run, climb, play, and enjoy the beautiful spring weather together.
For Mother’s Day, the children worked hard creating special gifts for the important mothers and caregivers in their lives. They were very proud of their creations and even prouder of their ability to keep them secret until the big day!
Our second theme focused on Transportation. We explored all the different ways people travel on land, in the air, and on water. The children shared stories about train rides, airplane trips, ferries, and family adventures. We discovered that preschoolers are excellent travel experts when given the chance!
As the year continues, we are noticing how much the children have grown. They are becoming increasingly independent, confident, and ready for new adventures. One of our favorite things to observe is their imaginative play in small groups. Family play remains very popular, and there always seems to be a collection of needy babies crawling around the classroom, lovingly cared for by attentive and nurturing “parents.” The level of cooperation, kindness, and creativity in their play is wonderful to see.
We also enjoyed many books brought from home. Some children proudly shared favorite stories, and several emerging readers delighted us by “reading” books word for word from memory. Their confidence and love of books continue to grow every day.
Perhaps the silliest day of the month was our Inside-Out, Upside-Down, Backwards Day. The children fully embraced the opportunity to become the leaders. They set up the room, organized materials, sorted supplies, and enthusiastically instructed the teachers on proper behavior. The teachers, meanwhile, had an excellent time forgetting the rules, making mistakes, and waiting to be corrected. Fortunately, the children were more than happy to help us improve our behavior!
As we head into June, we will begin preparing for graduation, celebrate another special family member, and dive into an exciting new theme: Sea Life.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful children with us. We are looking forward to finishing the year with many more memorable moments!
RESOURCE ROOM - MARION
It has been a amazing year with lots of Learning Through Play and fun events for everyone. Starting with Pizza Night and then the Christmas and Easter Services. In May we welcomed the arrival of our caterpillars and watched them transform into butterflies. The process took about three weeks and we released 22 Painted Lady butterflies into the Memorial Garden on a bright and sunny day. Our garden boxes are ready for planting by the children this week. Year end parties are planned, as well a the Treehouse 4s Graduation.
A few things to think about over the Summer:
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
A strong sense of trust, security, confidence and self-esteem - is the foundation for learning and growing.
SOCIAL COMPETENCE:
Making friends, sharing, turn taking cooperation - are identified in all research as critical factors for school success.
LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT:
Vocabulary building, rhyming, oral communication, listening - is identified in all research as a prerequisite for academic success.