The Prouty Voice: October 2023

Strengthening Families

We are proud to announce that our Early Learning Center was recently awarded the Strengthening Families Grant through the State of Vermont. This funding is an opportunity for our Center to grow our relationships with our ELC families and meet the changing needs of our community. Strengthening Families is an approach to building familial relationships by promoting parental resilience, supporting social connection, promoting knowledge of parenting and child development, encouraging families to build strong support networks, and building children’s social and emotional skills.

As a Center, we strive to foster meaningful relationships with our community and help families interact in healthy and supportive ways. We believe that the Strengthening Families approach aligns and complements the work that we are already doing and can help us to expand it. This grant funding will empower our Center to offer more events such as the upcoming Open House and Harvest Meal. It will also enable us to host monthly Family Circles, monthly gatherings in the evening for families to share a meal and strengthen connections. We are excited to get started! For more information about the Strengthening Families approach, please visit https://cssp.org/our-work/project/strengthening-families/

Resources & Events for families

Trunk or Treat

Brattleboro Subaru is hosting at giant Truck or Treat on Saturday, October 28 from 5:00-7:00pm. Winston Prouty was invited to participate, so if you would like to decorate your vehicle, let us know and we will provide the treats to hand out! Send an email to sarah@winstonprouty.org if this is something you’d like to do.

COVID test expiration date

Do you have COVID tests that are expired? The FDA has extended most expiration dates. To check your tests, click here: www.fda.gov/covidtestdates

Forest of Mystery at BEEC

The Forest of Mystery is an interactive theatrical performance takes place in scenes staged along BEEC’s beautiful candle-lit trails through forest and meadow. The event takes place in the Halloween Season with the aid of a group of talented community actors, dancers, and musicians, as well as inventive costume and set designers. This year it will be held October 19-21st. More information.

Putney Road Redemption

Turn your redeemable bottles and cans into a donation to Winston Prouty! Bring them Putney Road Redemption at and they’ll tally the total and send as a charitable contribution to us. Thank you!

Early Learning Center News

Open House & Family Dinner

Please join us on Wednesday, October 18th at our annual Open House! Starting at 5:00pm, families are invited to visit classrooms to see your child’s current, future and past spaces! Then we’ll gather for dinner at 5:30pm for dinner. Pizza, salad and cookies will be provided.

Flu Shot Clinic

Winston Prouty will be hosting a FREE flu shot clinic for staff, their families and ELC families on Friday 10/20 from 9:00 – 11:00 am. Click here to sign up for the time frame that works best for your schedule.

Family Survey

As part of the Strengthening Families grant we received this school year, we are asked to collect feedback from families utilizing out services. Your response is confidential as we do not ask for any identifiable information. Because of this, we encourage you to be open and honest. Your information will help us identify where we can improve. If you would prefer to fill out the survey on paper, copies are available at the main office and can be dropped off in the envelope near your child’s mailbox. Take the Strengthening Families Survey here.

Acorn Room

At the beginning of September, we were excited to officially welcome four infants and their families to the Acorn Room, and at the end of September, we welcomed our final two children and families. It has been such a pleasure getting to know everyone and beginning to develop our own unique classroom community. We value the opportunity to be a part of the lives of these children and their families! Families have been sharing such important information about their children, from their schedules at home to their likes and dislikes, and we’ve used these insights to develop our classroom routines and curriculum. It is such a great reminder that we are all different, and we each bring something unique and special to share with the world. The children are learning to be in a new space, with new people, and explore new opportunities. In our first month together, we observed and interacted with a variety of experiences and materials including mirrors, leaves, books, water, rattles, and of course…each other! There is nothing like spending time with a group of amazing infants to remind you how fast children change!

Willow Room

September was a great month spent exploring and getting to know each other in the Willow room. Our new group has settled into their new classroom so nicely and we have already had so many great adventures together. We have explored the lower level of the woods, celebrated a few birthdays, practiced walking together as a group on our adventures, and so much more. Even in the short amount of time we have been with this group, there has been so much growth and development! Practicing and learning new sign language, saying more words, and gaining more and more independent skills (handwashing, cleaning up from mealtimes, etc.) are some of the many things we are witnessing these amazing toddlers do every day. We have big plans and explorations for the month of October and cannot wait to share them next month!

Elm Room

Last month in the Elm room, we began the creation of our art wall. They are settling into their new environment, and spending a lot of time playing together collaboratively, with the theme and interest around food. They have especially enjoyed our grocery store/kitchen center in the classroom, as well as the “restaurant” in the outdoor classroom.

The Elm room has spent many days outside collecting worms, flowers, and vegetables. Our rainy days were spent creating art, building, using test tubes, and rowing a “boat” in the big room. As the colder weather approaches, we are excited to do some more projects together around baking and cooking. Before it gets too cold, we hope to introduce some sports activities as our friends have made it clear they are interested In batting, throwing balls into nets, and playing catch with the tether ball.

We have a lovely group of friends who I see growing very close to each other. I’m excited to see where the year takes us. See you next month!

Cedar Room

The first month of the school year has been full of change and excitement. The children have been making new friends, learning new routines, games and responsibility. We have been focusing heavily on social and emotional development by talking about feelings, personal space, and making individual identity books with family to keep at school. We have been learning what is different and the same about each other and how everyone is special.

Celebrations

October 3 – Happy Birthday Nora, Elm Room Assistant Teacher!
October 5 – Harriet is 5!
October 5 – Happy Birthday Taylor, Acorn Room Assistant Teacher!
October 12 – Lyra is 2!
October 13 – Happy Birthday Willie, Assistant Director!
October 16 – Happy Birthday Stephanie, Eligibility Specialist!
October 22 – Ben is 3!
October 27 – Happy Birthday Emily, Developmental Assistant

Dates to Remember

October 18 – Open House & Family Dinner
October 20 – Free flu shot clinic
October 31 – ELC costume parade (late morning)
November 10 – ELC Closes at 12:00 for in-service
November 22 – ELC Family Harvest Meal (lunchtime)
November 23-24 – Center closed for Thanksgiving Holiday