Perea`s Place

Perea’s Place
JANUARY 2013
A Word From Ms. Alicia...
Greetings to all of our Perea Families, Friends and Supporters
I pray you are having a great start to a New Year! We are definitely excited about the
great possibilities that lie ahead. For some time now we have worked hard in order
to implement effective policies and procedures that set Perea apart from just any
preschool. We have accomplished an awesome milestone in our school history and
we can’t be more proud. Perea Preschool is now a nationally accredited center through
NAEYC, the National Association for the Education of Young Children. We have worked
very hard to achieve such a high mark of quality in Early Childhood Education. We are
now one of 35 out of over 600 ECE sights in Shelby County to accomplish this goal. It
has been a relentless endeavor but a very rewarding experience. Through NAEYC, we
have positioned ourselves to offer the best service and quality of any center in America.
Please help me congratulate the staff and families of Perea Preschool.
NAEYC reviews and recommends adjusting our policies, procedures and program in ten
core areas; Relationships, Curriculum, Teaching, Assessment, Health, Teachers, Families,
Community Relationships, Physical Environment and Leadership and Management.
Perea received 100 or greater (100+) in six out of ten areas with no area achieving less
than 90%. The challenge now is to maintain what has been established and our staff
is committed to this. We serve a very deserving and diverse group of families and they
should be able to expect our best. It has always been and will forever be our goal to give
our students and our families the best in education. We could not have accomplished
this without the hard work of our staff and families but I would also like to thank Sandy
Gunthrop with Ready, Set, Grow, TECTA, Southwest Community College and Susan Felds
with Barbara K. Lipman Center. Without the help and mentoring of these organizations,
the goal would have been more difficult to reach.
As always, I cannot start the year off without saying thank you to a very special group
of folks. Our Christmas Adopters are like none other. The magical moments during
adopter’s day are breathtaking. To see sheer joy and excitement in the eyes and faces of
the little ones as they open their gifts is the best gift that we can ask for during Christmas.
Many of the children’s wishes are fulfilled during this day of celebration. Again, thanks
to Raymond James (formerly Morgan Keegan), Temple Israel, First Baptist Church Broad,
Smith & Nephew, Germantown Presbyterian Church, Bartlett United Methodist Church
and Pete Evans with Henry Turley Corporations for adopting our classes. Also thanks to
Church Health Center Wellness & Clinic, St. John’s UMC Men’s & Women’s Groups and Ed
Galfsky with Carnival Memphis for adopting families in need. You were such a blessing
to us and we sincerely appreciate you. You can see more on this story inside.
We are excited about this upcoming semester knowing that our hard work will produce
great results for the future of every student. Please feel free to stop by and visit or
volunteer at any time.
For His Children,
Ms. Alicia
Upcoming Events
Thursday, February 7
Parent Dinner Meeting
Thursday, February 14
Valentine’s Day Celebration
Monday, February 18
In-Service, NO SCHOOL
Wednesday, February 6,13,20,27
Black History Moments
Thursday, March 7
Parent Dinner Meeting
“Then little children were brought
to Jesus for Him to place His hands
on them and pray for them, but the
disciples rebuked those who brought
them. Jesus said, ‘Let the little children
come to me and do not hinder them
for the kingdom of heaven belongs to
such as these.’ When He had placed His
hands on them and blessed them, He
went on from there and the region was
that of Perea.”
Matthew 19:14
Christmas Blessings
If the sights and sounds of children at Christmas get you in the spirit, then Perea Adopters Day is right up your alley.
Each year all 128 of our children are “adopted” for Christmas by a number of local churches and businesses. However,
this is no mere small gift and bag of candy. Children are blessed with clothes, coats, shoes, scarves and gloves, pajamas,
toys, and more toys. A project of this magnitude requires a lot of community participation. Inviting the community to
participate in our program gives community members a chance to know more about the program and offers a chance
for the children to benefit from the experiences of these community members. A big thank you goes out to all of these
groups for bringing Christmas smiles and laughter to Perea.
Medical • Wellness • Outreach
Special Times
Christmas Caroling
Bus, Magic Bus! Perea students said
“thank you” in a grand way by spreading
Christmas cheer through song. Over
two days, 64 students loaded a school
bus and sang their way from the banks
of the Mississippi to East Memphis.
Carols included: Baby Jesus, We Wish
You a Merry Christmas, and the crowd
favorite Feliz Navidad. This trip is an
opportunity for our children to thank
some of our many supporters, and
another chance for our students to see
Memphis beyond their neighborhoods.
With all of this said, the highlights
of the trip were riding elevators and
eating Happy Meals.
Family Christmas Celebration
It is a true joy every year to host over 400
students, parents, and family members
for the annual Perea Christmas
Celebration. This year’s event was our
best yet. Tamikyo Foster, mother of
Daniel Foster, got the evening off to a
rousing start with a beautiful rendition
of O Holy Night. Jetean Jackson followed
with a praise dance that brought the
true meaning of Christmas into focus.
The children then took center stage
as Ms. Robin and Ms. Jennifer’s Pre-K 4
class taught us about the birth of Jesus.
Then the party really started with the
loudest rendition or The Twelve Days of
Christmas to ever grace the Bluff City.
After some caroling by the students
there was a special visit from the man
himself, Santa Claus. And all of this was
sandwiched around some wonderful
food provided by Corky’s Barbeque. A
wonderful time was truly had by all.
Medical • Wellness • Outreach
Community Relationships
Vision Screenings
When a child has trouble learning there are many
concerns that need to be examined and addressed, but
sometimes the answer is simple. Five years ago a Perea
student was having trouble identifying her letters. After
being presented with large print cards she was able to
identify all of her letters. The teachers, child, and parents
were growing frustrated, but the answer was as simple
as an eye screening. This young girl was then fitted with
glasses and is at the top of her class now. Each year
since, Perea has partnered with the Southern College
of Optometry to provide vision screenings to all of our
students. Catching these issues early may be the key to
unlocking a child’s learning potential. As a ministry of
the Church Health Center we gladly accept our mission
to care for the whole person.
Watoto Memphis
As part of a growing partnership with the Watoto
Memphis Performing Arts Academy, Perea students
were invited to attend a Christmas party and parade
Downtown. The children sang Christmas songs with
a local recording artist, and heard stories from other
community leaders. Each child also received a gift
from Santa Claus himself. Watoto Memphis offers Perea
children a chance to learn about a variety of Afro-centric
arts. Perea’s goal is to produce a well-rounded child
with a wealth of experiences, and our partnership with
Watoto Memphis is helping us make this a reality.
Kindergarten Options Parent Meeting
All parents want their child to go to the school that is
the best fit for them. Wouldn’t it be great if you could
interview all of these options to determine which is best
for you? Perea provides this opportunity to our parents
every year. Memphis City Schools, Optional Schools,
Charter Schools, and Private Schools attend the Perea
Kindergarten Options Night. Each school is given time to
present some information about their program, and then
parents get an opportunity to speak more in depth with
the schools that interest them. There are a lot of choices
out there, and we want our parents to be able to make an
educated and informed decision on the next step in their
child’s education.
Medical • Wellness • Outreach
News Release
PEREA PRESCHOOL EARNS NATIONAL NAEYC ACCREDITATION
Program among the top in the nation by earning accreditation
Memphis, TN – Perea Preschool located in Memphis, TN has earned accreditation from the National Association for the
Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals.
“We’re proud to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC, and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the
highest professional standards,” said Alicia Norman, Principal. “NAEYC Accreditation lets families in our community know
that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible.”
To earn NAEYC Accreditation, Perea went through an extensive self-study process, measuring the program and its services
against the ten NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and more than 400 related Accreditation Criteria. The program
received NAEYC Accreditation after an on-site visit by NAEYC Assessors to ensure that the program meets each of the ten
program standards. NAEYC-accredited programs are also subject to unannounced visits during their accreditation, which
lasts for five years.
In the 25 years since NAEYC Accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high-quality early
childhood education. More than 7,000 programs are currently accredited by NAEYC – approximately 8 percent of all
preschools and other early childhood programs.
“The NAEYC Accreditation system raises the bar for child care centers and other early childhood programs,” said Jerlean E.
Daniel, Ph.D, executive director of NAEYC. “Having earned NAEYC Accreditation is a sign that Perea Preschool is a leader in a
national effort to invest in high-quality early childhood education.”
The NAEYC Accreditation system has set voluntary professional standards for programs for young children since 1985. In
September 2006, the Association revised program standards and criteria to introduce a new level of quality, accountability,
and service for parents and children in child care programs. The new standards today reflect the latest research and best
practices in early childhood education and development. NAEYC is committed to utilizing the newest studies and analysis
on positive child outcomes to ensure young children continue receiving the highest-quality care and education possible.
The NAEYC Accreditation system was created to set professional standards for early childhood education, and to help families
identify high-quality preschools, child care centers and other early education programs. To earn NAEYC Accreditation, a
program must meet each of the ten NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards. Programs are accredited by NAEYC for a
five-year period.
For more information about NAEYC Accreditation, visit www.naeyc.org/academy.
Medical • Wellness • Outreach
Volunteer Hours
October/November/December
1,963
Community Volunteers = 122 hrs
Parent Volunteers = 1,841 hrs
Thanksgiving is a time of feasting for most of us, but
not everyone can afford to put a meal on the table
for their family. Fifty families were blessed with a
full Thanksgiving feast thanks to the generosity of
Briarcrest Christian School, Heartsong Church, and
Memphis University School. These organizations
gave our famlies a reason to truly be thankful.
If you would like to volunteer or donate,
please contact Ms. Kasitee Poole at
poolek@pereapreschool.org or 901.726.4300
Perea Preschool
1250 Vollintine Avenue
Memphis, TN 38107
Donor Thanks
Continue to check our Facebook
page for updates from Perea events.
As always, if you are interested in
sharing your gifts and talents with our
children, please feel free to contact
Kassitee Poole at
poolek@preapreschool.org.