ECC News and Events

Let's Make a Joyful Noise

Carrie Griffith — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:18:19 +0000

Playing and learning go hand in hand out on the ECC playground. In addition to opportunities to climb, run, garden and engage in dramatic play, our students are now also making a new joyful noise during their time outdoors. With generous donations from our ECC parents, the preschool has purchased three permanent, weatherproof outdoor musical instruments for the playground: a dragonfly chime (pictured), an alligator drum, and a Jamaican steel drum. These new acquisitions have added to the happy sounds emanating from our playground. Without a doubt, our ECC students will enjoy their new instruments for many years to come.

We are All Precious in His Sight

Carrie Griffith — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:33:07 +0000

Those who have joined the ECC family know that the preschool is committed to providing a safe, nurturing, faith-filled learning environment that prepares children for future learning and life experiences. Equally important to its mission, the ECC stresses its dedication to respecting and valuing each individual and family and the unique contributions they offer to our community. From the moment they cross the threshold of our school, day after day, our students know they are loved and valued, and that they are expected to treat each other with that same respect. Recently the 4-year-old Blue Tie Teddy class took the opportunity to honor the message of Dr. Martin Luther King. They discussed how people may look different on the outside, but how all are blessed with hearts and souls created and loved by God, our Father. The children made colorful ribbon sticks to represent all the different peoples of the world. “Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world,” they sang as they gathered in front of the welcoming wall in the church atrium. In addition to raising their voices in song, they offered prayers for brotherhood and peace. Our children offer us hope for a bright future.

An Artist and Reader in the Making

Carrie Griffith — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:26:01 +0000

Our two-year-old students at the ECC are creative and curious, and they take their work very seriously. It may look like scribbling to the uninformed, but this little fellow is exhibiting a milestone in his development. Scribbling is an early form of expression which will develop into drawing, painting, and eventually writing. His marks are becoming more orderly as he grows. He is well on his way to discovering that a drawn symbol can stand for a real thing in the environment. It won’t be long after that that he begins to understand that marks can represent letters and then words. So, what looks like fun coloring and drawing are really the first steps toward literacy and learning to read and write! How exciting it is to watch as our young students’ minds and abilities grow.

In the Children's Atrium

Carrie Griffith — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:27:51 +0000

Pictured is one of our young ECC students at work in the “Children’s Atrium”, the unique classroom for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd faith formation program. All 4- and 5-year old classes visit this specially prepared space for an hour each week. The child in the photo is pondering the parable of the Good Shepherd; he is manipulating figures of the Shepherd and his beloved sheep as a teacher reads excerpts from this Scripture passage from John 10. The class meets first as a group where a lesson such as the parable of the Good Shepherd is presented. The teacher helps the children review the story and asks some leading questions for the children to ponder. Once the lesson is given, the child can revisit it throughout the year during the free choice work portion of the class. The children love this lesson and return to it again and again; soon they will know it all by heart. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program gets its name from this lesson about God’s care and love for his sheep. We are praying that this program can grow here at St. Raphael’s to enrich the lives of even more children.

Happy New Year!

Carrie Griffith — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:09:52 +0000

For some, the new year means simply changing the calendar. For others, it represents a renewed hope for a better tomorrow. The three-year-old Bunnies’ class celebrated the new year by decorating party hats and blowing noise makers. They also made New Year’s resolutions. Some of these resolutions were about academics—“to learn to read,” “to learn to write.” Some concerned improved ways of behaving—“to clean my room,” “to eat more carrots,” “to play with my dog more.” Some were about becoming more proficient—“to become a fast runner,” “to get bigger.” And some were just about getting priorities right—“to eat more, drink hot chocolate and hang out by the fireplace.” The Bunnies look forward to growing and learning in 2012.

Christmas Joy

Carrie Griffith — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:37:23 +0000

The four-year-old Otters class—and all the children of the ECC—are anxiously waiting for Christmas and the birth of Baby Jesus! Angels filled Ignatius Hall last week as we sang songs of joy and anticipation for an appreciative audience of parents and other family members. In addition to a large choir of angels, the entire nativity was represented: Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and wisemen, a drummer boy, the star, numerous animals and, of course, baby Jesus. It is impossible not to absorb the wonder of this joyous season when one has the opportunity to share it with our young students here at the ECC. They teach us to approach the mystery of Christmas with humility and innocence that are beautiful to behold. Christmas blessings from St. Raphael ECC!

Getting Ready

Carrie Griffith — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:07:37 +0000

The 3 year old Frogs are excited about Christmas! For the past few weeks they have been learning about the events leading up to Jesus’s birth. Favorite activities have included visiting the church Advent wreath and making ornaments commemorating the Scripture from each Sunday of Advent. The holiday learning will culminate in a birthday party for Jesus. As a birthday present for baby Jesus, the Frogs are collecting nonperishable items to donate to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. The children will also be inviting their parents to watch them perform an enactment of Jan Brett’s The Mitten (you can see them rehearsing here) and to join them in singing Christmas carols.

We Love Our Seniors

Carrie Griffith — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 01:16:46 +0000

The preschoolers at the ECC were thrilled to be able to perform some of their favorite Thanksgiving songs for the seniors who attended the annual Senior Citizen Luncheon honoring the more seasoned member of our parish family. The diversity of our church community was represented so beautifully. The enthusiastic songs and hand-made centerpieces contributed by our preschoolers; the equally-spirited singing, piano accompaniment, decorations and table service of our SRCS students; the delicious food and generous assistance of our ECC and SRCS parents; the merriment and gratitude of our seniors—all were woven together to create a lively tapestry of joyful fellowship.

Experimenting with Color

Carrie Griffith — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 20:02:48 +0000

Science is an important subject at the ECC. Even at an early age, children are able to understand and use the scientific process to make discoveries about the world around them. They learn to observe carefully, to make guesses about what they think may happen while doing an experiment and to then carefully record the results in the pages of their science journals. Here you see some three-year-olds watching what occurred when they added liquid soap to bright blobs of food coloring floating in milk. They were excited to discover they had made a rainbow of colors! Would you have predicted that? The students will draw what they have observed in their journals and talk with their teacher about what caused the rainbow to form. Do you know?

Let's Move!

Carrie Griffith — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:27:31 +0000

Creative Movement at the ECC is always a very active time. The teacher might surprise the children with scooters to wheel around on, obstacle courses to conquer, or maybe some exercise mats to practice ‘Stop, Drop, and Roll’ fire safety.

The cool weather brings opportunities for new activities. On crisp, sunny days, the Creative Movement teacher may take the children to the courtyard for some heavy-duty fun. Besides all the health benefits of active play, playing outside allows children to move freely and make noise—forms of self-expression that are often somewhat restricted indoors. Outdoors, they have ample opportunities to work on their coordination and other basic physical skills. There are balls to toss, bounce and catch; hula-hoops to use and roll; raised cup walkers for some challenging balanced walking; and old-fashioned group games like duck-duck-goose and hopscotch. Indoors or out, be prepared to MOVE when you come to Creative Movement class!