A Quick Note to Parents: This month's newsletter is a little longer than usual because it contains several important updates and action items that require your attention. Please take a few moments to read through the entire newsletter carefully, including reminders about Playground paperwork and opportunities for extracurricular activities. Your timely response and participation help us maintain compliance with Texas Child Care Licensing requirements and allow us to continue providing the best possible experience for our children. We greatly appreciate your partnership and support in making La Mere Academy a thriving community for all. The school year is off to a wonderful start, and we are just getting warmed up! As the seasons begin to change, so do our little learners. September brings fresh beginnings, exciting discoveries, and a cozy transition into fall. This month, we will explore autumn-themed activities, celebrate creativity, and continue building strong foundations in learning, friendship, and confidence. Our days will be filled with hands-on experiences, meaningful connections, and plenty of opportunities for growth and fun. We are so excited to share all of the adventures and milestones ahead. Thank you for being a valued part of our preschool family and for partnering with us in your child's learning journey. We can't wait to make this September a memorable month together! Important Reminder: Playground Paperwork At La Mere Academy , we are committed to providing the highest quality care and education for your children. To remain in compliance with Texas Child Care Licensing requirements, it is essential that all requested paperwork in Playground is completed and kept up to date. Missing or incomplete documentation can result in licensing deficiencies for our school. Please complete all required paperwork in Playground . Any forms marked as anything other than Pending Review or Approved still require your attention. While we are grateful for the opportunity to serve your family, deficiencies can impact our operations and the excellent care we strive to provide each day. We kindly ask all parents to review and complete any outstanding forms as soon as possible. Your cooperation helps us maintain a safe, compliant, and nurturing environment for all of our children. Thank you for your support and partnership. Click the Menu on the top left corner Click Paperwork Please complete all the REQUIRED paperwork Labor Day September 7th Our preschool will be closed on Monday, September 7th , in observance of Labor Day . As we celebrate the dedication and achievements of workers everywhere, we encourage our families to take time to rest, recharge, and enjoy special moments together. Have a wonderful holiday weekend, and we'll see our little learners back in the classroom on Tuesday ! Grandparents' Luncheon September 9th & 10th Join us as we celebrate the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren! We warmly invite all grandparents, as well as anyone who plays a grandparent role in your child's life, to join us for this special event. 📅 Event Dates: September 9th – Infant (Suite 100 & 150), Toddler (Suite 200 & 250), and Pre-K Classes September 10th – Early Preschool (Suite 300, 350 & 400) and Preschool (Suite 450 & 500) Classes Enjoy a delicious meal, create cherished memories, and share plenty of smiles with your little ones. We look forward to honoring the love, support, and wisdom that grandparents bring to our families every day. 🔔 RSVP Deadline: September 4th How to RSVP Open the Playground mobile app Tap the menu (top left) Tap Calendar Scroll to the event (9/9 & 9/10) and tap RSVP to event Add any additional guests if needed Tap Confirm RSVP to submit. We can't wait to welcome our wonderful grandparents and special guests for this heartwarming celebration! Football Fridays It's time to show your team spirit! Every Friday this month , wear your favorite high school, college or NFL team colors and help us celebrate Football Friday! Whether you're cheering for your favorite Texas team or another team you love, we can't wait to see all the jerseys, shirts, hats, and team pride on display! Say Cheese! Get those smiles ready! Our fall Picture Day is just around the corner. Please mark your calendars for September 15th and 16th at 9:00 AM . We encourage all children to come dressed in their favorite outfit and ready to shine. These photos will be a wonderful keepsake, and we're excited to capture each child's unique personality and bright smile! 📅 Picture Day Schedule September 15th (9:00 AM) - Suite 100, 150, 200, 250, PreK & Siblings September 26th (9:00 AM) - Suite 300, 350, 400, 450 & 500 We can't wait to see everyone's picture-perfect smiles! 😊📷 Recyclable Items If you have any of the recyclable items listed above at home and would like to donate them, we would greatly appreciate your support! These materials help us create fun, hands-on learning experiences and creative projects for our students. Please drop off your donated items in the green recycle item box located in the front lobby. Thank you for helping us recycle, reuse, and inspire creativity in our classrooms. Every contribution makes a difference! School Age Drop In Care Drop-in care for school-age children is available through the Playground app. This option is open to our existing families. How to Book Drop-In Care In the Playground mobile app, tap the blue View [child name's] Profile button to navigate to your child's profile. Tap Schedule. This will show you the days ×s your child is currently scheduled for care. Tap Book drop-in care. Extracurricular Activity Survey Exciting Opportunities for Our Students! At La Mere Academy, we are always looking for ways to enhance our programs and provide enriching experiences for our children. We would love to hear from parents in Suite 450, Suite 500, and Pre-K about the extracurricular activities they would like their child to participate in. Your feedback will help us identify programs that match our students' interests and support their growth beyond the classroom. Please note that any extracurricular activity fees will be paid directly to the vendor and will not be included in tuition fees. We appreciate your input and look forward to offering exciting new opportunities for our students! Fill Out Survey September Calendar & Menu Calendar Menu Leave Us a 5 Star Review on Google If your family has enjoyed being part of our preschool community, we’d be so grateful if you could take a moment to leave us a 5-star review . Your kind words help other families learn about our program and support us in continuing to grow and improve. Thank you for being such an important part of our preschool family! Google Review August Guess & Win! 🎉 Congratulations to the Thomas Family in Suite 400! 🎉 They were the closest guess with 496! There were 510 erasers in the jar! Keep your eyes peeled for the September Guess and Win Jar - a new chance to play, guess, and win! May the odds be ever in your favor! Do you know a family who may benefit from La Mère Academy’s services? For each family or friend you refer who enrolls, you will receive a $500 tuition credit. Credits are applied to your account once the referred family has been enrolled for three months. There is no limit to the number of referrals—you’ll receive a credit for each one. To participate, please email your referral’s name and email address to info@lamereacademy.com.
See what's happening in August!
Every summer, families across the country look forward to pool days, beach trips, and backyard splashing. For young children, water play is one of the most joyful parts of childhood. But it also carries real risks that every parent, caregiver, and educator needs to understand. Whether you are enrolled in early learning programs , Leander, TX families looking for guidance, or simply a parent trying to keep your little one safe, water safety knowledge is one of the most important gifts you can give a child. The following tips are designed to help you create a safer environment around water, no matter where you are. The Real Danger of Drowning Before diving into prevention, it helps to understand just how serious the threat is. Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children between 1 and 4 years old, and it is the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children 19 and under. These numbers are sobering, but the good news is that most drowning incidents are preventable with the right precautions in place. Many parents associate water danger with pools or the ocean, but the hazards are much closer to home than most people realize. Babies and young children can drown in as little as 2 inches of water, and hundreds of children have drowned in bathtubs, garden ponds, toilets, and 5-gallon buckets. This means that water safety is not just a summertime concern. It is a year-round responsibility that begins the moment a child learns to crawl and explore their surroundings. For educators working in early learning programs, conversations around personal safety, including water safety, are a natural extension of the social-emotional and life skills curriculum. Children who learn safe habits early carry those lessons with them throughout childhood and beyond. The Non-Negotiable Rule: Active Supervision No piece of safety equipment, no fence, and no flotation device replaces the value of a fully attentive adult. You should never leave a young child unattended near water, and you should not trust a child’s life to another child. The best approach is to always designate a “water watcher” who keeps close eyes and constant attention on children in, on, and around water until the next water watcher takes over. Active supervision means more than just being nearby. For younger kids, you should stay within arm’s reach, a practice also known as “touch supervision.” For older children, you should remain actively engaged and avoid distractions like your phone. When a group of adults is present, it can feel like everyone is watching, but in reality, no one may be watching closely. Assigning a dedicated water watcher removes that ambiguity entirely. The supervising adult should ideally know how to swim and be CPR certified. Any child or inexperienced swimmer should remain within an arm’s reach of the supervising adult at all times. This level of preparedness could mean the difference between a close call and a tragedy. Barriers, Fences, and Home Safety Measures When supervision is temporarily unavailable, physical barriers serve as a critical second layer of protection. Pools should have fences that surround all four sides and stand at least four feet tall. The fence gate should open away from the pool, self-close, and latch, with the latch positioned out of reach of young children. Home water hazards deserve just as much attention. You should store buckets empty and out of reach when not in use and keep garbage cans covered. If you have a garden pond, put a fence around it to keep your child away. Empty the wading pool when it is not in use. You should also empty tubs, buckets, containers, and kids’ pools immediately after use. These small habits reduce the window of opportunity for an accident to occur. For families enrolled in early learning programs in Leander, TX, reinforcing these home safety messages during parent communication sessions can make a real difference in keeping young learners safe at home as well as at school. Teaching Children to Respect the Water Children are naturally curious about water, which makes early education around boundaries and rules especially important. Teaching your children to be water smart starts with making sure they understand the importance of asking permission before going in or near the water. This simple rule gives adults the ability to assess conditions and be prepared before a child ever enters the water. Reading books to young children about water safety, praising them for following the rules, and leading by example all work together to reinforce safe and responsible conduct. Talking to children about the dangers and explaining why safe behavior is important helps them internalize those lessons rather than simply memorize them. Children should also know what to do in an emergency. If someone is in trouble in the water, children should be taught to reach with a pole or throw a flotation device, but never jump in. Attempting a rescue without training can lead to multiple drownings. This “reach or throw, do not go” principle is simple enough for even preschool-aged children to understand and remember. Swim Lessons and Proper Flotation Devices One of the most effective long-term investments in a child’s safety is enrolling them in formal swim lessons. Children ages 1 to 4 may be at a lower risk of drowning after having formal swimming lessons. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports swimming lessons for children in this age group if the child is personally ready to learn. However, swim lessons are not a cure-all. No matter the age, swim lessons do not provide complete drown-proofing. This is why flotation devices remain important. That said, not all flotation devices are created equal. Water wings and floaties may give a false sense of security. Only U.S. Coast Guard-approved life vests are reliable flotation devices, and they should fit properly and be worn by inexperienced swimmers and young children at all times near water. Water safety experts also recommend dressing children in bright, contrasting colors that stand out in the water, making it easier to spot them quickly in an emergency. These practical steps, combined with formal instruction, build a strong foundation of water competence and confidence. Building a Culture of Water Safety in Early Education Water safety is not a one-time conversation. It is a mindset that needs to be cultivated continuously, both at home and in educational settings. Early learning programs play a powerful role in shaping the habits and attitudes children carry into every environment they encounter. When teachers, caregivers, and parents consistently model and reinforce safe behavior around water, children grow up treating those boundaries as a natural part of life rather than an inconvenient rule. For families participating in early learning programs in Leander, TX and surrounding communities, connecting water safety education to the broader goals of child development creates well-rounded, safety-conscious kids. Schools and programs that weave these lessons into their curriculum send children home better equipped to protect themselves and look out for their peers. Keeping the Fun Without Sacrificing Safety Water is one of childhood’s greatest pleasures, and the goal of water safety education is never to instill fear. It is to empower. When children and caregivers understand the risks, follow consistent rules, and practice good habits from an early age, water becomes a place of joy rather than danger. Start the safety conversations early, stay present and attentive, and make water-smart behavior a regular part of your family’s routine all year long.
