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| Kumonicator of Fairfield and Steeplechase |
October 2010 | |
Greetings!
Our Centers are growing as we continue to serve the children of Northwest Houston! Current enrollment at Fairfield is 60, while enrollment at Steeplechase is at its all time high of 350. Steeplechase continues to be the largest Center in Northwest Houston. We are aware of the crowding and are exploring several possible solutions so we will be able to continue to offer excellent service.
Thank you for your continued vote of confidence as we assist your children to become even more amazing than they already are! We are humbled that statistically our students rank among the best Kumon students in the country: currently about 35% are studying at least two years above grade level, and 13% are at least three years above grade level. Your students are really wonderful! I want the opportunity to discuss your children's progress with each of you. Ideally, you will book an Instructor meeting with me at a minimum of after 3 months and 6 months, then yearly thereafter so we can discuss your child's progress and challenges, and continue to set goals for his or her success in the Program. You can set these appointments at any time simply by visiting our online scheduling site. I look forward to meeting with you! |
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Kumon of Fairfield Students:  Bring a Friend to Kumon Week!
On Monday, October 18, and Thursday, October 21, we would like your Kumon of Fairfield child to invite a friend to Kumon!
If your child brings a friend, each will receive ten Kumon dollars to spend at the Kumon Store. We will give our visitors a FREE Placement Test while their host does his or her Kumon. This is a great time for your child to share the fun of Kumon!
Sorry! Due to space constraints, we will not be able to offer this program at Kumon Steeplechase.
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Important: Kumon North America Changes its Absence Policy
Kumon North America (KNA) is the Franchisor for all Kumon Centers in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. In keeping with the understanding that children progress best in their Kumon studies when no break is taken, KNA has changed its policy regarding students taking a break from Kumon.
While in the past, students were permitted to take  up to two calendar months off in a row, and then resume their Kumon studies, the rule now is that no more than ONE CALENDAR MONTH absence will be allowed in ANY CALENDAR YEAR. This means that if your child has taken any month at all off in 2010, no additional months will be allowed in 2010, and your child may not be absent more than one month in 2011 and onward.
I understand the hardship this may involve for those families who leave the country during the summer, but we can come up with a reduced workload plan that will not disrupt your child's routine. Frequently, I have noticed those children who take off for a couple of months will then take several months to settle back down into their routine. Sometimes half a year of forward progress is sacrificed for the sake of taking a couple of months off. KNA recognizes this as well, and for that reason has instituted this change.
For those families who do choose to take two months off regardless, the down side is the need to pay the registration and materials fee again, and the loss of your student's Cosmic Points.
Should you have any questions or concerns about this matter, please do not hesitate to email me. |
 Kumon Modifies Math Levels 4A-A Worksheets Starting in October, Kumon North America (KNA) will be introducing its improved Math worksheets for levels 4A through A. While we hope to enact this change as transparently as possible for you, I do want you to be aware of it so you won't be too confused about what's happening. The main thrust of the revision is to make the transition to number writing much easier for the students, and to ensure the students are solid on their adding skills before introducing subtraction. Thus the major differences are that the counting skills fostered in 4A will be extended well into 3A, and Level 2A will not cover subtraction at all; that skill will be deferred until Level A, sheet 81.
The target for the changeover will be sometime in October. When we make the change, we will give those of you affected a new Math Answer Book and collect the outdated one.
Kumon is constantly improving its worksheets in order to bring you a reasonably seamless transition into the higher levels.
If you have any questions about this change, please feel free to email me. |
| Congratulations to our 2010 Program Completers!
We have had several students complete the Program so far this year. Your child can be a Completer, as well!
Reading Completers are reading at a college level; Math Completers have mastered calculus and differential equations.
January: Harsh Mehta, Reading
February: Anthony Tran, Reading
March: Ben McClean, Math
April: Anthony Tran, Math; Christopher Onorato, Reading: Dhriti Patel, Reading
May: Hamish McLean, Reading; Amanda McLean, Reading, Dima Sarbei, Math
June:Nina Osipova, Math
July:Sheela Prabhu, Math |
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 Quiet in the Waiting Rooms Please!
As we have expanded, a mixed blessing from our growth has been an overcrowding of the waiting rooms. This has unfortunately led to a rather loud roar which is now hindering your children's studies. Accordingly, we would respectfully ask you to consider the quiet learning environment which will help our students most and to keep the noise in the waiting room at a minimum. This includes cell phone calls and children who are disrupting the quiet environment we seek to foster for the sake of your child. Thank you so much for understanding this need. |
Adults Interested in Reading--Check Out Houston Great Books!
The Northwest Houston Chapter meets the second Sunday of each month at Panera's on FM1960. For more information, please contact John McLean on his cell at 281.703.0520 between 7 and 9 on week nights or between noon and 9 on the weekends. For more information about Great Books, visit them online.
Please note that Great Books is not affiliated with Kumon at all, except that your Instructor's husband has been passionately involved in the program for over a decade and loves to read and discuss classic works of literature. 
From their web site:
Would you like to read and discuss great works of literature and philosophy (and even some recent fiction and non-fiction) with your peers?
Are there books on your shelf that you always meant to read or that you feel the time has come that you really should read?
Would you like to re-visit a classic that you haven't read for years and decide if it affects you differently after many years?
Or are you puzzled about why a particular work is "great" and would like to hear what others like yourself think?
If you answered "Yes!" to any of these questions, then Great Books wants you!
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 Join both the Kumon North America Fan Page and the Kumon of Fairfield and Steeplechase Fan Page!
You can connect with Kumon families around the world! Originated by Kumon North America, this Facebook fan page has attracted Kumon families from all over the world! Just click on the Facebook logo to the right to become a part of the global Kumon community.
This Facebook page is a really fun way to introduce your child to Kumon students from other countries. It's reassuring to learn that even the children in Malaysia and England struggle with Level D long division. A lot of upper level students and parents also share their insights and enthusiasm for the Program.
AND it's not just Kumon North America who has a Facebook page; Kumon of Fairfield and Steeplechase have our own as well. Come join us on line! We don't have many fans yet  but I'd like to have enough of you on there that we can have questions and answers, information about events, and discussions about areas you're struggling with in your child's Kumon (like the long division in Level D). This can be a great support group because no matter what you're dealing with, there is almost certainly another family in one of our Centers who has dealt with the same thing. Come join the fun! |
Space for Lease to Family-Oriented Business
I have been asked to see whether any of my customers knows of a business which would be interested in leasing a space of 1200 up to 2800 square feet for a family-friendly business in the Jones/West Road area. The location would be near two daycare facilities and a karate school. An ideal tenant would be a dance school or a cultural center or a yoga class, but the owner is not limiting the tenant to one of those businesses. For further details, please email me at sue.mclean@ikumon.com. |
Education News
Check out these recent education articles!
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Upcoming Events
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Bring a Friend to Kumon Week will be Monday, October 18, and Thursday, October 21, at Kumon of Fairfield. -
The Kumon Store will be Open for redeeming Kumon Dollars on October 18-23, November 15-20, and December 13-18. -
We will be closed Saturday, October 9, through Monday, October 11, for Columbus Day. -
We will be closed Wednesday, November 24, through Sunday, November 28, for Thanksgiving. -
We will be closed Sunday, December 19, through Saturday, January 1, for the Winter Break. -
In general, we follow the CFISD calendar with the exception that we are open during the summer except for Independence Day.
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Schedule an Appointment with us! |
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 Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful children with us. Be assured we are fond of each and enjoy each for the special person s/he is!
Sincerely,
Sue McLean, B.Ch.E., J.D. Gold Elite Kumon Instructor
Kumon of Fairfield and Steeplechase |
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