Clyde’s Corner | April 2025
Welcome to Clyde's Corner
Hello April and Hello Spring!🌸🐣
Needing some prayers? We got you! If you would like our Big Red Barn Prayer Team to pray for something specific, you can submit prayer requests here! Remember no prayer is too big for our God and with community in prayer, anything is possible❤️



Monthly Updates:
- Natural Playground Donation Update🌿: We have almost made it to our goal! So far, we have raised a total of $7,567!
- Parent's Night Out for April will be held on Saturday, the 12th from 4-8 pm. Please fill out this survey to volunteer to work!
- Expansion Update: Our project is finally underway! As we recieve inspections and move forward we will reach out with our grand opening date! Stay tunned as it will hopefully happen later this month, or the very beginning of May!
- Our Annual Easter Egg Hunt🐰🐣 will be on Friday, April 18th from 3:30 - 4:30 pm!
- Let's Talk Spirituality! Over the course of the next 3 months Ms. Emily will be running a small group for The Big Red Barn staff to dive deeper into all different types of spirituality and world religions. The is going to be an amazing opportunity to learn about faith and spirituality and will serve as an opportunity as a staff body to learn more about each other, our past experiences, and will allow us to dive deeper into each and everyone's individual beliefs! We are so excited to learn and share and grow together, so make sure to put these dates into your calendars! These hangs will be hosted at Ashley's house and will always include dinner, hope to see you all there❤️
- Thursday, April 29th
- Thursday, May 29th
- Thursday, June 12th
- Spring/Summer Clothes Reminders:
- For Children: Any child wearing a dress (with underwear) must also have shorts or leggings on underneath.
- For Staff:
- No tanks tops
- Shorts must an appropriate length. To be safe use the fingertip rule or try to have them no shorter than an inch above your knee. Remember all body types are different so admin reserves the right to ask you to change even if they are past your fingertips. Some people have much longer arms than others and we want to remain professional at The Barn. If you are questioning the length just don't wear them or just make sure the are no more than 1 inch from your knee.
- All dresses and skirts must be full or 3/4 length and staff must wear shorts underneath
- All teachers must always wear closed toed shoes. Sandals are not allowed.
- This is a reminder that all staff must complete this Love Language Test and send your results in your admin text group no later than this Sunday the 6th.
- Ms. Alicia is officially taking on her fulltime role as director this month🥳 That being said, this is a reminder that all administrators (Alicia, Dom, and Kathleen) are an extension of myself. Please respect, listen, and lean on them the same way you all utilize me. With the Little Red Barn opening soon, I will be splitting my time between both locations and therefore will not be as present as I have been since opening. This is your opportunity to grow relationships with your admin and use them as your greatest resource! They are all here to support you, so communicate with them, and trust their guidance and support❤️
- New Cleaning Checklists: Please make sure to be diligent on completing these items daily/weekly and please reach out if you ever need support in completing the items on the list!
- Portfolios and Developmental Checklists: With conferences coming up at the end of May, please make sure we are using our mornings to complete these items. It is extremely important to stay in front of these deadlines for your personal sanity while prepping for conferences.



Upcoming May Events:
- For the May staff meeting we will be hosting 2 different meetings for the 2 locations. Please make sure to mark your calendars for your center's date as these are mandatory for all staff.
- The Little Red Barn Staff Meeting: Tuesday, May 13th @ 6:00 pm
- The Big Red Barn Staff Meeting: Thursday, May 15th @ 6:00 pm
- May Parent's Night Out will be hosted on Saturday May 17th from 4 pm - 8pm. Fill out this form to work it!
- Teacher Appreciation Week is May 5th-9th!
- Mother's Day Celebrations will be held on Friday, May 9th from 3:30 - 4:30 pm!
- Parent Teacher Conferences will be held the week of May 26th, these will be held in the afternoons/evenings. And possibly some on the weekend, similar to last year. We will be working on a schedule and will reach out with more details once we have them.
- The Big Red Barn will be CLOSED Monday May 26th in observance of Memorial Day



Staffing Updates
Meet Our New Additions!
Ms. Maria | Lead Toddler Teacher
We are so excited to announce that Ms. Maria has officially taken over for Ms. Alicia and is our new lead toddler teacher in our Porcupette classroom! Check out her Bio here.
Ms. Silvia | Lead Toddler Teacher
Ms. Silvia's first language is Spanish and is an incredible educator. We are so excited to welcome her to the toddler team as we patiently await the opening of our new toddler classroom. Check out her bio here to learn more about her.
Ms. Alicia is finally stepping into her fulltime role as Director this month! Please feel free to reach out to her with any questions ([email protected]), we are so excited to watch her grow into this role!🥳
If you read this newsletter fully please draw a picture and give it to Alicia!
Upcoming Student Birthdays!🎂
Greyson | 4/8 Julian | 4/8 Lincoln | 4/9
Upcoming Staff Birthdays!🎂
Ms. Sam | 4/23 Ms. Cheryl | 4/26
New Schedule | 3/24 – 4/4
We are going to switch it up this pay period and instead of completing a Conscious Discipline podcast training, I am asking that everyone take this Love Language Quiz so that we can better get to know you and support you in ways that are actually meaningful! Please have this completed by the end of the pay period (4/6/25) and submit your results to your Administrative Groups Text!
New Schedule | 3/10 – 3/21
Sorry this is getting posted so late, I had my weeks mixed up!🤦♀️
Clyde’s Corner | March 2025
Welcome to Clyde's Corner
Helllloooooo March🌈🍀




Monthly Updates:
- Parent's Night Out for March will be held on Saturday, the 22nd from 4-8 pm. If you would like to sign up to work please fill out this survey. Below is a reminder of PNO incentives for staff!
- After working 2 PNO's you will receive lunch on us!
- After 4 PNO's you will recieve $100 of funny money to spend on you classrooms!
- After 7 PNO's you will recieve an additional PTO day!
- Spring Picture Day will be held on Wednesday March 19th!
- Expansion Update: We have finally received approval from the Fire Department and now we are just waiting to get the final ok from the city! Fingers crossed we can open in April, but as always we will keep in touch as the project evolves!
- Ms. Emily and Ashley are so excited to announce the launch of our Big Red Barn Bible Study (craftier name to come😂)! The Lord has been working in so many ways within our walls since our grand opening and has opened a lot of conversation and questions among you all, so we thought what a better way to grow as a staff body, friends, and personally than dive into the Living Word of God! These will be hosted once a month at Ashley's house and all are welcome! Our first hang will be March 13th and start at 6:30pm. Dinner will be provided! We will start with getting to know each other spiritually and then will get to hear Emily's testimony! If anything, it will be a good time to get to know each other better and pursue a life filled with love and joy together!
- We would also love to invite you all to spend a Sunday morning with us at a local church! All families are also invited to this so we hope to see you there! Skyline Church Denver has played a large role in Ashley's faith journey and is Ms. Emily's second work family! We would love to share this amazing community with our amazing Big Red Barn community, so if you are looking for a church to call home or would just like to come check it out, we would love to host you all on Sunday March 23rd! Obviously everyone is welcome anytime, but on the 23rd Skyline will be hosting extended care in Kid's Ministry for Big Red Barn Families. Join us for service at 10 am and leave your kiddos checked in until 12:30 pm to enjoy a lunch date or afternoon walk childfree!
- If you would like to learn more about what Skyline is all about, check out their website here.
- Skyline Church Denver: Newlon Elementary, 361 Vrain St, Denver, CO 80219
- As an added mental health support, I got you all access to an online yoga studio called Bella Prana. There are hundreds of virtual classes for you all to look through from meditation, breathing, stretching, and muscle building yoga classes. You can sort through them by style or even length of class! To access the portal and to start your free Big Red Barn subscription follow the steps below!
- Use this link to set up an account
- When setting up and account, input this coupon code: bigredbarnteacher
- Click register and you are all set!
- Once your account is set up use THIS LINK to access the full portal - bookmark this link so it is easy to find again!
- From there always click on the square that says "Annual Unlimited Membership". Once you are in you will see all the classes and be able to filter from there based on your needs or wants!
- This code will give you unlimited access, meaning you can take as many classes at anytime! Please enjoy and let me know if you have any questions❤️
Meet Ashley!
We have added a new member to our team of resources! Ashley has joined Positive Behavior Supports (Brice and team) and Brainstorm Speech Therapy (Natalie and team) as a new resource for parent's and teachers. Learn more about her child therapy practice below and let us know if you would like to be connected!

Extracurricular Revamp
We are absolutely loving out new extracurricular schedule and have already seen so much growth in all our students! last month we rolled out Fun with Faith, Creative Critters, Silly Scientists, and Simply Spanish on a more regular basis and we are so excited to begin our partnerships with Tippi Toes and Altitunes for our dance and music programs this month!


Tiny Tots Dance with Tippi Toes
Tippi Toes® is a fun, high-energy dance program designed to teach children dance in a positive and engaging way, so they have a blast while gaining new skills! Our curriculum is non-competitive and helps all children progress from novice dancers to skilled and confident students.Our dedicated teachers are passionate about bringing joy to each child while encouraging active movement and creativity. Tippi Toes® Lakewood is thrilled to partner with The Big Red Barn Early Learning Center and can’t wait to dance with your little ones!
Music For Munchkins with Altitunes
In an Altitunes early childhood music class you can expect to: move to music, play instruments, sing/vocalize, build friendships and have a great time! Altitunes has been providing music classes developed by music therapists and music educators in the Denver area for over 7 years. Our experienced, highly trained, teachers will spark your little one's love of music and provide a fun and safe learning environment for your child to learn and grow. We can't wait to see you at The Big Red Barn!





Upcoming April Events:
- April Parent's Night Out will be hosted on Saturday April 12th from 4 pm - 8pm. Sign up to work it here.
- Mark your calendars for our Annual Easter Egg Hunt🐰🐣 on April 18th from 3:30 - 4:30 pm.
- Leave a joke on Ashley's desk if you read this
Staffing Updates
Meet Our New Addition! Ms. Shalynn has joined our Infant | Toddler team!
Check out her Bio here.
We also said goodbye to Ms. Anna and wish her the best on her next chapter!
Upcoming Student Birthdays!🎂
Bash | 3/5 Nora S. | 3/22 Emmy | 3/30
Upcoming Staff Birthdays!🎂
Ms. Denise | 3/17 Ms. Ashley | 3/28
**UPDATED** Schedule | 2/24 – 3/7
New Schedule | 2/24 – 3/7
New Schedule | 2/10 – 2/21
Sorry about the delayed posting of this schedule!
This is also a reminder that starting this pay period/2 week schedule you all are required to listen to at least one of the Conscious Discipline podcasts episodes and post about what you learned in the Group Me to get credit. Please see the last newsletter for the link to the podcast!
Clyde’s Corner | February 2025
Welcome to Clyde's Corner
Welcome February!
❤️This month is all about L - O - V - E❤️




Monthly Updates:
- Parent's Night Out for February will be held on Saturday, the 8th from 4-8 pm. If you would like to sign up to work please fill out this survey.
- Our classroom Valentine's Day Parties will be held from 3:30-4:30 pm on Friday, February 14th. Parent's are always welcome! Parent's will make sure to send their kiddos with valentines for their friends, but have been told to not write any names on them other than who they are from to help make the process of handing them out go smoother and faster. Please make sure to plan to make valentines boxes or bag for this party!
- We have finalized our New Classroom Schedules and they have been send to parents! Below are the snack time cut off for each classroom. Please make sure to follow these so we can keep our classrooms on track for the rest of the day.
- Porcupettes
- Students must be dropped off no later than 8:35 am to participate in AM snack whether food is brought from home or supplied by The Barn.
- Little Llamas
- Students must be dropped off no later than 8:40 am to participate in AM snack whether food is brought from home or supplied by The Barn.
- Rowdy Roosters
- Students must be dropped off no later than 9:00 am to participate in AM snack whether food is brought from home or supplied by The Barn.
- Porcupettes
- New outside temperature protocol! After much consideration and research we have decided to change our cold weather minimum from 30 degrees to 20 degrees. There are many facilities nearby who use this same protocol, and our kiddos need it! The Big Red Barn is all about prioritizing outdoor play and this new protocol helps support that! If the FEELS LIKE temperature is between 20-30 degrees the kiddos will be limited to a max of 15 minuets of outdoor play, anything over 30 degrees will be our normal allotted times. However, please continue to monitor the children closely during these times and if you see that the children are getting too cold or uncomfortable bring them in early! Please make sure all kids have the proper attire (ie. labeled gloves, hats, snow pants, big jackets, snow boots, etc.) at The Big Red Barn at all times so we can be fully prepared for outdoor play.
- IMPORTANT TAX INFORMATION: For those of you who do not know, Colorado gives a tax credit to all qualifying early childhood educators. Here are some important links and information regarding how to receive this FREE money just for being you!
- To qualify you have to have applied for a 3.0 Credential level at some point in 2024. Below is the amount your will recieve based on your credential level.
- Level 1 - $852
- Level 2 (lead teacher qualification) - $1,136
- Level 3 or above (director qualification) - $1,705
- You also had to have worked at an Early Learning Center/Preschool for at least 6 months in 2024 to qualify
- You have to apply by filling out this form and submitting it with your tax return!
- To qualify you have to have applied for a 3.0 Credential level at some point in 2024. Below is the amount your will recieve based on your credential level.
- Ashley has been working on updating our Conscious Discipline Ongoing Professional Development. We have some exciting things in the works, but for now, I am asking that all staff members listen to at least on CD Podcast each pay period. After listening, please share your thought in Group Me so that we can spread the knowledge and track your professional development hours. See this link for Podcast Episodes available to you. This will begin with the February 10th pay period and is a requirement for all staff members! As an ECE educator in Colorado you have to complete 15 hours of ongoing professional development each year to stay qualified, so this will go towards that.
- Please also check out the Conscious Discipline Website for more FREE resources. Use the search bar to look up anything you are struggling with in your classroom or visit Sophie's Classroom for ECE specific supports!
- As many of you know we have a team of therapists and behavioral analysts that we have partnered with, and we are excited to announce that we have officially brought on Brice as our in house behavioralist. Brice has supported The Barn since October 2024 on an individual level with students, but has begun her work helping in all of our classrooms by supporting with staff training, questions, and observations. As a certified ABA therapist, Brice adds a new layer to our Big Red Barn difference and we are so grateful for her support! Please do not hesitate to reach out to her or admin if you are struggling and could use extra supports/observations in your classroom!
Meet Brice!
Hello! My name is Brice and I am a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) with Positive Behavior Supports Co. (PBS). I provide behavior analytic services (ABA) to children, teens, and adults with varying intellectual disabilities. I prioritize compassionate and trauma-informed care. I have a passion for education and supporting in related environments and I am so excited to work with The Big Red Barn Early Learning Center. You can learn more about my company and what I do at. You find out more about my certification and what I do here. I can be reached at [email protected] or 720 772 9745. If you see me, don't be afraid to say hi! 😊





Extracurricular Revamp
We are moving right along when it comes to finalizing our more structured extracurricular schedule. Along with offering these more frequently, we also have brought on a few professionals to bring these to the next level! Please see the chart for our new extracurricular rotation schedule and check out our program introductions below!
We will begin implementing our Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday Extracurriculars this month!
What to look forward to in March: We will be partner with Tippi Toes and Altitunes for our dance and music programs beginning in March! Be on the look out for their introductions in the next newsletter.


Creative Critters
Hello Red Barn Community, I’m Laura! I received my Masters in Education in 2016 as well as an International Montessori Diploma for ages 6-12. I have been a Lead Teacher for over 7 years in a Montessori setting but have recently transitioned away from the classroom full time to focus more on my passion of teaching Art! I wrote my thesis on creative expression and its' benefits on social behavior and metacognitive awareness in children. I believe the process of creating art can help develop young children’s communication skills, build confidence, promote mindfulness, and enhance their overall creativity and joy. I am so excited to take the next step of my teaching career at Red Barn, especially since I have a four year old in the pre-k classroom, what a gift!
In addition to teaching art, I also guide field trips in nature for students and am passionate about the importance of reconnecting children to nature. In my free time, I love to dance with my daughter, practice yoga, see live music, go camping, and adventure with my friends somewhere new! I’m honored to be working with this community and look forward to meeting you all through the process of art!
Running Rascals
Although Mr. Colby has been with us for a while, we wanted to reintroduce him to all our new families!
Hi Big Red Barn! I'm Colby and I have been assisting with Running Rascals since March of 2024. I am super passionate about fostering a love for movement and fitness in children and adults alike. I have spent the last year thriving on creating engaging and energetic activities for your young learners. Currently, I teach classes at Orange Theory and am excited to take on a coaching role at Evergreen Highschool this Fall. In my free time, I enjoy walking my dog, spending quality time with friends and family, traveling, and being at The Barn!


Simply Spanish
As an in house extracurricular we have recruited both Ms. Jenny and Ms. Denise to help teach our Big Red Barn kiddos Spanish! Both Jenny and Denise are fluent in both Spanish and English and are so excited to be able to work with kiddos in all of our classes on a more consistent basis so that they can actually start grasping on to new terms!
Fun with Faith
As you all know, Fun with Faith is very close to Ms. Ashley's heart who shares this passion with both her mother, Ms. Cheryl, and her sister Ms. Alicia. As a trio, Ashley, Cheryl and Alicia will work together to run our Faith based program. With the revamp, we are going to focus on the Fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. As a Christian, these are things that we strive to focus on within ourselves and lead us to be more thoughtful and loving humans. We will also continue our conversations regarding gratitude, unconditional love and forgiveness. The goal of Fun with Faith is to help foster loving and caring children through the eye of God and this is a tangible place to begin!

Silly Scientists
We have decided to merge our Tiny Green Thumbs gardening extracurricular into a more broad one that focuses on all areas of science! We are currently on the lookout for a program/professional to help assist, but for now we will run this program in house. Silly Scientists will focus on all things science from matter, to space, to predictions and experiments, to nature and life, this program will talk about it all!



Upcoming March Events:
- March Parent's Night Out will be hosted on Saturday March 22nd from 4 pm - 8pm. Fill out this form to sign up to work it!
- Mark your calendars for Spring Picture Day🌸- March 19th!
Upcoming Student Birthdays!🎂
Quinn | 2/4 Ronan | 2/27
Upcoming Staff Birthdays!🎂
Ms. Dom | 2/23
Clyde’s Corner Tidbit
Train up a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
