Osiyo, River Otter families.

Welcome back! We hope everyone had a wonderful, relaxing break. It was so wonderful to see everyone back on campus this week and observe our rhythm and connections resume as if we had never been away. We were able to spend most of our short, chilly week outdoors. The fresh, cold air is so good for little bodies (and us adults, too)! The students kept very busy in the forest working in and visiting a restaurant, building houses and garages, and riding dragons. As Friday brought extra cold temperatures, we spent time both outdoors and indoors. Playing inside doesn’t happen often at The Garden School, so it is always a special treat. Students enjoyed the blocks, play kitchen, and basket of silks, and ground coriander seeds with our mortar and pestle.

Next week we will return to our special daily activities such as visiting the farm, painting, and gardening and nature observation, which will take place on Thursdays. We will begin our first gardening activity planting some early spring seeds and bulbs. Monday will also begin Golden Knights, our enrichment program for older 5 year olds and 6 year olds. These students will spend an hour with Ki Ieva on most Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. It will be fun for the older kindergarten students to have time to bond as a group, and for our younger students to play together and have the opportunity to do some special activities with Ki Holly and Ki Kim.

Announcements and Reminders

Please reserve cookies, chocolate, and other treats, including hot cocoa, for at home. Special cocoa days at school will be announced the week before, here in our Monday Messenger.
There will be NO SCHOOL on Monday, 1/17, as we observe Martin Luther King, Jr’s birthday. Please take the opportunity to learn about Dr King and current social justice movements with your child, and participate in a local act of service. There are resources and ideas in the main part of the Monday Messenger, and you can also contact me if you have questions about other resources and opportunities.

Thank you so much for sharing your children with us, and for being part of our community.

Gvyalieliga,

Ki Holly