Greetings Dear Beaver Families,

We had a chilly week! Jack Frost visited us in the morning and made a sparkling path for us all the way down to the forest. The water left in our mud kitchen pots and pans turned into ice overnight and we even had icy mud! There were a lot of high-energy running and chasing games in our forest, especially on the colder days. The children enjoyed playing Marco Polo and creating big obstacle courses using wooden boards and tires. On the platform, we worked on pompoms, finger knitting, sewing animals and houses with felt, and sewing on beads for the eyes or door knobs. We also visited the large playground one warm afternoon, which is always a favorite for the kids. On Thursday, we celebrated Mary’s sixth birthday and it was so nice to hear the precious stories from her childhood. The week went by so fast!

On Friday, the children saw a puppet play of a folktale from China called, “The Most Beautiful Thing in the World”. The story follows an Emporer who is growing old and must choose one of his three sons to carry on his crown. He gives each son 9 days time and one hundred golden coins to find the most beautiful thing in the world. The eldest son gallops on his horse through the marketplace and finds a beautiful painting. The middle son travels on horseback to the mountain, where he finds a beautiful pearl under the chin of a sleeping dragon. The youngest son goes on foot to the town but finds more sadness than beauty. There were people there with clothes that were worn and torn, people who had barely anything to eat, and those who were sleeping in the alleyways because they had no home of their own. Upon seeing this, the prince gave away each of his coins to the townspeople until he had nothing left. He returned to the kingdom empty-handed. Each son presented his beautiful find but when it was the youngest son's turn to present, he had nothing to show. He hung his head and apologized to his father, who told him to stand up, for word of his kindness had spread through his kingdom every day in the last nine days. He had seen his caring heart and a caring heart is indeed the most beautiful thing in the world. Thus the youngest prince earned the crown of his father and ruled over their Kingdom for a long, long time bringing peace and happiness to all who lived there.

This Saturday, February 4, is our All School Meeting (adults only, please)! Following our community workday, we ask you to please join us at 12:00 for a faculty-sponsored, complimentary soup bar before we join together to hear about the “State of the School” at 12:30. As an added incentive, each family represented receives 2 volunteer hours. Adults only, please.

Announcements and Reminders

Please sign up for a conference time for your child here.

Conferences will be in person at the school
If you need to meet virtually, on another day or may need longer than our usual 20-minute time slot, please let me know
We ask that children do not attend conferences, allowing us to communicate in confidence.

If your child borrowed clothes from school, please wash and return them so they can be available for another child, if needed. Also, if you don’t recognize a clothing item your child brings home, please send it back!

Snacks should be protein and long-lasting carbs (such as grains) along with vegetables and/or fruits. Treats such as cookies, candies, fruit snacks, and other sugary foods should be enjoyed at home.