Kindergarten Honeybees: April 15 - 19, 2024

Greetings, Honeybee Families,

A BIG thank you to all our parents who participated and helped create our beautiful auction project. It is so delightful to see all our class’s talents combined in one project. The children also got to play with our “Honeybee Land '' house and landscape before we turned it in, and it was a hit! They even mentioned how it all started as just a “piece of yellow.” It’s lovely that they were able to experience the slow process of creating something meaningful and working together to make it happen. Well done, Honeybees!

We also enjoyed the highly anticipated creek play times this past week. The children carried down pots and shovels and went straight to building sand castles, making small rivers in the sand, collecting blue clay, and playing in the water. The sounds of the water flowing over the stones and pebbles sure had a soothing effect on the children, and they played so contentedly. 

We are looking forward to seeing you at the annual fundraiser on Friday. Our “Honeybee Land” is beautiful! 

Announcements and Reminders

  • Please send your child with two full water bottles each day. This is especially important as the weather gets warmer.

  • Please join us for The Garden School’s annual Hope Blooms auction fundraiser!  This is a beautiful, fun time for the grownups in our community to visit, eat, and look at the fantastic handmade and donated items available to bid on. We look forward to seeing you next Friday, April 26th at 6:00 pm.

Upcoming Events

  • 4/23 Third Grade class play

  • 4/23-4/25 Fifth Grade Pentathlon

  • 4/26 Annual Auction Fundraiser and Half-day Dismissal

  • 4/27 Community Work Day 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

  • 4/30 First Grade class play

  • 5/01 Second Grade class play

Peace and Light,

Ki Fatima  

Kindergarten Honeybees: April 8 - 12, 2024

Greetings, Honeybee Families, 

It was wonderful to be together again after our spring break. New flowers bloomed in our forest classroom while we were away. The students went right to work in the mud kitchen and got busy building forts. We shared a story about a little red hen who called on her friends, the cow, horse, and cat, to help her plant the wheat seeds she collected. Unfortunately, none of them volunteered to help her plant, sow, harvest, and make the bread each time she asked. However, when it was time to eat the bread, they all wanted to participate.

When the children saw we had three new jump ropes in our class, their faces lit up; they enjoyed taking turns jumping rope! On our indoor day, the children came together and built little books for themselves, each other, and their family members. Some decorated their books by fraying the edges of their paper; each was uniquely designed. Thank you for dropping off the auction items. Everything's coming together so nicely. The children are delighted each time we receive something new. Next week, we will introduce our new spring circle. Below is one of our new spring songs: 

My lady Spring is dressed in green,

She wears a primrose crown,

And little baby buds and twigs

Are clinging to her gown.

The sun shines if she laughs at all

And when she weeps, the raindrops fall.

My lady Spring,

My Lady Spring,

My lady Spring.

Announcements and Reminders

  • Please continue to dress your children in layers every day. It is ok to provide layers in their backpack if they feel too warm in the morning. The forest is cooler, especially when it is damp or cloudy. An expected temperature in the 60s and even lower 70s feels significantly different in different conditions and we can not predict what layers will feel most comfortable. As a rule, students should always have lighter and thicker pants, short and long-sleeved shirts, and a sweatshirt or light jacket. Additionally, students must have full rain gear and rain boots every day. The outdoor classroom remains wet for several days after rain.

  • Please send your full-day students with a blanket for rest time if you have yet to return theirs following the break.

  • Insects are making their return! Please begin sending insect repellant in backpacks.


Upcoming Events:

  • 4/23 Third Grade class play

  • 4/24 Second Grade class play

  • 4/23-4/25 Fifth Grade Pentathlon

  • 4/26 Annual Auction Fundraiser and Half-day

  • 4/27 Community Work Day 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

  • 4/30 First Grade class play

Thank you for all that you do and for sharing your precious children with us. 

Peace & Light,

Ki Fatima

Kindergarten Honeybees: March 25 - 29, 2024

Greetings, Honeybee Families,

It was a pleasure to meet the children’s extended family and close family friends at our Grandfriends Day. The children worked hard to prepare their classroom and make it beautiful for our special guests. They even raked pathways around our entire space!

We shared a spring story about a mother bird building her nest. She worked hard, day after day, collecting just the right materials to make her nest cozy. She built her home next to a human family home who were so delighted to watch her gather things from around their house. She even used tuffets of hair from the father’s haircut- which induced many giggles. Finally, the day arrived; the children were playing in the garden when suddenly they could hear a “tweet tweet!” 

For our craft, the children built their own bird's nest. They searched for the perfect stick to hold their nest. They then wet-felted little eggs; those that couldn’t form into balls were perfect to represent “hatched eggs.” The students also collected moss and little leaves from the forest to decorate their nests made out of wool roving. They put care and thought into these beautiful symbols of springtime.

Announcements & Reminders:

  • Please have your child bring a light blanket and a small pillow to school upon returning. (Please, no large pillows or blankets). 

  • Continue to send rain gear each day.

  • The weather can be unpredictable in spring. Please dress your children in layers, and keep hats and mittens or gloves in backpacks for now.


Upcoming Events:

  • 4/12 Student picture make-up day

  • 4/23 Third Grade Class Play

  • 4/24 Second Grade Class Play

  • 4/23-4/25 5th Grade Pentathlon

  • 4/26 Annual Auction Fundraiser - Half Day

  • 4/27 Community Work Day 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

  • 4/30 First Grade Play

 

Thank you for sharing your precious honeybees with us! 

Peace & Light,

Ki Fatima 

Kindergarten Honeybees: March 18 - 22, 2024

Greetings, Honeybee Families,

Spring is in the air and the lovely weather seems to be inspiring the children’s creativity and imagination. The students have been making their own plays and taking turns putting on a show for each other. It is very sweet, and all the children enthusiastically sit and watch their peers and applaud them. This past week, the children put on a beautiful play about our Lady Spring story. On Thursday and Friday, they watched the story in a puppet show.  It was extra special because we used the beautiful landscape they have been designing as the layout. The students are so proud of their work that they ask to work on it more each day. 

We also celebrated our dear Lark’s fifth birthday on Tuesday. It was lovely to hear stories from each year of her life and to hear the heartfelt birthday wishes from her family and friends. Thank you for sharing the beautiful stories and the delightful basket of fruits with our class! Happy birthday, Lark! 

Below is one of our popular spring Circle songs that the children love to sing along and do the movements to:

Spring is coming, spring is coming,

Birdies build your nests.

Weave together straw and feather,

Doing each your best.

Spring is coming, spring is coming,

Flowers are coming too.

Crocus, lilies, daffo-dillies,

All are coming through.

Spring is coming, spring is coming,

All around is fair.

Shimmer, glimmer, on the river,

Joy is everywhere.

If you have not already sent your RSVP for Grandfriend’s tea on March 31st, please email fatima@thegardenmarietta.org with the names of your student’s guest(s), their relation to your child, and how your child will go home that day.  Please remember it is an early dismissal day.

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Picture Day is this Wednesday! If your child does not usually attend school on Wednesday, please arrive at 10:00 a.m., as we would love for your child to be included in the class photo. They can also have their individual photo taken at this time so they do not have to dress for photos again on Thursday.

  • Rest blankets will be sent home at the end of the week. Now that the weather should be reliably warmer, please send a light blanket with your child after the break.

Upcoming Events:

  • 3/27-3/28: School Photos

  • 3/29: Grandfriends Day (Half Day All School Dismissal)

  • 4/1-4/5 Spring Break (No School)

  • 4/8: No School: Solar Eclipse

  • 4/23-4/25 5th Grade Pentathlon

  • 4/26 Annual Auction Fundraiser - Half Day

Kindergarten Honeybees: March 11 - 15, 2024

Greetings Honeybee Families,

Our Spring Circle is now in full swing and the children are enthusiastically following along with the sweet spring songs and movements. The tulips we planted started to bloom, and some of the sunflower seeds we planted are coming up as well. It’s so wonderful to be able to witness the growth process and the delight of the children when they see a new sprout or blossom. 

We all kept busy in the forest. Some of the students made necklaces using seashells; we drilled a little hole inside the shells, and the children strung shells and beads to make necklaces. We also are making good progress on our auction project. We added a little bonfire and bridge to our landscape, and we also extended the river and made a little pond - the children are getting very creative! Our class celebrated dear Sophia’s 6th birthday this past week. Her parents shared sweet memories of Sophia for each year of her life and shared birthday wishes for her. Happy Birthday, Sophia! 

Our story is about Lady Spring who rises each morning by the warm sun tickling her face. She puts on her gown made with the colors of the flowers, puts on her slippers made with the color of the earth, and steps outside. Snowdrop flowers spring up wherever she steps. Then, a gust of wind chills her, and she quickly returns home to her bed. This happens day after day until one day, the powerful sun tickled her awake, and she again walked outside.  This time, everywhere she stepped, flowers of all sorts sprung up from the earth. The children loved this story, and we can’t wait to see it in a play next week. 


Announcements and reminders: 

  • Please dress for the weather. On rainy days or days after it has rained, children need full rain gear and rain boots.

  • It is a good time to begin adding insect repellant back to backpacks.

  • Please pack two full water bottles.

Upcoming Events: 

  • 3/27-3/28: School Photos

  • 3/29: Grandfriends Day (12:30 All School Dismissal)

  • 4/1-4/5 Spring Break (No School)

  • 4/23-4/25 5th Grade Pentathlon

  • 4/26 Annual Auction Fundraiser - Half Day

Thank you for sharing your precious honeybees with us! 

Peace & Light, 

Ki Fatima

Kindergarten Honeybees: March 4 - 8, 2024

Dear Honeybees Families, 

We had such a lovely week under the warm sun. The children have started working on our auction project. They are designing a beautiful felted landscape to go with the special structure our parents are working on (thank you!). So far, they have laid out the grass, hills, a lake, a river, and stones. It’s wonderful to see them work together, planning out their very own design for the land. In the forest, we started planting our spring flowers! The students filled our planters with soil we collected near the creek, and we planted tulips, snapdragons, and pansies. The students also planted seedlings in their own personal planters. We look forward to seeing sweet pepper and sunflower sprouts very soon! 

On Wednesday, the children put on an endearing play about a sleepy bulb deep beneath the earth who was woken from her winter slumber. Mother Earth’s creatures were hustling and bustling, for she had invited everyone to a celebration - Lady Spring was bringing everyone a gown. It’s always a delight to see how the children interpret the story and how they plan it out with minimal teacher intervention. On Thursday and Friday, the students watched a puppet show of our story. In the forest, our classroom was full of puddles; thus, the mud kitchen was a busy and bustling kitchen. The day before, the students had set out all the pots and pans to collect rainwater for the next day. They were delighted to find that their plan had worked; their pots were nearly full! 

Announcements and reminders: 

  • Please dress for the weather. On rainy days or days after it has rained, children need full rain gear and rain boots.

  • If your child is feeling under the weather, please keep them home.

Upcoming Events: 

  • 3/15: Teacher In-Service (No School)

  • 3/27-29: School Photos

  • 3/29: Grandfriends Day (12:30 All School Dismissal)

  • 4/1-4/5 Spring Break (No School)

  • 4/23-4/25 5th Grade Pentathlon

  • 4/26 Annual Auction Fundraiser - Half Day


Thank you for sharing your precious children with us. 

Peace & Light,

Ki Fatima

Kindergarten Honeybees: February 26 - March 1, 2024

Greetings, Honeybee Families,

We were welcomed back to school with beautiful, warm, and spring-like weather. The students are beginning to see the subtle changes in our forest, such as budding flowers, flying bugs, and lizards! The hustle and bustle of spring feels close. We introduced a new song into our morning circle called “Spring is Coming” and shared a heart-warming story about a little brown bulb tucked away deep in the earth, fast asleep. All the bulb’s friends make a commotion and finally wake her up; Spring has arrived and is gifting everyone with new gowns. The little bulb rises and rises and is dressed in a beautiful gown of purple, white, and yellow. Meanwhile, a little boy playing nearby sees the crocus flower and admires her beauty with his beloved mama. 

Many Honeybees participated in our handwork activities this week. Students sewed little cat stuffies. We also finished stuffing our green snake, Snakey Pal. The students picked out buttons for his eyes and finger-chained a little red tongue for our new platform friend. Some students came home with a cedar necklace they sanded. These children noticed that the harder they sanded the medallion, the smoother it became, and it also smelled more fragrant. They proudly wore their necklace all afternoon. 

Announcements and Reminders:

  • The weather is unpredictable this time of year; please send your child in layers and continue sending rain and cold weather gear every day.

  • Please send two full water bottles that your child can open and drink from independently every day. Please only send water in the bottles; juice and other beverages should be enjoyed at home. One water bottle of herbal tea is appropriate on colder days.

  • If your child is feeling under the weather, please keep them home to help keep our community healthy.

Upcoming Events:

  • 3/9: Community Work Day

  • 3/15: Teacher Inservice (No School)

  • 3/27-29: School Photos

  • 3/29: Grandfriends Day Tea (12:30 Dismissal All Students)

Thank you for sharing your wonderful children with us. 

Peace & Light,

Ki Fatima 

Kindergarten Honeybees: February 12 - 16, 2024

Greetings, Honeybee Families,

We had a lovely week full of sunny days! The activity of the children became quieter and more focused when the weather was warm. It was great to see them working together in the forest with such joy and collaboration.

 We had several different crafts the children partook in during the week, with the theme being love and hearts! On Wednesday, we shared rosy red hibiscus tea after our morning circle. The children made bird feeders out of cardboard heart-shaped cutouts. The students busily used a hole punch,  threaded it with twine so that it may hang, spread peanut butter on one side, and sprinkled birdseed on top. Some students hung them up in the forest for our feathered friends, while others decided to hang theirs up at home. The students also made heart-shaped weaving looms and wove flowers through them- a beautiful craft project to remind us spring is around the corner. We also made a heart-shaped link chain and hung it across our platform for decoration. One of our students had the idea to place little honeybee cutouts onto it. It was the perfect finishing touch. 

On Friday, we enjoyed delicious s’mores! Thank you for volunteering to bring the food items! The children have been anticipating this sweet snack for a long time. It was the perfect way to end our week and welcome the mid-winter break.

Have a wonderful week, and wish you all warmth and adventure together.

Announcements and Reminders:

  • The weather is unpredictable this time of year. Please continue to send coats, hats, gloves, rain pants, and insulated waterproof boots to school every day.

  • Cold and flu season is still upon us. If your child has a fever, green mucus from the nose, a productive cough, vomiting, or diarrhea, please keep them home until these symptoms have been resolved for at least 24 hours. 

  • Please return rest blankets for nap time


Upcoming Events:

  • 3/9: Community Work Day

  • 3/15: Teacher Inservice (No School)

  • 3/27-29: School Photos

  • 3/29: Grandfriends Day Tea (12:30 Dismissal All Students)


Peace and Light,

Ki Fatima

Kindergarten Honeybees: February 05 - 09, 2024

Greetings, Honeybee Families,

It was wonderful to meet with you all last week at conferences. It’s such a gift to share about our days with the children in our forest classroom and how the children are learning and growing together. 

We introduced three new winter songs in our morning circle. We sang about the North wind blowing and various creatures either seeking shelter to keep warm or flying away until Springtime returns. We also have a verse about King Winter and a silly, sweet song about Jackie Frost. We also visited the animals on Tuesday, and afterward, the children ran around and played in the large field adjacent to the farm. We saw bunches of daffodils growing, and the children enjoyed crawling through an enormous tree stump with openings on multiple sides. We shared a story called Sweet Porridge about a pot that accidentally overflowed into the entire town. Each person who wanted to return to their home had to eat their way back. This story induced many giggles!  

On Wednesday, the children were invited by our grade students to watch performances for the Lunar New Year. Grades Second through Sixth put on a specific performance as part of their Mandarin lesson block. There was a puppet play, a play, singing, and a beautiful dance- it was delightful. The students seemed to enjoy the show. In our classroom, the children put on their own puppet play. Incidentally, the main characters were dragons, and this Chinese New Year it’s the year of the dragon. 

Announcements and Reminders:

  • This Friday, we plan to make s’mores! Please sign up here to donate items for our delicious treat! 

Upcoming Events:

  • 2/19-2/23 Mid Winter Break (No School)

  • 2/26 Teacher In-Service (No School)

  • 3/9 Community Work Day 9 am - 12 pm

  • 3/15 Teacher In-Service (No School)


Thank you for sharing your precious children with us and for being a part of our lovely school in the forest. 


Peace & Light, 

Ki Fatima

Kindergarten Honeybees: January 29 - February 2, 2024

Greetings, Honeybee Families,

Thank you for joining us at our All School Meeting this past Saturday. Without our community and our shared vision, we could not do what we do; thank you for your continued support and for helping our precious school grow. 

We had a lovely past week, starting each morning outside in the crisp air. The children engaged in many team-building activities over the course of the week. The students sawed wood and collected kindling for our fire. The children built an obstacle course by working together as they pushed large stumps, moved around logs to place on the stumps, and dug for dragons! With their shiny new shovels, the children dug a deep ditch in the ground in search of dragons while other students used the dirt that was dug up to build dirt castles. 

On Thursday, the children put on an endearing play based on the story we have been sharing about Nikki and her white mittens. She begged her grandmother to knit her mittens as white as the sparkling snow. When Nikki went outside, she wanted to climb a tree, so she took off her mittens and placed them in her pockets; soon enough, one mitten fell out into the snow. Meanwhile, a mole came tunneling along, discovered the glove, and snuggled up inside. One by one, various animals came and cuddled up inside the warm mitten. Finally, a mouse crawled inside and rested on the bear's nose when suddenly, “ACHHHOO!!” The animals came flying out of the mitten! It was quite a show with lots of giggles! Thank you, Ki Annabelle, for treating us with applesauce for our shared snack afterward! It was so lovely to have warm apple sauce on a chilly morning. 

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Please adhere to the drop-off window of 8:25-8:45 am. If you arrive after 8:45, even if there are people at the picnic tables, please park and call the front office. You may wait with your child at the picnic tables until a kindergarten teacher is available to bring them to class after the morning circle. This will help us provide the necessary predictable rhythm for the well-being of our classes.

  • Please also adhere to the pick-up windows of 12:15-12:30 for half-day students and 3:10-3:20 (2:15-2:30 on Thursdays). 

  • If you have not yet signed up for spring conferences, you can do so here. I am looking forward to meeting with you. 

  • As has been our tradition at The Garden School, instead of sending cards from home on Valentine's Day, please save all card and gift exchanges for off-campus playdates.


Upcoming Events:

  • 2/8 Half Day - Parent Conferences

  • 2/9 No School - Parent Conferences

  • 2/19-2/23- Mid-Winter Break (No School)

  • 2/26- Teacher Inservice (No School)


As always, thank you for your support and for sharing your lovely children with us. 

Peace & Light,

Ki Fatima  

Kindergarten Honeybees: January 22 - 26, 2024

Greetings, Honeybee Families,

The First Grade Risers in our Golden Knights class got off to a wonderful start. They eagerly joined in this opportunity to participate in longer circle activities, stories, and handwork projects and returned to their Honeybee class, excited to share what they had learned. Our students who are not yet Golden Knights had the fun opportunity to play with our neighboring kindergarten class, the Turtles (who also has rising students in the Golden Knights class). The Honeybees and Turtles will alternate each week, playing in each other's forest spaces. 

Our class enjoyed seeing beautiful model train displays from the Southern Museum, located in Kennesaw. The children learned about different types of trains, including how they function and how the railroad works.  The students were able to touch buttons to discover the various sounds the train makes. When asked what this particular freight train might carry, we got all sorts of answers, such as swimming pools or ice pops and wood or coal. The students were interested and engaged; what a wonderful job they did as an audience. 


Later in the week, Sister Rain made an island out of our forest platform! While this prevented us from playing in our usual forest space, we took the opportunity to build little boats out of white cedar and float them. Thank you, Mr. Matan, for sawing the wood pieces for us! The children used a traditional hand drill to create a hole in their wood pieces. They attached a paper sail to a bamboo stick, and we floated our boats with delight! This was a fulfilling practical work activity that required strength, patience, and perseverance. 


Announcements and Reminders:

  • We have three new students joining our class! Welcome, Melanie, Lark, and Kaya! 

  • Please continue to work with your children at home on using tissues, coughing and sneezing into their “Honeybee wing,” and proper hand washing. 

  • If you have not yet signed up for spring conferences, you can do so here.

  • The first Community Work Day of the Spring Semester is on Saturday, February 3rd, from 10:00 - 12:00. Please come if you are able, and add to your volunteer hours! Children are welcome, and there are typically both indoor and outdoor tasks available.

  • Please also plan to join us for the All School Meeting following the work day at 12:30. A soup lunch will be served at noon, and the meeting should be around an hour to an hour and a half long. The meeting is a grownups-only event.

Upcoming Events:

  • 2/3 First Grade Risers Informational Meeting - 11:15 a.m.

  • 2/3 Community Work Day 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

  • 2/3 All School Meeting 12:30 p.m.

  • 2/8 Half Day - Parent Conferences

  • 2/9 No School - Parent Conferences

  • 2/19-2/23- Mid-Winter Break (No School)

  • 2/26- Teacher Inservice (No School)


As always, thank you for all that you do and for entrusting your precious children to us. 


Peace & Light,

Ki Fatima 

Kindergarten Honeybees: January 15 - 19, 2024

Greetings, Honeybee Families,

King Frost visited last week and blew his icy breath all across our forest space. The children were delighted to find large pockets of ice in our classroom like never before. A huge ditch they had dug previously filled with water that froze over. We also found ice in our pots, pans, and even inside our play tires. The children worked together to break the ice into ice crystals, collect it in pans, and wheel it around in the wheelbarrow. On Wednesday, we took a nature walk to visit the animals. On our walk, the students were amazed to find the ponds on both sides frozen. Students were also busy building forest fairy houses as they discovered flowers scattered across our forest floor left by our flower fairy. They gathered the flowers and designed intricate homes with sticks, stones, and flowers. Some students even made tiny firepits!

As we had some very cold mornings, we spent most of our mornings in our indoor classroom. Students worked on handwork projects, built forts, and put together puzzles. On Thursday, the children put on a play based on the story we shared about the bird with the broken wing who searched from tree to tree to find shelter. We had many who volunteered themselves to be the kind and valiant trees. On Friday, the students enjoyed a puppet show of our story and watched the story come alive before their eyes.

Each spring semester, we are excited for our older students, who may rise to 1st grade next year, to begin our Golden Knights program on Monday, January 22nd. All Golden Knight’s parents received an email explaining the program.  Please reach out to me via email if you have additional questions.

Announcement and Reminders:

  • Community workday- Saturday, February 3rd, from 10:00 - 12:00. 

  • Please also plan to join us for the All School Meeting following the work day at 12:30. A soup lunch will be served at noon, and the meeting should be around an hour to an hour and a half long. The meeting is a grownups-only event.

  • Conferences will be on Thursday, February 8th, and Friday, February 9th. Please sign up for a conference spot here. 


Upcoming Events:

  • First Grade Risers Informational Meeting - TBD

  • 2/3 Community Work Day 10 am - 12 pm

  • 2/3 All School Meeting 12:30 pm

  • 2/8 Half Day - Parent Conferences

  • 2/9 No School - Parent Conferences


As always, thank you for all you do and for sharing your precious children with us.


Peace & Light,

Ki Fatima 

Kindergarten Honeybees: January 8 - 12, 2024

Greetings Honeybees Families,

The children are enjoying our new winter circle, particularly our songs about preparing wood to keep warm for the winter. We make sawing and chopping movements, and the large-motor gestures help to keep our bodies warm on these chilly mornings. Students continue to work on projects that develop their fine motor skills, as well. We spent time molding figurines using beeswax. The students noticed that the more they rolled the beeswax in their palms, the softer and more malleable it became. For handwork projects, some students have been busy sewing pouches while others work on sewing animals, which is a slightly more complex project. We also finger-knit crowns and necklaces, with some students using two fingers and more experienced students using three or four fingers. It’s wonderful to see their progress and their eagerness to take on new handwork projects. 

For storytime, we shared a favorite tale about a bird with a broken wing who flies from tree to tree, searching for somewhere to keep warm until springtime. Some of the trees do not welcome the bird, stating they have no room or fear it will eat their acorns. However, the spruce tree noticed the bird and welcomed him into its warm branches. The pine tree also agreed to help block the wind for its shelter. The juniper tree was happy to share its berries with the bird all winter. When the North Wind wanted to come down to the forest to play, it asked King Frost if it could blow off all the leaves on the trees. King Frost said you may, except for the trees that showed kindness and care to the bird with the broken wing, thus sweetly explaining why our evergreen trees are forever green.

We look forward to seeing you via Zoom tonight at our Curriculum Night at 6:00 pm. We will be discussing the school Auction and will come together to review the spring curriculum and brainstorm ideas for our class auction project; please come ready to share your ideas and inspiration! Last year we made a beautiful Waldorf-style birthday basket. Previously, we had a flower landscape mobile made out of wool. It is a collaboration between the teachers, children, and parents. We will also review our school calendar, highlighting upcoming events and important dates to remember. 


Announcements and Reminders:

  • Please continue to send a vegetable to chop on Mondays. Please use this to sign up to send apples on Tuesdays. Thank you. 

Upcoming Events:

  • 1/16 Early Childhood Curriculum Night (via Zoom) 6:00 p.m. 

  • First Grade Risers Informational meeting - TBD

  • 1/17 Grades Curriculum Night (on campus) 6:00 p.m.

  • 2/3 Community Work Day 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

  • 2/3 All School Meeting 12:30 p.m.


Thank you for all that you do and for sharing your precious children with us. 


Peace & Light,

Ki Fatima 

Kindergarten Honeybees: December 11 - 15, 2023

Greetings Honeybee Families,

Last week, the students were delighted to see the ice crystals that covered our table tops! They drew many beautiful crystally pictures on the tables. The class also discovered pockets of ice in our forest, again setting the fun for wintery play. Upon visiting the farm, we spotted ducks swimming and chasing each other in the pond. While at our platform, a little bird flew back and forth while we ate lunch, appearing to look for a space to roost. All these special and real moments of watching nature’s beauty unfold before us are a gift to witness. 

In handwork, the children used a needle and twine to string a garland of cranberries, apples, and orange slices. This fragrant activity was also a great exercise to help develop fine motor skills. Cranberries were challenging to string, and we had to direct the needle in the center so as to try not to break them in half. Decorating our classroom with our projects is a way of taking ownership and care of our space and adding some color and warmth to it during this season. Some students have also finished sewing their treasure pouch and will soon move on to our next project- a star child! This project fits in with our Star Child story about a boy with a very generous heart who gives away everything to the ones in need he encounters. When he, himself, stands alone with nothing left in the world, a magical turn of events occurs as the stars make a cloak around him, and his every want and wish is answered.  

On Wednesday, we celebrated the sixth birthdays of both Henry and Archie. It was a joy for us to hear stories of their childhood. The children were in wonder as we lit two candles during our birthday story instead of our usual one! 

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Please continue to work on independent dressing and personal care (hand washing, nose wiping, etc) over the break. Students wash dishes, fold towels, and take care of their belongings at school each day. Continuing to have small tasks to maintain that feeling of independence and responsibility at home is helpful, too!

  • Please replenish backpacks upon returning to school. Ensure a change of clothes complete with pants, long sleeves, socks, and underwear are in their backpacks.


Upcoming Events:

  • 12/20 Grades Assembly - 11:45 a.m. & Last Day of Fall Semester - Half Day

  • 12/21 - 01/03 Winter Break (No School)

  • 01/04 First day of Spring Semester

As always, thank you for sharing your precious children with us and for being part of our community. We had a lovely fall semester and look forward to coming back together in the new year. We wish you all a warm, cozy, and festive time with your family!

Peace and Light,

Ki Fatima 

Kindergarten Honeybees: December 4 - 8, 2023

Greetings Honeybee Families,

Thank you for joining us on Friday for our lovely winter spiral. It was precious to see each of the children walk so reverently with their lighted candle. 

In the spirit of sharing our light and warmth with the world, the children made letters for seniors living in nursing homes to wish them warm holiday greetings. We placed a special note inside one of their watercolor paintings, and the children drew pictures and decorated the inside. These charming handmade cards will be delivered to and distributed by Cherokee Recreation & Parks.

This time of year, the students are finding more nature treasures on the forest ground. This has inspired us to create our own treasure pouches to carry their special finds. The children are developing their fine motor skills and sewing together their own pouches. The students chose their felt and used the blanket stitch technique to sew. We are sewing on a button, and they can choose between making a finger chain or a finger knot for the handle. 

It’s hard to believe that our fall semester is almost finished! We are planning to share hot cocoa with our shared snack next Wednesday (The ingredients of the cocoa are coconut milk, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and vanilla). If you would prefer your child not participate in the cocoa or bring their own, please reach out.

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Please continue to send water-resistant heavy coats, hats, gloves, snow pants or rain pants, and insulated boots daily. Please also continue to dress your child in layers. Wool socks are highly recommended on days under 45 degrees.

  • Help us support Tweens and Teens this year for the MUST Ministries Toy Drive. Please see the Main Message in the Garden Messanger for more information.

Upcoming Events:

  • 12/20: Grades Assembly - 12:00 p.m. & Last Day of Fall Semester - Half Day

  • 12/21:  Teacher In-Service (No School)

  • 12/22 - 01/03: Winter Break (No School)

  • 01/04: First day of Spring Semester

Thank you for sharing your precious children with us and for all that you do.

Peace & Light,

Ki Fatima 

Kindergarten Honeybees: November 27 - December 3, 2023

Greetings Honeybee Families,

We had a lovely, brisk weather this week! There’s magic in and around the forest this time of year- ice crystals, colorful leaves, and the steady sound of our wind chimes. We heard the geese flying overhead each day and watched as they passed over us. On Thursday, we saw a massive flock flying in a straight line as we were walking in a straight line- it was truly a sight to behold. 

The students enjoyed playing in the big playground this past week. They were able to test their climbing skills on the large climbing dome, climb on the monkey bars, and swing on the swings. The large open space also made for an exciting game of soccer. In the forest, the children were delighted to discover ice in the mud kitchen area. Pots and pans that had been filled with water froze over with leaves still inside them. The students were able to scoop the ice out and hold it up in the sun to see the beautiful effect it created. In handwork, we are adding a new “friend” to our class. The children have named our crocheted snake “Sissy,” and we are repurposing our scraps of wool and yarn for the filling. On Friday, we celebrated our beloved Tirzah’s sixth birthday, Happy Birthday Tirzah! It was heartwarming to hear stories from her birth and childhood. We also met with the Turtles class and helped prepare our candles for the Winter Spiral Festival. The children of both classes made a long line, and each dipped their candlestick into beeswax until it was the appropriate size to fit the candle holder.

We will be walking the Winter Spiral this Friday. This reverent festival of light occurs during the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. The children quietly walk, one by one, to the center of the spiral, carrying a candle they will light from the candle in the center. Each child will find a star along the spiral where they place their candle. By the end, a beautiful lighted spiral forms. This is symbolic of each of us sharing our light with the world and how together we can help guide each other through the dark. Our walk will begin promptly at 9:15 a.m. in the sanctuary. Families are welcome to watch their child’s class walk the spiral. 

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Please continue to send water-resistant heavy coats, hats, gloves, snow pants or rain pants, and insulated boots daily. Please also continue to dress your child in layers. Wool socks are highly recommended on days under 45 degrees.

  • Winter Spiral is this week!  Our class will participate on Friday, 12/8, at 9:15. Families are welcome to attend, and two-day families are invited to bring their children to participate with the class, as well. Please send your child with long hair pulled back and in clothing that is not loose fitting as protection from the candles.

  • Help us support Tweens and Teens this year for the MUST Ministries Toy Drive. Please see the Main Message in the Garden Messanger for more information.

Upcoming Events:

  • 12/07 Grades 1st - 5th Winter Spiral 

  • 12/08 Kindergarten Winter Spiral

  • 12/20 Grades Assembly - 12:00 p.m. & Last Day of Fall Semester - Half Day

  • 12/21 Teacher In-Service (No School)

  • 12/22 - 01/03 Winter Break (No School)

  • 01/04 First day of Spring Semester


Thank you for all that you do and for sharing your precious children with us.

Peace & Light,

Ki Fatima 

Kindergarten Honeybees: November 13 - 17, 2023

Greetings, Honeybee Families,

Being together and sharing a meal at our Thanksgiving Luncheon was wonderful. The children worked hard raking pathways and preparing our classroom for our special gathering. They were excited to have their beloved family members join us in our forest space. We are grateful to have our lovely community! 

The week before the November holiday was spent raking leaves, building new pathways, and making giant leaf piles! The students enjoyed assembling the rakes themselves, which helped them take ownership of their work raking the leaves. The students were also inspired to build a new fort. The children used all the big sticks they could find in our space, so we explored new territory near our forest classroom. Farther along our forest path, there is a magical pine forest where the ground is covered in pine straw, and the trees are evenly spaced. The children were delighted to run in this new space. They collected large tree branches and limbs and carried them back to our forest area. 

In and among forest play, the students rolled beeswax candles for our upcoming birthdays. Yarn balls were also rolled, and colorful yarn pompoms were made by wrapping the yarn around the width of their palm, sliding it off, and tying a knot in the center. The students then cut the loops on each end, forming a pompom. It’s always a joy to see their faces as they watch the transformation take place before them! 

On Thursday, the students put on a play of The Enormous Turnip story; it was delightful! One of the students played the part of the turnip that was stuck fast in the ground. One by one, the farmer called his wife, horse, cat, dog, and all their farm friends to help pull out the turnip. Finally, the enormous turnip was unearthed, and they had to work together to roll it back home. 

On Friday, we celebrated our dear Millie’s birthday. We enjoyed hearing the sweet memories from her childhood and having the company of her family with us. Happy birthday, Millie! 

Announcement and Reminders:

  • Rest blankets were sent home before break; please wash and return them to school.

  • Please send coats, hats, and gloves every day, and dress in layers!

  • We need Greenery for the Winter Spiral. Please consider asking for extra clipping from tree lots or donating trimmings from pruned evergreens in your yard. Greenery can be left alongside the fence in the field area.  Thank you! 

Upcoming Events:

  • 12/02 Prospective Family Open House: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

  • 12/07 Grades 1st - 5th Winter Spiral 

  • 12/08 Kindergarten Winter Spiral

  • 12/20 Grades Assembly - 12:00 p.m. & Last Day of Fall Semester - Half Day

  • 12/21 Teacher In-Service (No School)

  • 12/22 - 01/03 Winter Break (No School)

  • 01/04 First day of Spring Semester


Thank you for sharing your children with us and for all that you do.

Peace & Light,

Ki Fatima 

Kindergarten Honeybees: November 6 - 10, 2023

Greetings Honeybees Families, 

Thank you for bringing your families and joining us at the Lantern Walk festival. It was a magical and reverent night. The children’s lanterns were hanging up on our platform all week, waiting. It was wonderful to see the children’s faces light up as they saw their lanterns finally glow with light. The students were anticipating that moment, and it was such a gift to see them walk with such delight with their lanterns and sweet smiles.

We had pleasant and warm weather all week and there was an air of serenity that extended into the children’s play. In the forest, the children are developing their confidence in the climbing dome. Some students have managed to scale to the top and hang upside down from the bars. Recently, more children are also expressing interest in finger chaining and some are giving step-by-step instructions to students who haven't mastered it quite yet. Students have also learned that they can double the yarn when finger chaining and are making beautiful bracelets to gift to their families and friends. 

Our classroom was gifted multiple stumps this past week.  Thank you to Mr. Matan and the grades students who helped bring them over! We have been enjoying our story and snack on our new “seats.” The children also love using the stumps to build obstacle courses, which change shape each day. They collected boards and placed them on the stumps, then made their rounds balancing along the boards before taking turns making new pathways. This was a popular activity over the course of our week and it was wonderful to see the children develop their team-building capacities. 

We look forward to seeing you this Friday at the Thanksgiving Luncheon! 

Announcements and Reminders

  • Rest blankets will go home this week. Please wash them over break and return them on the day your child attends school.

Upcoming Events

  • 11/17- Thanksgiving luncheon and half-day dismissal– We invite you to join our class for a picnic lunch in our outdoor classroom on Friday, November 17th, from 11:00 - 12-00. T/Th Chickadee students and families are invited too.  Please bring lunch (and maybe a blanket) for your family.  The school will provide a sweet treat (a gluten-free/vegan option will be available). This is a half-day dismissal day.  We hope you will join us!

  • 11/20 - 24: Thanksgiving Break (No School)

  • 12/02: Prospective Family Open House: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

  • 12/07 - 08: Winter Spiral

  • 12/20: Grades Assembly - 12:00 p.m. & Last Day of Fall Semester - Half Day

Thank you for all that you do and for sharing your precious children with us. 

Peace & Light,

Ki Fatima

Kindergarten Honeybees: October 30 - November 3, 2023

Greetings Honeybees Families,

Thank you for joining us during Parent Night.  It was lovely for our early childhood classes to join together as a larger community. We hope it was a beneficial gathering that will help prepare us as we enter into the colder months.

Last week, our morning circle was composed of our Lantern Walk songs. The songs lived with us throughout the day as we would make transitions and during our lantern craft project. The children made their own lanterns using their watercolor paintings. They used scissors to cut the paper and also oiled the paper to give it a translucent effect. We folded, cut, and watched our lanterns take shape in a magical way as we turned the flat paper into a cylinder shape. The children finger-chained the handle and then we hung the finished lanterns on our platform. We look forward to lighting our lanterns and walking together with reverence through our forest. We will begin the story promptly at 6:00 pm in the sanctuary. Following the story, your family will walk with your class teacher, singing the lantern songs, along the lighted path in the forest. At the end of the walk, you will receive a piece of gingerbread (allergy-free option available as needed), and then, please maintain quiet reverence as you head home. 

On Tuesday, the children built a massive tent that could almost fit everyone from the class inside it. They worked together to hang up the cloth and silks and used clothing pins to keep it secure. A few students also put on a show for the class; they named their band (complete with a guitarist, drummer, and singer) “Out of the Halloween Verse.” Other students also put on a puppet show play and took turns sharing their own puppet play. It was lovely to witness the students take ownership and initiate these experiences for each other. On Thursday, we made a fire and had storytime and our shared snack around our bonfire. It was a lovely experience that we plan to do more often. The children rolled tires to use as seats and got very inventive with their seating arrangements, even finding wooden boards to use as trays for their lunch! 

Announcements & Reminders:

  • Please join us for the lantern walk TONIGHT at 6:00 pm (the story will begin promptly at 6:00 pm in the sanctuary, as the grades classes will be using the space by 6:30). At the end of the walk, your child will return the electric candle and take their lantern home to keep. If you are unable to attend the walk, lanterns will be sent home the next day your child attends school.

  • If you have not yet sent in your child’s winter weather change of clothes, please do so as soon as possible

  • Please remember that if it is under 50 degrees (with wind chill), students must wear a zipped coat, hat, and gloves. It feels colder in the forest, so please send these items every day.

  • Please be on time for drop off and pick up. 

Upcoming Events:

  • 11/07: Kindergarten Lantern Walk: 6 pm

  • 11/07: Grades 1 - 3 Lantern Walk: 6:30 pm 

  • 11/17: Thanksgiving Luncheon 11 am - Half Day

  • 11/20 - 24: Thanksgiving Break (No School)

  • 12/02: Open House: 10 am - 12 pm


Peace & Light,

Ki Fatima