Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds: October 21 - 25, 2024

Dear Hummingbird Families,

The Hummingbirds enjoyed a peaceful week in the forest last week. Our rakes and leaf piles have become the primary interest of the group in our outdoor classroom. If you find hay and leaf particles in your child’s hair after school, know that it’s only the result of some giggly fall free play! The children also found a lot of joy in tying pine cones to yarn, hanging them around the forest, and pretending to push their pinecone friends on their yarn swings. Last week, we introduced a charming story about the magic star that can be found inside each apple. A fun way to connect with your child this week would be to cut an apple in two and have them show you where the secret star lives.

This week, we will be learning a new song, My Lantern, which will be sung during our upcoming Lantern Walk. We will also be working on turning one of each student’s watercolor paintings into a bright, shining lantern. As the days grow shorter and darker this season, we will make a subtle shift in our daily activities, stories, and themes as we focus on each child’s inner light. If your child enjoys reading with you, you might consider adding one of these two books about inner light to your home library or checking to see if your local library carries them: 

A Little Light by Andrew Newman

The Light Within by Krystaelynne Sanders


Announcements and Reminders for Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds:

  • 11/01: Teacher in Service (No School)

  • 11/06 & 11/08: JB Indoor Lantern Walk from 12:00-12:15 p.m. Thank you to our families that volunteered for set-up and clean-up! 

  • 11/12: Early Childhood Curriculum Night at 6:00 p.m.


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

With gratitude,

Ki Alycia and Ki Angela 

Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds: October 14 - 18, 2024

Dear Hummingbird Families,

Thank you to all who joined us for both the Community Meeting and the Kingdom of Halloween! Seasonal festivals and events are integral to Waldorf education and offer a roadmap for rhythm throughout the year. These celebratory moments and gatherings help students and the community develop a deeper understanding of the natural cycles of the earth. Thank you for your participation!

The cooler temperatures were enjoyed by all last week as we worked diligently on our most elaborate class project yet: a life-size scarecrow for our outdoor classroom. It was lovely to see the children’s eyes light up as the pile of old clothes and bales of hay started to take form and come to life before their eyes. The class worked hard to stuff hay into arms and legs and it took all of us to lift our scarecrow friend off the ground as he ended up being a bit larger than we had imagined! Plenty of laughs and squeals were shared as we admired our work and gathered around the finished creation to sing Dingle Dangle Scarecrow together. After our hard work, a few students expressed they were ready to head inside and enjoy some warm soup. Several Hummingbird friends tried our shared soup for the first time! 

Next week, we will introduce a new seasonal story, The Star Apple and the children will work on crafting their lanterns for our Lantern Walk. We look forward to settling in further to these cooler months and watching as the environment and seasons organically shape and shift the children’s play.

Announcements and Reminders for Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds:

  • 11/01 Teacher In-Service (No School)

  • 11/06 & 11/08 JB Indoor Lantern Walk from 12:00-12:15 p.m.

  • 11/12: Early Childhood Curriculum Night at 6:00 p.m

  • Keeping young children’s hands and feet warm is important in cold weather in the forest; water-resistant gloves/mittens and wool socks are recommended in winter, as well as plenty of layers! 

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

With gratitude,

Ki Alycia and Ki Angela

Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds: October 7 - 11, 2024

Dear Hummingbird Families,

Thank you all for taking the time to meet last week for conferences! It was special to take time to focus on each individual child, and I enjoyed speaking with all of you.

The slow shift into Autumn has been enjoyed by all in the forest. The changing of seasons brings fresh, new energy to the class. Now that all of the children are well accustomed to circle time, our new Autumn songs and movements have really come to life. One day last week, a few children created a makeshift stage with chairs and stools on our platform and performed their rendition of our circle songs for teachers. It was really special! We also enjoyed painting maple and oak leaves with red watercolor paint, raking and jumping in piles of leaves, and, per a child’s suggestion, coloring the children’s impression of fairies in their nature journals.

This week, we are looking forward to even cooler temperatures and more seasonal fun! We will be making our very own scarecrows to adorn our outdoor classroom. The children are especially excited about this activity in light of our silliest circle time song about a scarecrow with a flippy, floppy hat. We are also looking forward to celebrating Hazel’s third birthday! 

Announcements and Reminders for Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds:

  • Temperatures are cooling, and mornings in the forest are chilly. Consider plenty of layers when dressing your child, as the afternoon sun is still warm. 

  • A few families have brought in apple donations for our morning “bite” after circle time. Thank you! The children are usually very proud when they know their apple is being shared with the class. Apple donations are always welcome!

  • Kingdom of Halloween is right around the corner! This is a really special school festival that you won’t want to miss. Although our class does not run a booth at the event, we strongly encourage all of our families that are able to sign up and volunteer in some capacity. Please reference the Gardenl Messenger for volunteer opportunities. All volunteer efforts for this event count towards your volunteer hours for the year! Please reach out with any questions.


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

With gratitude,

Ki Alycia and Ki Angela

Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds: October 1 - 4, 2024

Dear Hummingbird Families,

It was wonderful to be together again last week! The forest changed so much while we were away on break. We had a lovely time spotting newly sprouted mushrooms, admiring impressive spiderwebs, and sweeping piles of colorful leaves off our platform. Our circle time was especially cheerful as we introduced new seasonal songs. A class favorite so far is The Winds. The children have the opportunity to explore the full range of their vocal volume in this song as they experiment with whispering and shouting like the wind. For this song, we also use silks to add some texture to the movements. The words are as follows:

The little winds, they whisper,

Whisper as they pass.

They tell their tiny secrets to the flowers and the grass.

The big winds go out buffeting and blustering about.

The little winds, they whisper,

But the big winds shout!

The little winds, they whisper,

But the big winds shout!

This week, we will enjoy the telling of Winifred and the Golden Cat during storytime. First introduced last week, this is a cheerful story about a young girl who, with the help of Autumn Wind, finds her lost golden kitty sleeping beneath a pile of red and orange leaves. We will also experiment with red watercolor paint for the first time this year! 

Announcements and Reminders for Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds:

  • This Thursday will be a school wide early release day due to conferences. For Joyful Beginnings, pick up time is 12:00-12:15 p.m. on Thursday, October 10.

  • There is no school on Friday, October 11, as conferences take place. 

  • The children are working hard at school to master taking on and off their own shoes! There are several transitions throughout the day that necessitate a change of shoes. There is no rush or pressure for children at this age to do this perfectly but we do ask that parents partner with teachers in practicing this skill at home as well. It will take lots of reps and encouragement to get it down!


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


With gratitude,

Ki Alycia and Ki Angela

Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds: September 16 - 20, 2024

Dear Hummingbird Families,

We hope all of you had a rich, restful Fall Break. It was lovely to see all of the children’s smiling faces back at school today!

Just before break, the whole school enjoyed a full, fun week as the older grades celebrated Day of Courage with a knighting ceremony, homemade bread bowls and stew, and special capes hand-dyed with marigolds! Our Hummingbirds were not directly aware of these festivities but the energy was felt throughout the campus. These themes and festivities were held more subtly in our classroom as we shared our dragon story in the form of a puppet show and watercolor painted golden crowns of courage. Each child had a special moment standing in front of their classmates as their crown was placed on their head by a teacher and all the children and teachers stated, “ (child’s name) is brave and kind and true.”

We also had a very special time celebrating Rachel’s 3rd birthday just before the break. Happy Birthday, Rachel!

As we ease back into the rhythms of the school day, this week will bring an added degree of simplicity. We will opt for slower walks, longer hugs, and plenty of unhurried free play. Returning to school after a week away is a significant transition for children, especially at this age. One of the best ways we can support them through that is by offering extra space, time, and opportunities for connection. Sometimes that looks like opting out of a planned activity! 

That said, we will introduce our new Autumn Circle this week. We look forward to learning a handful of new seasonal songs, verses, and movements together!

Announcements and Reminders for Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds:

  • If you have not yet joined the Hummingbird Group Me chat, please do so! Erin Laman, our class rep, will be communicating important information through that channel. If you need the QR code to join, please let us know!

  • The children are working hard at school to master taking on and off their own shoes! There are several transitions throughout the day that necessitate a change of shoes. There is no rush or pressure for children at this age to do this perfectly but we do ask that parents partner with teachers in practicing this skill at home as well. It will take lots of reps and encouragement to get it down!

  • 10/10-10/1:1 Fall Conferences (adults only). Please sign up here. If you need a different time, please let me know.

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

With gratitude,

Ki Alycia and Ki Angela

Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds: September 9 - 13, 2024

Dear Hummingbird Families,

Our class has been thoroughly enjoying the soft shift of the seasons! Last week we watched spiky caterpillars eat entire leaves right before our eyes, collected red and yellow leaves in our nature baskets, and even got to experience the quintessential childhood joy of puddle jumping with friends. Throughout the week, our seasonal focus on inner courage was subtly introduced through both storytelling and art. The children heard a tale about a brave creature who challenges a grumpy dragon and saves a beautiful garden by simply shining the bright light in his heart. We also painted golden crowns of courage that we will adorn this week with leaves and other forest treasures. 

This week, we will build upon our theme of inner courage by decorating a class card to honor and thank veterans. To frame this activity in a developmentally appropriate context, this gesture will be explained to the children as a gift for brave helpers in our community. These cards will be dropped off at the Cherokee County Parks and Recreation office over Fall Break for distribution through their Cards for Vets program. We will also complete our crown of courage project and the children will bring their creations home!

As we inch towards Fall Break, we will conclude some of the elements of our “late summer” circle and take a few final trips to our imaginary “Lily Pond.” Upon returning to school after the break, we will introduce a few new seasonal songs and movements to our circle! 


Announcements and Reminders for Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds:

  • This Friday is an early release day for all students. For Joyful Beginnings students, that means pick-up is from 12:00-12:15 p.m.

  • Thank you for sending in your fruits and vegetables each week. As a reminder, students who attend school Monday through Wednesday should bring a vegetable to school each Monday for our vegetable soup on Wednesdays. Students who attend school on Thursday and Friday should bring fruit to school each Thursday for our shared fruit salad. 

  • Apple donations are always welcome throughout the week! Our Hummingbirds love their morning “bites.” 

  • Temperatures are cooling, and mornings can be chilly in the forest. Please add a long-sleeved shirt or light zip-up sweater to your child’s backpack. 

  • Fall Conferences are on October 10th and 11th and will be held at school. Please sign up here.


With gratitude,

Ki Alycia and Ki Angela

Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds: September 2 - September 6, 2024

Dear Hummingbird Families,

Thank you all for attending Curriculum Night! It was a joy to share Circle time together and discuss the beauty and power of rhythm both at school and at home. We look forward to continuing the conversation throughout the rest of the year. We are grateful that our Hummingbird community is made up of such warm, supportive caregivers!

Last week brought cooler temperatures and welcomed breezes. The children seemed to especially enjoy the early autumn gusts, and many giggles were shared as they ran around our Hummingbird Nest, declaring, “Windy, windy!” The children enjoyed last week’s story, Bear Hugs in the form of a puppet show, experimented with cool blue watercolor paint, and were thrilled to see the chickens out of the coop and exploring the farm alongside them. 

This week, we will introduce a new story, Little Squirrel and the Mysterious Knocking, and students will begin painting and constructing their very own “crowns of courage.” During our weekly nature walk, they will collect items from the forest floor to adorn their crowns.

Announcements and Reminders for Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds

  • Thank you for sending in your fruits and vegetables each week. As a reminder, students who attend school Monday through Wednesday should bring a vegetable to school each Monday for our vegetable soup on Wednesdays. Students who attend school on Thursday and Friday should bring a fruit to school each Thursday for our shared fruit salad.

  • As discussed at Curriculum Night, families are invited to join us at school to celebrate their child’s birthday. Families may join the class on the day of the celebration from 11:30 a.m. to dismissal. We will share a special birthday story, and the family is welcome to bring a special snack to share with the class. We will remind each family about the dietary restrictions in our class as your child’s birthday approaches.

  • Temperatures are cooling, and mornings can be chilly in the forest. Please add a long-sleeved shirt or light zip-up sweater to your child’s backpack.

With gratitude,

Ki Alycia and Ki Angela 

Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds: August 26 - 30, 2024

Dear Hummingbird Families,

Our little explorers braved their way through another beautiful and very warm week last week. As a class, we enjoyed feeding our leftover apple slices and veggies from the week to the goats, nature drawing on our platform, and experimenting with wet on wet watercolor painting for the first time! Many of our students really enjoyed the experience of painting with bright yellow and came back to school the next day asking when they would paint again. Perhaps the most endearing part of the week was watching as the children fully participated in circle time - singing, dancing, moving, and smiling from start to finish. A class favorite from our summer circle is singing “Lily Pond.” The children especially love curling up on the platform at the start of the song as they sing:

In a lily pond, I lay,
All upon a summer's day.
Then I chased a dragonfly,
All across an ancient sky.
Falling with a thousand stars,
Down the Milky Way to Mars.
Back again in time for day,
In a lily pond, I lay.

This week, we are looking forward to cooler temperatures and introducing an extra ingredient in our mud kitchen - water! You may find evidence of slightly messier play on shoes and socks at the end of the day. We are looking forward to seeing you all at Curriculum Night tonight. It should be a rich evening of sharing, discussion, and even some singing!

Announcements and Reminders for the Hummingbirds:

  • JB Hummingbird drop-off is from 8:45 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. While we understand some of our families have older siblings who are dropped off before that time, please wait to bring your children to the playground until 8:45 a.m. During the time leading up to drop-off, we are preparing for our day before our sweet Hummingbirds arrive. 

  • Curriculum night is tonight! We will see you all at 6:00 p.m. at the picnic tables. Caregivers only, please!

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

With gratitude,
Ki Alycia and Ki Angela

Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds: August 19 - 23, 2024

Dear Hummingbird Families,

Last week was a wonderful time of settling in and truly getting to know the personalities of our Hummingbirds, both individually and as a class. We sprinkled in a few new activities that are now here to stay as part of our weekly rhythm: a nature/treasure walk as well as the practical work of fruit and veggie chopping. It was special to see the children explore a new part of the forest as they collected sticks, stones, and other “ordinary” forest objects that caught their eye. After placing these items into their baskets with care, some of the children proudly shared their findings with their classmates at the end of our walk. If you’re looking for ways to spend more time with your children in nature, try heading out to a field or trail with some baskets and simply follow their lead! 

This week will bring color and more furry friends as we introduce both watercolor painting as well as a new story, Bear Hugs. The children will practice wet on wet water color painting with sunshiney yellow on Tuesday and Friday. As the children complete paintings and drawings, they will be stored in their art journals and sent home periodically throughout the year as they fill the pages.

Announcements and Reminders for the Hummingbirds:

  • Please remember to send your child to school with a vegetable on Monday and a fruit on Thursday. 

  • We hope to have 100% participation for our Joyful Beginnings Curriculum night on September 3rd from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. This is a child-free parent gathering where parents will get to participate in a circle time and learn more about the how and why of different components of the school day. 

  • Please send your child to school each day with full, labeled water bottles.

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

With gratitude,
Ki Alycia and Ki Angela

Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds: August 12 - 16, 2024

Dear Hummingbird Families,

Our lovely Hummingbirds fluttered their way through the first week of school with much grace, resilience, and curiousity. After only a few days’ time, it is wonderful to see how the daily rhythm of the class provides a sturdy, reliable foundation from which they can freely play and explore. This week the children met a special classroom friend, “Sherman”. Sherman is our beloved swallow bird who flies ahead of the children as we transition into and out of the forest each day. Many of the children have become endeared to him already and sweetly greet him each day before we set off to “Follow the Swallow” to our Hummingbird nest amongst the trees. 

Other highlights from this week included our Tuesday and Friday visits to the farm. This week, we greeted our animal friends from the fence and observed their different sounds and movements as the children familiarized themselves with that environment. Indoors, the children put their creativity on display as they made an initial entry in their seasonal art notebooks with beeswax crayon drawings. They also kneaded, rolled, and “baked” with homemade playdough.

This week, the children will hear the Bunny’s Tale during storytime. This sweet story about a bunny learning to love her short, fluffy tail was introduced last week and with additional repetition, will really begin to come alive to the children this week. We anticipate the highlight of the week will be engaging with the farm animals up close as we venture past the gate and into the farm. Another new addition this week is our shared snack, served daily alongside snack items brought from home. As a reminder, we will enjoy gluten free crackers on Mondays, rice on Tuesdays, vegetable soup on Wednesdays, fruit on Thursdays, and rice cakes with fruit spread on Fridays. 

Announcements and Reminders for the Hummingbirds:

  • If your child attends school Monday through Wednesday, please send a vegetable to chop for soup each Monday. 

  • If your child attends school Thursday and Friday, please send a fruit to chop for fruit salad each Thursday.

  • Please consider the best option of bug repellent for your child. There are many natural bug sprays available and bug bands are another great option for children with sensitive skin. We want our Hummingbirds to be comfortable and free to play in the forest!

  • Consider creating a short, goodbye ritual with your child for morning drop-off. As we all know, it can be hard for our tiny friends to part with their grown ups. A special handshake or thoughtful, consistent exchange of words can help to smooth the bumpiness of that transition. 

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

With gratitude,
Ki Alycia and Ki Angela

Joyful Beginnings Hummingbirds: August 5 - August 9, 2024

Dear Hummingbird Families,

It is my pleasure to officially welcome you to the 2024-2025 school year at the Garden School! It was wonderful to see you all at our Meet & Greet last Friday. During our time together, we toured our indoor and outdoor spaces, explored our daily & weekly rhythms, and discussed school day details such as drop off and pick up, snack, class allergies, etc. If you were unable to attend or have lingering questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. 

The first day of school is behind us! We understand that dropping off your tiny treasures on that first day can be emotional for everyone so a “kudos” is in order. You did it! We hope both you and your child feel proud as you bravely step into a new season as a family. As we navigate the first week of school, simplicity is the name of the game. We will be working to establish our daily rhythms as a class and build trusting relationships through the shared experiences of eating, playing, and tidying together. We will visit the farm and learn how to share time and space with our animal friends there. We will introduce new songs as part of our summer circle, including a native Cherokee good morning song, and we will hear a special story about a few furry woodland friends. 

Announcements and Reminders for the Hummingbirds:

  • Drop-off is from 8:45 - 9:00 a.m. at the small gated playground. If you arrive after this time, please call the front desk so your child can be signed up and brought to join the class. 

  • Pick-up is from 12:15 - 12:30 p.m. at the door of our indoor classroom. Ki Angela will let you into the building at the door furthest from the playground.

  • Please apply bug spray before your child arrives at school each day. We will be spending a significant amount of the morning in the forest and during these warmer months, there are plenty of flying/buzzing friends. We will reapply as needed!

  • Our classroom this year is nut-free. Please avoid sending your child to school with any food items containing peanuts or tree nuts. Sunflower seed, pumpkin seed, and hemp seed butters are wonderful alternatives as well as coconut. Thank you in advance for accommodating to help keep our class safe and healthy!

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

With gratitude,
Ki Alycia and Ki Angela