Kindergarten Beavers: May 16 - 20

Greetings Dear Beaver Families,

Thank you all for being a part of this beautiful school year. Our class shared so many sweet memories together. We played, laughed, learned, grew, and formed strong bonds of friendship. 

While each day was special, we had two highlights.  Wednesday was a special day as we had all the students together. They enjoyed field day games like cornhole, popcorn in the parachute, and filling the bucket with water using a sponge. The children also enjoyed playing together in a new part of the creek. Stones were skipped, castles were built, and stones were collected. The last day of school was the perfect way to wrap up the year- we had popsicles, visited the farm animals, picked strawberries, and roared with laughter as Ki Derek splashed the children with the water hose. It was pure joy. 

Thank you all for sharing your precious children with us. We look forward to seeing you back in August. For those whose path is taking them somewhere new- we will miss you and wish your family well!

Have a lovely, adventurous, and relaxing Summer.

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Your child’s end of year report will be delivered to your email around mid-June. Keep a look out for this detailed, personal narrative of your child’s growth and development over the course of the school year.

Warm regards,

Ki Fatima 

Kindergarten Turtles: May 16 - 20

Greetings Turtle Families!

As our school year comes to an end, I’d like to begin this last message by saying thank you.  I have used the word “overwhelmed” many times in describing the kindness this Turtle class community has shown toward me and toward one another. On the last day of school, as we bid each other farewell, I felt overwhelmed once again. Thinking back to September, I remember the growing pains of separating from moms and dads and not quite knowing how to acclimate to the forest as a classroom.  As a group, their play at first centered at basecamp, playing with the toys there, being just a little unsure of how to venture out into the woods.  Fast forward to the end of the year and every single student runs from morning circle to their favorite place in the forest, immediately immersed in vast creative and imaginative activities.  One student remarked to me last week “Ki Amy, do you remember when we didn’t even like to go to that part of the class (pointing to all of the trees) and now we are always there!” These words are more true and beautiful than anything I could come up with myself! 

Our last week was full of adventures old and new.  The fort is still the centerpiece of the table, so to speak! They have so much pride in their work and I am full of pride watching them work and play there.  We played some organized games for field day and had some extended creek play.  They were happy to see some remnants of last week’s creek activity and were quick to get to work on various projects as soon as we arrived.  Ki Annabelle and I sat back and watched each cooperative task unfold.  

On Friday, we started the day by celebrating Hugo’s (almost) 6th Birthday.  His mom and dad and little brother were there to share fun memories and wishes for Hugo’s next trip around the sun.  We also played parachute games, shared ice pops and savored every last minute in the forest! 

Happy summer to everyone! For those returning to The Garden School next year, I wish you the best as you continue your journey in forest kindergarten or first grade.  For those embarking on new journeys, best wishes as new paths are forged :) Thank you, thank you, thank, from the very bottom of my heart for entrusting your children to my care this year.  They are such remarkable little people and I am honored to know each and every one of them. The Garden School is an incredible place - made so by the wonderful community of students and families that support our educators so fully and abundantly :)  

Kindly,

Ki Amy  

Kindergarten River Otters: May 16 - 20

Osiyo, River Otter families,

We enjoyed every minute of our last week of school. The students built forts, found forest creatures and pretended to be hurt animals riding an animal ambulance to the vet. They also did a lot of sewing and finger chaining, built with blocks, and shared time with each other. Field day was a favorite activity of the year for many students, especially the sponge relay and parachute. We also played in the creek two days in a row, and played bean bag toss, ate popsicles, and read The Book With No Pictures on field day. The Golden Knights finished their vest, sword, and crown projects and were proud to show off their hard work to their families. It was the perfect, magical week in the forest to end our beautiful school year together.

Thank you all for everything you have done for us as teachers, for the class and school, and especially for your children. Trusting us with their care and development is the highest honor I can imagine, and wherever the next year takes your family, you and your children will always be part of our Garden School family. Each of the students are special, beautiful, and unique, and have taught me so much this year. Each of them has made me a better person and teacher, and I will always remember this wonderful year in the River Otter class.

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Your child’s end of year report will be delivered to your email around mid-June. Keep a look out for this detailed, personal narrative of your child’s growth and development over the course of the school year.

Thank you for sharing your children with us, and for being part of our community. Have a wonderful summer with your families. 

Donadagohvi (‘til we meet again),

Ki Holly

Kindergarten Turtles: May 9 - 13

Greetings Turtle Families!

We played in the creek this week and it was so much fun! We took pots, pans and a basket of shells to “Kindy Beach” and thoroughly enjoyed the sand, water, and especially the clay.  We admired bowls and other sculptures that were molded from clay and left to dry by other TGS students.  A few students dug for shells and found several live tiny clams and a snail shell.  Pretty rocks were unsurfaced and washed clean, castles were built and a “lake” was made on the beach by pooling water and blocking it on all sides with sand and clay.  It was a true team effort! 

The Turtles are becoming so skilled on the swing that they look like acrobats in the circus! Sometimes they push one another or ask for teacher pushes but most often they prefer to discover new ways to spin and glide through the air independently. Group games were popular this week as the whole class was seen running through the forest, climbing to the top of the slide to “sound the alarm” and then sliding back down one after the other in adventurous pursuit.

Friday held some extra fun. We started the day celebrating Miriella’s birthday.  We shared smiles and joy as Miriella’s mom and dad recalled sweet memories from her first five trips around the sun and wishes for her sixth year. Happy Birthday, Miriella! We were then able to watch the fourth grade’s play, The Theft of Thor’s Hammer, which was amazing! The kindergarten students were captivated watching the fourth graders sing, act and play the ukulele. It was an impressive production from start to finish - Bravo! 

Reminders/Announcements: 

  • Wednesday will be FIELD DAY! We will have water games and activities set up for the children in the forest and we will spend some time in the creek.  Please send your child prepared for water play :) 

  • Friday is the last day of school! 

Kindly,

Ki Amy  

Kindergarten Beavers: May 9 - 13

Greetings Dear Beaver Families,

Beaver class enjoyed a beautiful, warm week filled with fun activities and special happenings. On Tuesday, we celebrated our dear Glen’s fifth birthday! We enjoyed hearing stories for each year of his life and sharing birthday wishes. We also got to see the first grade play which was a great joy and caused a lot of laughter as the students got to see giants being knocked over by boulders and trees. We had creekcess two days in a row which is always one of our favorite parts of the day. We found little shells, built small bowls with the blue clay discovered on the shoreline, large sand castles, lakes and canals- the children get very creative in the sand! We ended our week with more laughter as we watched the fourth grade Norse Myth play with Thor, the God of Thunder, reluctantly dressed up as a beautiful bride to be presented to a giant for marriage. 

We had a very magical moment during lunch last week as well. The previous week we were sharing about birds and how each of them have their own song and call. We did an impression of the mourning dove and asked if anyone had heard it. Some children recognized it and some did not. While we were having lunch this past week, a mourning dove perched so close to us and cooed, then flew away. We had never seen a mourning dove in our part of the forest before, and it was very special. 

Reminders: 

  • Wednesday is field day! We will spend time in the creek and have fun water games and activities set up for the children.  Please be sure the children come prepared.

  • Friday is the last day of school and will be a full day. 

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

Warmly,

Ki Fatima 

Kindergarten River Otters: May 9 - 13

Osiyo, River Otter families,

What a gorgeous spring week in the forest!  The students spent a lot of time engaging deeply with activities and enjoying their friends as the school year began to come to a close. They drew pictures, played with peg dolls, and looked at books. They discovered plants and animals around our outdoor classroom and on a nature walk. They played imaginative games such as family and kings and queens, created recipes in the mud kitchen, and built with shovels, sticks, and other forest materials. We also enjoyed picture book week, a special treat at the end of the year when we read picture books rather than telling a story before snack.

On Thursday, our class was able to enjoy our first in-the-creek play day of the spring!  The students dug, built, scooped, poured, splashed, waded, explored, and worked together at our lovely “kindy beach” on the creek. It was definitely the highlight of the week, and a great way to cool down during the warm and sunny afternoon.  Please continue to send water shoes, change of clothing, and wet bag or other bag for wet/sandy clothing each day this coming week, as we will attempt to visit the creek a couple of times.

Announcements and Reminders:

  • This Wednesday is field day!  We will be visiting the creek on this day if at all possible, and enjoy other fun group activities in the morning.

  • This Friday is the last day of the 2021/22 school year. It is a FULL DAY of school, with regular dismissal time (3:00-3:15 for kindergarten, 3:15-3:30 for grades)

  • Please continue to send water bottles and insect repellant through this week. Please also send a sun hat (ball cap works fine too) if possible, as when we are not in the forest the sun gets in our eyes and can make the students uncomfortable.

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

Gyvalieliga,

Ki Holly

Kindergarten Beavers: May 2 - 6

Greetings Dear Beaver Families, 

It was so good to be back in our forest with the children after spending the previous week at the Waldorf School of Atlanta for training. The children were deeply missed! We had a very full week together. We had creekcess two days in a row, painted flower pots for Mother’s Day, sewed beanbags, and crafted colorful wool butterflies. Ki Amy also brought us colorful chalk and the children had a lot of fun decorating and beautifying the tree stumps with them.

Students heard a story about a yellow flower bud who did not bloom all Summer long. While all the other flowers in the garden were big and beautiful, this yellow flower remained closed. Yet the flower was patient and did not complain; she admired the beauty of the other flowers and knew her time would come too. Some days were difficult, especially when the butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds would pass her by and drink nectar from the other flowers. Finally, towards the end of the summer, the yellow flower bloomed. It became the brightest and most beautiful flower in the whole garden and its nectar was the sweetest. 

Reminders:

  • Please pack sun hats! While the forest does provide plenty of shade, sun hats are useful for when we go to the creek and during pickup time on hot, sunny days. 

Thank you for all that you do! Thank you, also, for your continued support and making us teachers feel appreciated last week! We are very grateful for our community.

Warmly,

Ki Fatima 

Kindergarten Turtles: May 2 - 6

Greetings Turtle Families,

We had so much fun this week working on a special project for all of the wonderful Turtle moms.  We hope you enjoyed your heartfelt gift.  For those who were not there to complete the project, it will be sent home next week :) 

We colored with chalk in the forest, decorating some stumps and trees and observing how the rains washed everything clean overnight.   The swing and the fort continue to be the most visited places in the forest.  There is always work to be done!  At basecamp, structures were built with wooden blocks, peg dolls and sea shells.  It is fun to watch these tiny worlds unfold in their imaginations.  On Friday, we spent a bit of time inside in anticipation of storms.  We played with foam blocks, working together to build and rebuild many different versions of forts and towers. After observing from the window that the rains had held out and the sun was shining through, we packed up and finished the day outside in the forest! 

We celebrated Mia’s 5th birthday this week.  Her mom and dad shared heartfelt memories of Mia from the day she was born through all of her trips around the sun.  Happy Birthday, Mia!

Due to rain on Tuesday evening, we were not able to go into the creek on Wednesday.  The weather looks sunny this week so please send your Turtle prepared for water play.  We will go on Wednesday and possibly Friday as well. 

I was in awe this week at the generosity and thoughtfulness of Teacher Appreciation Week.  It was truly overwhelming and incredible.  All the teachers couldn’t stop talking about it all week long! We are grateful from the bottom of our hearts for all that you have done for us.  I spent time over the weekend happily adding the plants and flowers to my own garden.  Thank you so very much :) 

Reminders/Announcements: 

  • We will have field day on May 18th in our forest classroom.  We will spend time playing in the creek and playing fun games in the forest. 

  • May 20th is the last day of school - where did the time go?!

Kindly,

Ki Amy 

Kindergarten River Otters: May 2 - 6

Osiyo, River Otter families,

Thank you all so much for the amazing, thoughtful treats and gifts last week. We love that we get to be with your children each day and work alongside all of you. We appreciate you all very much!

It is hard to believe it is almost the end of the school year! We are continuing to enjoy all of the gifts Lady Spring is bringing to our forest each day. This week, along with our usual forest friends, we saw some frogs, a mole, caterpillars, a (non venomous) baby snake, as well as some goslings and ducklings with their families. A few students at the school also got to see a couple of river otters playing in the pond on campus, so we are keeping our eyes open for these playful creatures we are named after! We enjoyed a nature walk and the garden, and played in the sand at the creek as well. Even if we didn’t get wet, it was a joyful experience to play in the cooler sandy area with the sound of running water next to us.

This week’s story was about a woman named Maris (meaning ‘of the sea’) who lives on the beach collecting shells to sell at the marketplace. Maris loved the ocean like a sister, and knowing how much Maris was part of the sea, Mother Ocean gifted Maris with a baby, who she found in a large, beautiful shell and named Galia, which also means ‘of the sea’. This story inspired the students to spend a lot of time playing with and caring for our baby dolls in our classroom, made by Ki Holly and Ki Kim. They were very gentle caretakers of their babies, and this play may continue at home.

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Please send insect repellant, and apply it to your child before school each day. We are starting to see a rise in bites now that it is warmer.

  • Please send TWO FULL water bottles to school. Even the larger (20oz) water bottles aren’t enough for most children, who are working and playing hard in the warm and sunny forest.

  • Please send hard-soled, closed-toed water shoes or extra shoes that can get wet and muddy, and a full change of clothing along with a bag for wet clothes. We hope to play in the creek a few times before the end of the school year.

  • Next Wednesday is field day!  We will have no-sugar-added Outshine popsicles on this day, so please let us know if your child should not have one.

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

Gyvalieliga,

Ki Holly

Kindergarten Beavers: April 25 - 29

Greetings Dear Beaver Families,

The children did stick weaving on Monday and crafted rainbow pompoms. They also started building a new house in the back areas of the classroom and have been working on it over the course of the week, using sticks and large stones. There is a walkway to the "house" with wooden planks. By Friday afternoon the site had become a place where they were burying treasure (bits of yarn) for others to uncover. 

The students heard a story about three sisters who lived at the bottom of a dark hole.  Their names were Insy, Winsy and Tiny Mole. They lived deep underground where dark was light and day was night. There they met a worm, centipede, and snake who told them each an astonishing thing about “up there” and how there is light. Finally, Insy stuck her nose into Up Above and traveled up and up until indeed she saw the light and all the beautiful sights of Spring, as she returned deep underground she carried with her a bright yellow flower, excited to tell her sisters about her adventure in Spring. 

Reminders:

  • Creekcess is coming back! Please send hard soled, closed toed water shoes and an extra change of clothes for the remainder of the school year. Although we will only go into the creek up to our ankles, students will still likely get wet and dirty and need to change clothes. No swimsuits please. Our creek day is Tuesday. 

  • Please send insect repellant (and apply it to your child before school), two full water bottles, a sunhat if possible, and sunscreen if you would like them to wear it.

Thank you for all that you do.

Warmly,

Ki Fatima, Ki Amy, Ki Kim 

Kindergarten Turtles: April 25 - 29

Greetings Turtle Families!

What a beautiful week it was in the forest and at the farm! The fort continues to be a special place where improvements are made and sections are strengthened and repaired.  It is truly a focal point of play, all of their own creation and it has been fun and exciting to watch the adventures unfold. The Turtles have become very skilled at swinging independently and therefore we decided to move the swing to a new location.  This gives the swing even more space to spin, swing in circles, move front to back and side to side.  Some students are looking like acrobats holding silks as they even swing upside down! 

We walked silently down the farm path on Wednesday so as not to scare the turtles on the pond.  We stopped and observed them for some time, counting more than 10! We even saw some very large turtles in the marsh - a place they do not often frequent.  Once at the farm, some of the Turtles chose to run, jump and explore while others made a stick weaving craft with rainbow yarn.  The farm is so beautiful right now with plentiful green grasses for the goats and fruits and veggies growing in the well tended garden.  

Our story this week was about the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly.  The butterfly tries to find friends in springtime but he sees no one like himself.  The fairies are nice, the flowers are kind, and the gnome is grumpy - no one seems to have wings for flying quite like his own.  At last he sits on a little stick with a gray cocoon on the end and hears a gentle calling, “I will play with you!” He sees no wings and dismisses the little gray lump until the fairies come to help guide the creature from his warm resting place :) 

Reminders/Announcements:

  • On Wednesday we will go to the creek.  Please make sure you send your child with: 

    • A full change of clothes (we only wade to our ankles but they sit in the water and sand and usually end up needing to change!)

    • Water shoes with a hard sole (rain boots are ok as well but sometimes they fill up with water)

    • Sunscreen and a sunhat (if desired).  Please apply sunscreen at home if possible. 

  • Please send your child with a sweatshirt or light jacket in the morning.  The forest tends to be chilly for the first hour of the day. 

  • Please remember two full water bottles each day.

Kindly,

Ki Amy  

Kindergarten River Otters: April 25 - 29

Osiyo, River Otter families,

We enjoyed a beautiful spring week at The Garden School this week. The students continued building obstacle courses, visited the farm, played with our new activity of peg dolls and wooden house, and made crafts from their imaginations using our scrap basket. One day while the older students were at Golden Knights, the younger students had the opportunity to play in the sand near the creek. The students watered our plants, folded towels, washed our tea cups, and helped with other practical work tasks.

The students really enjoy our new morning circle song about animals waking up for the spring. We started with three animals and will add a new animal each week until the end of the school year. This circle activity helps build balance, coordination, listening skills, vocabulary, tone, crossing the midline, and a variety of muscular and movement skills. It is also helpful for building impulse control, as the students have to wait quietly until the animal wakes up. And of course, it is a lot of fun and filled with giggles when an animal suddenly awakes to the thud of a raindrop. The first verse is:

Hop said the grasshopper, hop hop hop/ Summer is coming and I just can’t stop./ All winter long I lay asleep/ and it seemed that the winter would never ever end…/ but an April raindrop fell on my nose/ and woke me up from my repose/ and now it's time to have a peek/ and see if I can find a little friend…

Announcements and Reminders:

  • CREEKCESS IS COMING!  It is becoming warm enough that we may be able to start playing at the creek. Please send hard soled, closed toed water shoes (extra athletic shoes that are ok to get wet and muddy are fine too) and an extra change of clothes for the rest of the school year. Although we will only go into the creek up to our ankles, students will still likely get wet and dirty and need to change clothes. No swimsuits please. Our creek day is Thursday, however we may have the opportunity to visit the creek on other occasions as well.

  • Please send insect repellant (and apply it to your child before school), two full water bottles, a sunhat if possible (baseball caps work too), and sunscreen if you would like them to wear it.

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

Warm regards,

Ki Holly

Kindergarten Beavers: April 18 - 22

Greetings Dear Beaver Families,

Last week was warm and beautiful and the green in our forest is ever growing. Students were busy as usual. They made a jump rope swing hanging off their favorite climbing tree. They organized a game where they practiced tossing stones into a bucket and took turns to see who could get them into the goal. Fishing poles were made with sticks and yarn, and acorn fish were caught. We planted sweet peas and were very happy to see two of the sunflower seeds we planted sprouted. We introduced a basket of crystals and seashells to our class. The children enjoyed organizing them by shape and color and listening to the sounds inside some of them- sometimes an ocean, sometimes a frog! 

This week the children heard a story about a kind, old woman who loved to grow flowers all year round. Her favorite flowers of all were tulips, and she would walk up and down her garden bed until she would see their green heads emerge from the ground. She loved to admire their beautiful colors. One night as she was gazing at the tulips from outside her bedroom window, the woman heard a strange but beautiful sound. Upon listening carefully she realized it was the sound of pixies dancing. She quietly made her way outside to watch them but kept her distance as pixies do not like to be seen. She enjoyed their dance and song, but it was getting past her bedtime. As the old woman made her way up the garden path, she gazed at her beautiful tulips, upon further inspection she noticed that inside each tulip there was a sleeping pixie baby, and as the wind blew it would rock them back and forth. The old woman was charmed and loved her tulips even more. 

Reminders:

  • I will be observing at the Waldorf School of Atlanta as part of my teacher training for the entirety of the week. Ki Amy & Ki Kim will be taking care of our class while I am away.

  • Days are warming up- please be sure to pack two water bottles!

Thank you for helping at our community work day on Saturday. We accomplished much on campus and we appreciate all your help 🌷

The school auction this year was a beautiful event and we thank everyone who spent their time and energy to make it happen! 

Warmly,

Ki Fatima

Kindergarten Turtles: April 18 - 22

Greetings Turtle Families! 

The new fort has been completed and it is amazing! There is a big sturdy log that the children climb to sit on top of the fort.  There is plenty of room for at least two friends to sit inside.  This new structure was the central component of play adventures this week.  It is sturdily built and it was impressive to watch the process unfold as they collaborated, listened to one another’s ideas and made room for everyone in their special “club.” Go Turtles! 

We took a craft to the farm this week and strung necklaces with yarn and beads.  Our new skein of rainbow yarn is soft and fuzzy and feels like wool but the children were surprised to learn that it was made from recycled plastic!  On our way to and from the farm, we walked silently and counted nine turtles! The mud kitchen was busy with lots of “poisonous” stews and potions, which were stirred and blended and then poured into the large mud mound.  We played with beeswax, using our hands to warm the hard pieces until they became soft and moldable. 

We are working on a fun new circle activity that challenges the children to jump and cross their feet in different directions while saying a fun rhyme.  See if your Turtle can do it for you :)

Pitty patty polt

Shoe my little colt

Here a nail

There a nail

Pitty patty polt

Thank you so much for supporting our school at Auction on Friday evening.  We appreciate all of the love and hard work that it takes from the community to make the event a success.  It was extra lovely to spend time chatting and socializing with all of the wonderful Turtle parents who were able to join us in person :) Thank you! 

Reminders: 

  • Please send two full bottles of water with your child each day as the warmer weather calls for more water breaks! 

Kindly,

Ki Amy 

Kindergarten River Otters: April 18 - 22

Osiyo, River Otter families,

Thank you to everyone for your attendance and help with the auction. It was a beautiful, fun, fantastic event to help support our school.

The students had a wonderful week with Ki Kim and Ki Becca. The week was filled with building and magic. Students worked hard building forts, bridges, obstacle courses, and simple machines. They also made a home for their carpenter bee friends, Woody and Zoomy. The forest was filled with warrior princesses and wizards this week, with magic wands and special powers, along with kitties and cooks at the kitty restaurant. The class also made beautiful gods-eyes with sticks and yarn, and brought them home.

I also had a lovely week with the Snapdragon class at the Waldorf School of Atlanta, though I missed our students greatly and am happy to return. I am excited to bring a few new ideas to class, along with a beautiful small wooden play house gifted to me by my supervising teacher. We will be adding a song to our spring morning circle this week, too!

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Please continue to remember to send your child dressed in layers, with a full change or 2 of seasonally appropriate clothing, and two full water bottles.

  • As we head into the middle of spring, please start sending insect repellent of your choice with your child. Please apply it before school, and we will apply again later in the day if needed.

  • Please also send a sun hat for your child,as it will help protect them from the sun and also help protect their faces.

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

Gyvalieliga,

Ki Holly

Kindergarten Turtles: April 11 - April 15

Greetings Turtle Families!

We had a busy and exciting week in the forest! A group of students are working diligently and cleverly on a new fort.  The fort is made of sticks, planks of wood and a special “glue” made with the perfect mix of dirt and water.  From vision to fruition, every aspect was built entirely on their own.  Finishing touches include a door and a homemade birdhouse just outside the entrance :) We did some handwork, including beaded necklaces, finger chaining, finger knitting and some basic sewing with embroidery thread, buttons and felt.  We’ve added some smooth pieces of blue and clear sea glass and sea shells to our basecamp toys, which were explored with much enthusiasm and creativity this week! 

We’ve added a short spring song to our circle that allows us to practice moving together in a circle in three different ways.  Students were heard humming and singing the new song as they played and imagined throughout the week.  We experimented with different heights for our sensory swing.  Hanging the swing on a higher loop allows for higher swinging but requires a pusher.  Hanging it lower allows for independent swinging and spinning while holding the stretchy fabric in different and varied ways.  Both ways are fun and exciting! 

I hope to see all of you at our second annual Hope Blooms Auction on Friday.  Thank you for all of your support in planning, donating and organizing this event so far. It is a wonderful opportunity to support our school while building community and browsing an amazing collection of handmade crafts, artisan items and experiences!

Reminders:

  • Hope Blooms Auction is this Friday, April 22nd at 5:30pm! As a reminder: this is an adults only event.

Kindly,

Ki Amy  

Kindergarten River Otters: April 11 - April 15

Osiyo, River Otter families,

It was so great to see everyone back at school after Spring Break, and it was a peaceful week in the forest. The students spent much of the week engaged in imaginative play in a large group. They were superheroes, cats, chefs, firefighters, families, and construction workers. They built forts, playgrounds, and obstacle courses. We also got to visit the garden where the animals were happy to see our return. Students were able to pet the chickens, goats, and donkeys, and we even found two eggs in the chicken coop!

We spent a few days working on our class project for the upcoming auction. Thank you so much to Brittany (Elijah’s mom) for organizing and Dan (Elijah’s dad) for expertly building our butterfly house. The students decorated the wood house with colorful fingerprint butterflies, affixed pennies to decorate the roof, and sealed and polished the house with beeswax. They worked hard and created a beautiful, functional butterfly house. We can’t wait to see you all (grownups only) at the auction Friday evening!  It is so much fun, and you will get to see and bid on all of the amazing items including our class project. There will also be a delicious taco bar (with great vegan options). I will be there as the pocket lady, so stop by to say hello and choose a mystery prize!

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Dressing in layers is important this time of year. It gets warm in the afternoons, and is chilly in the mornings. Please have your child bring at least a light jacket or sweatshirt in their backpack on warm mornings, as it is cooler in the forest.

  • Please send TWO FULL water bottles with your child every day. As it gets warmer, they drink a lot more water.

  • Our insect friends are starting to return to the forest. It is a good time to start sending insect repellant with your child, as it will be needed soon.

  • The Hope Blooms auction is THIS FRIDAY from 5:30-9:00pm. You can get your tickets (which include dinner and drinks!) at fundraiser.support/hopeblooms. As a reminder: it is an adults only event.

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

Gyvalieliga,

Ki Holly

Kindergarten Beavers: April 11 - April 15

Greetings Dear Beaver Families,

We enjoyed some lovely Spring weather last week. The forest was buzzing with activity and there was a lot of excitement as we spotted caterpillars crawling around our platform and trees. On Wednesday, we took a nature walk and sat by the pond for story time. There were two geese nearby who kept inching closer to us as if listening in. 

Thank you all for participating in our felted class auction project. The finished product looks beautiful and we were able to enjoy it hanging in our classroom over the course of the week. The children had fun finding their flowers on the piece and observing all the different shapes and colors. 

We shared a Spring story about a mama bird who worked with great love and care to build a fine nest for her chicks, she searched for the most perfect twigs and decorated her nest with pieces of colorful yarn. Finally, she laid three eggs. When the eggs showed their first signs of hatching, mama bird quickly went to gather food. Upon returning to her nest, she found two of the eggs had hatched but the third egg was no longer. She fed the newly hatched chicks and then searched far and wide for the third. Finally, she came upon a giant rock with a boa constrictor sitting in front of it. She panicked and flew behind the rock where she found pieces of broken egg shells. She wept because she thought the snake had eaten her young, but when she heard a chirping, she turned around and found her third chick was right behind her. The chick had such a strong beak, as it was trying to hatch, it fell out of its nest, fell down the tree, rolled down the hill, and tumbled across the forest floor until it bumped into the large rock and hatched. The baby bird explained that the snake said she would stand guard until her mama came and sure enough she did. Mama bird thanked the boa constrictor and together mama and baby flew back to their nest. 

Reminders:

  • Our School Auction is this Friday! Please join us for a beautiful event showcasing all the beautiful projects our classes and families have been working on.  As a reminder: it is an adults only event.

  • The following Saturday, April 23 is a Community workday. Our Beavers class is hosting this work day so please plan on attending.

  • Friday, May 6 is a half-day.

  • I will be observing at the Waldorf School of Atlanta next week as part of my teacher training. Ki Amy and Ki Kim will be taking care of our class that week. 

Thank you for all that you do!

Warmly,

Ki Fatima 

Kindergarten Beavers: March 28 - April 1

Greetings Dear Beaver Families,

It was wonderful to see everyone together at Grand Friends tea and to meet family members. Thank you for joining us. It was the perfect way to wrap up the week before Spring break. 

We had fun preparing our classroom to receive our special guests. We set up a little table in the mud kitchen, and now that we have a running source of water (when it rains!), the children collected the pots and pans and washed and polished them until they were sparkling clean. Some children raked pathways.  We also planted sunflower seeds in a large pot and watered all our flowers and seedlings. The students also discovered clay in the area where the brook is and rolled pieces of clay into balls and made little clay bowls. It’s so enriching to witness the offerings of our forest as the seasons change. It helps us grow a sense of reverence for it as we learn from and care for our space. 

Our story last week was about a small but mighty and brave little ant named Smoosh. He received his name because he accidentally got smooshed one day and ever since, he walked slower than all the other ants in the colony. He couldn’t keep up with the other ants, who worked day and night carrying food back and forth to their kingdom. One day, as their food supply was running low, Smoosh decided to be brave, leave their underground palace and head outside into the forest floor to find some food. There, he was met with huge insects and creatures, who ultimately helped him collect food. Ask your child how the insects of the forest helped Smoosh save his kingdom. 

Have a wonderful Spring break! Thank you for sharing your precious children with us. 🌻

Reminders:

  • No school this week for Spring Break

  • Friday, April 22nd is a half-day and our Annual Fundraiser.

Warmly,

Ki Fatima 

Kindergarten Turtles: March 28 - April 1

Greetings Turtle Families!

The Turtles enjoyed our new sensory swing this week! After just a few lessons of how to climb in and push one another, the children have assumed all responsibilities on their own.  They even decide how long each turn should be and they help one another on and off the swing. The newest stick fort was completed this week and became an important part of many adventure games, particularly one involving “diamond power!” We spent time at drop off each morning looking at a large collection of seashells, examining the different shapes, talking about what may have lived inside, and holding the shells to our ears to hear the ocean. This new interest in shells inspired the bracelets and necklaces we made with wooden beads and pretty shells. :) 

It was so lovely to see everyone at Grand Friends Tea! We were so happy to welcome parents and grandparents into our magical forest classroom.  The children were SO excited for their family members to see our space and it was delightful to watch them excitedly and proudly giving tours! Community building is so important to our school and we are so thankful for family members who traveled from near and far to attend.

I stumbled upon a quote (from a teabag nonetheless!) that placed a smile on my face and hopefully it will do the same for you: 

How strange that Nature does not knock, yet does not intrude!

-Emily Dickinson

Reminders:

  • Please return your ladybug/bumble rocks when we come back from break :)   

  • No school this week for Spring Break

  • Friday, April 22nd is a half-day and our Annual Fundraiser.

Have a lovely break! 

Ki Amy