Kindergarten Turtles: April 15 - 19, 2024

Greetings, Turtle Families,

What a lovely Spring week.  The temperatures were warm in the afternoon, and the children were so happy to wear shorts and short sleeves!  Our class spent time at the creek on Monday and Tuesday and truly enjoyed playing in the water and the sand.  The creek and beach have been unexplored all winter, so there was storm clean-up to do, but the children were diligent helpers, and we had the beach cleaned up in no time. The children excavated and built with sand and sticks.  Some children spent time making waterfalls, while others made a “water park for Water Striders” (the little bugs that scoot across the top of the water). We look forward to many days at the creek before the end of the school year.  Please check your child's backpack for wet clothes each night and send in a new change of clothes when wet ones come home.

Our auction project is complete and turned in.  Thank you to everyone for helping with it!  It was truly a whole-class community effort.  The children had an opportunity to play with it on our platform this week before we turned it in for the auction for a little quality assurance testing 😀.  The children all said it was fun to play with. 

Below is another verse from our circle that the children enjoy.  When we do this verse, the children hook arms with a partner and walk in circles while the bird gathers straw and feathers to build its nest.  This was a difficult activity when we first began, but with practice, they are all able to do this without assistance now.

A bird sat in the willow tree
And sang a song so sweet for me
She hopped and hopped so merrily,
Then flew away, tra lee tra lee.
I watched her bring back straw and feather,
She wove it in and out together,
She worked all day and did not rest,
Until she made her sturdy nest.
She sat upon that nest so long,
And only sometimes sang a song.
One day, there were four babies there,
Now, she sits in the willow tree,
She sings her song, but not for me....

We are looking forward to seeing you at the annual fundraiser on Friday!

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

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

Grace and Peace,

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: April 8 - 12, 2024

Greetings, Turtle Families,

We had a wonderful week in our outdoor classroom.  It was rainy at times, but Spring has truly arrived.  Our kale, Swiss chard, and gladiolas started growing over the break, and it is exciting to see them get bigger each day! 

The children felted soap this week.  We wrapped a bar of soap in wool roving, fluffing it out and wrapping it one way and then the other until we couldn’t see any soap through the fluffy wool.  Then, we poured hot water on it until the fiber was very wet.  Next, the children turned the bar in their hands, rubbing each side over and over again until the wool felted, conforming to the shape of the bar.  The children enjoyed this activity as their hands got super sudsy, and they could smell the clean fragrance of the soap. They each brought their bar home in a Ziplock bag.  These bars can be used at bath time or for hand washing; just sit them somewhere they can dry between each use.

Mr. Matan visited our class on Wednesday with a project. The children worked with him to saw logs into segments.  They used the hand drill to make holes in some of the segments. It is exciting to use the hand tools and do purposeful work.  The children’s pride was evident, and a few of them were eager to keep working even when we had to transition to another part of our day.  We will continue working on this project over the coming weeks.  

Another favorite song from our new circle is My Lady Spring.  Already, we hear the children humming and singing it as they play.

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. 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 cannot predict what layers will feel most comfortable. Additionally, students must have full rain gear and rain boots every day. The outdoor classroom remains wet for several days after rain.

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

  • Please send close-toed, hard-soled shoes for Creekcess.

Upcoming Events:

  • 4/23 Third 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

  • 5/01 Second Grade class play

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

Grace and Peace,

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: March 25 - 29, 2024

Greetings, Turtle Families,

We hope you all enjoyed a restful Spring break! The week before the break was a busy one.  It was lovely to have all of the Grandfriends join us on Friday.  The children were so excited to host all of the visitors in our class, and everyone had a lovely afternoon.

On Monday, we had windy weather, so we could not be in our forest classroom.  This allowed us to explore some areas of campus where we don’t usually spend a lot of time.  We spent a couple of hours in the clearing by the farm, and the children wasted no time finding fun things to do.  They created a pirate ship from a hollowed-out tree trunk, they hopped across large rocks, and they dug small rocks/treasures out of a hole in the ground.  Some students found a shady spot and played clapping games.  Their imaginations and playful spirits allow them to create fun wherever they are. On Tuesday, the thunderstorms kept us inside, and we folded window stars together. Afterwards, the children spent time making and decorating paper airplanes. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were beautiful spring outdoor days and we made the most of them 

We finished up our Early Spring Circle before the break and will be starting a new circle this week.  This circle has a cooperative activity called Little Bird Fly Through My Window that the children enjoy.  

Little bird, little bird

fly through my window. 

Little bird, little bird 

fly through my window. 

Little bird, little bird 

fly through my window. 

Oh, molasses candy.


Announcements and Reminders:

  • Please send closed-toe, hard-sole water shoes for creekcess. 

  • Dress for the weather with layers and send in full rain gear daily (raincoat, rain pants, and boots)

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

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 children with us and for being a part of our community.

Grace and Peace,

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: March 18 - 22, 2024

Greetings, Turtle Families,

Thank you to everyone who came to the park on Saturday to help finish our wooden toys for the auction. They are beautiful and unique. It took many little hands, big hands, and lots of love. When you look at them, you can see the teamwork and care that went into them. We are excited to present them at auction, and whoever gets to take them home will have loads of fun playing with them!

The weather in the forest was very Springy!  The children enjoyed planting seeds and bulbs in pots and planters.  One of our verses in Circle is A Little Brown Bulb (see below).  When we say this verse in the Circle each day, one child acts the part of the brown bulb in the center.   Many of the children did not know what a bulb was, so we planted some gladiola bulbs in our large planters. We also planted Forget Me Not seeds in small plantable pots.  Forget Me Nots are perennials and pollinator plants.  The children will bring them home after they germinate; you can plant them at home if you would like. The children also planted some Kale seeds in class. We are planning to add this kale to our soup as it grows and can be harvested.   

On Thursday, as we were returning to class from our morning restroom break, a student with a sharp eye spotted a deer in the forest! Our class took an impromptu nature walk to see if we could spot it again, and we did!  It was so exciting to see one of the bigger creatures we share our forest with.

If you have not already sent your RSVP for Grandfriend’s tea on March 31st, please email kim@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.  Don’t forget, it is an early dismissal day.

A Little Brown Bulb

A little brown bulb went to sleep in the ground

In her/his little brown clothes

She/he slept very sound

King Winter roared and raged overhead

But the little brown bulb never lifted her/his head

There she/he slept the winter through.

So very quiet, like me and you

Lady spring came tiptoeing over the leaves.

With finger to mouth as quiet as can be

Little brown bulb shook in her/his bed.

She/he tossed off her/his covers and she/he lifted her/his head.

She/he grew and she/he grew,

Up toward the sun 

And she/he opened her/his spring clothes and danced and had fun!

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Picture Day is this Wednesday! If your child does not usually attend school on Wednesday, please join us at 10:00 am if you are able; 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


Grace and Peace,

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: March 11 - 15, 2024

Greetings, Turtle Families,

Spring is coming!  The mornings have been cold, but the afternoons have been beautiful, sunny, and warm, and the children have enjoyed the warmer weather.  Several children have asked, “When can we go to the creek?”; Creek days are quickly approaching.  Please send in close-toed, hard-soled water shoes so that when the water is warm enough, we are prepared.

Thank you to the Turtle families who came to help with the auction project.  It is coming along and we can’t wait to see the finished product.  Many hands make light work, and the children love having you in class! As promised, we will have a park playdate to finish work on our auction project.  Please click this link to sign up.

St. Patrick’s Day was Sunday, so our story last week was about a tricky and clever leprechaun named Paddy O’Connor.  On Wednesday and Thursday, you may have heard that he visited our class.  He spilled his gold and ran off.  The children had lots of fun dreaming up traps to capture him. Unfortunately, the traps were not a success, and our story continued throughout the week to include his clever hi-jinks in the Turtle classroom. We will begin a new story this week.

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Thank you for continuing to send your children dressed in layers and with rain and cold weather gear each day.

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

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

Grace and Peace,

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: March 4 - 8, 2024

Greetings, Turtle Families,

Thank you for coming out for the Workday hosted by the Turtle class.  It was so nice to work alongside so many Turtle families.  Your families are such an important part of our school community, and we appreciate you taking the time and energy to help our school!

The children had a fun and muddy week in the forest.  There was plenty of rainwater to mix in with the dirt to make lots and lots of mud.  The children used the mud to create many mud kitchen items. They used mud to paint the trucks, the stumps, and the wheelbarrow; and to make big piles of dirt that were added to their forts and obstacle courses. The mud and water are a beneficial sensory experience for the students.

On the platform, the students made cards to send home.  The children drew, wrote, cut, and glued to create beautiful cards.  Then, they helped address them; some students even knew their home addresses.  Each child placed their card in the addressed envelope and sealed it.  Finally, each student put a stamp in the top right corner of the envelope. When the envelopes were ready for the mail, we took a walk to the mailbox, and everyone had a turn putting their card in the mailbox.  The last child raised the red flag so the postman would know there was mail inside.  It will be so exciting when you open the mailbox at home to find these special envelopes inside!  

On Thursday, we celebrated Finley’s 6th birthday.  Finley’s Mom and Dad visited our class and shared fun memories from each year of her life.  Classmates, teachers, and her parents shared a wish for the coming year.  Happy Birthday, Finley!

Announcements and Reminders: 

  • Dress for the weather with layers and send in full rain gear daily (raincoat, rain pants, and boots)

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

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

Grace and Peace,

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: February 26 - March 1, 2024

Greetings, Turtle Families,

It was so nice to spend the week together.  The children missed each other over the break and were happy to play together again.  The weather was quite a mix, but we had some beautiful spring-like days.  The children began work on the auction project this week by sanding some of the items that parents had cut and prepared.  We are excited to have you come to class to help us get the project completed.  If you are available to help, please click this link to sign up.  

Our most recent story is about a postman who delivers mail in his friendly little town. He feels joy and pride as he delivers happiness to all of the people.  To complement this story, each Turtle student should have received a letter in the mail over the break.  We also talked in class about sending and receiving mail, and this week, we will have a puppet show and play of the story.  In class, each student will work on a card or other piece of mail to send home, so please be sure to check your mailboxes for a special delivery.

We also began a new circle; all the songs and verses focus on the changes we see in nature during the transition from winter to spring. You may hear your child singing this new song:


Spring is coming, spring is coming.

Birdies build your nest. 

Weave together straw and feather,

Doing each your best,  

Spring is coming, spring is coming.

Flowers are waking, too.

Tulips, lilies, daffodillies,

all are coming through.

Spring is coming, spring is coming. 

All around is fair.

Shimmer quiver on the river, 

Joy is everywhere, joy is everywhere.

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Dress for the weather with layers and send in full rain gear daily (raincoat, rain pants, and boots)

  • 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 9 am - 12 pm - this workday is hosted by the Turtle class.  While it is not required, it would be lovely to have a lot of Turtle families there.

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

  • 3/27-29: School Photos

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

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

Grace and Peace,

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: February 12 - 16, 2024

Greetings, Turtle Families,

It was a beautiful week in the forest, with cold mornings followed by spring-like afternoons. It was also very MUDDY! The students love digging and making creations with all of this mud. The shovels, wheelbarrows, pots, pans, and wood mallets were well-used.  Their gear was put to the test; you already know that, as your children came home with mud-caked boots and well-used waterproof clothing.  The layers are very important during this time of year.  The children need winter gear in the mornings to be warm enough.  Then, we all shed many layers in the afternoon so we do not overheat.

We celebrated Valentine’s Day, and our class was filled with love and hearts.  The children brought home the crafts they had been working on and made many more.  We folded and cut paper hearts; the children were thrilled to open the paper and see the beautiful, symmetrical heart they had cut out all on their own. Then, they used glue and crayons to create Valentines for loved ones. We also made Valentine bird feeders to gift the birds of our forest, and the children watched as the birds enjoyed them.

On Monday, we celebrated Esther’s 5th birthday.  Her parents and little sister, Cora, visited our class and shared fun memories from each year of Esther’s life.  Classmates, teachers, and her parents shared a wish for the coming year.  

On Wednesday, we celebrated Alma’s 4th birthday.  Her parents visited our class and shared fun memories from each year of Alma’s life.  Classmates, teachers, and her parents shared a wish for the coming year.  

Happy Birthday, Esther and Alma!

We wrapped up the week making pizza in the pizza oven! What a fun time and special treat!

Announcements and Reminders:

  • We have begun work on our auction project.  Thank you to the families who have volunteered already.  There will be more opportunities coming. Do not forget to keep up with the time you spend on the auction project; it counts for your volunteer hours.

  • 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. 

Upcoming Events:

  • 3/9: Community Work Day– sponsored by the Turtle Class. We would love to have as many Turtle Families as we can come and help on this day 😁

  • 3/27-29: School Photos

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


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

Grace and Peace,

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: February 05 - 09, 2024

Greeting Turtle Families,

It was so nice to meet with you all for conferences.  It is such a pleasure to spend our days with your children in our beautiful forest classroom. It was wonderful to share with you what they are doing and learning at school.

Our recent story was about a man named Papa Giorgio, who, while watching the sunrise on Valentine’s Day, had a wonderful idea - he would make Valentine's gifts for the birds.  He gathered his supplies, created pinecone bird feeders with loving care, and hung them in his yard.  Many birds flew into his yard to enjoy this Valentine’s gift, even a few goldfinches – his favorite bird of all.  Later, when he went back outside, he found feathers from all the different birds, including a few goldfinch feathers, gathered into the shape of a heart.  The birds had left a Valentine's gift for him💗.   This week, we will have a puppet show and a class play of the story.  We will also make our own pinecone bird feeder gifts for the birds of our forest.   

On Wednesday, we were invited to watch performances by the grade’s students in Mandarin.  The grade students worked very hard to prepare a show for us about the Chinese New Year. Our class watched with rapt attention and enjoyed a puppet show, a play, and some singing and dancing.  It is always so nice for our students to spend time with the older students; they all enjoyed the performance. 

Announcements and Reminders:

  • This Friday, we will bake pizza in the pizza oven for our snack. 

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 children with us and for being a part of our community.

Grace and Peace,

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: January 29 - February2, 2024

Greetings, Turtle Families,

Thank you for attending the All School Meeting on Saturday.  It was nice to see so many families and have time to talk with you over lunch. We appreciate your support of our school and community.

It was so nice to spend a full week outside!  The weather was cold in the mornings, but the days were sunny! The children spent most of the day playing in the forest.  Play in the forest is active (running, climbing, digging, loading, moving, building) and helps them to stay warm in the cold.  It is fascinating to watch the students create and imagine new and exciting ideas in their play each day. This week, we had boats, hotels, forts, and homes built throughout the forest.  The children visited each other’s creations, and a few “shops” sprung up, selling items one might need for a home, hotel, or fort.  

Our story for the last two weeks was The Magical Porridge Pot. A child helps their family by gathering food.  It has been a long and very cold winter, and the child was not able to find much food, so they go to an area of the forest where they have not been before.  On the path, they meet an old woman who gives them a magical pot.  They take the pot home.  When they say, “Little pot, little pot, make some porridge piping hot.” The pot begins to boil and bubble with porridge.  When they have enough, they say, “Stop pot, stop.  Thank you for the porridge; that’s quite a lot.” And the pot stops making porridge.  One day, when the child is away, the mother makes porridge, but she cannot remember what she is supposed to say to stop the pot.  The pot boils over, and eventually, the whole town is covered with porridge until the child returns and stops the pot.  The children loved hearing the story.  The play of this story was amusing as the children performed the role of the pot and the bubbling porridge. We will begin a new story this week.

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Please arrive on time at drop-off. Our drop-off window ends at 8:45. Please park and call the front office if you arrive after 8:45, and a kindergarten teacher will walk up to meet your child after the morning circle.

  • 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)

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

Grace and Peace,

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: January 22 - 26, 2024

Greetings, Turtle Families,

While it was a wet, muddy, and rainy week, thankfully, the weather was warmer! The children were fully immersed, playing in the puddles and mud the wet weather provided (figuratively and literally)!  They spent hours digging and working with the mud, creating large spheres as they turned and shaped the mud with their hands.  One student exclaimed, “This is hard work!” as he held a very large, very round ball of mud.  Digging all of that mud made a large hole that they dubbed the “bathtub.”  They were overjoyed to find their bathtub full after the heavy rains on Wednesday night.  Thank you for sending them in waterproof clothing and shoes so they could enjoy all the fun the warm, wet weather offers.  

On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, our rising first graders began Golden Knights.  The children enjoyed this time with the rising students from the Honeybee’s kindergarten class, Ki Ieva, and myself. During this time, the younger students remain in our class with Ki Virginia.  While the Golden Knights are in their class, we combine the Turtle and the Honeybee classes. This allows our younger students to play with new friends and enjoy each other’s classroom spaces, opening up both new friendships and new creative play opportunities.  Some days, they will play together in the Turtle class, and other days they will play in the Honeybee class.  On these days, they will spend time with Ki Fatima and Ki Annabelle, too.

On Tuesday, we had a special treat, guest speakers from The Southern Museum brought model trains to share with us! The children were delighted to hear all about trains and to see them run on the tracks. The students asked many thoughtful questions and excitedly shared their knowledge with the presenters. They were a wonderful audience!

Announcements and Reminders:

  • 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)

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

Grace and Peace,

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: January 15 - 19, 2024

Greetings, Turtle Families,

We had a beautiful week in the forest and our indoor classroom.  The children enjoy the changes that the weather brings to our outdoor classroom.  They love finding ice to collect, break, and incorporate into their imaginative play!  The children continue to deepen their friendships; it is so nice to hear the conversations they have with each other throughout the day.  As the year goes on, we see evidence of their growth in how they play, talk, and work things out with each other. It is such an honor to spend each day with them.

Thank you to everyone who attended the parent night on Tuesday evening.  Zoom is not the ideal way to get together, but I hope you all found it beneficial.

Each spring semester, we are excited for our older students, who may rise to First 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.

Announcements and Reminders:

  • 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 on Saturday, 2/3, 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


Grace and Peace,

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: January 8 - 12, 2024

Greetings, Turtle Families,

Welcome back. It was so nice to have the children in class again. They were all so excited to play and talk with their friends.  We started a new circle about winter weather. Our songs and verses introduce us to King Winter, Jack Frost, some busy woods folk, and several animals who are preparing for the cold. I have included the Jack Frost verse from our circle below. We also began a new story, the Ukrainian folktale, The Mitten. 

Please continue to send students with waterproof winter clothes and waterproof, warmly-lined shoes/boots every day.  Following significant rainfall, our classroom tends to have puddles, and the children cannot safely play in the forest without warm, waterproof clothing during the colder months.

We look forward to you joining us for our Early Childhood Curriculum tonight, Tuesday, 1/16, at 6:00 pm via Zoom.  We will be discussing the spring calendar and brainstorming ideas for our spring auction project.  If you have ideas, please be ready to share them. These ideas have been brought so far – wooden toys, mosaic stepping stones, beaded mobile. Click here to open a Google form where you can see the inspiration pictures for these ideas and let us know your thoughts. We are looking for a project that can be a collaborative effort utilizing the skills and talents of parents, children, and teachers.  We will also review the spring calendar, highlighting upcoming events and important dates to remember.

Jack Frost

Jack Frost is very small

I’m sure he is out today

He is busy pinching me 

when I go out to play

Little Jackie Jack frost pinched my nose

Little Jackie Jack Frost Pinched my toes

I ran in the house and shut the door

so little Jackie Jack Frost couldn’t pinch me anymore

Announcements and Reminders:

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

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

Grace and Peace,

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: December 11 - 15, 2023

Greetings, Turtle Families,

The children have been diligently working on their end of semester projects. We have used saws, augers, and drills this week! Some of the students have let us know that it is their first time using these tools.  We stress safety and help them when they need it. Their self-confidence has grown, and they are capable of these tasks. It is nice to see their pride as they complete them.

On Wednesday and Thursday, we made s’mores!  The class had fun roasting marshmallows to just the right golden color and enjoyed eating the sweet treat. It was very exciting!  These special (and fun) events at school, which only happen now and again, are meaningful and magical for the children.  It’s lovely to watch them enjoy the experience and share their delight with each other. Thank you to Elowen’s family for donating all the s’more supplies!

A lot of the play in the forest has been holiday-based.  The children have decorated and taken turns delivering presents to one another.  Their excitement around the magic and wonder of this time of year is beautiful and so fun to watch! This week is short and is a week of games to end the semester.  Each day we play group/cooperative games. It is a fun way to channel some of their excitement and energy.

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Have a wonderful Winter Break!  

  • 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 remember to clean out and repack backpacks and check that rainboots still fit before the new semester. 


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

It has been a wonderful Fall semester in our forest.  We hope you all have a restful break filled with fun, family, and lots of love.  Thank you for sharing your children with us.  We look forward to being back together in the new year!

Grace and Peace, 

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: December 4 - 8, 2023

Greetings, Turtle Families,

The Winter Spiral was beautiful, and it was a special experience to watch the children walk it. One can see each child’s inner light and personality shine in how they complete the walk. 

The Turtles had a busy week of crafts and activities. We have end-of-semester projects in the works. The children have been told that they can keep the projects we are working on as a surprise for their families, or they can tell you about them; it is up to them.  You will probably see some clues in the pictures this week and next. They have each worked with focus and pride on each of the parts; it will be exciting to finish them up this week.

Our story for the last two weeks has been The Enormous Turnip.  This is a lovely story about hard work, overcoming disappointment, working together, and how even the smallest creature can provide a helping hand.  It also contains a bit of silliness that the children enjoyed participating in. They made the noises for the animals as they heard the story each day (heehaw, bleat, woof, and squeak), and there were laughs and giggles as the turnip finally flew out of the ground at the end of the story. The puppet show and play were a lot of fun.

We celebrated two birthdays this week:

On Wednesday, we celebrated Nika’s 5th birthday.  Nika’s Mom and Dad visited our class and shared memories from her birth and each year of her life.  Happy Birthday, Nika!

On Friday, we celebrated Shepherd’s 5th birthday.  Shepherd’s Mom and Dad visited our class and shared memories from his birth and each year of his life.  Happy Birthday, Shepherd!  

This week, weather permitting, we will make s’mores on Wednesday and Thursday.

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

Announcements and Reminders:

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


Grace and Peace,

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: November 27 - December 3, 2023

Greetings, Turtle Families,

We had a wonderful and very cold week.  All of the Turtles were well-dressed for the weather!  Due to the cold and the need to wear gloves/mittens, handwork activities on the platform were put on hold.  However, we added a forest weaving loom to our class. This loom has two sides, each with a yarn-wrapped wooden shuttle.  The wooden shuttle can easily be held while wearing gloves or mittens as it is passed over and under the warp threads to create the woven fabric. It provides a lovely cold-weather handwork alternative. On warmer days, throughout the cold months, we will continue to offer sewing, finger knitting, and finger chaining. 

The cold weather also meant the children ran, played, and did heavy work in the forest.  This type of play is always helpful for keeping children warm.  There were many races with the children running around the platform to get the fastest time.  Our fastest time, so far, is 10 seconds – they are some fast Turtles!  The students went on an expedition to a large stick pile outside our classroom to collect large sticks and branches.  The children then spent time moving these large branches around our classroom, making forts and homes with them.   Thank you to Alma’s family for donating wooden mushrooms to our class.  The children have played and imagined all sorts of things with these new toys!  The students made a mushroom drum set, they created mushroom families to care for, and they constructed a picture booth with mushrooms as props. We cannot wait to see what they imagine next. 

This Friday is our Winter Spiral. This festival occurs near the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. The children silently and reverently walk the spiral with an unlit candle. They will use a lit candle in the middle of the spiral to light their candle and then walk out of the spiral, placing their candle on a star of their choosing along the way. This touching ritual symbolizes each child giving their unique light to the world, helping guide others in the dark. Families are welcome to watch their child’s class walk the spiral. Our walk will begin at 11:15 am. Please arrive with enough time to find a seat in the sanctuary. Two-day students are invited to join us for the Spiral; please meet us at our picnic table at 11:00. They may join us for cocoa after our class walks the spiral before leaving with their families. The cocoa ingredients include milk, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and vanilla. If you would prefer your child not participate in the cocoa,  or they will bring their own, please let me know. SAFETY Note: Please make sure that long hair is tied up and that loose-fitting clothing is not worn on this day.  

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 10:15 pm. 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.

  • Next week is our toy drive for MUST Ministries. Please see the Main Message 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

Grace and Peace,

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: November 13 - 17, 2023

Greetings, Turtle Families,

Thank you for joining us for the Thanksgiving Luncheon.  The students love sharing our forest classroom with their families, and sharing a meal with everyone was extra special.  We hope you all enjoyed a week filled with rest, relaxation, and fun adventures with the people you love. Your children and the community we share at the Garden School are a blessing to us, and we are very thankful!

The class has been off to the races with the trucks in our classroom.  They used the rakes to clear a path in the leaves to use as a racetrack.  They spent time decorating each truck with chalk in preparation for the races.  Then, the students spent hours running around the track, pushing the trucks.  After each race,  improvements were made to the track, trucks were redecorated, the finish line was touched up, and then off they raced again.  On the platform, the children continue to grow and develop their sewing, finger chaining, and finger knitting abilities.  Their stitches are becoming more uniform, and confidence is growing.  It is wonderful to see students become more independent with these skills as the year progresses. 

On Thursday and Friday, we made a Thanksgiving treat as a gift for the birds, squirrels, and chipmunks.  The children collected pinecones and then used a butter knife to spread peanut butter on them.  We rolled the peanut butter pinecones in birdseed and tied them with yarn.  Each child took their gift and found a place to hang it in our classroom.  Our story, puppet show, and play have been about  Autumn, as the animals, Mother Earth, Sister Autumn, and the fairies of the forest prepare for winter.  At the end of the story, they all gather to share a feast of the autumn harvest. 

On Friday, we celebrated Aaliyah’s 5th Birthday. Her Mom and Dad visited our class and shared fun memories from her birth and each year of her life.  Classmates, teachers, and Aaliyah’s parents shared a wish for the coming year.  Happy Birthday, Aaliyah!

Announcements and Reminders:

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

  • 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

Grace and Peace,

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: November 6 - 10, 2023

Greetings, Turtle Families,

The Lantern Walk was magical and it was so wonderful to have all of the Turtle children and families join us for the evening.  We hope that your family experienced a sense of awe and joy as you walked through the candle-lit forest and heard sweet voices singing.  Each of the Turtle students has such a bright and vibrant inner light. It is a privilege to see them shine as they share who they are with their classmates and teachers.  

In class, we have been practicing hammer skills. The children start by hammering nails into the soft ground and then move on to hammering them into a stump.  Each child, one at a time, takes a turn with a hammer and a nail. They practice small swings of the hammer. Once they hammer the nail in, they turn the hammer around and use the claw end to pull the nail back out again. This week, we also used our hammers on pumpkins. Our jack-o-lantern was getting moldy with the warm weather. Wednesday, we decided to break it up into smaller pieces for the compost. We started with our hammers and each child took a turn trying to break it.  Then, a student suggested that the shovel might work better, and each child gave that a try.  Then, another student thought we should try throwing it from the tallest part of our platform, and each child gave that a try.  The children had so much fun, and eventually, the pumpkin was broken into small pieces and loaded into the wheelbarrow. We took turns pushing the wheelbarrow to the compost at the farm on Thursday.   

On Thursday, we celebrated Elowen’s 6th birthday. Her Mom, Dad, and baby brother visited our class and shared fun memories from her birth and each year of her life.  Classmates, teachers, and Elowen’s parents shared a wish for the coming year.  Happy Birthday, Elowen!

We look forward to seeing you all at the Thanksgiving lunch on Friday!

Announcements and Reminders:

  • Rest blankets will go home this week. Please wash them over break and return them on the next 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 Turtle 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

Grace and Peace.

Ki Kim

Kindergarten Turtles: October 30 - November 3, 2023

Greetings, Turtle Families,

Thank you to everyone who attended the parent night.  We hope that the information we shared is valuable as we enter late fall and winter.  If you have any questions or concerns, please email or text; we are here to support you as we ensure that the children enjoy their time in the forest, even when it is cold.

We hope you all had a joyful and fun Halloween week!  It is such a magical time of year for children.  At school, we celebrated by carving a pumpkin on Monday.  The children were very excited to design our jack-o-lantern and then to cut the pumpkin open and scoop out the guts and seeds.  We took our time to separate the orange pulp from the white seeds so that the seeds could be saved for roasting.  Each child had a few turns during the carving.  Our jack-o-lantern has a mouth with fangs, a triangle nose, two star-shaped eyes, and a spider and web (the spider and the web are drawn on).  All of the children were delighted when we lit the candle and the glowing jack-o-lantern they created was revealed. We also had a sweet story on Monday and Tuesday about a little kitty named Charlotte, a teeny tiny mouse, a masked raccoon, a magical witch, and a pumpkin house. During the story, a pumpkin house is created out of paper.  Each child was able to cut their own pumpkin house. On Tuesday, we painted, and as the children brushed the watercolor paint on their paper, a cute little ghost appeared.  After the paintings dried, they each added a face to their ghost. On Thursday and Friday, we shared the roasted pumpkin seeds. We also had our first fire of the season.  What a busy week!

We look forward to the Lantern Walk tonight.  Our lanterns are prepared and waiting to illuminate the forest.  The Lantern Walk celebrates the inner light that we all carry.  We will use this light to help each other as we enter the darker months of the year.  The walk is reverent and contemplative. We will sing the songs we have been practicing; however,  please be aware this is not a time for talking, and we ask that parents please help set the tone for the children.  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. The grades classes will begin their walk directly following ours, and we want to ensure that the forest is peaceful for them as well.

As part of our school’s efforts to help one another and others, we will be collecting gently used coats at drop-off and pick-up this week. The coats will be donated to One Warm Coat, an organization that provides coats for those who need them during the coming cold.

 Thank you again for being a part of our community during this eventful time of year!

Announcements and 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.

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

Grace and Peace,

Ki Kim