Joyful Beginning: April 29 - May 3, 2024
Dear Joyful Beginnings Families,
We had such a beautiful week in our class. The children enjoyed playing in the cool, crisp mornings, and we spent more time in the forest to enjoy the shade that all the tall trees provided. The children continued to play with trucks, blocks, logs, and the mud kitchen. We heard about the stories they made, the recipes they used to cook, and how they would work together to find worms. In the process of exploring nature and interacting with peers, the children gave full play to their imagination.
In the classroom, we have been telling a lovely story about a mother sheep and her baby lamb. The mother sheep and baby lamb lived in a meadow, where they would feast on the green grass. One day, the mother sheep noticed that the grass had nearly all gone in their pasture. She was worried and didn’t know where their next meal would come from. While the mother was resting, the baby lamb’s best friend, a butterfly, took him to the neighboring pasture, and they had a wonderful time playing together. After the mother sheep woke up, she could not find her baby. But then she heard him playing in the distance and saw the butterfly in the sky. She ran to her baby and gave him a big hug. She was also very pleased to see all the new green grass they could eat. The mother sheep thanked the butterfly for showing them the way.
This week, we will start a new story about the wonderful journey of a little caterpillar. We will also create butterflies with coffee filters and pipettes. Many of our friends enjoyed the Earth Day activity and requested to do it again.
All of our older friends have had their observation days in kindergarten by this week. They came back so excited about their new experiences, and they built a beautiful bond with their future teachers. Every time we passed the kindergarten platforms, these friends would greet the kindergarten teachers and students. We are excited for their new adventures.
Announcements and Reminders:
We will serve fun snacks for the last week of school. On Monday and Tuesday, we will have a fruit salad (apple slices, blueberries, oranges, etc.); on Thursday and Friday, we will have sugar-free fruit popsicles. On Wednesday, we will celebrate David’s birthday. Please pack snacks to go with these. Thank you!
Since the temperature is high, please dress your children in short sleeves and shorts under rain gear on wet days.
Upcoming Events
05/11 Community Work Day
5/15 Field Day / Half Day for Kindergarten
5/17 Last Day of School - Full Day
5/20-5/24 Teacher In-Service (No School)
Thank you for sharing your lovely children with us, and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginnings: April 22 - 26, 2024
Dear Joyful Beginnings Families,
We really appreciate your participation in our spring auction! Thank you so much for attending; the event was a huge success. Your continuous support helps us build our community bigger and stronger.
The children had an amazing time playing in the forest last week. They were climbing the tree ladders and hanging on the large vine, and several of them were capable of climbing trees on their own. In our classroom, walking on the stumps is still a popular activity. We have noticed that the majority of the kids could jump using both feet. They have made significant progress in their gross motor skills during this school year. We truly love to see the children immerse themselves in imaginative play in nature and listen to each of their unique stories. In the classroom, the children enjoyed painting with watercolors. They are able to concentrate on their paintings and have gained better control over the paint brushes.
This week, we will start a fun project where the children can adhere dried flowers to thin wood. This activity allows the children to work with creative art materials, practice following multiple-step directions, and further develop their fine motor skills. On Thursday, we are going to celebrate Barrett's birthday. We are very excited to share this special moment with Barrett and his family!
Announcements and Reminders:
Please apply sunscreen and bug spray upon arriving at school and pack sun hats in your children’s backpacks.
Upcoming Events
4/30 First Grade class play
5/01 Second Grade class play
05/11 Community Work Day
Thank you for sharing your lovely children with us and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginning: April 15 - 19, 2024
Dear Joyful Beginnings Families,
We had a wonderful week in school. The children enjoyed the warmer weather and wearing fewer layers of clothing. In the forest, some children made pinecone necklaces, some learned how to climb our tree, and some worked together to find worms. The kudzu leaves finally came back, and we were able to pick some to feed the farm animals. This is an activity the children greatly enjoy.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the children used coffee filters and watercolors to create a representation of our planet Earth. A brief story was introduced to guide this art activity. Big Tom (thumb) and Tall Tim (pointing finger) were going to make a birthday present for the Earth. These two “characters” worked together to squeeze the pipette, take the color up, and gently release the colors on the coffee filters. It's a fun activity for children aged three and four. Furthermore, it encourages them to use their fingers with purpose and practice their fine motor skills.
As we ended our planting story about a little girl who planted seeds in her garden, the Rain fairies, Earth fairies, Wind fairies, and Father Sun helped the plants grow tall and strong. This week, during circle time, we will sing a new song called "Tira, Lira, Lira." We will also tell a lovely story about a mommy sheep and a baby lamb..
We are excited for you to join us at the Auction this Friday night and to view our class project the students helped to create!
Announcements and Reminders:
Please apply sunscreen and bug spray upon arriving at school and pack sun hats in your children’s backpacks.
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 lovely children with us, and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginnings: April 8 - 12, 2024
Dear Joyful Beginnings Families,
Last week, the Joyful Beginning friends planted our spring garden. The children worked together to remove old dirt from the pots and fill them with fresh dirt. With the assistance of many hands, we planted lovely marigolds and phlox. The spring showers will help the roots and the plants grow strong and tall. In the classroom, we introduced a finger play called “A Little Seed." The children held a piece of silk in their hands, pretending it to be their special seeds. Then, with a little sun, a little rain, and a little waiting, the children opened their hands with beautiful silk “flowers” in their palms. On Thursday, we celebrated George’s birthday. We were so grateful for the delicious cake, and we had a fun time with George and his family. In the forest, the children found many wiggly worms, and they loved how the worms tickled their hands.
This week, we'll continue our planting story. To honor Earth Day, the children will create our beloved planet using watercolor and coffee filters during art time! Later in the week, we will visit the farm and take care of our animal friends.
Announcements and Reminders:
Please apply sunscreen and bug spray upon arriving at school and pack sun hats in your children’s backpacks.
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 lovely children with us, and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginnings: March 25 - 29, 2024
Dear Joyful Beginnings Families,
Welcome back to school. We are excited to see the children returning from a joyful and relaxing spring break. Thank you so much for coming to school and joining us on our Grandfriends Day. We cherished the opportunity to spend time with family and friends while also presenting our lovely forest classroom.
Before spring break, we started a new circle song called “I am a Tall, Tall Tree.” By doing movements and singing, the children can learn the change of a tree in four seasons. We also finished our story about a little bird who loved singing songs. One day, this little bird brought straws and feathers, and she started to build a nest. She worked all day and wouldn’t rest until she made herself a cozy home. The next day, she saw three eggs in her nest. She was so happy and sang a sweet song for her babies. The children loved listening to this little bird's beautiful songs.
This week, we are going to plant our spring garden in the small playground. The children can help refill the pots with fresh dirt and plant colorful flowers in the pots. In addition, we will tell a story about a little boy planting his garden with love and care. We will celebrate George’s birthday on Thursday. We are looking forward to sharing this special occasion with George and his family.
Announcements and Reminders:
If your child hasn’t taken pictures before spring break, the make-up day is on Friday, April 12th.
Please apply sunscreen upon arriving at school and pack sun hats in your children’s backpack.
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 lovely children with us, and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginnings: March 18 - 22, 2024
Dear Joyful Beginnings Families,
What a wonderful week we had in the classroom. Lady Spring has finally arrived, and we are looking forward to more pleasant weather. We heard birds chirping in the forest and saw gorgeous butterflies moving around. New leaves are emerging from tree branches, infusing life into nature. It was a joy to watch the children playing peacefully in the forest.
To welcome Lady Spring, children made spring paintings with their fingers. Each student was provided with three primary colors: red, yellow, and blue. They enjoyed using their sense of touch to experience the fluidity of colors and discovering new colors by combining them. We visited the animals later in the week. Every time we walked by the farm, the donkeys were so excited to see us. Some friends told us that they loved when the donkeys made the “hee-haw” sound.
We will have school photos this week. Please dress your children accordingly and bring a change of clothes if you would like to keep the photo outfit clean and tidy. Grandfriends Day will be on Friday. We are looking forward to this gathering. The event will take place on Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in our forest classroom.
Our auction project has been going quite well. Thank you for taking the time and effort to ensure the success of our auction. We appreciate your contribution and support.
Announcements and Reminders:
Please email us your RSVP for Grandfriends Day by Wednesday, March 27. All family members, including grandparents, parents, and other relatives, are welcome. Please notify the teachers when you are leaving the forest classroom with your child on Friday. Thank you.
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
Thank you for sharing your lovely children with us, and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginnings: March 11 - 15, 2024
Dear Joyful Beginnings Families,
We had a beautiful week at Joyful Beginnings. Father Sun finally came out and brought warm sunshine to us. Early in the morning, the children had plenty of exercise in the small playground. They loved swinging, running with friends, and filling and dumping sand.
In the classroom, we had a lovely story about an itsy-bitsy leprechaun searching for the lucky shamrock. With the help of his friends, they found the perfect one in the nook. The little leprechaun shared his good luck with all his friends and wished everyone a happy St.Patrick’s Day! The children also painted their own shamrock with green watercolor. In the forest, we have seen more collaboration among the children. They enjoyed working with each other to build houses with blocks and cooking in the kitchen. They served various kinds of delicious food cooked in the mud kitchen. French toast, pizza, soup, and pie were the most popular items on the menu. On Wednesday, we celebrated Noah’s birthday with her family. We were grateful to spend this day with them, and the treats were so tasty. Thank you!
This week, we are starting a new story called The Little Bird. The children will mix different finger paints to create their own spring colors.
Announcements and Reminders:
The weather is unpredictable this time of year. Please dress for the weather with layers and send in full rain gear daily.
School picture days are Wednesday, March 27, and Thursday, March 28, for Joyful Beginnings.
Upcoming Events:
3/27-3/28: School Photos
3/29: Grandfriends Day (12:30 All School Dismissal)
4/1-4/5 Spring Break (No School)
4/23-4/25 5th Grade Pentathlon
4/26 Annual Auction Fundraiser - Half Day
Thank you for sharing your lovely children with us, and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginnings: March 4 - 8, 2024
Dear Joyful Beginnings Families,
We had a wonderful week in the Joyful classroom. The children enjoyed this warm, spring-like weather. The rain brought muddy puddles for the children to jump in, and the rain also helped to moisturize the soil. The pear blossom, cherry blossom, and daffodils are blooming and adding spring colors to nature. In the forest, digging for worms has been the children’s favorite activity. They worked in teams to help each other, and they took turns to observe the worms they had found. Some of the children loved how the worms tickled their palms; some put a leafy blanket on the worms, and some were amazed by how the worms wiggled. Moreover, the children took pleasure in cooking in the mud kitchen after the rain. They made toast, salad, and pizza for everyone.
In the classroom, we have been telling a story about a very hungry bunny hopping into the garden to find something to munch on. The bunny ate through the sweet peas, rosy beets, spicy radishes, and crunchy carrots. Then, the little bunny hopped back to his home to nap with his friends. It is a short but engaging story, which the children enjoyed quite a lot. On Friday, we started a new story called The Itsy Bitsy Leprechaun.
This week, we will continue with the Leprechaun story to acknowledge St. Patrick’s Day. During art time, the children will use green watercolor to paint their lucky shamrocks. On Wednesday, we will celebrate Noah’s birthday. We are looking forward to spending this special day with Noah and her family.
Announcements and Reminders:
The weather is unpredictable this time of year. Please dress for the weather with layers and send in full rain gear daily.
School picture days are on Wednesday, March 27, and Thursday, March 28, for Joyful Beginnings.
Upcoming Events:
3/15: Teacher Inservice (No School)
3/27-28: School Photos
3/29: Grandfriends Day (12:30 All School Dismissal)
04/01-04/05: Spring Break
4/23-4/25 5th Grade Pentathlon
4/26 Annual Auction Fundraiser - Half Day
Thank you for sharing your lovely children with us, and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginnings: February 26 - March 1, 2024
Dear Joyful Beginnings Families,
We had a shorter week but were so happy to see our friends. The children gave their friends hugs and couldn’t wait to play together. The class enjoyed the warm weather and the sunshine earlier last week and was so excited to be in the forest. The children pushed the big trucks, climbed the tree, and cooked in the mud kitchen. Even though we experienced some strong winds and heavy rain later in the week, we were able to enjoy a nature walk to the farm and feed the animals with vegetables and fruits.
In the classroom, we continued to work on wet-felt balls. Thank you so much for taking the time to create some at home. We are making amazing progress in our auction project. We also brought out big wooden beads for the children to practice fine motor skills by lacing. They loved sitting on the carpet to have some quiet time and concentrating on making necklaces with beads and strings. In addition, we celebrated Sage’s birthday on Friday, and we were so grateful that her mom and grandparents could join us. Thank you for the delicious treat!
We start this week by telling the story The Hungry Bunny and singing a new song, “Spring is Coming” in circle time to welcome Lady Spring. Moreover, we will introduce a story about a fun leprechaun on Friday.
Announcements and Reminders:
The weather is unpredictable this time of year. Please continue to send coats, hats, gloves, rain pants, and insulated waterproof boots to school every day.
If your child is feeling under the weather, please keep them home to help keep our community healthy.
Upcoming Events:
3/9: Community Work Day
3/15: Teacher Inservice (No School)
3/27-29: School Photos
3/29: Grandfriends Day Tea (12:30 Dismissal All Students)
Thank you for sharing your lovely children with us, and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginnings: February 12 - 16, 2024
Dear Joyful Beginnings Families,
We hope you had a fabulous mid-winter break! We are excited to see all the children return with big smiles and fun stories.
Before the break, we had a wonderful time in the Joyful class. In the forest, the children enjoyed the sun shining through the branches and listening to the birds singing. We saw many robins flying around our campus. As our new circle song is about a little robin friend, every child started to show interest in robins. Some of the children loved to lie down on the platform to watch the robins fly back and forth.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the children brought their favorite plush toys to school. They shared these toys with friends and gave them many hugs. The children pretended to take their stuffed friends on a walk, have a picnic with them, put them to sleep, and also read them a book. It was wonderful to observe these loving moments.
Our Valentine’s story was about a magical village full of sweet little gnomes. They planted special seeds in the ground and were surprised that these seeds had grown into beautiful and soft hearts. The gnomes shared these hearts with one another, and they fell asleep on these amazing heart pillows. The fairy dust of magical dreams came over their village and covered the whole town with hearts and love. The children enjoyed this story and were surprised that these sweet gnomes shared some heart necklaces with them, too.
This week, we will begin a fresh story about a very hungry bunny and continue with wet felting to help complete our auction project. Thank you so much for helping make more wet-felt balls with the children at home. On Friday, we will celebrate Sage’s birthday! We are excited to spend this special day with Sage and her family.
Announcements and Reminders:
The weather is still cold in the morning but quickly warms up. Please pack a lighter jacket in your children's backpacks so that we can assist them dress appropriately for the temperature. Thank you!
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:
03/09: Community Work Day
03/15: Teacher in Service (No School)
03/27-03/29: School Photos
Thank you for sharing your lovely children with us, and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginnings: February 05 - 09, 2024
Dear Joyful Beginning Families,
What a lovely week we had in Joyful class! We enjoyed the warm sun and cool breeze. We saw so many birds flying around and bright yellow daffodils blooming in the woods. The children had so much fun running around, playing hide and seek, pushing big trucks, cooking in the mud kitchen, and digging in the ground to look for wiggly worms.
In the classroom, the students continued to chop vegetables and apples as our weekly practical work. The children have developed better fine motor skills, which support their abilities to chop vegetables and fruits into smaller pieces. On Wednesday, the children helped make wet-felt balls for our auction project. A simple story was incorporated into this process to build interest and encourage participation. At home, you can also make up your own story to help your children create wet felt balls. We also celebrated Ellis' birthday on Wednesday. We were so happy that his mom could join us, and we were grateful for the yummy treat! On Thursday, we experienced a fantastic Lunar New Year performance put on by the grade-level students. Thank you so much for attending our teacher-parent conferences on Thursday and Friday. We look forward to continuing to work with you and helping each child to grow and thrive.
This week, we will start our new circle by singing the song “Welcome, Little Robin”. We will also listen to a story about some sweet little gnomes who received surprises on Valentine’s Day. This Tuesday and Wednesday, we will have a “Favorite Stuffy” day to play with our soft animal toys with friends in the classroom. The children can share their toys with their friends in school, but the stuffed animals will go home with their owners.
Wet-felting story example:
One day, I went on a nature walk. I saw some yellow jewels (or stones) at the bottom of the river. I picked one up and rolled it in my palms to make it shiny and smooth.
Wet-felting song (click here to play or download)
I can roll a ball of wool,
Ball of wool,
Ball of wool.
I can roll a ball of wool,
Nice and slow.
Announcements and Reminders:
The weather is still cold in the morning, but it quickly warms up. Please pack a lighter jacket in your children's backpacks so that we can assist them dress appropriately for the temperature. Thank you!
Upcoming Events:
2/19-2/23- Mid-Winter Break (No School)
2/26- Teacher Inservice (No School)
03/09-Community Work Day
3/15 Teacher In-Service (No School)
Thank you for sharing your lovely children with us, and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginnings: January 29 - February 2, 2024
Dear Joyful Beginning Families,
Thank you to all of our families who joined us this past Saturday for our All School Meeting. Coming together as a community to support our lovely school is what keeps us strong and helps us grow.
We had a wonderful week and cherished the warmth from Father Sun. The children were able to spend a significant amount of time outside in the mornings, engaging in active play with their peers. In the forest, children begin to show an interest in practical work, such as sweeping the platform and planting branches as if they were small trees.
We began a new story in class to talk about the 12 zodiac animals. The Jade Emperor decided there should be a way to measure time, so he told the animals that they were to compete in a race. The first twelve animals to win would be rewarded by having a year named after them. One by one came the ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. From that day forward, the zodiac has followed a 12-year cycle, each named after an animal. The children enjoyed seeing the 12 animals on the story table and were curious about who would show up next. This story not only introduces our younger students to a different culture but it also illustrates the concept of sequence in a playful way.
Wet felting has been progressing wonderfully. Rolling a ball of wool in young children's hands can be challenging at first, but it is a fun activity that strengthens their fine motor abilities. We will continue with this activity this week, providing adequate help and encouragement to each child. On Wednesday, we will celebrate Ellis' birthday. We're excited to spend this wonderful time with him and his family.
As Valentine's Day approaches, we plan to have a "Favorite Stuffy" day in the classroom on February 13th and 14th. Each child may bring their favorite plush animal to school. Please help your children select a small toy and remind them that they can only play with their stuffed animals in our indoor space. 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.
Announcements and Reminders:
Please arrive on time at drop-off (8:45–9:00), and look out for the drop-off sign when arriving at school. On cold, rainy, cloudy, and windy mornings, we will start inside.
(as noted above:) 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 lovely children with us, and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginnings: January 22 - 26, 2024
Dear Joyful Beginnings Families,
We had a lovely week in our classroom. Earlier in the week, the children had a joyful time playing in the drizzly rain. Their favorite games to play in the forest have been Ring Around the Roses and Hide and Seek. Later in the week, the children had much fun jumping in the muddy puddles. It was a delight to see them running, laughing, and exploring in nature.
We began our new circle by singing the song “See the Dragon Comes." A new stuffy friend, Fireball the Dragon, came to visit our class. Each child had a chance to hug Fireball and observe how special he looked. During art time, we colored with block crayons. The children fully immersed themselves in creating unique pictures of their own. They communicated with each other about what they were making, and they were excited to see their friends’ creations. Meanwhile, they exchanged crayons for different colors and practiced sharing with each other. On Friday, we celebrated Ripley’s birthday. We were grateful that her mommy, daddy, and sister came to join us for story and snack time. Thank you so much for sharing a delicious treat with us! Happy Birthday!
Thank you for voting on our classroom auction project. The chandelier won the most votes. From this week on, we will bring the wet-felting handwork into our classroom. We will start to teach the children how to roll a piece of wool in their hands and slowly work on teaching them to create wet-felt balls.
Announcements and Reminders:
Please arrive on time at drop-off (8:45–9:00), and look out for the drop-off sign when arriving at school. On cold, rainy, cloudy, and windy mornings, we will start inside.
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.
We will have spring conferences on Thursday afternoon, February 8th, and Friday, February 9th. Please sign up here. I am looking forward to meeting with you. Thank you!
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 lovely children with us, and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginnings: January 15 - 19, 2024
Dear Joyful Beginnings Families,
It has been a short but wonderful week. Thank you for bringing warm winter clothing and assisting the children in preparing for this cold weather.
In the classroom, we continued with our winter story called Good Night, Baby Bear. Mommy bear, Daddy bear, and Baby bear lived in a warm cave in the wintertime. Mommy Bear and Daddy Bear lumbered into the forest to gather food while Baby Bear played in the cave. When Mommy and Daddy came home, they all had a delicious dinner and then snuggled together to go to sleep. It is a sweet nature story about family love; the children enjoyed it. During art class, the students used blue watercolor to create winter images. They enjoyed moving their brushes back and forth to see the color spread across the surface of the paper.
This week, we will start a new circle and story on Wednesday to celebrate the Chinese New Year. We are going to sing a dragon song and introduce the 12 zodiac animals. On Friday, we will celebrate Ripley’s birthday. We look forward to sharing this special moment with Ripley and her family.
Announcements and Reminders:
Please arrive on time at drop-off (8:45–9:00), and look out for the drop-off sign when arriving at school. On cold, rainy, cloudy, and windy mornings, we will start inside.
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.
We will have spring conferences on Thursday afternoon, February 8th, and Friday, February 9th. Please sign up here. I am looking forward to meeting with you. Thank you!
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 (adults only)
2/9 No School - Parent Conferences (adults only)
Thank you for sharing your lovely children with us, and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginnings: January 8 - 12, 2024
Dear Joyful Beginnings Families,
We were happy to be back together at school! We had a great week in the class. The children came back well-rested and excited to see their friends.
The weather was cold and rainy and we spent more time in our indoor classroom last week. The children worked together to use big blocks to build houses, they helped each other climb over the rainbow bridge, and they enjoyed reading a new book, The Snowy Day. On Monday and Tuesday, the children chopped vegetables and apples to help prepare our snacks. They loved singing the chopping song while cutting vegetables and apples into fine pieces. Homemade playdough is the children’s favorite. They rolled blue playdough into different shapes and sizes. Many of them made long snakes and cute snowmen. During art time, the children used their fingers to paint with blue and yellow colors. We told a little story about Mr. Finger’s fun adventure. First, he played with Jack Frost and created blue patterns on the paper, and then he invited Father Sun to add some yellow prints. When Father Sun met Jack Frost, green appeared on the paper, just like the green grass sprouting in spring.
In the forest, Jack Frost created icy ground and crystal ice patterns on the equipment and toys. When the children were cooking in the mud kitchen, they found ice chunks in pots and pans. They were thrilled to use their sense of touch to feel the ice and experience this wintry weather.
Last week, we started our new winter circle and story. This week, we will continue singing the new song The Snow Fell Softly and telling the story of a loving bear family who snuggles together to get through the cold winter. Thank you so much for joining us on our parent night tonight via Zoom! If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out.
Announcements and Reminders:
Please arrive on time at drop-off (8:45–9:00), and look out for the drop-off sign when arriving at school. On cold, rainy, cloudy, and windy mornings, we will start inside.
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 lovely children with us, and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginnings: December 11-15, 2023
Dear Joyful Beginnings Families,
Last week was a wonderful week in Joyful Beginnings. Jack Frost visited us and created ice in our small playground. Even though it was cold, the children loved playing in nature, and the iciness added to their delight.
On Monday and Tuesday, we built our own winter spiral in the forest. It was fun for the children to follow the path and walk in and out of the small spiral. On Wednesday and Thursday, we did finger painting. Mr. Finger jumped into blue and red paint, and he was curious about what color would appear on the paper. The children were amazed to see the purple color arise once they mixed red and blue. At the end of the week, we went inside the farm to feed the animals. The donkeys and goats were very excited to see us, and they enjoyed eating the fresh vegetables we brought. The children are getting familiar with the farm environment. They are very careful and gentle when they pet the animals. They also like to run up and down the farm, climb on the big rock, and jump over the little creek.
This week is short, but we share in many fun activities. We recycled the pine branches we used for our spiral and cut out little branches for the children to paint with. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we enjoy our hot tea and popcorn for snacks. Time has flown, and we can’t believe it is already the end of this semester. We are happy and proud to see that all the children have grown and matured so much in the past few months. Thank you so much for your support and understanding. We wish you and your family love, peace, and joy! Happy Holidays!
Announcements and Reminders:
The last day of school is grade assembly and half day. You are more than welcome to watch the performance in the sanctuary. Please park where it is easier for you to pick up your children since there will be many cars in the parking lot that day.
Please arrive on time at drop off (8:45-9:00); we will shorten our morning outdoor time on cold days.
Please remember to clean out and repack backpacks and check that rain boots still fit before the new semester.
Upcoming Events:
12/20: Grades Assembly - 12:00 p.m. & Last Day of Fall Semester - Half Day
12/22 - 01/03: Winter Break (No School)
01/04: First day of Spring Semester
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginnings: December 4 - December 8, 2023
Dear Joyful Beginnings Families,
We had a lovely week in Joyful Beginnings. In the chilly mornings, the children did a variety of exercises to warm up. They loved throwing, kicking, and running with balls. By the time we arrived at the forest, the sun had already warmed up the ground so that the children could sit among the leaves and dig in the earth.
In the classroom, we started our new story. Mother Earth called Squirrel Nutkin to let him know that winter was coming. Squirrel Nutkin was busy collecting nuts and acorns. He went up and down the tree until all his cupboards were full of food to get through the cold winter. We have been focusing on nature stories as the children love animals. Nature stories help little ones use their imagination and strengthen their relationship with the world. They start to develop the ability to relate to the characters. Every time we finished story time, the children would say "bye-bye" to the puppets and hope to see them next time. During art time, the class continued to explore colors through watercolor painting. Last week, Mr. Brush needed candles to light up the dark nights, so the children used yellow to create lights for him. Moving the paintbrushes back and forth on the paper and watching the color spread brings peace to everyone. On Thursday, we celebrated Red’s birthday. We were so glad his parents could join us on this special day, and we were thankful for the delicious treat.
This week, we will sing all of our favorite songs we have learned so far this semester and continue to learn the new circle song. The children will use finger paint to create pictures and express their creativity. We are going to visit our farm animals once more before the winter break.
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.
Please arrive on time at drop off (8:45-9:00); we will shorten our morning outdoor time on cold days.
Help us support Tweens and Teens this year for the MUST Ministries Toy Drive. Please see the Main Message in the Garden Messanger for more information.
Upcoming Events:
12/20: Grades Assembly: 12:00 p.m. & Last Day of Fall Semester - Half Day
12/21: Teacher In-Service (No School)
12/22 - 01/03: Winter Break (No School)
01/04: First day of Spring Semester
Thank you for sharing your lovely children with us and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginnings: November 27 - December 3, 2023
Dear Joyful Beginnings Families,
It has been a wonderful week at Joyful Beginnings. The children were all bundled up for the cold weather. With positive reinforcement and practice, most of the children can change their shoes and put on their jackets in the classroom. Dressing is an important skill young children learn in their daily lives. It helps them develop fine motor skills and gain a sense of control over their own bodies. In school, we are teaching them how to put on snow boots and snow pants. At home, please keep encouraging your children to dress themselves.
On Monday and Tuesday, the children made beeswax candles. They used their two hands to roll up a piece of beeswax paper as well as wrap up their candles in paper. They are excited to bring their candles home this week to share them with families. On Wednesday and Thursday, the children used Mr. Brush and red watercolor to paint Father Sun. Even on the coldest day, Father Sun still brings us light and warmth. In the forest, building blocks and cooking continue to be children’s favorite activities. It is delightful to see them start working with peers in play. They helped each other create houses and towers, and they liked to sit together to enjoy their “baked goods." Later in the week, we visited the farm. The children shared fresh vegetables with the animals to help them store energy in the cold months.
This week, we will finish our hedgehog story and begin another story about the Squirrel Nutkin. We will sing a new song in circle time to honor the Winter Solstice. As the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting longer, we can still find lights to guide us through the darkening nights. On Thursday, we are going to celebrate Red’s birthday. We look forward to spending this special time with him and his family.
Announcements and Reminders:
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 daily.
Please come to school dressed in rain gear on rainy and wet days.
Please arrive on time at drop off (8:45-9:00); we will shorten our morning outdoor time on cold days.
Help us support Tweens and Teens this year for the MUST Ministries Toy Drive. Please see the Main Message in the Garden Messanger for more information.
Upcoming Events:
12/07 Grades 1st - 5th Winter Spiral
12/08 Kindergarten Winter Spiral
12/20 Grades Assembly - 12:00 p.m. & Last Day of Fall Semester - Half Day
12/21 Teacher In-Service (No School)
12/22 - 01/03 Winter Break (No School)
01/04 First day of Spring Semester
Thank you for sharing your lovely children with us, and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
Joyful Beginnings: November 13 - 17, 2023
Dear Joyful Beginnings Families,
Welcome back to school! We hope everyone had a great time gathering with families and friends. We were so glad to see all the children return with fun stories and experiences to share.
Before the break, the students had a wonderful week in the classroom. We started a new autumn story about a little hedgehog preparing for winter rest. In the forest, the children delighted in jumping up and down on the leaf piles they made. We also celebrated Henry’s birthday. His mom, dad, and little brother visited our class and shared some of their favorite memories from his birth and each year of his life. Thank you for joining us and bringing delicious treats. We were very excited to see everyone at our Thanksgiving Luncheon on Friday. Thank you for your continuous support of our community.
This week, we will start to assist each child in making beeswax candles to honor all the light festivals around the world. The children will place a waxed wick on a beeswax paper sheet and gently roll it up with their fingers. This practical life activity benefits children as it helps them improve their fine motor skills. Once everyone has made a candle, the children will take it home and enjoy its soothing glow.
Announcements and Reminders:
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 daily.
Please come to school dressed in rain gear on rainy and wet days.
Please arrive on time at drop off (8:45-9:00); we will shorten our morning outdoor time on cold days.
Upcoming Events:
12/02 Prospective Family Open House: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
12/07 Grades 1st - 5th Winter Spiral
12/08 Kindergarten Winter Spiral
12/20 Grades Assembly - 12:00 p.m. & Last Day of Fall Semester - Half Day
12/21 Teacher In-Service (No School)
12/22 - 01/03 Winter Break (No School)
01/04 First day of Spring Semester
Thank you for sharing your lovely children with us and thank you for your support.
Warmly,
Ki Siyu and Ki Angela
