Kindergarten Turtles: December 1-5, 2025
Greetings, Turtle Families,
During the week, we began a new woodworking project that the children will continue over the next couple of weeks. As part of this work, they will have the opportunity to use real tools such as saws, drills, and rubber mallets. Teachers provide close supervision and clear instruction to ensure safety. The children may wish to keep the final project a surprise, but you will see clues in the photos each week. They will bring the finished creation home at the end of the semester. Working on a project over time allows the children to see their creations gradually take shape, building patience, perseverance, and pride in their work. In Waldorf education, the use of real tools is an important part of hands-on, experiential learning. Activities such as woodworking and sewing help foster skills like dexterity, problem-solving, and a connection to the physical world, and help build confidence and practical life skills.
We celebrated Penny’s 5th birthday on Thursday. Penny’s mom visited our classroom to celebrate with us. Happy Birthday, Penny!
Tomorrow, we will hold our Winter Spiral, a festival that takes place near the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. During this quiet, reverent ceremony, the children will walk the spiral carrying an unlit candle. When they reach the center, they light their candle from the central flame and then slowly walk back out, placing their candle on a star along the path. This touching ritual symbolizes each child giving their own special and unique light to the world, helping guide others in the dark. Families are welcome (and encouraged!) to watch our class walk the spiral. Our walk will begin at 10:45 am. Because the room will be dim and very quiet, entering after the walk has begun can be disruptive, so we ask everyone to be settled before we start. Thank you, and we look forward to sharing this meaningful experience with you.
It is hard to believe that next week is the last week of this semester. We will have fun activities each day.:
Monday - Roast marshmallows and have s’mores in class (weather permitting)
Tuesday - Make pomanders (oranges with cloves) for the children to bring home.
Wednesday - Students may bring a stuffed animal to school. They can play with their stuffies in the forest, eat snacks and lunch with them, and rest with them at rest time. Please make sure the stuffed animal is small enough to fit in their backpacks and is one that is okay to get dirty.
Thursday - Musical instruments to play in the forest.
Friday - Game Day – Play games in the forest all morning.
Announcements and Reminders:
Rest mats will go home on your child’s last day of school next week. Please wash them and return them after the break.
Our Admissions Team will be holding tours designed to address community questions regarding the phases of child development and our Waldorf-inspired curriculum. A combined Kindergarten tour and a Grades tour will be offered on:
Wednesday, December 10th, at 9:30 am
Saturday, December 13th, at 10:00 am
Wednesday, January 7th, at 9:30 am
These tours are for our current families to learn more about the respective programs. Please RSVP by emailing Crystal: admissions@thegardenmarietta.org.
December 19: Last Day of Fall Semester-Grades Assembly at 11:00 am, all families welcomed (Half Day)
December 22-January 2: Winter Break (No School)
January 5: Teacher-In-Service (No School)
January 6: First Day of Spring Semester
Grace and Peace,
Ki Kim
