First Grade: August 11-14, 2026
Dear First Grade Families,
It has been a wonderful first week of school. The students are adjusting well to being in First Grade and are having lots of fun. The Rose Ceremony was a welcoming experience into the Grade program for our First Grade students. In class, we are starting each morning with our circle outside, and are learning the motions and words for part. Each child’s personalities are showing more and more each day as they learn. One of the class’s favorite parts of the day is listening to a story. After multiple cliff hangers, the students were pleased to hear the ending of The Princess in the Ivory Tower, our first read aloud of the year
The foundational first block in the First grade is Form Drawing, which is focused on the construction of lines. Students have been learning about straight, curved, zig-zag, and spiral lines. They are proficient at pointing out curved and straight lines all over campus, from the classroom; to the hallways and all throughout the forest. This is helping them learn how to hold a crayon to develop a tripod grip, build visual and spatial orientation, and expand focus and concentration, all which will support them when we start writing our letters. So far each student has received blue and yellow stick crayons, and all are eagerly awaiting to fill up the rest of their crayon rolls. The excitement of waiting for the next color crayon and the next form drawing help a child develop their will to wait in a healthy and fun-filled manner.
The First graders have now been to every specialty class and are learning a variety of skills as well! In Handwork with Ki Heidi, they became masters of knots, and in Music with Ki Teagan, they practiced keeping a steady beat. In Earth Education with Ki Carson, the class learned about the Muscogee people’s creation story and made clay animal offerings as a thank you to the earth for all it provides us. The students had their first introduction to Mandarin with Ki Cerina!
Class Reminders and Announcements:
August 29: Community Workday (All families welcome!)
September 7: Labor Day (No School)
September 8: Early Childhood Curriculum Meeting, 6:00 pm. (adults only)
September 9: Grade Curriculum Meeting, 6:00 pm (adults only)
Warmly,
Ki Sarah
