Summer is here!

The Auction was such a nice event!  It was wonderful to see parents and appreciated all of the very thoughtful and encouraging words.  I will miss working with your children more than I can say, but look forward to making some positive changes in my Dylan's life and I thank you for your understanding.  We have already been homeschooling for the last 3 weeks and it feels like it is the right thing for him. Your children will remain in my heart and I hope you will keep me posted on their successes and call me if you need a little support. I feel confident that the children will welcome Brittany and she will continue to guide them toward independence, and nurture their love of learning and service. I know you will welcome her with the warmth that you have always shown me.

• The children counted up $128.00 in change that was sent to Heiffer International.  We purchased a goat and some chicks for a family somewhere in need on our planet.  The children beamed with pride at their work collecting and counting and figuring out what we had and what we could purchase with the funds.  We have so much to be grateful for.

• I have rearranged the Links to the left so you have quick access to what will be happening during the last days of school and what volunteers and donations are needed.  There is also a link to Summer Activities.  If you know of anything else to add, please email me. 

Currently we need a few more Volunteers for Game Day and the Moving Up Ceremony.  We need one more volunteer for Water Day.   

Thank you for your patience with Conference times.  

The new schedule is now available.  One day is Saturday May 19th, and the other is the afternoon of Monday, May 21st.  If you can not find a time that works for you, please let me know and we will schedule another time.  

• Thank you to Darren George, our chickens will be running "wild" pretty soon. We still need some coop renovations to add a door and fix up the nesting box.  Apparently it doesn't appeal to all the ladies.  Keep sending those water bottles to recycle.  We will keep a steady supply frozen to use to cool those chicken legs in the heat.  
• If anyone has terra cotta saucers (large) that they would like to donate, they would be used for hen pools to wade in and stay cool.  We will be setting up a schedule for Summer School for the chickens, if you are attending the summer program and can help out please email me.  It means free eggs, and fun for your children. 
• In the classroom the butterflies have spun their chrysalis, and transformation is currently taking place.  We have been singing the butterfly song with Clare.  

I hope everyone will consider attending the Auction, it is always a fun night, with lots of pictures of the children and time to visit with each other, not to mention find good deals and support the school.  We will have a charming table and 2 chairs for auction with the children's drawings transfered onto the table top.  Insects was the theme voted on by the children.  So the table will reflect the importance of insects to our environment.

April 17th, 2012

The Conference Schedule is up, please sign up for one of the two days May 4th or May 7th.  

Please remember to send a sweater with your child if they might get cold outside in our shady outdoor patio. 

Please remember to think about adding to our Auction Basket!  Our Theme is Water Fun.  It should be a fun basket to fill!  I hope all of our class families will consider coming to the Auction this year, it is a very nice event, and an opportunity to celebrate, and support your school.

Enjoy the beautiful Spring weather and get out into Nature with your children.  Usery park has miles of trails and the flowers are probably blooming.

March 30th, 2012

Exciting news!  The chickens have laid their first eggs.  We have 5 so far.  It looks like the Barnhams lay white eggs and the Leghorns brown ones.  We feel certain that there is not a Rooster in the cage and that they are all hens now.  Pretty soon we will have a little more room for the chickens to roam.  Our chicken coop group will be building a run.  If there is anyone that would like to help, contact Carrie Jankowski (leave a note in the sign out book) or email her.  We need hardware cloth and wood to build the frame, and a little hardware to build the door.  If you have any of these at your fingertips, please let Carrie know.  I am so grateful to the Jankowski family and Briggs family for caring for the chickens on the weekends and days that we are off. We passed the first egg around the line very ceremoniously....not one crack.  So sweet.  We have named the chickens, and look forward to including some pictures soon with their child given names.  

The garden has been very productive as well.  Lots of lettuce, celery, and carrots.  The tomatoes are blooming and so are the strawberries.  The peas are nearly done.  We could always use help harvesting during school time if anyone has time.  

The snack calendar has been sent home, and I will include a page here on our website.  I have sent home a highlighted version so that you know when your week is.  

Please look for the slip of paper to come home notifying you that your child's sharing day is the coming Friday.  Please be sure to just send sharing on your child's day.  No other toys, or other items should come to school on other days.  Please avoid sending jewelry on your children, as it can easily become lost on the playground and nearly impossible to find.   If your child has a special share that can not wait for sharing, please let me know ahead of time with an email.  So we can make time to share it with the class.  

The weather has been so beautiful and we are all enjoying the Spring days.  It can still be chilly in the garden, so please still send a sweater or sweatshirt so your children are comfortable at lunch and work time outside.

After school snack is not provided to the children by the school.  If your child stays for any after school time they are required to bring a snack to school everyday, including Friday. Please place this snack in a separate bag in their lunch box labeled snack.  So that you will know what your child is eating each day, we will no longer be providing snack from the cabinet.  Jack or Layla will give you a call if your child does not have snack so one can be provided to them.  Thank you so much for your help with this.

Hope all of you are enjoying the beautiful weather too. Usery Park isn't very far and is a terrific place to go on the weekend to see the cactus blooming or participate in a Ranger led discussion for children. Enjoy!

February 13th, 2012 Thank you for filling in some of the empty spots on the Ceramics page.  We have a couple more to go.

Please label your child's lunch box CLEARLY so we can identify it easily.  A Sharpie or paint pen works well.  

We have 3 volunteers for Valentines day, and could use 2 more.  

I would really love a volunteer to help count change with the children for Heifer International 

There have still been no volunteers for dusting.  This is a much needed task.  Plan on 30 to 45 minutes once a week. It can be in the morning before school starts (7-8:30) or in the afternoon, afterschool, at lunch. 

Remember put snack in your child's lunch box if they stay after 2:30.  If you have been receiving notes home from us regarding snack be sure to label your child's snack bag "SNACK".  This way we can help them make other choices at lunch. It may be necessary to pack it in a separate small bag.  This is not optional,  snack must come with your child if they are staying after 2:30. 

February 3rd 2012 update- 

It has been a busy year as we add some new practical life work in our classroom.  We have been inspired at a recent Montessori workshop that I attended to add some wonderful opportunities for our children to participate in the classroom in some very practical practical life.  The children show us daily how much they enjoy the new work.  It is truly the "children's house".  

This year on Valentine's Day we are going to abandon the practice of passing out Valentine cards in favor of making meaningful cards and warm fuzzies for each other at school and celebrating with a special event that will express our love and friendship on Valentine's day.  Check the Volunteer site to see if you can volunteer for this day.  

Our lives, I know, are very full and it can seem that everyone is pulling on a sleeve. I am often told by parents how glad they were that they carved out some time to help in the classroom or contribute in some way.  It is an important, and valued gift you give the classroom and your child.  Villa recognizes this importance by requesting 10 hours of service from it's parents.  Please find time to volunteer, your child is very conscious of  your service to the classroom and they always appreciate the contributions of time whether it is at school or at home.  Email me if you would like to join in, and I will help you find a spot that works for you and your family.

Right now I know we are in need of:

shelf dusters 

flowers every other week

ceramics helpers 

A chicken committee to build a small extension on their home and perhaps help find a home for the Rooster. Whoops!

We should have eggs soon, about 20 weeks since we got them. My husband will help build the nesting box pieces this weekend for the children to put together.  A volunteer to help at school with the building would be great. 

A weekly Guinea Pig cage care person (Cinder will be returning soon in a larger abode) 

A birthday celebration volunteer to work on a special project.

A money counter to help the children count their coins for Heifer International.

Our Unit of Study is the body.  If any of our parents would like to make an age appropriate presentation to the class, given the number of health professionals in our class that would be terrific.  One year the Gears hooked up a heart monitor and we found out how the heart works. Please consider sharing yourself and your gifts with our children.  I will set a time that works for you. 

Gratitudes:

Thank you for the beautiful gifts that were given over the holidays to all of us.  I can't tell you how meaningful they are and how appreciated they are.  

Thank you to Fernando's Mother for sewing the wonderful abundance of small napkins for small hands that they use every day and keeping Scholastic going strong.  

Thank you to Jeremy's Mother and Diego's Mother for keeping our book shelf full of wonderful books that they sincerely enjoy and helping set up our Community Service to UMOM and Heifer International.

Thank you to the Briggs family for helping clean the Chicken coop this weekend, and checking their water over the holidays. 

Thank you to the Marie's Mother who helped us set up the Fresh and Easy Fundraiser.

Thank you to Diego's Mom for helping us in the morning on the playground.

Thank you for all the big, little things, bringing your children on time, signing in and out outside, sending napkins and snack for after school, jumping in and taking on snack for the week when needed, making sure your child has a change of clothes, dropping your child off at carline if separations are tricky, volunteering, helping the school with other projects.  Thank you for being a part of this really wonderful community of families. It is a special place because of the care and love your bring to our class. 

I love emails, so if you have a question about your child please email me. 

September 8th 2011, September 14th update

Reagan Bonham's father will be taking pictures of our children this week to put above the hook.  Thanks!

Chanda Campos is our classroom coordinator! Thanks Chanda. You will be hearing from her soon. You can email her at chandacampos@yahoo.com with any questions.

The classroom is settling into familiar routines now and the children are enjoying new friends, new work and new songs to sing. We have been talking to the older children about being peacemakers on the playground, what good friends are like and how include everyone.

Please be sure to put a check for $50 dollars in the envelope for Pizza Friday, written to Tara Fischer.  She is handling our orders.  I have not received notice from anyone that they are not participating.  Thanks.

Jeremy's Mother, Naomi has put together our first community service projects. We will be collecting change for Heifer International, and much needed items for UMOM. These are two wonderful organizations that we would like to support. Look for the purple flier to come home with your child. Visit the websites: http://www.heifer.org/, http://www.umom.org/ UMOM is helping families right here in Arizona, and Heifer International is a TOP listed charity at www.charitywatch.org that aids families around the globe.

The children have been very excited about this project, and enjoy watching the UMOM box, and the Heifer jar of change fill up a little bit more each day. Thank you for your contributions.

Some of our 4 and 5 year olds have been preparing snack in the morning, ironing napkins (K's only), setting the tables for lunch, filling and emptying the dishwasher, as well of course choosing work and receiving lessons.