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Thursday, January 08, 2004
Calendar
Jan. 16 Staff In-Service –No school or childcare
Jan. 19 Martin Luther King Holiday – No school or childcare
Jan. 21 Parent Core Meeting 5 pm
SCHOOL CLOSURES
GLM will be closed for a Staff In-service day, on Friday, Jan. 16. The school will also be closed on Monday, Jan. 19, for Martin Luther King Day. There will be no childcare at the school either day; however, Ms. Aima, toddler teacher, will offer childcare in her Alameda home on MLK Day. Please see the notice below for details.
MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY CHILDCARE
Ms. Aima (Mulberry teacher) will be offering childcare in her home in Alameda from 8:00 am – 6:00 pm on Monday, Jan. 19, at the rate of $40.00 for the day. Activities include cooking, art projects, a video and a walk to the nearby park. Sign-up sheets will be put on all clipboards. For more information please contact Mary Aima at 510-749-0853
BOX TOP$ PAY OFF!
Box Tops for Education has sent the school checks totaling $75.00! Thank you to all the families who collected and submitted the box tops, and especially to Cindy Fressola, Lucia’s mom, for coordinating the whole effort! The money is earmarked for new playground balls for all the classes. Keep collecting those box tops!
SOUND OF THE WEEK Each Wednesday your child is encouraged, with your help, to find an object at home (preferably not a toy) that begins with the sound of the week. Put it in a labeled bag to share with your child’s class. The sound of the week next week is “Q”, as in Queen, Quill, and Quartz.
PARENTS NIGHT OUT
Ms. Leck is hosting a Parents Night Out on Friday, January 23, from 6-11 pm. Children should come to the Jacaranda classroom in their pajamas, and bring their sleeping bag. A snack, crafts, and movie will be provided. The cost is $35.00 for one child, $55.00 for two. Children must be at least 2.5 years old. Please call Ms. Leck at 510-663-8770, or email her at sidleck@earthlink.net. Advance payment reserves your spot! This service is not affiliated with Grand Lake Montessori.
COOKIE DOUGH STILL AVAILABLE
If you gave away all the cookies you baked during the holidays now is your chance to make treats to keep for yourself! Terry Sandoval still has tubs of dough that include the following varieties: Tuxedo with Walnuts, Oatmeal Raisin, Peanut Butter, and Marshmallow Brownie.
If you wish to purchase any of these extras ($12/tub), please contact Terry directly, at 510-530-5659.
GLM SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS
GLM strives for consistency with its staff and practices. We continue to employ substitute teachers who the children, of all classes, are becoming familiar with. Please feel free to introduce yourselves and welcome these teachers who work with your children. They are Kristine Finn, Gloria Grimm, Aisha Sabry, Elaine Mezzio, and Lisa Ruan.
NEW RAINY DAY AFTERCARE FLAG PROCEDURE
ALSO APPLIES TO COLD DAYS
In an effort to reduce frustration, and facilitate afternoon pick-ups, on cold or rainy days if the Lake Park classes are in the church for aftercare, a red flag will be on a pole on the Chetwood St. gate. The flag will be clearly visible from the street, allowing parents to avoid parking and looking for their child in the Juniper aftercare class. Upon seeing the flag, parents may continue on to Santa Clara and park in the church parking lot.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
The Annual Grand Lake Montessori Auction is coming this spring! This year’s auction will be on Saturday, May 22, 2004, at 6:00 pm, and will be held at the school. Look for more information coming in 2004 – including committee meetings. Anyone interested in helping out can contact Gigi Orta at gigiorta@yahoo.com, or 510-547-6782.
FINANCIAL AID
Financial Aid information and procedures have been passed out to all families. For re-enrolling families the deadline for submitting a Parent’s Financial Statement (PFS - obtainable from the Business Office) to retain your child’s space in the school is 2/2/04 – no exceptions. The original PFS is to be mailed to the School and Student Service for Financial Aid, and a copy of the PFS must be delivered to Nancy Haskins, Director of Financial Aid at GLM by 2/2/04. If you need the procedures/info, please contact either of the school’s offices.
FINANCIAL AID WORKSHOP AT REDWOOD DAY SCHOOL
On Jan. 8th, at 7 pm, Redwood Day School will be hosting a Financial Aid Workshop for parents using the School and Student Service (SSS). Please contact the school at 510-534-0804, ext. 222, for more information.
ELEMENTARY ACTIVITIES
The following is a partial list of activities the elementary students will be participating in:
> Baseball season begins!
> Trip to General Vallejo’s Fort
> Continued library trips
> Cents For A Cure (Leukemia fundraiser) in January
> Spring dance performance
MISSING COAT
Angela Harris is missing her Mickey Mouse jacket. It is black and gray. Please return it to the office or the Live Oak class if you find it. Thank you in advance!
HOUSE FOR RENT
Small 2 bdrm house for rent behind ours (shared yard) in Laurel District between 35th & High. Contact Alice, Julia’s mom, at the above numbers/e-mail.
BABYSITTER AVAILABLE
One of our weekend babysitters, Ying Saechow, is looking for nanny work on Mondays and/or Thursdays. Ying is very responsible and CPR trained. You can contact her directly at 510-437-9750, or call Arlene Rosen or David Cohen at 510-465-7296.
LOST RAINCOAT
Size 3 white nylon GAP raincoat with hood. Tag has initials: “E.L.”, or “E.C.L.”. If located, please return to school office or Shannon Laskey.
CLASS News
LIVE OAK - MS. CHURCH
Welcome back and Happy New Year! We hope everybody had a refreshing break – the teachers certainly did!
Thank you to the Scalzo family for caring for our birds during the holidays, and to Dana Miller, Grace Creech’s mom, for taking care of our mice. It turned out to be not just 3 mice, because they multiplied, much to our surprise! We now have 6 baby mice, almost as large as the adults. Come by and see them; they are very cute. We will be placing them up for adoption as soon as possible.
If you did something fun or interesting, or traveled during the holidays, please come and share your experiences with the class. The children love having visitors.
January is usually the coldest (and longest) month, so dress your child in layers. We are always outside for part of the day, unless it rains really hard. Also, please be sure to put your child’s name in all clothing. Thank you!
GINKGO – MS. NITONDE
Happy New Year! Welcome back! The children are still singing the songs they learned for the Winter Sing-Along. We hope that you enjoyed the event as much as we did, and that everyone had a fun and restful winter break. The children are sharing stories about trips, family gatherings, and visits from Santa. Thank you to the Ginkgo students and all the parents who helped make our Sing-Along a memorable occasion.
We would also like to say thank you for all the wonderful gifts given to us by the children and their parents. Your kindness is appreciated! We’re sure you enjoyed the cookies that the children gave their families.
Please welcome Adriana Derksen and her family to our class! Adriana has a big brother next door in the Live Oak class, Pieter.
Happy birthdays to Isaac Tilin, who turns 4 on Jan. 7, and Claire Mansell who turns 4 on Jan. 8!
Thank you to Eli Brown-Martin’s family for taking care of our parakeets during the break. The teachers asked Eli if the birds had a bath and he replied “No, because they are never dirty”.
Thank you also to Alexis Scalzo’s (Live Oak student) family for tending to our finches during the break!
We are looking forward to the second semester of our 2003-2004 school year!
MAGNOLIA – MS. OLIVARES
Welcome back everyone, and Happy New Year! We hope you all had a joyful holiday season. The children all seem very happy to be back at school and are settling into their routines nicely.
A BIG thank you to Terry Sandoval and John Sabados (Joseph’s parents) for helping set up and clean up for our holiday party. The party was lots of fun and the children sang so beautifully!
Congratulations to the La Prade family who gained a new addition to their family; a baby boy named Beckett. Abbott reported that his new little brother weighed 8 lbs, 5 oz.
Our class will be eliminating the Parent Pockets and will rely on e-mail and the Yellow Folders for communication between parents, teachers and office staff. Please be sure to alert the teachers when you have put correspondence in the folders, and they will retrieve it ASAP.
CAMELLIA – MS. ALLEN
Happy New Year and welcome back to the families who were on extended vacations!!
Thank you to GLM and all the Camellia families for the cards and thoughtful gestures as I was out coping with the loss of my older brother.
Thank you to Nina Reiser, Niorline’s mom, for taking wonderful care of Squeaky and Fluffy (our class guinea pigs) during the holiday break. Their family cat enjoyed “cage sitting” and will undoubtedly miss the pigs!
Thank you also, to Lynn Wardell, Landen’s mom, for caring for our frogs, hamster and the birds, who apparently sang non-stop!
Congratulation to Forrest and Abbott La Prade’s family on the birth of Beckett, born 12/26, and weighing eight and a half pounds!
MULBERRY - MS. AIMA
Happy New Year and Welcome Back!
It was good to see the whole class after our break. So many of the children have grown in size and development!
We would like to thank Landen’s family for taking such good care of the bulk of the classroom pets! They were very brave to take home the birds, frogs and hamster! Their house turned into a little zoo.
I would like to remind parents that our class does the Sound of the Week on Wednesday mornings. The children are encouraged to bring an item from home that starts with the sound to share during Circle time. They really enjoy this activity, and feel left out if they did not bring anything.
Thank you to Nicole Thompson for taking all our laundry home over the holidays to wash and dry!
With the temperatures plummeting please send your child to school with a warm coat. We still spend time outside even with the cold weather. To keep our classroom warm we are trying to keep the kitchen door closed. Please remember to shut it behind you when you enter and leave the building. Thank you for your cooperation!
The Mulberry class wishes to welcome Sofia Zamilton and her parents, Sara Zimmerman and Greg Hamilton, to our classroom family!
JUNIPER - MS. KOERBER
Happy New Year to all! We’re off to a great start!
We will be studying insects during the month of January, and have assigned homework for this week; find an insect, real, stuffed, plastic, pictures or drawings and bring to class to share.
We will also be learning about a great man, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As the children say, he is a man who was good, liked to fight with his words, and wanted everyone to be equal.
Thank you to Heidi Hudson, Kai’s mom, for making the holiday foot prints with each child!
Thank you also to the Van Ness family for the wonderful gift of garden tools, which included the hand shovel, hand rake, pruning shears, and an apron!
Next week Mr. Tien will be talking to the children about Chinese New Year, Jan. 22nd, the Year of the Monkey. If you were born during the Year of the Monkey (1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004) you are intelligent, persuasive, and you should avoid Tigers (1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998) because you will become confused and discouraged. Seek fun and surround your self with Rats and Dragons and your life will be fulfilled! (See Mr. Tien for explanation!)
Í Remember to check your child’s clothing bag for weather appropriate clothing and shoes, they are the correct sizes, and that everything is labeled with your child’s name!
JACARANDA – MS. LECK
Welcome back, Jacaranda class and parents, and Happy New Year! We hope everyone enjoyed their holiday gifts. Thanks to everybody for the coffee grinder for the classroom!
We are looking forward to a year of growth and possibility! As always, if any parents have questions or comments, please email jacarandateacher@grandlakemontessori.com, or talk to us in person!
The children have returned rested and ready to work during the fall months, when many ground rules and other expectations are being learned. The children are setting the stage for later focus and concentration.
Now, after the holidays, is when real focus and concentration can happen. Early works and lessons have been absorbed and children are ready to learn the next work in the progression.
The classroom rug has been replaced by a tape line. The Montessori classroom values the line as a way of allowing the children to practice balance and equilibrium and to calm themselves when the teachers need to redirect them to a calming work.
Be assured that during these cold months the children are eating lunch inside. Please leave their lunchboxes inside on the shelves by the second door of the classroom. The children will be happy to show you this location.
REDWOOD – MS. RANKINS
Welcome back from the holiday break! We hope everyone had a relaxing time.
Over the break Ms. Mack-Keeles and I made a few changes to the classroom. The first one is the lunch box shelf. It is now located outside the classroom in the hallway under the bulletin board. The Parent Pockets are now on top of the shelves holding the lunch boxes. The coat rack is also located in this hallway, and we will be moving the shoe shelves there as well.
Our class is hoping to go to the library next Friday, weather permitting. We will let you know on Thursday if we won’t be going.
As the children become faster at completing their weekly homework assignments please ask them read out loud to you!
We are officially beginning softball on Monday! Be sure your child comes to school with a baseball glove that has his/her name on it.
We are working on warm and cool colors in art. The children have been mixing primary and secondary colors to create warmer and /or cooler colors (we are using paint as the medium). The children have new buddies in class and are working with them on the art project and to make science slides.
REMINDERS:
~ If you missed parent conferences please re-schedule ASAP
~ Our school day ends at 3:30 pm. If you must pick up your child before that time please let us know in advance. We ask that parents not enter the classroom before 3:30.
Jan. 16 Staff In-Service –No school or childcare
Jan. 19 Martin Luther King Holiday – No school or childcare
Jan. 21 Parent Core Meeting 5 pm
SCHOOL CLOSURES
GLM will be closed for a Staff In-service day, on Friday, Jan. 16. The school will also be closed on Monday, Jan. 19, for Martin Luther King Day. There will be no childcare at the school either day; however, Ms. Aima, toddler teacher, will offer childcare in her Alameda home on MLK Day. Please see the notice below for details.
MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY CHILDCARE
Ms. Aima (Mulberry teacher) will be offering childcare in her home in Alameda from 8:00 am – 6:00 pm on Monday, Jan. 19, at the rate of $40.00 for the day. Activities include cooking, art projects, a video and a walk to the nearby park. Sign-up sheets will be put on all clipboards. For more information please contact Mary Aima at 510-749-0853
BOX TOP$ PAY OFF!
Box Tops for Education has sent the school checks totaling $75.00! Thank you to all the families who collected and submitted the box tops, and especially to Cindy Fressola, Lucia’s mom, for coordinating the whole effort! The money is earmarked for new playground balls for all the classes. Keep collecting those box tops!
SOUND OF THE WEEK Each Wednesday your child is encouraged, with your help, to find an object at home (preferably not a toy) that begins with the sound of the week. Put it in a labeled bag to share with your child’s class. The sound of the week next week is “Q”, as in Queen, Quill, and Quartz.
PARENTS NIGHT OUT
Ms. Leck is hosting a Parents Night Out on Friday, January 23, from 6-11 pm. Children should come to the Jacaranda classroom in their pajamas, and bring their sleeping bag. A snack, crafts, and movie will be provided. The cost is $35.00 for one child, $55.00 for two. Children must be at least 2.5 years old. Please call Ms. Leck at 510-663-8770, or email her at sidleck@earthlink.net. Advance payment reserves your spot! This service is not affiliated with Grand Lake Montessori.
COOKIE DOUGH STILL AVAILABLE
If you gave away all the cookies you baked during the holidays now is your chance to make treats to keep for yourself! Terry Sandoval still has tubs of dough that include the following varieties: Tuxedo with Walnuts, Oatmeal Raisin, Peanut Butter, and Marshmallow Brownie.
If you wish to purchase any of these extras ($12/tub), please contact Terry directly, at 510-530-5659.
GLM SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS
GLM strives for consistency with its staff and practices. We continue to employ substitute teachers who the children, of all classes, are becoming familiar with. Please feel free to introduce yourselves and welcome these teachers who work with your children. They are Kristine Finn, Gloria Grimm, Aisha Sabry, Elaine Mezzio, and Lisa Ruan.
NEW RAINY DAY AFTERCARE FLAG PROCEDURE
ALSO APPLIES TO COLD DAYS
In an effort to reduce frustration, and facilitate afternoon pick-ups, on cold or rainy days if the Lake Park classes are in the church for aftercare, a red flag will be on a pole on the Chetwood St. gate. The flag will be clearly visible from the street, allowing parents to avoid parking and looking for their child in the Juniper aftercare class. Upon seeing the flag, parents may continue on to Santa Clara and park in the church parking lot.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
The Annual Grand Lake Montessori Auction is coming this spring! This year’s auction will be on Saturday, May 22, 2004, at 6:00 pm, and will be held at the school. Look for more information coming in 2004 – including committee meetings. Anyone interested in helping out can contact Gigi Orta at gigiorta@yahoo.com, or 510-547-6782.
FINANCIAL AID
Financial Aid information and procedures have been passed out to all families. For re-enrolling families the deadline for submitting a Parent’s Financial Statement (PFS - obtainable from the Business Office) to retain your child’s space in the school is 2/2/04 – no exceptions. The original PFS is to be mailed to the School and Student Service for Financial Aid, and a copy of the PFS must be delivered to Nancy Haskins, Director of Financial Aid at GLM by 2/2/04. If you need the procedures/info, please contact either of the school’s offices.
FINANCIAL AID WORKSHOP AT REDWOOD DAY SCHOOL
On Jan. 8th, at 7 pm, Redwood Day School will be hosting a Financial Aid Workshop for parents using the School and Student Service (SSS). Please contact the school at 510-534-0804, ext. 222, for more information.
ELEMENTARY ACTIVITIES
The following is a partial list of activities the elementary students will be participating in:
> Baseball season begins!
> Trip to General Vallejo’s Fort
> Continued library trips
> Cents For A Cure (Leukemia fundraiser) in January
> Spring dance performance
MISSING COAT
Angela Harris is missing her Mickey Mouse jacket. It is black and gray. Please return it to the office or the Live Oak class if you find it. Thank you in advance!
HOUSE FOR RENT
Small 2 bdrm house for rent behind ours (shared yard) in Laurel District between 35th & High. Contact Alice, Julia’s mom, at the above numbers/e-mail.
BABYSITTER AVAILABLE
One of our weekend babysitters, Ying Saechow, is looking for nanny work on Mondays and/or Thursdays. Ying is very responsible and CPR trained. You can contact her directly at 510-437-9750, or call Arlene Rosen or David Cohen at 510-465-7296.
LOST RAINCOAT
Size 3 white nylon GAP raincoat with hood. Tag has initials: “E.L.”, or “E.C.L.”. If located, please return to school office or Shannon Laskey.
CLASS News
LIVE OAK - MS. CHURCH
Welcome back and Happy New Year! We hope everybody had a refreshing break – the teachers certainly did!
Thank you to the Scalzo family for caring for our birds during the holidays, and to Dana Miller, Grace Creech’s mom, for taking care of our mice. It turned out to be not just 3 mice, because they multiplied, much to our surprise! We now have 6 baby mice, almost as large as the adults. Come by and see them; they are very cute. We will be placing them up for adoption as soon as possible.
If you did something fun or interesting, or traveled during the holidays, please come and share your experiences with the class. The children love having visitors.
January is usually the coldest (and longest) month, so dress your child in layers. We are always outside for part of the day, unless it rains really hard. Also, please be sure to put your child’s name in all clothing. Thank you!
GINKGO – MS. NITONDE
Happy New Year! Welcome back! The children are still singing the songs they learned for the Winter Sing-Along. We hope that you enjoyed the event as much as we did, and that everyone had a fun and restful winter break. The children are sharing stories about trips, family gatherings, and visits from Santa. Thank you to the Ginkgo students and all the parents who helped make our Sing-Along a memorable occasion.
We would also like to say thank you for all the wonderful gifts given to us by the children and their parents. Your kindness is appreciated! We’re sure you enjoyed the cookies that the children gave their families.
Please welcome Adriana Derksen and her family to our class! Adriana has a big brother next door in the Live Oak class, Pieter.
Happy birthdays to Isaac Tilin, who turns 4 on Jan. 7, and Claire Mansell who turns 4 on Jan. 8!
Thank you to Eli Brown-Martin’s family for taking care of our parakeets during the break. The teachers asked Eli if the birds had a bath and he replied “No, because they are never dirty”.
Thank you also to Alexis Scalzo’s (Live Oak student) family for tending to our finches during the break!
We are looking forward to the second semester of our 2003-2004 school year!
MAGNOLIA – MS. OLIVARES
Welcome back everyone, and Happy New Year! We hope you all had a joyful holiday season. The children all seem very happy to be back at school and are settling into their routines nicely.
A BIG thank you to Terry Sandoval and John Sabados (Joseph’s parents) for helping set up and clean up for our holiday party. The party was lots of fun and the children sang so beautifully!
Congratulations to the La Prade family who gained a new addition to their family; a baby boy named Beckett. Abbott reported that his new little brother weighed 8 lbs, 5 oz.
Our class will be eliminating the Parent Pockets and will rely on e-mail and the Yellow Folders for communication between parents, teachers and office staff. Please be sure to alert the teachers when you have put correspondence in the folders, and they will retrieve it ASAP.
CAMELLIA – MS. ALLEN
Happy New Year and welcome back to the families who were on extended vacations!!
Thank you to GLM and all the Camellia families for the cards and thoughtful gestures as I was out coping with the loss of my older brother.
Thank you to Nina Reiser, Niorline’s mom, for taking wonderful care of Squeaky and Fluffy (our class guinea pigs) during the holiday break. Their family cat enjoyed “cage sitting” and will undoubtedly miss the pigs!
Thank you also, to Lynn Wardell, Landen’s mom, for caring for our frogs, hamster and the birds, who apparently sang non-stop!
Congratulation to Forrest and Abbott La Prade’s family on the birth of Beckett, born 12/26, and weighing eight and a half pounds!
MULBERRY - MS. AIMA
Happy New Year and Welcome Back!
It was good to see the whole class after our break. So many of the children have grown in size and development!
We would like to thank Landen’s family for taking such good care of the bulk of the classroom pets! They were very brave to take home the birds, frogs and hamster! Their house turned into a little zoo.
I would like to remind parents that our class does the Sound of the Week on Wednesday mornings. The children are encouraged to bring an item from home that starts with the sound to share during Circle time. They really enjoy this activity, and feel left out if they did not bring anything.
Thank you to Nicole Thompson for taking all our laundry home over the holidays to wash and dry!
With the temperatures plummeting please send your child to school with a warm coat. We still spend time outside even with the cold weather. To keep our classroom warm we are trying to keep the kitchen door closed. Please remember to shut it behind you when you enter and leave the building. Thank you for your cooperation!
The Mulberry class wishes to welcome Sofia Zamilton and her parents, Sara Zimmerman and Greg Hamilton, to our classroom family!
JUNIPER - MS. KOERBER
Happy New Year to all! We’re off to a great start!
We will be studying insects during the month of January, and have assigned homework for this week; find an insect, real, stuffed, plastic, pictures or drawings and bring to class to share.
We will also be learning about a great man, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As the children say, he is a man who was good, liked to fight with his words, and wanted everyone to be equal.
Thank you to Heidi Hudson, Kai’s mom, for making the holiday foot prints with each child!
Thank you also to the Van Ness family for the wonderful gift of garden tools, which included the hand shovel, hand rake, pruning shears, and an apron!
Next week Mr. Tien will be talking to the children about Chinese New Year, Jan. 22nd, the Year of the Monkey. If you were born during the Year of the Monkey (1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004) you are intelligent, persuasive, and you should avoid Tigers (1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998) because you will become confused and discouraged. Seek fun and surround your self with Rats and Dragons and your life will be fulfilled! (See Mr. Tien for explanation!)
Í Remember to check your child’s clothing bag for weather appropriate clothing and shoes, they are the correct sizes, and that everything is labeled with your child’s name!
JACARANDA – MS. LECK
Welcome back, Jacaranda class and parents, and Happy New Year! We hope everyone enjoyed their holiday gifts. Thanks to everybody for the coffee grinder for the classroom!
We are looking forward to a year of growth and possibility! As always, if any parents have questions or comments, please email jacarandateacher@grandlakemontessori.com, or talk to us in person!
The children have returned rested and ready to work during the fall months, when many ground rules and other expectations are being learned. The children are setting the stage for later focus and concentration.
Now, after the holidays, is when real focus and concentration can happen. Early works and lessons have been absorbed and children are ready to learn the next work in the progression.
The classroom rug has been replaced by a tape line. The Montessori classroom values the line as a way of allowing the children to practice balance and equilibrium and to calm themselves when the teachers need to redirect them to a calming work.
Be assured that during these cold months the children are eating lunch inside. Please leave their lunchboxes inside on the shelves by the second door of the classroom. The children will be happy to show you this location.
REDWOOD – MS. RANKINS
Welcome back from the holiday break! We hope everyone had a relaxing time.
Over the break Ms. Mack-Keeles and I made a few changes to the classroom. The first one is the lunch box shelf. It is now located outside the classroom in the hallway under the bulletin board. The Parent Pockets are now on top of the shelves holding the lunch boxes. The coat rack is also located in this hallway, and we will be moving the shoe shelves there as well.
Our class is hoping to go to the library next Friday, weather permitting. We will let you know on Thursday if we won’t be going.
As the children become faster at completing their weekly homework assignments please ask them read out loud to you!
We are officially beginning softball on Monday! Be sure your child comes to school with a baseball glove that has his/her name on it.
We are working on warm and cool colors in art. The children have been mixing primary and secondary colors to create warmer and /or cooler colors (we are using paint as the medium). The children have new buddies in class and are working with them on the art project and to make science slides.
REMINDERS:
~ If you missed parent conferences please re-schedule ASAP
~ Our school day ends at 3:30 pm. If you must pick up your child before that time please let us know in advance. We ask that parents not enter the classroom before 3:30.
Tuesday, January 06, 2004
DECEMBER SCHOOL CLOSURES
December 22 through December 31 is the school Holiday Break. Childcare during the break is full. On Wednesday, Dec. 24, the school will be closed at 1 pm and will remain closed until the following Monday, Dec. 29. On Wednesday, Dec. 31, the school will again close at 1 pm, re-opening on Monday, January 5.
HOLIDAY SING-ALONGS
Each class is planning a special Holiday Sing-Along for families to attend. Check with your child's teacher whether the event includes a pot-luck or finger food. Because we do have children with serious nut allergies, foods prepared with nut products will not be served. Below are the dates and times for each class:
~ Camellia: Thursday, 12/18, 5-6 pm ~ Magnolia: Thursday, 12/18, 6:30-7:30
COOKIE DOUGH ORDERS
Congratulations to the Ginkgo class for racking up more than 60% of the cookie dough sales! The orders are now available in your child's classroom. Check with the teachers for the exact locations. The school is unable to store the dough for you and it must be refrigerated or frozen. Please arrange to pick your order up by the end of this week, Friday, Dec. 19. We were given extra tubs of dough along with our order that includes the following varieties: Tuxedo with Walnuts, Oatmeal Raisin, White Chocolate-Macadamia, Peanut Butter, and Marshmallow Brownie. If you wish to purchase any of these extras ($12/tub), please contact Terry Sandoval directly, at 510-530-5659.
SOUND OF THE WEEK is on hold for the next 2 weeks. We will resume Sound of the Week on Wednesday, January 7, with the letter "O" as in Odd, Oscillate, and Object.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
The Annual Grand Lake Montessori Auction is coming this spring! This year's auction will be on Saturday, May 22, 2004, at 6:00 pm, and will be held at the school. Look for more information coming in 2004 including committee meetings. Anyone interested in helping out can contact Gigi Orta at gigiorta@yahoo.com, or 510-547-6782.
NEW COLD/RAINY DAY AFTERCARE PROCEDURE
In an effort to reduce frustration, and facilitate afternoon pick-ups on cold or rainy days, if the Lake Park classes are in the church for aftercare, a red flag will be on a pole on the Chetwood St. gate. The flag will be clearly visible from the street, allowing parents to avoid parking and looking for their child in the Juniper aftercare class. Upon seeing the flag, parents may continue on to Santa Clara and park in the church parking lot.
TEACHER RECOMMENDATION FORMS
If you are considering other schools for K-6 for the 2004/2005 school year the Teacher Recommendation forms must be given to your child's teacher TWO WEEKS before their due date. Forms received now will not be completed until January.
FINANCIAL AID
Financial Aid information and procedures were passed out to all families last week. For re-enrolling families the deadline for submitting a Parent's Financial Statement (PFS - obtainable from the Business Office) to retain your child's space in the school is 2/2/04, no exceptions. The original PFS is to be mailed to the School and Student Service for Financial Aid, and a copy of the PFS must be delivered to Nancy Haskins, Director of Financial Aid at GLM by 2/2/04. Please see the information passed out last week for details. If you need the procedures/info, please contact either of the school's offices.
FINANCIAL AID WORKSHOP AT REDWOOD DAY SCHOOL
On Jan. 8th, at 7 pm, Redwood Day School will be hosting a Financial Aid Workshop for parents using the School and Student Service (SSS). Please contact the school at 510-534-0804, ext. 222, for more information.
SHOP TILL YOU DROP SATURDAY ONLY ONE DAY LEFT!
During the holidays, from Nov. 29 to Dec. 20, Ms. Aima (head toddler teacher in the Mulberry class) is offering childcare on Saturdays at her home in Alameda for a mere $5.00 per hour. This is a great chance to do some holiday shopping without the kids in tow! Call 510-749-0853 to hold a spot.
ELEMENTARY ACTIVITIES
The following is a partial list of activities the elementary students will be participating in:
+ Baseball season begins!
+ Trips to Oakland Museum and General Vallejo's Fort
+ Continued library trips
+ Cents For A Cure (Leukemia fundraiser) in January
+ Spring dance performance
MISSING COAT
Angela Harris is missing her Mickey Mouse jacket. It is black and gray. Please return it to the office or the Live Oak class if you find it. Thank you in advance!
BUNNIES NEED VACATION LOCATION
Very cute bunnies need care from 12/25/03-1/3/04. Will give detailed instructions for care. Call or e-mail Alice (Julia's mom - elementary student) at Work 510-446-7109 , Home 510-482-9704 , or philips511@juno.com.
HOUSE FOR RENT
Small 2 bdrm house for rent behind ours (shared yard) in Laurel District between 35th & High. Contact Alice, Julia's mom, at the above numbers/e-mail.
BABYSITTER AVAILABLE
One of our weekend babysitters, Ying Saechow, is looking for nanny work on Mondays and/or Thursdays. Ying is very responsible and CPR trained. You can contact her directly at 510-437-9750, or call Arlene Rosen or David Cohen at 510-465-7296.
CLASS NEWS
LIVE OAK - MS. CHURCH
Happy Holidays!
The Live Oak Sing-Along last Thursday night was great! A good time was had by all. The children especially enjoyed seeing some of the former Live Oak children who came for the event. Thank you to all of our parents who contributed the tasty treats for our Holiday Celebration! We would like to also thank those parents who
helped with the holiday crafts, and shared their different holiday traditions with us.
A big congratulations to the Talwatte family, who welcomed a new baby sister on Sunday, Dec. 14!
GINKGO - MS. NITONDE
Thank yous go to Tammy Brown, Eli's mom, for donating lots of scratch paper to our classroom, to Kate Hartley, Chloe's mom, for purchasing bowls for our practical life shelf, and to Cindy Fressola for the gift bags to send artwork home in!
Thank you also to Henry's mom, Martha Linhares, for reading two wonderful books to the class. One was "Komodo" about the dragons in the Indonesian Islands, and the other was Shhh, Santa, about a noisy you-know-who.
Isaac's mom, Madeleine Tilin, came to class to share their family's tradition of celebrating Chanukah. The children were allowed to light the Chanukah candles (Menorah), and listened to a story. She also helped the children make Stars of David for an art project. Thank you!
The entire class made holiday dessert plates to take home and share with their families. We hope everyone enjoyed the hand-made, decorated cookies the children created!
For Sound of the Week, the children brought in Macaroni, Money, Marker, Magnets, Magnifying glass, and Marina Mosley! Burkina brought in a musical instrument, a Marimba, and played it for the class.
Have a wonderful Holiday, and a very Happy New Year!
MAGNOLIA - MS. OLIVARES
A big Happy Birthday to Simone Stenson who turned 5 years old! She gave our class a book titled Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type. Thank you to the Stenson family!
A huge thank you to everyone for bringing in their food items on time. The children are all busy baking, cooking and singing in preparation of our Sing-Along on Thursday.
The weather has been very chilly lately and the children have been eating lunch inside. Please dress your child in layers to ensure adequate coverage during the day (a coat over a t-shirt doesn't quite cover the days fluctuating temperature). They are so normalized to their lunch routine that they have recently begun using ceramic dishes and real flatware! They are very careful with these utensils and bus their own tables. If any of the flatware comes home accidentally, please put it back in your child's lunch box to be returned the following day. Thank you.
Happy Holidays to everyone! We will see you in 2004!
CAMELLIA - MS. ALLEN
The Camellia families, and the entire GLM community, wish to extend their heartfelt condolences to Ms. Denise Allen on the loss of her brother. Our hearts and thoughts are with her at this difficult time.
The children have been very busy preparing for the Holidays! They carefully decorated cookie ornaments and made wreaths with Ms. Sabry. Ms. Finn brought her guitar and helped the children practice for the Sing-Along on Thursday.
Thank you to Sadie’s mom, Nancy Appel,, and Adam's mom, Orit Vogel, who joined the class and made Latkes with applesauce. The children LOVED them! We are also looking forward to story reading tomorrow with Will's dad, David Wolfe.
Some of our classroom animals need temporary housing during the Holiday Break. If you are able and interested in animal-sitting our birds, guinea pigs, or frogs, from Dec. 19 to Jan. 4, please let us know! (This would be applied to your Parent Participation Hours at a rate of 1/2 hour per day per cage).
Thank you to all our parents for their support and involvement this year, and we wish you a healthy, happy New Year!
MULBERRY - MS. AIMA
The Mulberry children have been getting ready for their Holiday Sing-Along, practicing all the songs. Their favorite one is Build a Little Snowman. We've also been making decorations, including a giant snowman to hang on the wall, and we continue to work on our paper chain that is getting longer every day! We read lots of great stories the last two weeks about Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and snow.
If you take a look at our classroom wall you’ll see that we've hung more family photos. If you haven't brought yours in, it's not too late!
The Mulberry teachers would like to wish you all a happy and safe holiday and New Year!
JUNIPER - MS. KOERBER
The children are buzzing with holiday cheer, and all through the classroom we are hearing I can't wait until Advent/Chanukah/Christmas/Kwanzaa!, just to name a few! These observances all have two things in common; light and life, which the children have realized are very important.
Thank you to Michelle Meyers and Ella Taggart for sharing their Chanukah tradition with the class. They explained the meaning of the Menorah, the Dreidel, the Charity Box, Latkes and the Eight Special Nights. To each child they gave their own Dreidel, chocolate coins, and money to play the Dreidel game (which we played in class) and money for the Charity Box!
It's been a great three months at school, and we thank you all for your unending support. Ms. Koerber, Mr. Tien, Ms. Owens, and Ms. Basom wish you all a happy and safe Holiday! We look forward to our time together in the New Year!
JACARANDA - MS. LECK
The Jacaranda class is alive with the spirit of the holidays, with the children learning songs from many cultures and traditions. Montessori education embraces all cultures and traditions and the children truly learn even more about the world this way.
Holiday gifts have been prepared by the children in great secrecy and with great care, which by now you will have seen! Classroom decorations, too, are made by the children. This is not busywork; the principles of concentration, coordination, order and independence are built into every activity in the Jacaranda classroom, no matter the time of year.
We wish everyone safe and happy Holidays, wherever you may be, and we will see you all again after the break!
Thank you to Ellen Adejobi, Rachel's mom, for the beautiful Kinara (the Kwanzaa candleholder). The Jacaranda class now has its very own Menorah and Kinara to bring out every Holiday Season! The children have been enjoying learning about the different principles and symbolic meaning of all the candles used in the Kianra for Kwanzaa.
The Jacaranda teachers would like to honor all the parents and other caregivers who do such a fantastic job of taking care of the children. We are so grateful for your support. It is great to work on this team with you, and look forward to sharing more of life with you next year!
REDWOOD - MS. RANKINS
Last Friday the children shared a wonderful birthday celebration with Zhanna. She and her mom, Lynn Cadwalader, brought some wonderful artifacts from Kazakhstan where Zhanna was born. The entire class enjoyed hearing about Zhanna's life. Thank you so much, Lynn!
We would like to share more in the celebration of the children's lives through their birthdays, and have instituted a new birthday routine: at the approach of a child's birthdate, he/she will create a timeline of his/her life, including pictures, to share with the rest of the class.
The children are very interested in objects form other towns, cities, states, and countries, and we would love it if parents who travel would bring souvenirs to share with us.
Thank you to everyone who attended our performance last evening! The children were so excited! The two favorite songs they sang were What Can One Little Person Do?, and Rudolph. Ms. Rankins and Ms. Mack-Keeles would like to thank the parents for the wonderful gifts of the pedicures, manicures, and bubble baths! These will definitely be enjoyed!
We also wish to thank you all for entrusting us with your children. They are so special to us!
Thank you to Alice Philips for making Latkes with our class in celebration of Chanukah. The children LOVE sharing customs through food!
We hope that everyone has a wonderful vacation! We will miss you. See you in January!
December 22 through December 31 is the school Holiday Break. Childcare during the break is full. On Wednesday, Dec. 24, the school will be closed at 1 pm and will remain closed until the following Monday, Dec. 29. On Wednesday, Dec. 31, the school will again close at 1 pm, re-opening on Monday, January 5.
HOLIDAY SING-ALONGS
Each class is planning a special Holiday Sing-Along for families to attend. Check with your child's teacher whether the event includes a pot-luck or finger food. Because we do have children with serious nut allergies, foods prepared with nut products will not be served. Below are the dates and times for each class:
~ Camellia: Thursday, 12/18, 5-6 pm ~ Magnolia: Thursday, 12/18, 6:30-7:30
COOKIE DOUGH ORDERS
Congratulations to the Ginkgo class for racking up more than 60% of the cookie dough sales! The orders are now available in your child's classroom. Check with the teachers for the exact locations. The school is unable to store the dough for you and it must be refrigerated or frozen. Please arrange to pick your order up by the end of this week, Friday, Dec. 19. We were given extra tubs of dough along with our order that includes the following varieties: Tuxedo with Walnuts, Oatmeal Raisin, White Chocolate-Macadamia, Peanut Butter, and Marshmallow Brownie. If you wish to purchase any of these extras ($12/tub), please contact Terry Sandoval directly, at 510-530-5659.
SOUND OF THE WEEK is on hold for the next 2 weeks. We will resume Sound of the Week on Wednesday, January 7, with the letter "O" as in Odd, Oscillate, and Object.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
The Annual Grand Lake Montessori Auction is coming this spring! This year's auction will be on Saturday, May 22, 2004, at 6:00 pm, and will be held at the school. Look for more information coming in 2004 including committee meetings. Anyone interested in helping out can contact Gigi Orta at gigiorta@yahoo.com, or 510-547-6782.
NEW COLD/RAINY DAY AFTERCARE PROCEDURE
In an effort to reduce frustration, and facilitate afternoon pick-ups on cold or rainy days, if the Lake Park classes are in the church for aftercare, a red flag will be on a pole on the Chetwood St. gate. The flag will be clearly visible from the street, allowing parents to avoid parking and looking for their child in the Juniper aftercare class. Upon seeing the flag, parents may continue on to Santa Clara and park in the church parking lot.
TEACHER RECOMMENDATION FORMS
If you are considering other schools for K-6 for the 2004/2005 school year the Teacher Recommendation forms must be given to your child's teacher TWO WEEKS before their due date. Forms received now will not be completed until January.
FINANCIAL AID
Financial Aid information and procedures were passed out to all families last week. For re-enrolling families the deadline for submitting a Parent's Financial Statement (PFS - obtainable from the Business Office) to retain your child's space in the school is 2/2/04, no exceptions. The original PFS is to be mailed to the School and Student Service for Financial Aid, and a copy of the PFS must be delivered to Nancy Haskins, Director of Financial Aid at GLM by 2/2/04. Please see the information passed out last week for details. If you need the procedures/info, please contact either of the school's offices.
FINANCIAL AID WORKSHOP AT REDWOOD DAY SCHOOL
On Jan. 8th, at 7 pm, Redwood Day School will be hosting a Financial Aid Workshop for parents using the School and Student Service (SSS). Please contact the school at 510-534-0804, ext. 222, for more information.
SHOP TILL YOU DROP SATURDAY ONLY ONE DAY LEFT!
During the holidays, from Nov. 29 to Dec. 20, Ms. Aima (head toddler teacher in the Mulberry class) is offering childcare on Saturdays at her home in Alameda for a mere $5.00 per hour. This is a great chance to do some holiday shopping without the kids in tow! Call 510-749-0853 to hold a spot.
ELEMENTARY ACTIVITIES
The following is a partial list of activities the elementary students will be participating in:
+ Baseball season begins!
+ Trips to Oakland Museum and General Vallejo's Fort
+ Continued library trips
+ Cents For A Cure (Leukemia fundraiser) in January
+ Spring dance performance
MISSING COAT
Angela Harris is missing her Mickey Mouse jacket. It is black and gray. Please return it to the office or the Live Oak class if you find it. Thank you in advance!
BUNNIES NEED VACATION LOCATION
Very cute bunnies need care from 12/25/03-1/3/04. Will give detailed instructions for care. Call or e-mail Alice (Julia's mom - elementary student) at Work 510-446-7109 , Home 510-482-9704 , or philips511@juno.com.
HOUSE FOR RENT
Small 2 bdrm house for rent behind ours (shared yard) in Laurel District between 35th & High. Contact Alice, Julia's mom, at the above numbers/e-mail.
BABYSITTER AVAILABLE
One of our weekend babysitters, Ying Saechow, is looking for nanny work on Mondays and/or Thursdays. Ying is very responsible and CPR trained. You can contact her directly at 510-437-9750, or call Arlene Rosen or David Cohen at 510-465-7296.
CLASS NEWS
LIVE OAK - MS. CHURCH
Happy Holidays!
The Live Oak Sing-Along last Thursday night was great! A good time was had by all. The children especially enjoyed seeing some of the former Live Oak children who came for the event. Thank you to all of our parents who contributed the tasty treats for our Holiday Celebration! We would like to also thank those parents who
helped with the holiday crafts, and shared their different holiday traditions with us.
A big congratulations to the Talwatte family, who welcomed a new baby sister on Sunday, Dec. 14!
GINKGO - MS. NITONDE
Thank yous go to Tammy Brown, Eli's mom, for donating lots of scratch paper to our classroom, to Kate Hartley, Chloe's mom, for purchasing bowls for our practical life shelf, and to Cindy Fressola for the gift bags to send artwork home in!
Thank you also to Henry's mom, Martha Linhares, for reading two wonderful books to the class. One was "Komodo" about the dragons in the Indonesian Islands, and the other was Shhh, Santa, about a noisy you-know-who.
Isaac's mom, Madeleine Tilin, came to class to share their family's tradition of celebrating Chanukah. The children were allowed to light the Chanukah candles (Menorah), and listened to a story. She also helped the children make Stars of David for an art project. Thank you!
The entire class made holiday dessert plates to take home and share with their families. We hope everyone enjoyed the hand-made, decorated cookies the children created!
For Sound of the Week, the children brought in Macaroni, Money, Marker, Magnets, Magnifying glass, and Marina Mosley! Burkina brought in a musical instrument, a Marimba, and played it for the class.
Have a wonderful Holiday, and a very Happy New Year!
MAGNOLIA - MS. OLIVARES
A big Happy Birthday to Simone Stenson who turned 5 years old! She gave our class a book titled Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type. Thank you to the Stenson family!
A huge thank you to everyone for bringing in their food items on time. The children are all busy baking, cooking and singing in preparation of our Sing-Along on Thursday.
The weather has been very chilly lately and the children have been eating lunch inside. Please dress your child in layers to ensure adequate coverage during the day (a coat over a t-shirt doesn't quite cover the days fluctuating temperature). They are so normalized to their lunch routine that they have recently begun using ceramic dishes and real flatware! They are very careful with these utensils and bus their own tables. If any of the flatware comes home accidentally, please put it back in your child's lunch box to be returned the following day. Thank you.
Happy Holidays to everyone! We will see you in 2004!
CAMELLIA - MS. ALLEN
The Camellia families, and the entire GLM community, wish to extend their heartfelt condolences to Ms. Denise Allen on the loss of her brother. Our hearts and thoughts are with her at this difficult time.
The children have been very busy preparing for the Holidays! They carefully decorated cookie ornaments and made wreaths with Ms. Sabry. Ms. Finn brought her guitar and helped the children practice for the Sing-Along on Thursday.
Thank you to Sadie’s mom, Nancy Appel,, and Adam's mom, Orit Vogel, who joined the class and made Latkes with applesauce. The children LOVED them! We are also looking forward to story reading tomorrow with Will's dad, David Wolfe.
Some of our classroom animals need temporary housing during the Holiday Break. If you are able and interested in animal-sitting our birds, guinea pigs, or frogs, from Dec. 19 to Jan. 4, please let us know! (This would be applied to your Parent Participation Hours at a rate of 1/2 hour per day per cage).
Thank you to all our parents for their support and involvement this year, and we wish you a healthy, happy New Year!
MULBERRY - MS. AIMA
The Mulberry children have been getting ready for their Holiday Sing-Along, practicing all the songs. Their favorite one is Build a Little Snowman. We've also been making decorations, including a giant snowman to hang on the wall, and we continue to work on our paper chain that is getting longer every day! We read lots of great stories the last two weeks about Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and snow.
If you take a look at our classroom wall you’ll see that we've hung more family photos. If you haven't brought yours in, it's not too late!
The Mulberry teachers would like to wish you all a happy and safe holiday and New Year!
JUNIPER - MS. KOERBER
The children are buzzing with holiday cheer, and all through the classroom we are hearing I can't wait until Advent/Chanukah/Christmas/Kwanzaa!, just to name a few! These observances all have two things in common; light and life, which the children have realized are very important.
Thank you to Michelle Meyers and Ella Taggart for sharing their Chanukah tradition with the class. They explained the meaning of the Menorah, the Dreidel, the Charity Box, Latkes and the Eight Special Nights. To each child they gave their own Dreidel, chocolate coins, and money to play the Dreidel game (which we played in class) and money for the Charity Box!
It's been a great three months at school, and we thank you all for your unending support. Ms. Koerber, Mr. Tien, Ms. Owens, and Ms. Basom wish you all a happy and safe Holiday! We look forward to our time together in the New Year!
JACARANDA - MS. LECK
The Jacaranda class is alive with the spirit of the holidays, with the children learning songs from many cultures and traditions. Montessori education embraces all cultures and traditions and the children truly learn even more about the world this way.
Holiday gifts have been prepared by the children in great secrecy and with great care, which by now you will have seen! Classroom decorations, too, are made by the children. This is not busywork; the principles of concentration, coordination, order and independence are built into every activity in the Jacaranda classroom, no matter the time of year.
We wish everyone safe and happy Holidays, wherever you may be, and we will see you all again after the break!
Thank you to Ellen Adejobi, Rachel's mom, for the beautiful Kinara (the Kwanzaa candleholder). The Jacaranda class now has its very own Menorah and Kinara to bring out every Holiday Season! The children have been enjoying learning about the different principles and symbolic meaning of all the candles used in the Kianra for Kwanzaa.
The Jacaranda teachers would like to honor all the parents and other caregivers who do such a fantastic job of taking care of the children. We are so grateful for your support. It is great to work on this team with you, and look forward to sharing more of life with you next year!
REDWOOD - MS. RANKINS
Last Friday the children shared a wonderful birthday celebration with Zhanna. She and her mom, Lynn Cadwalader, brought some wonderful artifacts from Kazakhstan where Zhanna was born. The entire class enjoyed hearing about Zhanna's life. Thank you so much, Lynn!
We would like to share more in the celebration of the children's lives through their birthdays, and have instituted a new birthday routine: at the approach of a child's birthdate, he/she will create a timeline of his/her life, including pictures, to share with the rest of the class.
The children are very interested in objects form other towns, cities, states, and countries, and we would love it if parents who travel would bring souvenirs to share with us.
Thank you to everyone who attended our performance last evening! The children were so excited! The two favorite songs they sang were What Can One Little Person Do?, and Rudolph. Ms. Rankins and Ms. Mack-Keeles would like to thank the parents for the wonderful gifts of the pedicures, manicures, and bubble baths! These will definitely be enjoyed!
We also wish to thank you all for entrusting us with your children. They are so special to us!
Thank you to Alice Philips for making Latkes with our class in celebration of Chanukah. The children LOVE sharing customs through food!
We hope that everyone has a wonderful vacation! We will miss you. See you in January!
