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Friday, April 07, 2006
Friday, April 7, 2006
Calendar
4/10-4/14 Spring Break – school closed, childcare by prior registration
4/17 Summer registration forms due
4/19 Emergency Prep. Meeting 5 – 7 pm in Helen Campbell’s house
4/22 School Auction 2 pm
5/2 All-school assembly – Boxtales 10 am
5/6 Work Party 10 am – 2 pm
SPRING BREAK
Next week, April 10 – 14, is Spring Break. There will be no school, but childcare is available by prior registration. GLM is open year-round and during breaks school is still in session. Some staff members take their vacations during the breaks but there will be familiar teachers in all class areas.
SOUND OF THE WEEK Due to Spring break there will be no Sound of the week next week. The following week the sound will be “TR” as in TRain, TRailer, and TRuck.
Auction Update
Lots of News this Week!
Event Tickets Available Online!!
Sign up online at the GLM website (www.grandlakemontessori.com) – it takes less than a minute to register! You can also complete a paper form available in the office. Support GLM and have a great time in the process!! The food alone is worth the ticket price – 3 full buffet stations to satisfy carnivore, vegetarian and sushi lovers!!
Taste some great wines and cheeses, satiate yourself with a delicious buffet, satisfy that sweet tooth with desserts donated by GLM alumni parent and GLM parent in 2007, Marla Erojo of Cakes Made by Me – oh, and don’t forget the silent and live auctions!!
We have to give a final count to Sequoyah Country Club by Tuesday, April 18th – so, don’t miss out – register now!!
Raffle Tickets
Raffle Tickets have been distributed to all parent pockets – please pick yours up and sell, sell, sell!! A maximum of 800 tickets will be sold – a dream vacation to Hawaii or the ultimate New York City trip are just a few tickets away from being yours!!
Additional tickets are available in the office from Ms. Pugliese. All tickets need to be turned in by Wednesday, April 19th.
Parent Donations Deadline
We would like all parent donations turned in by Friday, April 7th. If you are a little behind, please complete a donor form and contact Diane Spiegel about delivering your donation.
continued
Great Auction Items
We have great wines, two round-trip tickets on American Airlines to Mexico, summer camps for kids, health club memberships for families, restaurant gift certificates, and lots of other interesting and collectible items we are sure you’ll love.
Don’t forget – we’ll be auctioning two – yes two – reserved parking spaces. The upper campus spot will be located behind the new Rosemary building (and covered!) – the lower campus spot will be in the church parking lot.
We also have some extraordinary teacher donated items this year– will you be the one who wins an afternoon for 6 students with Ms. Koerber, Ms. Yang and Mr. Hennigan?? Or an afternoon with the ever-popular Mr. Tien at the Oakland Zoo??? Stay tuned for more -- Heavy bidding is sure to ensue!!!
Kidfest
Ms. Olivares is hosting Kidfest for the children of GLM parents attending the Auction -- $25.00 for one child/$20.00 for the second child – for 6 hours!!! To secure your registration, email Ms. Olivares at magnoliateacher@grandlakemontessori.com. Reservation is not confirmed until payment is made. Registration limited – sign up now!!
Wine, Wine, Wine
We have secured an excellent group of boutique wineries to join us – meet the winemakers and/or their representatives and learn about some great wines not readily available to the public. You’ll be a hit at your next dinner party when you show up with a bottle (or two) from one of these great wineries:
Whiterock Vineyards
Branham Estate Wines
Lancaster Estate
Molnar Family Vineyards
A to Z Wineworks
Francis Tannahill Dessert Wines
K Vintners & the Magnificent Wine Company
Obsidian Ridge Vineyards
Brooks Wines
Frias Family Vineyards
This Week’s Featured Wineries: Lancaster Estate, Frias Family Vineyards and Brooks Wines
Brooks Wines
Jimi Brooks returned to his native Oregon after a four-year sojourn in France’s Beaujolais region, where he learned that great wine always starts with healthy and balanced vineyards. By the 2002 vintage, just four years after starting his winery, all of the Brooks wines came from vineyards that were either organically or biodynamically farmed.
After Jimi’s untimely passing in 2004, his best friends in the Oregon winemaking world stepped in to keep the winery going for the benefit of his now ten-year-old son Pascal. Chris Williams, Jimi’s assistant winemaker, has stepped up to take over the vineyard management and winemaking, while Jimi’s sister Janie Brooks Heuck has ably volunteered to manage the sales and marketing. The lineup ranges from the light and aromatic Amycus (an Alsacian-style blend of Riesling, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc) to a whole host of Pinot Noir: Runaway Red (yes, that’s Trotsky on the label), Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, and Janus, the very best selection of each Brooks Pinot vintage.
Lancaster Estate
Lancaster Estate is a vineyard and winery in the classic Bordeaux tradition. Lancaster Estate’s Alexander Valley appellation luxury wines are limited–edition, 100 percent estate–grown Cabernet family varietals from our 53 acre hillside property. The winery focuses on one wine per year, a blend which is entirely vintage and estate–reflective. The 2000 Lancaster Estate varietal was named Panel Favorite by the SF Chronicle in 2004: “Excellent and the panel favorite. Black cherry, raspberry, some red fruit and coconut; black pepper, spice and pencil lead notes; muscular, complex and balanced; very long finish.”
This winery is open to the public by appointment only – don’t miss your chance to taste their exceptional wines.
Frias Family Vineyards
Frias Family Vineyards wine is about differences and a slice of life. Frias offers a 100% single vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and a microclimate taste of the Spring Mountain Appellation. Frias Family Vineyards was founded with their first official vintage in 1991. The Frias Family purchased 100 acres in 1977 and planted only 5 acres in 1985. They focus only on producing the finest Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon. The Frias operation is small and family owned – Husband, wife and their grown children help carry out this labor of love by participating in nurturing the vines, blending, bottling and of course quality control!
WILDLIFE ASSOCIATES VISIT
For 26 years Wildlife Associates has been caring for non-releasable, abused, abandoned and injured wildlife. These animals take on the role of “Wild teachers” in their educational school assembly programs that reach over 500,000 students in Northern California each year.
This week we had a fantastic visit from them at GLM. We met five native Californians: Luna, the Great Horned Owl; Phoenix the Bobcat; Shawnee, a Harris Hawk; Stitch the Possum; and Rufus the Red Fox. All the animals cared for by Wildlife Associates have been injured or abandoned by their mothers. For instance, Stitch was in his mother’s pouch when she was hit and killed by a car. He suffered a tail injury resulting in its being surgically amputated. Possums use their tails for balance and carrying food, so Stitch would never survive in the wild.
We learned a lot of interesting facts. Did you know that Harris Hawks live in the desert and perch upon each other’s shoulders on cacti, sometimes six or seven high? The topmost bird watches for their favorite prey, jackrabbits. When one is spotted the hawks take turns chasing the jackrabbit, relay style, until they tire it. Then they share the meal (one bird alone is too small to capture the rabbit by itself). Harris Hawks are an endangered species – there are only about 50 of them in California. Another fact: the closest relative to the possum is the kangaroo, due to their pouches!
We’ve had other visits from Wildlife Associates and always enjoyed them.
Wildlife Associates is a non-profit organization whose primary mission is education. For information on how you can help, please contact them a 1-800-244-WILD, 650-712-0800 or visit the website: WildlifeAssociates.org.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Letters were sent to all GLM families last week from the Emergency Committee. In it, parents were asked to write a comfort letter to their children, enclose a family photograph and update their emergency forms. The first six forms received by the school office had TWENTY changes between them. The changes included home phone, parent work phone numbers, family member cell phones and names of people who could pick up the children in an emergency.
It is VERY IMPORTANT that you complete the emergency form with all pertinent information and get it in to the office ASAP.
PENNIES FOR PATIENTS
The Pennies for Patients fundraising is over. Here is the final tally:
Jacaranda - $116.90 Redwood - $223.18 Ginkgo - $76.35
Juniper -$190.28 Live Oak - $113.03 Magnolia - $105.42
Mulberry - $16.94 Camellia - $52.52
Combined with the profits from the root beer float sale and donations in the parking lot and at the Chetwood entrance, the grand total raised is $1559.54!
Thank you to everyone for their generosity and support. And, especially, thank you to our wonderful elementary students who are always thinking of others!
SUMMER MOTHER’S HELPER AVAILABLE
Tired of scrubbing your shower? Bored with sitting next to the shredder, feeding it secret documents? Not into kneeling in your yard, pulling weeds? Want to get a pedicure without your preschooler? Samantha Aima, 13 years old, is very responsible, a hard worker, and available this summer to do various household chores. Pay is negotiable. Please contact Mary Aima in the Brown Cottage if interested, 510-622-0258.
VOLUNTEER JOB OFFER: BOX TOPS COORDINATOR
Position entails the following:
· Encourage GLM families to cut out the Box Tops for Education coupons found on packages of General Mills cereals, Ziploc products, Betty Crocker and other food products from General Mills. And, NEW for 2006—Kimberly-Clark paper products such as Kleenex, Scott, Viva, and Cottonelle.
· Spread the word about the locations of coupon-collecting containers placed all around the GLM campus
· Periodically collect the coupons, count them, and send them to General Mills. General Mills sends a check to our school twice a year! It’s CASH—not some kind of corporate scrip.
Additional, optional duties:
· Visit the classrooms and tell the kids about this way to raise money for our school. Visits could include showing the children pictures of the coupons, so they can make sure the coupons don’t end up in the recycling bin at home. Or perhaps, an art project such as a coupon collection envelope to stick on the refrigerator at home.
· Encourage use of the Box Tops for Education website (www.boxtops4education.com) as a starting point for online shopping, which would bring in additional money for our school.
· Boost the Box Tops Booster Club!
This volunteer job counts toward your Parent Participation Hours. The amount of time you put into it, and the scheduling of the hours, are very, very flexible.
Please contact Cindy Fressola for more information.
Email (preferred): Fressola@msn.com
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CLASS NEWS
REDWOOD (ELEMENTARY)
We have had a lot of birthdays these past few weeks in elementary! Happy birthday to Eric, Angelina, Kai, and Clare!
We have also reached the end of our Pennies for Patients fundraiser. Thank you so much for all of your support, including all the purchases at the root beer float sale. Next year, we won’t run out of ice cream. The children were very excited about the outcome.
This week we took a field trip to MOCHA. The class created texture collages. They were fantastic! The collages included rope, magazine cut-outs, fake fur, cotton balls, imitation flowers, imitation fruit, and more. The children had a lot of fun. We ate lunch and returned to the school, happy. Thank you Ms. Owens and Mariana for driving.
The week after Spring Break Zachary, Crystal, and Clare will be taking their belt test for Aikido. Congratulations! They have worked really hard on this.
Next week Crystal will be going to the US Open and Junior Olympics for karate in Las Vegas! Good luck Crystal.
Last week the “worm guy” from East Bay Worms paid us a visit. He was very knowledgeable and helpful to us. He gave us some worms to start our own worm bins. Last week we put our bin together and elementary will test it to see how it works. In a few weeks, we will involve the entire school. So far it is going really well. We are in need of extra large, gallon-sized clear glass containers with tight fitting lids. I am hoping to be able to use these to place the composting in from the different classes. That way we can not only monitor what the children place in the composting but the classes can watch the first few days of breakdown of the fruits and vegetables. The worm guy mentioned that it is better to give the fruits and vegetables to the worms after it sits for a few days. Because worms should not have citrus we will continue to use our other outdoor composting containers and put orange and lemon rinds in those.
JACARANDA
Rather than an egg hunt on the rainy day that was Wednesday, the Jacaranda class had an egg choice, picking eggs from a basket of the eggs dyed last Friday. The children were excited all the same. The emphasis is on a spring celebration, instead of a religious holiday.
Please remember that after 8:30 am, when morning drop-off ends, in order to respect the integrity of the classroom work environment, parents are requested to remain near the door area of the room. If you have a nap blanket or another item that needs to come into the classroom, please have your child deliver the item, instead of walking into the working environment. We have noticed that with Daylight Savings many families have been coming in late. Just a reminder that class begins at 8:30am. Please be mindful and as unobtrusive as you can after this time!! The teachers will be hanging a sign on the door handle after 8:30 am to remind you of this! Thank you for your cooperation and for your respect of the children’s work environment.
When the children listened to a classical piano music appreciation CD and were asked what the music reminded them of, one child said the music reminded her of "a rabbit jumping on the piano"!
One of the works in the classroom involves matching color tiles to one another and then to an object from the shelves. While matching the orange tile, two children said to one another excitedly, "We found Pakistan!" (which, on the Asia puzzle map, is also orange and Mrs. Saleem's country).
JUNIPER
Easter is a time for celebrating spring and all of the birth and growth that come with it. As the children continue to grow and change, so the flowers start to blossom, the grass grows green, and the rain fades away (hopefully soon!).
The Juniper auction projects are coming along splendidly. The children are almost finished hand-making a ceramic tea set that will be a wonderful addition to any household. Also, they have been working hard on making the drawings that will soon be assembled into a series of calendars, each containing original artwork by one child.
Hearty thanks is long overdue to our specialists that come every week: Mr. Hoffman for the wonderful music he shares, Mr. Moody for the kinetic activities and dancing, Ms. Owens for the beautiful art projects, and Ms. Basom for conducting clay studio. Thank you for all your continued efforts!
"Through the freedom he is given in a Montessori environment, the child has a unique opportunity to reflect upon his own actions, to determine their consequences both for himself and for others, to test himself against the limits of reality, to learn what gives him a sense of fulfillment and what leaves him feeling empty and dissatisfied, and to discover both his capabilities and his shortcomings. The opportunity to develop self-knowledge is one of the most important results of freedom in a Montessori classroom."
- from Montessori: A Modern Approach," by Paula Polk Lillard
GINKGO
We had a wonderful Easter celebration!
The children enjoyed various activities including creating Easter bags, dying eggs, and decorating cupcakes. Thank you to Marni Hunter, Joanne Yoshimura, Nina Reiser, and Maria Saliba for coming in and helping with the party!
We also want to thank the same parents for throwing a surprise bridal shower for Ms. Mc Clindon! The children made a “wedding gown” for her out of toilet paper and we toasted her with apple cider. After the "bridal shower" we went outside and participated in an Easter egg hunt in Ms. Campbell's beautiful garden. It was a very fun day! Ms. Mc Clindon will be getting married on April 15 in Las Vegas. She will continue using her maiden name.
The Ginkgo teachers are sad to report that Sound of the Week was forgotten this week. On Friday we did talk about the sound "Z". Some children still had their items in their backpacks and others told the group what they had brought.
We would like to wish everyone a happy and sunny (?) Spring break.
LIVE OAK
Happy Easter and Happy Passover to everyone out there who celebrates......We have been really busy this week celebrating Spring and keeping busy with our hands since the rain has kept us mostly indoors. We are dancing to Stevie Wonder, making natural dye eggs with vegetables prepared by the children. We are creating an Easter tree with eggs made from craft string and balloons. Thursday the children will make their carrot cake cupcakes for Friday. Our egg hunt will be Friday at 9:00 sharp. Have a great break next week.....HAPPY SPRING......
MAGNOLIA
Thank you, thank you to all who brought in boiled and plastic eggs. The children had a great time dying eggs and making their baskets for our big egg hunt. Thank you Tania Rankins, Jaquez's mom, for coming in and doing a special wooden egg painting project with the children.
We have finished the auction projects! Thank you to Marianna, Jake's mom, for coming in to help us finish our platter. It is all ready to get glazed and fired at the ceramic shop.
A happy 5th birthday to Brendan Hogg! Thanks for the beautiful basket and the firefighter book.
MULBERRY
The children are adjusting to the time change but I have noticed that our drop-off has become very disruptive. Children are to be dropped off by 8:45 am. If you are going to be late with your child you should call the office. When you arrive late we ask that you do your goodbye in the kitchen in order not to disturb the children’s work period. When parents come into the classroom and are saying hello and goodbye to each child it breaks their concentration, making it hard for them to refocus.
The elementary class has a “butterfly garden” and the toddlers have been taking little walking trips to watch the chrysalis become butterflies. When the weather warms up we will watch them being released.
On Monday we went to the Magnolia class to see the animals from Wildlife Associates. The children were fascinated to see the owl, bob cat, hawk, opossum and red fox, all who are unable, for one reason or another, to survive in the wild on their own.
Ms. Mollel has been out this week and Ms. Smith (from Ginkgo class) has been assisting in her place.
HELP! Our auction project isn’t done yet! We desperately need parent help. If you can assist let Ms. Aima know ASAP.
Song of the week:
Choo, choo, the big train is coming down the track.
Choo, choo, the big train is coming down the track.
Stop, look, and listen.
Choo, choo, the big train is coming down the track.
CAMELLIA
Everyone enjoyed the visit from Wildlife Associates this week. They brought an owl (did you know they can live up to 25 years?), a beautiful Harris Hawk, of which there are only about 50 left in California. Also, we saw a fox, a bobcat, and a possum. Possums can have 13 babies at a time! That’s a lot. If your child wants to learn more about wildlife log on to WILDLIFEKIDSCLUB.ORG.
Thank you to Stella, Ethan's mom, for making Easter baskets for both toddler classes. Thank you also to Marni, Tyler's mom, Diane, Michael's mom and (again) Stella for helping with the class auction project. It looks very beautiful. The moms and the children did a wonderful job. If you have any free time or want to help please contact Marni Hunter or Diane Spiegel.
More rain….if your child brings rain gear to school please label it, that includes rain boots, and mittens. Thank you.
Camellia and Mulberry will be celebrating Easter and Passover after Spring Break. We could use a parent’s help with the shopping. If you are willing please contact the Brown Cottage staff.
REMEMBER - April 10 to 14 is Spring Break - school is closed. Childcare provided by prior registration only.
Calendar
4/10-4/14 Spring Break – school closed, childcare by prior registration
4/17 Summer registration forms due
4/19 Emergency Prep. Meeting 5 – 7 pm in Helen Campbell’s house
4/22 School Auction 2 pm
5/2 All-school assembly – Boxtales 10 am
5/6 Work Party 10 am – 2 pm
SPRING BREAK
Next week, April 10 – 14, is Spring Break. There will be no school, but childcare is available by prior registration. GLM is open year-round and during breaks school is still in session. Some staff members take their vacations during the breaks but there will be familiar teachers in all class areas.
SOUND OF THE WEEK Due to Spring break there will be no Sound of the week next week. The following week the sound will be “TR” as in TRain, TRailer, and TRuck.
Auction Update
Lots of News this Week!
Event Tickets Available Online!!
Sign up online at the GLM website (www.grandlakemontessori.com) – it takes less than a minute to register! You can also complete a paper form available in the office. Support GLM and have a great time in the process!! The food alone is worth the ticket price – 3 full buffet stations to satisfy carnivore, vegetarian and sushi lovers!!
Taste some great wines and cheeses, satiate yourself with a delicious buffet, satisfy that sweet tooth with desserts donated by GLM alumni parent and GLM parent in 2007, Marla Erojo of Cakes Made by Me – oh, and don’t forget the silent and live auctions!!
We have to give a final count to Sequoyah Country Club by Tuesday, April 18th – so, don’t miss out – register now!!
Raffle Tickets
Raffle Tickets have been distributed to all parent pockets – please pick yours up and sell, sell, sell!! A maximum of 800 tickets will be sold – a dream vacation to Hawaii or the ultimate New York City trip are just a few tickets away from being yours!!
Additional tickets are available in the office from Ms. Pugliese. All tickets need to be turned in by Wednesday, April 19th.
Parent Donations Deadline
We would like all parent donations turned in by Friday, April 7th. If you are a little behind, please complete a donor form and contact Diane Spiegel about delivering your donation.
continued
Great Auction Items
We have great wines, two round-trip tickets on American Airlines to Mexico, summer camps for kids, health club memberships for families, restaurant gift certificates, and lots of other interesting and collectible items we are sure you’ll love.
Don’t forget – we’ll be auctioning two – yes two – reserved parking spaces. The upper campus spot will be located behind the new Rosemary building (and covered!) – the lower campus spot will be in the church parking lot.
We also have some extraordinary teacher donated items this year– will you be the one who wins an afternoon for 6 students with Ms. Koerber, Ms. Yang and Mr. Hennigan?? Or an afternoon with the ever-popular Mr. Tien at the Oakland Zoo??? Stay tuned for more -- Heavy bidding is sure to ensue!!!
Kidfest
Ms. Olivares is hosting Kidfest for the children of GLM parents attending the Auction -- $25.00 for one child/$20.00 for the second child – for 6 hours!!! To secure your registration, email Ms. Olivares at magnoliateacher@grandlakemontessori.com. Reservation is not confirmed until payment is made. Registration limited – sign up now!!
Wine, Wine, Wine
We have secured an excellent group of boutique wineries to join us – meet the winemakers and/or their representatives and learn about some great wines not readily available to the public. You’ll be a hit at your next dinner party when you show up with a bottle (or two) from one of these great wineries:
Whiterock Vineyards
Branham Estate Wines
Lancaster Estate
Molnar Family Vineyards
A to Z Wineworks
Francis Tannahill Dessert Wines
K Vintners & the Magnificent Wine Company
Obsidian Ridge Vineyards
Brooks Wines
Frias Family Vineyards
This Week’s Featured Wineries: Lancaster Estate, Frias Family Vineyards and Brooks Wines
Brooks Wines
Jimi Brooks returned to his native Oregon after a four-year sojourn in France’s Beaujolais region, where he learned that great wine always starts with healthy and balanced vineyards. By the 2002 vintage, just four years after starting his winery, all of the Brooks wines came from vineyards that were either organically or biodynamically farmed.
After Jimi’s untimely passing in 2004, his best friends in the Oregon winemaking world stepped in to keep the winery going for the benefit of his now ten-year-old son Pascal. Chris Williams, Jimi’s assistant winemaker, has stepped up to take over the vineyard management and winemaking, while Jimi’s sister Janie Brooks Heuck has ably volunteered to manage the sales and marketing. The lineup ranges from the light and aromatic Amycus (an Alsacian-style blend of Riesling, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc) to a whole host of Pinot Noir: Runaway Red (yes, that’s Trotsky on the label), Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, and Janus, the very best selection of each Brooks Pinot vintage.
Lancaster Estate
Lancaster Estate is a vineyard and winery in the classic Bordeaux tradition. Lancaster Estate’s Alexander Valley appellation luxury wines are limited–edition, 100 percent estate–grown Cabernet family varietals from our 53 acre hillside property. The winery focuses on one wine per year, a blend which is entirely vintage and estate–reflective. The 2000 Lancaster Estate varietal was named Panel Favorite by the SF Chronicle in 2004: “Excellent and the panel favorite. Black cherry, raspberry, some red fruit and coconut; black pepper, spice and pencil lead notes; muscular, complex and balanced; very long finish.”
This winery is open to the public by appointment only – don’t miss your chance to taste their exceptional wines.
Frias Family Vineyards
Frias Family Vineyards wine is about differences and a slice of life. Frias offers a 100% single vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and a microclimate taste of the Spring Mountain Appellation. Frias Family Vineyards was founded with their first official vintage in 1991. The Frias Family purchased 100 acres in 1977 and planted only 5 acres in 1985. They focus only on producing the finest Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon. The Frias operation is small and family owned – Husband, wife and their grown children help carry out this labor of love by participating in nurturing the vines, blending, bottling and of course quality control!
WILDLIFE ASSOCIATES VISIT
For 26 years Wildlife Associates has been caring for non-releasable, abused, abandoned and injured wildlife. These animals take on the role of “Wild teachers” in their educational school assembly programs that reach over 500,000 students in Northern California each year.
This week we had a fantastic visit from them at GLM. We met five native Californians: Luna, the Great Horned Owl; Phoenix the Bobcat; Shawnee, a Harris Hawk; Stitch the Possum; and Rufus the Red Fox. All the animals cared for by Wildlife Associates have been injured or abandoned by their mothers. For instance, Stitch was in his mother’s pouch when she was hit and killed by a car. He suffered a tail injury resulting in its being surgically amputated. Possums use their tails for balance and carrying food, so Stitch would never survive in the wild.
We learned a lot of interesting facts. Did you know that Harris Hawks live in the desert and perch upon each other’s shoulders on cacti, sometimes six or seven high? The topmost bird watches for their favorite prey, jackrabbits. When one is spotted the hawks take turns chasing the jackrabbit, relay style, until they tire it. Then they share the meal (one bird alone is too small to capture the rabbit by itself). Harris Hawks are an endangered species – there are only about 50 of them in California. Another fact: the closest relative to the possum is the kangaroo, due to their pouches!
We’ve had other visits from Wildlife Associates and always enjoyed them.
Wildlife Associates is a non-profit organization whose primary mission is education. For information on how you can help, please contact them a 1-800-244-WILD, 650-712-0800 or visit the website: WildlifeAssociates.org.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Letters were sent to all GLM families last week from the Emergency Committee. In it, parents were asked to write a comfort letter to their children, enclose a family photograph and update their emergency forms. The first six forms received by the school office had TWENTY changes between them. The changes included home phone, parent work phone numbers, family member cell phones and names of people who could pick up the children in an emergency.
It is VERY IMPORTANT that you complete the emergency form with all pertinent information and get it in to the office ASAP.
PENNIES FOR PATIENTS
The Pennies for Patients fundraising is over. Here is the final tally:
Jacaranda - $116.90 Redwood - $223.18 Ginkgo - $76.35
Juniper -$190.28 Live Oak - $113.03 Magnolia - $105.42
Mulberry - $16.94 Camellia - $52.52
Combined with the profits from the root beer float sale and donations in the parking lot and at the Chetwood entrance, the grand total raised is $1559.54!
Thank you to everyone for their generosity and support. And, especially, thank you to our wonderful elementary students who are always thinking of others!
SUMMER MOTHER’S HELPER AVAILABLE
Tired of scrubbing your shower? Bored with sitting next to the shredder, feeding it secret documents? Not into kneeling in your yard, pulling weeds? Want to get a pedicure without your preschooler? Samantha Aima, 13 years old, is very responsible, a hard worker, and available this summer to do various household chores. Pay is negotiable. Please contact Mary Aima in the Brown Cottage if interested, 510-622-0258.
VOLUNTEER JOB OFFER: BOX TOPS COORDINATOR
Position entails the following:
· Encourage GLM families to cut out the Box Tops for Education coupons found on packages of General Mills cereals, Ziploc products, Betty Crocker and other food products from General Mills. And, NEW for 2006—Kimberly-Clark paper products such as Kleenex, Scott, Viva, and Cottonelle.
· Spread the word about the locations of coupon-collecting containers placed all around the GLM campus
· Periodically collect the coupons, count them, and send them to General Mills. General Mills sends a check to our school twice a year! It’s CASH—not some kind of corporate scrip.
Additional, optional duties:
· Visit the classrooms and tell the kids about this way to raise money for our school. Visits could include showing the children pictures of the coupons, so they can make sure the coupons don’t end up in the recycling bin at home. Or perhaps, an art project such as a coupon collection envelope to stick on the refrigerator at home.
· Encourage use of the Box Tops for Education website (www.boxtops4education.com) as a starting point for online shopping, which would bring in additional money for our school.
· Boost the Box Tops Booster Club!
This volunteer job counts toward your Parent Participation Hours. The amount of time you put into it, and the scheduling of the hours, are very, very flexible.
Please contact Cindy Fressola for more information.
Email (preferred): Fressola@msn.com
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CLASS NEWS
REDWOOD (ELEMENTARY)
We have had a lot of birthdays these past few weeks in elementary! Happy birthday to Eric, Angelina, Kai, and Clare!
We have also reached the end of our Pennies for Patients fundraiser. Thank you so much for all of your support, including all the purchases at the root beer float sale. Next year, we won’t run out of ice cream. The children were very excited about the outcome.
This week we took a field trip to MOCHA. The class created texture collages. They were fantastic! The collages included rope, magazine cut-outs, fake fur, cotton balls, imitation flowers, imitation fruit, and more. The children had a lot of fun. We ate lunch and returned to the school, happy. Thank you Ms. Owens and Mariana for driving.
The week after Spring Break Zachary, Crystal, and Clare will be taking their belt test for Aikido. Congratulations! They have worked really hard on this.
Next week Crystal will be going to the US Open and Junior Olympics for karate in Las Vegas! Good luck Crystal.
Last week the “worm guy” from East Bay Worms paid us a visit. He was very knowledgeable and helpful to us. He gave us some worms to start our own worm bins. Last week we put our bin together and elementary will test it to see how it works. In a few weeks, we will involve the entire school. So far it is going really well. We are in need of extra large, gallon-sized clear glass containers with tight fitting lids. I am hoping to be able to use these to place the composting in from the different classes. That way we can not only monitor what the children place in the composting but the classes can watch the first few days of breakdown of the fruits and vegetables. The worm guy mentioned that it is better to give the fruits and vegetables to the worms after it sits for a few days. Because worms should not have citrus we will continue to use our other outdoor composting containers and put orange and lemon rinds in those.
JACARANDA
Rather than an egg hunt on the rainy day that was Wednesday, the Jacaranda class had an egg choice, picking eggs from a basket of the eggs dyed last Friday. The children were excited all the same. The emphasis is on a spring celebration, instead of a religious holiday.
Please remember that after 8:30 am, when morning drop-off ends, in order to respect the integrity of the classroom work environment, parents are requested to remain near the door area of the room. If you have a nap blanket or another item that needs to come into the classroom, please have your child deliver the item, instead of walking into the working environment. We have noticed that with Daylight Savings many families have been coming in late. Just a reminder that class begins at 8:30am. Please be mindful and as unobtrusive as you can after this time!! The teachers will be hanging a sign on the door handle after 8:30 am to remind you of this! Thank you for your cooperation and for your respect of the children’s work environment.
When the children listened to a classical piano music appreciation CD and were asked what the music reminded them of, one child said the music reminded her of "a rabbit jumping on the piano"!
One of the works in the classroom involves matching color tiles to one another and then to an object from the shelves. While matching the orange tile, two children said to one another excitedly, "We found Pakistan!" (which, on the Asia puzzle map, is also orange and Mrs. Saleem's country).
JUNIPER
Easter is a time for celebrating spring and all of the birth and growth that come with it. As the children continue to grow and change, so the flowers start to blossom, the grass grows green, and the rain fades away (hopefully soon!).
The Juniper auction projects are coming along splendidly. The children are almost finished hand-making a ceramic tea set that will be a wonderful addition to any household. Also, they have been working hard on making the drawings that will soon be assembled into a series of calendars, each containing original artwork by one child.
Hearty thanks is long overdue to our specialists that come every week: Mr. Hoffman for the wonderful music he shares, Mr. Moody for the kinetic activities and dancing, Ms. Owens for the beautiful art projects, and Ms. Basom for conducting clay studio. Thank you for all your continued efforts!
"Through the freedom he is given in a Montessori environment, the child has a unique opportunity to reflect upon his own actions, to determine their consequences both for himself and for others, to test himself against the limits of reality, to learn what gives him a sense of fulfillment and what leaves him feeling empty and dissatisfied, and to discover both his capabilities and his shortcomings. The opportunity to develop self-knowledge is one of the most important results of freedom in a Montessori classroom."
- from Montessori: A Modern Approach," by Paula Polk Lillard
GINKGO
We had a wonderful Easter celebration!
The children enjoyed various activities including creating Easter bags, dying eggs, and decorating cupcakes. Thank you to Marni Hunter, Joanne Yoshimura, Nina Reiser, and Maria Saliba for coming in and helping with the party!
We also want to thank the same parents for throwing a surprise bridal shower for Ms. Mc Clindon! The children made a “wedding gown” for her out of toilet paper and we toasted her with apple cider. After the "bridal shower" we went outside and participated in an Easter egg hunt in Ms. Campbell's beautiful garden. It was a very fun day! Ms. Mc Clindon will be getting married on April 15 in Las Vegas. She will continue using her maiden name.
The Ginkgo teachers are sad to report that Sound of the Week was forgotten this week. On Friday we did talk about the sound "Z". Some children still had their items in their backpacks and others told the group what they had brought.
We would like to wish everyone a happy and sunny (?) Spring break.
LIVE OAK
Happy Easter and Happy Passover to everyone out there who celebrates......We have been really busy this week celebrating Spring and keeping busy with our hands since the rain has kept us mostly indoors. We are dancing to Stevie Wonder, making natural dye eggs with vegetables prepared by the children. We are creating an Easter tree with eggs made from craft string and balloons. Thursday the children will make their carrot cake cupcakes for Friday. Our egg hunt will be Friday at 9:00 sharp. Have a great break next week.....HAPPY SPRING......
MAGNOLIA
Thank you, thank you to all who brought in boiled and plastic eggs. The children had a great time dying eggs and making their baskets for our big egg hunt. Thank you Tania Rankins, Jaquez's mom, for coming in and doing a special wooden egg painting project with the children.
We have finished the auction projects! Thank you to Marianna, Jake's mom, for coming in to help us finish our platter. It is all ready to get glazed and fired at the ceramic shop.
A happy 5th birthday to Brendan Hogg! Thanks for the beautiful basket and the firefighter book.
MULBERRY
The children are adjusting to the time change but I have noticed that our drop-off has become very disruptive. Children are to be dropped off by 8:45 am. If you are going to be late with your child you should call the office. When you arrive late we ask that you do your goodbye in the kitchen in order not to disturb the children’s work period. When parents come into the classroom and are saying hello and goodbye to each child it breaks their concentration, making it hard for them to refocus.
The elementary class has a “butterfly garden” and the toddlers have been taking little walking trips to watch the chrysalis become butterflies. When the weather warms up we will watch them being released.
On Monday we went to the Magnolia class to see the animals from Wildlife Associates. The children were fascinated to see the owl, bob cat, hawk, opossum and red fox, all who are unable, for one reason or another, to survive in the wild on their own.
Ms. Mollel has been out this week and Ms. Smith (from Ginkgo class) has been assisting in her place.
HELP! Our auction project isn’t done yet! We desperately need parent help. If you can assist let Ms. Aima know ASAP.
Song of the week:
Choo, choo, the big train is coming down the track.
Choo, choo, the big train is coming down the track.
Stop, look, and listen.
Choo, choo, the big train is coming down the track.
CAMELLIA
Everyone enjoyed the visit from Wildlife Associates this week. They brought an owl (did you know they can live up to 25 years?), a beautiful Harris Hawk, of which there are only about 50 left in California. Also, we saw a fox, a bobcat, and a possum. Possums can have 13 babies at a time! That’s a lot. If your child wants to learn more about wildlife log on to WILDLIFEKIDSCLUB.ORG.
Thank you to Stella, Ethan's mom, for making Easter baskets for both toddler classes. Thank you also to Marni, Tyler's mom, Diane, Michael's mom and (again) Stella for helping with the class auction project. It looks very beautiful. The moms and the children did a wonderful job. If you have any free time or want to help please contact Marni Hunter or Diane Spiegel.
More rain….if your child brings rain gear to school please label it, that includes rain boots, and mittens. Thank you.
Camellia and Mulberry will be celebrating Easter and Passover after Spring Break. We could use a parent’s help with the shopping. If you are willing please contact the Brown Cottage staff.
REMEMBER - April 10 to 14 is Spring Break - school is closed. Childcare provided by prior registration only.
