Preschool

Dear Families,

Each week seems so incredibly busy and full!  I am amazed that we’ve made it to March which means Spring!!!  The children continue to mix wonderful palettes of color and we talked about ‘symmetry’ this week as we painted.  We noticed symmetry in our faces, and in many places around our classroom: The way the big window is framed by two smaller ones and each wall has a black board, like a mirror image.  We looked at butterflies and flowers in books and noticed the symmetry in wings and petals and remembered, too, the lovely symmetry of snowflakes.

The children painted on half of a piece of paper and then pressed the other half on top. The print we made was symmetrical! Some children used their hands to press the papers and others enjoyed using a tool like a brayer to flatten and squish the sides together.

On Wednesday we had an assembly with the lower school on the theme of courage.  We have been talking many weeks about what courage means.  We decided it meant many things including having a strong and brave heart and even if you’re scared about something, you can still be courageous and when you encourage someone, you help their hearts to be strong and brave. I was very proud of all the children for being courageous enough to stand before their peers, share their thoughts and sing a song – with tremendous expression and verve! Some of the children’s thoughts about bravery: Going to school even when you miss Mama. Not being afraid of snakes.  Learning a new language. Going into the woods. Thomas the Tank Engine, and Louise from Sheila Rae the Brave, the little sister who helps her big sister find her way home.

The children have been enjoying creating a bakery almost every day with cakes made from play dough.  Last week there was a flurry of sign making activity for the bakery and the children spontaneously taped these to the wall outside the rice room.  They said, “Storm,” because it was decided that the bakery would have to close if a big storm came and water would cover everything in the store.  The small books children have been working on are sometimes ‘recipe books’ for the bakery.

One day we went outside and made a different bakery in the sand box with chunks of gritty ice that we painted and decorated with “snow sugar icing.”

On Thursday it was Pajama Day! Mrs. Napwater and Mrs. Patel led everyone in a morning meeting that included games and books and the children had so much fun going to all the classrooms to make night time art and play games. Before lunch we saw the wonderful film, “The Red Balloon,” and ate popcorn. At lunch we talked about how the balloon was brave because it wouldn’t leave its friend when the big boys were being unkind and how Pascal, the little boy was brave, because he held onto the balloons and flew into the sky.

Please remember that next week we have a field trip to the Berkshire Museum on Tuesday with Pre-K and kindergarten.  If anyone else would like to chaperone, please let me know.

Next week is also conferences. On Thursday afternoon, childcare is provided by the school until 5:30.  Please pre-register with the office if you need this service.  On Friday there will not be school and there will not be childcare during conference times.  If these times don’t work for you, please let me know and we can find an alternate day.

I look forward to spending time with you all!

Happy March!

Sarah

Every time after this at snack and lunch the children have said, “When can we eat an orange together, again?”

Another project we have been working on is self-portraits – looking carefully in a mirror and really taking time to see the familiar before attempting to translate this onto paper with pen. This kind of representation was not seen in the beginning of the year and I am amazed by how much everyone has grown in their ability to describe the world and themselves through their art!

We had an exciting day on Alaska Day.  It was the first time our whole class stayed together until three! The children had so much fun braving the arctic winds to eat s’mores, slide on ice, watch fish swimming, pan for gold, make crafts and drink hot chocolate. The children were attentive and took care of each other when we joined the rest of the lower school in Ms. Milani’s class to watch a movie about the wild creatures who live in Denali National Park. I was very proud of everyone.

We also celebrated Suleman’s 4th birthday.  Now the B3s have their first 4 year old! Thank you, Mishal for bringing special treats to share.

On February 28th, we will have pajama day. Please come to school in your warm and cozy pajamas.

On March 5, we will have a field trip to the Berkshire Museum with Pre-k and kindergarten friends. Please let me know if you would like to chaperone.

On March 7 and March 8 we will have parent/teacher conferences.  Sign-up sheets will be available soon.

Thank you all!

Sarah