Dear Parents,
Today marks the end of the first trimester, and everywhere you look, one sees much growth and increasing independence in all of our students. It goes on throughout the school, but it all starts at the very beginning, in our preK program.
The value of the preK program is significant and many of you have shared with me how important it is, especially when compared with preK programs elsewhere. You have testified to the tangible advantages. Our children develop a stronger sense of self and independence. They can speak up and share their feelings, and u
se this as a basis for conflict resolution. Moreover, as one parent noted, when "preK leads the gathering as well, [this] gives them the opportunity to get used to speaking in front of an audience in a comfortable environment and gives them the opportunity to feel what it is like to achieve something presentable during class."
Our preK students learn about community. Their relationships with older students are forged from everything we do, from the time on the playground, to the bonds they form with their reading buddies. One parent noted that her children "got to know some of the older students, [and] being read to by an older child is a very valuable and different experience from being read to by an adult." Being able to know everyone at the school forges as strong a sense of belonging as one could find anywhere.
The program exposes them to important ideas that come from being part of an elementary school. They benefit from worship sharing in mixed-age groups. At a young age they are introduced to subjects such as stewardship, equality and integrity, which stimulate their critical thinking skills. Others spoke of how well their children were prepared for the Kindergarten including their comfort with books and their language preparation. Others added that the engagement in such activities as sorting and charting is advanc
ed for children of that age. Our program includes the specials of music, Spanish, library, shop, science, and PE, which provide even more enrichment.
Finally, our preK children enjoy a program based in experience and
steeped in play that takes them into the wider world and t
he natural environment. On our campus they garden, dig, compost, plant, pick apples, rake leaves, take shop and get dirty.
They go on walks
around town, cook, engage in arts and crafts, go to the grocery store and be part of a diverse community.
We hope our families can be our ambassadors. Please share the good news.
Worship Sharing
Parents came together for worship sharing for over an hour on Monday evening with a focus on the queries: What was your initial reaction to the results of the election? Explain how you told your child (or children) about the result of the election. What does it mean to build bridges with those people with whom you hold strong disagreements about beliefs or values? and What gives you hope about the future? The messages were moving and deeply felt and it was helpful for those who attended. We hope to have more worship sharing for parents and other community members in the future.
Grandfriends Day: Tuesday, November 22, 2016
We are greatly looking forward to celebrating Grandfriends Day on Tuesday, November 22. Among the many purposes of this day is to strengthen our community by building intergenerational connections. Knowing one's grandparent (or someone of similar age) helps make learning relevant, makes history come alive, reinforces a unique and intensely caring relationship with the older generation, and brings us closer to our roots.
Space is at a premium and we want the focus of this day to be on the older generation. We hope you can be mindful of this and will refrain from bringing younger folk who might dilute the intention of the day. Please remember that at the upcoming all-school sing on December 15, all generations are welcome.
Have a great weekend,
John
