Hello Goshen families,

When I talk about my work in a Quaker school, people often wonder what that means. I tell them that Quakers believe the light of God is in everyone. As educators in a Friends school, this means that we honor each child for his or her own individual spirit. We acknowledge each child's special gifts, and we empower the children to use those gifts to grow into their best selves.

The other piece of a Quaker education I share is the experience of Meeting for Worship. Meeting looks different in a roomful of grownups, but ultimately, the goal is the same as it is here with 3- and 4-year-olds: when we are quiet and still, answers often come to us. Life can become clearer and easier to manage.

Today we had our first Meeting of the school year. We learned that Meeting helps us relax our bodies and feel calmer. We "brought down the silence" together by putting our hands high in the air, taking a deep breath, and then laying our hands down to settle in our laps. We closed our eyes (though a few were peeking and that's OK!) and sat quietly and peacefully....for three whole minutes! It was a great introduction to this lovely Quaker practice.

Speaking of lovely, the weather is looking beautiful for our Harvest Fair coming up this Saturday! Please be sure to join us for all the fun here on campus, beginning at 12 noon. And remember: bring your friends who are looking for a Preschool. It's also an Open House! Tell them to register  here.

Finally, thanks to all who have made donations to our snack collection drive for the Goshen Fire Company firefighters. They will be here next week to talk to the children about fire prevention and safety, and will haul away all of your donations then! If you'd like to contribute, please send in snack and beverage items by October 15. Click  here for more details.

Have a great week, and we'll see you Saturday at Harvest Fair!

In Friendship,

Tr. Mimi