Hello Moon and Sun parents. You’ve got “homework”!! (Seeeeecret homework…)
One of our special upcoming dates is Valentine’s Day, which falls on a Saturday, so we will celebrate on Friday, Feb. 13th. For this day we have a special tradition that requires some behind-the-scenes work from you! At some schools, children bring in packs of cards or treats to distribute to their friends on Valentine’s Day. However, we do something different in our classes – something simpler, more personal, and more meaningful.
You, the parents (and perhaps other family members) work together to make a single, special Valentine card for your child(ren) in the CPG. Please note: It’s one special card for child, made with love from the family; it does not need to be a separate card from each family member. Likewise, we ask that our students do not bring in packs of cards or treats to hand out for their friends and classmates, as the homemade card they receive from you is the most exciting, personally meaningful, and special focus of the day.
So, in more detail, this means that you work to secretly make a special card with any artwork, photos, etc. that you think your little one(s) would like — and then deliver it “covertly” to one of the teachers of that classroom or drop it off at the office some time before Feb. 13th, just over a couple of weeks away.
It will ideally be no larger than a standard sheet of printer or construction paper and might have its own envelope – so be creative! Use cut-outs! Use glitter! Get crafty! It can be one page or several, can include photos, etc. **We only ask that it not include treats, stuffed animals, flowers, etc., as the focus for each child will be their special card and the love from their family. As a wonderful surprise on the morning of Valentine’s Day, we have a special circle time and have a mail delivery of the cards to the children, who are always super thrilled and happy with their personalized creation from their family!
So that is your homework assignment: an arts-and-crafts project that is also a loving, top-secret mission!
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Also beginning that day. . .
COLOR DAYS !!!
Our annual Color Days will begin on February 14th. Valentine’s day will be our Red Day. Each child is encouraged to wear red on any and all of their clothing. We will have red snacks as well. Each child may bring in one red object from home to show and share. We display them and explore the nature of light and color, along with vocabulary such as “shade, hue, opaqueness, transparency, and translucence.” We just ask that their item be appropriate to our themes and practices at Oneness, so with a preference to avoid commercial media characters, anything with military, combative, or non-peaceful themes, etc. It could be a stuffed animal, a simple toy, a piece of art, or almost anything safe and appropriate to the classroom.
Other color days will follow in subsequent weeks. On each color day, the instructions are the same: wear (as much as possible of) the day’s special color and bring in an object to show. The schedule is below. Most are Fridays except for Orange and Green.
The last color day is on St. Patrick’s Day, Monday, March 17 .
For quick reference :
February 13: Red
February 20: Yellow
February 27: Blue
March 6: Orange – – **Thursday (due to Friday conferences)
March 13: Purple
March 17: Green– – **Tuesday (St. Patrick’s Day)
Many thanks for your attention and planning. We teachers also look forward to seeing the Valentine cards!
Well, regardless of what the snow, ice, and freezing temperature conditions mean for school days, we hope that Montessori Night is on your radar for this Thursday evening. You can refresh yourself with more information from the flyers sent home or the write-up in the school’s weekly emails. There is a link for event and child care sign-up: Montessori Night Registration
Oh, and we hope you will come have big fun at the OFS Family Dance on the evening of February 20th and plan ahead to attend the morning Science Fair on Thursday, March 19th!
Take care and thank you–
The CPG Team
