open arms parent evening

Dear Parents

I had scheduled a parent evening here on march 20th not knowing that my son's class has their play performance then.

I would like to reschedule it to April 3 at 7:30 pm at my home.

The topic is finger play, songs, rhythm  and reading readiness. I would like to teach some of the children's favorite songs and speak about the importance of it.

It is also a great opportunity to meet other parents in our school comunity.

Please let me know if you can make it.

Best

Maayan

Gordon Neufeld Talks

Dear Parents

This is the updated information for Gordon Neufeld talks

How to Keep Children Safe in a Wounding World"

Wednesday, March 5th, 2014. 7-9pm. Summerfield Waldorf School & Farm. Santa Rosa, CA

https://neufeldsonoma2014.eventbrite.com

"Heart Matters: What To Do With a Child's Feelings"

Thursday, March 6th. 7-9pm. Unity in Marin. Novato, CA.

http://neufeldheartmatters.eventbrite.com

"Making Sense of Aggression & Defiance in Children"

A Two-Day Professional Training (open to all)

Friday-Saturday, March 7th & 8th, 2014. 9am-4pm. Unity in Marin. Novato, CA.

https://neufeldtraining2014.eventbrite.com

Best

maayan

Valentine's Day

Dear Parents

Happy valentines day to everyone!

I hope you can all enjoy the hearts the children made, some worked very hard on sewing the lavender pouches.

We collected the lavender in the fall of last year here in the garden.

It is important to me to craft with the children things that make sense, are practical and fun. Sewing the heart and the pouches is a great fine motor skill activity, the lavender is from our garden and they were part of collecting it.

This week I am telling the children a story about a prince that is looking for the best valentine gift to give his friend the princess.

The king and queen agree that only a heart will do.

So he goes looking for a heart.

First he stops at the jewelers but when he pays for a heart and walks out with it, it is not so shiny anymore and he does not think that a heart he paid for is the right present. He returns it and walks on past a bakery.

There he sees a cake shaped as a heart. He asks to buy it but the baker gives it to him. However as he carries it out it feels heavier and heavier to carry and he thinks that a heavy heart is not the right gift so he returns it to the baker.

He walks on until he comes to a man selling birds. He sees the most beautiful birds and they sing beautiful songs. But one song is the sweetest and he asks the man about it. He finds out that it belongs to a blind white dove. The dove is singing because her heart is happy. He asks to buy the dove but the saller gives it to him because he is willing to take care of a blind bird.

The princess loves the bird and declares that it is the best valentine she got.

Together they sit in the sun listening to her song.

The children like this simple story, we will act it out as a play on Friday and when we get back from our break.

We will be closed next week and back on Monday 2/24.

Thank you to all that have returned paperwork. Just a reminder that the summer weeks we are open are filling up as a first come first serve and I would need a deposit for the weeks your children are attending school.( in the summer ).

Have a great week

best

Maayan

Upcoming Parent Education Evenings

Parent Education Evening

I would like to do one more parent evening here before the school year ends (on May 31) and we start our summer schedule. I would like to meet on Thursday, March 20 at 7:30 here at my home. I will be talking about the importance of a strong rhythmic lifestyle in early childhood, and would like to share some of what we do here to create that rhythm. I will also share some of the songs and finger plays we sing, and their importance.

Parent Education Lectures

Here are some upcoming parent education lectures you might consider:


Heart Matters: What To Do With a Child’s Feelings”
Wednesday, March 5th, 2014. 7-9pm.
Summerfield Waldorf School & Farm. Santa Rosa, CA
https://neufeldsonoma2014.eventbrite.com “


“Making Sense of Aggression & Defiance in Children”
Thursday, March 6th. 7-9pm.
Unity in Marin. Novato, CA.
http://neufeldheartmatters.eventbrite.com

Happy New Year

Here at school the children are back with great energy and are happy to be together. At this time of the year they play well together and love and accept each other well. It is wonderful to see.

Storytime

This week I told the children the story of a little rabbit that is looking for food in the snow.  He finds two carrots and after eating one he takes the other to his friend, Squirrel. But Squirrel is not home, he is also out looking for food. Squirrel finds a nut that he stored away in the fall and eats it. When he comes home he sees the carrot and takes it to Lambs house, but Lamb is not home, he is also out looking for food. And so it goes on with the animal friends sharing the carrot with one another. In the end it comes back to Rabbit and he is very surprised to see it back again on his doorstep.  Rabbit says:" A good friend must have given it to me" and he eats the carrot, and it tastes good.

The story speaks to the children of kindness and sharing in the coldest time of year.  It is very much the sharing and kindness I see with this group of children.

Summer and Fall Enrollment

I am receiving requests for summer and fall enrollment of new children. Please let me know what are your plans for summer and fall.

All the summer dates we are open are on our website.

Please let me know what your plans are for the fall enrollment.

I know it is very early and things might change, but if you want to add or drop days now is a good time and I can reserve days and times for you.