Dear Parents,
This week, we have had great fun with what we hope is Los Angeles’ last heat wave this year. We also enjoyed our Teddy Bear weeks and last week’s Halloween activities. The children’s discussion of their Halloween festivals and trick or treating experiences in their story writing and other activities this week; they appeared to have had great fun and a minimum of worry.
We are headed into fall and holiday projects. The weather is supposed to change next week and go back into the cooler range.
Our November and December schedule is as follows:
School Holiday- Veteran’s Day, Nov 11th- the school is closed.
Parent Coffees- Friday, Nov. 12th and Thursday, Dec 2nd. at 9 am.
Curriculum – From Nov. 8th through the 23rd, we will talking about Fall, nocturnal animals (the discussion coincides with the time change on Sunday morning), our winter garden, which we will be planting with the help of one of our moms, and being thankful. We will use some wonderful books to open the discussion of thankfulness. We will not be discussing Pilgrims and Indians. We will however discuss the sharing of food, family, and feasting as a part of our contemporary celebration of Thanksgiving.
During November and December, we will also be developing the theme with the children of “All about me”. Children will share about themselves. their families, and their pets, learn about their bodies, help create a graph their favorite things, create “All about Me” books, and other exciting activities.
Thanksgiving Feast Wednesday, November 24th- All children are invited for the morning 9-12 noon (it is a half day for everyone regardless of their normal schedule). At 11:15, we invite any and all parents and grandparents to join us for a Thanksgiving feast at the school.
Parent volunteers – are requested to help us both Tuesday and Wednesday morning, Nov. 23rd and 24th, for food preparation and feast set up of the feast. Volunteer sign up sheet is on the table with the sign-in sheet.
Winter Sing- Thursday, December 16th at 7 pm. A family sing at the school with a buffet of appetizers and desserts. Song sheets will be provided for everyone.
Winter Holiday - Begins Saturday, December 18th. School resumes Monday, January, 3rd.
Parent Potluck/ Parent Education Dinner - Wednesday, January 12th at 7 pm- Topic- Limit Setting
Earthquake kits:
At our teaching in-service on Monday, we reviewed our earthquake supplies and procedures. Reminder: We can only release a child to his/her parents or authorized adults as noted on the ID and Emergency forms we have at school. If you wish to add any names, please talk to Deborah.
We would like each family to fill a baggy that we provide for individual items for his/her child. Please don’t add other items as we will add things to it and weight is a major issue. These will be stored in the supplies we will either use here or we will take with us should we need to evacuate the school. Please include in the ziplock bag provided the following items:
1. A small family picture that includes everyone.
2. A brief note that is loving, calm and reassuring of your return to them.
3. A small comfort object i.e a tiny stuffed animal.
4. Any information about medical concerns or needs.
5. Any prescription medicine that should be taken, a doctor’s note authorizing it, and very explicit directions for its use and duration of use. Please make sure it has an expiration date until next October.
6. A warm but lightweight jacket i.e. weather resistant polar fleece.
7. A change of clothes; sweat pants or leggings are perfect because we can cut them if it is warm weather, but if we are cold at night, it will help.
8. Closed, protective shoes (not boots) and socks, very important if we have to leave the building. We will exchange the shoes mid-way during the year to allow for growth.
We are also doing earthquake drills at the school which we have slightly revised. We have the children practice drop, tuck, and cover. We have them get on their hands and knees, tuck in their heads, and put their hands and arms up to cover and protect their necks until we tell them to stop. We are telling them about how everything will shake and we shake the table and chairs but we do not try and frighten them in any way. We want to have one clear routine that they will focus on. After the shaking is over, we will gather them together as appropriate; we repeatedly have fire drills and they are very good at quietly walking to our line up point.
Emergency Pick-up points: If we need to leave the building, we will meet at one of two locations if they are safe. We also have any out of town emergency contact number, my son and his wife in Texas. These will also be posted on the entrance gate of the school.
Pick-up points: Hollywood Hotel at the corner of Lexington and Vermont, a couple of blocks south of here.
Emergency contact number: see poster on the parent bulletin board
Please email or call if you have any questions and concerns.
Warm regards,
Deborah, Ty, Maya, and Allison
We also did a lot of harvesting both before the break and today. We have been so fortunate and our radishes, carrots, beets, lettuce, potatoes, blueberries, and peas did extremely well. Today’s harvest was the last of the carrots, the potatoes and the beets. The website will have lots of photos and the story of our garden and harvest after tonight. Next week, we will begin planting out tomato plants and get ready for the summer garden..
Stone Soup 
