Please remember that the party for all adults on Saturday, September 5, has been postponed, with another date to be determined. It is my understanding that our administrator will still host a new parent orientation at 4:30pm on that afternoon.
Here are some responses to nuts and bolts type questions that emerged around the time of our parent meeting.
About bringing fruits and vegetables
My experience is that if every nursery child brought a fruit every day, we would have a lot extra at the end of the week. That being said, it sometimes is great if one family brings quite a lot (if blessed with an abundant apple tree, for example) in case others forget.
My other experience is that nursery children love to help peel and cut (with safe peelers and butter knives) as we prepare the soup on Tuesday. I also let them snack on raw vegetables; my goal is to create positive associations with the vegetables. As such, it seemed we rarely had enough vegetables for soup last year (again, some parents brought in a bounty), and I would encourage you to err on the side of sending in too many vegetables (especially if you have bumper crops from a garden and the like).
So, to help ensure enough soup vegetables, please try to bring about 2 apples and 1 generous soup vegetable (maybe a bunch of small carrots, one big turnip, a bounty of kale) on Monday. Then, if you forget, please bring the soup vegetable on Tuesday. Nursery children love to peel and eat carrots; it is hard to imagine people bringing too many carrots (but please do bring other vegetables too).
If you have a nursery and a kindergarten child, you may find it easiest to bring a vegetable or fruit for each class each day to be consistent (the more official policy). If you choose this approach, please remember to bring soup vegetables no later than Tuesday.
Drop-off
Because the kindergartens will be asking parents to join them for their opening circle at 8:30am, it seems unlikely that any kindergarten parents would drop off kindergarten children before 8:30 (and unlikely that families with a nursery and kindergarten child would drop off the nursery child before 8:30). We will have to see what works best; whether it is best for families with children in nursery and kindergarten to visit the kindergarten circle with their nursery child, or if it is best to leave your nursery child with me, and we will watch the circle from afar as a group.
I do not intend such a formal opening for the nursery class because I want to leave open the possibility for some of our nursery children to arrive later--not only to help children get enough rest and have a great experience at school, but also to avoid crowding in the hallway and bathrooms at 8:30 (every kindergarten parent has been asked to take their child to the bathroom around 8:25 or 8:30).
My offer of early drop-off (8:15) remains for other families (say, if you have grades children and are at school and want to clear out of the hallway before kindergarten children start using the bathroom), and if you are bringing your child after 8:30 and closer to 9, do not consider yourself late (that is, if you have only a nursery child). Consider, rather, that you are helping to relieve hallway congestion around 8:30.
We will need to do more fine tuning with the nursery and kindergarten schedule, I am sure. Thank you for your patience, insights, and flexibility.
Dismissal
Again, I will begin dismissing at 12:20. Last year, this was a slow and gentle process that took five minutes or so. If you have a kindergarten child, it will likely be fine if you arrive a little after 12:20 (maybe even 12:25 or so), letting the other parents pick up their children first.
Beach Days
Remember that nursery children, siblings, and parents are invited to two beach days next Thursday and Friday (September 10 and 11) from 9 to 11 at Maxwelton Beach.
Some parents may find the opening ceremony for the elementary school on Tuesday at 8:30am (I'll be playing music beforehand) interesting. Nursery children are not required to attend the ceremony (though they are welcome to come along with you if you think they will enjoy it).
With warmth and light,
William Geoffrey Dolde
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