We wanted to thank you all for wonderful conferences and are looking forward to classroom festivities as we transition into December. In Camellia, and throughout GLM, we celebrate many holidays including Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, and Winter Solstice. We also invite  families to come in and share their traditions with the class and the children. We will also be having a Sing-A-Long on December 16th from 6-7pm. We look forward to seeing you and welcoming the New Year!       

The Ginkgo Children are busy decorating our classroom for the Holidays.  We are making paper chains, snowflakes, cookies, and many more crafts that use our practical life skills.  During this time we will be sharing many Holiday traditions with your children.  If you are interested in volunteer hours now would be a wonderful time to share your family's holiday traditions with our classroom.  Please let a teacher know if you are interested.      

December is here! We are looking forward to celebrating the season in the classroom with the children as well as with you all. Thank you to the families that have volunteered to help share their holiday traditions with the children over the next few weeks. This week we welcome Theo Bay to our class! When Theo was being introduced formally to the Jacaranda class on his first day, one of our third years/kindergartners reminded us that we should not just welcome him to our Jacaranda class, but rather our "Jacaranda Family".            

It all started about 3 years ago at Grand Lake Montessori when the children were introduced to the spirit of giving through donations of warm coats. With the help of Susan Weingarten, teachers, children and parents are able to experience the warmth and joy of giving. The children are designing their own paper coats, and are willing to give the coats off their backs. So please help them choose a coat, scarf or hat to place in the donation box in the classroom. As a community we pass on that holiday spirit to all.          

The children had a great, family style Thanksgiving Feast just before the break. They spent the day before making stone soup (an idea from a folktale told in various cultures around the world): peeling and chopping carrots and potatoes, cutting onions, even butternut squash.  On the day of the feast, they made biscuits from scratch and pumpkin pudding for dessert. Then the classroom was transformed into a dining hall with 14 tables end to end so the children and teachers could sit down and eat as a family. The children left the feast with full bellies and happy smiles!

As the change of weather has brought fog and a chilly breeze, the children have been spending more time inside. We have been eating lunch indoors and returning to the classroom in the afternoons. It has been wonderful to go on nature walks to discuss the creation of fog and also observe the leaves falling from the trees. Please remember to send your children to school with labeled coats and, when necessary, rain boots.  We also look forward to inviting Magnolia families to share their holiday traditions with the children.         

Mulberry class had a great Thanksgiving feast. The children decorated their tables with flower arrangements and leaf placemats. Now that they are back from their break, we have begun learning songs for our Holiday Sing-A-Long on December 14, from 6pm-7pm. The children's  favorite song is Build A Little Snowman. Build a little snowman round and fat. Find a carrot nose and an old straw hat now my little snowman wont you stay? Out comes the sun and you melt away!