January 25, 2010
Heads-up!
•Remember to sign up for the Golden Box
•The star words for this week are 
•Joanne and Betsy attending the "Wonder of Learning" exhibit Thursday and Friday (January 28th and 29th) in Santa Monica, California. See details below.
The Week Ahead
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Like all the weeks, it seems, this one will be busy! The children continue to observe the growth and change of our amaryllis bulbs, crystal gardens, and as of today, an additional crystal is developing in both classrooms. The new crystal will be made from a solution of Borax and hot water. The crystals will attach themselves to a pipe cleaner “snowflake” suspended in the solution. Ask your Eagle what they noticed today regarding each of these projects.
Valentine’s Day is Coming!
Every year we mail valentine cards to each other through our classroom Post Office. Beginning this week, each child will go “shopping” for valentines in the Piazza. They will choose 34 valentines, one for each eagle friend. At school, we will have the children sign and address the valentines. When the Post Office is set up, each child will have their own Post Office box. The children will take turns delivering the mail, sorting the valentines, and canceling the stamps. This is one of our favorite kindergarten writing and math projects! If you have sent in a box of valentines for this project, “Thank you!” On Thursday, February 11th, we will have our classroom Valentine’s Day party. (There is no school on Friday.) More details will follow!
Star Words
This week the star words are, “he” and “she.” Please remember how important it is to practice a bit every day with your kindergartner and this collection. Also, don't forget A – apple – a. We are sending a new poster home with your Eagle today.
Journal Writing
Last week the Eagles began writing in their own individual journals. This is a big step and they did a terrific job. We start by having them write star words in a framed sentence. For example, I see the_______. Then the children write something that they see, using “Kindergarten Spelling.” They write the letters for the sounds that they hear in a word. This is an appropriate first step in the writing process. The teachers are excited about how well the children have responded to “journal writing!”
Professional Development
This week Betsy and Joanne along with Jennifer, Rebecca, and Chenoa will be heading to Santa Monica, California to attend “The Wonder of Learning” exhibit presented by the children and faculty of schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Along with the exhibit, First Presbyterian Nursery School will be hosting a workshop coordinated with the exhibit entitled “The School as a Place of Community, Collaboration, Research and Innovation.” Catlin Gabel Beginning School teachers will be attending the workshop Thursday and Friday. Christina Lundeberg and past first-grade teacher, Fran Snell will be substituting for Betsy and Joanne. We are so excited to be reconnecting with Reggio faculty and this esteemed teaching practice.
Have a great week!
The Kindergarten Team
Garden Club Meeting Invitation
The Catlin Gabel Community Is Invited to the Next Garden Club Meeting on Wednesday, January 27, 2010, from 3:30 – 5:00 PM.
The next Garden Club meeting is an open meeting for the Catlin Gabel community. This is an invitation to parents, students, and staff to come and collaborate and plan on the next steps for the garden that is growing behind the middle school. The meeting is from 3:30 – 5:00 PM on Wednesday, January 27th, in Narnia in the Middle School building.
Our agenda is simple but ambitious: 1) How to incorporate the garden into school curricula, grades PreK – 12; and 2) the physical design of the garden, as we plan on building seven more raised beds and adding garden art this spring and summer.
If there are questions, please email Carter Latendresse. Thank you.
Re-enrollment Contracts Due February 19
Re-enrollment contracts for the 2010-11 school year are being mailed on January 27. Signed contracts must be postmarked or hand delivered to Toad Hall by February 19. This deadline is firm. We cannot guarantee a spot for your child(ren) if we do not receive the contract by February 19.
If your child is not returning, please return the enrollment decline form by February 19.
Please call Traci Jernigan Rossi ’83 in the admission office if you have questions about re-enrollment, 503-297-1894 ext. 346. Questions concerning payment options should be directed to Mary Ann Rogers in the business office at 503-203-5114
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GAMBOL AUCTION NEWS
Registration is open for Gambol 2010!
Tables and single tickets are now available for the Gambol auction being held on Saturday, March 13, 2010. Reserve your seats today before we sell out! A portion of each ticket is tax deductible. Registration is online on our secure site.
Click here to register.
Auction item donations are accepted until February 1.
Don't miss out on participating in this important event for our school. Donations are essential for meeting our fundraising goal. Forms are available at
www.catlin.edu/giving/gambol.
Advertising and Sponsorships are a great way to expose your business to the Catlin Gabel community.
The Catlin Gabel community is a desirable demographic for any advertiser. Reaching them through such a focused and receptive forum as the Gambol auction catalog is a distinctive advantage for your sales efforts. In addition to being featured in the auction catalog for over 450 guests to view at the event, your ad will be made available to the entire Catlin Gabel community through an online catalog on the Gambol website prior to the event. For specific paid advertising and sponsor information, please go to
www.catlin.edu/giving/gambol or contact the auction office at
gambol@catlin.edu. For free class advertisements in honor of teachers and students please contact Gambol Co-chair, Gina Wand, at
gwand@comcast.net.
Thank you!
Lauren Dully Hubbard ’91
Alumni and Community Relations Program Director
Parent of Peyton ’19 and Parker ’22
