Dear Community,
Thank you for a fabulous fall semester. Our team is grateful this holiday season for you and your children and we hope you are enjoying your break so far. CH-CH-CH-CHANGES We have experienced so much growth these past 2 years! Our staff is constantly working to build our curriculum and make our school stronger. As we plateau and prepare for our next phase of expansion — adding a much-needed elementary program — we ask for your patience and support. The success of fundraising efforts will allow us to begin ground improvements after the first of the year, and some are already in the works! We are also slated to make internal changes that will support a more cohesive student body and stronger administrative team. These changes will be announced as they are confirmed, please pay close attention to any information (email, a note in your child’s bag, updates on FB) that comes your way from our school. We want to be sure everyone stays informed as we continue to finalize decisions. TUITION Tuition will increase annually starting in 2019. Please reference the tuition schedule, as posted last spring on our website, for an updated list of program pricing. 2018 enrolled students have received fixed pricing this semester and it will increase to the new rate for all families next school year 2019/2020. Moving forward, JG families should budget for a 5 - 15% yearly tuition increase that will support the school’s growth and rising cost of living. Over 90% of all funds go towards salaries and facility fees (see attached chart) and any physical or program improvements are supported by fundraising. Based on recent feedback, some families would prefer a raise in tuition to participating in fundraising events. In response to this, in 2019/2020, we will allow families the opportunity to pledge a donation during the enrollment process. This will balance a reduced fundraising schedule and support school advancement while putting less pressure on volunteering needs from our parent community. We appreciate your feedback and hope this new method of fundraising is a more favorable way for families to offer support. COMMUNITY GIVE-BACK PROJECT: FRIDAY ENRICHMENT W/ FIREFLY EXPRESSIVE ARTS, ENROLLING NOW! Rising costs of living and the holiday season can have everyone feeling spent! Julia’s Garden acknowledges the need for giving back, especially the during the holiday season. It’s the perfect time to introduce our spring 2019 Community Give-Back Project and this time we are giving back to YOU! Julia’s Garden is donating space on campus for a weekly at-cost scholarship program hosted by Firefly Expressive Arts. Firefly will teach a 6-week-long song and dance theatrical routine. We will also be inviting guest professionals to share their expertise on a variety of subjects — such as literacy, art, music, yoga, handwork, gardening and foreign language — on a weekly basis (see below for an example program schedule). This program is open to the community and serves ages 3 - 8 years. As part of our gift, JG children will enjoy priority enrollment until January 10th. Firefly Expressive Arts has held summer camps at JG and also led the Friday program at Integrity Academy. Their classes are super-fun and they are excited to be working with us. We hope you will take advantage of this special offer we have put together, visit Firefly's website to enroll today! Enrichment Fridays! January 25th - May 24th, Fridays 9 - 1:00 PM Cost: $150* per 6 week session, scholarships available *supply fees may apply Enroll here Sample Schedule 9:00 - 9:30 Arrival, free play indoors 9:30 - 10:15 Theatre/dance class with Firefly 10:15- 10:30 Snack 10:30 -11:00 Outside time 11:00 - 11:45 Enrichment Guest Lesson (art, music, yoga, etc) 11:45 - Noon Set up for lunch 12:00- 12:30 Lunch 12:30-1:00 Stories and departure PARENT PORTAL Before closing, I would like to fill everyone in on one more confirmed change. When I opened our first Children’s House at Julia’s in 2014, it was with the intention of striking a balance between connecting children with nature while also helping them achieve academic success. Five years later, I am still passionately pursuing that goal with my team and working towards Julia’s Garden being recognized as an accredited educational establishment through grade 4. In order to master this vision, parents must be well-informed of how their child is progressing at school, not only to build trust, but in order to work in partnership towards achieving established milestones. We are introducing a Parent Portal this semester on our website where you will find a weekly curriculum updated with lessons, books and activities each class is working on, as well as the snack menu served. You will also be able to register for classes and download/upload forms and event calendars. By providing a consistent source of accessible information, we hope to strengthen our relationship with the parent community and fully support student success at Julia’s Garden. With excitement for the future in partnership with you, Katherine Katherine Parlette Founder, Director Julia's Garden Montessori 🌸 (512) 790-4094 juliasgarden@me.com www.juliasgardenmontessori.com “I did not invent a method of education. I simply gave some little children a chance to live.” - Maria Montessori
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Good Day, Gardeners!
In the Garden 🥗 Welcome to Winter! Our garden is thick with green and looked especially happy this week with the rain we had. Some of the children brought home bags of garden goodies so they could share a sampling of what we have been cooking in our classrooms. We hope you are enjoying the bounty! Mark your calendars for our Community-Wide Holiday Singalong on December 13th at 12:00 NOON. Parent will gather at the gate of 1700 S. 3rd and will be greeted by Ms. Natalie. Parents should then proceed to their child’s classroom to collect him/her and meet on the Pavilion of 1702 for singalong fun! After our gathering comes to a close, you are welcome to stay and enjoy a picnic style lunch with your child. Dessert of cookies and cider will be provided by Julia’s Garden. In the Classroom🍎 PRIMARY NEWS In the Main House, the children have been busy warming up their singing voices for Thursday’s celebration. They are practicing This Little Light of Mine, Jingle Bells, Sleigh Ride, Winter Wonderland and Frosty the Snowman. The art shelf in this class is brimming with holiday fun, adding to the excitement the children are feeling for events to come. Casa is reading the Twelve Days of Christmas by Laurel Long and enjoying singing Jingle Bells, Frosty and the Hanukkah Song. On the last day of Hanukkah, the Endler Family will lead the class in latke-making. Thank you, Ashley, David, Max and Ella, for sharing your family’s holiday ritual with us! Casa also plans to bake special buns to enjoy before the Singalong on the 13th that coincides with the feast of St. Lucia. What fun and delicious ways to bring cultural celebrations into the classroom! IC NEWS The Hay House children have been busy with a flurry of activity. We have been practicing singing Frosty as well as Jingle Bells. The children have also discovered a new favorite book: Please, Baby, Please by Spike Lee and Tanya Lewis Lee. It is a sweet and simple story with a lot of repetition. The children have also been spending ample time in the garden harvesting lettuce and radishes. We have picked so many that we decided to pickle them! - Phoebe Yeager, Hay House Lead Guide These last two weeks in the YCC have been a showcase of beautiful fall weather! Much conversation has been sparked by the sights, feels, and sounds of autumn, whether it’s the crunch of stomping through leaves, the feel of brisk raindrops, or noticing the trees or clouds blowing on a blustery day. What a treat to have an especially colorful change in the leaves this year. We have also enjoyed harvesting, washing, and tasting more and more garden produce — particularly the variety of greens available, such as spinach, arugula, butter lettuce, and chard. We aim to entice a love of salads through this hands-on process (and, with a little help from some creative and nutritious salad dressings)! Popular work as of late has been any language materials having to do with vehicles. I am working diligently to feed this interest! It’s almost insatiable. Anything from trains, to tractors, to construction equipment generates so much excitement and joy. It has been a delight to enter into that with the children. One related song that is especially popular is “Choo Choo.” Here are the lyrics: Choo Choo Choo Choo Choo Choo Choo Choo Up the railroad track Choo Choo Choo Choo Choo Choo Choo Choo Then we’ll come right back First we’ll go to Miss Carissa’s house, Then we’ll go to Henry’s house Next we’ll go to Lyla’s house Then we’ll come right back (Continuing with each classmate’s house) The YCC also has some prolific artists, particularly with the medium of paint. While not all brushes stay on the paper or easel, the process of creating paintings (often in a series) is satisfying to many. It is also a full circle opportunity for reality-based and purposeful cleanup work. Many children are quick to wipe watercolor paint off of a table with a sponge, scrub the easel with soapy water, or mop up wet spots on the floor. Don’t be surprised if you find you have some eager and helpful little hands at home as well! Anything you can do to support or give time and tools for that (a shortened swifter, or a travel spray bottle and washcloth at your child’s height), will give added practice, as well as value their contribution and involvement in your family culture. So much joy comes in helping others—I find it’s a reminder for me as well! As we near the winter holidays, we will continue seasonal baking projects, songs, and stories. With all the added energy and excitement that comes with this time of year, we keep much of our materials on the shelves the same as long as children continue to work with them. Through that, I am hoping the YCC provides a place for meditative activity, flow experiences, and rhythm for all of the children in our community. Wishing you all happy and peaceful holidays! - Carissa Posch, YCC Lead Guide Birthdays 🎈 December birthday babes are Quinn, who had her birthday circle on the 3rd; Henry, December 8th and Gracy on the 23rd. A very Happy Birthday to each of you!! 🎉Party Wrap-Up🎉 SURVEY PARTICIPATION IS REQUESTED FROM ALL! While we are still a-buzz from the success of fundraising efforts it is a great time to glean community feedback. Our admin team put together an anonymous survey to help us plan our next fundraiser, please fill it out at your earliest convenience. Even if you did not participate, your feedback is still important. Thank you for helping us serve you better! FALL FUNDRAISER SURVEY Administration/Dates to Remember 📆 December 13th: Last Day of School, Holiday Singalong and Early Dismissal for all programs at 1:00 PM; School closes at 1:30 PM December 17 - January 3rd: Winter Break, School is closed January 7th: Spring Semester Begins! January 30th: Toileting & Your Tot with Katherine Hunter 10:15 - 11:30 AM Jan. 23 - Feb. 27th: How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk with Natalie Atwater Wednesdays, 6:00 - 7:30 PM ENROLL HERE February 28th: Wine & Wisdom with Meagan Welch 5:00 - 8:00 PM Enjoy these winter candids and I look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday! Katherine Maxwell helps his pal, Will, with shoe removal, then cozies up indoors to begin language work. Painting, both on the easel and with watercolor, is popular in the YCC. Ms. Natalie gives a garden lesson on harvesting to our young friends. Later, we see Will and Calder assisting in the making of yummy zucchini bread for Snack Time. Fall leaves give an opportunity for practical life work outdoors - then the not-so-practical, but oh-so-fun, activity of jumping in the pile follows. Penelope and Kian help make bird feeders, a fall class project for the Hay House. A little rain didn’t stop this crew from harvesting a radish bounty! Above, we see Senna and Gigi slicing and dicing, while Varenna prepares the spices for pickling. Indoor work enhances fine motor skills and invites collaboration our 2+ year olds. Senna, Gigi, Stefano, Harvey and Penelope all enjoy a wide range of winer-inspired work while also enjoying each other’s company. Juniper and Vivian work on bead stringing while Varenna and Harvey engage in painting work; Natalie leads the group in holiday song, practicing for Thursday’s event. Stefano lends a hand in feeding some very grateful bunnies and we see Varenna harvesting kale and spinach for Winter Pesto. Juni prepares the cutting board and Gigi washes the greens - everyone helps! Stefano proudly shows us his clean hands before joining friends at the table in a communal food prep activity. Phoebe and the children enjoy the reward of their morning baking efforts; Harvey chooses seed germination work, starting again the circle of growing, harvesting, preparing and eating. Casa busies themselves prepping for a holiday feast: Dylan skillfully folds linens, Oliver slices carrots, Ellani mixes and Sam prepares the muffin tins. Junali engages in the Wonders of the World language basket while Hudson works with the 100 board. Max, Beau and Dylan sound out words with the moveable alphabet then everyone comes together in song for Music Time with Ms. Natalie. Outdoors, we are busy in nature: feeding chicken, harvesting radishes and - look! - a surprise visit from ladybug friends. Our organic garden, and our children, are both in heaven! Anders and Ellis H. dig in to harvest crunchy ripe radishes to take home and share. William “conducts” his own science experiment with static electricity during playtime. Orion joins the Main House and shows off his expert skills in rug-rolling after a lesson and Aiden proudly shows off his map of Australia. Quinn celebrates her 5th year on Earth and we enjoy one more picture perfect moment from the Main House's fab fall feast above! Katherine Parlette Founder, Director Julia's Garden Montessori 🌸 (512) 790-4094 juliasgarden@me.com www.juliasgardenmontessori.com “I did not invent a method of education. I simply gave some little children a chance to live.” - Maria Montessori Greetings, Community!
Fundraising Totals What an incredible night our Farm to Fork Fundraiser event was - WOW! For those of you who were able to attend, you know what I am talking about: it was an unreal, amazing, off the hook party that left nothing to be desired. On top of that, we raised over $15,000 towards our Fall Fund Goal. It truly takes a village and I am super proud to be a part of this giving group of families and staff that have committed themselves to supporting quality education. Below are the final stats of our fundraiser goals. Congrats team, WE DID IT!!! Fundraising Final Counts (gross): Parent Participation: 32% Staff Participation: 100% Farm to Fork: $15,400 Fall Fund Drive: $10,717 Total Raised: $26,117.00 If you won one of our fabulous baskets or prizes at the silent auction, please connect with Annie or Natalie (512-468-6053) to collect it this week! 6-9 Information Session, Dec. 5th I am looking forward to our 6-9 Information Session Wednesday, December 5th, from 10:30-NOON. We will talk about how Curriculum for Excellence translates onto Julia’s Garden soil and how it will serve your elementary-aged child. All parents are welcome, but we especially encourage those whose child will be turning 6 within the next year to attend. Community Singalong, Dec. 13th We will host our annual community holiday singalong on the last day of school, December 13th from 12:00 - 1:00. Your children have been practicing hard and are excited to share their songs with you! Plan to arrive promptly at noon for the singalong which will be held on the campus of 1702 (YCC and Casetta’s location). If the weather cooperates, we will hold our big sing on the Pavilion. Afterwards, you and your child may choose to stay and enjoy a shared sack lunch together. Note: your child will NOT arrive with a lunchbox this day. For everyone’s safety, the playscape and playground areas will be closed during the singalong. Siblings are welcome, but remember your child(ren) must remain supervised at all times. We will have early dismissal for all programs at 1:00 PM and Julia’s Garden will close at 1:30 PM. Enjoy the week ahead, and happy holidays!! Dates to Remember: December 5th: 6-9 Taller Program Information Session 10:30 - NOON in 1702 S. 3rd Street December 13th: Last Day of School for Fall Semester, School Closes at 1:30 PM December 13th: Parent, Child and Staff Holiday Singalong 12:00 - 1:00 PM January 7th: First Day of Spring Semester January 30th,: Toileting and Your Tot Talk 10:15 - 11:30 AM in Casetta Wednesdays, January 23rd - February 27th, How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk 6:00 - 7:30 PM $150 per person, $175 per couple, includes “How to Talk” book and handouts Katherine Parlette Founder, Director Julia's Garden Montessori 🌸 (512) 790-4094 juliasgarden@me.com www.juliasgardenmontessori.com “I did not invent a method of education. I simply gave some little children a chance to live.” - Maria Montessori |
AuthorJulia's Garden Archives
April 2020
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HoursM-Th 9AM -4PM
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Telephone512-384-1475
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LocationBouldin Creek, ATX 78704
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