Julia's Garden Newsletter ⛄️: Baby, it's Cold Outside! Holiday Singalong Dec. 13th + Early Dismissal, Fall Fund Drive Survey, Garden Harvest Fun, Updates from Your Lead Community Guides and More!

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