Julia's Garden Newsletter ?: Garden Day Tomorrow 3/25!, New Programs for 2018, Summer School Schedule Announced, Last Week for Fall Contracts, Spring Celebrations, Book Drive and MORE!

Greetings, Garden Greats!


In the Garden 🌱
We are looking forward to a super-successful Garden Day tomorrow: rain is in the forecast, but with a little luck it will hold off until the afternoon, sealing our hard work with nature’s own irrigation system.  Garden Committee worked hard this morning to prep beds and organize seeds/starts for an efficient work period tomorrow.  Garden bags have been assembled so everyone who comes by tomorrow will receive a take-home treat.  Many hands make light the load so even if it’s just for an hour, we’d love to see you or your family represented at the event. Thank you for your participation!

Ms. Natalie organized a super-fun harvesting project this week, showing the children just how much our Garden has produced this season and over the break.  They delighted in carrying basketfuls of leafy bounty, and were even able to take samples home to share.  We talked about how this harvest is from our Winter garden and next week we will plant for Summer.  Showing children the rhythm of planting, harvesting, flowering and re-planting is something we want all of our little gardeners to begin experiencing at this tender and impressionable age.

In the Classroom 🏠
Our children were overflowing with joy this week seeing the new Spring work items their classrooms.  Along with incorporating the theme of rebirth, we are discussing the change of seasons and exploring metamorphosis of plants and insects in the garden.  Broccoli is bursting with yellow flowers; bees are pollenating and butterflies will soon emerge from chrysalises.  Springtime is magical, and the children can feel the anticipation.  The weather is beautiful, we are wearing shorts and skirts instead of pants, days are longer -- it’s evident that something big is happening outdoors.  Many children will begin a growth spurt this time of year and can enjoy charting their progress with a measuring stick on a wall at home.  Encourage eating harvested greens to help them grow strong - we know our JG children will be eager to meet the challenge!

Children in Main will have a Spring Egg Hunt this week to celebrate the changing of seasons while in Casa, parent-led crafts with a Springtime theme have been planned.  Hay House and YCC will dye eggs this week.  Celebrations using the egg as a symbol of rebirth is an easy and exciting way for children to make the connection, especially with first-hand knowledge of where eggs come from!

Administration Announcements and Important Dates

• Garden Day is Sunday, March 25th from 10 - NOON

• We will hold our 3rd Community Sing-Along Thursday, March 29th, at 9:30 AM; please bring your youngster to school on time so they won't miss a beat of the fun!
• **Reminder March 29th is the last day for returning families to submit their contracts for Fall 2018**
• Summer invoices and schedules will be released this week so be on the lookout if your child is enrolled in Summer School
• Be sure to check the online calendar for upcoming Compost Care Duties; this month our parent helpers are from the Casa classroom
• Our Book Fair at The Book People is April 13th
• April 16th Session 2 of Spanish Mondays with Ms. Courtney begins!

Book Drive Begins on April 1st 📕
Guides are compiling library wish lists and everyone is getting super excited for the upcoming Book Drive.  Each of our 3 communities (Hay House/YCC will be combined) will compete to see which house can collect the most suggested titles during the 30 days of April.  Make your book donation special by adding an inscription that includes your child’s name and the year they began at Julia’s Garden.  Don’t forget to stop by our Book Fair and purchase a title at The Book People on South Lamar where 20% of the price will go to the Julia’s Garden Fund.  We can’t wait to see the outcome from this event!

New Programs for Fall 2018 🗂
This week we announced two new programs that will begin later this calendar year: Early Arrival and Extended Day Clubhouse.  Early Arrival is for children who need an earlier drop off time and takes place at 8:30 AM.  Extended Day Clubhouse will offer care for students who have weaned their nap and are ready for a longer day of school.  Details on these programs can be found in a flier delivered to your inbox this week, please email administration for information on how to enroll.

Beginning Fall 2018 we will be incorporating Spanish and Mandarin Classes weekly in both Casa and in the Main House during the work period.  We are committed to the advancement of language exposure our children receive each week at Julia’s Garden.  Language exposure from age 0-6 lays a foundation for later mastery of foreign languages; it also helps expand knowledge of their mother tongue by building vocabulary and pronunciation, facilitating reading in later years. In short, the more language in, the more language out, and this is the time to maximize opportunities.  Be sure to have your 2+ year old join us for Session 2 of Spanish Mondays with Ms. Courtney starting April 16th!

I hope you enjoy these candids and I look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow!

Kai is mastering the art of mandarin peeling and Liam’s bananas come out perfect; Violet knows her way around this kitchen, diving right into baking work during the morning Work Period.  The guitar is still a favorite of Senna's and we see Violet exploring shamrock gluing above.

Orion is thrilled with the success of his gradation work and Penelope shows us she’s capable of both fine and gross motor work. India, Preston and Hunt engage in chicken feeding and the Tuesday/Thursday YCC crew enjoys the new playground work.

Hay House and YCC LOVE the new dome - thanks to our Fund Drive which continues to enhance outside spaces this Spring. Jane tests her strength on the monkey bars and friends Sloane, Penelope, Kai, Orion and Jane share sweet moments at playtime.

Casa friends enjoy daily Circle with Ms. Elisabeth and a delightful community snack; Ollie helps to clean up before the feast.

Ms. Natalie’s Casa garden helpers were over the moon with the harvest they gathered this week! These days the view of the Hay House is Spring-tacular.

Violet, Max and Ella (not shown) enjoy muddying up the kitchen making “chocolate” muffins while Felix works hard on smoothing out the landscape.

A re-cap of Ellis’ 5th birthday circle and the joyful carrot harvest the week before our break.  Main House knows how to have a healthy good time!!

WOAH!  That is some serious leafage!  Ezra and Ruairidh show off their strength by carrying these extra large heaps of harvest in for washing.  Ellis, William, Fiona and Max enjoy the process of pulling the last of our winter crop out for everyone’s enjoyment.

Katherine Parlette
Founder, Director
Julia's Garden Montessori 🌸
(512) 790-4094
juliasgarden@me.com
www.juliasgardenmontessori.com
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“I did not invent a method of education.  I simply gave some little children a chance to live.” - Maria Montessori