Red Balloon Co-op School Weekly Newsletter March 3-4, 2009

Please note the outdoor playtime changes—this week the kids will be playing outside for the first and last half hour of school and will need snow clothes! More below in the “This Week” section…

Last Week
This recap comes to us courtesy of Emily, our wonderful host for the month of February!

For Krista's vacation week, the children started Tuesday by writing her a letter and "sending" it off to Iceland in the "mail truck" - at the end of the day, lo and behold, there was a return letter from Krista! The kids also worked on drawings to put in a special book and give her when she returns next week.Thanks to all parent volunteers! We had a lovely two days despite Krista's absence and the kids had a few special treats. Ted enjoyed morning circle and free play with everyone, Krisztina led the kids in some fun movement/song activities, including the very popular "We are the dinosaurs." Amanda did a puppet show with animal characters from The Mitten by Jan Brett. Emily and Ben played a few songs and showed the kids a banjo and guitar, and Alise brought Sculpy modeling clay which the kids made into beautiful shapes we then baked in the oven. Many parents also stuck around just to help out which was much appreciated. The kids have been doing a lot of drawing and are really enjoying making shapes and strong gestures with their markers. Some bold lines and circles and other abstract shapes are coming out of this and it's exciting. We'll do more murals and other drawing activities soon - and at home, enjoy this with them too. Earlier in the year, it was hard to imagine all of them sitting down and drawing quietly together, but now they are doing it with enthusiasm.

This Week
Tomorrow we’ll be back at our house, 540 Prospect Ave near 10th Ave. We are trying something new with our school schedule since the snow looks like it will be around for a few more days. When you arrive tomorrow, please bring your child down the driveway and say goodbye outside. We will play outside together for a half hour in the snow and then go inside until 11:15 when we’ll come back out again. We will do pick up outside, again in the driveway. I think this will work better, at least while it’s such a winter wonderland. The kids will come inside and change out of their snow clothes in the basement and I can throw wet things in the dryer. Then we just get undressed and dressed once during the day.

Important for tomorrow:
*Drop off at 9:10 in the driveway to the left of 540 Prospect Ave
* I’ll open the garage if you need to leave your stroller
*Please dress your child with snow pants, boots and waterproof mittens if possible (and label them!)
*If you have shovels and buckets for digging the snow, please bring them!
*Pickup at 11:45 in the driveway.

This Month’s Volunteer Schedule
Outdoor playtime will be 9:15-9:45 and 11:15-11:45 (come upstairs to help us get ready) for the time being. Thanks, volunteers! Please contact me if you need to switch days: amandapeel@yahoo.com

Tuesday March 3rd—April
Wednesday March 4th--Krisztina
Tuesday March 10th --Maya/John
Wednesday March 11th--Alise
Tuesday March 17th --Deepa
Wednesday March 18th --Ali
Tuesday March 24th –Amber/Ted
Wednesday March 25th--Liz

Things to Bring/Supplies
If we’ve used your extra diaper or clothes, please send a new ziplock baggie with a spare diaper and change of clothes. Please send your child with a drip-proof water cup labeled with his/her name. Label shoes (name on a piece of tape inside works), coat/sweaters and any other clothes they'll be taking on or off.