Head of School Newsletter: December

PFM Families,

December is always a festive and fun month here at PFM! I hope you all can join us to watch the preschoolers sing holiday songs on Friday, December 14, at 9:35 am. This is one of our favorite performances of the year!

In November we welcomed Taani and Zora to North Preschool, and they are doing so wonderful at their new school! Anna transitioned to North Preschool from the toddler room and she has really taken to her new surroundings and friends very quickly. This month, Quinn and Emery will begin transitioning to the toddler room – yay girls!

We have our first trip to Tiny Tots on Friday, December 7. This event is for toddlers and preschoolers and takes place at beautiful Benaroya Hall. We always enjoy these outings and feel lucky to be able to take part in such a fun performance geared toward teaching young children about music and instruments.  

In December, all of the classrooms will be learning about winter holidays celebrated around the world: focusing on Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas. Some families have volunteered to come in and read stories or make goodies for the children that are traditional to a particular holiday that is celebrated in their family. If you are interested in doing something similar, let your child’s teacher know and we can make this happen! We always love having families join us during learning activities like this.  

Have a wonderful December everyone!

Teddi Blades

Director & Owner, PFM


Public Displays of Disaster: What to do when your child has a meltdown in public

Let’s imagine—you’re at the grocery store. As you enter the checkout line, your child asks for something. When you calmly respond, “No, not right now,” a tantrum ensues. Surely you’re familiar with the tantrum—body on the ground, tears, (loud) words. Public tantrums are stressful for both the child and caregiver. It can be near impossible to reason with or communicate to your child when they’re in this stressed state-of-mind. It can be equally difficult for you to remain calm, particularly when you have an audience.

In this article, experts encourage parents to practice patience, respond positively to potential criticism (received by onlookers), validate your child’s feelings, provide choices you can implement in the moment, and more!

November North Preschool Newsletter

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Hello November~

 
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This month, the North Preschool students will learn about root vegetables! They will play the “hot potato” game at circle and use a carrot peeler to help prepare snack. The students will also make stone soup to enjoy.

The sounds of the month are b, l, g, n, and d.

“Whoever touches the life of a child, touches the most sensitive part of a whole which has roots in the most distant past and climbs toward the infinite future.”--Maria Montessori

“This is the Way we Make our Soup” Lyrics

This is the way we wash our vegetables, wash our vegetables, wash our vegetables.

This is the way we was our vegetables when we make our soup.

This is the way we cut our vegetables, cut our vegetables, cut our vegetables.

This is the way we cut our vegetables when we make our soup.

Dates to remember:

  • PFM will be closed November 12 for Veteran's Day
  • Join us for Thanksgiving brunch on November 15 from 7:30-9:00am
  • PFM will be closed November 22-23 for the Thanksgiving holiday

Quick Classroom Reminders:

  • Please be sure your child has extra clothes in his/her cubby

  • Please store rain gear (including boots, coats, and rain pants) at school

 

 

 

November Birthday:

Maceo (4)--November 2

 
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November South Preschool Newsletter

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Hello November~

 
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This month, the South Preschool students will learn about fruits and vegetables (including how to wash, cut, and prepare them). We will talk about food at circle, and there will be a matching work available on the shelf.

We will also learn about Thanksgiving, including the history and current traditions. We will set our lunch table together! Lastly, we will talk about animals that originate in North America.

Our sounds of the month are b, c, d, and e.

“Only through freedom and environmental experience is it practically possible for human development to occur.”--Maria Montessori

“Hello, Mr. Turkey” song lyrics:

Hello, Mr. Turkey, how are you?

Hello, Mr. Turkey, how are you?

With a wobble, wobble, wobble,

and a gobble, gobble, gobble.

Hello, Mr. Turkey, how are you?

Dates to remember:

  • PFM will be closed November 12 for Veteran's Day
  • Join us for Thanksgiving brunch on November 15 from 7:30-9:00am
  • PFM will be closed November 22-23 for the Thanksgiving holiday

Quick Classroom Reminders:

  • Parents, please remind yourself you are doing a great job parenting, and your child’s teacher and support staff are a phone call, chat, or email away if help is needed

  • Please be sure your child has extra clothes in his/her cubby

 

 

 

 

November Birthdays:

Coming soon!

 
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Head of School Newsletter: November

PFM Families,

What a beautiful and busy Fall it has been! Thank you for attending all of the October events that we put on here at PFM; from our classroom information nights to our annual Halloween Sing-along. We feel very supported by our PFM families!

This month the infant room welcomes Julian Camarda! Julian and mom met some families already when they attended the playground party, so I am sure they will feel right at home here in no time. North Preschool welcomes Taani on November 5th and Zora on November 19th. We are excited to welcome all of these new children to PFM!

We hope you join us on November 15 for our annual Thanksgiving brunch. The children will bake yummy goodies for you to enjoy on this day. Show up to your child’s classroom between 7:30am and 9:00am to partake in this festive gathering. Stay as long as you are able to and be sure to let us know if you need any help with your child saying goodbye as you leave.

Have a wonderful month everyone!

Teddi Blades

Director & Owner, PFM


November Infant Newsletter

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Hello November~

This month, we welcome a new friend, Julian, to the infant classroom!

Our theme for November is animals. We will read about them and enjoy working with stuffed animals. The infants will complete an animal art collage! (The collage will be hung on our wall for the infants to see.) Your child’s artwork will be saved in a binder that will follow them to the toddler and preschool classrooms!

 
“Learn to move, move to learn:
Babies need to move freely in a safe
place. When babies are allowed to move
and explore on their own, they learn about
their environment and abilities. Babies
develop confidence and problem-solving
skills as they move, explore, and relate to
their environment. ”
— RIE Principal
 

Dates to remember:

  • PFM will be closed November 12 for Veteran's Day
  • Join us for Thanksgiving brunch on November 15 from 7:30-9:00am
  • PFM will be closed November 22-23 for the Thanksgiving holiday

Classroom reminder:

Please ensure bottles arrive at school labeled and ready, including: your child's full name, date, type of milk (whether breast milk, formula, cow's milk, etc.), and milk quantity. Thank you!

 
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November Toddler Newsletter

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Hello November~

 
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This month, the toddler students will focus on leaves! Work will include leaf lacing, leaf matching, leaf rubbing, and working with leaf cookie cutters (with cinnamon Play-Doh). We will also have leaves, pinecones, and sticks incorporated into the sensory bin.

Additionally, we will learn about animals that live in the forest. This will be part of a matching work, available on the shelf in the toddler classroom.

 

“The child has a mind able to absorb knowledge.”--Maria Montessori

Dates to remember:

  • PFM will be closed November 12 for Veteran's Day
  • Join us for Thanksgiving brunch on November 15 from 7:30-9:00am
  • PFM will be closed November 22-23 for the Thanksgiving holiday

Quick Classroom Reminders:

  • Please store rain gear (including boots, coats, and rain pants) at school

  • If you have questions about your child's day, we invite you to email us at toddlers@pacificfirstmontessori.com

 

 

 

 

November Birthdays:

Coming soon!

 
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Head of School Newsletter: October

PFM Families,

The Fall season brings us cooler weather, leaves changing their colors, and this year, OUR NEW PLAYGROUND!!! We are so excited for our playground remodel and cannot wait for the children to enjoy it each and every day.  We hope to see you all at the ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, October 13, at 10:30am.

This month the toddler room welcomes Lars and Nathaniel from the infant room!  These guys are ready to join their older buddies to see what toddlerhood is all about. North Preschool welcomed Cedric Jacob and Aarav Kulkarni in mid-September and Freya Straume will join South Preschool in mid-October. The children are showing great skills in sharing and forming friendships while at school and have been so nice to their old and new friends.

School photos are on Wednesday, October 3, so be sure to have your child photo-ready when you arrive!  Toddler parents, please join us for Toddler Information Night on Thursday, October 4, from 5:00 to 6:00 pm in the toddler room. This is a good chance to get together to meet other toddler families, discuss “all things toddler,” learn more how the toddler classroom works, and have your questions answered.  Home visits begin in October for infants, toddlers and preschoolers as well. We will be sharing more information with you about this soon.

Halloween is a FUN time at Pacific First Montessori and we encourage all children to come dressed up that day (with extra clothes to change into). We will parade around the building and preschoolers will sing songs for parents at 9:30am on the second level by American Eagle Outfitters. You won’t want to miss this! We also have a very special field trip planned for preschoolers on Thursday, October 25. Preschoolers will take a yellow school bus to the pumpkin farm! This is always a favorite for the children and we hope you can join us! Also, prospective Kindergarten parents should join us at PFM on October 23 for Kindergarten Information Night. We will have a Kindergarten Transition Specialist here to answer all of your questions.

Have a wonderful month everyone!

Teddi Blades

Director & Owner, PFM

Contact

tblades@pacificfirstmontessori.com