Date Event Time/Class Friday, Sept. 7th New Mom's Luncheon Noon - 3:00PM Held the week before classes begin, this staff-hosted and served luncheon creates an opportunity for new Mom’s to connect socially before classes begin. After the meal there is an informative meeting to acquaint Mom’s with the paperwork that needs to be turned in the first week, as well as to meet the extended staff (teaching assistants, parent education teacher, etc.) The staff will review the Children’s Garden Handbook as well as help Mom’s understand what to expect and how to handle the first day of school. Mom’s new to the school from all three classes are invited to attend. Saturday, Sept. 8th All School Work Party 9:00AM - 1:00PM Monday, Sept. 10th First Days of School (4's) 9:00AM - 11:30PM Monday, Sept. 10th First Days of School (5's) 12:30PM - 3:30PM Tuesday, Sept. 25th Apple Celebration 6:30PM - 8:00PM This wonderful seasonal celebration generally takes place mid-week the last week of September from 6:30PM - 8PM. We invite all school families to attend and enjoy the “pot-luck” sampling of apple treats, get an up-close-and-personal view of the classroom and the playground, try your hand at apple printing and enjoy a little community building entertainment in a group sing-a-long. We park in the lower field for this event. Bring a flashlight! Friday, Oct. 5th Conference Planning No Classes (4's) Oct. 8th - 26th Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences   Conferences are held twice a year in October and March. Parents sign up at the school for a scheduled half hour with one of the teachers to discuss their child’s growth in the class. Parents will receive a written narrative of observation based upon input from all the staff, as well as time to discuss any concerns or issues they may have. Both parents are encouraged to attend if possible. Childcare for younger siblings is not provided, though babes-in-arms are welcome. Tuesday, Oct. 30th Halloween Celebration (3's)   All three classes generally organize field trips to local farms during the week or two before Halloween to pick pumpkins. These field trips, with parents transporting the children, can be scheduled during class time in which case a teacher will go along. In the 3’s classroom we play-down the celebration since many children find the masks and costumes overwhelming and sometimes too scary. Typically we offer face painting in the classroom for those who want to participate and offer special seasonal treats, but we try to keep the sugar down! Wednesday, Oct. 31st Halloween Celebration (4's) & (5's)   All three classes generally organize field trips to local farms during the week or two before Halloween to pick pumpkins. These field trips, with parents transporting the children, can be scheduled during class time in which case a teacher will go along. We invite children to wear their costumes (as long as they can get around comfortably in them) or a part of their costumes. We do not want them to bring accessories if they are weapons or if they might get lost in the activity at school. Also, keep in mind outside activity and send appropriate footwear for going on the playground. We usually play some traditional Halloween Party games (bobbing for apples, donuts-on-a-string, etc.). Sometimes the Mom’s organize an even bigger “party” for the class with dry ice and adults in costumes. Wednesday, Nov. 7th Curriculum Night 7:00PM - 9:00PM Each November we offer an evening meeting for parents of all three classes to hear the staff present the essence of the school’s curriculum, the “why we do what we do”. It is highly recommended that every parent attend at least one curriculum night during his or her child’s years at The Children’s Garden. Parents will have an opportunity to see the classroom with some of the current projects displayed and will get to experience “circle-time” at the school. Monday, Nov. 12th Veteran's Day No Classes Wednesday, Nov. 14th Harvest Feast (4's) & (5's)   This classroom celebration, held in the week before Thanksgiving break, is a tradition we honor in the 4’s and 5’s classes. During the class sessions before the Harvest Feast Day we read the classic French folk tale, “Stone Soup”, to the children and build our feast around this story, bringing in vegetables as assigned to create our own stone soup for the feast. The children make homemade butter and parents prepare muffins or cornbread and seasonal desserts. The children enjoy a very special meal together by candlelight in the Movement Room. Nov. 21st - 23rd Thanksgiving Holidays No Classes Sunday, Dec. 16th Winter Celebration 3:00PM - 4:30PM This wonderful all-school family event takes place off-site on the Sunday afternoon the week before winter break. It is a community gathering where we share songs and dances from each class and honor many of the winter celebration traditions represented by our school community (e.g. Hanukah, Christmas, St. Lucia, Winter Solstice, etc.). Children are invited to wear special occasion clothes but are encouraged to wear shoes safe to dance in. Families bring donations for the local food bank and sometimes for another charitable giving the school has selected. Father Christmas usually joins us in the festivities! Dec. 19th - Jan. 1st Winter Holidays No Classes Wednesday, Jan. 2nd Classes Resume   Sunday, Jan. 6th Auction Kick Off Party 5:00PM - 8:00PM The first Sunday after winter break is generally when the parents (no children) gather for a potluck evening party and the Auction Kick-Off meeting. All families are expected to attend. It is at this meeting that the Auction Chairs are introduced, leadership roles are defined and the auction process is explained. Monday, Jan. 21st Martin Luther King, Jr. Day No Classes Wednesday, Feb. 13th Valentine's Day (4's)   Celebrated on or near the 14th of February in all 3 classes, the children make special Valentine “mail-boxes” in preparation. On our celebration day we hang the mailboxes from the Movement Room wall along the walkway and children, with their parent’s assistance, mail Valentines to their friends when they arrive at their class session. Thursday, Feb. 14th Valentine's Day (3's) & (5's)   Celebrated on or near the 14th of February in all 3 classes, the children make special Valentine “mail-boxes” in preparation. On our celebration day we hang the mailboxes from the Movement Room wall along the walkway and children, with their parent’s assistance, mail Valentines to their friends when they arrive at their class session. Feb. 18th - 22nd Winter Break No Classes Thursday, March 6th Conference Planning Day No Classes March 10th - 28th Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences   Conferences are held twice a year in October and March. Parents sign up at the school for a scheduled half hour with one of the teachers to discuss their child’s growth in the class. Parents will receive a written narrative of observation based upon input from all the staff, as well as time to discuss any concerns or issues they may have. Both parents are encouraged to attend if possible. Childcare for younger siblings is not provided, though babes-in-arms are welcome. Saturday, March 15th Spring Egg Hunt 10:00AM - 11:30AM This special all-school family event takes place on the school grounds on a Saturday morning close to Easter. In preparation parents send to school, the week before the event day, a dozen colored eggs per hunter. Families park in the lower field and hunters should come with their own baskets. At the designated time the hunt is kicked-off by our beloved school Easter Bunny and her junior assistant bunny. Children hunt in special areas depending on their classes and ages. Toddlers have their own special area, as do older siblings. Children then line up with their eggs to meet the Easter Bunny up close and personal and get a special treat from her. April 7th - 11th Spring Vacation No Classes Thursday, May 1st Annual Art Show 7:00PM - 8:30PM The Children's Garden Art Show marks the culmination of many weeks of preparation on the part of the children, the staff, and parent volunteers. We honor the artist in each child as we create a colorful and rich display of several works of each child, including their own writing in the form of a personal Bio and matted art pieces created in class. Children are invited to wear special occasion clothes but are encouraged to wear shoes safe to dance in. Families will be delighted to read their own child’s bio as well as those of their child’s classmates, and to see the development of the child through the ages that is represented by the 3’s, 4’s and 5’s pieces. Refreshments are served provided by parent volunteers. The event usually includes a theme related story and each class shares with a presentation of songs and dances. Location: Clark Elementary School. Thursday, May 8th Kid's Auction (5's)   Friday, May 9th Kid's Auction (4's)   Saturday, May 10th Parent's Auction 5:00PM - 11:00PM Wednesday, May 14th Auction Shakedown 7:00PM Wednesday, May 21st Mother's Tea (4's) 10:45AM Scheduled in May we honor our mother’s by inviting them to this special event held during the last hour of a class session. Mother’s are invited to wear special occasion clothing (white gloves a must!) and to attend a lovely tea served by the school Grandmas. Children entertain with songs and recitations they have practiced, including nursery rhymes and poetry. Mother’s are presented with a special art project the children have prepared. Thursday, May 22nd Mother's Tea (3's) 10:45AM Scheduled in May we honor our mother’s by inviting them to this special event held during the last hour of a class session. Mother’s are invited to wear special occasion clothing (white gloves a must!) and to attend a lovely tea served by the school Grandmas. Children entertain with songs and recitations they have practiced, including nursery rhymes and poetry. Mother’s are presented with a special art project the children have prepared. Thursday, May 22nd Mother's Tea (5's) 2:45PM Scheduled in May we honor our mother’s by inviting them to this special event held during the last hour of a class session. Mother’s are invited to wear special occasion clothing (white gloves a must!) and to attend a lovely tea served by the school Grandmas. Children entertain with songs and recitations they have practiced, including nursery rhymes and poetry. Mother’s are presented with a special art project the children have prepared. Monday, May 26th Memorial Day No Classes Friday, May 30th Five's Overnight 6:00PM - 11:00AM For many of our 5 year olds this evening is their first night away from home! It is a coveted experience that only our “seniors” get to savor. Children are dropped off at the school at 6:00PM and go home the following morning at 11:00AM After setting up their sleeping spot in the Movement Room children enjoy dinner on the deck, special craft projects, such as making glow-in-the-dark jewelry, s’mores made at the bon-fire sing-a-long and late night movies and popcorn. The next morning we serve the children breakfast and enjoy a very safe and monitored pillow fight, a treasure hunt in the creek, a splash in the hot-tub and a water bottle squirt out on the playground—teachers included! Children need to bring a sleeping bag and mat, pillow, pajamas, toothbrush, flashlight, cuddly, swimsuit, towel, water shoes for the creek and appropriate clothing. It is always an unforgettable event! Tuesday, June 3rd Dad's Day (3's) 9:00AM - 10:30AM In June we honor our father’s in a special event. The 3’s and 4’s classes bring their dads to school in the morning and share a breakfast together in the Movement Room, prepared by the dads at the school. The 5’s bring their dads to enjoy a paper-bag lunch with them on the playground followed by a build-your-own ice cream Sundae. This shared meal is followed by a circle time in the Movement Room where we meet each dad, see a picture of him when he was young, and hear a little about his growing up experiences in the form of a special memory from when he was his child’s age. Dad’s are invited to share a “trick” they like to perform with their child, and they go home with a very special art project gift created by their child. Wednesday, June 4th Dad's Day (4's) 9:00AM - 10:30AM In June we honor our father’s in a special event. The 3’s and 4’s classes bring their dads to school in the morning and share a breakfast together in the Movement Room, prepared by the dads at the school. The 5’s bring their dads to enjoy a paper-bag lunch with them on the playground followed by a build-your-own ice cream Sundae. This shared meal is followed by a circle time in the Movement Room where we meet each dad, see a picture of him when he was young, and hear a little about his growing up experiences in the form of a special memory from when he was his child’s age. Dad’s are invited to share a “trick” they like to perform with their child, and they go home with a very special art project gift created by their child. Thursday, June 5th Dad's Day (5's) 12:30PM - 2:00PM In June we honor our father’s in a special event. The 3’s and 4’s classes bring their dads to school in the morning and share a breakfast together in the Movement Room, prepared by the dads at the school. The 5’s bring their dads to enjoy a paper-bag lunch with them on the playground followed by a build-your-own ice cream Sundae. This shared meal is followed by a circle time in the Movement Room where we meet each dad, see a picture of him when he was young, and hear a little about his growing up experiences in the form of a special memory from when he was his child’s age. Dad’s are invited to share a “trick” they like to perform with their child, and they go home with a very special art project gift created by their child. Monday, June 9th Last Day of School (4's)   Tuesday, June 10th Last Day of School (3's) & (5's)   Wednesday, June 11th Five's Graduation 7:30PM - 9:00PM The culmination of the 5-year-old year is marked by this magical and memorable evening to celebrate the 5’s passage from the Garden. Parents and significant others (grandparents, aunts, uncles) are welcome to attend. Seating is limited and we try to give our full attention to our graduating children, so we ask that childcare be arranged for (especially younger) siblings. Children are invited to wear special occasion clothes. Each child will be presented with a “diploma” and a special folder with a personally written letter from one of the school puppets, Belle Amie and Chat-O. The evening will include a movie and/or slide show presentation and usually also includes a special oral story presentation. We end the evening outside with a final closing circle.