This month's newsletter topics

Happy New Year! – January 2017 – January and February Events  – Valentine Party – Do you have any shoe boxes? –  Summer Camps and Fall Preschool Registration

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Happy New Year!

We are looking forward to seeing all the students again and hearing about their holiday vacations. It seems like we have been out of school for so long since we had the extra snow days.
Our daily preschool schedule will change a little bit as our students will begin to work with smaller groups for circle time and project time. We will break up into smaller groups to work on more complex projects as well as kindergarten readiness and individual learning. Some of our first big projects will be learning about polar animals and the story of Balto, the sled dog. We will also learn the names of our parents, our addresses and write some letters. Keep an eye out for something special delivered by mail in early February.
We have had so many snow days this last month. If your child attends school on a Thursday or Friday you will be offered make-up days. Snow days may be used during the school year, or during June summer camps.
Afternoon classes start back soon. The Tuesday dance class starts a new session on Jan. 10th and Spanish starts again Jan. 11th. The Thursday yoga class starts the winter session Jan. 19th. Each class still has a few spaces left.
 

January 2017

Themes this month

• Alaska
• Polar Animals
• Chinese New Year
• Martin Luther King, Jr.

This month we will learn the story of Balto the famous sled dog that saved the children in the town of Nome, Alaska and how that eventually led to the creation of Alaska’s Iditarod sled dog race. Children will share the story of Balto with families in early February.
 

January and February Events

This month

Alternating Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
During January and February we will enjoy music classes with local musicians Chuck Cheesman, Tallulah’s Daddy and Iris from Growing Arts.
Monday, Jan. 16  – 
NO SCHOOL – Martin Luther King, JR.’s Birthday
Monday, Feb. 16  – 
NO SCHOOL – President’s Day
 
Look for dates and more information on these events soon:
Chinese New Year Lunch with Loann –
We are so excited that Loann will join us again this year to help us learn about Chinese New Year and to make us a beautiful lunch! Every year the kids help Loann in the kitchen and we serve up a New Year’s feast. Parents are welcome to come and have lunch with us at noon.
Parent/Teacher conferences –
Dates will be available if you would like to meet with the teachers. This is a great time to ask questions and celebrate your child’s accomplishments.
First Stage Class from Northwest Children’s Theater –
We are looking forward to working with NWCT to do an ongoing class during February and March. Our students loved it when this program visited us last year and we are looking forward to NWCT joining Hands On in our classes as well as partnering with us for summer camps.
Valentine’s Day Parties –
All the children will enjoy taking part in a party and celebration of friendships!
Open House –
TBA
 

Valentine Party

 
Our students love to celebrate Valentine’s Day! The kids have so much fun opening big beautifully decorated box full of cards from their friends! We will be celebrating Valentine’s Day Feb.14-16.

 

Do you have any shoe boxes?

We are collecting shoe boxes, or any other boxes of similar size, to help with our Valentine parties.
Thanks!
 

Summer Camps and Fall Preschool Registration

Fall preschool and summer camp registration materials will be available at our parent coffee in February and at our open house (date TBA). Hands On will accept registrations from current students (and younger siblings) in February and will accept new students for fall and summer beginning mid- February.
Current students will find out the camps and classes they are in by March 1, 2017 and new students are accepted on a first come, first served basis. 
Please feel free to call us at 503-239-8521  or email us with any questions you have, as always.