This month's newsletter topics

Happy New Year – January 2021 – January and February Events  – Summer Camps and Fall Preschool Registration

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Happy New Year!

We hope everyone enjoyed the holidays, we are ready to welcome 2021!

Thank you to everyone that contributed supplies for the little red wagons.  Our students felt proud to contribute items to help our community.

January 2021

Themes this month

• Alaska
• Balto
• Polar Animals
• Martin Luther King, Jr.

This month, we will learn about Martin Luther King Jr., and our students will have the opportunity to engage in discussions about kindness, equity and peace. Hands On deeply values equity and inclusion, and we want to create a safe space for our kids to think about how our school and our community can learn from MLK Jr. and his work.

This month our students will also be learning about Alaska, polar animals, and the story of Balto the sled dog.  If you don’t know the story of Balto, I am sure your kids will tell you all about it.  Our students get really interested in his story and love acting it out. This year, the story of Balto is particularly relevant as we deal with this ongoing pandemic and the need for a vaccine. Even if you’ve read the story of Balto many times already, perhaps this year it will strike a new chord for you!

In circle time we will work on learning the names of our parents, our addresses and be writing letters.  Please bring in a stamped envelope, with your(parents) name and address on the envelope.  Keep an eye out for something special delivered by mail in early February.  We also have science experiments planned to help us learn how polar animals stay warm.

 
Last month we learned about coins and the names and values of the coins.  The students loved learning  about pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters.  We took turns counting them and doing simple math with pennies, then we would introduce a nickel and talk about how it is worth 5 pennies.  When the group had the concept of “value”, we would continue with our math skills by adding 2 pennies to a nickel and ask the children how much it is all worth.  They had so much fun learning and working towards “buying” a mini candy cane at the end of the month.

The holidays gave our classes an opportunity to work on many counting games and art projects!

January and February Events

Monday, Jan. 18 – NO SCHOOL – Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday
Thursday and Friday, February 11th and 12th-Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Party-
Each Class will celebrate Valentine’s Day and the Lunar New Year.  More information to come!
Monday, Feb. 15  – NO SCHOOL – President’s Day
Parent/Teacher conferences –
We really miss the daily communication we normally have with families.  We love spending the day with the students but often pick up time is busy and we may not get to talk with you as much as we would like.  This year, 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.  Look for a sign up sheet mid-January at the check-in table for February conferences.  Conferences can be in-person following COVID safety guidelines, or virtual.

Summer Camps and Fall Preschool Registration

This year we will not be hosting an open house, but new families interested in learning more about Hands On may sign up for an individual tour. Tours are offered in-person or virtually. Fall 2021 preschool registration materials will be available online January 8th. Hands On will accept registrations from current families (younger siblings included) on January 8th,and will begin accepting new students for fall and summer on January 15th.  New students are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Please register early to get your first choice of days.  

Our summer camps registration and information will come out in February.  In the past we have offered more flexibility for days your child could attend.  It is too early for us to know if summer camps will continue as smaller cohorts.
 
 

We have always followed Portland Public Schools’ decisions regarding snow days, (i.e.-  if PPS was closed or opening late due to weather, Hands On was closed). This year is a little different, and we will have to make the call on our own.  If Hands On closes because of weather, we will let you know as soon as possible by sending an email, updating our phone message and website.  If we close due to weather, we will close for the whole school day, both morning and afternoon.  You will be offered make-up days for each day Hands On is closed due to weather.

Teacher Feature

Getting to know Teacher Julie

Hi! I’m teacher Julie! I’ve been teaching at Hands On for almost sixteen years. Both of my kids went to Hands On for preschool. Time goes by so fast! My son, Miles is in college, at the University of Arizona, and my daughter, Olivia is a senior at Cleveland High School. I am so grateful to live in this neighborhood and work at Hands On Art and Play! You may see me around the neighborhood walking my dog Zoe.
What is your favorite movie? My daughter and I were just talking over the break about how Elf is a perfect movie.  I am also a huge Star Wars and Marvel Movie fan.
Where do you like to get takeout? My favorite restaurant, and go-to for takeout, is Jade, a Thai restaurant in Sellwood.
What is your favorite coffee drink? My favorite coffee is an iced espresso. I love coffee!
What is your favorite sport? I am a basketball fan and love the Blazers!
If you could go on a vacation right now, where would you go? If I could travel anywhere, I’d love to go to Japan.
What is a fun fact about you? I collect books about Portland.
 
 

Happy New Year!