Happy New Year!
We hope everyone enjoyed the holiday vacation. We are ready to welcome 2025!
January 2024
Themes this month:
- Winter
- Alaska
- Balto, the sled dog
- Polar Animals
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
This month we will learn about Dr. 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 his work.
Every January we also learn about 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. The last few years, especially during COVID, the story of Balto was particularly relevant as we dealt with a pandemic and the need for vaccines.
Along with Balto, we will learn about Alaska and polar animals. We are excited to share a few science experiments with the class to help us learn how polar animals stay warm in the cold.
During circle time we will work on learning the names of our parents, our addresses and begin writing letters. Please bring in a self-addressed stamped envelope, with your(parents) name and address on the envelope. Keep an eye out for something special delivered by mail in February.
January
Monday, Jan. 20th – No school – Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday
Monday, Jan. 27th-No School-Planning Day and Preschool Open House 10 AM to 12 PM. Registration for fall and summer programs begins for new families.
Tuesday and Wednesday, January 28th & 29th – Parent/Teacher conferences
We love spending our days with your kids, but often pick up time is busy and we may not get to talk with parents as much as we wish we could. Parent/Teacher conferences are a great time to catch up! This year, dates will be available the 28th and 29th, if you would like to meet with the teachers. It is totally optional, but is a great time to ask questions and celebrate your child’s accomplishments. Look for a sign up sheet at the check-in, conferences can be in-person, or virtual.
February
Week of February 14th- Valentine’s Day Party-Each Class will celebrate a little bit each day, and work to pass out all of their Valentine cards.
Monday, Feb. 17th – No school – Presidents’ Day
March
Tuesday, March 4th-College Students from Senzoku Jr College Japan visit our classroom.
Monday, March 24-28, No school , Spring Vacation
Snow Days
We follow Portland Public Schools’ decisions regarding snow days, if PPS is closed, or opening late, due to weather, Hands On will be closed. 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 have to close, we will close for the whole school day, both morning and afternoon. Hands On offers make-up days for days missed due to snow. Our first week of summer camp is reserved for make -up days.
Games and Gifts
We had fun playing many games in December! Playing games can improve a child’s abilities to plan, organize, get along with others, and regulate emotions. It also helps with language, math and social skills. Plus, games are fun!
We also learned about several winter holidays and made gifts for our families. The children were so proud and excited to bring home gifts for their families!
Summer Camps and Fall Preschool Registration
Can you believe it is almost time to register for next fall and summer camps? New families interested in learning more about Hands On can join us for our open house on
Monday, January 27th 10 AM to 1 PM. We also offer monthly tours for families unable to make it to the open house.
Fall 2025 preschool and summer camp registration materials will be available online. Hands On will prioritize space to current families, younger siblings included, then new students are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Please register early to get your first choice of days.
We really enjoy our special guests. We are lucky to have the Portland Forest School middle schoolers read to us each month. We also enjoy music class! Our students look forward to learning new songs and skills with each visiting artist!
See you soon!
