Monday, January 19, 2015

January 2015 Newsletter

Klahanie School
January 2015 Newsletter

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do keep moving forward.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.





December 2014 Reflection
Wishing you all a very happy Winter Solstice and New Year filled with love and laughter to you and all you love!  As we enter back in the classroom routine we will re-visit the meaning of listening practice and Grace and Courtesy with friends and Teachers.  Much of our work will be focusing on taking turns, asking permission before entering someone’s work/play space, requesting space and to play later in positive and kind method, as well as the difference introduction to inclusion vs. exclusion based on the situation.   This is a month of introducing a lot of role-playing and games to illustrate these big points of social development.  Role-playing is a fantastic way to communicate big ideas as well as fun ways to ease into imagination, acting and understanding the world.  .  Please ask Emmy if you are working on similar things at home and seek more ideas.



















January Curriculum Topics
“Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
·      MLK Day: This is a very important study topic for our yearly Peace Maker introduction.  We begin to talk about what makes a Peace Maker, why they are important (from past and present) and ways we too contribute to the creation of peace within self, neighbors and earth.  We also tell an age appropriate story of MLK as a boy and his awareness of the world and how he can help change things.  I also like to introduce the idea of “stepping into another person’s shoes” and imagining his/her story to nurture the development of empathy.  We use some fun classroom games and props to do this.  Our MLK parade will be on his actual birthday: Thursday January 15th and a day we make instruments and posters to celebrate his commitments to Peace with the following chant:

Martin Luther King was a mighty, might Man and a mighty, mighty Man was he.  He stood for peace, he stood for love, and he stood for harmony.

·      How to Be a Neighbor: Song and poem introduction to Fred Rogers’ work and the importance of compassion.
·      Winter Birds of the Pacific Northwest: these beautiful little workers will be our focus of habitat, needs, life-style and food.  We will make our yearly bird feeders this month!
·      Sewing and Weaving:  Specialist Jordan Beck will be in class to introduce the children to weaving.  We will spin off this with more sewing projects in class.


Reminders/Thank You
·      Thank you for the sweet Holiday Gifts from families to Teachers, such kindness!
·      Cold & Wet Days!  Please & thank you for remembering to layer your child in warm clothes, our schedule remains the same!  Please pack extra socks (can be mismatched): socks are great mitten substitutes when needed as well as extra cozy pants and rain pants if have them. 
·      Thank you Elizabeth Shaw for the Play-dough!
·      Parent Volunteers Needed: Please Help Take & Organize Distribution of Class Picture! 

Island Community Developments
This January 2015, Klahanie School will begin support and temporary housing for a weekly Vashon Island Compassionate Listening Teen Girls Talking Circle group, Gender Talks and Island community member specialist trades, farming & arts mentorship introduction.  The emphasis of this group (based out of the Teen Talking Circle Project: founder and Director Linda Wolf) is to support sharing life truths in a safe, confidential, nurturing space with the goal to feel seen and heard as well as mentorship opportunity using the Compassionate Listening format as the core.  The group is Free to Vashon Island Teens 14-18 yrs.  Guardian permission and contact information is required for teens under 18yrs.  Emily “Emmy” Graham and Maggie Smith will Co-Facilitate. 

Please contact Emmy if you are interested in learning more about this group and how you can support.
o   Emmy is a Trainer and past Facilitator for Teen Talking Circle Project on Bainbridge Island alongside founder Linda Wolf.  Please check out teentalkingcirclesproject.org for greater Teen Talking Circle Project information.


·      Thursdays 8pm KPLU: Jazz Student Special Guest DJs.  These accomplished Seattle Jazz student Teens share their jazz favorites!