Monday, March 7, 2016

March 2016 Newsletter

Klahanie School
March 2016 Newsletter
The Pasture
I’m going out to clean the pasture spring;
I’ll only stop to rake the leaves away
(And wait to watch the water clear, I may):
I shan’t be gone long.—You come too.

I’m going out to fetch the little calf
That’s standing by the mother.  Its’ so young
It totters when she licks it with her tongue.
I shan’t be gone long.—You come too.

-Robert Frost

February Reflection

 The Aloha Spirit Law of the Hawaii Revised Statutes
The Aloha Spirit is the coordination of mind and heart within each person.  It brings each person to the Self.  Each person must think and emote good feelings to others.  In the contemplation and presence of the life force.  Aloha, the following unuhi laula loa (free translation) may be used:

A  Akahai, meaning kindness, to be expressed with tenderness
L  Lokahi, meaning unity, to be expressed with harmony
O  Olu’olu, meaning agreeable, to be expressed with pleasantness
H  Ha’aha’a, meaning humility, to be expressed with modesty
A  Ahonui, meaning patience, to be expressed with perseverance
Aloha means mutual regard and affection and extends warmth in caring with no obligation in return. 

Aloha is the essence of relationships in which each person is important to every other person for collective existence. 

Aloha means to hear what is not said, to see what cannot be seen and to know the unknowable.
By Pilahi Paki (1910-1985)

February was a very connected and sweet month for our class.  The children welcomed our friend Charlotte to class and continue to nurture her adjustment to school for the first time.  This shared experience has offered deep levels of empathy and sympathy development for all your children. 

Everyone has enjoyed our island projects and this will continue for March.  More and more children are exploring longer periods of concentration and exploration of more advanced lessons and projects.  A very fun time indeed! 
March Curriculum Topics
·      Finishing up Hawaii and Scotland’s Inner Hebrides and all the wonders of these rich islands.  Kaua’i (the Garden Isle) and Islay, Scotland will be a main focus for the age of the islands and how they were created from the big W’s: water, wind, wings as well as Hawaiian vocabulary and focus on the Aloha Spirit and how we Vashon islanders strive too kokua (help, aid, assist, support) a similar spirit. 
·      Home: what does home mean to each of the children.  We will make some house posters for the children to express in words and art how they feel about Home. 
·      Introduction to Human Body study ( http://www.innerbody.com is a great site for the human body systems).  In class we will take a basic look at the skeletal, muscular and digestive systems. 
·      Water: why our earth and bodies need water and fun exercises to learn about water conservation in our own backyards.
·      Reading introduction to writings of Robert Frost and Beatrix Potter (as well as her artwork) and introducing nature observation and inspiration and writing poetry for children interested.

Reminders, Thank-Yous, Dates to Save & Changes
·      Parent Conference sign-up sheet for March 28, 29 and 30th is on top of cubbies
·      Klahanie re-enrollment for 2016-17 school year is due Friday March 4th
·      Play dough volunteer? 
·      Thank you for supplying your child with easy to open snack/lunch and backpacks with rain gear and warm coat, water bottle, full set of extra change of clothes and warm layers (either on child or inside backpack: sweatshirts and hoodies work great!).
·      Thank you for keeping up on head checks on your children.  The lice preventative research Jordan offered us this autumn is on our school blog under Parent Resources http://klahanienurseryschool.blogspot.com/.  Thank you also for keeping children home when sick or in discomfort when healing from an illness. 

·      Thank you for your participation in the upcoming Scholarship Fundraiser gift basket!

Thursday, February 4, 2016

February 2016 Newsletter


Klahanie School
February 2016 Newsletter
January 2016 Reflection
 Hawaiian Poem: Peacemaker (To make Peace)
Ua kuikahi ke aupuni e haawi e paa I ka lima ke kuike e mamua o ka olelo – alohaloha ua kuikahi ke aupuni  ~ To unite as one and make peace you must give your hands up in agreement that you will ‘try’ to understand one another, speak kindly, entreat gently and go with love, yes, in order to unite as one and make peace
 ~Bonnie Flach, English Translation



Brothers: Older brother asked to bring younger baby brother in as sharing





Self Portraits

Thank you parents that attended the Curriculum night, I found the experience incredibly delightful and fun to share with you.  I found sharing more about your child’s classroom experience and time to listen and respond to parent questions very grounding and fun experience, thank you. 

“Can you tell us more about that lady on the bus so we can play her outside?” ~ Julip at circle asking about Rosa Parks.

January brought us amazing levels of connection, reflection and presence.  With the solid base of this unified group making peace everyday within themselves and in friendships, we were able to welcome two new friends to our class.  Welcome Grayson Moncrief and Charlotte Sordenstone and families!  All your children have shown tremendous levels of kindness and focus of helping by working consistently on listening games and more story time with Renee when I need to be available for children having an emotional time transitioning to school from parent. 

This is a very sugar coated, sweet group of children!























February Curriculum Topics
I wonder what memories of yours will persist as you go on in life.  My hunch is that the most important will have to do with feelings of loving and being loved—family, friends, teachers, shopkeepers—whoever’s been close to you.  As you continue to grow, you’ll find many ways of expressing your love and you’ll discover more and more ways in which others express their love for you.
~Fred Rogers, Life’s Journeys According to Mister Rogers: Things to Remember Along the Way

This is a busy, full and wonderful month we will share together in class.  More hiking opportunities will be shared weekly or bi-weekly for the 1:30pm class.  If your child has a birthday this month and you would like to do a little honoring in class, please let me know. 

We will begin study exploration of
·      Finishing up Pacific Northwest beavers, their amazing family structure and vital importance in our ecosystem.
·      Love: exploring this powerful emotion and how we show love to self and others.  This will incorporate arts, movement, spoken word, songs and poetry. 
·      February 8th Chinese New Year!  We will make our dragon again and have a Chinese New Year: Year of the Monkey parade Thursday February 11th along with our Valentines sing-a-long in the garden at 11:30am.  Parent participation welcome! 
·      Valentines: Thursday 11th and Friday 12th we will exchange Valentines (Renee will help parents distribute Valentines in name labeled envelopes inside cubbies).  We will share a healthy treat we make in class and sing and recite Valentine songs and poems.
·      Hawaii islands and Inner Hebrides, Scotland beginning exploration of similarities and differences and the native languages of these remote islands. 

“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.”







Reminders/Thank You
·      Winter Break: Feb 15-19, no school

·      Thank you Sara Bennett for the one-on-one time with the kids for self-portraits!


·      Valentines: help your child make a valentine for each classmate for our little Valentine celebration-Chinese New Year Thursday 11th