April 2019 Newsletter

APRIL 2019

2019 Springtime at Peachtree Committee

Join us at Peachtree Family Festival for family fun and the Artists’ Market!

Saturday, May 4 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Rain or Shine

The Woodlands Room, Pre-K class | The Growing Tree | Mixed Media on Paper

DEAR FAMILIES,

Abundent research regarding the natural world and children’s development shows that children have greater cognitive skills, self regulation, wonder and curiosity when they spend time outdoors, whether at school or home. Playing outside builds many skills in the domains of learning and promotes literacy through conversation.

This past Sunday, a former Preschool teacher related the following in an email to me: “I wanted to take a minute to share a Sunday morning experience. Ross and I were behind a son and his Dad, walking into Church. Upon approaching the Outdoor Classroom, the boy stopped, pointed and excitedly said to his Dad, “Daddy look, I helped build that.” He was pointing to some wood creation off the creek. Ross and I kept walking, but the Dad stopped, lifted his son, and you could clearly hear the pride in the boy’s voice and curiosity from the Dad. What touched me was the Dad stopped, listened to his son, sharing the excitement of whatever he had been working on in the Outdoor Classroom.”

So…enjoy the outdoors!

MISS JANE

Calendar APRIL 12

Parents’ Council Meeeting, 9:20 a.m., Studio Annex

15

Easter Family Worship Service, 9:20 a.m., Sanctuary, MWF Pre-K, M-F and MWF Three-year-old Classes

16

Easter Family Worship Service, 9:20 a.m., Sanctuary, Five/Six and M-F Pre-K Classes

22 & 23

CHaRM Recycle Drive, drop of during morning carpool

25 & 26

Dad’s Day for Toddler/Two-yearold Classes, 8:45 a.m.

26

Prospective Parent Tour, 9:30 a.m., Welcome Center at the Family Commons

30 New Family Orientation, 9:00 a.m., The Kellet Chapel Sanctuary

MAY 1

8

20

New Family Orientation, 9:00 a.m., The Kellet Chapel Sanctuary

Prospective Parent Tour, 9:30 a.m., Welcome Center at the Family Commons

Chapel Service, 9:20 a.m., Sanctuary, MWF Pre-K, M-F and MWF Three-year-old Classes

4

9 & 10

21

P eachtree Family Festival, 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Peachtree Presbyterian Church, Rain or Shine

Mother’s Visiting Days

Chapel Service, 9:20 a.m., Sanctuary, Five/Six and M-F Pre-K

13 - 17 L ast week of Peachtree Afterschool and Extended Classes

22

3-6

10 - 14

17 - 21

Vacation Bible School

Camp Peaches - Week 1

Camp Peaches - Week 2

Last Day of School

JUNE

AUGUST 19-20

21-22

Welcome Parties

Frist Days of School

From Parents’ Council: Spring is here! What a fun and exciting time at the Preschool as we gear up for a great end of the school year!

A HUGE thank you to all who gave so generously of their time and talents for Springtime at Peachtree! It was a huge success and so much fun!. The Preschool’s Inclusion Program will benefit greatly from the money raised at the event. Thank you especially to our Springtime at Peachtree Committee, and specifically the chairs, Emily Kaineg and Johanna Barnes. The Committee worked tirelessly on this amazing event – from the “Off to the Races” beautiful décor to the band and the once-ina-lifetime auction items, Springtime was a hit!

Next up will be our awesome family fun day - Peachtree Family Festival. This event will take place on Saturday, May 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event occurs only with the help of our wonderful parents! Look for communication soon (if you haven’t already received it) from your Room Resource Parents as they organize the volunteers for each class. Sign-up for a volunteer spot, invite your friends and family to attend, and get excited for a great day!

As I’ve mentioned before, we are starting to fill our Parents’ Council spots for next year. Parents’ Council is a great way to get involved, and there are some positions that take very little time commitment. We’d love to have you! If you have any interest at all, please let me know.

Best,

Alison Rubinas Parents’ Council Chair alisongrubinas@yahoo.com

Picture above: Rock your Socks World Down Syndrome Day

“THE WONDER OF LEARNING – THE HUNDRED LANGUAGES OF CHILDREN”

We are pleased to announce that Project Infinity will be hosting “The Wonder of Learning - The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit from Reggio Emilia.

Together with the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance (NAREA) and Reggio Children, Project Infinity will bring the exhibit to Atlanta. The exhibit is a visual representation of the Reggio Emilia philosophy and a chance for the public to participate in the ongoing dialogue between educators, children, parents and the community. At the core of “The Wonder of Learning - The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit is the desire to create a democratic piazza, a social space that connects creativity and the expression of children to the public.

The Exhibit will open to the public in June and will be located in the SunTrust Garden Plaza 303 Peachtree Ctr Ave NE.

APRIL BLESSING: Dear God, Thank you for being so good to us.

Thank you for listening to our prayers.

Thank you for the world we live in: the summer and the winter; the sunshine and the rain; the time for sowing seeds and the time to gather crops.

Thank you for all the good things the world gives us.

Amen - From Psalm 65 Image at right: The Tapestry Room - Pre-K Class Shine your Light Mixed Media

Teacher Appreciation Peachtree’s teachers were thrilled to receive yummy treats for the March Teacher Appreciation event. Each teacher and staff member was given an individual pie from Buttermilk Sky. Special thanks to the great Teacher Appreciation Chairs, Kristen Lunati and Susan MacArthur, for always making the Preschool’s staff feel loved and appreciated!

CHaRM Recycle Drive - April 22 & 23 Drop off during morning carpool only Last drop off no later than 9:30 a.m. on April 23

WHAT IS CHaRM? CHaRM stands for The Center for Hard to Recycle Materials. It is a permanent facility that encourages reuse while diverting thousands of pounds of household hazardous waste, bulky trash and other hard to recycle items from metro-Atlanta households, water supplies, and landfills.

CHaRM’S BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY - Easily accessible and convenient location.

- Accepts a wider range of items than typical curbside recycling.

- Keeps hazardous materials out of our air, water, and soil.

Let us help you get rid of your hard to recycle items and help the Earth while doing it! Bring your paint, electronics, batteries etc... and we will deliver to the CHaRM facility.

Visit them online at http://livethrive. org/charm/items-accepted/ for a list of accepted items -Anjali Mostellar Parents’ Council Sustainability Chair

Sustainability

Teacher Spotlight

Do you recycle? It seems like a silly question, but let’s be honest, many people still do not recycle. Lots of things (like cans, bottles, paper, and cardboard) can be remade into either the same kind of thing or new products. Making new items from recycled ones also takes less energy and fewer resources than making products from brand new materials.

This month we are spotlighting Katie Troutman.

Katie is in her eleventh year at Peachtree Presbyterian and is the Director of Inclusion.

Birthplace / Hometown: Jacksonville, FL

Just about anything in your home (or office or school, etc.) that cannot be reused CAN be recycled into something else. You’d be amazed what can be done with a recycled product! A recycled soda bottle can be made into T-shirts, combs, or hundreds of other plastic goods that can be used for many years. Even your brand new computer case might be made from ordinary recycled plastics. And paper products can take on different forms as well; an old phone book or coloring book might become one of your school books or a notebook.

Education: Georgia Southern University with a B.S. in Sociology, Penn State University with a graduate certificate in ABA.

Your recycling mission is not impossible! In fact, it is very simple: don’t throw away anything that can be recycled!

Here is a list of things you may be able to recyclealuminum cans, cardboard, electronic equipment, glass (particularly bottles and jars), magazines, metal, newspaper, paper, plastic bags, plastic bottles, steel cans, writing/copy paper, yard waste (leaves, grass).

Just ask your local recycling office about what can be recycled.

Now isn’t that easy? There is so much that YOU can do with very little effort. And the best part is you will probably save yourself a lot of money while you are at it! * National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences article on recycling

EASTER CHAPEL Easter Worship Services will be held in the Sanctuary at 9:20 a.m. on Monday, April 15 and Tuesday, April 16.

The is no donation item for April.

Personal: I married Grant in 2013 after meeting at Peachtree Presbyterian in 2007! We have one amazing daughter Faith who attends the Preschool and the sweetest dog in the world, Penny. We love to be outdoors, and my favorite hobbies are hiking in the mountains and yoga. I’ve spent the last 15 years studying different approaches to working with young children and am passionate about the work that we are doing at the Preschool.

Claim to Fame: I think it’s pretty impressive that I live and work with my husband!

Favorite Quote: “ It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” - Henry David Thoreau

The River Room - Three-year-old class Quotes from the classroom “I am going to grow a butterfly tree. The butterflies fly to the tree to eat the pink grapes.” - Sally “A pine cone tree. It has a star on it. It lights up at night. It has oranges on it for the tree to eat.” - Aly “A chocolate tree. The chocolate tree is blue and green leaves that blow you up to eat off it when you want blue chocolate.” - Rashab

Parents’ Corner Kelli Francis

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been the lone wolf type. I enjoy people, but I have a strong, natural tendency toward introversion. I spent much of my childhood with my nose in a book, and my mother spent most of that time trying to get me to look up.

Now that I’m a parent myself, I finally understand what my mom intended. She had nothing against books - the textured, swirling worlds they dropped me into or the desire they planted in me to write. She simply wanted to know that I could see as much possibility and opportunity in the world around me as I did in the world that lived inside of me.

It’s no accident, in my opinion, that I gave birth to a daughter whose inner world tugs at her constantly. We understand each other well, for the most part; but because Kate has Autism, her outer world is packed to the rafters. I would need a dinner table the length of a football stadium to accommodate all the people who, past or present, have entered Kate’s life to help her grow and reach her full potential.

TOURS FOR PROSPECTIVE PARENTS Meet in the Welcome Center of the Family Commons at 9:30 a.m.

Please invite interested family and friends to attend.

That long table of dinner guests is proof of what my mom wanted me to know — that I (we) need to look up and embrace the world around us. Kate and I need every smile that is directed at us; every hug we’re given; every play date or birthday party we’re invited to. We need the support of medical professionals, the comfort of friends and family, and the kindness of strangers (like the people who ask Kate for high-fives and the parents who offer a ‘been there’ smile on the harder days). A strong inner life is a worthwhile asset, but a lonely place to live. Connection and community, however, can save the day.

I’d like to thank this exquisite community of children, parents, and educators for making it so easy to look up. I will forever be grateful that so many of you have pulled out a chair and sat down at our table.

UPCOMING TOUR DATES: Friday, April 26 Wednesday, May 8 Visit us online for more information: www.PeachtreePresbyterianPreschool.org

The Peachtree Afterschool Class The Language of Food explores different types of food and food preparation.

Zoodles Recipe Ingredients: zucchini, pesto, parmesan cheese , salt, pepper and olive oil 1. Cut off booth ends of the zucchini.

2. Spirlizer zucchini to make zoodles.

3. Season with salt pepper and olive oil.

4. SautĂŠ on medium heat; add 2 tbsp. of pesto.

5. Place on a serving tray and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Oh what a night!! A heartfelt thank you to all who participated in Springtime at Peachtree! The event was phenomenal!

MANY THANKS TO OUR DIAMOND

The Waguespack Family The Whittaker Family PLATINUM

Shweta Vyas and Adam Carley Liz Jones Homes Carrie Bazar Real Estate Dorsey Alston Laurie and Matt Schaub GOLD

Jennifer Larkin Fess Caroline and Bernard Hef fernan Carole and John Harrison Tricia and Moss Robertson Kiel and Ryan Scates Erica and JD Schwalm

SPONSORS:

Boyd and Melody Simpson Lori and Paul Vetter Charles Y Thomason III and Sally W Thomason Charitable Fund Don Waguespack

Melissa and Austin Merritt The Milligan Family The Mosteller Family NCG Cinemas Private Bank of Buckhead MERU and Kar yn and Kyle Sturgeon SILVER Elise and Chuck Thomason ALG Worldwide Libby Quiner + Movement Alison and Chris Carlson Family and Abacus Solutions Mortgage Alyssa and Mark Davis and American Century InvestHOST COMMITTEE ments (logo) The Allenbach Family Glasgow Family The Barnes Family Mary Elizabeth and Drew The Bonuso Family Ellenburg The Brune Family GoodSteps The Campbell Family SEI Group The Cavazuti Family Molly and Barry Howell The Douthat Family Jennifer Lowndes and Tim The Durden Family Boeth Drs. Early and Bochar

The Entrekin Family The Harrison Family Ken Sullender and Internet Marketing Group The Istanbulluoglu Family The Kaineg Family Drs. Kim and Gira The Moloney Family The Murphy Family Mansfield Oil The Mulwee Family The Noell Family The Nash Family Dr. Michael Neimkin, Ophthalmic Plastic and Cosmetic Surger y, LLC The Olivier Family The Rubinas Family The Peach Pit

The Shaw Family The Wilde Family Her Campus Media INKIND Elise Thomason The Simpson Family The Optimist Greg Callas Gillian and Chef Bradford Larry Dias Mike Pierce eNewton Missy Maude Dean Crownover Af fairs to Remember Titos Handmade Vodka Woodford Reserve

AND A HATS-OFF TO THE SPRINGTIME JOHANNA BARNES EMILY KAINEG ALISON CARLSON MARY HIGGINS ALISON RUBINAS KARA ALEXANDER CARRIE BAZAR GILLIAN BRADFORD ALICE BROWN

JANA CHESLEY LAURA DEMATTEO ELISABETH DOMBROW KRISTEN ENTREKIN KELLI FRANCIS ASHLEY HALL HEATHER HAWKINSON CAROLINE HEFFERNAN ERIN ISTANBULLUOGLU

COMMITTEE:

ANNA JONES ANNA MILLER WHITNEY MULWEE SUZANNE MURPHY LYDIA NASH MARGOT PETERSON EMILY REMBERT HEATHER ROOP ALLISON RUSSELL

CORI RUSSELL KIEL SCATES GRETA SCHULER ERICA SCHWALM LAURA STEIGERWALT KELLY TEAGUE ELISE THOMASON LORI VETTER PENNY WAGUESPACK

WINDSOR WESTERN SALLY WILLIAMS JANE MONTGOMERY KATIE WILLIAMS NATALIE ALBERT KATIE MANNING

Artists’ Market Calling all artists - If you are an artist or know of any local talent please consider registering to be a vendor at our Artists’ Market. Space is limited. Sign up online at www.peachtreepresbyterianpreschool.org

MAY 4, 2019 10:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. (RAIN OR SHINE) PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE TODAY WWW.PEACHTREEPRESBYTERIANPRESCHOOL.ORG

The Peachtree Family Festival is a joyful day of carnival games, delicious food and art!

Enjoy old-fashioned games, pony rides, food trucks, a race track, a bake sale, bounce houses, rescue vehicles, a petting zoo, music, dance performances and photos with some beloved characters.

In addition, we invite you to experience the expanded Artists’ Market where many local artists will be showcasing their wares.

We need LOTS of childrens’ motorized vehicles for the racetrack! If you have one to lend, please email Nora Guild, noraguild@gmail.com.

This is an entirely volunteer-run event and a celebratory crescendo to our students’ school year.

Please contact Erica Schwalm at ericalcs@me.com for volunteer opportunities.

PEACHTREE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL 2019 God wants us to join His team, to celebrate our salvation, and encourage one another. So what are you waiting for? It’s into the Wild we go!

We welcome children 4 years old (by September 1, 2019) through rising sixth graders. Spaces are available for two-year-olds and three-yearolds when a parent volunteers for all four days of Vacation Bible School.

Register Today - http://peachtreechurch.org/news/vbs2019

REGISTER FOR CAMP PEACHES! www.peachtreepresbyterianpreschool.org JUNE 10-14 & JUNE 17-21 Come join the fun at Camp Peaches! Skilled teachers and enthusiastic youth assistants provide an exciting, safe environment for campers to develop their active imagination through hands-on adventures. Unique classes introduce campers to the stimulating world of discovery. Camp Peaches is designed for children who will be Two-years-old by August 31,2019, through rising 3rd graders. Children may attend one or both weeks.

The camp registration fee is $200 for one week or $380 for both.

Registration is non-refundable after May 15, 2018. Refund prior to May 15, 2019, will incur a $25 processing fee.

Professional Development Professional Development is a process aimed at building an understanding and awareness of the meanings and methods of education and the specific competencies of the various professional roles. We believe that the children and families of the Preschool deserve educators who invest in rich professional development in an ongoing basis.

Recently, staff participated in two special formative events.

On March 11, First Baptist Day School in Greenville, South Carolina, a Project Infinity school, hosted the fourth and final New Teacher Experience. The New Teacher Experience was a time to listen to new teachers, learn together, and build soli-

darity as we enter into the end of the school year. On March 15, The Preschool hosted the Whole Project Professional Development Day for approximately 180 educators from the five Project Schools. The day included guest speaker, Maleka Whitley, founder of ChopArt, who shared her story of working to change the lives of homeless youth through the arts. Her determination, bravery and perseverance inspired us to think about our role in changing lives for the good. This was a time for Project working groups to define ways to put thoughts into actions. These two events served as vehicles for the evolution of our conversations and thinking together as we work to raise the quality of education in our schools.