February 2020 Newsletter

FEBRUARY 2020

Join us for an Afternoon of Stories on Sunday, February 9, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Thank you to Bitsy’s for all the yummy snacks!

Image by: The Den Room | “The Creek” | Three-year-old Class | Acrylic on paper

DEAR FAMILIES, We hope your family will join us for the Afternoon of Stories. Storytelling is a wonderful way to expose children to a wide variety of ideas and vocabulary. Children find listening to stories very engaging. Stories provide a rich context for vocabulary development as children listen to words used in authentic ways. Storytelling helps develop essential narrative abilities and supports literacy development. Further, storytelling enhances comprehension skills which are essential for reading.

Over time, storytelling has been seen as the most powerful way that human beings organize experiences. At the Afternoon of Stories, you will see teachers working at the craft of storytelling.

Storytelling is an essential, perhaps the most essential, activity of human beings. See you at the Afternoon of Stories.

MISS JANE

Calendar FEBRUARY 6

17

21

Nurtured Heart parent class, 9:15 a.m., 4303

School Holiday

Dad’s Day for Pre-K and Five/Six classes, 8:45 a.m.

7-8 Food Drive

Coffee Chat, The Three-year-old Program, 11:15 a.m., 4305

9

20

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

Afternoon of Stories, 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Preschool

Nurtured Heart parent class, 9:15 a.m., Studio Annex

25

12

21

Coffee Chat, The Pre-K Program, 11:15 a.m., 4305

Prospective Parent Tour, 9:30 a.m., Lobby of the Family Commons

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

13

19

24

Nurtured Heart parent class, 9:15 a.m., 4303

MARCH 2-6

18-20

Winter Break, NO SCHOOL

Class Pictures

13

20

Dad’s Day for Three-year old classes, 8:45 a.m.

Springtime at Peachtree, 7:00 p.m., The Fairmont

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

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

Image above: The Den Room | Three-year-old Class

From Parents’ Council: Hello Peachtree Parents!

In this month full of love and appreciation, we can’t say enough that we LOVE our parents! We are blessed with parents who are giving of their time and energy, and we really appreciate you!

We also loved having grandparents and special friends join us for Visiting Days! It’s hard to say who enjoyed this more - the kids or the many smiling visitors who all seemed to love their time at the Preschool. Thank you to Laura Steigerwalt and Heather Hawkinson for their efforts organizing Visiting Days.

The Preschool is hosting an “Afternoon of Stories” on Sunday, February 9th, from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. Bring your whole family for an afternoon of storytelling led by some of our great Preschool teachers, parents, and Peachtree Presbyterian Church staff members. This fun family afternoon is sure to be a hit for kids and adults alike. If you are interested in helping with décor, hospitality, or escorting families, please let me know. This event is one you don’t want to miss and a great time to include friends and neighbors who are not Preschool families.

The Parents’ Council will be stocking the shelves at Buckhead Christian Ministry (BCM) on Friday, February 7th, after the food drive. If you are interested in volunteering, please let me know. We’d love to have you! Thank you to our Outreach Committee Chairs for organizing this month’s food drive!

Please let me know if you have any questions or are interested in finding new ways to volunteer at Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool (alisongrubinas@yahoo.com).

Best, Alison Rubinas Parents’ Council Chair alisongrubinas@yahoo.com

Food Drive February 6 and 7 Benefitting Buckhead Christian Ministry (BCM) Drop off during morning carpool.

BCM has specifically asked for bags of rice, toilet paper, grape jelly, peanut butter, and Jiffy cornbread mix. Thank you for supporting this community!

Prospective Parent Tours Tours meet in the Lobby of the Family Commons at 9:30 a.m. Please invite all interested friends and family to attend the tour.

Reservations are not required, however, they are appreciated by contacting Sarah Wood (swood@peachtreepresbyterianpreschool.org).

2020-2021 Registration Registration for the 2020-2021 school year continues on a space available basis. Applications and the accompanying registration fee of $125 per child may be submitted online at www.peachtreepresbyterianpreschool.org/admission.

Upcoming Dates: Thursday, February 21 Tuesday, May 5

Teacher Appreciation Thank you to the Teacher Appreciation Committee for a delicious breakfast treat in January. Thank you to Kristen Lunati, Susan McArthur, and Katie Veal for leading the committee and always making our staff feel loved!

Camp Peaches 2020

FEBRUARY BLESSING: A Child’s Prayer for Morning Now, before I run to play, Let me not forget to pray.

To God who kept me through the night And waked me with the morning light.

Help me, Lord, to love Thee more Then I ever loved before, In my work and in my play Be Thou with me through the day.

Amen

Come join the fun at Camp Peaches! Skilled teachers and enthusiastic youth assistants provide an exciting, safe environment for campers to develop their active imaginations through hands-on adventures. Unique classes introduce campers to the stimulating world of discovery.

June 8-12, 2020 June 15-19, 2020 9:15 am - 1:15 pm

-Author Unknown Image below January Chapel

Children enrolled in Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool for the 2019-2020 school year must be two-years-old by August 31, 2020 to attend Camp Peaches 2020.

Children who do not attend Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool must be three-years-old by August 31, 2020.

The oldest campers are rising third-graders.

Children may attend one or both weeks, and the fee of $225 for one week or for both weeks $425 is due at the time of registration. Camper Registration begins on February 1, 2020.

Peachtree Family Festival May 2, 2020 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (Rain or Shine)

The Peachtree Family Festival is a joyful day of carnival games, delicious food and art! Enjoy old-fashioned fair 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 experience our newly revamped Artisit’s Market where many local artists will be showcasing their wares.

This is an entirely volunteer-run event and a celebratory crescendo to our students’ school year. If you are interested in helping, please reach out to Kristin Heath (kristin.b.heath@ gmail.com) or Elizabeth Abshire(ebasbhire@gmail.com).

Tickets will be on sale soon ~ spread the word to friends, family and the neighborhood. This is a community event!

Author Spotlight: Kadir Nelson

Kadir Nelson is a Los Angeles–based painter, illustrator, and author.

Kadir Nelson is a two-time Caldecott Honor recipient.

Among his other awards are an NAACP Image Award, and the 2009 and 2014 Coretta Scott King Author Award. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and The New Yorker. He lives in Los Angeles, California. His work is focused on AfricanAmerican culture and history.

Back in the 1950s and 60s, children’s books had very few people of color and even fewer books in which the main characters were African American. Neither pictures nor stories presented African Americans diversely.

Many things happened to begin to change that, and today’s illustrators and authors – and their delighted readers – owe much to Carter G. Woodson, the creator of the organization that founded Black History Month.

The world in which our children grow up today is increasingly diverse. All people have a unique story, but all stories, like all people, have many things in common.

And nowhere is this more apparent than in books for children.

During Black History Month, we hope you’ll take the opportunity to celebrate the diversity and commonality of our country and its people.

One wonderful thing about children’s books is that they can be a mirror that reveals something within ourselves, or a window that shows us something new in the world outside.

In the event of a school closing or delayed opening due to weather conditions, Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool will notify members of the school community via email, website and social media.

Peachtree does not follow Atlanta Public School (APS) or Fulton County in school delays or closings.

Books are invitations to visit people and times, places and experiences we otherwise would not know. They also offer the chance to see ourselves and to find what’s universal among all peoples, times, or cultures.

We want to thank the McKnight family for their generous contribution of books written by Kadir Nelson. Please visit the Preschool Library and check them out!

WHAT’S YOUR WHY? Inclusive education is a core philosophy at Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool. Children with special rights accomplish more than their families ever dreamed possible by learning alongside typical peers. Their peers learn about differences, collaboration, and acceptance at a very young age; building a foundation of empathy. This life changing program is fully funded and supported by preschool families and our generous donors.

Donations can be made at www.SpringtimeAtPeachtree.org or Make checks out to Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool, subject line: Springtime at Peachtree

“ Children need the freedom to appreciate the infinite resources of their hands, their eyes, and their ears, the resources of forms, materials, sounds, and colors.�

-Loris Malaguzzi

Professional Development Can you imagine over 100 educators from 13 different schools coming together to see the Preschool and hear about the children’s work? That’s what happened on January 30, 2020.

Educators from the Preschool welcomed their colleagues from the community with presentations highlighting the mark-making, drawing, and story creating capabilities of the children. Also, an open forum, hosted by 5/6 educators on the Inclusion Forum was at capacity. The attendants much appreciated time for dialogue, exchange, and encountering the classrooms. We feel the following quotes are representative of the day: “ I cried after hearing the 5/6 teachers talk about inclusion program, and the beauty of the classrooms took my breath away.

I only wish all schools could be like this.” (Participant from Little Gate, New Orleans) “Teachers shared the children’s work in particular ways. It makes me think about our school and the strategies we can use to do the same.” (Participant from St. Anne’s Day School, Atlanta) “I appreciated the presentation of “Mark-Making and Drawing.” It is making me think of drawing in a new way.”(Participant) “The video about the Preschool gave a clear vision of who we are and what we aspire to do. Coming together with teachers from the community gives us new perspectives, fresh ideas, inspiration, and affirmation.”(Participant from Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool, Atlanta)

CLASS PICTURE SCHEDULE MARCH 18- MARCH 20 Wednesday, March 18 Crump/Reed Thompson/Wamsley Adams/Freaney Boswell/Larson/Wasilewsky Carlyle/Dergan Jones/Stafford Burke/Rackley/Ross Farr/Parker/Perira Rothschild/Underwood

Thursday, March 19 Adams/Freaney Carlyle/Dergan Jones/Reed/Weber Thompson/Wamsley Boswell/Larson/Leete Burke/Rackley/Ross Maclane/Tilgner Nichols/Vailes Bohntinsky/Purcell/Somodean/ Troutman

Friday, March 20 Amstutz/Klitenic/Myers Barnhart/Olivier/Quintana Beacham/Kirtland/Parker Carroll/Rhodes/Sarajian Fiveash/Leete/Lindler Bell/Fleetwood/Montana Gross/Justice/Wright Keough/Pope/Smith Owens/Wells/Young Sewell/Traynelis/Williams

Nurtured Heart Approach (NHA) classes continue in February. This approach is about celebrating the greatness in children and avoiding making children conform to a set of expectations, which causes undue frustration for adults and children. One of the foundational elements of the approach is to avoid energizing undesired behavior while still holding the child accountable.

Thoughts about The Nurtured Heart Approach from a parent…

The first class of The Nurtured Heart Approach was about finding greatness in others, especially our children. I couldn’t stop thinking how difficult it is to find greatness in our kids during a challenging moment.

However, as I pondered this further, the answer was my primary belief since I became a mom: “Kids are pure greatness. It is innate to them.” Children come to this world seeking to be loved. Personally, I believe that parenting with love and respect is a priority to understanding child development.

The Nurtured Heart Approach is a relationship-focused methodology, founded strategically in “The 3 Stands” for helping children (and adults) build their inner wealth and use their intensity in successful ways.

The Nurtured Heart Approach is a powerful tool for awakening the inherent greatness in all children while facilitating parenting and classroom success.

Dates: February 6 February 13

February 20

Class time: 9:15 a.m.

Location: 4303 Duration: 1 hour Register: www.peachtreepresbyterianpreschool.org

Greatness is innate to our kids, but we need to stop and see through their actions at times. It sounds nice, but it definitely requires a lot of practice and a big motivator. My motivation is my desire to build a healthy lifetime relationship with my daughter. I attend these valuable classes hoping to learn more about how to help my daughter develop while respecting and loving her for who she is—not who I wish her to be.

Cecilia Nast Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool Parent

Visting Days 2020

Visting Days 2020

FEBRUARY 9, 2020 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM