From the Director
In This Issue
Dear Day School Community,
Welcome to the 2024 Fall edition of Biscuit’s Bulletin! We publish our first edition of the year right before Thanksgiving break so that, hopefully, you have some extra time to read and discuss its contents with family and friends. This school year comes with some exciting new programs and beautiful projects that we can’t wait to share with you. Enjoy!
In this edition of Biscuit’s Bulletin, you will be introduced to the joyful and talented new educators who joined our community this year and learn a little about the breadth of unique interests and experiences they bring And while we can’t introduce all of them, we have included pictures from our New Family Playdate, which welcomed more than seventy new children and their families to the school! Our incredible POPs parent association hosted this sweet event and has been busy with so much more, including Family Fall Fest You might see yourself or someone you know in the pictures of this wonderful event where we hosted past, present, and future families for an afternoon of fun and fellowship Be sure to mark your calendar for upcoming events listed at the end of the Bulletin We swapped the timing of the Day School Dash and the Spring Soiree You don’t want to miss either!
If you receive this newsletter, you are deeply aware of the Day School’s commitment to community Families grow up here, and lifelong friendships are formed Relationships have spanned the school, church, and Terrace for decades So, you will not be surprised when you read the feature article about the school’s response to Hurricane Helene. Championed by our TK and Pre-K leaders, the Day School held a relief drive, including an art sale, to support affected communities in North Carolina. Finally, as we enter the Thanksgiving season, we want to express our deepest gratitude for the many ways you support the Day School. We are kicking off the 202425 Annual Fund campaign this month. In the annual fund letter, you will see that we have continued to invest in our people, programs, and facilities, and we ask that you again support the Day School with a generous gift this holiday season.
Everyone at Saint Anne’s Day School and Enrichment Programs sends their warmest wishes to you and your family for the holiday season. Be well and take care.
Most
sincerely,
Rhonda Mitchell
Behind the Bulletin
Alexa S Brooks Communications Coordinator
Editor, Art Direction/Design
Emily Brown
Teaching Practices Specialist
Co-Editor, Classroom Correspondent
Contributors
Rhonda Mitchell, April Chalmers, Loreen Costa, Daisey Garay, Erised Quintas, Tena Sarabia
To subscribe to Biscuit's Bulletin, or if you have photos, stories, or memories of Saint Anne's to share, e-mail: alumni@saintannesdayschool.com.
FIRST DAYS
The 2024-2025 school year is off to a great start! In August, the Day School hosted a POPSicle Party on the playground to welcome new families to the community. Thank you to our POPS Event Chairs Emily Hart Breece and MP Loyd for coordinating the event Then school started, and the real fun began!
NEW FACES
We have several new faculty members in the building this year. Please join us in welcoming them to the Saint Anne’s community We asked them a few questions; enjoy their answers!
AYSIA BREWTON
Window Room
BACKGROUND:
I was born in South Carolina and raised in Atlanta I went to Georgia State for a degree in Early Childhood Education and have been working in the field since 2021.
FAVORITE SCENT: UNIQUE HOBBY: Eucalyptus and citrus. I enjoy hot yoga and Mario Kart.
TORI JACKSON
Nesting Room
BACKGROUND:
I have 19 years working the ECE field with the last 6 of those years specifically in the Reggio Emilia Philosophy with a focus around anti-bias & social justice.
UNIQUE HOBBY: In my spare time my family and I scuba dive (when in Florida), play pickle ball, go hiking, and have over the top dance parties
FAVORITE FLOWER: Tulips
ALYSSA SCARBORO
Grove Room
BACKGROUND:
FAVORITE SCENT: UNIQUE HOBBY:
YOLANDA SLATOR
Garden Room
BACKGROUND:
Born and raised near Savannah, and my background is in psychology, recruiting, ABA and education!
Anything fresh, herbal, earthy, natural Antiquing, thrifting, and my odd little collections! I have a paper clip collection, a glitter collection, a tape measure collection, and a rubber stamp collection
I am from Hollandale, Mississippi. I've been working in child care for over 30 years. I love watching each child grow in their own way.
FAVORITE SWEET: Peanut butter cookies
FAVORITE HOBBY: I love singing and going to the movies!
DENASIA WATKINS
Butterfly Room
BACKGROUND:
FAVORITE SWEET:
I'm from Atlanta I earned my CDA from Bright Horizons and have been working in the child care field for six years I love shopping for clothes and enjoying seafood and wing restaurants
Reese’s cups and chocolate chip cookies
UNIQUE HOBBY: I love cooking; my favorite recipe is oxtails with rice
FALL FEST
A much beloved Saint Anne’s tradition, our annual Fall Fest brings families together to enjoy pony rides, pumpkin decorating, bounce houses, midway games, face painting, balloon animals, pizza, cotton candy, and more!
Thank You to Our
FALL FEST SPONSORS
KONA ICE PONY RIDES
Ailiff Family, Almquist Family, Bishop Family, Collins Family, Dick Family, Engram Family, Kelly Family, McNeish Family, Tennille Family, Thompson Family, Walker Family
Benoit Family, Edging Family, Fraim Family, Oswald Family, Pollock Family
FACEPAINTING/ BALLOON ARTISTS
Arca Family, Koontz Family, O’Rouke Family, Vernovage/McLean Family, Wetmore Family
CLICK-CLACK TRAIN
Breece Family, Dailey Family, Hogg Family, Jenkins Family, Loyd Family, Luo Family, Montgomery Family, Olson Family, Quintas Family, Smollar Family, Wagstaff Family
PETTING ZOO
Aysola Family, Davidson Family, Lesko Family, Kromer/McGraw Family, Plomgren Family, Sumner Family, Thompson Family
Burdette Family, Schreiner Family PUMPKIN PATCH
HURRICANE RELIEF DONORS
Arca Family, Cessna Family, Cohen Family, Cook Family, Higgins Lovely/Sarabia Family, Danielle Hutlas, Laney Family, McCullar Family, McKenzie Family, Quintas Family, Roane Family, Smollar Family, Swanson Family, Wagstaff Family, Walker Family
HHALLOWEEN HALLOWEEN ALLOWEEN
Fairies, Transformers, witches, Elsas, and even a cup of ice cream descended upon the Day School for the Halloween Parade on a clear Halloween morning this year.
CLASSROOM FEATURE
Describe the Girasol environment. What makes your space unique?
Girasol Room
Girasol Room is the first Multi-Age Spanish Immersion classroom at Saint Anne’s. In the multi-age environment, children are able to learn valuable social and academic skills from peers, as well as develop empathy and leadership qualities There are opportunities to discover and also to nurture In Girasol, we speak in both English and Spanish, which promotes cognitive development, cultural awareness, early language development and language proficiency. This has also helped to bridge a gap between home and school for many families.
Our classroom is filled with curiosity, friendship, and cooperation between the ages We teach the same content to all of the children, with varying levels of detail based on age and developmental stageswe are able to meet children where they are Children in our class get to serve as models as well as learn from their peers, and they help each other to understand the lessons and increase their knowledge.
What is the meaning behind your class name?
Girasol means “sunflower” in Spanish As the flower grows, it searches for the sun to increase its size and strength As our children grow in our classroom, they are also searching and strengthening their knowledge by participating as a part of the group or as individuals sharing their different experiences.
What threads or interests have come up for the children?
The children love working with clay It has given them the opportunity to express themselves, be creative, improve their fine motor skills, demonstrate focus, and experiment We were able to create a connection with the letters of their names, which is displayed on our classroom board. They molded the first letter of their name in clay and their parents wrote beautiful notes describing why they chose their child’s name and what it means to the family The children have been so proud of this home-to-school connection We have also introduced simple words and phrases like cat, dog, mom, dad, and ‘I love you ’ We have also enjoyed listening to the children sing so many songs in Spanish! They’re excited to learn the lyrics and can be heard around the school singing songs in both languages, such as “Good Morning (Buenos Dias).”
Describe yourself as an educator and what you enjoy about this new classroom environment.
Daisey Garay
I was born in the city of El Paso, TX and raised in the city of Chihuahua, Chihuahua, Mexico. I received my degree in Pedagogical Sciences in 2012 and my master’s degree in Teaching Quality in 2019
I am enjoying sharing my knowledge in my native language I enjoy the company of my co-educators and the refreshing company of the children. I love knowing that the children enjoy all the learning possibilities that the materials provide them and witnessing how the children teach each other when they interact through play and conversations.
Loreen Costa Sing Ingram
I was born in New York but moved to Puerto Rico with my family where my father began his new job. Although I was not taught Spanish in school, I learned to speak, read and write in Spanish. I received my degree in Early Childhood Development at the University of Puerto Rico
It’s been such a joy to be a part of this new class and all that it has to offer. Every day we are amazed by how much and how well the children cooperate with each other and their immense curiosity to learn the Spanish language and culture
I’m an “Atlantan” but am also an “ army brat ” I’ve lived in Germany and continue to travel all over the world. I am the third educator in the Girasol room, in which we began as strangers but have grown into a family I am fortunate to be able to teach some of these children for a second year, moving up with them from the Garden Room. I have spoken some Spanish prior to this experience, but I am enjoying being immersed in the classroom I am learning alongside the kids and able to relate to them and serve as a model as we learn this new language together.
SERVICE AT SAINT ANNE’S
Grace House Food Drive
Statistics show that one in five college students skip a meal or go hungry on the Georgia Tech campus every day Grace House is an Episcopal/Lutheran Campus Ministry house on Georgia Tech's Campus Grace House serves the campus through Tuesday dinners and worship, small group interactions, and a food pantry The food pantry provides 24-hour access and is unmonitored, so students feel comfortable grabbing the things they need We ran a food drive for Grace House to help ensure that students didn’t go hungry this Thanksgiving
Hurricane Helene Relief
The Origin
From the moment The Chalmers family stepped onto the grounds of Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, NC, they felt at home The school and surrounding area are places of magic and wonder; the breathtaking mountain views, the peaceful wooded landscape, and the Swannanoa River are hard to ignore While college drop off is never easy, they knew they had found their daughter Lorelai's home away from home
Hurricane Helene hit Swannanoa on September 26th The flooding caused horrific devastation and has left long lasting challenges for all who live in the area Lorelai needed to come home for a month, as work was being done and power was restored While home, she felt called to action In the days and weeks following the hurricane, they leaned on Warren Wilson College and Lorelai to help us find the best place to receive our donations. Hearts with Hands is an organization that has ties to the college and is well known for disaster relief. It was an honor to work with our children to collect and prepare the goods.
In addition to the physical items, Saint Anne’s collected monetary donations Keeping our children’s wishes in mind, we have decided to donate this money to the Black Mountain Home for Children, Youth, & Families The money we raised will be used for their greatest needs, which includes rebuilding their west campus that was destroyed in a mudslide This is a special place that helps children from birth through to those in college
Hurricane Helene Relief
Our Action
When the SunRiver (TK) and Bridge (Pre-K) classrooms returned to school after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on so many thriving communities, hearts were heavy and thoughts were with those affected by this natural disaster.
The teachers shared age-appropriate information about the hurricane and read a book about helping others called, I am Generous by David Parker, and we asked the children…how can we help and what could we send to those affected by the hurricane.
“Send an ambulance and a helicopter company to save them”
“Give them water”
“Give them hugs”
“Share toys”
“Give them new toys”
“Put art materials in the mailbox to mail them”
“Lovies” “Crayons”
“Markers”
“Share Power” (electricity)
“Share flowers if their garden was ruined”
“Draw them pictures”
In addition to the donations, each classroom created a collaborative art piece to sell in order to help raise funds for the victims of Hurricane Helene Each piece had a theme that connected us to this cause For example, in the Nesting Room, one child shared his love for the blue heron and suggested creating this particular bird as the central symbol of the artwork The educators agreed that the blue heron was a perfect choice, as it represents strength, resilience, and renewal qualities they hoped to embody as they supported those affected by the hurricane
The SunRiver class focused on creating different depictions of suns that were gathered into one piece. The suns represented our light, that we wanted to shine down on those affected, to give them hope We titled our collaborative piece, Rays of Hope
The Bridge children created peace signs and hearts from loose parts, symbolizing peace and love to come
Through each discussion, creation, and action, the children grew closer to understanding the importance of compassion d h h
SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS
Judy Eckardt Scholarship Fund
Judy dedicated her life to making a better world for children She was an inspiring teacher who used her many talents to create a thirst for learning in all of her students. Judy loved life and instinctively knew how to help others see the joy of learning new things. She touched every teacher, parent, and child who called her friend and/or teacher. The treasured memory of Judy Eckardt lives through the Judy Eckhardt Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Ryan Grand Scholarship Fund
Ryan Grand (12/6/1989 - 11/15/2011) enrolled at Saint Anne's Day School in 2000 when he was 6 months old and continued through his Pre-K year. He loved his time at Saint Anne's so much he continued to come back to the school during his high school and college years to work as a Summer Camp counselor Some of his closest and earliest friendships were established at Saint Anne's and continued throughout his life Because of his strong connection with the Day School, Ryan's family and friends established the Ryan Grand Scholarship fund
Martha Isler Memorial Fund
Martha loved children and had a passion for teaching. She had a Master's Degree in Elementary Education and taught at various elementary schools around Atlanta before coming to Saint Anne's as a teacher. She was a gifted educator and had several students who stayed in touch with her into their adulthoods.
Martha's daughter, Maggie Isler Killgore attended Saint Anne's as a child and her four children have also attended, with her youngest currently enrolled Martha was a very active grandmother and could be seen weekly at Saint Anne's, bringing her grandchildren to school or picking them up in the carpool line
Because of her deep affection for Saint Anne's Day School, her family and friends created the Martha Isler memorial fund. Martha died on July 22, 2021.
Edith M. Smith Memorial Fund
Edith was a much loved teacher of the Twos and Threes at Saint Anne's Day School for 41 years. She was an outstanding storyteller and could capture the hearts and minds of all ages with her stories. She was a member of Saint Anne's Church and an active participant in the school's Chapel services. Often she was approached by her now adult students with fond memories of their time at the Day School Edith's 3 children and 4 grandchildren were all alumni and gave many hours of volunteer service to the school Edith Smith died on December 5, 2018
Georgia Wimberly Pierce Memorial Scholarship
In 2007, when Georgia was almost three years old, she passed away while vacationing with her family. The families and friends of the Pierce family created the Georgia Pierce Memorial Scholarship fund in her honor. Since 2008, the funds raised annually for the scholarship are allocated toward the total amount of financial aid distributed each year
PARENTS OF PRESCHOOLERS AKA POPS
Saint Anne’s enjoys a long history of family involvement At its core are the relationships fostered every day Whether you are a Mystery Reader in your child’s class or helping chair an event, the Day School is forever indebted to its generous parents who help make Saint Anne’s feel like family.
Our POPS leaders of the 2024-2025 board are:
Our monthly Parent Chats kicked off in September with a coffee and breakfast meetup
Moms got together to support POPs at Margaritas & Mamacitas. Thanks to Katie Dick and Emily Lancaster for hosting!
Parent Night is a treasured evening where parents gather to hear from Day School, Church, and POPs Leadership The night includes visits to children’s classrooms followed by a party on the pavilion. Thank you to this year ’ s chairs, Elizabeth Zucchero and Weezie Finlay.
Parents in action! We love having parents join us on field trips, at in-class parties, and in other activities like cooking and reading!
Erised Quintas Chair
Melissa Koontz Vice Chair
Clint Webb Treasurer
UPCOMING EVENTS
