Kinder

Hello families,

We have been enjoying the warmer weather here in kindergarten, both in the form of afternoon recess most days, and the water that has been turned on at the park at the end of our street on our Wednesday walk.  Speaking of Wednesday walk, we decided yesterday that we were under-prepared for how warm it was, so we did not walk all the way to the park, but instead went about half way and turned around.  In the future, we would like to continue to walk all the way to the park, as long as it is not too hot, but want to keep in mind that the sun is getting more intense as the summer solstice draws closer.  We would prefer that you not send sunblock with your child, as it is very difficult at this age for them to put it on themselves and we are unable to apply it for them, but you are welcome to put it on in the morning before coming to school.  With the walk being from 1:30 – 2:45, we recommend sending your child with a sun hat and possibly some sort of sun shirt for protection from the sun on Wednesdays.  Kinders will be allowed to bring their water bottles, as long as they are willing to carry it themselves, and there is a water fountain at the park as well.

As we approach the end of the school year, I have had a few questions in regards to a move up celebration.  We don’t have any kind of commencement ceremony outside of the school year for kindergarten, but we do have a wonderful walk across the bridge that we do as a school community.  Tentatively scheduled for the last day of school, kindergarteners will join the rest of the school across the street to walk across the bridge, as a class, while the rest of the school cheers us on.  We will be following the other groups of students who are also moving up to another classroom next year.  It is a special ceremony that feels very celebratory.  There will be more information to come in the next few weeks as plans are solidified regarding this event.

In the next few weeks, we will be finishing up with some of our regular math and language works and focusing on specific skills that we want to make sure to cover this year.  This last week we dove into the concept of greater than/less than/equal to. The work itself was pretty enjoyable to all, as it involved using dice to make the number draw random.  

Next week we will hopefully do some seed planting in the classroom and dig a little deeper into parts of the plant and how things grow.  We will be using a program based out of Oregon State University called Food Hero to do this.

In our SEL lessons we have continued our work in managing disappointment, which I am sure you know is a big skill for this age to learn how to manage.  As usual, I will send a second email to you today with more information on this lesson.

Best Regards

Kristin Warner

Hola familias,

Hemos estado disfrutando del clima más cálido aquí en el jardín de infantes, tanto en la forma de recreo por la tarde la mayoría de los días, y el agua que se ha abierto en el parque al final de nuestra calle en nuestro paseo del miércoles.  Hablando del paseo de los miércoles, ayer nos dimos cuenta de que no estábamos preparados para el calor que hacía, así que no hicimos todo el camino hasta el parque, sino que llegamos hasta la mitad y dimos la vuelta.  En el futuro, nos gustaría seguir caminando hasta el parque, siempre que no haga demasiado calor, pero queremos tener en cuenta que el sol es cada vez más intenso a medida que se acerca el solsticio de verano.  Preferimos que no envíen protector solar con sus hijos, ya que a esta edad es muy difícil que se lo pongan ellos mismos y nosotros no podemos aplicárselo, pero pueden ponérselo por la mañana antes de venir al colegio.  Como el paseo es de 1:30 a 2:45, recomendamos que envíen a su hijo con un sombrero para el sol y posiblemente algún tipo de camiseta para protegerse del sol los miércoles.  Los niños podrán traer sus botellas de agua, siempre y cuando estén dispuestos a llevarla ellos mismos, y también hay una fuente de agua en el parque.

A medida que nos acercamos al final del año escolar, he tenido algunas preguntas con respecto a la celebración de la mudanza.  No tenemos ningún tipo de ceremonia de graduación fuera del año escolar para kindergarten, pero tenemos una maravillosa caminata a través del puente que hacemos como comunidad escolar.  Programado provisionalmente para el último día de clase, los alumnos de preescolar se unirán al resto de la escuela al otro lado de la calle para cruzar el puente, como clase, mientras el resto de la escuela nos anima.  Seguiremos a los demás grupos de alumnos que también pasarán a otra clase el año que viene.  Es una ceremonia muy especial y festiva.  Habrá más información en las próximas semanas a medida que los planes se solidifican con respecto a este evento.

En las próximas semanas, vamos a terminar con algunos de nuestros trabajos regulares de matemáticas y lenguaje y se centra en habilidades específicas que queremos asegurarnos de cubrir este año.  Esta última semana nos sumergimos en el concepto de mayor que/menor que/igual a. El trabajo en sí fue bastante divertido para todos, ya que implicó el uso de dados para hacer el sorteo de números al azar.  

La semana que viene esperamos plantar algunas semillas en el aula y profundizar un poco más en las partes de la planta y cómo crecen las cosas.  Para ello utilizaremos un programa de la Universidad Estatal de Oregón llamado Food Hero.

En nuestras lecciones SEL hemos continuado nuestro trabajo en la gestión de la decepción, que estoy seguro de que usted sabe que es una gran habilidad para esta edad para aprender a manejar.  Como de costumbre, le enviaré un segundo correo electrónico hoy con más información sobre esta lección.

Saludos cordiales

Kristin Warner

Hello Kindergarten families,

I can’t believe it is already May and we only have 6 more weeks together as a kindergarten community.  I am so impressed with the growth that the children are showing as they progress through their works and demonstrate a solid understanding of what they are learning.  

I have recently had a request for a basic schedule of our day, and I thought this might be something that all of you may enjoy, so I decided to include it in this communication.  Children arrive in the morning, bring in their morning snacks, change shoes and find a book to look at while waiting for morning gathering.  At gathering we have one student update the calendar and lead us in our kindness pledge.  After group we start our morning work period, which last for 2 hours uninterrupted, and allows the children to use their work plans to complete their daily assigned work followed by chosen works.  Students choose when to have snack during this time.  At 10:45 we move into cleaning up, setting up the room for lunch and coming to group.  At 11:05 we go to art, PE and SEL, depending on the day.  Recess follows specials and then we come back into the classroom for lunch at 12:20.  After lunch on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday we have quiet reflection, followed by a second work period and lately we have been aiming for a second recess to end the day.  On Wednesday we leave after lunch for our Wednesday walk and return to the school shortly before school is released and on Fridays we gather to go home after lunch.

We have just this week started the beloved kindergarten work of “box building”.  This work involves using small recycled boxes and containers and masking tape to create something unique and imaginative.  After building, the student draws and writes about what they built and then gets to share their creation with the class before bringing it home.  Due to the nature of this work, it works best as a “one person at a time” work, so the person who gets to do box building each day is the calendar leader for that day.  This means some friends are going to have to wait for a long time to get their turn, but they are kind and patient, knowing that they will get a turn eventually. 

In our SEL lessons, we have been focused on learning to manage disappointment.  I will send this week’s lesson to you today along with this communication so you can continue this important work at home.  We have seen good progress in class with friends using these skills when feeling overly emotional, and I’m so grateful for Jenine’s careful guidance in teaching them.

I hope you all have a delightful weekend,

Kristin Warner

Hola familias de Kindergarten,

No puedo creer que ya es mayo y sólo tenemos 6 semanas más juntos como una comunidad de kindergarten.  Estoy tan impresionada con el crecimiento que los niños están mostrando a medida que avanzan en sus trabajos y demuestran una sólida comprensión de lo que están aprendiendo. 

Recientemente he recibido una solicitud de un horario básico de nuestro día, y pensé que esto podría ser algo que todos ustedes pueden disfrutar, así que decidí incluirlo en esta comunicación.  Los niños llegan por la mañana, traen sus bocadillos matutinos, se cambian los zapatos y encuentran un libro para mirar mientras esperan la reunión matutina.  En la reunión, un alumno actualiza el calendario y nos guía en nuestra promesa de bondad.  Después del grupo empezamos nuestro periodo de trabajo matutino, que dura 2 horas ininterrumpidas, y permite a los niños utilizar sus planes de trabajo para completar su trabajo diario asignado seguido de trabajos elegidos.  Los alumnos eligen cuándo merendar durante este tiempo.  A las 10:45 pasamos a la limpieza, a preparar el aula para la comida y a venir al grupo.  A las 11:05 vamos a arte, educación física y SEL, dependiendo del día.  El recreo sigue a las actividades especiales y luego volvemos al aula para almorzar a las 12:20.  Después de comer, los lunes, martes y jueves reflexionamos en silencio, seguimos con un segundo periodo de trabajo y, últimamente, tenemos un segundo recreo para terminar el día.  Los miércoles salimos después de comer para nuestro paseo de los miércoles y volvemos al colegio poco antes de la salida y los viernes nos reunimos para volver a casa después de comer.

Esta semana acabamos de empezar el querido trabajo de kindergarten de "construcción de cajas".  Este trabajo consiste en utilizar pequeñas cajas y contenedores reciclados y cinta adhesiva para crear algo único e imaginativo.  Después de la construcción, el estudiante dibuja y escribe sobre lo que construyó y luego llega a compartir su creación con la clase antes de llevarlo a casa.  Debido a la naturaleza de este trabajo, funciona mejor como un trabajo de "una persona a la vez", por lo que la persona a la que le toca construir la caja cada día es el líder del calendario para ese día.  Esto significa que algunos amigos van a tener que esperar mucho tiempo para que les toque su turno, pero son amables y pacientes, sabiendo que al final les tocará.

En nuestras lecciones SEL, nos hemos centrado en aprender a gestionar la decepción.  Hoy les enviaré la lección de esta semana junto con esta comunicación para que puedan continuar este importante trabajo en casa.  Hemos visto un buen progreso en clase con los amigos usando estas habilidades cuando se sienten demasiado emocionales, y estoy muy agradecida por la cuidadosa guía de Jenine en la enseñanza de ellos.

Espero que tengan un buen fin de semana,
Kristin Warner

Hello Kindergarten Families,

         We have been busy in kindergarten these past few weeks.  Along with our now established routine of math and language works, we have been sewing buttons onto felt bracelets independently and doing some finger crocheting during handwork time with Piper. Using crayons on the hotplate has allowed us to create beautiful melted crayon, “stained glass” butterflies, some of which decorate our classroom windows, but most have been brought home as a treasured artwork.  The treehouse has made a reappearance and brought with it the dollhouse, so each side of the classroom has been graced with one of these coveted works that encourages collaborative imagination as they are allowed to work with one peer at a time.  Just this week we have started using a balloon to create “planets in space” paintings, and the children are gracefully taking their turns, as only about 5 or so are able to get through it in a work period.

         Today we filled in our last heart on our 100 acts of kindness chart!  It was with great joy and excitement that we reflected on all the kindness we have shown each other.  As part of our celebration we plan to introduce “desk pets”!  Tomorrow we will work together to create the agreed upon rules that will allow these small squishy toys to be a joy and a boost in our learning, without becoming a distraction.  Already, in preparation for the anticipated pets, the children have written a persuasive argument, where they reflected and composed a letter letting me know why they should be allowed to have desk pets.  Some of the arguments included: “teaching” their pets how to do certain works, reading to their pets and doing research on their pets.  Just a heads up that the pets will live at school for the rest of the year and come home as the children leave for summer break.

Please help us welcome Sarah Bryan as

the temporary kindergarten assistant through the end of this school year. Sarah joins our kindergarten

classroom with five years of experience working with this age group.  Lisa Forkish, who you may have known was originally hired to be our temporary assistant, is no longer employed by Ridgeline. She was unable to continue through the remainder of the year due to her enrollment in graduate school.  I will share this news with the kindergarteners tomorrow. 

In SEL, Jenine has been working with the kinders on learning how to wait patiently. As you can imagine, there are certain times, namely standing in line, where it is hard to wait, but these kids now have a few tools in their pocket to help with this.  I will forward the lesson specifics to you all so you can use the same language at home that we are using at school, if you would like.

Best wishes,

Kristin Warner

Hola Familias de Kindergarten,
Hemos estado ocupados en el jardín de infantes estas últimas semanas.  Junto con nuestra rutina ya establecida de trabajos de matemáticas y lenguaje, hemos estado cosiendo botones en pulseras de fieltro de forma independiente y haciendo un poco de ganchillo con los dedos durante el tiempo de trabajo manual con Piper. El uso de lápices de colores en la placa de cocción nos ha permitido crear hermosas mariposas de "vidrieras" con lápices de colores derretidos, algunas de las cuales decoran las ventanas de nuestra aula, pero la mayoría se han llevado a casa como un tesoro de arte.  La casa del árbol ha reaparecido y ha traído consigo la casa de muñecas, de modo que cada lado del aula ha sido adornado con una de estas codiciadas obras que fomentan la imaginación colaborativa, ya que se les permite trabajar con un compañero a la vez.  Esta misma semana hemos empezado a utilizar un globo para crear pinturas de "planetas en el espacio", y los niños se turnan con gracia, ya que sólo unos 5 son capaces de hacerlo en un periodo de trabajo.
Hoy hemos rellenado el último corazón de nuestra tabla de los 100 actos de bondad.  Con gran alegría y emoción hemos reflexionado sobre toda la bondad que nos hemos demostrado unos a otros.  ¡Como parte de nuestra celebración planeamos introducir "mascotas de escritorio"!  Mañana trabajaremos juntos para crear las reglas acordadas que permitirán que estos pequeños juguetes blanditos sean una alegría y un impulso en nuestro aprendizaje, sin convertirse en una distracción.  Ya, en preparación para las mascotas anticipadas, los niños han escrito un argumento persuasivo, donde reflexionaron y compusieron una carta haciéndome saber por qué se les debería permitir tener mascotas de escritorio.  Algunos de los argumentos eran "enseñar" a sus mascotas a hacer ciertos trabajos, leer a sus mascotas e investigar sobre sus mascotas.  Les informo de que las mascotas vivirán en el colegio el resto del año y volverán a casa cuando los niños se vayan de vacaciones de verano.
Por favor, ayúdenos a dar la bienvenida a Sarah Bryan como asistente temporal de kindergarten hasta el final de este año escolar. Sarah se une a nuestra clase de kindergarten con cinco años de experiencia trabajando con este grupo de edad.  Lisa Forkish, que usted puede haber sabido que fue contratado originalmente para ser nuestro asistente temporal ya no es empleado por Ridgeline. Ella no pudo continuar durante el resto del año debido a su inscripción en la escuela de posgrado.  Voy a compartir esta noticia con los niños de kindergarten mañana.
En SEL, Jenine ha estado trabajando con los kinders en aprender a esperar pacientemente. Como se puede imaginar, hay ciertos momentos, a saber, de pie en línea, donde es difícil esperar, pero estos niños tienen ahora algunas herramientas en el bolsillo para ayudar con esto.  Os enviaré los detalles de la lección para que podáis utilizar en casa el mismo lenguaje que utilizamos en el colegio, si os apetece.

Mis mejores deseos,
Kristin Warner

Hello Kinder families,

We have been enjoying the warmer spring weather here in kindergarten.  It is not uncommon to find us making time for an extra recess out in the sun, and our last few Wednesday walks have been fabulous with a great play time at the park.

We have certainly been finding our rhythm in the work cycle as we get used to using work plans.  These simple plans allow the children to know what work they are expected to get done during the work cycle and then give ideas for other work choices.  

Spirit week has been a joy this week as well.  It has been fun to see the creative outfits friends choose to wear, and whether they choose to wear one or not, they all enjoy noticing the pieces of each other’s costumes.

I have started inviting students to be calendar leaders at our morning meetings.  Each day is a different leader and the person is chosen simply by alphabetical order.  I don’t force anyone to lead who isn’t up for it, but most accept the offer and seem to enjoy their moment in the spotlight, even if they are a bit nervous.

We also introduced a “100 Acts of Kindness” chart in the classroom. The children are encouraged to notice acts of kindness that others have shown throughout the day and then we take turns to share them at group, coloring in a heart for each act that was shared.  In just a few days, we have already colored in more than 50 hearts.

I hope that each family enjoys spring break and children return to class in April feeling rested and excited about the rest of the year. 

Best regards,

Kristin Warner

Hola familias de Kinder,

Hemos estado disfrutando del clima primaveral más cálido aquí en el jardín de infantes.  No es raro encontrarnos haciendo tiempo para un recreo extra al sol, y nuestros últimos paseos de los miércoles han sido fabulosos con un gran tiempo de juego en el parque.

Ciertamente hemos ido encontrando nuestro ritmo en el ciclo de trabajo a medida que nos acostumbramos a utilizar los planes de trabajo.  Estos sencillos planes permiten a los niños saber qué trabajo se espera que realicen durante el ciclo de trabajo y luego dan ideas para otras opciones de trabajo. 

La semana del espíritu también ha sido una alegría esta semana.  Ha sido divertido ver los trajes creativos que los amigos eligen usar, y ya sea que elijan usar uno o no, todos disfrutan notando las piezas de los trajes de los demás.

He empezado a invitar a los alumnos a ser líderes de calendario en nuestras reuniones matutinas.  Cada día hay un líder diferente y la persona se elige simplemente por orden alfabético.  No obligo a nadie a ser líder si no está dispuesto, pero la mayoría acepta la oferta y parece disfrutar de su momento de protagonismo, aunque esté un poco nervioso.

También hemos introducido en clase una tabla de "100 actos de bondad". Animamos a los niños a que se fijen en los actos de bondad que los demás han mostrado a lo largo del día y luego nos turnamos para compartirlos en grupo, coloreando un corazón por cada acto compartido.  En sólo unos días, ya hemos coloreado más de 50 corazones.

Espero que todas las familias disfruten de las vacaciones de primavera y que los niños vuelvan a clase en abril descansados y entusiasmados por el resto del año.

Saludos cordiales,
Kristin Warner

Traducción realizada con la versión gratuita del traductor www.DeepL.com/Translator

Hello Kindergarten families,

This past week, our students have been diligently working away in the classroom both learning new works and increasing their independence in the repetition of works that they have been doing.  We are diving into the world of golden bead gathering, which introduces children to the concept of place value in ones, tens, hundreds and thousands.  Half of the children have received the first lesson and the other half will be introduced to it at the beginning of the next week.  We have also started illustrating and telling the story of one addition and subtraction problem every time we do those works.  Several of the students have began building sentences and copying them into their notebooks.  This work moves in conjunction with the Waseca word building work we have been doing for most of the year.

We finished our quiet reflection chapter book, “Warton and the Castaways” this week and started “Warton and Morton” by Russell E Erickson.  Those toad brothers are always finding adventure and precarious situations that keep us on the edge of our pillow cases as we wait to see how it all works out in the end.

Today in our Second Steps SEL lesson with Jenine we introduced the subject of “How to Calm Down”.  Our focus today was to first “Stop” what we are doing and second “Name your feeling”. Next week we will move on to the third step “Calm down strategies”.  Attached you will find the home guide for this lesson if you would like to explore the concept further with your child.

We have noticed quite the uptick in kindergarteners coming to school without a snack, or finishing their snack or lunches and still being hungry and needing additional food from our snack drawer.  We of course want to provide snacks or food to children on a need basis and as a parent myself, I certainly understand forgetting to send a snack to school, but I did want to let you know that we are flying through our school supplied snack stash at a rapid rate.  If your kinder is coming home regularly with an empty lunch box, please check in and ask if they had a big enough lunch or were still hungry and needed more.  Also, Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays are still days where they have the option of an afternoon snack during our second work cycle.

At the end of Friday, we gathered and sang together the song “I Think Your Wonderful” by Red Grammer.  This particular song has been sung by Ridgeline kindergarteners for many years at the end of almost every week.  My own daughters, now in 9th and 6th grades still remember it.  It has been a pleasure to reintroduce it into our program and left us all feeling quite wonderful as we walked out of the classroom at the end of the day.

All the best,

Kristin Warner

Second Steps update

What Is My Child Learning?

Your child is learning that sometimes feelings can be strong, and how to calm down strong feelings.

¿Qué está aprendiendo mi niño o niña?

Su niño o niña está aprendiendo que algunas veces los sentimientos pueden ser fuertes y cómo calmar esos sentimientos fuertes.

Why Is This Important?

When children’s feelings are very strong, it is hard for them to think clearly and pay attention. When children are calm, they are able to learn and get along better with others.

¿Por qué es esto importante?

Cuando los niños tienen sentimientos muy fuertes, les resulta difícil pensar con claridad y prestar atención. Cuando los niños están calmados, son capaces de aprender y llevarse bien con los demás.

Hola familias de Kindergarten,

Esta semana pasada, nuestros estudiantes han estado trabajando diligentemente lejos en el aula tanto el aprendizaje de nuevas obras y aumentar su independencia en la repetición de las obras que han estado haciendo.  Nos estamos sumergiendo en el mundo de la recolección de cuentas de oro, que introduce a los niños al concepto de valor posicional en unidades, decenas, centenas y millares.  La mitad de los niños han recibido la primera lección y la otra mitad la conocerá a principios de la semana que viene.  También hemos empezado a ilustrar y contar la historia de un problema de suma y resta cada vez que hacemos esos trabajos.  Varios de los alumnos han empezado a construir frases y a copiarlas en sus cuadernos.  Este trabajo se mueve en conjunción con el trabajo de construcción de palabras Waseca que hemos estado haciendo durante la mayor parte del año.

Terminamos nuestro libro de capítulos de reflexión silenciosa, "Warton y los Náufragos" esta semana y empezamos "Warton y Morton" por Russell E Erickson.  Esos hermanos sapo siempre están encontrando aventuras y situaciones precarias que nos mantienen en el borde de nuestras fundas de almohada mientras esperamos a ver cómo todo se resuelve al final.

Hoy en nuestra lección de SEL de Segundos Pasos con Jenine hemos introducido el tema de "Cómo calmarse".  Nuestro enfoque hoy fue primero "Parar" lo que estamos haciendo y segundo "Nombrar tu sentimiento". La semana que viene pasaremos al tercer paso "Estrategias para calmarse".  Adjunto encontrará la guía para el hogar de esta lección por si desea profundizar en el concepto con su hijo.

Hemos notado un aumento en los niños de kindergarten que vienen a la escuela sin merienda, o terminan su merienda o almuerzo y todavía tienen hambre y necesitan comida adicional de nuestro cajón de merienda.  Por supuesto, queremos proporcionar bocadillos o alimentos a los niños sobre una base de necesidad y como padre a mí mismo, sin duda entiendo que se olvide de enviar un bocadillo a la escuela, pero yo quería hacerle saber que estamos volando a través de nuestra escuela suministrado merienda almacenar a un ritmo rápido.  Si su hijo viene regularmente a casa con la fiambrera vacía, por favor, pregúntele si ha comido lo suficiente o si todavía tiene hambre y necesita más.  Además, los lunes, martes y jueves siguen siendo días en los que tienen la opción de merendar durante nuestro segundo ciclo de trabajo.

Al final del viernes, nos reunimos y cantamos juntos la canción "I Think Your Wonderful" de Red Grammer.  Esta canción en particular ha sido cantada por los alumnos de kindergarten de Ridgeline durante muchos años al final de casi todas las semanas.  Mis propias hijas, ahora en 9º y 6º curso, aún la recuerdan.  Ha sido un placer reintroducirla en nuestro programa y nos ha dejado a todos sintiéndonos maravillosos al salir de clase al final del día.

Les deseo lo mejor,

Kristin Warner

The Kindness Pledge

I pledge to myself on this day, to try to be kind in every way.  To every person, big and small, I will help them if they fall.  When I love myself, and others too, that is the best that I can do.

These last few weeks, we have started reciting the kindness pledge above at our morning group and have been engaging in an even more in-depth conversation about what it means to be kind in the classroom.  For example, how do we move around the classroom in a kind way, how do we walk around someone’s work that is on the floor mat on the ground?  This is work we have been doing all year, but it has been a good reminder that we can be kind simply by caring enough about a peer’s work to take the time to walk around it and not step on it or jump over it.

We have also introduced several new works into the environment, that you may or may not be hearing about, based on interest.  Play-dough work involving silicone molds, a full rainbow of colors available at the paint easel, the roman arch and baby washing have been among some of the favorites.  As always, these popular works need to be shared, so we are also working through the process of taking turns, waiting for turns and dealing with disappointment when the work period is over and a turn didn’t get to be had during that particular time frame.

We have started the chapter book Warton and the Castaways, by Russell E. Erickson during our quiet reflection times, and have enjoyed getting to know the toad brothers.

Yesterday, we finally made it to the end of the Rexius Trail on our Wednesday walk and had the joy of getting to play at the Frank Kenney Park as a class for a second recess.  The sun was shining and the children were joyful and considerate walking in a line on the trail.

As you may have guessed, we have also spent the last 2 weeks processing strong emotions over missing Sarah.  We have made room for these emotions by understanding the root of them, as they often show up at unexpected times.  There is a special “Sarah mailbox” on the counter, and as the children feel the need, they will make a note, picture or letter to Sarah and place it in the box.

Overall, these last two weeks have gone relatively smoothly, and we have had a lot of moments of joy and learning as we settle in to a classroom environment that is mostly the same, but a little different.

Thank you,

Kristin Warner

Promesa de amabilidad

En este día me comprometo a intentar ser amable en todos los sentidos.  A todas las personas, grandes y pequeñas, las ayudaré si se caen.  Cuando me quiero a mí mismo, y también a los demás, es lo mejor que puedo hacer.

Estas últimas semanas, hemos empezado a recitar la promesa de amabilidad anterior en nuestro grupo matutino y hemos entablado una conversación aún más profunda sobre lo que significa ser amable en el aula.  Por ejemplo, ¿cómo nos movemos por el aula de forma amable, cómo caminamos alrededor del trabajo de alguien que está en la alfombra del suelo?  Este es un trabajo que hemos estado haciendo durante todo el año, pero ha sido un buen recordatorio de que podemos ser amables simplemente preocupándonos lo suficiente por el trabajo de un compañero como para tomarnos el tiempo de caminar a su alrededor y no pisarlo o saltar sobre él.

También hemos introducido varios trabajos nuevos en el entorno, de los que puede que te enteres o no, en función de tu interés.  Las obras de plastilina con moldes de silicona, un arco iris completo de colores disponibles en el caballete de pintura, el arco romano y el lavado de bebés han sido algunas de las favoritas.  Como siempre, estos trabajos populares necesitan ser compartidos, por lo que también estamos trabajando en el proceso de tomar turnos, esperar turnos y hacer frente a la decepción cuando el período de trabajo ha terminado y un turno no llegó a ser tenido durante ese período de tiempo en particular.

Hemos empezado el libro Warton y los náufragos, de Russell E. Erickson, durante nuestros ratos de reflexión, y hemos disfrutado conociendo a los hermanos sapo.

Ayer, finalmente llegamos al final del sendero Rexius en nuestro paseo de los miércoles y tuvimos la alegría de poder jugar en el parque Frank Kenney como clase para un segundo recreo.  El sol brillaba y los niños estaban alegres y considerados caminando en fila por el sendero.

Como habrán adivinado, también hemos pasado las últimas 2 semanas procesando emociones fuertes por la falta de Sarah.  Hemos dado cabida a estas emociones comprendiendo su raíz, ya que a menudo aparecen en momentos inesperados.  Hay un "buzón Sarah" especial en el mostrador, y cuando los niños sienten la necesidad, hacen una nota, un dibujo o una carta a Sarah y la colocan en el buzón.

En general, estas dos últimas semanas han ido relativamente bien, y hemos tenido un montón de momentos de alegría y aprendizaje a medida que nos asentamos en un ambiente de clase que es en su mayoría el mismo, pero un poco diferente.

Muchas gracias,

Kristin Warner

Traducción realizada con la versión gratuita del traductor www.DeepL.com/Translator

Hello Families,

I hope your weekend is going well.  I wanted to write a quick note to give you a glimpse into how I expect this transition of Sarah's leaving to go.

First of all, I want to let you know how excited I am to be taking on the lead teacher role in our kindergarten community.  As you may already know, I have had the pleasure of being in the kindergarten class full time as an assistant for 5 and a half years.  I have learned from 2 skilled and diligent teachers and am ready to step up into this position.

The beauty of being part of a teaching team is that I have been there every step of the way this year.  Not only have I formed strong relationships with your lovely children, but I know right where they are on their path through our kindergarten curriculum.

My plan is to make this transition as seamless as possible for all the kinders. Although we all are experiencing big emotions and will miss seeing Sarah each day, I expect that as far as walking back into our classroom on Tuesday goes, it will just feel like business as usual.  Your children will quite literally be able to pick up right where they left off last week on their work and we will maintain the same schedules and routines as we ease into this major classroom adjustment. 

That being said, if you volunteer in the classroom or are scheduled to volunteer for something like laundry, please plan to continue to volunteer as you already expected to, if that still works for your schedule.

I know that you will hear about feelings at home that don't get brought up at school, so please feel free to reach out if there is a way that I can help your child during this transition time.

I am so grateful for all of you and our wonderful supportive community.  I have received so many words of support and encouragement, and I treasure each one.  Please expect that I will continue to reach out as need arises and please feel free to do the same.  I truly adore each of your children and my heart has been full as I have, and will continue to do, everything in my power to make this transition full of peace and joy while at the same time leaving space for the continued processing of big emotions.

Please reach out if I can help you in any way.

Gratefully,

Kristin Warner

Ridgeline Montessori Kindergarten Teacher

Hola familias,

Espero que tu fin de semana esté yendo bien. Quería escribir una nota rápida para darles una idea de cómo espero que esta transición de Sarah nos deje.

En primer lugar, quiero hacerles saber lo emocionado que estoy de asumir el papel de maestro principal en nuestra comunidad de jardín de infantes. Como ya sabrán, he tenido el placer de estar en la clase de jardín de infantes a tiempo completo como asistente durante 5 años y medio. He aprendido mucho de 2 maestros hábiles y diligentes y estoy completamente listo para asumir este rol.

La belleza de ser parte de un equipo docente es que he estado allí en cada paso del camino este año. No solo he formado relaciones sólidas con todos sus encantadores niños, sino que sé exactamente dónde se encuentran en su camino a través de nuestro plan de estudios de jardín de infantes.

Mi plan es hacer que esta transición sea lo más fluida posible para todos los niños de kínder. Aunque todos estamos experimentando grandes emociones y extrañaremos ver a Sarah todos los días, espero que en lo que respecta a caminar de regreso a nuestro salón de clases el martes, se sentirá como siempre. Sus hijos literalmente podrán retomar su trabajo justo donde lo dejaron la semana pasada y mantendremos los mismos horarios y rutinas a medida que avanzamos en este importante ajuste en el salón de clases. 

Dicho esto, si es voluntario en el salón de clases o está programado para ser voluntario en algo como lavar la ropa, planee continuar como voluntario como ya esperaba, si eso todavía funciona para su horario.

Sé que escuchará sobre emociones y sentimientos en el hogar que no se mencionan en la escuela, así que no dude en comunicarse si hay alguna manera en que pueda ayudar a su hijo durante este tiempo de transición.

Estoy muy agradecido por todos ustedes y nuestra maravillosa comunidad de apoyo. He recibido tantas palabras maravillosas de apoyo y aliento, y atesoro cada una de ellas. Espere que continuaré acercándome a medida que surja la necesidad y siéntase libre de hacer lo mismo. Realmente adoro a cada uno de sus hijos y mi corazón ha estado lleno como lo he hecho y lo seguiré haciendo, todo lo que esté a mi alcance para hacer esta transición llena de paz y alegría, al mismo tiempo que dejo espacio para el procesamiento continuo de grandes emociones

Comuníquese si puedo ayudarlo de alguna manera.

Agradecidamente,

Kristin Warner

Maestra de Kindergarten Montessori de Ridgeline

I love you a ton, 

I love you lots,

My love for you would fill 10 pots

13 kettles

14 pans

3 teacups

and 6 disphans 

February is in full swing, and we are decorating our classroom and entering into the world of letter writing as we create valentines for family and friends. Art teacher Merideth has helped our Kindergarteners get extra creative by guiding them in decorating card collecting bags. She has another heart making activity up her sleeve for early next week! 

Kristin arranged a Valentine's Day provocation for us on Monday, and friends are taking turns creating something extra special with paint and glitter. Those finished products will come home next week. I am including below the Valentine's Day passage from my last classroom update, in case you are still creating those along with your child and need some reminders:

For our upcoming Valentine's Day celebration, please prepare to work on love notes/cards with your child between now and Tuesday, February 14th. Please skip adding candy or sweet treats, and have your child write their name on cards for our class of 29 students. Please do not address them to individual children. This will make distribution on the big day SO much more easeful. Friends are invited to wear their coziest PJs for our low key classroom celebration.

Handwork with Piper

Be on the lookout for adorable felt gnomes, completed by most children alongside Piper on Tuesday, to be sent home soon. A small group of friends, who have been absent, will work with Piper this coming week to finish their gnomes. Friends have been so proud of their progress each week! A big thanks goes to Piper for seeing our friends through their first sewing project of the year. She has plans for finger knitting, lessons on the lucet and bracelet making ahead. 

Ceramics with Amy and Blaise

Ceramics work with Amy and Blaise will begin tomorrow. Small groups will work with them in our outdoor classroom to learn the basics of handbuilding. We read a beautiful Gail Gibbons story, The Pottery Place, yesterday. The children enjoyed new vocabulary acquisition from the world of ceramic art. Some shared that they have made coil and pinch pots before and a few have worked with glaze as well. Others seem excited to get their hands on clay for the first time. I am excited about this addition to our morning work cycle on Fridays, and am grateful Amy and Blaise are lending us their talents and time. 

A Visit To Lower Elementary Room 4 

After Wednesday Walk last week we made our first visit of the year to a lower elementary classroom. Emily and Carmen invited us to see a class performance based on the story of King Midas and his golden touch. They shared a version of this tale with us, which the children were transfixed by, before we joined them as audience members for their play. Our friends were impressed by how the children remembered their lines, how detailed and lovely their costumes were and how they projected their voices. Your children were a fantastic audience, sitting calmly and silently and allowing Room 4 children to be the stars of this show! I was especially proud that after a busy afternoon and our outdoor adventure on the trail, they had it in them to be composed and peaceful for the play! 

A Eugene Concert Choir Reminder 

I shared in a recent classroom update that our class is participating in the Eugene Concert Choir's Outreach (ECCO) Music Education Program. This is a free program that has involved three classroom visits from Kami Hendrix, the concert choir's educational assistant. She has guided us in learning the songs, For the Beauty and The Promise of a Fisherman. ECCO participants receive a free pass for themselves and an accompanying adult (see the flyer we sent home a few weeks ago or call the office if you need another), to attend the Earth Mass for Kids concert on Saturday, February 18th at 2:30 at the Hult Center. Students may perform on stage if they wish. If your child plans to join the performance on stage, please arrive by 1:30pm. This event is optional and a lot of fun! It was a joy to see last year's Kindergarteners get to shine on stage.

Report Cards will go home with your child tomorrow. The email I send in the morning will help provide some context and a framework for our team's grading scale. Completing report cards and writing comments reflective of your child's first semester at Ridgeline left me feeling in awe of all we've accomplished and of the bravery and tenacity of your children.

Mr. Moon, Mr.Moon, 

You’re out too soon, 

The sun is still in the sky. 

Go back to bed, 

And cover up your head, 

Until the day goes by. 

We have settled into a productive and happy rhythm as we prepare to say goodbye to January. Here are ways we are keeping ourselves engaged and growing in Kindergarten lately: 

Sight Word Journaling

A variation in journaling has recently been introduced to our friends! Each child now has an envelope tucked into the inside cover of their morning journals, which houses a growing compilation of sight words. After wrapping up their journal entry and illustration of the morning we highlight the sight word used in the prompt and then use an index card to add that sight word to our envelope. Once children are able to read the sight words swiftly and independently to a teacher, they will highlight their index card and add it to their "words I can read" collection. It has been fun to watch confidence grow as this practice becomes more routine. 

Ceramics with Amy

Amy, Gwendolyn's mom, will begin joining us soon for an introduction to working with clay. Amy's small group instruction will focus on the basics of handbuilding, and I am thrilled she will put her talents toward sharing this art form with our friends on Mondays and Fridays during the morning work cycle. She will work in small groups of 3-4 in our outdoor, tented classroom space, and I look forward to seeing their creations!  

Black History Month

Our celebration of Black history begins next week! I have collected fantastic resources from Ridgeline and Eugene's downtown library to be woven into our space, and we will do much reading and contemplating about contributions made by Black community members in our local community and beyond. I am excited to celebrate these change makers and to learn alongside our group. During quiet reflection we will begin listening to a new audiobook, Anna Hibiscus, a story about an adventurous young girl growing up in a small village in Africa. We will also begin to add a soundtrack to our work cycles through a selection of famous jazz musicians. As we highlight some talented Black artists, we'll tap into how the music makes us feel, how it makes us want to move, how it impacts our energy level.

Looking ahead to:

Ridgeline's Talent Show

Ridgeline's talent show is Friday, February 10th at 6pm, and I encourage you to read the latest e-news for more details. When visitors joined our class recently to share some talent show information, there was much excited chatter and energy about the event! I look forward to seeing our friends participate if they feel inspired! I told them the true story of the brave and creative Kindergarten performers in last year's talent show, and they know Kristin and I will be cheering them on along the way! 

Valentine's Day

For our upcoming Valentine's Day celebration, please prepare to work on love notes/cards with your child between now and Tuesday, February 14th. Please skip adding candy or sweet treats, and have your child write their name on cards for our class of 29 students. Please do not address them to individual children. This will make distribution on the big day SO much more easeful. Friends are invited to wear their coziest PJs for our low key classroom celebration.

Report Cards

Next Friday, 2/3 and Monday 2/6 are no school days for children. Friday will be dedicated to report card preparation. Details on when report cards will go home as well as an explanation of our team's grading scale will be sent soon. Stay tuned for those details!

Thank you, families, for reading along and supporting our work. Kristin and I appreciate you and your curious children!

Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,

please shine down on me.

Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun,

hiding behind the tree.

All the children are asking you

to please come out so we can play with you.

Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun.

Please shine down on me.

Families, it has been incredibly rewarding to watch your children step back into the classroom after break as if no time had passed. Our first part of the school year, spent establishing and practicing rules, routines and grace and courtesies, has really paid off, and our Kindergarteners have displayed newly developed maturity and an eagerness to be challenged in these first few weeks of the new year. Here are some examples of how we are currently "doing the days" together in our classroom: 

Eugene Children's Choir Outreach/ECCO 

We welcomed Kami Hendrix back last week for our second of three group practices to learn our songs, "For the Beauty/Canticle of Brother Sun" and "The Promise of a Fisherman." Kami was impressed with our group's listening skills and their attention to detail while learning these songs. The flyer sent home today will share details on how your child can participate in this exciting opportunity to perform at The Hult Center on Saturday, February 18th. 

Wednesday Walk 

Your children's stamina for work has strengthened considerably, and so has their ability to trek for longer distances on our Wednesday Walks! Last week we headed South and took a different part of the trail and visited a bridge, with steadily rushing water, before looping back to school. In February, with the help of Hazel Anne's mom Megan, we will make our destination Frank Kinney Park! Kristin and I look forward to a bit more time outdoors on those afternoons, and for the collaborative play we will get to observe while friends explore the park. 

Math Games and Addition Booklets 

When parents ask what work they can do at home to help reinforce concepts we are learning at school, I always suggest games! Bingo, Go Fish, and any game created by Peaceable Kingdom were favorites of my son when he began exploring math in Kindergarten. Math games are popular in our classroom too, and during our work cycles you will often hear the rolling of dice, the flipping of cards and the movements of tiles, unifix cubes, glass stones, beads and other manipulatives while they're being played. 

Addition booklets were introduced earlier this week, and the children are enjoying having a centralized spot, other than their math journals, to record equations. Many have begun to challenge themselves to complete a row of math problems alongside a friend who is doing the same, and I have enjoyed observing their excited energy about this work. 

MLK 

I shared a book about Martin Luther King Jr.'s life earlier today, and it brought about the most beautiful conversation centered around fairness and standing up for what is right. The children know that we will be off on Monday in honor of MLK's birthday and as a way for us to spend dedicated time being appreciative of his life spent fighting for justice and equality. 

Safety at Arrival and Dismissal

I am passing along a request from the office team, who has observed a way for arrival and dismissal to be more safe for our community. If your child cannot independently hop out of the car with their backpack in hand, PLEASE park your car on Amazon or a nearby street and walk up instead. This helps the flow of traffic continue to move smoothly and keeps our friends safe at particularly busy parts of our school day. We appreciate you allowing for extra time in your routine to make this happen for our community! 

Happy long weekend ahead, families. We will see you on Tuesday bright and early!

We go walking in the park 

Welcoming the autumn dark

Even though the stars we see

Shine above for you and me

All together with our lights

We make magic with the night 

Lantern Walk 

Our class lantern walk is later today! Join us outdoors at 4:30 in front of the office to sing a few songs, including the one above, before wandering along the trail. Your children have made colorful and cheerful lanterns to help us illuminate our way. Feel free to bring the whole family and tote along homemade lanterns or flashlights for them if you choose. 

At group gatherings and during Wednesday Walks we've reflected on the changes in nature around us, how it makes our bodies feel, the ways animals respond to changes in their habitat and which activities we are looking forward to as the seasons shift. I hope you will enjoy this reading of a winter solstice book I shared recently with our group. I look forward to reading this special favorite with them before we leave for winter break tomorrow. 

Reading Partners and Handwork 

Reading Partner work is fully underway. Joan, Aubrianne and Angela, who are each here once a week for an hour at a time, are working diligently with their assigned children, and nearly  everyone has had the opportunity to partner with them. The children's enthusiasm and patience has been so helpful as we get our routine fully sorted out and moving smoothly. We will pick up where we left off on this when we return in January. 

Handwork with Piper will also continue in the new year. This has been a fun weekly offering for our group. They are learning the basics of stitching by hand and creating a sweet keepsake while working in small groups in our tented outdoor classroom. Thank you to all of our volunteers for dedicating time to these endeavors and for enriching our school days. 

Hanukkah 

A special thanks goes to Adar, who had the lovely idea to bring her mother to school to share about Hanukkah. Rabbi Ruhi will join us tomorrow at morning gathering to explain what makes Hanukkah special to her family and to teach us a favorite game. I am excited  we will get to learn alongside her! 

Practical Life

Friends are helping make our classroom environment extra cozy and tidy in our last few days of the year together. Snowflake making will begin soon (maybe you'll notice our classroom windows looking a bit more wintry than usual), and we have been doing some child-led deep cleaning, so that we return to a sparkling classroom in 2023. 

I am feeling so much gratitude for helpful families, lovely children, a supportive team and the opportunity to rest a while before returning in January for all that 2023 holds. I wish you restorative and happy days ahead, dear families. I will look forward to reconnecting in the bright and shiny new year. 

Love grows one by one

Two by two

And four by four 

Love grows round like a circle

And comes back knocking on your front door 

This week's Wednesday Walk was a damp and blustery one! I am traditionally the caboose for these adventures, and I love to be able to see our group of friends stretched out in front of me happily wandering along the trail, sharing conversations and noticing the changes of the trees and creek. These outdoor treks are a time for connecting to nature and each other. I am grateful we can make time for this important work in Kindergarten. 

Other happenings in our classroom currently are...

Mindful Moments 

Quiet reflection now occurs at the very end of our day together, once our afternoon work cycle has wrapped up and before we care for our environment and scoot out the door for dismissal. Friends are needing this grounding time after working hard, and we've been enjoying a new chapter book as we rest. We are also weaving in a centering, grounding practice of quieting our mind while I use prompts from a set of Mindful Kids cards.

Handwork 

So much of the work we do in Kindergarten is designed to strengthen the hand. Pushpin work, spooning, pouring, painting, flower arranging and many other Practical Life activities are embedded with clever ways to help even reluctant friends enjoy building hand strength and becoming writers. Handwork with Piper, Pascal's mom, begins soon. These small group lessons will present new opportunities for friends to gain skills while they learn the art of stitching and sewing by hand. I look forward to friends eventually sending their creations home to be enjoyed by the whole family. 

Reading Partners 

We began our first day of Reading Partner work yesterday morning, and what a joy it was to tell the children about this at our group gathering. I shared with them that Joan, Julian's grandmother, Aubrianne, Agatha's mother, and Angela, Jaxci's dad, will be joining us several mornings each week throughout our work cycle, and that eventually all of our friends will get a chance to work one on one with these lovely volunteers as they work their way down their lists. 

Friends will be reading leveled books to our volunteers, practicing sight word reading, and playing sound games like matching phonetic objects to sandpaper letters. I'd like to give a big thank you to our Reading Partner team for giving Kindergarteners this special opportunity. 

Winter Solstice and Lantern Walk 

I hope you've marked your calendars for our upcoming Kindergarten Lantern Walk. On Thursday, December 15th we will gather at 4:30pm at Ridgeline to sing a few songs before heading out to the trail across the street. Several parents have stepped up to provide us with music as we stroll (thank you Vanessa, Finneas' mom, Jacob, Adar's dad and Chauncey, Hazel's dad). We welcome the whole family to join us for this special evening. Lanterns will be made at school, and tea lights will be provided for our Kindergarteners. Thank you to Jaxci's mom Jacque for providing colorful tissue paper squares, which will be glued to our jars. We will talk about the upcoming winter solstice and the changing seasons as we prepare for our walk. 

I hope you all are cozy and warm at home when you read this update. Until next time, families...

Autumn leaves are turning, turning, turning

Autumn fires are burning, burning, burning

Days of in between

See the changing scene

Autumn time is all around 

Book Fair

Families, if you join us for the Book Fair tomorrow/Friday at Whirled Pies from 5-7pm you'll get to hear our Kindergarteners proudly sing "Autumn Leaves" and one other current favorite. Our class will have its moment in the spotlight at 5:30, and friends are excited about performing after practicing our songs for several weeks. I hope you will come and purchase books for your family and/or our classroom, have a bite to eat with friends and support Ridgeline in this fun way! See our e-News for more details. 

Schedule Shifts

What a lovely change of pace it's been to have our class experience specials in cohorts. I have checked in with our group (and with Dan, our PE teacher, and Merideth, our art teacher), and all involved feel great about getting more time for instruction, work and play! Swapping lunch and recess has also been a noticeably positive change for our group with friends being able to focus more on the task of eating and drinking after getting fresh air with buddies. 

Please note that the option of an afternoon snack may become unnecessary for our group now that we are eating later in the afternoon. Kristin and I will observe for need, and I will update you once our routine is more firmly in place. Thank you for your flexibility as we do the work of following the children and supporting them along the way based on those observations. I am so proud of our group for thriving through these important shifts to our days.

Wednesday Walk 

What a joyful first Wednesday Walk we shared. Before our adventure we connected as a group about this Kindergarten tradition, and I shared with the children that other classes sometimes take walks and explore the trail, but no one else at school has the tradition of a Wednesday Walk. They were so excited to brainstorm what sounds we might hear on what we called our "listening walk." With the support of Jenine and two parents (a BIG thank you to Paula and Aubrianne for joining us), we headed out into the sunshine to collect as many sounds as we could. Once back on campus we took some time to share all of the sounds we heard along the way. I am excited to watch this group's stamina grow steadily on these walks, and to weave in more ways for them to use their senses as we trek. 

Second Step 

I was so grateful for the time to connect with families last week in conferences, and I was delighted to hear that some of you are putting the social emotional learning work of our Second Step curriculum to use in your homes! Later today I will share an email detailing our upcoming Second Step focus, which Jenine will introduce tomorrow and continue next Friday. Your children will embark on the incredibly important work of tuning into how people around them are feeling by being observant and noticing people's faces and bodies to gain understanding. We are building empathy and adding to our toolbox of life skills as we do the days in Kinder. 

Eugene Concert Choir Outreach

It was a highlight of last year to enroll our group in Eugene Concert Choir's school outreach program. This year's group will have the opportunity too! Tomorrow we will be joined by a musician who will introduce us to several songs, which we will practice and refine over the course of the next few months. Our musical group will love having more songs woven into our day, and I hope you'll cheer them on at the culminating performance at The Hult Center in the Spring. Go here for additional information on this program. 

Stone Soup

We are excited for our school to resume its tradition of celebrating Stone Soup! Do you know this delightful story focused on working together to benefit all involved? It is a celebration of collaboration, food and friendship. Visit this link if you'd like to enjoy the story as a family.  

Thank you to our volunteers who are signed up to help on Tuesday with vegetable slicing and dicing. Kindergarten volunteer spots are full, but the office is looking for more helpers elsewhere in the school, so follow up with them if you feel interested in lending a hand. We ask that all families...

• send your child in with one vegetable (carrot, celery, potato, etc) for our soup on Tuesday, 11/22

• send your child in with a bowl and spoon on Wednesday, 11/23 

• respond to directly to this email if your child requires gluten free bread for their meal by tomorrow/Friday at noon 

Please note that Stone Soup will be enjoyed late in the school day on Wednesday and DOES NOT replace lunch. Plan to have your child pack a lunch or pick one up from school as usual on Wednesday. 

I hope to see you tomorrow night! 

I love my body from my head to my toes.

I love my face, my eyes, my mouth, my nose.

I love the way I look when I look in the mirror.

I stand a little closer just to see a little clearer.

Who is that? It's me! 

And I am looking good as good can be!

So what do I say? I tell myself I love me every day.

Upcoming Events

If you attend our Book Fair on November 18th, "I Love My Body" is one of two songs you'll hear our Kindergarteners proudly sing on stage. We have been practicing for several weeks, and we look forward to singing for an audience soon. Our recent eNews contains more information on this special event. Join us! 

Lantern Walk 

Save the date of Thursday, December 15h for our Kindergarten Lantern Walk. I have organized and led many lantern walks over the years, and they are always simple, magical events that help us embrace the darkness of the winter season while we celebrate the light within us all. We will gather at Ridgeline at dusk to walk the trail across from our classroom. This is a whole family event, and I look forward to connecting our Kindergarten community in this way. More details will soon follow. 

Volunteering

I am thrilled so many of you want to support our efforts in Kindergarten. The first step is a cleared background check and proof of Covid vaccination turned in to Becky Fay in our front office. More details on this process can be found in the volunteering section of our website. 

I am continuing to update our volunteer spreadsheet regularly with needs, so please head there for ways to contribute. We currently need a volunteer to cut tissue paper into small squares and rectangles for our lanterns. I am also looking for one consistent parent to join us on our weekly Wednesday Walks, and a small team of substitutes who can attend in their absence. The spreadsheet has more details and a spot to sign up! 

Wednesday Walk

It was a true highlight of the week for us to join last year's friends on our beautiful trail across from Ridgeline and to explore the changing seasons together as a group. We have been observing for signs of readiness within our current class community to know when the time might be right for our first outdoor adventure together. Once we find a parent volunteer to assist, we will be ready to make our first weekly trek. 

Conferences 

I am delighted to see so many of you have signed up for a conference next week! You are welcome to choose either an in-person or Zoom conference (a link for Zoom conferences will be sent soon), and it is entirely up to you whether or not your Kindergartener attends. 

For the first part of our conference parents and I will meet to discuss academic and social-emotional learning while Kristin is with your Kindergartner in another part of our classroom reading a book or doing another quiet activity. She and our Kindergarten friend will join us for the tail end of our time together to celebrate conference highlights and to review goals we have for the remainder of the year. Our conferences are scheduled back to back, so please be punctual in order to enjoy your full conference time allotted. I look forward to sharing insight into your child's day! 

Until next time, families, enjoy these blustery Fall days!

Mama, Mama, I want a mango

Papa, Papa, please papaya

No, no, Nana, a ripe banana

Kiwi, kiwi, kiwi, kiwi, quince (cha cha cha)

Families, if you need a little pick me up just ask your child to sing you the Mango Fandango. It's a new favorite in our Kindergarten class, full of movement and opportunity for dramatic flair. It'll have you moving and shaking in no time! Here are some other fun and current happenings in our classroom and a few things to look forward to in the near future:

Curriculum Sharing

We are excited to share the classroom with you today, Thursday October 20th, at either  3:15-4:15 or 6:00-7:00. We have worked on care of the environment tasks to ready our space by sweeping, dusting, straightening shelves and tidying nooks and crannies. I have prepared a scavenger hunt for us, and you will have an opportunity for your child to give you a presentation on special work they love. I look forward to observing them in action as the stars of the curriculum sharing show. Please see yesterday's email from me for additional details about this upcoming event.

Old Favorites and New Work 

It is a joy to observe students initiate the work cycle with determination and focus as they take on new challenges and revisit familiar work they have experienced before and are now refining. On the importance of repetition, Maria Montessori wrote, "when the child has come to understand something it is not the end, but only the beginning. For now there comes the 'second stage' … the more important one, when the child goes on repeating the same exercise again and again for sheer love of it."

While making space for the importance of repetition, Kristin and I have been busy matchmaking children to new work. We dove into the study of geography and world cultures this week, connecting friends to our painted globe and our continent puzzle map. Some have begun continent matching work, while others are steadfastly pushpinning out land masses for their own maps to take home. Other friends are calming their body and breath with our new yoga mat and movement card work, while many embark on the world of word building and sentence composition using the movable alphabet. Math manipulatives are being scooted around the room, numbers are being recorded, and we will begin small group, outdoor lessons in handwork with Piper, Pascal's mom, soon. Our classroom has a busy, happy hum to it as we learn and grow together! 

Silence Game

Our morning gatherings currently include Autumn themed songs, new poems, and community building games! A few weeks ago I told the true story of Maria Montessori, who enjoyed playing "silence games" with her students. We wondered aloud if it would be possible for us to pass around a bell and make it all the way from me to the last friend in our circle without creating even the tiniest sound. We knew we had a big challenge ahead, and so with a deep breath and a reminder to calm our bodies, we played our first silence game. You should have seen those steady hands, furrowed brows of concentration and faces of joy as we completed the task! What self control and focus it took to work toward a common goal. We will revisit many variations of this silence game in the days and months to come.

Chapter Book

Now that we've settled into many routines, quiet reflection included, we are using this mellow time of day to listen to chapter books. Yesterday we began our second chapter book of the year, Pippi Longstocking, which has been a hit with every group I've introduced this brave and unique character to over the years. Your children are enjoying Pippi's antics and the collaged illustrations already! 

Looking Ahead

Next week will be full of fun with Spirit Week (see attached flyer) and our community Fun Run. We will continue to build excitement about the Fun Run by learning a new cheer, talking about and practicing how to be a team player and reviewing the course we'll take during the event. I look forward to sharing this Ridgeline tradition with your children. 

Thank you, families, for the many ways you support the work we do in Kindergarten. Kristin and I are inspired by your thoughtful, kind and creative children, who are growing up before our very eyes! 

This is the squirrel that lives in a tree.

This is the tree that he climbs.

This is the nut that he takes from me

When I sit still sometimes.

We're rounding out another busy stretch of time in Kindergarten, and here is a snapshot of some of the big work we're doing together as a community: 

Math Journals

Now that morning journaling has become a tried and true daily ritual for us in Kindergarten, your children are embracing a new form of this work, math journaling! As we work together in small groups, we will alternate the use of prompts from K-5 Math Journals and more seasonally focused prompts, all of which encourage us to brainstorm, strategize and get creative as we tackle problems ranging in complexity from 1:1 correspondence all the way through operations. This work will encourage flexible partnerships, brainstorming, describing how a final answer was reached and answering questions about the process. The finished product will be a work portfolio I hope they'll take great pride in, and one that will demonstrate a year of growth. 

Walking On The Line

Friends have recently been introduced to one of my favorite Practical Life activities, Walking on the Line. We are currently focusing on equilibrium and, of course, practicing our social skills along the way as we navigate shared space. Control and coordination of movement is our goal, and the gorgeous music of the talented Sanford and Judy Jones is our soundtrack. We've practiced walking, marching and jogging, and we have begun to use this as a transition activity with the intention of spontaneously offering it toward the end of the work cycle for anyone who chooses to take part. Walking on the line requires self control, strength, focus and a willingness to be a positive part of making a community event happen.

Rhythm Sticks 

Rhythm stick work is a popular whole group activity of mine, and I look forward to sharing it with our friends later this week. Last year I stumbled upon the work of the educators behind Jbrary, whose music and fingerplays I now weave regularly into group gatherings. When I found their rhythm stick work, I was hooked! What self control it will take to listen for the cue to move our sticks to their ready position on our knees, to gracefully move them to a resting position at our shoulders, and to leave them untouched on the ground in between songs. What coordination of movement it will require for us to place our sticks into their woven basket without making a sound when we're done. We are strengthening our fine motor skills, coordinating whole body movements and listening for rhymes and repetition while we do.

Visual Thinking Strategies/VTS 

I recently wrapped up training with a dynamic group of Montessorians across the country in which we took a deep dive into the world of Visual Thinking Strategies. This interactive training, led by Katie Brown of the National Center for Montessori in the Public Sector, brought us together to practice asking three specific questions as we looked at pieces of art from different eras and in vastly different styles. I have begun to gather small groups for discussions wherein I am showing a piece of art and opening  with "what's going on in this picture?" My job is to listen neutrally, to point to the part of the image the child is focused on and to ask "what do you see that makes you say that?" Before moving on and asking the group what more we can find in our shared image, I am summarizing the child's contribution, making connections between observations and using rich and often novel language to do so. Some exciting debates have unfolded in these initial discussions, and I look forward to sharing this guided language experience with all of our group on a regular basis. If you are interested in learning more or want to try posing some of these questions to your own child, here is an excellent daily source of visual thinking inspiration from The New York Times. 

Save The Date

See the upcoming eNews for more details, and mark your calendar for Curriculum Sharing day on Thursday, October 20th at either 3:15-4:15 or 6:00-7:00. We invite you to visit our classroom to explore materials and areas of the room with your child. The goal is for your Kindergarteners to feel empowered to share work they've done this year, and to demonstrate the confidence and independence they have built since walking through our doors on the first day. Join us! 

Grey squirrel, grey squirrel 

Swish your bushy tail (x2)

Wrinkle up your little nose

Hold a nut between your toes

Grey squirrel, grey squirrel 

Swish your bushy tail

What a joyful and busy past few weeks we've shared as a Kindergarten community! If you were to stop by to observe our day unfold, here is a bit of what you would see: 

Outdoor Play

Our outdoor environment provides us with so many opportunities for movement and control and coordination of our whole body. We also get to strengthen our relationships with one another in this space. At the very start of our year I began modeling and guiding children through the use of I statements. In those conversations friends take a moment to give each other eye contact and to take turns expressing how they are feeling and what they need from one another moving forward. The listener gets to take in information and repeat back what they heard and what their friend needs. We are aiming for a peaceful resolution, an agreement on how to move onward together, and quite often we achieve that goal. This is a lifelong practice, and it is grace and courtesy in action. 

Visits from Lower Elementary 

We have begun to have visits from last year's Kindergarten friends. We will host these visitors throughout the school year, one at a time, as their teachers feel they are ready to be helpers and if they have expressed interest in this type of leadership role. What a treat to see our Lower Elementary buddies return to our space and to help show this year's group the Ridgeline way by modeling mature, helpful, community oriented behavior throughout our work cycles. 

Self Portraits 

Friends are hard at work using a mirror and fresh art supplies to create self portraits. What fun to watch a child peer closely at the mirror before adding eyebrows to their picture and to watch them delight in the finished product as they begin to be hung up in our classroom. Children will create a self portrait at the end of our time together in June, and it will be exciting to compare the two work samples after a whole Kindergarten year of growth.

Art

A big round of applause rang out in our classroom when I announced that art instruction would begin today! Ridgeline parent Merideth Turner will lead our class through art experiences twice a week. I am excited by the ideas Merideth has for the year ahead and for her collaborative nature. We are lucky to have her on our team! 

Journaling

Your children are strengthening their writing and drawing skills before our eyes through the use of our art cart, and by focusing on activities like lacing, bead stringing, floor scrubbing, painting and pushpin work. Yesterday we got a pencil into every child's hand, and they began to write in their morning journals for the first time. This small group activity will become second nature to us soon, but for now we are walking children through all the many steps involved in becoming an author and illustrator as we focus on our pencil grip, how to use our helper hand to steady the paper, capturing our name and date at the top of our work and completing a prompt by giving each word space and adding punctuation at the end of our thought. 

This is how we will begin each morning together, often with classical music playing in the background and with the happy hum of children hard at work. Soon we will weave in a math journaling practice, something I am excited to share more about in a future classroom update. Math journals will give children even more experience reflecting on a prompt and planning what they want to write and draw before pouring their ideas onto paper. I hope some will begin to enjoy sharing their finished product, an entrance into public speaking and presenting, a practice which they will continue to build upon throughout their Ridgeline years. 

Looking Ahead to Next Week: 

Observation is a key component to the work Montessorians do. Our observations tell us that our Kindergarteners are ready for a longer work cycle, that they have increased their skills of concentration and focus and are building toward stronger work stamina. Beginning on Monday Kristin and I will greet friends inside the classroom to start our morning work at 8:15 (their entrance onto campus will remain the same as it has all year). This will allow children to get settled into the indoor environment quite seamlessly and without a whole group transition from outdoors. It worked beautifully for us last year, and we are excited to see how it nudges our group closer toward normalization and how it will allow more time for me to deliver presentations. We will share this shift in routine with children tomorrow before we leave for the weekend, but please remind them of this change to our routine on Monday morning before they join us at school. 

Welcoming a New Friend

I shared at morning gathering today that new friend Jaxci will be joining our class on Monday. Friends raised their hands eagerly when I asked who might be interested in sharing with her how we do things in Kindergarten at Ridgeline. It will be a lovely opportunity for our group to work together to help Jaxci get settled in, and we are all excited to know her and parents Jacque and Angela! 

Thank you, families, for cheering us on as we "do the days" together in Kindergarten. We are grateful to get to spend time with your curious and delightful children! 

"At the beginning is a good place to be.

What will each day bring for you and me?

New life, new friends, new things to do.

At the beginning is a good place to be."

Families, by the time this update reaches you we'll have wrapped up our second day of learning together as a Kindergarten community. What a delight to see new and familiar friends play and work together as classmates! Kristin and I are enjoying getting to know your bright eyed children.

We've begun our year together establishing rituals and routines, incredibly important work for children of this age. Dr. Montessori's research, based on years of observation, determined that there are four distinct planes of development one moves through in the first twenty-four years of life. Our Kindergarteners are considered first plane, concrete learners. They understand the world by experiencing it, and they do this through exploration and use of their senses. They possess the gift of an absorbent mind, which allows them to take in all that they are surrounded by and then do the big work of categorizing and sorting and making sense of it all. 

They are also learning more fully what it is like to be part of a community, to commit to group and school-wide agreements and to share space and materials with others. If your children are returning home exhausted, this is why! We are doing so much together as a community, and this is happy but tiring work as they settle into the school year.

Our work cycles have included group gatherings, singing of new and special Kindergarten songs and time to explore transitional materials, non-Montessori work that is familiar to children. While friends are building with blocks, exploring puzzles and lacing beads, they are practicing the three part work cycle, which includes finding a spot to work, choosing a table or floor mat for their work space and exploring the chosen materials before finally returning them to their  home in the classroom, readied for the next friend to use. Over the course of the next six weeks, a period of time when we are working toward normalization, we will begin to increase whole/small group learning and one on one presentations. I am looking forward to soon matchmaking children to Montessori materials that will be challenging and interesting to them. I am also eager to step back, observe and notice how they are interacting with the work, what variations they discover and what most calls to them for repetition.

As we learn to be together as a group, our days will also be full of grace and courtesy lessons, which highlight points of interest based on observations Kristin, our classroom assistant, and I make throughout the day. Are we noticing friends moving a bit too quickly through our space? There's a grace and courtesy for that, and we can turn it into a little game where we role play how to move peacefully through the classroom, noticing what it looks like to walk mindfully around floor mats, listening for the soft sound our indoor shoes make as we move. Many friends enjoy taking a turn demonstrating these skills, often taking a bow while friends applaud their efforts.

Next week will bring new excitement for our group, as PE and our Social Emotional Learning, through Second Step, will begin! These experiences will add richness to our days and further orient our friends to the people and places that make Ridgeline so special.

Kristin and I are most grateful for our supportive community of parents and caregivers who are cheering us on along the way. Thank you for sharing your wonderful children with us!

"Al principio es un buen lugar para estar. ¿Qué traerá cada día para ti y para mí? Nueva vida, nuevos amigos, nuevas cosas que hacer. Al principio es un buen lugar para estar".

Familias, para cuando les llegue esta actualización, habremos concluido nuestro segundo día de aprendizaje juntos como comunidad de jardín de infantes. ¡Qué delicia ver a amigos nuevos y familiares jugar y trabajar juntos como compañeros de clase! Kristin y yo estamos disfrutando de conocer a sus hijos de ojos brillantes.

Hemos comenzado nuestro año juntos estableciendo rituales y rutinas, un trabajo increíblemente importante para los niños de esta edad. La investigación de la Dra. Montessori, basada en años de observación, determinó que hay cuatro planos distintos de desarrollo por los que uno se mueve en los primeros veinticuatro años de vida. Nuestros niños de kindergarten son considerados aprendices concretos de primer plano. Entienden el mundo al experimentarlo, y lo hacen a través de la exploración y el uso de sus sentidos. Poseen el don de una mente absorbente, que les permite asimilar todo lo que les rodea y luego hacer el gran trabajo de categorizar y clasificar y darle sentido a todo.

También están aprendiendo más plenamente cómo es ser parte de una comunidad, comprometerse con acuerdos de grupo y de toda la escuela y compartir espacio y materiales con otros. Si tus hijos regresan a casa agotados, ¡este es el motivo! Estamos haciendo mucho juntos como comunidad, y este es un trabajo feliz pero agotador a medida que se acomodan en el año escolar.

Nuestros ciclos de trabajo han incluido reuniones grupales, canto de canciones nuevas y especiales de jardín de infantes y tiempo para explorar materiales de transición, trabajo no Montessori que es familiar para los niños. Mientras los amigos construyen con bloques, exploran rompecabezas y atan cuentas, practican el ciclo de trabajo de tres partes, que incluye encontrar un lugar para trabajar, elegir una mesa o tapete para su espacio de trabajo y explorar los materiales elegidos antes de finalmente regresarlos a su casa en el salón de clases, lista para que la use el próximo amigo. En el transcurso de las próximas seis semanas, un período de tiempo en el que estamos trabajando hacia la normalización, comenzaremos a aumentar el aprendizaje en grupos pequeños o completos y las presentaciones individuales. Tengo muchas ganas de emparejar pronto a los niños con los materiales Montessori que serán desafiantes e interesantes para ellos. También estoy ansioso por dar un paso atrás, observar y notar cómo interactúan con el trabajo, qué variaciones descubren y qué es lo que más les llama a repetir.

A medida que aprendemos a estar juntos como grupo, nuestros días también estarán llenos de lecciones de gracia y cortesía, que resaltan puntos de interés basados en las observaciones que Kristin, nuestra asistente de clase, y yo hacemos a lo largo del día. ¿Estamos notando que los amigos se mueven demasiado rápido por nuestro espacio? Hay una gracia y cortesía para eso, y podemos convertirlo en un pequeño juego en el que representamos cómo movernos pacíficamente por el salón de clases, observando cómo se ve caminar con atención alrededor de las alfombras del piso, escuchando el suave sonido que hacen nuestros zapatos de interior. mientras nos movemos. Muchos amigos disfrutan turnándose para demostrar estas habilidades, a menudo haciendo una reverencia mientras los amigos aplauden sus esfuerzos.

¡La próxima semana traerá nueva emoción para nuestro grupo, ya que comenzarán la educación física y el aprendizaje socioemocional, a través de Second Step! Estas experiencias de aprendizaje agregarán riqueza a nuestros días y orientarán aún más a nuestros amigos hacia las personas y los lugares que hacen que Ridgeline sea tan especial.

Kristin y yo estamos muy agradecidos por nuestra comunidad de apoyo de padres y cuidadores que nos animan a lo largo del camino. ¡Gracias por compartir a sus maravillosos hijos con nosotros!

Sarah's Update 6-16-22

Make new friends 

But keep the old 

One is silver and the other gold

A circle is round and has no end 

That's how long I want to be your friend 

Dear Families,

We've spent the past two weeks soaking each other up and having as much fun as we can in our final days together. As we head into summer I want to thank each of you for showing up for our Kindergarten classroom community. Thank you for sharing your talents and time, offering to pitch in when needed, making materials, sending in flowers for arranging, taking home laundry, sharing literature with us, and for all the many other ways you pitched in and lightened our load. 

Thank you most of all for trusting us with your children and sending them to Ridgeline each day. We have learned so much together, and I will miss this curious, creative group. I cannot wait to see them join new and old friends in Lower Elementary. We will be cheering them on from down the hall, and once they're settled into their new classrooms, I hope they will come visit us to show our new Kindergarteners the Ridgeline way. 

Here is a quick look back at recent weeks and a quick look ahead to summer: 

Peacemaker Gallery

We visited Classroom 5 in the library this week to view their beautifully curated Peacemaker Gallery. During our morning gathering we prepared ourselves to be courteous visitors and to ask questions of the Lower El researchers. I was so proud of the way our group traveled quietly through the library, and how much curiosity they brought to the experience. 

Animal Research Presentations 

It has been a joy to see friends bravely and enthusiastically volunteer to present their animal research to us. We have had a steady list of presenters practice skills of projecting their voice while sharing their diorama, illustrations and interesting facts. Audience members have gotten a chance to ask clarifying questions and share words of encouragement and support. These presentations are the culmination of much focused work from our friends and one of many opportunities for public speaking and presenting that they will participate in for academic years to come. 

Wednesday Walk and Journey Day

We took our last Wednesday Walk yesterday morning with the sun coming along to join us. We played at Kinney Park before heading back for lunch, and this allowed our afternoon to be dedicated to Journey Day and a Kindergarten celebration in the classroom. At Journey Day the school gathered on our well loved trail, and classes enjoyed a moment to shine as they walked across the bridge to join the grade level they'll be part of in Fall. It was so special, and a lovely way to end our last full day together. The beautiful keepsake of a paper flower, made by Angela/Max's mom, was given to each friend, a perfect finishing touch. At the tail end of our day we were briefed by middle school friends, who will help us have the most fun possible at Field Day this morning! 

Summer Enrichment 

A few families have reached out asking what their child should work on in the summer. My answer is to READ! Read to your child and have them read to you (my new favorite leveled readers can be found here). Is your child an emergent reader who's working hard on letter sounds and blending words? Play alphabet bingo or memory! Find games that reinforce math skills, and encourage your child to keep up their daily journaling practice, writing the date and a few sentences of their choosing before illustrating their entry. 

A few summer reading programs my son will participate in are listed below. Maybe your child will enjoy these incentives and resources too. 

Eugene Public Library's Summer Reading Program (free book, free tote, and a raffle)

Books With Pictures Summer Reading Rewards (gift card and ice cream) 

Scholastic Home Base (free access to digital books, games etc.)

Lastly, you will receive your child's report card today at dismissal. Below you will find a brief explanation of how to best interpret the report card’s performance scale as it relates to Common Core standards and a Montessori classroom experience.

4 This is a rare designation reserved for students who have pursued extra

challenges and are working far beyond the expectation/objective.

3 The student is meeting the expectation. This is where we would expect to see

a student by the end of the year if they have made adequate progress.

2 The student is working towards a fundamental understanding but has not yet

achieved mastery.

1 The student has been introduced to the concept at least once and has begun

to practice the concept. The student continues to need significant support,

and this may also indicate that the student has not demonstrated enough

growth yet, through observation or presenting artifacts, in this area.

0 The topic has not been introduced yet this year either because it is something

that will be introduced later in the year, the student is not ready for the

concept, or the student has missed the opportunity due to absence.

Note- The use of Montessori materials is ongoing through upper elementary. A student may have mastered a given lesson with a material and lesson, and still have much to learn with the tool and concepts. Ongoing Montessori-specific lessons are unlikely to be scored above a 3 for this reason.

Thank you. Kindergarten families, for a fantastic school year! I hope your summer is filled with adventures and love, and I wish you all happy trails until we meet again. 

Sarah's Update 6-2-22

There's a moon 

On my walk

At the top of the hill

And it's perfectly round

And it's perfectly still

And it holds

Back the clouds

With its circle of light

And it's perfectly round

And it's perfectly bright 

As I sit to write this classroom update, we've just returned from an afternoon full of sunshine and splashing at the park. What a joy to watch friends immersed in imaginative play, building in the sand together, identifying flowers we passed on the trail, and hearing their conversations with each other. I am going to miss this group so much, and I think we are all feeling a bit wistful as we welcome June and the end of the school year. We are filling our time together with...

Visits to Upper Elementary

In the past few weeks we have been invited to visit Upper Elementary to view their impressive research on Western expansion as well as their science fair projects. Before visiting our older friends we asked ourselves how we could be respectful visitors, in what ways we could move our bodies so that we wouldn't disturb one another, and what types of questions we could pose. I was so proud to see our group show grace and courtesy as we made our visits. They were excellent ambassadors while we journeyed beyond our classroom! 

Visits to Lower Elementary

I shared today at gathering that Lower Elementary has invited us to visit their classrooms next week, so that we can get familiar with those spaces. I will take one cohort of friends at a time to visit each room, and they will observe work on the shelves and connect with the lead teacher to ask some questions about their upcoming year. We will make these visits throughout the week, viewing one classroom a day. Lower Elementary friends will be outside dining and/or playing, so the room will be a space just for us to orient to briefly. 

Talk of next school year is bringing up some big feelings for some of our friends, and there is both excitement and hesitation about the changes ahead. We are speaking openly about the mixed emotions we may be experiencing, and we are holding space for those feelings as they arise. I am sharing how excited I am for the learning they have ahead, how ready I know they are for this experience and how delighted Kristin and I will feel if they visit as older children to show our Kindergarteners the Ridgeline way. If you feel I need to support your child through this upcoming transition with some extra TLC, please reach out to me directly. 

Game Day 

Our Kindness Jar is nearly overflowing! We recently practiced the important work of voting by taking turns sharing which option we preferred for our celebration, choosing between Game Day or Pajamas and Stuffies Day. Game Day won by a slight margin, and so it is with excitement that I invite you to send your child to school tomorrow/Friday with a game of their choice (please no games that make noise). Games should arrive labeled with your child's name and will be returned tomorrow afternoon. I've scheduled us for a Pajamas and Stuffies day soon, so stay tuned for details on that! 

Animal Research

Friends have been collecting research for two weeks and a few have moved to the final stage of completing their work by creating a diorama. I have been meeting with small groups to brainstorm what paint is needed to create the most accurate representation of each animal's habitat, how they can position their clay animal sculptures they created in art class and how to incorporate nature treasures to depict an engaging scene for our viewing audience. 

Class 3 visitors joined us last week to share their animal research, and you could have heard a pin drop in the room. Kindergarteners were so impressed by the presentation they gave us, complete with a bound book, artwork, and a song. Their example inspired some friends to return to their research with renewed energy! It is our goal that by the end of next week all dioramas will be complete and we can dedicate some of our work cycle to sharing finished products with each other and some of our campus community. This work will be sent home with your child once that celebration of learning has occurred! 

Here's to the last stretch of the school year, families! Thanks for continuously cheering us on, stepping up for volunteer opportunities and being a fantastic support system for your Kindergarteners and their teaching team! We appreciate you. 

Sarah's Update 5-19-22

"Rise up this mornin'

Smile with the risin' sun

Three little birds

Pitch by my doorstep

Singin' sweet songs

Of melodies pure and true

Sayin', 'this is my message to you-ou-ou'"

Kindergarten families, we have found ourselves in a particularly busy stretch of time as a community. May and June, I find, tend to bring about new opportunities for independence and new levels of boundary testing. Friends have been in our community together for many months, and they know a change of routine is right around the corner. There are feelings of excitement and discomfort too, and they are testing one another and their adults. Socializing and the need for connection feels at an all time high in our classroom, and this strikes me as in direct alignment with the natural shift your children are making into the second plane of development as they prepare for life in Lower Elementary. 

Maria Montessori described the second plane child in a 1946 London lecture saying, "the second period, six to twelve, is a peaceful period of a singular regularity. This age is a time of rest. The child of six is different from the child of twelve. The twelve-year-old has grown during the preceding six years, but there have been no great transformations; it has been a time of peaceful growing. For this reason, the second plane is a period of power and mental strength. It is a time for work and mental application."

In the next few weeks, we'll begin to talk more as a class community about the end of the year, and we will give friends a glimpse of Lower Elementary classrooms by taking some tours and saying quick hellos to the teachers in those classrooms, who are so excited to get to know them. Kristin and I look forward to helping all of our Kindergarteners feel secure and supported as we look ahead to what comes next. 

Before our little birds fly away for the summer, here is some of what we find ourselves doing:

Animal Research

I hope you are hearing some happy buzz about animal research from your child. Many friends have been enjoying the process of locating a book, exploring its table of contents or index and searching for animals they find fascinating. Notes are being collected, drawings are being created and rough drafts are being written. A few friends received some small group guidance today to narrow down their search, and we all find ourselves at a bit of a different place with this project. My goal is for the finished product to be child led and joyfully constructed. I will share more details soon about ways you can support us in this work. 

Social Emotional Learning 

Educational Assistant Oliver Gray continues to be a warm and loving presence in our classroom, and he recently read us a beautiful book, The Kindness Quilt. We partnered up last week, and took turns being listeners and speakers. Such lovely insight was shared as friends described moments they witnessed kindness. This conversation became a launching point for a subsequent project, our classroom Kindness Quilt, full of illustrations and written reflections. This will make a lovely display in our classroom, and has paired well with our Kindness Jar, which continues to be a focal point in our room, and a spot where many Kindergarteners are now jotting down their observations to be read by me later in the day.  

Gardening Indoors & Out 

I am hearing reports that some of the pots of cat grass we sent home are ready for transplanting! We talked through this process as a group yesterday when we noticed our radishes had begun to outgrow their spot in our indoor root view terrarium. A small group helped me plant them in our garden bed, and our radish sprouts have now joined many of our leafy greens and a few new broccoli plants we also added recently. One child suggested we nibble on some lettuce along with our lunch at some point, and I look forward to inviting friends to harvest and enjoy what we've grown. 

Quiet Reflection

We have begun to help our bodies relax in a new way by listening to a collection of guided meditation prompts. The narrator of Sweet Dreams encourages us to be calm and use mindful visualization to immerse ourselves in his nature based stories. Our beloved Anna Hibiscus has also returned for audiobook enjoyment, this time with a tale of travels from her home in Africa to her grandmother's home in Canada. 

Please know how proud Kristin and I are of your quickly growing children. They are a joy to spend time with, and we look forward to celebrating many group and individual wins with them in the coming weeks! 

Sarah's Update 5-4-22

Fly, little butterfly, fly up high

Up high, little butterfly, fly

Fly, little butterfly, fly up high

Up high, little butterfly, fly

Last week we said farewell to our Painted Lady butterflies, as they were ready to spread their wings and fly. We circled around our beautiful tree in the playground, sang, and shared supportive words of gratitude and well wishes for these creatures before they were released. It was bittersweet to see them off, and I am so glad our class got the opportunity to watch their life cycle unfold. 

It was so lovely to see so many of you at All School Sing-A-Long. We lifted our voices in community with our fellow students and created joyous music together. It was a lovely celebration, and a memory I'll keep tucked away when I think about this year together as a group. 

Quiet reflection has been extra special the past few weeks, as I've gotten the opportunity to share the children's author Beverly Cleary with our friends. Ribsy has been a favorite read aloud for many classes I've taught in the past, and this group fell in love with this scruffy and determined dog too. I saw one wide eyed friend clutching the neckline of his t-shirt while listening to a particularly thrilling moment of the story, and there were parts of the story that were laugh out loud funny. Yesterday we began Henry Huggins, and we got to time travel a bit together to the moment Ribsy and his loyal pal Henry first met. A friend shared this outing inspiration with me, and I think my family will make it a point to wander around these spots during our upcoming Portland visit, as my son particularly loves her audiobooks. 

Indoor planting has wrapped up, and our window sills are now full of tiny pots filled lovingly with soil and a variety of seeds. Did your children share that we planted "mystery seeds?" They're mysterious in that they were found in the bottom of a box I unearthed earlier this year, and we don't know what wildflower mixture they are or how old (or not) they may be! We talked about how gardening is often an experiment and one that's full of unknowns. We are hopeful and excited to see what may sprout, and we are happily observing our outdoor garden thrive with our recent rain in the meantime. 

EasyCBM Spring assessment has begun for our friends, and they are focusing and using this opportunity to show us what they've learned throughout the year. We'll enjoy a celebration of this learning and of our many acts of classroom kindness tomorrow/Thursday, when we turn our morning work cycle into Game Day! I look forward to seeing what games friends bring to share with our community. All games will be sent home along with work and a special Mothers' Day gift in anticipation of our no school day for children/professional development day for faculty and staff tomorrow/Friday. 

Happy weekend ahead, families, and thank you for filling these past few days with tokens of gratitude and love. Arriving to work to find flowers, baked goods and love notes on our classroom door was such a lovely way to kick off teacher appreciation week! 

Sarah Maxwell, M. Ed. 

Sarah's Update 4-21-22

"Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens

Brown paper packages tied up with strings

These are a few of my favorite things"

Our Kindergarteners are enjoying the warmer temperatures and all the bits of Spring sunshine we're getting.  Here are some happenings in our community currently...

Gardening

What a joy it was for me to get to put on my outdoor educator hat once again and dig in the dirt with friends this week! Our garden bed was so beautifully and lovingly prepared for us (thanks again to the families who rolled up their sleeves on this effort), and we've now got an assortment of vegetables and flowers thriving in that space.We found worms along the way, and friends were so gentle in sharing space with these helpful creatures. 

The practical life activity of scooping, digging in and mixing coffee grounds was a hit, and an activity we will be repeating once we begin indoor planting.  I look forward to working in small groups for this, and am eager to watch their seed and plant observations come to life on paper and in conversations. 

Butterflies

Our Painted Lady butterflies should soon emerge, and we will do the brief work of feeding them before their big release. Some friends have reported that they are following their own caterpillar/butterfly life cycle at home too, and I love hearing about this extension of learning. 

Community Events

Please see the recent E-News  for details regarding upcoming events including this Saturday's marketplace and classroom tours. We will spend some of our work cycle tomorrow engaging in extra practical life activities to prepare our environment for visitors. Thank you to Maxwell's family for the timely donation of tulips, which have beautified our tables and given friends many opportunities for flower arranging. 

Music 

We continue to enjoy the gift of music with visits from Ridgeline parent Sophie Therell, whose gentle guitar strumming and catchy tunes are brought to us every other Monday. Friends have been singing their hearts out as we prepare for our school singalong. Two favorites have emerged, King and Lionheart and Eye of the Tiger.

Thank you, families, for supporting us in all the many ways you do and for sending your bright and energetic children our way! 

Sarah's Update 4-7-22

Butterfly, butterfly, what lovely wings

Flutter by, flutter by, and my heart sings

Butterfly, butterfly, I want to know

When it rains, when it rains

Where do you go? 

Our Kindergarten scientists are hard at work observing our very busy, very hungry caterpillars as they double in size each day! We have enjoyed using our magnifying glasses to get a closer look at their daily changes, and butterfly journals are allowing us to track their progress and extend the learning in a cross-curricular way. We look forward to the next part of their metamorphosis, which will be chrysalis formation. Thank you to Charlie's family for donating a lovely book about Painted Lady butterflies, the very type we will soon watch emerge and then release. This resource has broadened our use of scientific vocabulary as we discuss these amazing creatures. 

Have you heard chatter about our beautiful peace lily, which was recently donated to our classroom? A neighbor was struggling to care for it and needed a new home for this large plant with broad leaves just perfect for spritzing and washing. I immediately volunteered to be its new caretaker knowing that your children will help me encourage it to grow in a healthy way. I explained to our friends that this plant is needing a bit of TLC and that we could care for it by washing its leaves, watering it when needed, reading to it and sharing positive affirmations with it as we pass by during the day. I found one friend hugging its pot earnestly yesterday and many friends have taken a damp cotton ball to its leaves. Some children have used a special stool to read to our new plant, and I overheard one friend whispering to it, "I'm sorry your other owner couldn't take care of you so well, but you are safe here with us." Your children know the power of gentle, empathetic and loving words, and it's a joy to hear and watch them express themselves in this way! 

Indoor gardening will begin this coming week, and we will support this hands-on learning with a rich backdrop of literature and discussions. Daily logs will allow us to sharpen our observational skills, and when the timing is right we'll send these plants home for continued care. A big thanks goes to the families of Amelia, Charlie and Ella, who have stepped up to tend to our outdoor garden bed by weeding it and prepping it with fresh soil. We have big plans for herbs and flowers in the coming weeks, and I look forward to looking out and seeing some color and brightness on that side of our classroom. Thanks to Iris' family, the owners of Camas Swale Farm, for offering to donate transplants of greens and other vegetables to grow, harvest and munch on at lunch. When gardening with children in previous teaching years, I've been amazed to watch even less adventurous eaters enjoy eating what they've grown. 

On Monday we will begin partnering with Oliver Gray, Ridgeline's Educational Assistant in the Learning Center, to bring a new type of social emotional focused learning to our Kindergarten friends. Ridgeline recently began implementing the Second Step curriculum in classrooms, and we are incredibly lucky to benefit from Oliver's talent and knack for relationship building as he brings this work to us. He is quite familiar with your children already after spending time in our classroom building connections and pitching in where needed. Here is a bit about Second Step and a bit about Oliver: 

Oliver Gray was raised in the PNW, but is fairly new to the Eugene area. He is an EA in the Learning center, and is also attending graduate courses at the U of O. He has experience in schools as both a tutor and EA, and is working to become a special education teacher. He most recently spent a year tutoring and teaching STEAM activities for the Free Library of Philadelphia, before moving to Eugene. When he isn't spending his time with kiddos, you can usually find him doing one of his hobbies. He likes to knit, paint, learn new recipes, and try new things (like learning to play new instruments).

In closing, please help me welcome new friend Riley, who will join our community on Tuesday! I am excited to see Riley settle in with the help of a classroom full of leaders who will ensure he gets familiar with our routines and daily rhythm. We are so excited to have his whole family as part of our Ridgeline community! 

Thank you for sending your loving and hardworking children to us. I am proud of them for so many reasons, and I learn from them every single day! 

Sarah's Update 3-31-22

"I like coffee, I like tea.

I like the java jive, and it likes me. 

Coffee and tea and the java and me. 

A cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup, a cup-ahhhh." 

We've been Java Jiving our little hearts out in Kindergarten. Ask your child to sing this catchy tune to you and enjoy grooving along to the music! 

Now that Spring has sprung, a few other happenings in our classroom currently include...

Science

We are eagerly anticipating a delivery of caterpillars, which should be arriving any day now! Our young scientists have been studying up on the life cycle of these miraculous creatures through fiction and nonfiction alike. Today we read a beautiful story, Butterfly House, that's a favorite of mine. It's centered around the joy of observation and caretaking. Here is a lovely retelling in case you'd like to view it together as a family. 

Once our caterpillars have arrived, we will be busy providing them a secure and comfortable habitat, and we will use our observation skills to record daily changes before we eventually release our Painted Lady butterflies as a group. I have done this many times over the years with friends, but I'm not sure I've ever seen a group as excited as these Kindergarteners are to watch the magic unfold! 

Indoor planting will begin soon! Thank you to Liora and Ella's families for providing seeds for us, which will be used in addition to our Grow This classroom supplies. Friends will utilize individual planters and use their observation skills to make note of daily transformation before plants are sent home for continued enjoyment. A special thanks goes to Calvin's family for donating a root view terrarium, which will provide us with a unique vantage point as we study parts of a plant. Our classroom gets beautiful light, and I am excited to see more plants thrive in our indoor space! 

Our outdoor garden will soon come alive with colorful flowers, which we will use for flower arranging and flower pressing, with some pressed blooms being added to collage and other art projects. Our tables are currently adorned with tiny bud vases full of cheerful daffodils. It is incredibly sweet to overhear a friend offer a flower arrangement to someone in the room and to see how it brightens the recipient's work space. This is grace and courtesy in action.  

Marketplace

We were recently visited by Ridgeline parent Heather, who shared with us her love of Ridgeline's Marketplace. We spent a few moments hearing information about this upcoming event and brainstorming ideas for how each child could contribute in their own way. Details on our Student Marketplace and the proposal form (due April 4th) can be found here. Heather can be reached at sweetladyh@gmail.com if you have any questions about this event! 

Outdoor Masking Update

As a class we've begun to talk about masks becoming optional outdoors as of Monday. We've focused on how each family will be making the choice they feel is best for them, and that we as a community will share kindness and understanding with each other no matter what those choices may be. Please know that Kristin and I will be providing extra social-emotional support for our friends as they navigate this upcoming adjustment, and we will honor their choice to wear a mask or not based on what you as a family have decided and the conversations you have had with them. We appreciate you continuing to have supportive dialogue with your child about this and encourage you to read this excerpt from Chrystell's recent email (sent 3/18) for a refresher if you need one: 

• Outdoor masking will become optional for Ridgeline students on Monday, April 4th.

• Other health and safety measures, including outdoor lunch (contingent on air quality), classroom positive case notification emails, use of ventilation, and access to testing will remain in place at this time.

• Community- and school-level COVID data will be reviewed in mid-April. If those data continue to allow it, Ridgeine’s administration will recommend that the board proceed to approve optional indoor masking for students at its April meeting. If approved, indoor masking would become optional for students beginning either April 25th or May 2nd.
  
  

Thank you, families, for sending your enthusiastic children our way! Kristin and I are amazed by them on a daily basis! 

Sarah's Update 3-17-22

Mama, Mama, I want a mango

Papa, Papa, please papaya

No, no, Nana, a ripe banana

Kiwi, kiwi, kiwi, kiwi quince (cha cha cha)

Families, if you want to brighten your day a bit just ask your child to sing you the "Mango Fandango." It's a new favorite in our Kindergarten class, full of movement and opportunity for dramatic flair. It'll have you moving and shaking in no time! 

Here are a few other fun happenings taking place in our community at the moment: 

Morning Snack 

The shift to morning snack indoors has been transformative for our class! Each day friends arrive and set about organizing their materials, saying hellos and then finding pencil pouches and their writing journals. A new journal prompt awaits them each morning, and the writing work that this is encouraging has been a delight to witness. I am seeing new skills emerge, already acquired skills being sharpened and confidence growing amongst our group as they place a "finger space" between their words, add punctuation, edit as needed and illustrate with creativity. 

Morning Work Cycle 

After a brief morning gathering we fall into our predictable daily rhythm of the work cycle. What a joy to see this important part of our day be elongated just in time for Kindergarteners to show us how their stamina has increased throughout the year! More time in the classroom has allowed for more presentations, deeper and more meaningful project based work and plenty of opportunities for "I statement" practice as we navigate our environment together. Friends are making their way to the snack area quite confidently now, and choosing this activity as they do any other work. This has brought a new form of functional independence to our entire group. 

Reading

Our classroom library has a few new and special books woven into it thanks to Charlie and Ella. These books celebrate strong women in the past and present day. Today we learned about artist and educator Alma Woodsey Thomas, who was part of the Color Field movement alongside other painters who worked solely with large shapes or "fields" of colors as a way to express themselves. Alma was both a Kindergarten teacher and artist, and her work was quite inspiring to us with its rich colors and aesthetically pleasing patterns. We were impressed to learn that hers was the first-ever solo exhibit of a Black female artist, and that her work was shown at the famous Whitney Museum of American Art. 

There is a sudden explosion of child-led reading happening in our environment currently. I have enjoyed inviting a few friends to read to us at group gatherings, encouraging them to sit upon our special reading stool as they have a moment in the spotlight. Our small but mighty team of parent volunteers are working hard to make sure children are getting a chance to have an adult hear their developing skills, and many are enjoying tracking their progress in their reading logs. 

Art

Art teacher Rena recently guided our artists through creating illustrated butterflies using oil pastels. The children poured love into their work knowing that they will soon decorate the walls of Emerald Valley. Our neighbors there will be delighted to see these colorful finished products. Thanks again to Ruth, Liora's mom, for coordinating this effort! 

As we look ahead to the end of the month, Kristin and I are preparing for our next Artist Spotlight on Andy Warhol, which will invite friends to explore color blocking and stamping to create a class mural. Letter writing has become a popular activity in class thanks to contributions of colorful envelopes, washi tape and stamps from families, and we will use these skills to send hand written invitations to staff members to visit us and see our work on display. 

The Kindness Jar

Have you heard your child talk about a new component of our classroom, our Kindness Jar? What a feel-good addition to our day this has been to have the children know adults are observing moments of kindness they show themselves, others and our environment. These written observations are read at group gatherings, and friends beam and puff up their chests when their names are included. We are quite excited to be working toward filling our Kindness Jar up far enough that we can celebrate as a community. We will likely take a vote on how best to commemorate this milestone, but a pajama day and/or the invitation to bring a small stuffie/lovie to school has been discussed. Stay tuned! 

Enjoy your Spring Break ahead, and know that Kristin and I will look forward to welcoming our friends back on Tuesday, March 29th. We'll be eager to hear about vacations/staycations and how everyone spent their days off of school. 

Sarah's Update 3-3-22

The Golden Sun

So great and bright

It warms the Earth with all its might

It makes dark Earth both green and fair and tends each thing with loving care

It shines on blossom, stone and tree, on bird and beast, on you and me

May each deed throughout the day, may everything we do and say

Be bright and strong and true

Oh, Golden Sun, like you

Families, we have been as busy as ever saying farewell to February and hello to March. I am excited to share some of the most important happenings for our community at the moment:

Work Plans

We have embraced work plans enthusiastically as a community, helping to foster choice and independence while providing structure and guidance along the way. Work plans are now toted around the classroom and marked off by teacher and child, and Kristin and I have found them to be helpful tools, which are enhancing our work cycles greatly. I also feel confident these work plans will help transition our friends into Lower El with a bit more ease when the time comes. 

Music Making

We have been given the gift of music by Ridgeline parent Sophie Therell, who has begun joining us for music class two Mondays a month. We met with her for the first time this week, and the children were delighted by her enthusiasm, her beautiful guitar playing and the new songs she shared with us, which were filled with playful movement. Thank you, Sophie, for your time and energy. We cannot wait to continue to make music with you! 

Rhythm stick work is a popular whole group activity for us in Kindergarten. I recently became inspired by the educators of Jbrary, whose music I bring into the classroom quite a bit. When I discovered their rhythm stick work, I was hooked, and I knew our friends would be too. We take this instrument playing quite seriously. What self control it takes to listen for the cue to move our sticks to their ready position on our knees, to gracefully move them to a resting position at our shoulders, and to leave them untouched on the ground in between songs. What coordination of movement it requires to place our sticks into their woven basket without making a sound. Ask your child to give you a beat for "Peanut Butter, Jelly, Marmalade and Jam" and some musical and rhythmic magic may unfold!

Artistic Pursuits

Liora's mom Ruth continues to receive and organize contributions of art from our Kindergarten friends who are most excited to share with our senior citizen neighbors next door at Emerald Valley. Their metal inset design work has been stunning, full of carefully placed curvilinear patterns and light and steady feather strokes and shading. Art teacher Rena has shared with the children that this coming week's art focus will be creating more beautiful work to fill the walls of Emerald Valley. She mentioned a butterfly theme to our friends, and the excitement was palpable. Friends are so happy to be brightening their space after hearing how much our neighbors have missed having Ridgeline visitors during Covid.  

Dressing For The Weather/Pack Extra Clothes

I have a request, families, to check the weather report extra carefully daily (and especially on Wednesdays) to make note of the day ahead. We had to make the sad decision to forgo Wednesday walk yesterday after so many friends were drenched from playing outside right down to very squishy shoes. Many friends keep rain boots at school, and if that's possible for your family we highly recommend it. Rain boots, rain pants and/or rain jackets with a hood are a must for our rain or shine campus. Please contact me directly if this is a hardship, or if I can support you on this in some way. 

Many friends went home yesterday with soggy clothes in backpacks yesterday, so please promptly repack a full change of clothes (underwear and socks included), as we also had to do some creative and time consuming scrambling to find leggings and various bits of clothing for friends who had no extras with them. If your child has had their extra clothing in their backpack for a while, we'd appreciate you checking to see if the selections in their bags are seasonally appropriate AND still fit them. This helps ease the burden on the teachers and is a comfort to our friends when they can wear familiar clothing they can access independently. Thank you! 

Other Happenings:

During quiet reflection we are listening to A Boy Called Bat, and at whole group gatherings we are continuing to enjoy a rich selection of books highlighting Black characters and families. We will continue to celebrate Black change makers throughout history as we move through the second semester of the school year.

March brings us a focus on strong and important women in history. Do you have books you would like to send in with your child to help us celebrate Women's History Month? We enjoy borrowing books briefly for our classroom book baskets, so please don't hesitate to send your child with fiction or non-fiction to share. 

Thank you to families who provided envelopes, stamps, stamp pads and washi tape for our writing center. I am continuing to build and organize that space, and I look forward to brainstorming with friends about the importance of writing letters, why we might communicate in this way and how we can express our feelings for friends and families in written form. Valentines making gave us a jump start on this, and I know friends are eager to expand on this work. 

Thank you for sending your sweet children to us, families, and for letting us grow and learn alongside them! 

Sarah Maxwell, M. Ed. 

Sarah's Update 2-17-22

You've got a friend in me

You've got a friend in me

When the road looks rough ahead

And you're miles and miles

From your nice warm bed

You just remember what your old pal said

Son, you've got a friend in me

Yeah you've got a friend in me

Here we are, families, halfway through the month of February! On Monday we had a sweet and cozy celebration of Valentine's Day. We sang and shared notes with one another after a morning work cycle spent creating hand stitched heart pillows, paper chains, collages and beaded bracelets. It was an extra special day, as we got to welcome new friend Oliver to our community. He has settled in so quickly thanks to our community of confident Kindergarteners who are eager to show him the ropes by giving him presentations and helping him organize supplies. Welcome to Ridgeline, Oliver and parents Jessica and Brian!

If you were to join us in the classroom for an observation you'd witness a bustle of activity. You'd find friends partnering to create stories for our new Storytelling Project, inspired by a Rice University program I participated in during my early teaching days. These stories will be read by the author(s) and cast with friends in our class before being performed as mini plays at group gatherings. I am hopeful this will inspire all of our friends to step into the role of author and illustrator. 

If you came to observe you'd also see work plans, a new addition to our classroom, being toted around the room and checked off as activities are completed. These work plans represent all areas of our classroom, and are customized to each child's needs, providing free choice and assigned activities alike. Our friends will utilize a version of this in Lower El, so they serve many purposes including preparing our Kindergarteners for their next step along their educational path. One friend has begun carrying hers around in the front pocket of her overalls to help her "stay on track" and another beamed with pride when she had checked off all of her work plan by the end of the day. These Tulips and Daisies, our new cohorts we unveiled in January, are working hard on new challenges and refining skills through repetition. 

Thank you to many families who are supporting us behind the scenes. Amelia's family recently gifted us with a beautiful assortment of greenery and buds for flower arranging. To see friends caring for our indoor environment in this way, stopping by a friend's table with a lovingly prepared tiny vase, has been a joy!  Thank you to Amelia's family for also making a handful of wooden tiles for us, allowing children to complete our 100s board after a few numbers had gone missing. This work is in heavy rotation now thanks to them! 

Thank you to Charlie and Rosalie and Sebastian's families for raising their hands enthusiastically when I asked for volunteers to work with children outdoors. Sunset and Meredith will join us beginning next week to listen to readers one on one on Tuesdays and Fridays, and they'll likely play some phonetic object games and help with Movable Alphabet word building along the way! I'd also like to extend a hearty thank you to Liora's mom Ruth for helping to coordinate an effort to brighten the lives of our neighbors at Emerald Valley, the assisted living facility next door to us. In March our class will contribute Metal Inset design work as our offering. I am excited to see the feather strokes and mindful symmetry used by our young artists as they demonstrate their attention to detail and creativity. 

Tomorrow we will welcome Kami with the Eugene Concert Choir back for our final practice of "Rainbow Connection" and "You've Got a Friend In Me." Yesterday afternoon I emailed you a PDF version of the voucher to use at the Hult Center performance on Saturday, February 26th at 2:30. In that same email you'll find videos Kami created for us, so that you can practice singing and signing along with her at home. My family plans to attend the event, and we hope to see you there! 

We will spend the remainder of February continuing to focus on Black History, reading about brave change makers and marveling at their accomplishments. Thank you to Ruby's family for providing us with an inspirational story of Harriet Tubman's life, which led to a rich discussion of the Underground Railroad and how communities work together. Ruby also shared with us a story of sharing and gratitude, Thank You, Omu, which we read and enjoyed before quiet reflection yesterday. 

Later this month we will begin to brainstorm how to beautify the outdoor environment behind our classroom, using seeds and supplies from a program I was excited to have our class join, Oregon State's Grow This Oregon Garden Challenge. The next project will be tending to worms in our new bin, and I look forward to learning alongside Kristin and the children as our garden space develops. Thank you, families, for sending your curious and delightful children to us each day and for the many ways you support the work we do! 

Sarah's Update 2-4-22

"Who said that every wish

Would be heard and answered

When wished on the morning star

Somebody thought of that

And someone believed it

Look what it's done so far

What's so amazing

That keeps us stargazing

And what do we think we might see

Someday we'll find it

That rainbow connection

The lovers, the dreamers and me"

I have a lot to share with you, families, in these busy first few days of February. First, please help me give a warm welcome to new friend Ezra and his mother Elizabeth, who joined our Ridgeline community earlier this week. The lead up to Ezra's arrival was full of anticipation and excitement as we readied our space, ourselves and his supplies. By the time Ezra joined us for his first day, friends were lined up to give him presentations and show him the ropes. This is what a tight knit and active community on its feet looks like! This, I firmly believe, is the way to a more peaceful world. This is Montessori! We are delighted to bring Ezra into the fold and to watch him grow alongside all of us. 

A big thank you is in order to families who have recently offered their time and talent to help us with classroom needs. Thanks to Charlie's family for providing a beautiful woven rug, which will serve as a conversation spot for two buddies at a time. We practice the art of self advocacy, problem solving and the use of "I statements" daily, and this will provide a well defined space for that big work. A hearty round of applause to Rosalie and Sebastian's family for organizing collage supplies for our busy artists. We have special  winter themed projects to create with those odds and ends. And a thank you to Oscar C.'s family for cutting an impressive amount of geometric shapes for upcoming art provocations. They also organized a special Valentine's Day pillow stitching work for all of our friends who enjoy handwork. Thank you to Cassius' family for allowing our class to borrow books about Nelson Mandela and Chinese New Year, and thank you to Max's family for encouraging him to bring in nature treasures from Iceland. How special it is to have a glimpse into traditions and experiences you share as a family! If I've accidentally missed you in this round of thanks, please know that we appreciate you ALL and are so grateful for the ways you support us. 

Our celebration of Black history begins this month! I have fantastic resources from Ridgeline and Eugene's downtown library woven into our space, and we will do much reading and contemplating about contributions made by Black community members in our local community and beyond. I am excited to celebrate these change makers and to learn alongside our group. During quiet reflection we are listening to a new audiobook, Anna Hibiscus, a story about an adventurous young girl growing up in a small village in Africa. Next week in our upcoming chapter book we will begin to read about Ruby Bridges and her remarkable bravery. We will also begin to add a soundtrack to our work cycles through a selection of famous jazz musicians. As we highlight some talented Black artists, we'll tap into how the music makes us feel, how it makes us want to move, how it impacts our energy level. My own family is looking forward to heading to the Eugene Science Center's Planetarium later this month to view a Black History Laser Tribute. Have you been to one of their laser shows? They are so much fun and are a unique way to support the Science Center. Your child may recognize some familiar tunes if you go! 

For our upcoming Valentine's Day celebration, please prepare to work on love notes and cards with your child between now and Monday, February 14th. Please skip adding candy or sweet treats, and instead simply have your child write their name on cards for our class of 28 students. Please do not address them to individual children. This will make distribution on the big day SO much more easeful. Friends are invited to wear their coziest PJs for our low key classroom celebration.

Report Cards will go home with your child tomorrow/Friday. The email I send in the morning will help provide some context and a framework for our team's grading scale. Completing report cards and writing comments reflective of your child's first semester at Ridgeline left me feeling in awe of all we've accomplished and of the bravery and tenacity of your children. Thank you, families, for sending them to us each day. They are a joy! 

Sarah Maxwell, M. Ed. 

Sarah's Update 1-20-22

While we were sleeping through the night,

Snowflakes are falling soft & white

Floating down with never a sound,

Silently covering all the ground.

As we head into our second semester of learning together in Kindergarten, Kristin and I are observing signs of developing maturity, deepening friendships, and longer, more sustained phases of concentration. We are also observing friends who are so comfortable and settled into the environment and relationships that they are naturally pushing boundaries and exploring the impact of their actions and language.

Our list of "needed grace and courtesies" continues to grow and we are digging in and doing big work of thinking about how our actions, like our words and our movement through the classroom or the way we maintain our indoor and outdoor environment, have an effect on others. We are a tight knit community, and each of these Kindergarteners contribute so much to our group. 

If you stopped in for a visit to our classroom you'd see small groups focused on golden bead work, moving large quantities of materials from one location to another. You would witness friends reading to one another, children working hard to identify numbers and letter sounds, lists and stories unfolding with the Movable Alphabet, math and language journaling, pillow stitching, floor scrubbing, painting at the art easel and collage work. We are a diverse group of learners, who occupy our own unique space in our curriculum, and there are many opportunities for Kristin and me to "follow the child" along the way. We are joyfully and energetically "doing the days" here in Kindergarten. 

Kristin's third featured artist in our Artist Spotlight series, Seurat, introduced our community to Pointillism. What focus it takes to create the tiniest of dots on a paper and to resist the urge to extend past the margins of the paper, to clean the space and ready it for the next friend. Our audiobook this week is Clementine, a bold and precocious character my son loved when he was a Kindergartener. Friends have enjoyed our audiobook CDs being added to our quiet corner once we enjoy them as a class. 

One last exciting addition to our class routine will be learning some new songs and enjoying two visits from a trained musician through Eugene Concert Choir . I was thrilled to enroll our class in this program, and I encourage you to keep your eyes out for some more information in the coming weeks, which will share a bit more about the performance your children will be invited to join next month. We have a classroom full of joyful singers, who are going to thrive with this new approach to music making! 

Sarah Maxwell, M. Ed. 

Sarah's Update 1-7-22

The rain is raining all around

It falls on field and tree

It rains on the umbrellas here

And on the ships at sea

Our first few days back after winter break have been full of connection. Friends have reacquainted themselves with one another, with Kristin and me and with our materials. After we all had some time away from teaching and learning, the classroom once again has its familiar, happy hum. 

January 6th is the anniversary of the first Casa dei Bambini opening its doors to children in 1907. To honor this special occasion I told the true story of Maria Montessori, the brilliant scientist and educator behind the work that we do here at Ridgeline. After hearing a bit about her life, we viewed pictures of her as a child, scenes from her time in the classroom and images of her toward the end of her life when she was an established trainer of teachers who'd touched many lives across the world. I told the class that Maria knew that children are capable of anything they put their mind to, and that they are powerful beings deserving of the utmost respect. For a brief moment we closed our eyes and put our hands over our heart to send gratitude to Maria for her work and to be thankful for the gift of being together at school. 

We have some new and exciting additions to our classroom life including Letter of the Week, which is a lovely blend of phonemic awareness work and handwriting practice. There are many entry points to this whole group work, and the children are enjoying the challenge! Art teacher Rena recently introduced a collaborative project focused on the outdoor environment work of keeping our school free of trash while helping to maintain and contribute to our campus compost collection. Our class was excited to create illustrations to help everyone in our community distinguish between trash and compost, and they continue to take great pride in keeping our lunch and snack area tidy. 

During quiet reflection time we have begun to listen to our first audiobook, The Mercy Watson Collection. We are also enjoying a new chapter book, Anne Arrives, an adaptation of the beloved Anne of Green Gables I enjoyed as a child. Friends were introduced today to the concept of Sustained Silent Reading. We are putting our own spin on this well known practice, and I have begun to bring in a hefty collection of library books from the Eugene Public Library for the children to browse and select from during this quiet and cozy part of our day. What self control it takes to give someone time to read that book you were hoping to get to first, and how amazing it was to watch them protect the concentration of the people next to them. When I told them about how much fun I had picking out books I thought they'd like, a few shared suggestions for my next visit. This morning they will find a clipboard in our classroom where they can write, or dictate to Kristin or me, their requests for book topics. Very few things bring me more joy than a public library, and getting to connect our friends to literature in a new way is a true delight for me as an educator.

Our Wednesday Walk found us using our senses to notice signs of winter. Friends were excited to learn that we will one day soon visit Frank Kinney Park to play during our Wednesday adventures. Lucet work is in full swing, and having knitting forks added to our practical life area has been a success! Thank you to the many families who contributed yarn for weaving and knitting work. You are appreciated for these donations and for all of the many ways you cheer us on and support us as a community. 

Sarah Maxwell, M. Ed. 

Sarah's Update 12-16-21

Ridgeline Team Holiday Party:

Last Friday after dismissal our classroom was the backdrop for a lovely staff holiday celebration. Children prepared the room by sweeping, polishing the floor, scrubbing cabinets, arranging sprigs of rosemary in vases, stringing citrus/popcorn/cranberry garland (thank you to families who generously donated supplies), cutting snowflakes for our windows and creating paper chains. For a finishing touch they created a large mural, which welcomed the team to our classroom. They were excited to receive a thank you from the staff in return and to hear the compliments we received about how beautiful our classroom is and how inviting we made it feel. This is Montessori in action, planning and working together for the greater good. 

Other Holiday Happenings:

We are immersed in preparation for our own classroom party this Friday. Much decorating is happening, and several friends teamed up today to create Movable Alphabet invitations to beloved staff members asking them to join our festivities, which will include provocations for creativity and games to play. We will end our week together by viewing a beautiful adaptation of The Snowy Day. I expect many of us will be in cozy pajamas that day to also wrap up Spirit Week. 

Friends recently brought home pine tree winter scenes they created with art teacher Rena, and they will soon be sharing holiday gifts with you! These are little tokens of love created by your children to welcome the coziness of the season. We read a beautiful story earlier, The Shortest Day to provide some context for the upcoming Winter Solstice on December 21st. I think we could all relate to the excitement and joy felt by the people in the book as they prepared for days with a bit more sunlight. 

Ch-ch-changes: 

Beginning in January we will come directly into the classroom at arrival. We will enjoy quiet time with books, a read aloud and/or connect with various Practical Life activities before transitioning into our morning gathering. I look forward to a gentle start to our time in the classroom each day, and know this will be a great change for us! 

The new year will bring about some other exciting developments for our maturing group. As concentration continues to grow and our group's stamina for big, challenging work continues to develop, Kristin and I see the opportunity for a longer, uninterrupted work cycle in the morning and afternoon. We will accomplish this by having a morning snack as a work choice for a few friends at a time, where they will dine outdoors in the area directly behind our classroom. This is a routine Lower El children currently enjoy, and I know our group will love this opportunity too! This is one of many ways we are supporting functional independence, a most important focus in Kindergarten. 

Afternoon snack will be a thing of the past come January. We will no longer need you to send that in with your child daily. We will likely still make consistent use of the outdoor environment for play prior to dismissal, but we'll do so when the energy of the collective group dictates it and not on a daily basis. This will give us more time in the classroom each afternoon, and will provide us time to unveil two new whole group activities, Letter of the Week and Handwriting Workshop. 

Other Happenings:

We just turned the last page of Mercy Watson To The Rescue a few days ago, and the children enjoyed her shenanigans and her love of "hot toast with a great deal of butter on it." Our Vincent van Gogh study has concluded, and beautiful interpretations of Starry Night will go home Friday. Kristin will focus on pointillism and Georges Seurat for January's Artist Spotlight. 

Lastly, I have recently introduced one of my favorite Practical Life activities to the children, Walking on the Line. We are currently focusing on equilibrium and, of course, practicing our social skills along the way as we navigate shared space. Control and coordination of movement is our goal, and the gorgeous music of the talented Sanford and Judy Jones is our soundtrack. We've practiced walking, marching, galloping and skipping thus far, and I have begun to use this as a transition activity with the intention of spontaneously offering it toward the end of the work cycle for anyone who chooses to take part, eventually utilizing beanbags (thanks to Sam's family for stitching those for us) to challenge our balance a bit more. We will then practice balancing small bells in our hands as we move, an extension of the beloved silence game we play as a group. This takes self control, strength, focus and a willingness to be a positive part of making a community event happen. It's BIG work these young people are doing. They amaze me! 

Your delightful children, the support of Kristin and the entire Ridgeline team and YOU, dear parents, made my first semester at our school a true pleasure. I am grateful to each of you and wish you a restful stretch of time before we meet again in the bright and shiny new year. 

Sarah's Update 12-2-21

"Oh Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah

Come light the menorah

Come to our party

We'll all dance the Hora

Gather 'round the table

We'll give you a treat,

Dreidels to play with and latkes to eat

And while we are playing

The candles are burning low

One for each night, they shed a sweet light

To remind us of days long ago..."

We waved a grateful and heartfelt goodbye to November yesterday at our morning gathering and welcomed December with excitement as we readied our calendar and ourselves for the next few weeks of learning and growing. If you were to stop into our classroom for a visit, something I so wish you could each do, you would observe a happy blur of activity. Friends are stitching pillows of brightly patterned flannel while others are working hard on the foundations of reading. Some are challenging themselves to create math equations, and others are exploring our sensorial materials, which call to the young child's sense of order. Many friends are opting to strengthen their fine motor skills with inset work from our botany cabinet, using the lightest of "feather strokes" to fill in small spaces with colored pencils. All of the work being done takes deep concentration, perseverance and friendliness with error. Kristin and I beam with pride as we see them sharpen their skills and display some true grit, whether it be on our gradually lengthening Wednesday Walks or in their ability to choose new work and honor the work of others during the morning and afternoon work cycles. They are growing up before our eyes, and what an honor it is to get to witness that transformation. 

The weeks leading up to winter holiday will continue to be filled with singing (Hanukkah songs are our focus currently, and they bring such joy to the room), decorating (snowflake making, popcorn/cranberry/citrus stringing and paper chain creating are all on our list of provocations we'll soon have on our shelves). In the next week or so we'll wrap up reading our latest chapter book, Ellen Potter's Big Foot and Little Foot, a story of compassion and empathy. Kristin will coordinate our second Artist Spotlight beginning next week, this one featuring the work of Vincent van Gogh. An invitation to create melted crayon art will be extended to all, just as the Kandinsky project was. 

I hope your family is staying cozy and well as we lead into the winter season! 

Housekeeping and Gratitude:

-New and improved take-home work folders are heading to you on Friday. These should hold up to rain and travel to and from school a bit better. Please send your child to school on Mondays carrying their empty yellow older, as it'll make organizing them into cubbies much easier for us, and will help avoid the potential of them getting crushed in backpacks. Thanks! 

-Thank you to Liora's family for supplying us with many varieties of seeds with which to bring our garden beds to life. It's a goal of mine to get the children digging in dirt and connecting to that part of our outdoor environment, so stay tuned! 

-Thank you to Sam's family who recently supplied our class with some beautiful puzzles. Did you know that we often make use of our lovely, long countertops by inviting friends to create art murals there? And did you know that we alternately have a community puzzle of 300-500 pieces going at any given time in that same space? Friends stop by and contribute what they like before moving along. We pat ourselves on the back when we've wrapped a community project like that up, and I would be thrilled to have more puzzles on hand. Do you have any to contribute? We could tackle up to 1,000 pieces, I think! Send any you have along with your child and let me know if we are to keep them or send them back once finished.

A request for donations: 

-Is there a family out there who would be willing to supply us with a stash of popcorn to use for popcorn stringing? Ideally we'd have 3-4 gallon sized Ziploc bags to use for this project. A bag or two of fresh cranberries would also be lovely for pattern making with the popcorn. 

-Do we have a family or two who would like to dehydrate orange slices at home? I can share first hand that the citrus will make your home smell delightful. We'll use these orange slices to create another type of garland to be hung in our large windows. The sunlight will look so pretty pouring through them. 

All of these holiday related donations can be brought to school on Monday, 12/13 and once the need is fulfilled, I'll email the class to update everyone. Thank you for considering these requests, dear families! 

Sarah's Update 11-22-21

"You'll sing a song & I'll sing a song.

  We'll all sing a song together.

  You'll sing a song & I'll sing a song in warm or wintry weather." 

What fun it was to share the music of Ella Jenkins with our class last week. She's been a favorite of mine for many years, and her catchy tunes and call & response songs were instant hits with our musical, rhythm-loving group. Her version of "Skip to My Lou" is silly enough to get the whole group laughing. The soothing sounds of Elizabeth Mitchell's music are now a part of our classroom community too, and friends have been enjoying her album "Sunny Day" in the quiet corner. 

A highlight of last week was our Wednesday Walk, which centered around exploring a new part of our trail, waving hello to many cute dogs, and stopping to marvel at the flowing water underneath the bridge we crossed. Before returning to campus we carefully selected one fallen leaf each to contribute to a leaf rubbing project in the classroom. Our word web work to follow will be inspired by the many leaves we found, and we'll explore the concept of "adjectives," a component of Function of Words, one of the most advanced parts of our  language curriculum. We'll ask ourselves "what descriptive words could we use to tell someone about the leaves we collected?"

Another exciting development for our community has been the shift to PE in our gym! Friends came back from their first adventure to this part of our school with extra enthusiasm for their time with Dan. We've also made our way through the final pages of our current chapter book, The Storm, and this sweet and cozy story of bravery and friendship was loved by all. Our work cycle has friends busy playing math games (the sound of rolling dice and equation comparisons could be heard quite a bit the past few days), creating paper and yarn leaf garlands for at home decorating, steadfastly working on continent maps, completing sewing projects and, for some, working with Roya's mom, Nasim, who joined our class for some 1:1 reading focused instruction. Our Artist Spotlight on Kandinsky kicked off on Friday, and we'll spend the next few days reconnecting with our art cart and some new supplies, which will support our group's love of creating! 

Your children are happy and busy bees, and it's been a delight to observe friends settling into their relationships with one another and to see them taking on new leadership roles. I get a kick out of asking a child "are you available to show your friend how to hang up their jacket, because you're so good at that?" or "could you give a presentation on the Binomial Cube to this friend now that you're an expert on that work?" or "do you think you could show the group what it looks like to peacefully move through a crowded space? I've noticed you do that so well!" What a joy to watch their chests puff up with pride as they agree excitedly and seriously and then set about that task. All of your children are displaying heartwarming moments of leadership in our classroom, and we will continue to present them with those opportunities for growth! 

Additional Notes:

-Thank you to Nasim, Roya's mom, who will join us weekly for language support in the classroom. For now her work will include Sandpaper Letter work, sound games and listening to readers at various skill levels. She has volunteered in this capacity in previous years and brings along a wide range of experience and a love for working with young children. 

-Thank you to so many of our families who are letting us borrow Hanukkah materials for our ongoing classroom display. Children who have contributed materials have had a chance to share a bit about their meaning, and we will enjoy exploring them more in the coming days. If you need any of these items back within a certain time frame, please do not hesitate to email me directly and I'll make sure to arrange that.

-Thank you to Liora's family for providing our outdoor environment with a new, beautiful door mat. It freshened up that space so nicely. 

-Thank you to Charlie's family for supplying our developing continent/geography folders with colorful images from around the world. What conversations and movable alphabet stories these will inspire! 

-Work and pillowcases will be sent home on Tuesday, 11/23 prior to the upcoming holiday, and we will see you back at school on 11/29. We wish you a peaceful and restorative time with people you love. 

Sarah's Update 11-6-21

"Gray squirrel, gray squirrel, swish your bushy tail (x 2)

Wrinkle up your little nose

Hold a nut between your toes

Gray squirrel, gray squirrel, swish your bushy tail." 

Families, this week will be short and sweet, as there will be no school Wednesday through Friday. Conferences will be held via Zoom on Wednesday 11/10 and Friday 11/12 (look for an emailed link and a few other details to come by Tuesday afternoon). Kristin and I are eager to connect with you about your child's growth, both academic and social, during the first part of this school year. Please bring any questions or concerns you have to our meeting, and know that these conferences are for adults only and children should not be within earshot, so that we can communicate freely about their progress. 

Last week we embarked on our second Wednesday Walk, and this time we featured our sense of sight. We wondered aloud, before leaving our classroom, what sights we might take in while on the trail. We agreed to use our looking eyes to "capture" as many signs of Fall as we could before returning to campus to create our word web about our "looking walk." Friends reported seeing brightly colored leaves, Halloween decorations, bicyclists and bare tree branches along the way. One friend noticed the change in water level in the creek and another noticed that the berries we saw last week are now a darker color than they were. What fun it's been to see many children fetching a clipboard, pencil and paper to do copy work using the word webs we've created. They are enjoying adding their own words as well as writing down ones their friends contributed. 

When we return to school post-conferences, Kristin will introduce the group to our first artist of our year-long Artist Spotlight series. Kandisnsky will be our class focus for the remainder of the month, and the children will have hands-on-materials provided to them as a provocation to create their own Kandinsky inspired piece. I am excited to see what our artists whip up during the work cycles to follow. 

Sarah's Update 10-28-21

"This is the squirrel that lives in a tree.

This is the tree that he climbs. 

This is the nut that he takes from me

When I sit still sometimes."  

It is unmistakably Fall in Eugene. You can observe signs of it in our indoor and outdoor environments. In our classroom, brightly colored leaves have been transformed into art supplies for rubbings. Art teacher Rena brough this classic childhood activity to us, and it was a hit!  Pumpkin pillows are being stitched by small groups led by Kristin. She patiently helps tiny, capable hands work with a needle and thread while concentrating amidst a bustling classroom full of movement. Most recently, each student in our classroom community contributed to the creation of a weaving. On a large table-top loom, children took turns weaving with orange and black yarn, stopping when they felt satisfied by the rows they'd added and revisiting it over the course of a few weeks. It is now complete and hung near our light table and art cart for all to admire. A new project with harvest inspired colors has already begun.

Math Meetings, a small group approach to progressing through our math curriculum, are well underway. Some friends are spending time solidifying their knowledge of numbers through 10, while others have embarked on the world of the decimal system. All of us are  getting our hands on manipulatives that call to the young child because of their beauty and their orderly and well defined purpose. Math journals, which some of us have begun to dive into, will provide an individualized spot for each child to practice whichever math skill they're currently working on. They also provide another way for the adults in the environment to informally assess their work. 

Writers and Readers Workshops have centered around Sandpaper Letters and/or Movable Alphabet and journaling work. We continue to create word webs as a whole group, and our reading of Listening Walk was our anchor for  our most recent web and our very first Wednesday Walk.  What a joy to see our class taking in the trail together, using their senses to explore and challenging themselves to remain quiet enough to hear the faintest sounds. We celebrated, upon arrival back to campus, this opportunity to work together as a team. Then we took the abstractions of the sounds we heard and poured them out onto word web paper. Friends heard the thump of basketballs being dribbled by the middle schoolers, the whir of a lawnmower, the rustling of leaves, the shuffle of a jogger's feet as they struck the bark mulch, a nest of birds chirping, and the rumble of the 4j school bus that went by. 

Please keep an eye out for upcoming details regarding parent teacher conferences (week of November 8th) and stay tuned for continued ways you can contribute to our classroom, either by volunteering your skills and time in off-school hours or, in the near future, through during school-hours opportunities. I know some of you feel you have the space in your schedule to contribute, and we are eager to put you to work! We appreciate being in community with all of you and we are grateful to spend our days with your Kindergarteners. 

Sarah's Update 10-14-21

“Autumn leaves are turning, turning, turning.

Autumn fires are burning, burning, burning.

Days of in between. 

See the changing scenes.

Autumn time is all around.”

Our community's return to the classroom after distance learning has been packed with exploration and learning. Our morning work cycle is filled with the productive hum of children in various states of concentration as they complete the three part work cycle. Along the way I am observing friends using our grace and courtesy skills to check in with each other when paths collide, or to ask kindly for someone to give them space. 

Our morning gatherings now include some Autumn themed songs, new poems, and the creation of word webs full of brainstorming and opportunities for children to see written language in action while practicing the art of raising one's hand and waiting patiently to make a contribution. Earlier this week I told the brief true story of Maria Montessori, who enjoyed playing "silence games" with her students. We wondered aloud if it would be possible for us to pass around a bell and make it all the way from me to the last friend in our circle without creating even the tiniest sound. We knew we had a big challenge ahead, and so with a deep breath and a reminder to calm our bodies, we played our first silence game. You should have seen those steady hands, furrowed brows of concentration and faces of joy as we completed the task with success two times in a row! We will revisit many variations of this silence game in the days and months to come. 

Easy CBM assessment (language focused for Fall) is winding down, and I am already beginning to use that data to create small group activities and plan future presentations. An informal math assessment began this week as well, and these results will determine the official entry point each child will have in our math curriculum. 

We finished our first chapter book of the year, Cynthia Rylant's In Aunt Lucy's Kitchen, and the children seemed to enjoy this sweet and cozy story from the Cobble Street Cousins series. Today we began our second chapter book of the year, Pippi Longstocking. I told the children that Pippi's adventures inspired me as a young girl, and that I have read her stories to many classes over the years. Today we had to stop a time or two to let fits of giggles subside before I could continue reading. Pippi is just that funny! 

Please remember that Friday, October 15th is a PD day for Ridgeline staff. We will see your bright eyed children back for more learning on Monday, October 18th. Be on the lookout for work to be sent home tomorrow/Thursday in our new "take home folders." Please marvel at your child's work and then send the empty folder back with them on Monday to be stored in their work cubbies. This will be a new weekly routine and one of many ways we support functional independence through care of the environment routines. Thank you for partnering with us on this! 

Sarah Maxwell, M. Ed. 

Sarah's Update 10-1-21

"Love grows one by one

Two by two and four by four

Love grows round like a circle 

And comes back knocking at your front door"

I hope that one bright side of our recent shift to online learning has been getting to hear your child singing some of our beloved Kindergarten songs. "Love Grows" is a true favorite! Though Kristin and I are really missing our friends here in the classroom, we are so happy to be able to see their smiling faces on the other side of the screen, to continue our established routines and rituals of morning songs and calendar work, and to have casual conversations in our small groups. A big thank you to families who have provided tech support (muting and unmuting can be so tricky) and a big thumbs up to everyone for completing Seesaw assignments with enthusiasm. We love seeing the children's creative responses. 

When our friends return to the classroom on Friday 10/8 we will welcome our new friend Ben. He has been able to join us for morning gathering, which has been wonderful, and we look forward to helping him integrate into our established community. This will be one of many opportunities for children to take on a leadership role as they help our new friend orient. I am excited to see it all unfold, and I anticipate grace and courtesy lessons will keep us very busy along the way as we remember how to share classroom materials, how to provide and advocate for space and how to peacefully exist together. 

While the children are away, Kristin and I have been working hard to get new materials on the shelves, moving away from many of the transitional activities we began the year with and increasing our overall amount of traditional Montessori and presentation based work. Our lesson plans include a lot of practical life activities like floor scrubbing and leaf washing. We will also begin to focus on journaling through what we'll call our Writer's Workshop. Math will kick off with some friends working on number recognition, others focusing on one to one correspondence, and all of us will be doing a bit of math journaling. This will take on many different forms throughout the year including number writing, equation recording and eventually word problem work. 

Our benchmark assessment, EasyCBM, will begin once we return to in person learning, and those results will inform the language instruction entry point each child will have based on skills they've brought to Kindergarten with them. Our days will be busy with our morning work cycle, afternoon specials and a lot of time outdoors in between all of that learning. Please remember to send your child to school with a morning and afternoon snack (the latter won't be necessary on Fridays, when our days are a bit shorter with our 1:05 dismissal). Please also remember to tuck into your child's backpack a pillow case labeled with their name, so that we can begin to make quiet reflection time extra cozy. I'm looking forward to sharing a chapter book with the group at that time, and their pillowcases will help us define our spaces for focused listening. 

Thank you again for your support during these distance learning days! See you in person soon and on Zoom in the meantime. 

Sarah Maxwell, M. Ed. 

Sarah's Update 9-17-21

"At the beginning is a good place to be.

What will each day bring for you and me?

New life, new friends, new things to do.

At the beginning is a good place to be." 

Our Kindergarten classroom is a bustling place filled with laughter, music and learning. We've begun our year together establishing rituals and routines, most important work for children of this age. Dr. Montessori's research, based on years of observation, determined that there are four distinct planes of development one moves through in the first twenty-four years of life. Our Kindergarteners are considered first plane, concrete learners. They understand the world by experiencing it, and they do this through exploration and use of their senses. They possess the gift of an absorbent mind, which allows them to take in all that they are surrounded by and then do the big work of categorizing and sorting and making sense of it all. If your children are returning home exhausted, this is why! We are doing so much together as a community, and this is happy but tiring work as they settle into the school year. 

We begin each day together by connecting as a whole group in our outdoor environment. Friends are able to work on social skills here, practice the grace and courtesies we have focused on in small groups and enjoy some fresh air. Some of our day is spent as a whole group in our classroom, receiving presentations/lessons and practicing the three part work cycle, which includes finding a spot to work, choosing a table mat or floor mat, exploring the chosen materials and finally returning them to their  home in the classroom readied for the next friend to use.  Our grace and courtesy lessons highlight points of interest based on observations Kristin, our classroom assistant, and I make throughout the day. Are we noticing friends moving a bit too quickly through our space? There's a grace and courtesy for that, and we can turn it into a little game where we role play how to move peacefully through the classroom, noticing what it looks like to walk mindfully around floor mats, listening for the soft sound our indoor shoes make as we move. Many friends enjoy taking a turn demonstrating these skills, often taking a bow while friends applaud their efforts. 

A large part of my role in the classroom is to match children to meaningful work that calls to them to be creative and to concentrate. In these first weeks of school we will continue to focus on the area of our classroom called practical life, focusing particularly on two aspects of practical life, care of ourselves and care of the environment, both of which speak to our Kindergartener's innate drive for order and movement. We are already reaping the rewards of this work, which began on the first day of school, as we see a group of children who confidently know where to place their personal items in the classroom, how to wash their hands, where work to go home is stored and how to self advocate and ask for help along the way. Practice, practice, practice! Our days are filled with practice of these life skills! 

This week will bring new excitement for our group, as our specials of physical education and art will begin! We are looking forward to the learning these experiences will add to our days for our curious and eager Kindergarten class. Kristin and I are most grateful for our supportive community of parents and caregivers who are cheering us on along the way. Thank you for sharing your wonderful children with us! 

Gentle Reminders and Important Housekeeping: 

-Please check backpacks nightly for paperwork or other important items we may send home. All work created by the children will go home weekly on Friday.

-Please send children to school in appropriate layers including rain gear on wet days. If you'd like rain boots to be kept at school, just email me a quick note to let me know.

-If your family is participating in the UO weekly Covid testing, you will find a kit in your child's backpack every week on Tuesday to be returned to our bin at arrival the next day. 

-Please tuck a clean pillow case into your child's backpack. We would appreciate it if you would label it with their name and bring it to school by next Monday 9/27 for use during reflection time. We will soon begin reading a chapter book during this time, and we want the children to be extra cozy and able to well define their reflection space while they listen. We'll take care of storing them in individual bags between use and send them home to you in backpacks on Friday to be laundered over the weekend and returned the next week. 

8-33-21 Sarah's Welcome Letter 

Hi, families! I am so excited to work together this year and to get to know your children. Kristin Warner, our Kindergarten classroom assistant, and I have big plans for the year ahead. We'd like to help welcome you to campus and orient your children to the indoor environment by having you join us on campus for one of two half hour Kindergarten Welcome Meetings next week. 

Please use this SignUp link to choose ONE of two Welcome Meetings to attend. On the day of your visit please park along Amazon Drive in front of the school and join us (masks required for all) to gather in the grassy area near the parking lot.  After quick introductions at 3:30pm with Kristin, me and Principal Michelle, we will guide the group to our outdoor environment. Here we will ask parents/caregivers to remain outdoors while we explore our classroom with the children. Please use this opportunity to visit at a distance with one another, and know that if a child is having a particularly difficult time separating from you, you are welcome to stand together outside and simply peek in the windows.

Kristin and I will orient the children to the parts of the classroom, and we will show them where they will store their: 

-backpack

-indoor shoes (slippers with rubber soles)

-water bottle marked with their name

-snack in an easy to open container, packed separately from lunch (practicing at home is helpful!)

-lunch in easy to open containers (if bringing one from home/not participating in the school's lunch program)

-1 extra set of clothes in a Ziploc bag marked with their name (this will remain in their backpack)

-1 extra mask in a Ziploc bag marked with their name (this will remain in their backpack) 

We ask, if possible, that you bring the items above to the first day of school, so we can begin fostering the children's functional independence and helping them feel settled into the space from the very start. Look for more information to come from the front office soon re: arrival and departure procedures and other details about the school year. 

Please don't hesitate to reach out to me directly via email if you have any questions or concerns about our upcoming Welcome Meetings. Kristin and I look so forward to getting to know your children, and we feel honored you are sharing them with us! 

Sarah Maxwell, M. Ed. 

Ridgeline Montessori Public Charter School

Pronouns: She/Her

Ph: 512-797-3584

SeeSaw Login

If you have questions or difficulty accessing your student’s account please direct your inquiries to: seesaw.support@ridgeline.org. Office staff will be available via this email Monday - Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and will respond within 24 hours. 

Seesaw’s How to for Students may provide additional guidance when we are not available.

All K-3 students will receive an email from seesaw.support@ridgeline.org titled "Student Access to Seesaw" this email will contain instructions as well as the QR code that will be necessary for login.  Keep in mind that this code is like a password. Please keep it safe and don’t share it. 

All ridgeline accounts follow the same format: FirstName.LastName@Ridgeline.org

If you forget your password check with your teacher or classroom assistant, they may be able to tell you your password.  If you changed your password and didn't tell them, or the password doesn't work anymore they will request a password reset.