Head of School Newsletter: November

PFM Families,

What a beautiful and busy Fall it has been! Thank you for attending all of the October events that we put on here at PFM; from our classroom information nights to our annual Halloween Sing-along. We feel very supported by our PFM families!

This month the infant room welcomes Julian Camarda! Julian and mom met some families already when they attended the playground party, so I am sure they will feel right at home here in no time. North Preschool welcomes Taani on November 5th and Zora on November 19th. We are excited to welcome all of these new children to PFM!

We hope you join us on November 15 for our annual Thanksgiving brunch. The children will bake yummy goodies for you to enjoy on this day. Show up to your child’s classroom between 7:30am and 9:00am to partake in this festive gathering. Stay as long as you are able to and be sure to let us know if you need any help with your child saying goodbye as you leave.

Have a wonderful month everyone!

Teddi Blades

Director & Owner, PFM


November Infant Newsletter

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Hello November~

This month, we welcome a new friend, Julian, to the infant classroom!

Our theme for November is animals. We will read about them and enjoy working with stuffed animals. The infants will complete an animal art collage! (The collage will be hung on our wall for the infants to see.) Your child’s artwork will be saved in a binder that will follow them to the toddler and preschool classrooms!

 
“Learn to move, move to learn:
Babies need to move freely in a safe
place. When babies are allowed to move
and explore on their own, they learn about
their environment and abilities. Babies
develop confidence and problem-solving
skills as they move, explore, and relate to
their environment. ”
— RIE Principal
 

Dates to remember:

  • PFM will be closed November 12 for Veteran's Day
  • Join us for Thanksgiving brunch on November 15 from 7:30-9:00am
  • PFM will be closed November 22-23 for the Thanksgiving holiday

Classroom reminder:

Please ensure bottles arrive at school labeled and ready, including: your child's full name, date, type of milk (whether breast milk, formula, cow's milk, etc.), and milk quantity. Thank you!

 
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November Toddler Newsletter

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Hello November~

 
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This month, the toddler students will focus on leaves! Work will include leaf lacing, leaf matching, leaf rubbing, and working with leaf cookie cutters (with cinnamon Play-Doh). We will also have leaves, pinecones, and sticks incorporated into the sensory bin.

Additionally, we will learn about animals that live in the forest. This will be part of a matching work, available on the shelf in the toddler classroom.

 

“The child has a mind able to absorb knowledge.”--Maria Montessori

Dates to remember:

  • PFM will be closed November 12 for Veteran's Day
  • Join us for Thanksgiving brunch on November 15 from 7:30-9:00am
  • PFM will be closed November 22-23 for the Thanksgiving holiday

Quick Classroom Reminders:

  • Please store rain gear (including boots, coats, and rain pants) at school

  • If you have questions about your child's day, we invite you to email us at toddlers@pacificfirstmontessori.com

 

 

 

 

November Birthdays:

Coming soon!

 
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Head of School Newsletter: October

PFM Families,

The Fall season brings us cooler weather, leaves changing their colors, and this year, OUR NEW PLAYGROUND!!! We are so excited for our playground remodel and cannot wait for the children to enjoy it each and every day.  We hope to see you all at the ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, October 13, at 10:30am.

This month the toddler room welcomes Lars and Nathaniel from the infant room!  These guys are ready to join their older buddies to see what toddlerhood is all about. North Preschool welcomed Cedric Jacob and Aarav Kulkarni in mid-September and Freya Straume will join South Preschool in mid-October. The children are showing great skills in sharing and forming friendships while at school and have been so nice to their old and new friends.

School photos are on Wednesday, October 3, so be sure to have your child photo-ready when you arrive!  Toddler parents, please join us for Toddler Information Night on Thursday, October 4, from 5:00 to 6:00 pm in the toddler room. This is a good chance to get together to meet other toddler families, discuss “all things toddler,” learn more how the toddler classroom works, and have your questions answered.  Home visits begin in October for infants, toddlers and preschoolers as well. We will be sharing more information with you about this soon.

Halloween is a FUN time at Pacific First Montessori and we encourage all children to come dressed up that day (with extra clothes to change into). We will parade around the building and preschoolers will sing songs for parents at 9:30am on the second level by American Eagle Outfitters. You won’t want to miss this! We also have a very special field trip planned for preschoolers on Thursday, October 25. Preschoolers will take a yellow school bus to the pumpkin farm! This is always a favorite for the children and we hope you can join us! Also, prospective Kindergarten parents should join us at PFM on October 23 for Kindergarten Information Night. We will have a Kindergarten Transition Specialist here to answer all of your questions.

Have a wonderful month everyone!

Teddi Blades

Director & Owner, PFM

October Infant Newsletter

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Hello October~

This month’s theme is autumn! We will celebrate the autumn season by going to the market and selecting pumpkins for our classroom. The pumpkins will be a sensory work for the infants to enjoy! Additionally, we will complete a corn-husk painting project for you to take home at the end of the month.

Many infants are trying new foods at school. During feeding times (such as breakfast and lunch), we utilize low-seated chairs and tables. We also hold infants—who are too small for the chairs—in our laps. They are encouraged to self-feed by drinking from open cups and using utensils. When babies practice self-help skills (such as feeding), the develop large and small motor skills, gain confidence, and become more independent.

 
“Learn to move, move to learn:
Babies need to move freely in a safe
place. When babies are allowed to move
and explore on their own, they learn about
their environment and abilities. Babies
develop confidence and problem-solving
skills as they move, explore, and relate to
their environment. ”
— RIE Principal
 

Dates to remember:

  • Home visits begin this month!
  • October 3: Infant photos (Please have your child dressed and ready for individual and sibling photos.)
  • October 8-10: PFM closed for playground remodel
  • October 31: Preschool Halloween sing at 9:30am

Classroom reminder:

If your child needs formula (for bottle-feeding), please have bottles pre-made when arriving at school. It is helpful to keep extra forumla in your child's cubby. Please also ensure your child has a rain coat and pants in their cubby. Thank you!

 
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October Toddler Newsletter

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Hello October~

 
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This month, the toddler students will learn about farming! They will enjoy pumpkin washing and work with pumpkins and cornmeal in the sensory bin. The toddlers will complete farm-animal puzzles and study animal tracks using playdoh. Expect to see ample pumpkin-inspired art work adorning our toddler classroom!

 

“The senses, being explorers of the world, open the way to knowledge.”--Maria Montessori

Dates to remember:

  • Home visits begin this month!
  • PFM will be closed October 8-10 for our playground remodel

Quick Classroom Reminders:

  • We invite you to have your child wear their Halloween costume to school on October 31—we will watch the annual preschool Halloween Sing

  • Please store rain gear (including boots, coats, and rain pants) at school

  • If you have questions about your child's day, we invite you to email us at toddlers@pacificfirstmontessori.com

 

 

 

 

October Birthday:

Camilla (2) October 15!

 
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NEW -- October Afternoon Preschool Newsletter

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Hello October~

New to our newsletters—welcome to afternoon preschool. =)

In September, we launched into space! The students took turns being astronauts and rode the PFM “rocket” to the moon. We explored the terrain and communicated with the control center at NASA. We also learned about the weather on earth and dressed up for rainy and snowy days.

Students enjoyed taking a trip to the “library” (in our classroom) to practice checking out books and returning them to the appropriate shelf. The afternoon works were book themed—we wore cardigans, glasses, and issued library cards! We also visited to the hair and nail salon, mall, and many other fun places.

In October, our theme will be all things farm-related. We will take turns milking cows, collecting eggs, and plucking carrots. We will visit a Parisian cafe to enjoy crullers and sip “coffee.” Of course, all food items will be purchased with euros.

In addition, we will visit the market to buy fresh fruits and veggies and trick-or-treat throughout our PFM “neighborhood.”

Afternoon Preschool Updates:

If you'd like to see our afternoon preschool program in action, we invite you to visit our space anytime between 4:00-5:00pm!

 
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October North Preschool Newsletter

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Hello October~

 
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This month, the North Preschool students will work with pumpkins! We will enjoy pumpkin scrubbing and pumpkin painting. We will also carve jack-o-lanterns and bake homemade pumpkin bread to share.

“Whoever touches the life of a child, touches the most sensitive part of a whole which has roots in the most distant past and climbs toward the infinite future.”--Maria Montessori

Dates to remember:

  • PFM home visits begin in October (details to follow)
  • School will be closed October 8-10 for our playground remodel
  • Kindergarten Info Night 4:00-5:00pm on October 23
  • Pumpkin farm field trip on October 25
  • Halloween parade and sing at 9:30am on October 31

Quick Classroom Reminders:

  • We invite you to have your child wear their Halloween costume to school on October 31 for our annual parade and “spooky” Halloween Sing (at 9:30am)—students will change after the performance

  • Please be sure your child has extra clothes in his/her cubby

  • Please store rain gear (including boots, coats, and rain pants) at school

 

 

 

October Birthdays:

Keira (3)--October 1 ; Melat (3)--October 8!

 
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Contact

tblades@pacificfirstmontessori.com