Hello, Friends. It’s Monday, February 24th, 2014 and it’s another beautiful day in L.A. which is a good way to welcome more busy weeks and months ahead. Here’s what we’ve got going:
February 25th (Tuesday): I’m sooooo looking forward to our first Tea with Roleen and Grandparents tomorrow afternoon from 2:30 to 4:30. Thanks to Marianne Tauber (Fiona’s Mamama) for hosting what I hope to be the first of many gatherings to come. I know a lot of you expressed a want for this and we will play with the times to see how we can best accommodate everyone who wants to be a part of this wonderfully loving community. This Mutti is looking forward to learning from those who have walked the path of Grandparenting before me! Fun!
March 1st: The new year registration should be finalized and letters have already gone out in the mail. This is never my favorite time of year and though it’s wonderful to see so many great families wanting to be a part of our community, it’s very difficult to say “no” and in many cases, to your friends. I just have to keep breathing and knowing that there are just some things I can’t control! Wow, is that a reality check?!
March 3rd (Monday): New School Western’s Silent Auction Online Bidding begins.
There will be “Buy It Now” prices set at 80-90% of value – great opportunities to get some good deals. Register for the auction today, so you can be eligible to bid online: https://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/user/register.action?showingBilling=true&auctionId=207129283
Also, NOW is the time to buy your March 22nd New School Western event tickets. All you can eat and drink: https://www.biddingforgood.com/auction/event/event.action?auctionId=207129283
March 3rd: EW Parent-Teacher Conferences begin. Schedules are out by the sign in/out sheets so keep a look out and be sure to let the teachers know if there is a conflict. We will work around your availability as best we can. WW Parent-Teacher Conferences will begin after our return from Spring Break but if there is anything you’d like to talk with us about before that, don’t hesitate to let us know. Please don’t wait for the conferences to share important information.
March 7th (Friday): SCHOOL WILL BE CLOSED for the annual Reggio Teachers’ Retreat. We are collaborating with Branches Atelier and The Growing Place to plan a day that has us reviewing our school values and looking deeper at how we extend our learning. How do we include the outdoors and our community of gardeners to support outside (and inside) learning opportunities? Tricia from Branches will lead a morning dialogue and then we’ll break into small groups for discussion before heading out into the community to visit Westchester Community Garden, Venice High Learning Garden, SMC Organic Learning Garden, and Walgrove Elementary Community Garden (and maybe a couple of more surprises). Working with the other schools always inspires us and we’ll keep you connected.
March 9th: Daylight Savings Time is back so remember to “Spring Forward” your clocks and prepare for a little disequilibrium as we adjust to the time change.
March 13th (Thursday): Coffee with Roleen 9:30 to 11:30 at the Spector’s house. Look for sign ups on the door.
March 20th (Thursday) and March 21st (Friday): We are hosting a morning for the teachers at Kigala Preschool from 8:30 to 11:30 and one for the teachers at Palisades Preschool from 9 to noon so you will see some new faces when you come with your children on those mornings. These days are a part of our Educator Tour series that has us not only earning money for our own tour in Sweden but has us “stretching ourselves” by having the teachers present their work with different learning lenses. It’s a win/win and we loving the experience of opening our doors.
March 22nd (Saturday): It’s our New School Western Silent Auction Party from 6 to 10 and the fundraising committee is working hard to keep up the tradition of making this event one you don’t want to miss. Get your cowboy/girl boots on and let’s party!
March 28th: I’ll be leaving for Sweden a week earlier than the teachers just to make sure everything’s ready to go for their arrival. That, and I’ll be staying in Amsterdam and touring the sites a bit. Any connections I should know? I’ll be with Ellen Khokha (former Executive Director of The Growing Place) and we’re going in blindly. Should be an adventure!
April: Trike a Thon dates TBD
April 2nd (Wednesday): The teachers are hosting my ECE 51 Reggio class’ field trip from 3:30 to 6:00 so you will see some new faces at pick up time. Visiting NSW as well as The Growing Place is one of the highlights of the class. Sharing the work in practice after learning theory is when real learning happens and I’m always so proud of everything that goes on around here.
April 7th to 18th: Spring Break: The teachers will be leaving for Sweden on April 6th and return on the 12th.
April 14th to 18th: Spring Camp. Jessica will be organizing this so keep a look out for sign ups in the hall and contact her if you have any questions.
April 21st (Monday): School is back in session. We will also be hosting the teachers from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Preschool in Tustin from 8:30 to 3:30.
April 23rd (Wednesday): Coffee with Roleen. Location TBD
April 24th (Thursday): Public School Kindergarten Information Night here at NSW from 6:45 to 9. This night is for families who will be entering kindergarten in 2015 but, of course, you are all welcome. Last year’s night was so successful that we’ve invited Maddie (EW)’s dad Miles and a grad mom Jennifer Takata to come back and facilitate the evening’s discussion. We’ll be sending out information closer to the time.
So here we go again. . .coordinating calendars and busy as ever. Thanks, Mike, (Olivia WW) for fixing the glitches with our blog. I think now everyone has a NSWparents blog reminder that goes directly to their email so you all know when something new is happening. I hope so, anyway. Getting you all connected is a lifelong dream of mine. I love you and thanks for all you do for us. xoxoxoR