January 2024

Peek Inside our Children’s House Community

Hello Bobcat families, 

 Hello Bobcat families, 

 Happy 2024! May the new year bring us peace, joy, and happiness. We hope you all had a great winter break! . We would like to welcome to Waylon and Barrett to the Bobcat Children’s House! 

 The beginning of a new year seems like a great time to send home some tips for Winter Wellness: 

  1. Extra sleep: With the shorter, cooler days and longer nights, our bodies naturally need more sleep. Try putting your child to bed 30 minutes earlier than usual in the winter months. A sleep deprived body is more susceptible to illness. 

  2. Get outside and exercise with your child. Bundle up, and take a walk. Even 15-minute walk can make a difference. Exercise naturally supports a healthy mood and energy levels. 

  3. Offer your child more protein at each meal. Protein helps keep blood sugar level stable, and can reduce sugar cravings. Many people increase carbohydrate and sugar intake during winter months, which can compromise the immune system. 

  4. Focus on fruit and vegetables, it is important to get a variety of fruit and vegetables every single day during Wintertime. 

*Please, please keep your child at home if he/she is not feeling well. You know your child better than anyone and you know when they are not their usual self. We have sent many children back home due to high fever and cough these last weeks.  

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

 Thank you, as always, for all your support! 

 Ms. Hany and Ms. Joselyne 

 
 
 

CACTUS WREN

Dear Cactus Wren Families, 

Happy new year to everyone! It has been an amazing first month back in the classroom. We also would like to extend a warm welcome to our new families joining us this semester! It has been a joy getting to know your children and to have your families as a part of our Cactus Wren community. 

This past month, the children learned about Antartica and other cold places in the world. They have been studying the different flora and fauna that call these places home, and a favorite has been the penguins, especially the baby emperor penguins. We have also been studying the ecosystem of ponds in class, and the lifecycles of frogs.  

The children have been listening to music by composer Edvard Grieg. In the Hall of the Mountain King from the play Peer Gynt is enjoyed during lunch time. We have also been reading together various poems from around the world this month, focusing on animals found on different continents. The children have also been exploring new recipes to bake in class and below is the one they have been using to make Lemon Cake. We hope you enjoy the cake as much as we do in class! 

Lemon Cake 

Ingredients 

  • 1 cup of white sugar 

  • ½ cup of softened butter 

  • 2 large eggs 

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 

  • 1 ¾ teaspoons baking powder 

  • ¾ cup milk 

  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest 

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice 

Directions 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan. 

  2. Beat sugar and butter together in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract until well combined. 

  3. Sift flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl; add to creamed mixture until incorporated. 

  4. Pour in milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice, mix until smooth. 

  5. Spoon batter into the prepared pan. 

  6. Bake in te oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool and enjoy! 

 Thank you, families, for a great start to the new year. We are excited to see all the new things and experiences your children will have in the Spring semester! 

Warmly,

Ms. Laura & Ms. Annette 

 
 

Hello Gray Fox families, 

 Hello Gray Fox Families,

Happy New Year! I hope everyone is doing well. January has been a super exciting month for us in the Gray Fox classroom and can't wait to share the highlights with you!

We started the year with lots of energy and enthusiasm.This month, we had a blast learning about animals. From cute pets to wild creatures, our classroom was buzzing with animal excitement!

Guess what? We had real-life heroes visit us – firefighters! They taught us about staying safe and what to do in emergencies. It was so much fun! Thanks to Nico Gaona's Family.

Birthdays are always a big deal here, and January was full of Sun celebrations, smiles, and good times. Happy birthday to all our amazing friends!

We also enjoyed the rainy days and chilling in the winter weather.

Thank you for being part of our Gray Fox family. I can't wait for more fun and learning in the coming months!

Warm Regards, Ms. Rama.

 
 

JACKRABBIT

Hello Dear Jackrabbit Families, 

 We hope everyone had a happy and restful winter break. The children came back eager to work, practice their lessons and receiving new ones. It is so beautiful to witness an explosion of works in the environment. The children were excited to write about their winter break using the moveable alphabets. So wonderful to see the leaders of the classroom take the new children under their wings. We often observe a 5 or 6 year old child preparing snack with a 3 or 4 year old or showing them a lesson. The way they guide them is truly a pleasure to witness. This month, we welcomed our new friends Simon, Marcos, Louisa, and Kennedy. The children have been so kind and welcoming.  

 Every day before lunch, we recite a poem together in Spanish and in English. I am sharing this poem in case you would like to use it with your family at dinner time. I am sure the children will be delighted to make this connection between their school environment and home.

 “Gracias por los árboles, 

Gracias por el sol, 

Gracias por mi comida, 

Gracias por mi”

 Buen provecho pueden comer. 

“Thank you for the trees, 

Thank you for the sun, 

Thank you for my food, 

Thank you for me”

 

Thank you for your constant support!

With much love and gratitude,  

 Ms. Yadira and Ms. Karen 

 
 
Jill Rovira