Mountain Village School News

The quote above comes to us from one of the children in the Pre-K classroom, this week they attended the Stowe Performing Arts program "Music in May" to see Marimba player Makoto Nakura. Reminder: We are closed on Monday in observance of Memorial Day. We hope you enjoy the long weekend and unofficial start to summer. Classroom Happenings All teachers wanted to mention that with the warmer weather we will be playing with water. Please send along bathing suits/swim diapers, sunscreen and sun hats if you haven't already. Thank you! Infant I: Lots of outdoor time this week, we really had great luck getting everyone outdoors, to explore and enjoy the weather. The children's moods were mellow and happy as they took in the sun. We've been digging in the dirt with various utensils and containers, then filling them back up with dirt, water and rocks. Our walkers are enjoying trips around the playground while holding the hands of teachers or peers. We're noticing

Spring seems to be hitting it's stride this week. All of us have been enjoying time spent outdoors and observing the discoveries the children are making about their changing surroundings. Songbirds, butterflies, buds and blooms have made for some magic this week... Classroom Happenings Infant I: We've been absorbing all around us through our senses. We're listening to the sounds of the birds, as well as the noises from trucks on the street or planes in the sky. We carefully look to spot these things when we hear their sounds. We have been touching anything and everything outside, and have been tasting the grass, dirt, water, and hay. We also played quite a bit on the wood pallets; we pretended they were boats and rocked back and forth, singing along as we went. We have been practicing using gentle hands with peers, especially when they are younger and smaller than us. Infant II: This week we welcomed a child into our classroom from Infant I. The transition has

"To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring." - George Santayana Note: We had a significant amount of positive feedback from last week's article on kids and conflict. If there's ever a topic you'd like me to explore/investigate in the newsletter, please email me at: mountainvillageschoolvt@gmail.com. You can put "Sam Newsletter Idea" in the subject. We want the newsletter to be a place to answer questions and start though provoking dialogues, and your suggestions can help that process along. Thanks! Early Ed in the News It seems like everywhere I turned this week there was one mention or another about pertinent issues regarding early education. Here are a few to catch if you missed them: Tuesday's Vermont Edition, "Gearing Up for Universal Pre-K" VPR Commentary from Charlotte Albright, "Teaching our Children Well" Article from the NY Times Well

Green Up Day Yesterday afternoon we spent a little time "greening up" the area surrounding school. We want to impart to the children the importance of going through the world with both kindness and gentleness. This extends to the environment around us, as our actions impact both the landscape and the people who live here. The simple act of picking up litter can spark conversations that relate to empathy, community, and service. We hope you continue these conversations with your children at home this Green Up Day ! Happy Mother's Day We want to wish a Happy Mother's Day to all and hope you enjoy the day with your families (all while soaking up tons of appreciation). Yay Moms! Helping Children Navigate Conflict A few weeks ago several teachers attended a training at the Lamoille Family Center called "Helping Children Resolve Conflicts and Manage Anger." The training was presented by local author and presenter Scott Noyes . A lot of his work focuses on us