Thank you for stopping by our class webapge. We will use this page and our Class Dojo to communicate this year. Most photos will be shared via Class Dojo. Please look for that log-in information after TK Tea. Those who do not sign up may be reminded several times until all set up -- it is an important way for us to stay in touch. We will add our weekly digital newsletter to Dojo and this webpage, newest update at the top, in case you need to scroll down to see previously shared information.
1st Semester October Conference Sign Up: Link
Class Snack Sign Up: LINK
Playdough Sign Up (Make & Send a fresh batch of playdough -- unless a special color is requested, you and your child may choose!) - Coming Soon!
Room Parent contact info: Chrissy Harter, Caleb's mom
→ Week 10 -- 10th Week of School October 12-16, 2026
Happy Weekend, TK-D Families! 💗
I hope you enjoyed Friday's park playdate organized by our wonderful room parent, Chrissie Harter! I was disappointed to miss it due to a last-minute doctor's appointment, but I hope everyone had fun connecting and building our special TK-D community!
A Quick Personal Update 💕
I've had a few doctor's appointments recently and wanted to reassure you that I'm doing fine! Some lingering fatigue after COVID led to lab work that revealed a thyroid issue I've dealt with before. I'm working on getting my medication adjusted and hope to have my energy back soon. Thank you for your patience if I've been a little slower responding to messages!
Parent Conferences Next Week! 📅
Next week is ALL EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS for parent conferences! I'm excited to talk with you about YOUR FAVORITE PERSON! We'll celebrate your child's strengths, share where they're shining, and discuss a few areas where we can work together to support their growth. These first conferences are all about building our family-school partnership!
Please SIGN UP FOR YOUR CONFERENCE.
I love meeting in person, but Zoom is absolutely an option! Just indicate your preference in the far-right column of the sign-up sheet.
Zoom Information:
Meeting ID: 879 0451 7571
Password: 5678
What's Happening in TK-D? 🌈
We're continuing our IB unit exploring feelings, friendships, communication, and learning to work together.
In math, we're exploring numbers 5–10, practicing correct number formation, and building patterns. Many students are ready for an extra challenge, so we've also introduced simple addition, number bonds, and ways to combine smaller groups to make larger numbers.
It's wonderful to see students excited about math and sharing their thinking with classmates!
Try some math at home! Make patterns with silverware, find patterns at the grocery store, or count and combine everyday objects. Keep it playful and follow your child's curiosity!
📚Book Fair - Wednesday 9:50-10:20am -- Please Join Us, if able!
The Scholastic Book📚 Fair is almost here, October 15th through the 23rd! This is a wonderful way to encourage your child’s love❤️ of reading, grow their personal library, and support our school. The fair is also a great place to shop for winter holiday gifts. Books📚 are available in English and Spanish.
Set up an eWallet on the fair’s website: Shop Now »
Location
In the school library & online
Who Can Attend
Students and their families
When (Student Visits)
Students will come to the fair once with their class
Fall 2026 Book Fair Schedule for Classes
Family Shopping Days and Hours
Monday–Thursday, Oct. 19th-22nd from 12:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 23rd until 1:00 p.m.
Questions? Please email Ms. Gullans at rgullans@aeacs.org.
🎨 Art Change → Now Thursday 8:15-8:50 -- Please volunteer if able! We will walk straight to Art and have our recess and snack AFTER. This is only on A weeks, which the coming week is. If you are set up to volunteer, please sign in at the office and join us!
I'm looking forward to connecting with each of you next week. Enjoy your weekend!
Be Safe, Have Fun!
Mary 💗
Upcoming Dates:
October 21st -- BOOK FAIR VISIT for TK-D 9:50-10:20am
October 22nd - ART - 8:15-8:50 - Please volunteer!
October 19–23 – Scholastic Book Fair 📚
Volunteers needed! Ms. Gullans would LOVE some TK volunteers!
October 19–23 – Parent Conference Week
⏰ MINIMUM DAYS ALL WEEK — Be sure to sign up for your conference!
Saturday, October 24 – Ace’s Birthday! 🎂
Wednesday, October 28 – Ms. Veronica’s Birthday! 🎂
Friday, October 30 – Character Day 📖
Students may dress as a favorite book character. Please keep costumes cute, school-appropriate - not scary, and connect that costume to a book!
Semana 10 - ¡Feliz fin de semana, familias de TK-D!💗
¡Espero que hayan disfrutado de la tarde de juegos en el parque del viernes, organizada por nuestra maravillosa madre delegada, Chrissie Harter! Me dio mucha pena perdérmela por una cita médica de última hora, pero espero que todos se hayan divertido conectando y fortaleciendo nuestra comunidad especial de TK-D.
Una breve actualización personal💕
He tenido algunas citas médicas últimamente y quería asegurarles que estoy bien. Un poco de fatiga persistente después de la COVID me llevó a hacerme análisis que revelaron un problema de tiroides que ya había tenido antes. Estoy ajustando mi medicación y espero recuperar mi energía pronto. ¡Gracias por su paciencia si he tardado un poco en responder a los mensajes!
¡Reuniones de padres la próxima semana!📅
La semana que viene esTODOS LOS DÍAS DE SALIDA TEMPRANA¡Prepárense para las reuniones con los padres! ¡Me entusiasma hablar con ustedes sobre SU PERSONA FAVORITA! Celebraremos las fortalezas de su hijo/a, compartiremos sus talentos y conversaremos sobre algunas áreas en las que podemos trabajar juntos para apoyar su desarrollo. ¡Estas primeras reuniones tienen como objetivo fortalecer la colaboración entre la familia y la escuela!
Por favor INSCRÍBETE EN TU CONFERENCIA.
Me encanta reunirme en persona, ¡pero Zoom también es una opción! Simplemente indica tu preferencia en la columna de la derecha del formulario de inscripción.
Información de Zoom:
ID de la reunión: 879 0451 7571
Contraseña: 5678
¿Qué está pasando en TK-D?🌈
Continuamos con nuestra unidad del Bachillerato Internacional explorando los sentimientos, la amistad, la comunicación y el aprendizaje del trabajo en equipo.
En matemáticas, estamos explorando los números del 5 al 10, practicando la escritura correcta de los números y creando patrones. Muchos estudiantes están listos para un desafío adicional, así que también hemos introducido sumas sencillas, combinaciones de números y maneras de combinar grupos pequeños para formar números más grandes.
Es maravilloso ver a los estudiantes entusiasmados con las matemáticas y compartiendo sus conocimientos.pensamiento¡Con mis compañeros de clase!
¡Practica matemáticas en casa!Crea patrones con los cubiertos, busca patrones en el supermercado o cuenta y combina objetos cotidianos. ¡Que sea un juego y deja que tu hijo explore su curiosidad!
📚 Feria del Libro - Miércoles, 9:50–10:20 a. m. — ¡Acompáñenos, si puede!
¡La Feria del Libro de Scholastic📚 llega pronto, del 15 al 23 de octubre! Es una excelente manera de fomentar el amor❤️ por la lectura en su hijo(a), ampliar su biblioteca personal y apoyar a nuestra escuela. La feria también es un lugar ideal para comprar regalos para las fiestas de fin de año. Habrá libros📚 disponibles tanto en inglés como en español.
Las compras se pueden realizar mediante: Scholastic eWallet, efectivo, cheque (a nombre de AEA), tarjeta de crédito o Apple Pay.
Configure una cuenta eWallet en el sitio web de la feria: Comprar ahora »
¿Por qué es importante? Nuestra escuela recibe el 50 % de todas las ventas en "Scholastic Dollars", que utilizamos para adquirir libros📚 nuevos para las aulas y la biblioteca. ¡Gracias por apoyar a nuestros lectores y a nuestra comunidad escolar!
Nota importante: La organización "Friends of Albert Einstein Academies" (nuestra asociación de padres y maestros, PTO) ofrecerá un libro📚 gratuito a cada estudiante durante la feria de otoño. La mayoría de los estudiantes recogerán su libro gratuito cuando su clase visite la feria. Los libros gratuitos deben tener un precio de $10 o menos.
Ubicación
En la biblioteca escolar y en línea.
¿Quiénes pueden asistir?
Los estudiantes y sus familias.
¿Cuándo? (Visitas de los estudiantes)
Los estudiantes visitarán la feria una vez junto con su clase.
Calendario de visitas de las clases para la Feria del Libro de otoño de 2026
Días y horarios de compra para las familias
Lunes a jueves, del 19 al 22 de octubre, de 12:30 a 4:00 p. m.
Viernes, 23 de octubre, hasta la 1:00 p. m.
¿Tiene preguntas? Por favor, envíe un correo electrónico a la Sra. Gullans a rgullans@aeacs.org.
🎨 Cambio en la clase de Arte → Ahora será los jueves, de 8:15 a 8:50 a. m. — ¡Por favor, considere ser voluntario(a) si puede! Iremos directamente a la clase de Arte y tendremos el recreo y el refrigerio DESPUÉS. Esto aplica solo durante las "semanas A" (la próxima semana es una de ellas). Si usted ya está registrado(a) como voluntario(a), por favor regístrese en la oficina y acompáñenos.
Espero poder comunicarme con todos ustedes la próxima semana. ¡Que disfruten del fin de semana!
¡Diviértete y mantente a salvo!
Mary 💗
Próximas fechas:
21 de octubre: VISITA A LA FERIA DEL LIBRO para TK-D, de 9:50 a 10:20 a. m.
22 de octubre: ARTE, de 8:15 a 8:50; ¡por favor, anímense a participar como voluntarios!
Del 19 al 23 de octubre – Feria del Libro Scholastic 📚
¡Se necesitan voluntarios! La Sra. Gullans lo haría.AMAR¡Algunos voluntarios de TK!
Del 19 al 23 de octubre: Semana de reuniones con los padres
⏰MÍNIMO DE DÍAS TODA LA SEMANA—¡No olvides inscribirte en la conferencia!
Sábado, 24 de octubre: ¡Cumpleaños de Ace! 🎂
Miércoles 28 de octubre – ¡Cumpleaños de la Sra. Verónica! 🎂
Viernes, 30 de octubre – Día de los Personajes 📖
Los estudiantes pueden vestirse como su favorito personaje de libroPor favor, que los disfraces sean bonitos, apropiados para la escuela (no den miedo) y que estén relacionados con un libro.
→ Week 9 -- 9th Week of School October 2-9, 2026
Well, here is the latest of all weekly updates - so far…Happy Monday! I hope you enjoyed the RAIN this weekend. I enjoyed a LOT of time on the couch resting. It helped me remember that we should all be aware of our RAIN PROCEDURE on school days. Instead of walking students to the patio area, you will walk them to our TK-D classroom.
As we begin the short week tomorrow, on Tuesday -- we will also begin our new IB unit 2: How We Express Ourselves - Feelings are connected to behaviors. In math we will move from patterning to numbers 1-10. Students have been working on their “alligator” grip with the pencil, using scissors and glue, and overall getting more comfortable with the classroom and school routines and environment.
Next week will be ALL EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS so that we can have 1:1 conferences. I reached out to those who have not yet signed up, but in case you forget when you signed up or you need to make a change, here is the link: Fall 2026 TK-D Conference Sign Up Unless you have requested a Zoom meeting, we will meet in the classroom on most days. For the Wednesday conferences, though, we will not meet in the classroom because AfterStein uses our room. I will let you know where we will meet as we get closer.
Speaking of letters and letter formation, this is the guide we use at AEA for letter formation prompts. In case you are writing at home with your child, you can use these prompts to support.
See you all tomorrow!
Mary
Upcoming Dates:
October 19–23 – Scholastic Book Fair 📚
Volunteers needed! Ms. Gullans would LOVE some TK volunteers!
October 19–23 – Parent Conference Week
⏰ MINIMUM DAYS ALL WEEK — Be sure to sign up for your conference!
Saturday, October 24 – Ace’s Birthday! 🎂
Wednesday, October 28 – Ms. Veronica’s Birthday! 🎂
Friday, October 30 – Character Day 📖
Students may dress as a favorite book character. Please keep costumes cute, school-appropriate - not scary, and connect that costume to a book!
Week 9 Spanish Translation:
Bueno, aquí están las últimas actualizaciones semanales hasta ahora… ¡Feliz lunes! Espero que hayan disfrutado de la lluvia este fin de semana. Yo disfruté mucho tiempo en el sofá descansando. Me ayudó a recordar que todos debemos tener en cuenta nuestro PROCEDIMIENTO PARA DÍAS DE LLUVIA en los días de clase. En lugar de acompañar a los estudiantes al patio, los acompañarán a nuestro salón de clases de TK-D.
Mañana, martes, al comenzar la semana corta, también iniciaremos nuestra nueva unidad 2 del IB: Cómo nos expresamos: Los sentimientos están conectados con los comportamientos. En matemáticas, pasaremos de los patrones a los números del 1 al 10. Los alumnos han estado practicando su agarre de "cocodrilo" con el lápiz, usando tijeras y pegamento, y en general, sintiéndose más cómodos con el aula, las rutinas y el entorno escolar.
La próxima semana todos los días saldrán temprano para que podamos tener reuniones individuales. Me comuniqué con quienes aún no se han inscrito, pero en caso de que olviden cuándo se inscribieron o necesiten hacer algún cambio, aquí tienen el enlace:Fall 2026 TK-D Conference Sign Up A menos que haya solicitado una reunión por Zoom, nos reuniremos en el aula la mayoría de los días. Sin embargo, para las conferencias de los miércoles, nos reuniremos en el aula.noNos reuniremos en el aula porque AfterStein usa nuestra sala. Les avisaré dónde nos encontraremos cuando se acerque la fecha.
Hablando de letras y formación de letras,Esta es la guíaEn AEA utilizamos estas indicaciones para la formación de letras. Si escribes en casa con tu hijo/a, puedes usarlas como apoyo.
¡Nos vemos mañana!
María
Próximas fechas:
Del 19 al 23 de octubre – Feria del Libro Scholastic 📚
¡Se necesitan voluntarios! La Sra. Gullans lo haría.AMAR¡Algunos voluntarios de TK!
Del 19 al 23 de octubre: Semana de reuniones con los padres
⏰MÍNIMO DE DÍAS TODA LA SEMANA—¡No olvides inscribirte en la conferencia!
Sábado, 24 de octubre: ¡Cumpleaños de Ace! 🎂
Miércoles 28 de octubre – ¡Cumpleaños de la Sra. Verónica! 🎂
Viernes, 30 de octubre – Día de los Personajes 📖
Los estudiantes pueden vestirse como su favoritopersonaje de libroPor favor, que los disfraces sean bonitos, apropiados para la escuela (no den miedo) y que estén relacionados con un libro.
→ Week 8 -- 8th Week of School September 28-October 2, 2026
We started off chill…and now things are heating up! Next week will start off HOT, too. I know the school has messaged on Dojo about how we are adapting -- meaning we’ll stay indoors as much as possible. Today we ate indoors at lunch and were able to keep pretty cool…PE was in the MPR, too, which has AC. Phew! That said, be sure to send the refillable water bottles and extra fruit for snacks -- or cucumbers and tomatoes -- that have extra water content will be helpful.
Friday we enjoyed a great TK-only Frau Claudia singing time for German Unity Day -- so much fun! She is a rockstar! So thankful we have her as our German musik teacher!!
Next week is our final week of our IB unit about FAMILY! We will work on the concept of a Family Tree next week…and as you saw with our Question of the Day about siblings -- I WILL NEED YOUR HELP! There will be a little homework on Monday -- please sketch out the Family Tree paper that will come home and SEND BACK TUESDAY. (Wednesday at the latest…or you can email me the info, if needed.) We will also talk about how each of our families is connected to the wider world community.
This project I am about to share with you connects with our discussions about how our individual families are connected to the wider world. As a school, we are integrating writing into helping our world by writing letters to and making cards for Navy sailors who will be deploying soon. We have a family here at AEA who is on that deployment and also have a Navy family in TK-D…and my own dad served in the Navy for 21 years -- so, we will be making cards in class, but you are also welcome to make cards or drawings at home to send in for our mailing, as well. You can clip it in the planner and we’ll mail it out.
I cannot believe we have been in school over 25% of the year! That said, we are working through over 25% of some of our supplies already 😂 -- if you are interested in donating some basics - we are in need of more:
Colored pencils
Baby wipes
Fun or seasonal stickers for Planners 🤩🥳
Spray cleaner for tables (any brand - for teachers to use, not students)
Artsonia slips will go home Monday -- these are IMPORTANT!! Your child’s art work with Mrs. Heinzelmann does NOT go home until the END of the year. It comes in a portfolio, which is wonderful to have all in one place safely tucked away…but…you will need to set up Artsonia to see your child’s work throughout the year. You can also make purchases showing your child’s artwork -- things like a mug, shirt, jewelry, etc. I believe it is 20% of sales go back to our very own art program…so, your keepsake will also help our whole school’s art budget!
Upcoming Dates:
Wednesday, October 7 – Vianeth’s Birthday! 🎂
Friday, October 9 – Elementary School Picture Day 📸
UNIFORMS REQUIRED
October 19–23 – Scholastic Book Fair 📚
Volunteers needed! Ms. Gullans would LOVE some TK volunteers!
October 19–23 – Parent Conference Week
⏰ MINIMUM DAYS ALL WEEK — Be sure to sign up for your conference!
Saturday, October 24 – Ace’s Birthday! 🎂
Wednesday, October 28 – Ms. Veronica’s Birthday! 🎂
Friday, October 30 – Character Day 📖
Students may dress as a favorite book character. Please keep costumes cute, school-appropriate - not scary, and connect that costume to a book!
Spanish Translation: Empezamos con calma… ¡y ahora la cosa se está poniendo interesante! La semana que viene también empezará con mucho calor. Sé que el colegio ha avisado por Dojo de que nos estamos adaptando, lo que significa que nos quedaremos dentro tanto como sea posible. Hoy comimos dentro y pudimos mantenernos bastante frescos… La clase de educación física también fue en la sala común, que tiene aire acondicionado. ¡Menos mal! Dicho esto, no olviden enviar botellas de agua reutilizables y fruta extra para merendar; pepinos y tomates, que tienen un alto contenido de agua, serán de gran ayuda.
El viernes disfrutamos de una fantástica sesión de canto con la Sra. Claudia, solo para niños de preescolar, con motivo del Día de la Unidad Alemana. ¡Fue divertidísimo! ¡Es una estrella! ¡Estamos muy agradecidos de tenerla como nuestra profesora de música alemana!
La próxima semana es nuestra última semana de la unidad del IB sobre la FAMILIA. Trabajaremos en el concepto de árbol genealógico la próxima semana… y como vieron en nuestra Pregunta del Día sobre los hermanos…¡NECESITARÉ TU AYUDA!Habrá un poco de tarea el lunes, por favor.Dibuja el árbol genealógico que se enviará a casa y DEVUÉLVELO EL MARTES.(A más tardar el miércoles… o si lo prefiere, puede enviarme la información por correo electrónico).También hablaremos de cómo cada una de nuestras familias está conectada con la comunidad mundial en general.
Este proyecto que estoy a punto de compartir con ustedes se relaciona con nuestras conversaciones sobre cómo nuestras familias se conectan con el mundo. Como escuela, estamos integrando la escritura para ayudar a nuestro mundo escribiendo cartas y haciendo tarjetas para marineros de la Armada que pronto partirán. Tenemos una familia aquí en AEA que está en ese despliegue y también tenemos una familia de la Armada en TK-D… y mi propio padre sirvió en la Armada durante 21 años. Así que haremos tarjetas en clase, pero también pueden hacer tarjetas o dibujos en casa para enviarnos por correo. Pueden recortarlas en la agenda y nosotros las enviaremos.
¡No puedo creer que hayamos estado en la escuela más del 25% del año! Dicho esto, ya estamos usando más del 25% de algunos de nuestros útiles escolares 😂. Si te interesa donar algunos artículos básicos, necesitamos más:
Lápices de colores
Toallitas para bebé
Pegatinas divertidas o de temporada para agendas 🤩🥳
Limpiador en aerosol para mesas (Cualquier marca, para uso de los profesores, no de los alumnos.)
Las hojas de Artsonia se enviarán a casa el lunes; ¡son IMPORTANTES! El trabajo artístico de su hijo/a con la Sra. Heinzelmann NO se enviará a casa hasta el FINAL del año. Viene en una carpeta, lo cual es genial para tenerlo todo en un solo lugar, bien guardado… pero… deberá configurar Artsonia para ver el trabajo de su hijo/a durante todo el año. También puede comprar artículos con el arte de su hijo/a, como tazas, camisetas, joyas, etc. Creo que el 20% de las ventas se destina a nuestro programa de arte… ¡así que su recuerdo también ayudará al presupuesto de arte de toda la escuela!
Próximas fechas:
Miércoles 7 de octubre: ¡Cumpleaños de Vianet! 🎂
Viernes, 9 de octubre – Día de la foto escolar en primaria 📸
UNIFORMES REQUERIDOS
Del 19 al 23 de octubre – Feria del Libro Scholastic 📚
¡Se necesitan voluntarios! La Sra. Gullans lo haría.AMAR¡Algunos voluntarios de TK!
Del 19 al 23 de octubre: Semana de reuniones con los padres
⏰MÍNIMO DE DÍAS TODA LA SEMANA—¡No olvides inscribirte en la conferencia!
Sábado, 24 de octubre: ¡Cumpleaños de Ace! 🎂
Miércoles 28 de octubre – ¡Cumpleaños de la Sra. Verónica! 🎂
Viernes, 30 de octubre – Día de los Personajes 📖
Los estudiantes pueden vestirse como su favoritopersonaje de libroPor favor, que los disfraces sean bonitos, apropiados para la escuela (no den miedo) y que estén relacionados con un libro.
→ Week 7 -- 7th Week of School! September 21-25, 2026
Hello TK-D Family!
What a great week! We are definitely finding our groove, and it is wonderful to see our TK-D School Family becoming more confident and independent each day. 💗Thank you for making the AM drop off even smoother by saying goodbye from the patio area. Traffic definitely seems easier for all the classes sharing the walkway space.
This week, we continued our conversations about family through stories, art, Book Buddies, Question of the Day, and our Big Cheese daily interviews. We also got to visit the new Library—in the actual Library! 📚
I am especially impressed by the growth I am seeing in our classroom routines. Our friends are getting much better at waiting for a turn and raising their hands to speak during rug time. Some friends who are still working on this can even be seen putting a “bubble” in their mouth while patiently raising a hand to share. 😊 Our walking-in-line skills are improving, too, and Line Leader has become a VERY highly prized weekly job! Everyone will get a turn.
This week, we are adding Playground Clean Up Captains to our TK responsibilities. These special helpers will work with their classmates to make sure recess toys and supplies are returned after play.
We are working on the idea that our playground and materials belong to all of us, so we all have a responsibility to take care of them. Just as you work as a family to keep things orderly at home, our school family’s goal is to do the same. Please reinforce this with your child:
When the whistle blows, stop, clean up, and then line up.
Playground crayons are for paper only—not sidewalks, buildings, walls, or windows.
We are seeing lots of progress and want to help our Little Einsteins develop pride in taking care of our shared spaces and materials. ❤️
Lunch routines are improving as students become more familiar with both home and school lunch. We do have one noisy habit we need your help with!
At the end of eating time, the Safety Crew blows a whistle to signal clean-up. Some students have decided that the whistle is also an invitation to SCREAM along with it! 😳 With the metal roof over the Lunch Arbor, you can imagine how loud that gets!
We have posted “Shhh!” reminders and are reviewing this expectation in every TK and Kinder class. Please reinforce with your child that when the whistle blows, we stay quiet, begin cleaning up, and line up. Safety Crew has 5 minutes between grade levels to reset the Lunch Arbor and it takes us all working together to help things move smoothly. Thank you for helping us make lunchtime calmer for everyone!
Friday, October 2 – German Spirit Day + Finley’s Birthday! 🎂
🇩🇪 Show your German spirit! Schwarz, Rot und Gelb! Dirndl oder Lederhosen!
Wednesday, October 7 – Vianeth’s Birthday! 🎂
Friday, October 9 – Elementary School Picture Day 📸
UNIFORMS REQUIRED
October 19–23 – Scholastic Book Fair 📚
Volunteers needed! Ms. Gullans would LOVE some TK volunteers!
October 19–23 – Parent Conference Week
⏰ MINIMUM DAYS ALL WEEK — Be sure to sign up for your conference!
Saturday, October 24 – Ace’s Birthday! 🎂
Wednesday, October 28 – Ms. Veronica’s Birthday! 🎂
Friday, October 30 – Character Day 📖
Students may dress as a favorite book character. Please keep costumes cute, school-appropriate - not scary, and connect that costume to a book!
Thank you, as always, for reinforcing our classroom expectations at home. These little conversations make a BIG difference, and we appreciate being partners with you as our TK-D friends learn how to take care of themselves, one another, and our shared school spaces.
Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!
Mary 💗
→ Week 6 - 6th Week of School! September 14-18, 2026
Hello TK-D Family!
What a busy and fun week! 🎉 A highlight for me was celebrating my birthday with TK-D and our 2nd Grade Reading Buddies on Tuesday. THANK YOU for the class gift, sweet cards, and thoughtful surprises from you and your children. I felt very loved! 💗 I am sad to have missed celebrating Stefan’s birthday - but I know that many of you were able to join his party over the weekend. Celebrating is awesome!! 🎉 We are still in our Family unit from IB and are continuing to read stories and discuss ways families are the same and different. Discussing birthday traditions and ways of celebrating has been a fun topic!
🏃 Running Club is Off and Running!
We had our first Running Club day this week—it was happy AND exhausting! 🤣 We are working on the TK/K playground schedule to find a consistent time for TK-D to run. Once we have that set, I’ll share it with you. This will also be a great opportunity for parent volunteers to help scan our runners. Until then, we will sneak in 15-20 minutes of running and scanning Running Club cards to help our TK kiddos earn their laps that help them earn cool “foot” charms from Coaches Nassif and Ramsey. And it will help students get ready for our Spring Rock-n-Run-A-Thon event. Super fun!
📋 TK Assessments & Conferences
Now that the children are comfortable with our classroom routines, we’ll begin assessments to help us prepare for October conferences. TK assessment looks a little different—it is a combination of observation and one-on-one interaction woven into our regular school day.
We’ll be looking at growth across several areas, including:
Gross motor: hopping, skipping, walking heel-to-toe, etc.
Fine motor: cutting, pencil grasp, and other hand skills
Early academics: letter recognition, counting, numbers, and more
Social-emotional development: participation, independence, communication, and classroom skills
📅 Please Sign Up for Your October Conference LINK
A few families still need to choose a conference time. If you signed up at Back to School Night, I have already transferred your name to the digital schedule.
I love meeting in person when possible, but Zoom is absolutely available if that works better for your family. Please use the drop-down menu on the sign-up form to indicate your preference. If none of the available times work, just reach out—I’m happy to find another option.
🐯Centers Volunteer Opportunity…and Wednesday Library Day!
Last week we had Jupiter’s mom volunteer 9:30-10:30 for our center rotations and - wow! Having another adult to help guide a station and interact with the small groups was awesome! If you would like to volunteer in the classroom 9:30-10:30, we have a job for you! Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday are open. Note: Fridays will likely be less structured, but adult support for Free Time and Tricycle Friday is welcomed! If you like to chat with the students, support work like cutting with scissors, playdough, gluing, etc. -- this might become your favorite day of the week! (And if Wednesday is a good fit at that time, it will be Library time on A Week - and your help is appreciated! We will begin going to the NEW LIBRARY this week.)
Have a wonderful rest of your weekend! 💗
Be Safe, Have Fun!
Mary
Monday, September 21 -- Stefan’s OFFICIAL Birthday!
Tuesday, September 22 -- 6-8pm @ Elementary School Town Hall Meeting with Interim Superintendent & Principal Mora -- In-person and on Zoom
Thursday, September 24 – Lotería Night
🎉 5:00–7:00 PM at the Middle School
Elementary and Middle School families are welcome!
Friday, October 2 – German Spirit Day (AND Finley’s Birthday!)
🇩🇪 Show your German spirit! Schwarz, Rot und Gelb! Dirndl oder Lederhosen
Wednesday, October 7 -- Vianeth’s Birthday!
Friday, October 9 – Elementary School Picture Day
📸 UNIFORMS REQUIRED
October 19–23 – Scholastic Book Fair
📚 Volunteers needed! Ms. Gullans would LOVE some TK volunteers!
October 19–23 – Parent Conference Week
⏰ MINIMUM DAYS ALL WEEK - Sign Up Here
Saturday, October 24 -- Ace’s Birthday!
Wednesday, October 28 -- Ms. Veronica’s Birthday!
Friday, October 30 – Character Day
📖 Students may dress as a favorite book character. Please keep costumes cute, school-appropriate, and not scary — and connect the costume to a book!
Espanol Tracucción Semana 7
¡Hola familia TK-D!
¡Qué semana tan estupenda! Sin duda, estamos encontrando nuestro ritmo, y es maravilloso ver cómo nuestra familia de la escuela TK-D se vuelve más segura e independiente cada día. 💗 Gracias por facilitar aún más la llegada de los niños por la mañana despidiéndolos desde el patio. El tráfico se ve mucho más fluido para todas las clases que comparten el pasillo.
Esta semana continuamos nuestras conversaciones sobrefamiliaa través de historias, arte, Book Buddies, Pregunta del día y nuestras entrevistas diarias con Big Cheese. También pudimos visitar el¡Nueva biblioteca, en la propia biblioteca!📚
Estoy especialmente impresionado por el progreso que estoy viendo en nuestras rutinas de clase. Nuestros amigos están mejorando mucho enesperando su turno y levantando la mano para hablardurante el tiempo de alfombra. Algunos amigos que todavía están trabajando en esto incluso se pueden ver poniéndose una “burbuja” en la boca mientras levantan pacientemente la mano para compartir. 😊 Nuestras habilidades para caminar en fila también están mejorando, yJefe de línea¡Se ha convertido en un trabajo semanal MUY codiciado! Todos tendrán su turno.
Esta semana, estamos agregandoCapitanes de limpieza de parques infantilesa nuestras responsabilidades de preescolar. Estos ayudantes especiales trabajarán con sus compañeros para asegurarse de que los juguetes y materiales del recreo se devuelvan después de jugar.
Estamos trabajando en la idea de que nuestro patio de recreo y materiales pertenecen atodos nosotrosPor lo tanto, todos tenemos la responsabilidad de cuidarlos. Así como ustedes trabajan en familia para mantener el orden en casa, el objetivo de nuestra comunidad escolar es hacer lo mismo. Por favor, recuérdenle esto a su hijo/a:
Cuando suene el silbato,Detente, limpia y luego haz fila..
Los crayones del patio de recreo son parasolo papel—no aceras, edificios, muros ni ventanas.
Estamos viendo muchos avances y queremos ayudar a nuestros pequeños genios a desarrollar orgullo por el cuidado de nuestros espacios y materiales compartidos. ❤️
Las rutinas de almuerzo están mejorando a medida que los estudiantes se familiarizan más con la comida en casa y en la escuela. ¡Pero tenemos un hábito ruidoso con el que necesitamos su ayuda!
Al finalizar la hora de comer, el Equipo de Seguridad hace sonar un silbato para indicar que se debe limpiar. Algunos estudiantes han decidido que el silbato también es una invitación a...¡Grita al unísono!😳 ¡Con el techo de metal sobre el comedor, puedes imaginarte lo ruidoso que se pone!
Hemos publicadoRecordatorios de “¡Shhh!”y estamos revisando esta expectativa en cada clase de TK y Kinder. Por favor, refuerce con su hijo que cuando suene el silbato,Nos quedamos callados, empezamos a limpiar y nos ponemos en fila.El equipo de seguridad dispone de 5 minutos entre cada nivel para reorganizar el comedor, y es necesario que todos trabajemos juntos para que todo funcione sin problemas.¡Gracias por ayudarnos a que la hora del almuerzo sea más tranquila para todos!
Viernes, 2 de octubre: ¡Día del espíritu alemán + cumpleaños de Finley! 🎂
🇩🇪 ¡Demuestra tu espíritu alemán!¡Negro, rojo y amarillo!¡Dirndl o lederhosen!
Miércoles 7 de octubre: ¡Cumpleaños de Vianet! 🎂
Viernes, 9 de octubre – Día de la foto escolar en primaria 📸
UNIFORMES REQUERIDOS
Del 19 al 23 de octubre – Feria del Libro Scholastic 📚
¡Se necesitan voluntarios! La Sra. Gullans lo haría.AMAR¡Algunos voluntarios de TK!
Del 19 al 23 de octubre: Semana de reuniones con los padres
⏰MÍNIMO DE DÍAS TODA LA SEMANA— ¡No olvides inscribirte en la conferencia!
Sábado, 24 de octubre: ¡Cumpleaños de Ace! 🎂
Miércoles 28 de octubre – ¡Cumpleaños de la Sra. Verónica! 🎂
Viernes, 30 de octubre – Día de los Personajes 📖
Los estudiantes pueden vestirse como su favoritopersonaje de libroPor favor, que los disfraces sean bonitos, apropiados para la escuela (no den miedo) y que tengan relación con un libro.
Gracias, como siempre, por reforzar en casa las normas del aula. Estas pequeñas conversaciones marcan una gran diferencia, y agradecemos su colaboración mientras nuestros alumnos de preescolar aprenden a cuidarse a sí mismos, a los demás y a cuidar nuestros espacios escolares compartidos.
¡Que tengas un maravilloso resto de fin de semana!
Mary 💗
→ Week 6 - 6th Week of School! September 14-18, 2026
Hello TK-D Family!
What a busy and fun week! 🎉 A highlight for me was celebrating my birthday with TK-D and our 2nd Grade Reading Buddies on Tuesday. THANK YOU for the class gift, sweet cards, and thoughtful surprises from you and your children. I felt very loved! 💗 I am sad to have missed celebrating Stefan’s birthday - but I know that many of you were able to join his party over the weekend. Celebrating is awesome!! 🎉 We are still in our Family unit from IB and are continuing to read stories and discuss ways families are the same and different. Discussing birthday traditions and ways of celebrating has been a fun topic!
🏃 Running Club is Off and Running!
We had our first Running Club day this week—it was happy AND exhausting! 🤣 We are working on the TK/K playground schedule to find a consistent time for TK-D to run. Once we have that set, I’ll share it with you. This will also be a great opportunity for parent volunteers to help scan our runners. Until then, we will sneak in 15-20 minutes of running and scanning Running Club cards to help our TK kiddos earn their laps that help them earn cool “foot” charms from Coaches Nassif and Ramsey. And it will help students get ready for our Spring Rock-n-Run-A-Thon event. Super fun!
📋 TK Assessments & Conferences
Now that the children are comfortable with our classroom routines, we’ll begin assessments to help us prepare for October conferences. TK assessment looks a little different—it is a combination of observation and one-on-one interaction woven into our regular school day.
We’ll be looking at growth across several areas, including:
Gross motor: hopping, skipping, walking heel-to-toe, etc.
Fine motor: cutting, pencil grasp, and other hand skills
Early academics: letter recognition, counting, numbers, and more
Social-emotional development: participation, independence, communication, and classroom skills
📅 Please Sign Up for Your October Conference LINK
A few families still need to choose a conference time. If you signed up at Back to School Night, I have already transferred your name to the digital schedule.
I love meeting in person when possible, but Zoom is absolutely available if that works better for your family. Please use the drop-down menu on the sign-up form to indicate your preference. If none of the available times work, just reach out—I’m happy to find another option.
🐯Centers Volunteer Opportunity…and Wednesday Library Day!
Last week we had Jupiter’s mom volunteer 9:30-10:30 for our center rotations and - wow! Having another adult to help guide a station and interact with the small groups was awesome! If you would like to volunteer in the classroom 9:30-10:30, we have a job for you! Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday are open. Note: Fridays will likely be less structured, but adult support for Free Time and Tricycle Friday is welcomed! If you like to chat with the students, support work like cutting with scissors, playdough, gluing, etc. -- this might become your favorite day of the week! (And if Wednesday is a good fit at that time, it will be Library time on A Week - and your help is appreciated! We will begin going to the NEW LIBRARY this week.)
Have a wonderful rest of your weekend! 💗
Be Safe, Have Fun!
Mary
Monday, September 21 -- Stefan’s OFFICIAL Birthday!
Tuesday, September 22 -- 6-8pm @ Elementary School Town Hall Meeting with Interim Superintendent & Principal Mora -- In-person and on Zoom
Thursday, September 24 – Lotería Night
🎉 5:00–7:00 PM at the Middle School
Elementary and Middle School families are welcome!
Friday, October 2 – German Spirit Day (AND Finley’s Birthday!)
🇩🇪 Show your German spirit! Schwarz, Rot und Gelb! Dirndl oder Lederhosen
Wednesday, October 7 -- Vianeth’s Birthday!
Friday, October 9 – Elementary School Picture Day
📸 UNIFORMS REQUIRED
October 19–23 – Scholastic Book Fair
📚 Volunteers needed! Ms. Gullans would LOVE some TK volunteers!
October 19–23 – Parent Conference Week
⏰ MINIMUM DAYS ALL WEEK - Sign Up Here
Saturday, October 24 -- Ace’s Birthday!
Wednesday, October 28 -- Ms. Veronica’s Birthday!
Friday, October 30 – Character Day
📖 Students may dress as a favorite book character. Please keep costumes cute, school-appropriate, and not scary — and connect the costume to a book!
¡Hola familia TK-D!
¡Qué semana tan ajetreada y divertida! 🎉 Para mí, uno de los mejores momentos fue celebrar mi cumpleaños con TK-D y nuestros compañeros de lectura de segundo grado el martes.GRACIASGracias por el regalo de la clase, las lindas tarjetas y las sorpresas tan consideradas de ustedes y sus hijos. ¡Me sentí muy querida! 💗 Me da mucha pena no haber podido celebrar el cumpleaños de Stefan, pero sé que muchos de ustedes pudieron unirse a su fiesta el fin de semana. ¡Celebrar es genial! 🎉 Seguimos en nuestra unidad de Familia del IB y continuamos leyendo cuentos y hablando sobre las similitudes y diferencias entre las familias. ¡Hablar sobre las tradiciones de cumpleaños y las formas de celebrarlo ha sido un tema muy divertido!
🏃¡El club de corredores ya está en marcha!
Tuvimos nuestro primer día del Club de Atletismo esta semana, ¡fue divertido Y agotador! 🤣 Estamos trabajando en el horario del patio de recreo de TK/K para encontrar un horario fijo para que TK-D corra. Una vez que lo tengamos listo, lo compartiré con ustedes. Esta también será una gran oportunidad para que los padres voluntarios ayuden a escanear a nuestros corredores. Hasta entonces, aprovecharemos 15-20 minutos para correr y escanear las tarjetas del Club de Atletismo para ayudar a nuestros niños de TK a ganar sus vueltas que les permiten obtener geniales dijes de "pies" de los entrenadores Nassif y Ramsey. Y ayudará a los estudiantes a prepararse para nuestro evento Spring Rock-n-Run-A-Thon. ¡Súper divertido!
📋Evaluaciones y conferencias de TK
Ahora que los niños se sienten cómodos con nuestras rutinas de clase, comenzaremos las evaluaciones para ayudarnos a prepararnos para las conferencias de octubre. La evaluación de TK es un poco diferente: es una combinación deobservación e interacción individualintegrado en nuestra jornada escolar habitual.
Analizaremos el crecimiento en varias áreas, entre ellas:
Motricidad gruesa:saltar, brincar, caminar talón con punta, etc.
Motricidad fina:cortar, sujetar el lápiz y otras habilidades manuales
Primeros académicos:reconocimiento de letras, conteo, números y más
Desarrollo socioemocional:participación, independencia, comunicación y habilidades en el aula
📅Por favor, inscríbase en su conferencia de octubre.ENLACE
Algunas familias aún necesitan elegir un horario para la reunión. Si se inscribieron en la Noche de Regreso a Clases, ya transferí su nombre al calendario digital.
Me encanta conocer gente en persona Siempre que sea posible, la opción de Zoom está disponible si les resulta más conveniente. Por favor, utilicen el menú desplegable del formulario de inscripción para indicar su preferencia. Si ninguno de los horarios disponibles les conviene, no duden en contactarme; con gusto buscaré otra alternativa.
🐯Oportunidad de voluntariado en los centros… ¡y día de biblioteca los miércoles!
La semana pasada, la mamá de Júpiter fue voluntaria de 9:30 a 10:30 en nuestras rotaciones del centro, ¡y fue genial! Contar con otro adulto para ayudar a guiar una estación e interactuar con los grupos pequeños fue fantástico. Si te gustaría ser voluntario en el aula, contáctanos.9:30-10:30¡Tenemos un trabajo para ti!Lunes, martes, miércoles y viernes está abiertoNota: Los viernes probablemente serán menos estructurados, ¡pero se agradece el apoyo de los adultos para el Tiempo Libre y el Viernes de Triciclo! Si te gusta charlar con los estudiantes, ayudar con actividades como cortar con tijeras, plastilina, pegar, etc., ¡este podría convertirse en tu día favorito de la semana! (Y si el miércoles te viene bien, será el día de la biblioteca).en A Semana¡Y agradecemos su ayuda! Empezaremos a ir a la NUEVA BIBLIOTECA esta semana.
¡Que tengas un maravilloso resto de fin de semana! 💗
¡Diviértete y mantente a salvo!
María
Lunes, 21 de septiembre: ¡El cumpleaños OFICIAL de Stefan!
Martes 22 de septiembre, de 18:00 a 20:00 h, en la reunión comunitaria de la escuela primaria.Con el superintendente interino y director Mora, tanto en persona como por Zoom.
Jueves 24 de septiembre – Noche de Lotería
🎉De 17:00 a 19:00 en la escuela secundaria.
¡Las familias de primaria y secundaria son bienvenidas!
Viernes, 2 de octubre – Día del Espíritu Alemán (¡Y el cumpleaños de Finley!)
🇩🇪 ¡Demuestra tu espíritu alemán! ¡Negro, rojo y amarillo! ¿Dirndl o lederhosen?
Miércoles 7 de octubre: ¡El cumpleaños de Vianet!
Viernes, 9 de octubre – Día de la fotografía escolar en primaria
📸UNIFORMES REQUERIDOS
Del 19 al 23 de octubre – Feria del Libro Scholastic
📚 ¡Se necesitan voluntarios!¡A la Sra. Gullans le ENCANTARÍA contar con voluntarios para el programa TK!
Del 19 al 23 de octubre: Semana de reuniones con los padres
⏰MÍNIMO DE DÍAS TODA LA SEMANA -Regístrate aquí
Sábado, 24 de octubre: ¡Cumpleaños de Ace!
Miércoles 28 de octubre: ¡El cumpleaños de la Sra. Verónica!
Viernes, 30 de octubre – Día de los Personajes
📖 Los estudiantes pueden disfrazarse de su personaje de libro favorito. Por favor, mantengan los disfraceslindo, apropiado para la escuela yno da miedo— ¡y relaciona el disfraz con un libro!
→ Week 5 - 5th Week of School! September 7-11, 2026
Hello TK-D Family!
Another week where less will be more -- a LOT of information was shared at Back to School Night. We had 78% of families in attendance and I hope those that were not able to attend have had a chance to review the slide deck. Please, let me know if you have any questions.
The PINNED post at the top of our Class Story is where I am adding all important links. These are the 3 recently important links, including our Amazon Wish List -- which was asked about at Back to School Night.
—Amazon Wish List for Class Supplies: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/12RBC578QZAPX?ref_=wl_share
--Back to School Night Slides -- https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/192-mHF4LZ0zwyudYoxNVBuvCk-3doTvN2RAxP0u2HHE/edit?usp=sharing
-- Fall Conference Sign Up -- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iEFMG3IjfNpaYcI3-XAl0mxI-NfffUtz55mBUZ3hwok/edit?usp=sharing
Note about Rest Bags this week -- since we only had 3 resting days last week with the holiday, we decided to take “laundry” off of your weekend “To Do” list -- we will resume sending Rest Bags home on Friday, Sept. 18th.
Community Dance Opportunity -- I mentioned the City of San Diego Civic Dance Arts program at Back to School Night and we learned that our very own Jupiter is already dancing with that program. It is a low cost and HIGH quality program -- and registration for Fall opens TODAY - Sept. 12th. A semester of classes costs $50.74 and there is a City of San Diego low-income fee waiver option, with documentation. Check out the link here: https://civicdancearts.org/enrollment/classes.html Dance teaches SO MUCH about life, focus, and it is FUN! Our school counselor, Ms. Lawrence, is also a teacher with SDCDA and teaches a Monday 5-5:45pm pre-tap class at the North Park Recreation Center (Class Code 136907). Other classes that are a good fit for a 4 year old beginning dancer are:
Pre-Ballet Tuesdays 4:45-5:30 at Park de la Cruz Recreation Center with Ms. Sabrina (Class Code 136839)
Pre-Hip Hop Tuesdays 5:30-6:15 at Park de la Cruz with Ms. Sabrina (Class Code 136914)
Pre-Ballet Wednesdays at Golden Hill with Ms. Sabrina -- there are 2 classes -- check the listing on the website for the appropriate class code)
Saturday mornings also have classes for 4 and 5 year olds at Allied Gardens with Miss Alexis and War Memorial (Zoo Parking Lot) with Ms. Kathy (who worked as a pre-school teacher for 40+ years and is a dance teacher legend with SDCDA)
Please contact the Dance Office at 619-235-5255 if you have any questions. If you are unsure, you can ask if your child can try out a class before committing, as well.
Have a great rest of your weekend!
Mary
Thursday, September 17 – Parent/Admin Greet & Eat
🍽️ 6:00–7:00 PM
Thursday, September 24 – Lotería Night
🎉 5:00–7:00 PM at the Middle School
Elementary and Middle School families are welcome!
Friday, October 2 – German Spirit Day
🇩🇪 Show your German spirit! Schwarz, Rot und Gelb! Dirndl oder Lederhosen
Friday, October 9 – Elementary School Picture Day
📸 UNIFORMS REQUIRED
October 19–23 – Scholastic Book Fair
📚 Volunteers needed! Ms. Gullans would LOVE some TK volunteers!
October 19–23 – Parent Conference Week
⏰ MINIMUM DAYS ALL WEEK - Sign Up Here
Friday, October 30 – Character Day
📖 Students may dress as a favorite book character. Please keep costumes cute, school-appropriate, and not scary — and connect the costume to a book!
Spanish Translation →
¡Hola familia TK-D!
Otra semana en la que menos es más: se compartió MUCHÍSIMA información en la reunión de padres de inicio de curso. Contamos con la asistencia del 78% de las familias y espero que quienes no pudieron asistir hayan tenido la oportunidad de revisar la presentación. Si tienen alguna pregunta, no duden en consultarme.
La publicación fijada en la parte superior de nuestra Historia de Clase es donde estoy agregando todos los enlaces importantes. Estos son los 3 enlaces importantes recientes, incluyendo nuestra Lista de Deseos de Amazon, sobre la cual se preguntó en la Reunión de Regreso a Clases.
—Lista de deseos de Amazon para material escolar: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/12RBC578QZAPX?ref_=wl_share
--Diapositivas de la Noche de Regreso a Clases-- https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/192-mHF4LZ0zwyudYoxNVBuvCk-3doTvN2RAxP0u2HHE/edit?usp=sharing
-- Inscripciones para la Conferencia de Otoño -- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iEFMG3IjfNpaYcI3-XAl0mxI-NfffUtz55mBUZ3hwok/edit?usp=sharing
Nota sobre las bolsas de descanso de esta semana: dado que la semana pasada solo tuvimos 3 días de descanso debido al feriado, decidimos eliminar la tarea de "lavar la ropa" de su lista de "cosas por hacer" del fin de semana. Reanudaremos el envío de las bolsas de descanso a casa el viernes 18 de septiembre.
Oportunidad de baile comunitarioMencioné el programa de Danza Cívica de la Ciudad de San Diego en la Noche de Regreso a Clases y nos enteramos de que nuestra propia escuela Jupiter ya participa en él. Es un programa de bajo costo y alta calidad, y las inscripciones para el otoño abren HOY, 12 de septiembre. Un semestre de clases cuesta $50.74 y existe la opción de exención de cuotas para familias de bajos ingresos de la Ciudad de San Diego, presentando la documentación correspondiente. Consulta el enlace aquí:https://civicdancearts.org/enrollment/classes.html¡El baile enseña muchísimo sobre la vida, la concentración y, además, es muy divertido! Nuestra consejera escolar, la Sra. Lawrence, también es profesora en SDCDA e imparte una clase de pre-tap los lunes de 17:00 a 17:45 en el Centro Recreativo North Park (Código de clase 136907). Otras clases ideales para un niño de 4 años que se inicia en el baile son:
Clases de pre-ballet los martes de 4:45 a 5:30 p. m. en el Centro Recreativo Park de la Cruz con la Sra. Sabrina (Código de clase 136839).
Clases de iniciación al hip hop los martes de 17:30 a 18:15 en el Parque de la Cruz con la Sra. Sabrina (Código de clase 136914).
Clases de pre-ballet los miércoles en Golden Hill con la Sra. Sabrina (hay 2 clases; consulte la lista en el sitio web para obtener el código de clase correspondiente).
Los sábados por la mañana también hay clases para niños de 4 y 5 años en Allied Gardens con la señorita Alexis y en War Memorial (estacionamiento del zoológico) con la señorita Kathy (quien trabajó como maestra de preescolar durante más de 40 años y es una leyenda de la enseñanza de danza en SDCDA).
Si tiene alguna pregunta, comuníquese con la oficina de danza al 619-235-5255. Si no está seguro, también puede preguntar si su hijo/a puede probar una clase antes de inscribirse.
¡Que tengas un buen resto de fin de semana!
Mary
Thursday, September 17 – Parent/Admin Greet & Eat
🍽️ 6:00–7:00 PM
Thursday, September 24 – Lotería Night
🎉 5:00–7:00 PM at the Middle School
Elementary and Middle School families are welcome!
Friday, October 2 – German Spirit Day
🇩🇪 Show your German spirit! Schwarz, Rot und Gelb! Dirndl oder Lederhosen
Friday, October 9 – Elementary School Picture Day
📸 UNIFORMS REQUIRED
October 19–23 – Scholastic Book Fair
📚 Volunteers needed! Ms. Gullans would LOVE some TK volunteers!
October 19–23 – Parent Conference Week
⏰ MINIMUM DAYS ALL WEEK - Sign Up Here
Friday, October 30 – Character Day
📖 Students may dress as a favorite book character. Please keep costumes cute, school-appropriate, and not scary — and connect the costume to a book!
→ Week 4 - 4th Week of School! August 31-September 4, 2026
→Enlace en español: Translated copy of Week 4 Family Email TK-D Findlay 26/27
Hello TK-D Family!
Let’s keep this short and sweet—I’m pretty sure we’re ALL ready for a little break from the early mornings and busy days! 🤣
We are officially 20 days into TK, and our little classroom community is becoming more connected every day. Watching these kiddos laugh together, help one another, and figure out how to solve problems as a team is pretty special. 💗
The days can feel long, but we know how quickly these years fly by. I hope this long weekend brings some time to slow down, unplug, make memories, and just enjoy being together.
Be safe, have fun, and recharge! I’ll be ready for those smiling faces on Tuesday morning. 💕
I am looking forward to seeing you on Thursday evening at Back to School Night! I will share the slide deck with you Tuesday evening so you can preview it. I’d love to have a chance to address any of your specific questions when we meet or just have a chance to connect instead of read slides to you. Please look for that email on Tuesday evening.
–Mary
Monday, September 7 – Labor Day
🚫 NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, September 8 – School Board Meeting
🕟 4:30 PM
Wednesday, September 9 – Golden Rule Day
✨ Wear gold shirts, metallic shoes, glittery accessories, yellow clothing, or kindness-themed shirts to help represent the Golden Rule! (Traditional GOLDEN Padres gear works!) ⚾
Thursday, September 10 – Elementary Back to School Night
🏫 5:00–7:00 PM
5:00-5:25 pm Gates Open: Come visit our Specials Teachers in the new MPR
5:30 pm - 6:00 pm First Session
6:00 pm - 6:20 pm Travel time and visit Specials Teachers in the new MPR
6:20 pm - 6:50 pm Second Session (repeat of the first session)
7:00 pm Evening Bell to conclude the Evening
Thursday, September 17 – Parent/Admin Greet & Eat
🍽️ 6:00–7:00 PM
Thursday, September 24 – Lotería Night
🎉 5:00–7:00 PM at the Middle School
Elementary and Middle School families are welcome!
Friday, October 2 – German Spirit Day
🇩🇪 Show your German spirit! Schwarz, Rot und Gelb! Dirndl oder Lederhosen
Friday, October 9 – Elementary School Picture Day
📸 UNIFORMS REQUIRED
October 19–23 – Scholastic Book Fair
📚 Volunteers needed! Ms. Gullans would LOVE some TK volunteers!
October 19–23 – Parent Conference Week
⏰ MINIMUM DAYS ALL WEEK - Sign Up Here
Friday, October 30 – Character Day
📖 Students may dress as a favorite book character. Please keep costumes cute, school-appropriate, and not scary — and connect the costume to a book!
→ Week 3 - 3rd Week of School! August 24-28, 2026
Enlace en español: TK-D Week 3 Email Spanish Translation
😎 Happy Saturday! We’re finding our rhythm!
Fri-yay we pulled out our yoga mats that Friends of AEA paid for last year…they were a hit! I am a novice yoga teacher and completed my 200-hour training two summers ago, so I do love the practice of yoga. For our class yoga, I find it easier to start with a video so I can help support students on their mats. Cosmic Kids Yoga does a great job of engaging students and helping them move their bodies while telling a story. Here is the link to our first yoga story, if you want to try it at home as a family.
A couple of favorite moments overheard this week:
💗 After waking up from rest time, one student sweetly said, “Good morning!” to a classmate—and then they hugged.
🧘 During morning yoga, a student proudly announced, “I was born for this!” while holding Downward Dog. 😂
💦While reading The Big Cheese book, the word “humility” was used to describe a character that was very humble and did not brag. I asked the students if they had heard this word before and if they thought they knew what it meant. One student raised their hand and said, “it is when there is a lot of water in the air.” 😂 We got to discuss the difference between humidity and humility a bit more…and it was fun to say those words quickly together - a bit of a tongue twister!
Now, do we still have moments when we aren't quite in sync? Absolutely! Are we still working on a few things? Okay…many things. 😂 YES! But that is a HUGE part of TK!
One of our biggest goals this year is developing the “soft skills” children need to navigate the increasingly complex academic and social demands ahead: communicating, sharing, cooperating, managing emotions, solving problems, taking responsibility, and being part of a community. (And yes, we will tackle plenty of academic learning, too!)
Next Week: Sharing & Cleaning Up as a School Family AND Zones of Regulation
This coming week, we will connect further with the Zones of Regulation and discuss our feelings, moods, and emotions. Check out our TK webpage.
We will also be putting extra attention on two important skills: sharing and cleaning up together.
We intentionally use many communal supplies in our classroom to build the idea of “ours” rather than “yours and mine.” For example, we have a big tub of playdough that we divide and share as evenly as possible. When we build with blocks or Magna-Tiles, one person can't take all the pieces—we are learning how to play, build, negotiate, and create together.
The same idea applies to clean-up time. Of course, children are learning to take responsibility for the materials they use, but we also want them to understand that we are a school family. Sometimes that means noticing what needs to be done and helping—even if you weren't the person who made that particular mess. We all work together to take care of our classroom.
We are so proud of the growth we are already seeing after just three weeks. Little by little, these routines, relationships, and responsibilities are helping our group become a classroom community—and it is pretty wonderful to watch.
Thank you for sharing your kiddos with us! 💗
Some reflections on the week:
👋 Drop off: Much smoother from my perspective and I anticipate the process continuing to become more comfortable for the students who may still have a few tears for a little bit. Thank you for your positive and supportive goodbyes at the gate.
⚽ Recess: We will start using tricycles soon! Thank you to those who have shared if their child is already a master on wheels. Students will work on safety first, taking turns, and having fun using their big muscles. Tricycle/Bicycle riding helps your child develop in many ways.
** Physical and Motor Skills
Leg and core strength: Pushing the pedals builds lower body muscles, while sitting upright engages core stomach and back muscles.
Bilateral coordination: Children learn to use both sides of the body together by pedaling with their feet while holding and turning the handlebars with their hands.
Balance and stability: Steering around curves and managing the trike teaches basic weight shifting and body control that prepares them for a two-wheel bicycle.
** Mental and Social Growth
Spatial awareness: Kids figure out distance, direction, and how much room they need to make a safe turn.
Problem-solving: Navigating around trees, toys, or rough patches teaches them to make quick decisions and avoid obstacles.
Confidence and independence: Moving on their own power gives young children a sense of agency and control over where they go.
🍔 Food: Your home snacks are great -- your children mostly seem to have plenty to eat from home. As a mom, I loved getting ideas for snacks from other families. I’ve included some photos of snacks to give you inspiration, if you need it...and also just to celebrate the work you are all doing to make snack easy and healthy for your children. THANK YOU! I am impressed with the variety you are all providing your children. 🌟
→ The last snack of the day, as some students have already eaten all of their home snacks or want a little something extra, they are 🥰loving class snacks! Please sign up to share -- the Cheez-its and Cheese Sticks were a hit! I do have an apple slicer, if you want to send a bag of apples. You can bring your donation to AM drop off or bring to PM pick up.
🌟Class Jobs Have Begun!
We introduced our first class jobs this week! Line Leader, Chair Pusher-inner, Table Wiper. As students learn and become comfortable with each responsibility, we will gradually add more.
Soon we will also introduce our “Big Cheese” 🧀, our special helper of the day! Big Cheese will rotate in student-number order, with one child holding the job each day. Among their very important responsibilities, Big Cheese gets to be the caboose in our line and turn off the classroom lights when we leave. In TK, these are VERY important privileges.
🚻 Bathroom: Many students are gaining confidence and comfort with the bathroom situation in TK. There are still a few areas we will keep practicing, for sure.
Managing eating at lunch with visiting the bathroom is one area to focus on. Students can use the bathroom before eating in the lunch arbor and we go after, too. Please talk with your child, especially if they say they are hungry or didn’t have enough time to eat. If they use the bathroom during eating time, that can get in the way of having time to eat their food.
Stopping at the 1st/5th grade bathrooms before Musik has been going better, we have only had 2 weeks to practice so far. This different bathroom means there are older kids to share the space with. The 1st/5th graders have been good role models and patient with us as the 20 TKers come in to use the bathroom and wash hands.
The bathroom at the end of our building is used at recesses and for class trips after lunch or specials. We do hear some students yelling and see children climbing on the floor and under stalls. Please re-emphasize that the bathroom is not a playground. Taking your child before school to that bathroom is a good idea to help them practice in that space.
We appreciate you talking with your child about bathroom etiquette. (No yelling, do not lay on the bathroom floor, and if you go in to use the bathroom, then use the bathroom.)
🫰Independence: “I Can Try!” — Backpack unzipping, planners in the pink box, lunch container opening/closing, putting on shoes/socks, water bottle filling, bathroom routines - including zippers, snaps, etc., keeping their space organized - whether playing or working, and asking for help after trying first. Keep encouraging! The students are doing great with support and will continue to get more and more independent as the weeks continue. The transition from toddler to age 4+ is a continuum and the range of skills is wider each month. From chores to self-care, emotional and social independence -- there is a LOT that your child is tackling each day. Thank you for practicing these skills at home and helping to build independence with your child in the wider world. We just received some practice boards for snaps, zippers, etc. and we are trying to work on shoe lace tying. Please practice that at home - especially if your child wears laced shoes. That can be tricky for small fingers, but they can do it. I still remember practicing on my dad’s shoes as a 4 year old -- my mom would sit me down with about 4 pairs of his shoes and I would have to tie them up and practice. For my son, though, it took longer than age 4…but eventually, most of us learn to tie laces….with practice and encouragement. 👍
🥱Rest: After our first full yoga mat yoga session on Friday, it was a hit and also an engaging way to move students through stretching to calmer bodies. The goal of a yoga class is to get to Savasana -- the calm rest portion. So, this week we will try to coming in for yoga on our mats before rest time...or Savasana. Then students who are indeed sleeping may rest, and those who are using the time to relax, read books calmly, or listen to the music we play can relax for a bit before the afternoon activity begins.
🟩 🟨 🟦 🟥 Zone Cards, Helping Hands & Treasure Box: Zones discussions are still happening and will continue through the year. The added Helping Hands and Treasure Box piece to our class system for behavior management has seemed to help students feel motivated and recognized for their efforts to follow directions. You can see this song we have been learning about following rules and directions. Fri-Yay we had a whole class reward for filling up our “bucket” with pompoms this week, too. We also made our 3 Essential Agreements and “signed” them with our name tags this week. Ask your child if they remember what they are. We will review them at Back to School Night on Sept. 10th.
🏁Planners & Homework: Many parents are initialing nightly, helping students write their name each evening, and writing the names of books read in the planner in the Spelling Words column. Reading is where we hope you spend the most time with your child on "homework". You are building your routines now for taking time to do some book and paper/pencil work now.
🧑🧑🧒🧒 Family photo: If you have not sent in a photo for our Family Tree yet, please do. We can also take one at Back to School Night, if you would like
🗓️Important Dates
Monday, September 7 – Labor Day
🚫 NO SCHOOL
Tuesday, September 8 -- School Board Meeting @ 4:30pm
Wednesday, September 9 -- Golden Rule Day Wear gold shirts, metallic shoes, glittery accessories, or yellow clothing to visually represent the "Golden" Rule. (Kindness, hearts shirt messages too)
Thursday, September 10 – Elementary Back to School Night
🏫 5:00–7:00 PM
Come visit our classroom and learn more about our TK year! Classroom sessions will be offered at 5:30 PM and again at 6:20 PM.
Friday, October 2 -- 🇩🇪German Spirit Day 🇩🇪
Friday, October 9 -- 📸Elementary School Picture Day - UNIFORMS REQUIRED
October 19-23 -- 📚Scholastic Book Fair -- Volunteers needed!
October 19-23 -- Parent Conference Week - MINIMUM DAYS ALL WEEK
Friday, October 30 -- Character Day (cute costumes, not scary -- link to a book!)
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Week 2 - Second Week of School! August 17-21, 2026 (Español traducción ENLACE)
😎 Happy Saturday!
WOW! What a week we had - our SECOND! We have had a LOT of illness for many kiddos (and Mrs. Findlay) -- students had their first substitute teacher and I hear they did GREAT! I was not expecting to be out and I apologize for the lack of notice. Waking up Friday, I was still feeling crummy and...having heard another staff member had Covid, I took a test and - BAM. Well, it is out in the community and I hope your child/family is able to steer clear of it, but -- we have had many kiddos home sick, too. So, whatever the name of the illness, please listen do your best to help your child rest and, if they have a fever or diarrhea, please keep them home. I am feeling MUCH better after a full day of rest and I am looking forward to the next 2 days of the same. I plan to be back Monday and hope your child/you get some good recovery time this weekend, if you need it.
Last week we had Book Buddies with Frau Goldman's 2B class, Musik with Frau Claudia, and PE! We even had a PE volunteer, which is great. Specials are a super way to get your feet wet volunteering. We have 6 of our TK-D grown ups all cleared for volunteering so far. This process takes a little bit to get through, but it is good for several years and it is good to get handled before you want to come in and help. Here is the direct link: https://app.cariina.com/public/workflows/boards/68939ffd0150f9608d65c58e
Next week we will begin to dive into our first IB Unit - Who We Are: Families vary around the world. We will be talking about our own families, drawing them, and doing some work with puppets, as well. Family roles and responsibilities will be discussed. We will make the connection to the classroom and our school family. Next week we will begin to start Class Jobs. We will connect to charts to help us stay organized and help us communicate, as well.
Some reflections on the week:
👋 Drop off: We are beginning WEEK 3 on Monday. I am asking that parents who have been walking their child to and into the classroom begin saying goodbye at the playground gate. You can take this week to let your child know you will say goodbye from outside the room, if needed. If your child is teary, they do calm down fairly soon after they become engaged and distracted by the class activity. Having a GOODBYE ROUTINE -- a special "secret handshake" or fist bump or little saying or rhyme - can help create the routine. In my family, we always say, "Be Safe, Have Fun! See you later little one!" (Though, my 16 year old now drops the last part...) Talk with your child to figure out your own little tradition.
🍔 Food:
**If your child is bringing Home Lunch— please be sure they know what is SNACK and what is LUNCH. Having a separate SNACK BAG and LUNCH BAG is useful, if you are able.
🍎 Snack: Most children seem to have enough snack through the day. Most snacks seem on target - healthy food. Please- NO COOKIES or CANDY. Save those treats as leverage at home— rewards for a successful day at school- cooperating with their teachers and classmates. Water should also be the only drink students bring from home. Milk is available at lunch. Please do not send Gatorade or juice.
🍱 Lunch: Students play first, then eat. Our system for ensuring School Lunch and Home Lunch students have time to eat each day relies on being prepared and students following their group from the playground to the lunch arbor. Talk with your child about staying in their correct line so they have time to eat. Once we leave the playground, there is no walking back to play. If they forgot something, they need to let an adult know. We eat as a class at the 4th table and students have gotten to see/practice how to use the trash bin, compost bin, and leftover milk bucket. Next week, especially for School Lunch, we will focus more on being independent with opening their own food containers. A good skill to practice is “pinch and pull open” — like opening a ziploc bag or small package of food. Ms. Veronica and I will begin taking our lunch at our regular time, which is during student lunch. We have been tag-teaming staying through lunch, but we cannot go the whole year without our lunch break. Safety Crew will be with the students to help them be responsible for following the routines of getting from the playground to the lunch arbor, opening their food, and staying at their table. If students need to use the bathroom, they need to raise their hand and let a Safety Crew member know - but we do use the bathroom as a class right after lunch. It gives your child more time to eat if they wait for the bathroom until after eating. Students have a 40-minute recess/lunch break: 18-ish to play, 2-3 to walk, 3-4 to get settled and open food, 10-13 to eat, 2-4 to clean up. When lunch is over, they clean up, then stand in line by the table. Safety Crew only has 5-minutes between grade levels to reset the area, so everyone working together to ensure the next grade has clean tables is critical. Students need to look for me at our line and we need to stay together as we exit the Lunch Arbor. Single file line down the ramp and up the stairs on the right side to the bathroom.
💧Water: The water bottle situation has been great! Thank you for labeling and sending reusable water bottles. Students have a tray at their table to have easy access to water through the day. They also try to remember to carry it to and from lunch, so they can hydrate as they eat. Students may also have milk at lunch with the school lunch, and may choose to leave their water bottle on the white table outside our classroom door while they go get lunch.
🥱Rest: Rest blankets went home Friday to be washed. RETURN THE BAG WITH YOUR CHILD'S WASHED BLANKET ON MONDAY. Some students have been bringing a rest stuffy -- if it is small and can fit in their bag with their blanket/pillow -- that is okay. Older grades do not allow stuffies and toys are against school policy. For TK, these will only be out for rest time, then put away. Please let us know if you have any questions.
👟 Shoes: Some children have been taking their shoes off at rest time. We are asking that they only do this IF they can put them back on by themselves. PRACTICE at home!! Not all students are independent with putting their shoes on yet. If they cannot put them back on, they will be asked to keep them on as they rest. If there were an emergency and we needed to leave the classroom, Ms. Veronica and I would not be able to help everyone put on their shoes.
🚻 Bathroom: PLEASE be sure your child is comfortable and INDEPENDENT with how to manage their clothing for using the bathroom. Buttons, closures, zippers, etc. can be tricky and we are not supposed to provide help with using the bathroom. We are there for support, if needed, but they should be self-sufficient in using the bathroom and managing their clothing to do so. This includes wiping. We are not able to provide help. If you have concerns about toileting, please let us know.
🎒 Backpacks: More students are becoming more independent with their backpacks and belongings, but we are still practicing. Many students are still not there yet. When students arrive, they first need to put their backpack on their hook, then unzip, next put their planner in the PINK box. After that, they need to put their snack and water bottle on their table. In the morning, that is their first job, then they get to go to recess. At the end of the day, we reverse this. To practice at home, try developing a similar routine where your child is responsible for emptying their backpack of their snack, water, and planner. Have a specific place for them to put these items. This routine at home will help you for years to come!
🟩 🟨 🟦 🟥 Zone Cards, Helping Hands & Treasure Box: We have begun using our Zones Cards in class to help students identify and keep track of their emotional Zone of Regulation. Green=Ready to Learn, Yellow=Excited/Extra Energy, Blue=Sad/Tired, Red=Mad. On Friday, Ms. Veronica held the first Treasure Box trip! This will become a routine and at last snack, students review the day with the teacher and if they have their 5th "punch" on their Helping Hand, then they will get to choose a small toy from the Treasure Box. If your child was absent or did not have their 5th "punch" on Friday, they may earn this on Monday or Tuesday. This is their "paycheck" for following our school and class rules as expected and cooperating with their class and teachers. Thank you for those who donated to the Treasure Box toys. We will always gladly accept small toys or stickers.
🏁Planners & Homework: Many parents are initialing nightly, helping students write their name each evening, and writing the names of books read in the planner in the Spelling Words column. Reading is where we hope you spend the most time with your child on "homework". You are building your routines now for taking time to do some book and paper/pencil work now.
🧑🧑🧒🧒 Family photo: If you have not sent in a photo for our Family Tree yet, please do. We can also take one at Back to School Night, if you would like.
🗓️Important Dates
Monday, September 7 – Labor Day
🚫 NO SCHOOL
Thursday, September 10 – Elementary Back to School Night
🏫 5:00–7:00 PM
Come visit our classroom and learn more about our TK year! Classroom sessions will be offered at 5:30 PM and again at 6:20 PM.
Friday, October 9 – Elementary Picture Day 📸
Monday, October 12 – Indigenous Peoples’ Day
🚫 NO SCHOOL
Friday, October 16 – Picture Make-Up Day 📸
October 19–23 – Parent/Teacher Conference Week
⏰ Minimum Days all week
More information about conference scheduling will come as we get closer.
October 19–23 – Elementary Scholastic Book Fair 📚
Family shopping will be available after dismissal during conference week.
🛜 AEA Social Media Links to Follow
Instagram:
Albert Einstein Academies: alberteinsteinacademies
Friends of AEA: friends_of_aea
Facebook:
Albert Einstein Academies: https://www.facebook.com/people/Albert-Einstein-Academies/100063712476464/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Friends of AEA: https://www.facebook.com/foaea?mibextid=wwXIfr
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Week 1 - First Week of School! August 10-14, 2026 (ENLACE a la traducción al español)
😎 Happy Saturday!
WOW! What a week we had- meeting new faces, learning new expectations and routines, and getting more and more comfortable with our new physical spaces. Every child (and adult) seemed to grow more comfortable with each day and that will surely continue as we get further into our year.
As a mom, I remember hearing a friend say, “the days are long, but the years are short.” This has stuck with me because yes, some days seemed to last for weeks and felt so long…but, every so often I’d look back and wonder how my son had grown so much so fast?!? Just think back to when you met your baby for the first time. That time went by in the blink of an eye…one long day at a time. This is the magic of parenting…and teaching. Thank you for allowing Ms, Veronica and I to be part of your child’s long (and quick) journey through TK.
Some reflections on the week:
👋 Drop off: THANK YOU for being such a punctual group! Starting on time is VERY important. Building that habit now in TK will help your child as they grow. Many older grades begin the day with academic content and being late means missing important instruction. In TK, we do start with recess, but this time is just as critical in these early years. Play is your child’s work right now. We see and hear your child working out how to make friends, share toys, take turns, manage self-care by using the bathroom, and sometimes move through big emotions during recess. All of these “soft skills” help predict future success in so many other areas. The time we spend supporting the students' growth in these areas will pay off in dividends. Slower start to finish strong. There are a few tears hanging on, this is normal and these fade quickly once our day gets going. If you have specific concerns, please let us know.
🍔 Food:
**If your child is bringing Home Lunch— please be sure they know what is SNACK and what is LUNCH, Separate snack and lunch bags are the easiest for students, Addibg a “snack” or “lunch” label can also help us adults support.
🍎 Snack: Most children seem to have enough snack through the day. Some children are observing more still and snacking less— but even if they are not eating all the food, they are using the time to talk with their classmates and teachers. Most snacks seem on target - healthy food. Please- NO COOKIES or CANDY. Save those treats as leverage at home— rewards for a successful day at school- cooperating with their teachers and classmates. Water should also be the only drink students bring from home. Milk is available at lunch. Please do not send Gatorade or juice.
🍱 Lunch: Students play first, then eat. Our system for ensuring School Lunch and Home Lunch students have time to eat each day relies on being prepared and students following their group from the playground to the lunch arbor. Talk with your child about staying in their correct line so they have time to eat. Once we leave the playground, there is no walking back to play. If they forgot something, they need to let an adult know. This first week we focused on getting to the correct table (we eat as a class at the 4th table) and how to use the trash bin, compost bin, and leftover milk bucket. Next week, especially for School Lunch, we will focus more on being independent with opening their own food containers. A good skill to practice is “pinch and pull open” — like opening a ziploc bag. Ms. Veronica and I have taken our lunch time this first week to be extra hands on deck at lunch, but we will be fading this support as students get more independent so that we also get a lunch break. Safety Crew will then be relying on the students to be responsible for following the routines of getting from the playground to the lunch arbor, opening their food, and staying at their table. If students need to use the bathroom, they do need to raise their hand and let a Safety Crew member know - but we do use the bathroom as a class right after lunch. It gives your child more time to eat if they wait for the bathroom until after eating. Students have a 40-minute recess/lunch break: 18-ish to play, 2-3 to walk, 3-4 to get settled and open food, 10-13 to eat, 2-4 to clean up. When lunch is over, they clean up, then stand in line by the table. Safety Crew only has 5-minutes between grade levels to reset the area, so everyone working together to ensure the next grade has clean tables is critical. Students need to look for me at our line and we need to stay together as we exit the Lunch Arbor. Single file line down the ramp and up the stairs to the bathroom.
💧Water: The water bottle situation has been great! Thank you for labeling and sending reusable water bottles. Students have a tray at their table to have easy access to water through the day. They also try to remember to carry it to and from lunch, so they can hydrate as they eat. Students may also have milk at lunch with the school lunch, and may choose to leave their water bottle on the white table outside our classroom door while they go get lunch. If you have questions about what your child is eating or any concerns, please let us know. It is a busy time with a lot of activity- we try to see it all, but we may miss something. We appreciate you asking if you are concerned about your child’s eating time.
🥱Rest: Some students have been falling asleep during rest time, about ⅓ of the students. But all students have been using the time to lay down, relax, and restore their energy. This is important practice to help your child manage their emotions, process all they are learning, and just be more balanced with their work/play/rest spheres. Rest blankets went home Friday to be washed. RETURN THE BAG WITH YOUR CHILD'S WASHED BLANKET ON MONDAY.
👟 Shoes: Some children have been taking their shoes off at rest time. We are asking that they only do this IF they can put them back on by themselves. PRACTICE at home!! Not all students are independent with putting their shoes on yet. If they cannot put them back on, they will be asked to keep them on as they rest. If there were an emergency and we needed to leave the classroom, Ms. Veronica and I would not be able to help everyone put on their shoes.
🚻 Bathroom: PLEASE be sure your child is comfortable and INDEPENDENT with how to manage their clothing for using the bathroom. Buttons, closures, zippers, etc. can be tricky and we are not supposed to provide help with using the bathroom. We are there for support, if needed, but they should be self-sufficient in using the bathroom and managing their clothing to do so. This includes wiping. We are not able to provide help. If you have concerns about toileting, please let us know.
🎒 Backpacks: Your child is expected to be unzipping and zipping their backpack to take out their planners and snacks. Please practice at home and if your child is not yet independent— keep practicing. They will get better with daily practice. The goal is that students can independently unpack their own materials at the start of each day and repack their belongings at the end of the day.
🟩 🟨 🟦 🟥 Zone Cards, Helping Hands & Treasure Box: We have begun using our Zones Cards in class to help students identify and keep track of their emotional Zone of Regulation. Green=Ready to Learn, Yellow=Excited/Extra Energy, Blue=Sad/Tired, Red=Mad.
All zones and feelings are valid. As humans, we expect to not always be feeling a-okay and in the Green Zone. As students and part of the TK-D School Family, though, we are all expected to work together and cooperate. Students not in the green zone may use the Calm Corner or a fidget or other tool to help reset. We encourage them to let us know if they are needing a break, a hug, or a moment to reset. The goal is being able to communicate this with words. We know all humans get frustrated and mad sometimes, but hitting, biting, pushing, etc. is not expected or okay. When students can cooperate and use their self-control as they are with us, they have been earning a sticker in their planner to communicate this to you at home. A sticker means your child worked WITH their teachers and class. We will also begin to use a system to track and acknowledge their Helping Hands by using a Treasure Box system. 5 days of cooperation=a visit to the treasure box. I will introduce this to students this coming week. Most students will be earning a trip to the Treasure Box on Friday because they cooperated all 5 days in the week. If your child had a hard day, maybe they were consistently ignoring directions or being unsafe with their body— it may take longer than 1 week to earn the 5 days of cooperation and their Treasure Box trip. We will keep track in class and have a chart to help students see their progress.
*IF you would like to make a donation of small treats (toys, slap bracelets, special stickers, etc), they will be gladly accepted.
🕝 Dismissal: Principal Mora has communicated the change in pick up procedure at the end of the day. Grown ups will ALL need to walk up and come to the classroom to pick up your TK-D student. This will be a first for us, but we believe it will be the safest approach and help create a smoother end of day experience for your child. KinderMission and AfterStein students will be picked up by these programs and transferred safely. Thank you for your patience and flexibility regarding all of these logistics. In another week or two; we should be working as a well-oiled dismissal machine! Wednesday is 12pm! All other days, pick up @ 2:30pm. Students not picked up by 2:45pm will be waiting in the front office for you to sign them out.
🏁Planners & Homework: Many parents are initialing nightly, helping students write their name each evening, and writing the names of books read in the planner. Thank you! If you have not started with this routine yet, please work to do so as you are able this next week, or so. We understand this has all be a big transition. A lot of new things!
🧑🧑🧒🧒 Family photo: If you have not sent in a photo for our Family Tree yet, please do. We can also take one at Back to School Night, if you would like.
🗓️Important Dates
Back-to-School Night: September 10th, 2026 at 5 pm to 7 pm
Pastries with the Principal: Aug 20th at 8:30 am
Week 0 - Before School Begins! August 3-7, 2026
Hello TK Families!
TK Welcome Tea Event:
Save the Date Friday, August 7, 2026, 9:45 am – 10:30 am
It is an AEA tradition to have a TK/ Kinder Tea on the Friday prior to the start of school. This is an opportunity for our newest Einstein students to meet their teachers, see their classrooms, and receive their special Schultüte. Stay tuned for specifics from the office! Check your email!
Please note the start times below:
FYI -- Kindergarten will be held at 9:00, before TK.
9:45 TK Welcome Tea
*Your TK student’s class placement will be emailed to you the week of August 3rd for your planning purposes.
IF you don't receive an email, please contact the front office staff or email "Support@aeacs.org" for help.
We look forward to meeting you and beginning our journey together! It's going to be a wonderful year!!
Remember, School Begins on August 10th and campus opens for breakfast at 7:45am, students not eating breakfast are welcome on campus at 7:50am. First Day Only - grown ups may help walk their child to their line up area shared at TK Tea.
Check back for the most current information & updates!
~Mrs. Findlay
Zones of Regulation:
We use colors to help describe our feelings and emotions. See these resources to help understand what we are sharing in class so that you can support at home, as well.
Green Zone - All is as it should be. Happy, calm, peaceful, patient, flexible, ready to learn
Yellow Zone - Can be positive or negative, excited or anxious. Frustrated, Anxious, Excited, Silly These emotions are opposites of the same coin. We can move through the yellow zone and get back to green or help ourselves feel more positive about the energy we are feeling. Naming the emotions we are feeling helps us understand ourselves and have better control over our actions.
Blue Zone - Slow, tired, or sad. When we feel this way, we may have physical reasons, like we did not sleep well, or it may have been an interaction with a friend or family member that left us sad. Sometimes, though, we all just feel a little blue and that is ok. Feelings come and go, they don't stay too long and we can stay calm until our feelings change and we feel ready to be back in the green zone.
Red Zone - Angry feelings or out of control, when we are mad we need a break. We want our friends and family to feel safe aroud us and taking a walk, listening to music, reading a book, or squeezing a pillow, stomping my feet, or have a cry may be what we need to help get back to the green zone. Talking with a friend or adult when we feel calmer can help, too. This is hopefully not a frequent zone, but everyone does get mad and upset from time to time. This is normal and together, we can work through the red zone.
This is a book we read in class the first week of school. It illustrates an important concept that is at the heart of TK-D -- there is room for everyone! We are having so much fun getting to know everyone's personalities, likes, dislikes, and challenge areas. Together, we will make space for one another to be their true, authentic selves and under this umbrella of safety and community -- we will all grow and learn a lot this year -- with our brains and our hearts!