September
September has gone by so fast! We enjoy getting to know our students and seeing them form friendships. During September we played many games to get acquainted with each other and meet our new friends. We’ve been building our community wall with photos from each child’s family. Our students enjoyed many fall art projects, apples, leaves and sunflowers took staring roles! We welcomed several special guest to our classroom. Teachers Brittany and Ben started off our music program for the year and all of our enrichment classes are off to a great start! We look forward to upcoming visits from Talk About Trees and our middle school reading buddies!
October
October is a busy month. Children and families are settling in to their new schedules and the holidays are just around the corner. Preschool children love to celebrate and have parties. Our first party will be Halloween!
Because Hands On children attend our school on different schedules, we try to make sure that we include a few celebrations that everyone can attend. Our first celebration of the year is Halloween! Dress up and celebrate with us!
Our Halloween party will be on Friday, October 30th, 12-1PM. All families are invited to dress up and celebrate with us! Even if your child doesn’t come to school on that day, you and your child are welcome to join us for the party! Siblings may attend as well.
Look for a sign-up sheet mid-October on the check in table to see how you can help.
October
- 2nd, Special guest, Talk About Trees Oregon
- 5th-Special guest, Talk About Trees Oregon
- 7th-Music with Teacher Brittany
- 8th-Music with Teacher David
- 9th-NO SCHOOL
- 13 &14th –School Pictures, https://www.douglasfrierott.com/index
- 21st-Music with Teacher Brittany
- 27th-Music with Teacher Ben
- 30th-Halloween Party, more info soon!
November
Monday, November 2nd – Pajama Day! You are probably tired from the busy Halloween weekend, so wear pajamas to school and have breakfast for lunch! Look for a sign-up sheet mid-October to see how you can help.
Wednesday, November 4th-Muisc with Teacher Brittany
Monday, November 10th-Muisc with Teacher David
Wednesday, November 11th-No School, Holiday
Wednesday, November 18th-Muisc with Teacher Brittany
Thursday, November 19th-Reading Buddies, Portland Forest School Middle School students join our class and read to our students.
Monday -Friday, November 23-27-No School, Holiday
Talk About Trees
Each year we look forward to a few visits from “Talk About Trees”. Talk About Trees is an interactive, science-based program for preschool through eighth grade students. This program brings the forest into schools and helps to encourage awareness and appreciation for the value of trees and forests in our daily lives. The program also encourages an understanding about the protection, management and conservation of the renewable forest. Joan, a former Hands On parent, coordinates the Talk About Trees program and brings teachers to our school a few times each year. We are excited for our first classes Oct. 2nd and 5th!
Teachers
Each month we will spotlight one of our many teachers. This month we want to introduce you to Anne. Anne joined our school as a substitute this September. Help us welcome Anne to our team.
Hello families. My name is Anne. I am a long time neighbor and friend of Hands On Art and Play. My older child was one of the original HOAP students where I was a parent helper 26 years ago. Since then we have raised our two sons a short walk from Hands On. As we see each other around the neighborhood you may notice me admiring dogs and gardens. I also enjoy arts and crafts, cooking, biking, hiking, and swimming. I have always been passionate about incorporating art and play into my work with children, first as a special education teacher and then as a Speech Language Pathologist for Portland Public schools. I have recently retired from PPS and am really looking forward to connecting with little ones and their community.
School Pictures
It is that time again! School pictures will be Tuesday and Wednesday, October 13th and 14th. Douglas Frierott is a former Hands On parent and has been doing our class pictures for many years. All children will get their picture taken for our yearbook, but you are not obligated to buy photos or the yearbook. Douglas will put all photos up on a password secured site and you can choose the ones you want him to print. Individual photos will be taken of each child, and a class photo from each day.
If your child does not attend school on Tuesday or Wednesday, hasn’t started school yet, or your sibling wants to join the photos, just check in with Jennifer so we can make a plan.