August 10,
2010
Dear OVCNS families,
Welcome to Ojai Valley Community Nursery School. I hope you have enjoyed a great summer filled with lots of summertime togetherness! When faced with the last few weeks of summer, I drink in and savor every moment with my kids: afternoons at our favorite beach, kids playing in the surf and sand with the sun falling towards the horizon and evening walks before bed. I like the seasonal changes and find myself in anticipation of the one coming up next while holding on to the last. We are looking forward to a terrific year ahead at OVCNS. I am happy to get back into the classroom and prepare a beautiful environment for the children. Our parents and board members have been busy planning a successful year. We appreciate all of the effort that goes into making OVCNS a safe, happy and exciting place for children to grow and learn.
I have the pleasure of being the toddler teacher this year on Wednesdays and the preschool teacher on Thursdays and Fridays. I have been the director at OVCNS for six years and have taught preschool for many years, both at OVCNS and The Montessori School of Santa Barbara. I received my B.A. in English from UCSB and went on to attend Association Montessori International in La Jolla, California, where I attained my Montessori diploma in primary education. I received my ECE units from SBCC. I have been studying, observing and working with children for many years and they teach me so much! Most of you know me, but I look forward to meeting new families and working together in the classroom. I would like to introduce and welcome our new teacher for our preschool program.
Genevieve Gould is our preschool teacher on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Genevieve has been teaching preschool and elementary aged children since 2003, first at the Montessori School of Ojai, where she received her primary Montessori training and AMS certificate under the direction of Dr. Vicki Mathews. Genevieve is continuing her early childhood studies at Ventura College. From 2007 to present she started her own school called Grassroots. It is an enrichment home school program for children aged four to nine years old. There she was the facilitator, teacher and program director. Genevieve brings lots of experience and a wealth of knowledge to our preschool program. Welcome, Genevieve!
OVCNS is Ojai's only parent participation preschool cooperative, or co-op. It has been around for over 50 years and we have had parents at the school that went to the co-op as children! As parents at the co-op you have the amazing opportunity to be part of your child's first school experience. OVCNS is owned and operated by parents. The school was built by families working together for the good of the children as a whole. We foster the growth of families and children in a caring community. Friendships made at OVCNS often last long after the preschool years.
We will have an Open House/ Playday at school for new and returning parents on Thursday, September 2, from 9:30-11:30am. Please come to the open house and enjoy. Tell any friends with toddler and preschool-aged children they are welcome, too.
The first day of school for toddlers is Wednesday, September 8, at 9:30am.
The first day for preschoolers is Tuesday, September 7, at 9:00am.
We will have an All Family Orientation Night on September 8th, from 6-7pm with great food and fun starting at 5:30pm. Please join us to get to the know the class and parents, and review what makes the coop special.
In the spirit of cooperation,
Jennifer Wing
OVCNS
BIRTHDAYS
If
you would like to celebrate your child's birthday
with his or her friends at school you are welcome
to do just that. After outside time we will clean
up a bit early (by 10:30) and go inside to our circle
rug.
There
we have the children sit around in a circle and have
a little ceremony for your child. We ask the parent
of the birthday child to make up a poster board with
photos of each year beginning at birth with a newborn
photo. We light a candle to represent the sun and
place it in the middle of the circle. The birthday
child will hold our small globe and walk around the
candle slowly (as many times as he or she is old-as
the earth goes around the sun yearly) as his or her
parent tells about each year of the birthday child's
life so far.
Muffins
or sweet bread can be served to the children following
the ceremony. We do have a few children with food
allergies and hope you will try to include them too
(Rainbow Bridge has a brownie mix with no wheat or
dairy).
A
birthday book can be given to the school in your child's
name. Your child can pick it out and I can read it
to the class.
If
your child's birthday is not on a school day and you
still want to celebrate it at school, just pick a
day that is good for your family the week before or
after
