This Week at Spindlewood

Dear Parents,

So wonderful to return from my travels and find the children to be thriving in the care of Miss Elisa and Miss Kerry. While I was away, Sarah Baldwin was here to observe Elisa and Kerry as their mentor in the LifeWays Early Childhood training. Laina Clugston has also visited the Nursery Class as Sarah Smith’s mentor. We are grateful for their support and wise guidance.

The Nursery class had happily gathered the last of the maple sap and gathered up the buckets. So this week we boiled down the final kettle of syrup and I poured it into jars hot from the oven while the children were at play. Each child has a small jar to bring home. Miss Elisa cooked a mountain of pancakes that day and we finally had our long-awaited Pancake Day on Tuesday. What spring appetites!

Such an exciting day it was to hear the first “croak!” from the frog pond, and to see a mother and father robin all aflutter as they seek a place for a nest.

On Wednesday we celebrated Seamus’ birthday with his family and the twin babies Finn and Erin making their debut. What joy! Seamus brought felted bead necklaces to share with each of his classmates. Thank you, Amy!

Afterwards, the children did some wet felting of their own to make woolen “robins’ eggs” to put into their wheat grass gardens to bring home.

(Maintenance tips: the maple syrup is well sealed. Please refrigerate after opening. The wheat grass can be cut if it gets too long. Cats and chickens like to eat it! If watered moderately, it will continue to stay green. Thanks for recycling the bowls with us when they are finished. The felted wool eggs can be dunked into warm soapy water for cleaning or ongoing felting.)

Wednesday was a rainy day and the children were delighted to find the mud again after a long winter of walking on snow. Thanks so much for providing rain or snow pants, extra mittens/gloves and a change of socks!

This week’s puppet play has dramatized the wonder of a caterpillar’s metamorphosis into a butterfly. The children have listened intently at the caterpillars feeling that he was dissolving into green juice and wondering if he could ever change. But yes, with the Sun now rising over our horizon, all will soon be renewed and transformed into spring.

Miss Elisa also hosted an Independent School Association Open House last weekend. I have been enjoying meeting with the administrators of the six other independent schools in the Camden/Rockport area. One of our recent developments is an ISA "Hub" Website created by Tim Wilson. You can check it out at www.maineindependentschools.com!

Of course, we always welcome families who are looking for a preschool/kindergarten to come visit us for a casual tour. So please let your friends know. There are still openings in both the Nursery and the Kindergarten classes.

This coming week April 18-22 is Spring Vacation. One of my tasks this week is to complete the “Crosswalk” process that will allow Spindlewood to be recognized by the state as a Quality Center for Children. (Read my lips ~ tax credits for parents!)

Sending spring love to you all,
Susan