In like a lion, out like a lamb? I don’t think that’s the case THIS year! Can you believe there is a winter storm watch today? And Opening Day for the Red Sox is in three days! Crazy!
March was a super busy month for us. The Amazing Animal Ambassadors visit was a ton of fun for the kids and quite educational as well. We finished up our tennis program and started Kids Cooking Green for the Barracudas. The cast and crew of “Best of Broadway” have been rehearsing for our shows next weekend. Later this month, we’ll be bringing a yoga program in!
CURRICULUM
Our theme this month will be Upcycling. For those of you not familiar with the term, to upcycle is to reuse (discarded objects or material) in such a way as to create a product of a higher quality or value than the original. I know the staff are busy collecting toilet paper tubes, steel cans, water bottles and other things to use for some really creative projects! If you have the following around the house, please bring them in for us: empty K-cups, egg cartons, buttons.
FIELD TRIPS
April 11th (Adventurers): Mini Golf at Trombetta’s in Marlborough
April 11th (Explorers): Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary in Natick
April 25th (Adventurers): The Clay Room in Brookline
CLASSES
Kids Cooking Green for the Minnows—registration is open! This class starts Tuesday, May 2nd. Please note that registration for this class must be done online @ www.kidscookinggreen.com. Click on “Upcoming Classes” to sign up.
Yoga! A 4-week program to be held on Thursdays will begin April 27th. Sign your child up today!
MUSICAL
Come to a night at the theater! We have a cast of over 40 students that have been rehearsing for three months now and they are ready to perform Best of Broadway! Shows will be held on Friday, April 7th and Saturday, April 8th at 7:00 PM in the Peirce Auditorium. Tickets are $8 each and they are available now at PEDP—please ask for Rachel, Joanne or Kathy to purchase tickets. This is a super fun evening! Flower bouquets and concessions are available for purchase both evenings. You can also send a “Break a Leg Wish” to actors or stage crew in the show by buying a card to fill out prior to the beginning of the evening performances. We hope all PEDP families will show their support by attending the show. Really fun evening!
ELLIE KAI EVENING Thursday, April 27th 5:00 – 8:30 pm
Want a fun night out with your friends? How about updating your wardrobe while supporting a great cause? Bring a friend to our Open House and join other PEDP moms for a “Night of Ellie Kai Style”. We are partnering with Ellie Kai representative (and PEDP mom!), Suzanne Winton to bring you this event. We are especially excited to let you know that 20% of every purchase will be donated to support the PEDP Scholarship Fund. Ellie Kai clothes are made to order. Choose your favorite style in your favorite fabric! Come join us for a glass of wine, gal pal time, and try on some super cute clothes to add to your wardrobe! RSVP today!
ENROLLMENT IN PEDP FOR 2017-2018
The deadline is past now and some programs are filling up. If you have not yet turned in your application for next year, I strongly urge you to do so soon.
MINNOWS MESSAGE from Kim Ryan, Minnows Coordinator
Early Minnows
The Early Minnows were very interested in our theme for March. They learned many facts about endangered or extinct animals and some ways they could help animals continue to exist in the world. Check out the early minnows If I met a gorilla projects that are hanging in the PEDP hallway. We compared the size of the kids’ hands with the size of a gorillas’—big difference! Then we asked what they would do if they met a gorilla. Some answers included: play with him, give him a high five, shoot hoops and run away. They also learned about woolly mammoths, polar bears, dinosaurs, sloths and more. Did you know that polar bears are not actually white? Ask your child what color they are; it may surprise you!
I am planning a project with the early minnows in May and would like to get a head start since it has a few steps to it, but I need your help! I am asking for a traced hand from each mom, dad and sibling. I do not need you to trace the hand of your kindergartner because we will do that at PEDP. Please trace each hand on a different colored paper (ex. mom’s on red, dad’s on blue, brother’s on white), if you need the paper let me know and I will send it home. I would love to have all the hands by the end of April. Let me know if you have any questions.
Late Minnows
The Late Minnows have had a lot of fun things happening this month! Cooking, projects, building, gym games and much more! A few of the Minnows have also learned a new card game named Pit which is a fast-paced game designed to simulate open outcry bidding for commodities. They have been having a great time!
In April, the Minnows will have clubs on Mondays: Changing pictures with Miss Laurie P,
Marshmallow building with Miss Nancy, and Roleplay Reader with Miss Kim. Some fun choices!
Finally, the minnows say goodbye to the Treehouse and will spend the rest of the year with the Greenhouse being their home base. You can reach me at kim@peirceedp.com
BARRACUDA BUZZ from Joanne Malouf, Barracudas Coordinator
March was a busy month for the Barracudas. While we didn’t have any Explorer Trips, we did have a fun visit from Amazing Animal Adventures at the beginning of the month. I’ve seen many of these types of shows but I still learned something new about many of the animals. Thirteen of the Barracudas have been taking part in the Kids Cooking Green class on Tuesdays. They have made some very aromatic dishes. Chris has had science this month. He showed the kids how a green screen works by taking the kids’ picture and putting them in a scene with a giant animal. Pretty cool! Laurie F. did fuse beads with the kids, always a popular activity. Rachel K. learned how to do origami and then taught the kids; this is another activity the kids really enjoy. The kids and I created koala bear pencil pom pom toppers that led to the kids creating other animals and creatures out of pom poms. It’s great to see the kids getting a chance to be creative with all of these activities.
Please feel free to contact me at joanne@peirceedp.com with questions or concerns about your child or the Barracuda Program.
SHARK TALES from Rachel Bastarache, Sharks Coordinator
Hello from the Sharks! We have swum right through the month of March. We dove into our theme of endangered animals with some great craft projects with Mr. Sean! They had fun making their own polar bears, frogs, and pandas. Using origami, Ms. Laurie D taught the kids about frogs, turtles, panda bears, butterflies and even whales. Ms. Deb shared her love of cooking and taught the kids how to make homemade pretzels, pizza bite appetizers, Yogurt parfait, and lasagna in a muffin tin! Clubs have been on Thursdays this month. Ms. Deb has been busy creating comic books and Mr. Sean’s sports club has been learning how to play Ping Pong. Ms. Rachel’s club has been busy working on scenery and props for the musical.
Swimming into the month of April– we are hoping to have some nicer weather so we can enjoy some more outside time! The Sharks really like to play group games such as football and basketball when we are able to get outside.
How’s homework going? I know with MCAS there seems to a lot more packets to work on. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s homework time. All the Sharks have been doing a great job with reading for March Madness. They have given the Shark staff some great reading recommendations! You can email me any time at rachel@peirceedp.com
PROGRAM CLOSURES THIS MONTH
Friday, April 14th in observance of Good Friday
Monday, April 17th through Friday, April 21st – Spring Vacation Week
REQUESTS AND REMINDERS FOR ALL PARENTS…
* The Early Birds program ($10 per day) and extra hours ($12 per hour) are available to all families when needed. Just ask!
* Please remember that you must notify PEDP whenever your child will not be attending for the day. You may do this in person, by phone (617-332-5881), in writing, or via e-mail: kids@peirceedp.com There is a calling fee of $25 if the staff need to make phone calls to find out where your child is at attendance time.
* Want to know when all the upcoming events are for the year?! Check out our PEDP “Calendar-at-Glance” on our website! www.peirceedp.com
Thanks for reading!
Kathy
