Dear Salal Community Members,

What do you think of this weather? Thank you for sending your children prepared for whatever the sky holds. It’s muddy and wet, but our DAYS ARE GETTING LONGER! Umbrellas, rain boots and coats, and a warm layer are all very handy. We talk to the children about the season we are in and what it brings. Many animals are migrating, adapting, or hibernating through our coldest days, yet as our planet revolves around the sun, daylight hours increase, reminding us of warmer days and preparing us for SPRING.

Did you know your children do the lion’s share of the work keeping their classroom neat and orderly? Children serve themselves snack, wash their dishes, toast bread, sweep, scrub tables and chairs, clean up paper scraps with perfectly small fingers, and put away materials they have completed for another friend to enjoy. We sort garbage, yard waste, and recycling as it comes up throughout the day. It is remarkable to watch how very capable these young people are. My hope is that at home you see growth in their abilities, independence in caring for themselves and their space, and helping family members when they are able. They want to be like you and do what you do.

Although Ellie and I try our best to clean and disinfect, we don’t get it all every day. Thank you for keeping ill children home and taking our calls to pick up your child who is not feeling well. Those are hard phone calls to make, but we are doing it anyway. We are all sharing everything and, as you know, if one child is sick there will be more.

By now you have received a progress report. In years past, we would give you the report during our in-person conference, but this year we changed things up. It feels funny writing and not talking, so if anything comes up from this report – or otherwise – please reach out to me. Optimally, it would be nice to connect after your observations. What did you see? Did anything surprise you? What made you wonder? Please connect via email or a phone call. I feel as if we are a team, raising these beautiful souls together and as a community. For me, more information is better.

We will continue to learn about birds and spring is around the corner. Listen for bird calls, “think out loud” while observing birds (black cap, small, stays close to the ground),.These keen skills will serve them as budding scientists. Have you noticed the new migrating shorebirds?

Enjoy February,
Cheryl and Ellie