October
The following children are celebrating birthdays in the month of October:

Armaan Shah	10–02	Liliana Fendell	10–24
Ari Swanson	10-02	Kendall Swanson	10-26
Luciano Hernandez	10–06	Nizhonie Denetsosie-Gomez	10–27
Jenifer Clayton	10-10	Colin Lavigne	10–30
Dawson Clark	10–16	Riley Johnson	10-30

Please send in pictures of each year of your preschool or extended day child’s life either on his/her birthday or on the school day closest to the birthday and we will have a special birthday ceremony at school. Each child will receive a birthday crown. For the elementary students, please send in a photo from each year that can be used to make a birthday book. (These photos will NOT be returned. Scanned photos are okay.)

REMEMBER: No special birthday treats.

Elementary Studies

In October, the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd year students of the elementary class will be studying the pumpkin cycle, history of writing, Christopher Columbus, Europe, science experiments, time, parts of speech, Roman numerals, sound, research and paragraph writing. The 4^th and 5^th years will study the atom, physics, binomials, multiples, circle, polygons, US geography (5^th), early Native American civilizations (Hohokam, Mogollon, & Anasazi), skeletal system, writing process, plant cell, and elements of literature. The class is still reading Mrs. Frisby and the Secret of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien.

Preschool & Kindergarten Studies
In October, the preschool and extended day classes will be studying the body (skeleton, too), dinosaurs, fire safety, owls, Christopher Columbus, pumpkins, spiders, and North America.

Toddler Happenings

In October,, the toddler class will be working with materials emphasizing fall, the changing colors in fall, and pumpkins..

Physical Education for October

In PE, the preschool, kindergarten, and elementary children learn physical activities in a playful, but structured setting. Preschoolers are improving their running and jumping skills and learning to catch and throw. They will be playing freeze tag, tunnel tag, towel tag, circle tag, and doing chin-ups. Kindergarten & elementary will be participating in relay runs, running laps, playing tag games, and playing t-ball. Elementary will also be performing stretching exercises, symmetries, jumping rope, baseball (catch, throw, & field).

All PE lessons have 3 elements: running and strength exercises, skill exercises for many different sports, and play activities.

Please remember to send your preschool, kindergarten, and elementary child in comfortable tennis shoes on P.E. days. Remember to wear your Sunrise t-shirts on P.E. days.

on PE day.

North Campus: Monday – AM Preschool

PM preschool

All Day Preschool

1^st & 2^nd year boys’ group 1

3^rd, 4^th, & 5^th boys

Tuesday – Kindergarten

Elementary girls

1^st & 2^nd year boys’ group2

South Campus: Thursday - all preschool & Kindergarten

Art

The elementary students are studying the following in art:

1^st years: In art history, pre-historic project and intro to Mesopotamian art. In creating art, exploring line in a fish drawing & intro to shape.
2^nd years: In art history, review projects and intro to Early Jewish, Christian, and Byzantine art. In creating art, beginning line & texture dragon drawing.

3^rd years: In art history, review projects and intro to Renaissance art and artists. In creating art, beginning a textural animal sculpture.

4^th & 5^th years: In art history, review projects and intro to Baroque art and artists. In creating art, beginning value landscape with animals.

School Needs

Preschool & Kindergarten North:

• pumpkins (medium & small)

• Halloween stickers

• large pumpkin for outdoor environment

Preschool & Kindergarten South:

• pumpkins (medium & small)

Elementary:

• small pumpkins, gourds, & Indian corn

• charcoal

• colored cardstock

• carpet sweeper

• CD player

Child Health Day
October 1^st is Child Health Day, a nationwide initiative to raise awareness about children’s health. Americans are asked to take family pledges: 1) sharing a healthy breakfast; 2) engaging in physical activities; 3) stopping smoking in their presence; 4) using car seats, seat belts, bike helmets, & sunscreen; 5) teaching them to take good care of their teeth. For more information on how you can get involved, visit the American Health Foundation’s website at http://www.ahf.org

School Pictures
On October 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th Rick Mueller will be taking school pictures. On Tuesday, October 3^rd, all Toddler, Preschool, and Kindergarten classes will have their photos taken at the south campus. On Wednesday, October 4^th, all Toddler and Preschool classes will have their photos taken at the north campus. On Thursday, October 5^th, the Kindergarten and Elementary classes at the north campus will have their photos taken. Please remember to turn in your order form whether you are ordering pictures or not, so that we can make sure everyone who wanted a picture taken will get one. An envelope was sent home last week. Extra envelopes are in the school office.

Photo Helpers

The following parents have volunteered to help with picture day:

South AM Tuesday Davena Ballard

Kristin Smidt

South PM Tuesday Angie Casey

Pam Silliman

North AM Wednesday Paola Flory

Renee Osborne

Irina Wilson

North PM Wednesday Jena Clark

North all day Wednesday Connie Moreno

Kimberly Thompson

North AM Thursday Jamie Bowman

Toni Scimeca

Julie Tarallo

North all day Wednesday Monica Brown

Edith Delgado Gutierrez

Kimberly Thompson

Circle First Fridays

On the first Friday of each month at 7 PM, Circle of Peace Church (our north campus) has “Circle First Friday”. Every month is a different activity and they would like to invite anyone from the school who would like to come.

Fire Prevention Week

The week of October 7^th through October 13^th is fire prevention week. Here are some fire safety tips:

*Make sure your child always stays at least 3 feet away from the stove.

*Have chimneys checked at least once a year.

*Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from walls, furniture, kids, &

pets. Turn them off at night and whenever adults cannot monitor them.

*Check the batteries in your smoke alarms.

*Create and/or review an escape plan with your family that includes 2

ways out of every room & an outside meeting place.

PSG October Meeting

The Parent Support Group will hold the October meeting at 6:30 PM on Tuesday, October 9^that the south campus. Childcare will be provided. Please get involved with the decisions and events that take place throughout the year. The PSG hosts events which raise funds for our children’s education as well as bringing all of our families together. Please call Angie Casey (at 623) 594-6758 if you have any questions regarding the PSG.

National Depression Screening Day
Thursday, October 11^th, is National Depression Screening Day. To find a screening facility near you, call 1-800-242-2211.

Common signs of depression are:

· Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood

· Difficulty sleeping

· Changes in appetite

· Loss of pleasure in activities that were once enjoyable

· Sometimes difficulty concentrating

· Feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, or guilt

· May have thoughts of death or suicide

Susan B. Komen Race for the Cure®

The annual Susan B. Komen race for breast cancer will be held on Sunday, October 14^th at 7:00 AM in downtown Phoenix. You can come and register downtown on the day of the race at 6:30 AM if you have not done so already. Some of us will be walking for loved ones who have been touched by breast cancer. Some of us will be walking for Debbie Lorenzi. For those of you who are new to our school, Debbie Lorenzi was our Mother’s Day Out teacher for several years. She was also a parent with two children, David and Kiara, who attended our school. She passed away from breast cancer in April 2000.

About The Race for the Cure®

Since its origination in 1983, the Komen Race for the Cure® has grown from one local race with 800 participants in Dallas, Texas, to a series of more than 100 races with over 2 million people anticipated to participate in 2007.

Seventy-five percent of all proceeds from the Phoenix Race for the Cure® remain in the local community. These funds will go to local screening, treatment, and education programs. The remaining 25% helps to fund the National Grant Program of the Komen Foundation.

World Food Day

October 16^th, is a worldwide event designed to increase awareness, understanding, and informed year-around action to alleviate hunger. For more information, visit the World Food Day website at www.worldfooddayusa.org

October Parent Study:

“Montessori’s Planes of Development”

Please remember to attend our October parent study on Thursday, October 18^th at 7:00 PM. The Planes of Development created by Maria Montessori are the cornerstone of a Montessori education. This is a very informative Montessori parent study regarding children of all ages. Child care will be provided.

Subway Lunch

Elementary Subway lunch is Friday, October 19^th. If your child is participating in Subway Fridays, they do NOT need to bring a lunch to school on that day. The Subway lunch includes a sandwich, fruit roll-up, and juice.

Cooking Day

The kindergarten classes will cook on Thursday, October 25^th. Parent volunteers are needed to help with cooking day. Please mark your response form if you can help.

Elementary Pizza Lunch

Elementary pizza lunch day is Thursday, October 25^th. If your child is participating in pizza days they do NOT need to bring a lunch to school on that day. Pizza and juice will be served.

Kindergarten Visits the Phoenix Police Museum

All of the Kindergarten students will visit the Phoenix Police Museum on Friday, October 26^th. They will see historical artifacts from the Phoenix police department.

1^st, 2^nd, & 3^rd Year Elementary Visit Arizona Science Center

The 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd year elementary students will visit the Arizona Science Center on Friday, October 26^th. They will participate in the exhibit “Strange Matter”. The class will then proceed to the Teeter Tea House for lunch.

4^th & 5^th Year Elementary Visit History of Phoenix Museum

On Friday, October 26^th, the 4^th and 5^th year elementary students will visit the History of Phoenix Museum to see “Highway to History”. The class will then proceed to the Teeter Tea House for lunch.

Petting Zoo Visits

The school has invited a petting zoo to come to our school and bring a llama, rabbits, goat, chickens, and more. They will be at the north campus on Monday, October 29^th from 9:30 to 11:30 AM. All PM preschool students may attend the AM preschool on this day. On Tuesday, October 30^th, the south campus will get visitors from 9:30 to 10:30 AM. All PM preschool students may attend the AM preschool on this day.

Halloween Celebrations

Elementary	8:45 AM – 10:15 AM
All Toddler & AM Preschool North	9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
PM Preschool & All Day Preschool Kindergarten North	10:30 AM-11:30 AM
AM Toddler & AM Preschool South	9:00AM-10:00AM
PM Preschool All Day Preschool Kindergarten South	10:30 AM-11:30 AM

On Wednesday, October 31^st, all classes will enjoy their Halloween celebrations. We will have a special schedule for this special day. Please make a note of it. There will be no regular school or Mother’s Day Out that day. Have your children wear their costume to school. Because the children come in their

costumes, we have the children only come for an hour. This gives them plenty of time to show their friends their costumes, have a snack, and play some games.

Because children younger than six have trouble distinguishing between fantasy and reality, we request your cooperation in having the children wear realistic costumes. Some costume suggestions are farmer, nurse, any animal, cheerleader, queen, etc. We ask that the children not wear scary costumes as we have had children in the past get scared and experience nightmares. We especially request no Power Rangers, Pokemon, or Superheroes. We want this celebration to be a pleasant experience for all the children. Several non-scary costume ideas for preschoolers and toddlers are available in the office.

Some children are allergic to various food items (red dye, dairy, nuts), so PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, DO NOT SEND IN CANDY OR TREATS!

Overdose of Halloween Candy

The best way to treat an overdose of Halloween candy: If kids have stomachaches from overindulgence, hand them a carbonated drink such as ginger ale, suggest pediatricians. The bubbles will bring on burping – which, for children anyway, spells relief better than antacids do.

Homeroom Chairpeople

Our homeroom Chairpeople (from the parent helper form) for the Halloween celebrations are:

AM Toddler (South)	Briana Emelity
AM Preschool (South)	Brenda Conditt
PM Preschool & all day Preschool (South)	Julie Bundy
Kindergarten (South)	Niki Karandreas
AM & PM Toddler (North)	Bindu Balakrishnan
AM Preschool (North)	Kimberly Thompson
PM Preschool & all day Preschool (North)	Toni Scimeca
Kindergarten (North)	Jena Clark
Elementary	Joanne Knox

Parents not helping with the celebration are invited to gather at the picnic tables (south campus) and the lobby (north campus). The Parent Support Group will supply donuts. Too many adults in the classrooms is distracting and disruptive to the children.

Why Young Children Get Scared!

For some children, Halloween is not just festivities and treats, but filled with fears and anxieties. Adults often underestimate how scary the world can be for the typical child. These fears are rooted in a child’s growing awareness of the world around him and his own separateness from his parents. Fears can take many forms, from thunder and lightning to witches, monsters, and clowns. It may be the neighborhood dog or a fireworks show that scares a young child. With a child’s increasing autonomy, comes insecurity, particularly as the child becomes more conscious of his own size and place in the world. A typical young child is beginning to see how vulnerable he is because he is so small and relatively powerless. To compensate for their feelings of vulnerability, young children need to feel in control and know what will be happening next. Experts agree that a fear is most likely to go away on its own if you do not make a big deal about it. Perhaps you could avoid putting children in positions where they may encounter some of their fears. As maturity develops, these fears will wane. If your child is afraid of something that cannot be avoided (like the neighborhood dog), you might have to help him master his fear. Giving your child words to name the fear and his feelings will help him feel more in control. You may read a book about dogs or visit a playful puppy in a pet store. The more active the coping strategy, the better, since it involves your child in the solution. If you see that your child’s fear is growing more intense over time and interfering with regular activities, consult your pediatrician. A child’s fears may be related to something more serious that is happening in his life. Rest assured that fear is a normal part of every child’s life. If you take a relaxed and respectful approach, you will find that your child’s fear will become memories.

From the Family Connection News

Elementary Visits the Peoria Library

In the month of October, the 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th year students will begin visiting the library to do research and to check out books to read for pleasure.

Parent Observations
We encourage parents to observe their children in the classroom at any time. An observation just prior to conference time may be helpful to formulate questions for your child’s teacher. Please call the office to schedule an observation. We request only two parents observe at any one time. Included in this newsletter are some suggestions about observations in a Montessori classroom.

Parent Teacher Conferences

On Thursday, November 1^st, and Friday, November 2^nd, the teachers will be meeting with parents concerning their child’s progress. Each conference will be 15 minutes in length. Please be prompt in arriving for your appointment. Also, please be considerate of those parents with appointments after yours and take only your allotted 15 minutes. If you do not have time during your conference to have all your questions answered, please feel free to schedule an observation or to set up another appointment for a different time. Childcare will be provided. Please do not leave your children on the playground unattended.

We will begin scheduling conferences on Monday, October 22^nd. We look forward to seeing all of you and sharing with you how wonderful your children are and how much we enjoy teaching them.

No school or Mother’s Day Out on Thursday, November 1^st or Friday, November 2^nd.

Kindergarten Eye Exams
All children of kindergarten age (5 & 6) should visit the eye doctor for a complete eye exam. When the children begin doing more advanced work, eye problems may become apparent.

Extended Day Gardener

Both north and south kindergarten classes still need someone to help with gardening. Please talk to Michelle or Olive if you can help.

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Mahatma Ghandi

Bauman Family	office supplies
Bennett Family	magazines
Bradford Family	bread, pasta, magazines
Bresar Family	pasta and bread
Brown Family	extra school supplies
Ellis Family	magazines, pasta, bread
Gutierrez Family	bread
Harvey Family	bread
Knox Family	classical music CD
Osborne Family	pasta, bread, big water cup for Miss Tracie
Quintana Family	pizza slicing set
Ranno Family	paper
Silliman Family	necklace making materials
Smidt Family	root view box
Solinsky Family	bread, pasta, pegboard
Vinagro/Babcock Family	oranges, apples, and a jazz CD
Walsh Family	buttons
Wilson Family	bread pasta, magazines, burlap
Zavos Family	bread, burlap, pasta, magazines
Ami Davidson & Jena Clark	helping with cooking day for north campus
Field trip drivers	THANK YOU

Cares and Concerns

Please keep the following families in your prayers:

Marina and Ami Reavis whose grandfather passed away.

Dawson Clark whose great-grandfather passed away.

To the Cafarelli Family on the birth of

Gabrielle Marin

To Leisa Medrano on the birth of her first grandson, Joshua Tyler Marcy

Monthly Calendar
Please check the monthly calendar and note days with no school, special events, field trips, etc.

Show and Tell

When the children bring in treasures to share, please make sure they pertain to the current studies and are not toys. Thanks!

Snack

The snack the children receive during class time is not meant to be a meal to replace either breakfast or lunch. It is only a snack, something to tide the children over from breakfast to lunch or from lunch to dinner.

Parent Articles

Each month, information about the Montessori method of education will be included in the newsletter. This month articles are about “Montessori’s Planes of Development” in conjunction with the Parent Study on Thursday, October 18^th.

Yearbook Needs

The yearbook staff needs help with the following:

General volunteers to take photos at events.

If parents take photos at school, could you please donate the doubles or get a CD made to donate to the school for the yearbook?
Digital photos of field trips, classroom activities, events.
Volunteers to join the yearbook committee.
Volunteers to collect and solicit ads for the yearbook.

Video Needed