News and Announcements:
Welcome to the New Year! Avalon’s website will have pages updated this month to reflect the new information for 2020 such as the Operating Calendar, Special Celebration Days, Monthly Learning Themes, Art Explorer program, and Family Field Trips. That information will also be contained within this post.
An annual update to the Terms and Conditions of the childcare/preschool contract will also be posted on the website and emailed to all enrolled families. Tuition remains the same this year!
By the third week of January, all families will be both emailed and provided with a hardcopy of 2019’s year-end-statement and IRS form W10 for tax purposes. This will have Avalon’s EIN# (tax ID number) on it.
Also, starting January 7th, 2020 through the end of March, Miss Jaime will be teaching from 12pm to 5:30pm on Tuesdays as well as Thursdays! ♥
January’s Learning Theme: Jobs and Money
This month will be all about role-play as a learning method to explore social roles and customs with stores and various jobs. This is a more tactile and interactive month that will often combine our STEM and Arts and Crafts period as we set-up “stores”, use math skills to display/sell/purchase products, practice social etiquette such as how to politely ask questions, wait in line, and interact with others to negotiate our needs as we play out different roles in various jobs.
Our sub-themes for the month will be:
- Week 1 (Holiday Free Play Week)
- Week 2 Stores (toy, grocery, clothing, etc.)
- Week 3 Builders and Doctors
- Week 4 Police, Firefighter, Teacher
- Week 5 Farm-to-Table
Miss Jaime and I are also hoping to arrange a special visit from our local fire station!
Special Learning Days for January
On Monday, January 20th, we will be open for Martin Luther King Jr. Day with an age-appropriate sharing activity about treating all with respect and fairness during Circle Time. Instead of Music and Theater for that day, we will use that learning period to listen to (and watch) a portion of MLK Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. That day we will also be celebrating a student’s birthday!
On Friday, January 24th, we will be observing the Chinese Lunar New Year (Year of the Rat) with traditional crafts, food, and music!
2020 Updates
Operating Calendar:
Daily Schedule:
Special Learning/Celebration Days:
Observed Dates 2020 | Celebrations (observed dates) | Activities |
Mon., Jan. 20th | MLK Day | Art project and story |
Fri., Jan. 24th | Chinese New Year | Music, art projects/activities, celebration food |
Fri., Feb. 14th | Valentine’s Day | Valentines cards, Friendship Poems, Cupcakes |
Mon., Mar. 2nd | Dr. Seuss Day / Read Across America Day | Read Wacky Wed (+wacky hair/dress day), read Horton Hears a Who (+art project), read Red Fish, Blue Fish (math game with fish crackers) for snack. |
Mon., Mar. 9th | Holi | Indian Festival —story, food, and activities |
Tue., Mar. 17th | St. Patricks Day | Irish folklore stories, make fairy houses and leprechaun trap (group project), Irish food and music |
Fri., Apr. 10th | Easter | Egg decoration and hunt, Tea Party |
Week 3 of April | “Spring Break” | Free Play all week |
Wed., Apr. 22nd | Earth Day | Terrarium art project, stories, gardening |
Fri., May 8th | Mother’s Day | Gift for mom |
Fri., Jun. 19th | Father’s Day | Gift for dad |
Fri., Oct. 30th | Halloween | Costume party and pumpkin decorating |
Mon., Nov. 2nd | Dia de los Muertos | Movie, art projects, celebration food |
Mon-Wed, Nov. 23-25 | Thanksgiving | Thanksgiving projects and potlucks |
Fri., Dec. 11th | Hanukkah | Story, art projects, celebration food |
Fri., Dec. 18th | Christmas | Gift exchange, Christmas movie, holiday recital |
Week 5 of December | Holiday Week | Free Play all week |
Art Explorers Program:
Monthly Learning Themes:
Family Field Trips:
(Time and Day TBD and sent to enrolled families via flyer and weekly updates)
City | Place | Details |
January’s Monthly Theme: Jobs and Money |
||
San Jose | Winchester Mystery House | House tour and exploring the gardens |
February’s Monthly Theme: Time and Travel |
||
San Jose | Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum | Museum and garden scavenger hunt |
San Carlos | Hiller Aviation Museum | Museum exhibits |
March’s Monthly Theme: World Cultures |
||
Saratoga | Hakone Garden | Garden and activities |
April’s Monthly Theme: “Life on the Farm” |
||
Fremont | Ardenwood Farm | Farm Tour |
Los Altos | Hidden Villa Farm | Farm Tour |
May’s Monthly Theme: Maker and Science Fairs |
||
San Jose | San Jose Tech Museum | Museum exhibits and activities |
June’s Monthly Theme: “Fine Art and Performance” |
||
Vallejo | Fairgrounds | Annual Nor Cal Pirate Festival |
San Jose | Willow Street Park | Free Shakespeare in the Park performance and picnic potluck |
July’s Monthly Theme: Splash Summer Camp |
||
Santa Cruz | Natural Bridges State Park | Beach BBQ and play |
Monterey | Monterey Bay Aquarium | Aquarium exhibits and activities |
August’s Monthly Theme: ABC Mindful Me |
||
San Jose | Children’s Discovery Museum | Museum exhibits |
San Francisco | Exploratorium | Museum exhibits |
September’s Monthly Theme: Community |
||
Milpitas | Ohlone Peoples Gathering and Village | Archaeological site, museum, activities and demonstrations |
Hollister | Renaissance Faire | Village, craft / learning activities |
October’s Monthly Theme: Plants and Animals |
||
San Jose | Happy Hollow | Farm animals, zoo, rides, park |
San Francisco | Cal Academy of Science | Exhibits, Planetarium, Aquarium |
November’s Monthly Theme: About Earth: Trees |
||
Santa Cruz | Big Basin State Park | Ranger activities and Redwood trail |
Monthly Theme: Space Exploration |
||
Oakland | Chabot Space and Science Center | Exhibits, Planetarium, Activities |