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