The Greenwood School 2009-2010 Calendar September 7 (Monday) School Closed—Labor Day Holiday   September 12 (Saturday) New Parent Orientation 10:00-12:00   October 12 (Monday) School Closed—Columbus Day Holiday   October 23 (Friday) Festival Set-up 1:00-3:00   October 24 (Saturday) Festival Set-up 9:00-12:00   October 24 (Saturday) Pumpkin Harvest Festival 3:00-6:00 Rain date is Oct. 31 Community Event; volunteers needed Fee required   November 20 (Friday) Earth-Blessing Ceremony 10:30 a.m. Food drive for wildlife rescue Volunteers needed.   November 25-27 (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) School Closed—Thanksgiving Holidays   December 4 (Friday) St. Nicholas Celebration 10:30 a.m. December 21-January 1 School Closed—Winter Break   January 4 (Monday) Classes Resume   January 9 (Saturday) Festival of Lights followed by potluck dinner 6:00-8:00 p.m. Volunteers needed Rain date is Jan. 30   January 18 (Monday) School Closed—Martin Luther King Day   February 12 (Friday) Valentine’s Day Celebration Children bring homemade Valentines.   February 15 (Monday) School Closed—President's Day   February 18 (Thursday) Lunar New Year Celebration Volunteers needed   March 15-19 (Monday-Friday) School Closed —Spring Break   March 26 (Friday) No Aftercare School Closes at 3:00—Festival Set-up   March 27 (Saturday) Festival Set-up 3:00-6:00   March 28 (Sunday) Fairie Festival 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. Community Event; volunteers needed Fee required March 29 (Monday) Parent work-morning Volunteers needs   April 2 (Friday) School Closed —Good Friday   April 22 (Thursday) Earth Day Tree Planting 10:30 Tree Planting   May 3 (Monday) 10:00 a.m. May Pole Celebration Volunteers needed.   May 31 (Monday) School Closed—Memorial Day   June 22 (Tuesday) Summer Solstice Celebration   July 5-9 (Monday-Friday) School Closed—Mid-Summer Break   July 28 (Wednesday) Fur and Feathers Birthday Party 10:00   August 9 (Monday) School Closed¾Teacher In-service   August 21 (Saturday) Crossing-Over Ceremony 10:00 a.m. Picnic Lunch Follows   September 6 (Monday) School Closed—Labor Day Holiday   [The following entries are from past newsletters, but the information remains valid.] Very exciting research about the immune system…http://www.naturalinterferon.com/ There are plant substances that can boost your production of interferon. Adults can take Shaklee’s product, Nutriferon. There may be some really effective products in liquid form for children from other companies. The online brochure will let you know what to look for. People’s Pharmacy can be very helpful if you are shopping for safe products for children. To buy products from The Greenwood School, go to www.shaklee.net/greenwoodschool    Mosquito forecast The weather channel web site has some helpful tips on the avoiding mosquitoes. I’m sorry to say, there is little information or support for us about the chiggers. Until we get some cold weather, you may need to continue treating the clothing with repellent. http://www.weather.com/activities/homeandgarden/home/mosquito/index.html     3:00 and 12:30 Pick-up Procedure Pick up time is the time you are leaving with your child, not the time that you enter the building. If you need 10 minutes to gather your child’s belongings and get on your way, you should walk in the door at 12:20 or 2:50. Nap begins at 12:30 and aftercare begins at 3:00. Please help us be as efficient as possible during these transitions. Warm-weather dress Because of our rocky terrain, we ask that children continue to wear long pants during warmer months. Long pants and boots will continue to prevent most scrapes and scratches, making the playground experience less painful. We also recommend that shoulders stay covered to prevent shoulder sunburn. When it gets too hot to be comfortable dressed this way, we will play inside more or put suits on and have water play. No shorts or dresses yet. Light fabric trousers are best during spring and early summer. Shop for khaki type pants. Capri length pants are okay because the boots cover the lower leg.   Swimsuits, hats, boots and water shoes Bring a swimsuit and label it with a marker. Consider one-piece unisex suits with full coverage for sun protections. Dark colors offer better protection from UV than light colors. Some parents have found these suits at resale shops. Please check the condition and fit of your child's boots. Your child also needs a pair of water shoes. You may find a suitable pair in our collection. We don't have a good system for labeling names on water shoes. If you are buying new ones, pick a light color so the marker will show up.   Water play When the morning temperatures are in the 80’s, we will be able to use swimsuits, sprinklers and pools. We can’t say for sure what days we will have water play, but it probably won’t be Wednesdays or Thursdays because of music class and yoga.   Sunscreen and sun block Reading the latest news on sunscreen leaves me with more questions than answers. I once read about a ten-year study in Australia that showed an increase in skin cancer even though people were wearing sunscreen lotion. It might be that the DNA is getting damaged even though the lotions prevent redness or pain. Are the chemical ingredients causing cancer? Or are people just staying out longer without a burn and thus absorbing more harmful UV rays? Here is what I understand about sunscreen: the most gentle and safe sunscreens are unscented lotions containing titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide to block the ultra violet rays. Avobenzone  (butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane) has been brought into question as to its stability and effectiveness. It also causes allergic reactions in some people. Consider using a sun block product that does not have fragrance or avobenzone. Avobenzone has risen in popularity because it is less noticeable on the skin. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide both tend to leave the skin looking a little milky. That is perfect on children because you can actually see when the sunscreen has washed away. Read the list of active ingredients and choose wisely. It my help to Google “safe sun block for children” and read up on the topic.   Bug spray Chemical safety with children is a concern for all of us, so I cautiously say please use insect repellent on your child. I recommend dressing your child in long pants. Spray the pants, shirt and boots with insect repellent. Spraying the shirt and pants will often eliminate chigger problems and even some mosquito bites. If the chiggers are biting around the socks and underwear, stop using socks and underwear and use more spray on the pants.   Parents must weigh the negative affects of the insect bites with the negative affects of the chemicals. Keep things in perspective, we do not have insect problems all year. This is a summer issue that will be intensified by the mild winter. Also, insects do not affect all children in the same way. It is up to parents to apply repellent to their children. Remember to apply bug spray after the sunscreen. Google” safe insect repellent for children” to get more familiar with the issues. There are many web sites that offer information to help you plan your summer defense If your children stay in aftercare and you want additional sun block or repellent applied to your child, you must your products in the cabinet on the back porch. Include your child’s name on your bug spray. I’m going to throw away everything that is in there now. We need to start the season with fresh products. Most of the bottles are nearly empty anyway.   What is a chigger anyway? Chiggers or “red bugs” are larvae of a mite (spider family) that infects Arthropods (mostly insects) in the soil. The larva will briefly visit a mammal host, sample feed and drop off. They crawl to the tips of grass and get picked up by animals/children walking by or sitting in the grass. We will make every effort of keep the grass cut. A warm soapy bath as soon as your child comes in from outside or arrives at home after school will help get the critters off. Remember to put clothing directly into the wash. If your child has lots of bites, call his or her doctor and discuss your options for treatment. Many homeopathic and antihistamine creams will offer some relief at night. Just remember to wash the area with soap and water before reapplying any topical remedy. An oral dose of antihistamine is often necessary to allow for a good night’s sleep. You might need to put socks over your child’s hands to soften the scratching.   Ants, bees and wasps Insects are waking up and we’ll see them when we least expect it. We will treat for fire ants when they get organized and are feeding. Unfortunately the children might find them first. We are all trying to keep a look out, but they can be hidden. We use a topical antihistamine when bites occur. We have not had a problem with bees and wasps yet, but we do every now and then. Keep in mind that bees and wasps are attracted to the smells and colors of flowers and fruits. When buying shampoo and lotion, keep in mind that a flower or fruit scent will attract pollinators. Please use unscented hair and skin products. We allow a large colony of paper wasps to live above the front window. These are non-aggressive wasps with a mild sting. They are territorial and will fight off other varieties of wasps that may pose more of a threat to us. We consider all pollinators to be our friends and we won’t poison the wasps unless absolutely necessary. There are often a large number of bees and wasps on the flowers at the front of the school. Please do not allow your child to disturb them.   Wild flowers For four years now, we have been planting wild flowers in front of the school. They are growing fast and most stand two to three inches tall by March. It would help if you could keep the children off the front lawn until the flowers have bloomed and gone to seed. If you explain that the flowers are coming up, your children will be glad to stay on the pavement or the circular path around the gnome rock garden. I have explained to most of the Ginger Garden children, why they should not pick flowers. Something to the effect that “the baby flowers for next year lie within.” If your child picks a flower, have them return the flower to it’s original place so that the “baby” won’t be separated from its family and friends. They will understand. If your child likes to give you flowers, then teach them to buy cut flowers at the flower shop or a nice blooming potted plant from the garden store. New late charges In an effort to be consistent and fair, we are changing our late pick-up policy and rate. Any late pickups will be charged $1 per minute. The late charge applies to 12:30 pick-ups, 3:00 pick-ups, as well at 6:00 pick-ups. If you need to schedule extra care beyond your pick up time, you may schedule that in advance at the rate of $10 per hour with a 3-hour minimum. Drop-in care is by appointment and on a “space available” basis. Early-morning childcare may be arranged at the following rate: 7:30-8:30 $10 with a advanced notice. Earlier than 7:30 can be scheduled for $1.00 per minute. If you fail to show up at the scheduled time, you will be billed for that time anyway.   Pick-up protocol If you like to keep the teachers smiling, arrive for pick-up 5 minutes early. This has been going pretty well lately. Smooth, quiet pick-ups are what we love. Remember, “pick-up” actually means the time at which you have full control of your child and are walking out the door. Arriving at 12:30 or 3:00 and talking to the teacher for 5 or 10 minutes is a strain on the rhythm of the day. Plus, the adult voices cause the noise level to rise, disturbing the remaining children and teachers. Please sign your child in and out each day. If you do not, you are leaving it up to the teachers to decide how much you owe for late pick-up time.     Guide Dog Puppy Rules Toby has arrived. He is sleeping most of the day, so the children have not seen much of him. I thought I would provide you with the training rules for the puppy so that we are all on the same page about how to raise him. Clover’s success is in large part because of the consistent support I had from children and clients. If we all follow the same practices and use the same terms, the dog will learn really quickly what we want and have impeccable puppy manners. I appreciate your taking the time to read this and be familiar with the puppy training guidelines.    If you are sitting on the floor, the puppy may crawl onto your lap or jump up on you. However, if you are standing, the puppy is not allowed to put paws or mouth on you. Say “off” or “leave it.” Gently push him away and turn your back to him. The “punishment” or consequence for the puppy is being ignored. We use our attention and happy voice to teach the puppy what we like and what we don’t like. Withdrawing from the puppy is like a punishment for his bad behavior. If the puppy bites, you should say, “leave it” and then leave him. Just turn and walk away. If he chases you, stop and say, “leave it” and push him away. Do this a few times and he will get the picture. This is a good time to tell a teacher that you need some help with Toby. If Toby discontinues the bad behavior, say “Good Boy, Toby!” Excessive puppy aggression indicates over-stimulation or exhaustion. When the puppy is biting and growling, we simply put him to bed. Aggressive behavior is only allowed when Toby is playing with another dog, never with humans. NEVER strike the puppy. An experienced trainer might give a thump to his chin, but children and clients should never cause any pain or discomfort to the puppy.     “Leave it. Good Boy!” Toby should not greet people at the door. Clients should ignore Toby as much as possible. Toby should not do excessive sniffing of people that interact with him. A bit of sniffing to learn someone’s scent is different from trying to sniff and lick breakfast remains or take in the smells of your dog. It is just rude for a dog to do that. If Toby is sniffing your shoes, tell him to “leave it.” Toby should never have any part of a human in his mouth. Toby should never have clothing, hair, shoes, etc. in his mouth. Toby may not chase children. He may follow them…the intention is different. Once Toby discontinues the rude behavior, say, “Good Boy, Toby!” If Toby is chewing on a dog toy or bone and minding his own business, say, “Good Boy, Toby!”   Intervention and Distraction Toby is easy to distract. If he is playing with a child’s shoe, we say, “leave it” and quickly give him a puppy toy to play with. This is similar to working with a 1-year-old human child. Intervention and distraction is the key. Once the distraction is successful, say “Good Boy, Toby!”  First Words: “Toby, leave it” “Toby, drop it” “Toby, off” “Go busy, Toby.” (Go potty) “Good boy, Toby”   I’m sure we will all raise a wonderful Guide Dog. We have been successful twice before, and Toby is showing great promise. Thanks for all of your support and in some cases restraint.     Lunch Box Reminders You may be doing these things already, if so thanks so much. We appreciate a smooth transition into lunchtime. Every child needs a cloth for his or her place mat. It is helpful to us if the cloth is on top of everything else in the box since we need to place the cloth on the table first. When possible, combine foods in containers so there are not so many containers to open. Remove all wrappers from cheese and cereal bars. Applesauce and yogurt need to be in reusable containers with tops. The only words on the containers should be your child’s name. We can only return a lid or container to the appropriate lunch box if it has a name on it. Every box should have a water bottle. Milk or juice is allowed as a second beverage. Please do not stuff the lunch box so tight with so many containers that packing it up after lunch requires the assistance of a mathematical engineer and crowbar.   Lost and Found Please check the lost and found basket under the lunch box shelf for your child’s belongings. If we see names or initials marked on clothing, we will return the item to your child’s basket or bag.   Sign-In Sheet We failed to mention the sign-in sheet during orientation. Please sign your child in and out each day. Be careful to sign on the correct line. We’ve noticed some parents signing out other people’s children. We’d also like to be able to read your name, so please write your name in the appropriate space. Little squiggly lines do not tell us who brought the child to school or who picked the child up. We use the sign-in sheet to make sure we have all the kids we are supposed to have throughout the day. For the safety and security of your child, please sign him or her in and out each day.   Label, Label, Label Please use permanent markers to label water bottles, insect repellent, clothing, swimsuits, water shoes, boots, hats, lunch boxes, food containers, blankets, and anything else that belongs to your child. When the dishwasher takes off the name, please put it back on. Names are better than initials, but initials are better than nothing. Thanks for making our days run smoother. There are online resources for buying personalized labels for your child such as www.labelyourstuff.com. Sharpie pens work great too. Black Sharpie lasts longer than colors.   Just in case your child tells you we have rattlesnakes…. We do have two varieties of non-poisonous snakes at Greenwood. We occasionally see gopher snakes, but try and capture and relocate them to a park. They prefer to eat chicken eggs, not rats. We also have checkered guarder snakes, which actually make good pets if caught young. The checkered guarder snakes live in our gray water system near the fig trees. The kids have discovered them, so they’ll probably move to a new home soon. Several of the kids told me that they saw a rattlesnake and I wanted you to know that we have never seen a poisonous snake at Greenwood. Preventing Head Lice Knock on wood, but we have never had head lice at Greenwood. There are probably a number of reasons, just like there are a number of reasons we have not had a flu outbreak. However, in the interest of prevention, I suggest that you add Tea Tree oil to your child’s shampoo. There is currently a pretty serious outbreak of head lice in the AISD and some private schools right now. Several of our students have siblings and friends in those schools, so the connection is there. Tea Tree oil is a natural pest repellent, so it might help and it can’t hurt. You will get used to the smell. Also, as always keep your children on the best food and food supplements that you can buy. Good nutrition is a big factor with lice. I did a web search for “lice and tea tree oil” and got tons of articles about natural preventions and cures. My sister has had success with olive oil. She buys it by the gallon and just soaks the head. Here is an article that tells how to add tea tree oil to your own shampoo. http://aztec.asu.edu/makingscents/articles/Tea_Tree_Article/tea_tree_article.html I really think if we are proactive, we can have a nice summer without a lice outbreak. Good luck.   Water Bottles Please include drinking water in your child’s lunch box. I would like to see 3-5 year-old students use stainless steal water bottles and not sippy cups. I would like for the bottles to be a quality metal bottle, not a plastic bottle. You should be able to scrub them with a bottlebrush and run them through the dishwasher. Your child should be able to open and close the bottle. When a child runs low on water, he or she can simply go refill the bottle at the bathroom sink. Please write your child's name on the bottle in big letters. The writing will have to be freshened up after washing.   Socks Speaking of labeling. The kids are loving the new sand box and want to be barefoot in the sand. The teachers can collect the socks and return them to the baskets if the socks are labeled. There are lots of socks, hats, mittens etc. in the “lost and found” basket. Please check to see if any of these items belong to your child.