JANUARY 2016
Trinity Times Newsletter
DEVELOPING IMAGINATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS
Sue’s Reflections
Dates to Remember
Dear Parents,
Sat Jan 9th - RTG Spec
ial Guest Day
There was a great article in the Wilmette Beacon (Dec. 24) that
Thurs Jan 14th - TCNS
was written by TCNS Mom and Staff Writer, Alexa Burnell. She
Gives Back
covered our December Gives Back and used the event as a
springboard to write about our efforts to promote social service Mon Jan 18th - NO SCHOOL (MLK Day)
and foster empathy in young children. I am truly passionate
Tues Jan 19th - NO SC
HOOL (Professional Da
y)
about teaching children that their behaviors and words impact
W
ed Jan 20th - Parent Ad
the feelings of others. As we enter the second half of the school
visory Board Meeting
year, we will extend this lesson in a more focused way with
Sat Jan 23rd - 3’s & 4’s
Special Guest Morning
social skills programs in our classes. Using visual aids and
dramatic play, we will analyze situations, identity conflicts, and
solve problems. This process will also encourage the children to develop a “feelings” vocabulary so
they can express their emotions and desires more precisely. In other words, instead of saying I feel
“bad” or “good’ they can learn to use more descriptive language such as “disappointed,” “frustrated,”
“worried,” “confused,” and so on. The better equipped kids are to express their feelings the less
likely they will use inappropriate behaviors to express themselves.
Finally, it is my hope that children come to see their daily interactions as opportunities to bring joy
into someone’s world! I hope they discover that when they smile they brighten someone’s day AND
their own! Harvard lecturer Talben Shahar studies the
science of happiness. His research confirms that our
happiness indicators elevate when we engage in acts of
kindness. Scientific research documents that being kind to
others releases endorphins, activating the parts of our brain
that are associated with trust, pleasure, and social
connection. Kindness is also contagious, so it makes our
communities nicer places to be! They say what goes around
comes around – and with kindness it literally does!
I wish all our families a Happy & Healthy 2016 filled with
love and kindness!
With Gratitude,
Sue
Trinity Church Nursery School
1024 Lake Avenue
Wilmette IL 60091
847.251.0479
Director: Sue Gaertner [email protected]
KIDS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS
Alex P. (4 PM) said, “Christopher, will you marry me?” Christopher M. (4 PM) replied, “I have to ask my
mom first and if she says it’s okay, then yes!”
The kids in the 3 AM class were excited to share all their winter break news! So, one by one each child took
a turn standing in front of the group to speak. We heard about lots of things that Santa brought and fun
places the kids had been. But when Evelyn F. (3 AM) stood up we were surprised to hear, “Daddy got coal!”
Michael L. (3 PM) really wanted to get on Jack’s double bike. So, showing his resourcefulness, he shouted,
“Taxi!” Jack O. pulled up and Michael climbed aboard with a smile!
Poor Miss Natalie was a little late to school because she slipped and fell. She was sore, but thankfully, not
hurt. As Miss Natalie was telling Miss Sue about the fall, it was clear that Hudson W. (PM KE) was listening.
Hudson turned to me and said, “Miss Sue, maybe you should give her the day off!”
The kids in the 3’s program made beautiful dried flower arrangements for Thanksgiving centerpieces. They
were truly stunning! Nicholas G. really enjoyed the process. When he finished, he admired his creation and
said, “I think I should water my flowers now.”
I don’t want to say that Campbell F. (3 AM) is obsessed with the Job Chart, but he sure loves it!! He
checks it when he arrives and loves to tell his “buddies” if they have a job. One day, he was lining up
the stampers at the art table. Then he explained, “Evelyn is here, the line leader. This is Olivia, the
door holder. Maggie is here, the light helper,” and so on and so on until he assigned each stamper a
child’s name and a job! Wow!
TCNS REGISTRATION ’16-’17 SCHOOL YEAR
Applications must be postmarked by January 9th or completed online.
Contact Sue with any questions about the registration process or the programs. Program highlights include:
Parent-Tot – 12 children with parents & caregivers as well as a Lead Teacher and Assistant. Starting in
January, the kids come on their own and 2 more Assistants are added to the class, creating a ratio of 1 adult
to 3 children! Miss Wendy brings her fun and interactive style of music every other Monday! New Next Year!
- Babysitting provided for siblings during Parent-Tot class.
Ready Two Grow – A wonderful ratio for this age group! 16 children with 2 Lead Teachers and 2 Assistants!
3-Year-Old-Program – 1 teacher and 2 assistants, plus specialists! Spanish is woven into the day and
introduced in context, as the children are engaged in fun, meaningful activities! Miss Wendy joins the class at
the rug every other week and Mrs. Dashiell gets the kids moving and shaking in the bike room every other
week. Miss Laurie cooks up fun (literally) each month!
4-Year-Old-Program – 3 Teachers plus specialists! Mrs Dashiell engages the class in hands-on science
experiments every other Tuesday and Music and Movement every other Wednesday. Miss Agata adds Spanish
to the curriculum, and Miss Laurie cooks up delicious fun once a month. Miss Courtney joins the group each
Tuesday to, in the words of the kids, “Play letter and number games.” Thursdays the children enjoy focus
centers with play based materials to teach academic readiness skills.
Trinity Church
Nursery School
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Special Guest Morning Coming
in January!
Mark the date on your 2016 calendar now! It’s a fun morning at TCNS with your son
or daughter that you won’t want to miss! You will have an opportunity to make a
special project with your child to take home, experience our famous playdough, build
with blocks, play games, read books, have a pretend cup of tea in the housekeeping
area, and learn all about our school day. Clean up will astound you, and snack will
fortify you as we end our time with songs, fingerplays, and a story. Hope to see YOU!
Ready Two Grow
January 9
9:30 – 10:30 AM
3AM
January 23
9:00 – 10:15 AM
3PM
January 23
10:30 – 11:45 AM
4AM
January 23
9:00 – 10:15 AM
4PM
January 24
10:30 – 11:45 AM
TCNS GIVES BACK - Thurs JAN 14th @ 4:15pm
Come join us to create a winter craft and raise the spirits of seniors!
Bring friends! RSVP to [email protected]
Include Camp Amigos in
your Summer Plans!
Make your summer plans at Trinity’s Camp
Amigos!! Applications will arrive in an email
blast on January 12th. Children currently
enrolled in Ready Two Grow through
Kindergarten Enrichment are eligible.
KE Registration for 2016 - 2017
Applications for Trinity’s exciting Kindergarten Enrichment programs do not become available until AFTER
the school district completes their morning / afternoon kindergarten lottery in early February. Trinity has 2
options for KE , a morning and an afternoon. Both programs meet two days a week. For more information
regarding our Kindergarten Enrichment programs, please contact [email protected].
Trinity Church
Nursery School
Fundraising Corner
A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL THE FAMILIES WHO PARTICIPATED IN
THE SHUTTERFLY/TINY PRINTS PROMOTION!
WE’VE RAISED
$963.88 FOR TCNS SO FAR! GREAT JOB!
Our annual Benefit is almost here! Make sure you book those sitters for Saturday, February 20th at
6:30pm at Michigan Shores Club. This event includes cocktail hour, dinner, live auction, silent auction
and sign-up parties hosted by TCNS teachers and families – all to benefit our school! Please plan to
join us for the biggest night of the year!
We are still looking for donations! If you have any connections for sporting event tickets and or
experiences, or would like to volunteer for the benefit, please contact Ali Straitiff at
[email protected], or Mikie Hall at [email protected].
This month, please be on the lookout for the following:
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“The Magic of Trinity” invitation to arrive at your home via mail
Our Brand New “The Magic of Trinity” Benefit Website
Summary of additional needs for the benefit via email
Preview of live and silent auction items via email & benefit website
Opportunities to volunteer for the benefit via email
Trinity Church
Nursery School
READY TWO GROW
December was a busy month as we celebrated the holidays. The children
made wreathes by gluing decorations onto paper plates. Half shaving
cream and half glue looks fluffy even when dried and holds even the biggest
ornament in place. Each wreath was creative and unique and was made as
a surprise gift for mom and dad. Next, we helped them wrap the gifts.
Folding over the tissue paper and applying tape were great fine motor
activities. Keeping the gift a secret, though, was a bit harder to do!
To decorate paper dreidels, we dipped golf balls in white and silver glitter
paint and rolled them around in a box. The children enjoyed figuring out
how to tip the box to make the balls roll across the paper. We also had fun
decorating paper Christmas trees by dipping pom-pons held with clothes
pins into paint. It is fun to "paint" and create art with tools other than a
paintbrush! We also learned lots of songs for Christmas and Hanukkah.
More music fun was created with visits from our new music teacher, Ms. Nonalee. The children love
following her finger plays and songs and enjoy using egg shakers and rhythm sticks and puppets. We enjoy
her beautiful voice and calm and patient way with the children!
Our cookie party was great fun. Thank you for coming! The children looked so happy to have you there.
They are so capable and are so willing to try. They made some beautiful creations! We also got some great
pictures of everyone which we will share later.
We hope everyone had an enjoyable and restful break. Happy New Year!
Ms. Laurie, Ms. Betsy, and Mrs. Z
TCNS Gives Back
Caroling for Seniors
Trinity Church
Nursery School
Terrific Threes
It was wonderful to greet your children in the New Year! They were clearly happy
to be reunited with friends! They picked up right where they left off!
January brings fun with SNOW! We will enjoy the season through books, songs,
dramatic play and art! Please check out our bulletin board to see the snowmen
your children created. They are each adorable and unique – just like the children!
We made our own lemon-slushies! Each child used an electric juicer to squeeze
real lemons, then they poured the juice over crushed ice. Someone commented
that the ice looked like snow, to which Lilah (3 AM) wisely replied, “My brother told me to never eat yellow
snow!”
January brings two new activities to our schedule. The first is our focused social skills program. Using
picture cards and puppets named Moe and Zippy, the children learn to interpret facial expressions, identify
problems, and role play solutions. Moe and Zippy have always been a HUGE hit and I believe this year will
be no exception.
Another new activity beginning in January is weekly Show and
Share. Girls are invited to bring something to school each
Monday and boys are invited to do the same each Wednesday.
Not only do children love having their turn in Show and Share,
but there is tremendous value in this activity. The speaker is
invited to stand in front of the group and show / talk about their
item from home. The children are learning to listen attentively
and look the speaker in the eye. The fact is, the children are
typically extremely attentive during Show and Share. This
feedback helps the speaker grow in confidence. We’ll share
much more with you as the process evolves!
Toward the end of the month we will begin our polar studies. Your children
will learn lots of fascinating facts about the north and south poles and the
animals that inhabit these frigid regions. Prepare to be amazed with all that
your child learns! Our polar unit culminates with the famous Trinity Polar
Expedition! That’s right! In one day we will grab our home-made binoculars,
maps, flashlights and backpacks and set off for the North Pole and the South
Pole. No worries – we will return in time to sing the goodbye song!
Watch for details in your weekly emails!
Here’s to a great 2016!
Love, Miss Laurie, Miss Ellie, Mrs. Z &
Miss Sue
Trinity Church
Nursery School
SHARE YOUR FAVORITE HOUSEHOLD,
ORGANIZATION TIP & RECIPE
Send us your favorite tips and we’ll share them
with the TCNS community!
Email [email protected]
Fantastic Fours
We all enjoyed celebrating the December holidays at home and at school, and we
want to thank you parents again for being with us for our festive parties where we
appreciated the gifts of song and tasty cookies the children prepared for everyone.
We hope you liked the gifts your child made for you. Now it's January 2016 and we are surrounded by snow and ice just like the penguins that live in Antarctica.
The children paint free form penguin's and we are always impressed by their artistic talent as well as the
penguins's whimsical appearance. It's fun to learn about the orange feathered Macaroni penguins as well as
the tall Emperor and King penguins along with the Chinstrap, Adelie and Gentoo species.
We head north from the coldest place on earth to the arctic region where we'll find out more about whales
and their habitat. A short National Geographic video of whales helps bring this subject to life. Did you know
that a blue whale can be as big as 100 feet long? Hard to imagine, but we'll walk off 100 feet from the wall of
the bike room down into the lunch bunch room and get an idea of the length from the fluke to the head.
After we've filled our brains with so much information, we'll be ready for Mrs. Lezama's friendly Tornten to
come and visit. He lives under a chair in her house and only comes out at night. He's very shy because
animals are his only friends. He's scared of humans except for her! We'll see what we can do to bribe him!
We look forward to our Pajama Party Day at school (more to follow) with all of us clad in our pj's, toting our
favorite sleeping gag or blanket. We'll sing lullabies and play board games when we're not fast asleep. (Ha) We have enjoyed our Special Days when we draw a picture out of the bag and that person gets to make a
poster with photos and info for us to get to know them better. Your child will get a turn if he or she has
not already had a turn.
The academic centers on Thursdays are a real big hit with the
children.
A special thank you to Ari's mom, Judith and Andrew's mom, Rebecca
for speaking to the class about Hanukkah. Also, Olivia's dad Lou,
Nathan's mom, Casey and Grandma for reading to the class. Thank
you to James's mom Sheri and Maya's dad Louis, for reading to the
class also.
We have a little work play, a lot of learning, and much fun are in store at Trinity. WELCOME BACK!!
Lots of love, Mrs. Hampton, Mrs. Lezama, Ms. Agata, and Ms. Ellie
Welcome to the TCNS Family!
Congratulations to the Holcomb Family on the birth of Leah
Brynn Holcomb! Mom and Dad, Sarah and Brett, and
brothers brothers Connor (RTG) and Braden (4am) are thrilled!
Trinity Church
Nursery School
Kindergarten Enrichment - AM
Thank you very much parents for coming to our cookie party and special holiday music
program. The children loved having you, and we appreciated you coming during the
busy holiday season! And we are excited to welcome back our wonderful children. We
missed them.
The snow has finally arrived in Wilmette, and we are ready for our study on snowflakes.
As these six-sided crystals grace our playground, we will collect them on trays covered
in black paper. The children will then be able to observe them through magnifying
glasses. It is amazing to see these gorgeous snowflakes … but it takes special weather
to see their wonders. If it is a bit too warm (below 32 degrees), they clump together as they fall from the clouds
making it difficult to see the six-sided crystals. So we will try and try again (weather permitting) until the
temperature is perfect, so the children can exclaim: “I see it! Each one has six sides, and they are all different!”
We will read “Snowflake Bentley” by Jacqueline Martin, “Breathtaking Photographs” by Kenneth Libberecht and
“The Story of Snow” by Marc Cassino. Then we will look at the original black and white photographs by William
Bentley, as he originally photographed snow crystals in the late 1800s.
In art, we will create snowflakes in many different mediums. The children will cut out six-sided crystals using
aluminum foil, draw them with chalk and glitter, and paint them with white paint on black paper. Since each
snowflake is unique, the children’s creations reflect their own interpretation of this beauty and miracle of nature.
In science, we will do an experiment on cohesion and adhesion, in which we observe water molecules clinging to
each other and to other things. The children will see how water molecules can move along a rope from a pitcher
to a glass, while fighting gravity, which is trying to pull the water off the rope to the ground. (The kids already
know about gravity.)
We will continue our fun lessons on combination vowels, such as “ae,” “ee,” “oa” and “oo.” The children will be
writing in their journals: rhyming and creating sentences from words using these new sounds.
We will also dance, sing and exercise to new songs and music.
Our Pancake/Pajama Day will be on Thursday, January 28th. The children are welcome to wear their pajamas and
bring a favorite stuffed toy and blanket. We will
provide a breakfast of pancakes and orange juice.
ORGANIZE LIFE
Further details will be coming from our fantastic
Beating the morning rush…
room mother, Toni.
If your house is like mine, the morning can be a hectic
race to get out the door. Packing lunches only
On a final note, I read an article in the Wall Street
complicates the morning rush. With an older kid in
Journal, Saturday, January 2, 2016, entitled “Teach Your
grade school and lunch bunch for my middle guy, it
was becoming too much in the morning.
Children Well, Unhook Them from Technology” by
Naomi Riley. I hope you have a chance to read it and
So I pre-pack everything the night before (juice box,
let us know your thoughts.
apple sauce, etc) and leave only the minimum to pack
in the morning. It has ensured I don’t forget lunch (yep,
done that!) and makes for an easier morning.
With love, Mrs. Dashiell and Ms. Kathy
- Carla Benigni, TCNS Mom
Trinity Church
Nursery School
Kindergarten Enrichment - PM
Hoping that everyone has enjoyed winter break! Happy New Year! The first half
of the school year has passed by in a flash! Our December theme of “The
Holidays” was a success! The students worked very hard creating their two
gifts: flower bouquets and wreaths! We were all very proud of how well all of
the gifts turned out! Our holiday cards also happened to be a science
experiment! The students wrote their holiday cards with “invisible ink” (lemon
juice) and they were able to read it with their parents under a lamp at home.
We would also like to welcome two new students to the class: Alex Davis &
Riley Bertocchi! We are so lucky to have both of them with us! Alex also had a
special guest visit us in KE, his grandpa Phillip was his show and share! Mrs. Dashiell also visited us for a
special science experiment, and Miss Laurie did a Holiday Cooking Class with us! The children were all so
excited to create unique cookie shapes and bake them for the holidays! Thank you! Miss Natalie and I would
also like to thank the parents for the class gift, and all of the other special gifts that we received! We both feel
very blessed to have such kind, generous and supportive parents in our classroom and at Trinity!
This new year of 2016 is starting out strong and we are looking forward to a fun and productive second half
of the school year! We will continue to do lots of reading, art, math,
science, yoga, Spanish, cooking and more! Show & Share will be held on
Tuesdays for the Boys and Fridays for the Girls! The children are also
excited to keep working one-on-one with Miss Sue, and we will also be
having chess as an optional activity for the kids! Can’t wait to see all of the
good things this year will bring! Thank you for being a part of our
wonderful Trinity community – we could not have done any of this without
you!
Sincerely, Miss Agata and Miss Natalie
What you are saying…
Quotes from TCNS parents
“The social curriculum is excellent and the
children feel very supported.”
— Parent (2015)
“We were very impressed with the parent conferences and how well the
teachers know our child.”
— Parent (2015)
Trinity Church
Nursery School
Baked Penne with Turkey
Try this turkey-penne bake with a glass of pinot noir and a mixed greens salad.
And it serves 10, so freeze some for another day!
Ingredients
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12 ounces uncooked penne (tube-shaped pasta)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 (8-ounce) packages pre-sliced mushrooms
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon water
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups organic vegetable broth
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup unsalted butter
4 cups chopped cooked turkey breast
1 cup frozen petite green peas, thawed
4 ounces grated fresh Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup), divided
Cooking spray
Thyme leaves (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and return to pan. Cover and
keep warm.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add mushrooms; cook 8
minutes or until browned and tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in sherry, scraping pan to loosen
browned bits. Cook 1 minute or until liquid evaporates. Remove mushrooms from pan. Add onion and
garlic to pan; sauté over medium heat 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon water; cook 1 minute or until tender,
stirring constantly.
4. Place flour in a large saucepan; gradually add vegetable broth and next 4 ingredients (through pepper),
stirring with a whisk until blended. Place over medium heat; cook until thick (about 5 minutes), stirring
constantly. Add butter, stirring until melted. Add sauce, mushrooms, onion mixture, turkey, peas, and 1/2
cup cheese to pasta, stirring until cheese melts. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9inch glass or ceramic baking
dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
5. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Garnish with thyme, if desired.
Source: Cooking Light
Trinity Church
Nursery School
Food for Thought
The Final Word
Welcome back and Happy New Year!
“Done is good.” For those of you who know me,
you may have heard me say this phrase on occasion
– it is one of my favorite lines.
I credit this philosophy to my cousin Connie, who
like Miss Ellie, is one of my mentors. Connie has
three grown daughters and I have often come to
rely on her sage advice on parenting and beyond.
Local lectures on child development and paren3ng.
Parenting in the 21st Century: What Research
Tells Us Is Most Important
Fri. Jan 22nd 9:30-11am (Alliance for Early Childhood)
Presence: Bringing your Boldest Self to Your
Biggest Challenges - Ann Cuddy Ph.D.
Wed Jan 27th 7pm NTHS Northfield (FAN)
One time I asked her how she always seemed to be so productive (she has gutted and rehabbed five houses
in the area without missing a beat), when I felt like I was always floundering in a sea of unfinished projects.
She told me, “Done is good. If you always try for perfection or having things exactly the way you originally
envisioned it, you will always been bogged down and never be able to cross anything off of your list.”
I think in January as we come up with our list of resolutions for 2016, “done is good” is a great phrase to
keep in mind and can actually help keep resolutions going, even when things aren’t accomplished exactly how
we had in mind originally.
For example, using the some of the MacKinnon’s 2016 resolutions...so I didn’t get to the gym today like I had
planned – I did run around with the kids today and tried to make the most of that time I had with them. So I
didn’t read very long with the girls at bedtime and it was a not-so-educational Barbie reader – I did read with
them and had a nice cuddle. So I didn’t help Katie brush her teeth twice today like I had aimed to – she is
getting more practice on her own and hopefully won’t have too many cavities down the road!"
Although I still have many unfinished projects around my house (some of which probably won’t be done until
the kids are in college!), I have found “done is good” to be very liberating and allowed me to say something is
complete, even if it isn’t perfect or just how I wanted it at first. I hope that you will find it to be helpful for
you as well.
If one of your 2016 resolutions is attend more TCNS events , we are here to help! Please mark your
calendars for TCNS Gives Back on Thursday, Jan. 14 at 4:15 p.m. and look for information about your child’s
Special Guest Day. Even if you can only attend for 20-30 minutes of the entire hour (done is good!), it is
worth spending time with your child in their classroom because they love showing you everything they have
worked on and do at school.
And finally, more about this in my next letter, but get your sitters lined up for the TCNS Benefit – “The Magic
of Trinity” – on Saturday, Feb. 20 at Michigan Shores. It is always an amazing night for the community and a
great way to catch up with old and new friends (and maybe help you keep another resolution!).
Happy New Year!
Meghan MacKinnon
Trinity Church Nursery School
Trinity Church
Nursery School
1024 Lake Avenue
Wilmette IL 60091
847.251.0479
Director: Sue Gaertner [email protected]
Staff: Agata Budzik,Valerie Dashiell, Luanne
Hampton, Laurie James, Ellie Johnson, Courtney
Johnston, Joyce Ladin, Ginny Lezama, Wendy
Morgan, Betsy Segal, Kathy Stein, Lauren
Wasielewski, Kathy Zawacki, and Natalie Zawarsky