For Parents:

Parent Handbook: Section 3 - Everyday Life at Acorn

Jump to ... Starting School | What Students need at School |  Toys | Wonder Table |  Textbooks | Lost & Found |  Lunch | Snacks |  Field trips | Birthdays |  Celebrations |
Starting School
	Many young children and their parents feel a bit nervous when they leave one another in an unfamiliar situation. A few tears may even be expected. If this is your young child’s first year at Acorn, we encourage you to visit campus before school to allow him or her to become familiar with the new setting. Be reassuring as you talk with your child about his or her new school. On the first day of school, please don’t linger too long in the class or react with alarm if your child is hesitant about the separation. It is very important to reassure him about where you will be during the day, and by what time you will pick him up. Some children may be sad for a little while during the first few days, but kind words and reassurance almost always alleviate their fears. The teachers are wonderful in helping children through these situations. Parents are welcome to call the office to check on their child.
What students need at school
	All Toddler Students: An insulated plastic lunch box with a thermos (Refer to section on Lunch) Two complete change of clothes, (socks, outer pants, shirts, underwear if appropriate). These should be sent in a large ziplock bag labeled with your child’s name. One large box of diapers One large box of wipes One box of plastic bags (one-gallon size) And in addition to the above, for toddlers remaining at Acorn all day (7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) One child size blanket One child size pillow (optional, and in a labeled ziplock bag) Two photos (3.5 X 5.5 or smaller, one of child, one of family) Primary School Students: An extra set of "seasonal" clothing, including socks and spare shoes/slippers, to be kept at school during the year, held in a one gallon zip-lock bag labeled with your child’s name A light blanket for children who nap consistently An insulated plastic lunch box with a thermos (for hot lunches when appropriate), a plastic cup, and utensils which can be sent home nightly. Children should be able to open all containers easily. Include a reusable freezer block to keep perishables fresh. (Refer to section on Lunch.) And in addition to the above, for 3 year old children remaining at Acorn all day (7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) One child size blanket One child size pillow (optional, and in a labeled ziplock bag) Elementary Students Elementary students work with a variety of school supplies which parents will need to purchase before school. The teachers will provide a detailed list. These supplies may need to be replenished during the course of the year.
Toys
	Toys should not be brought to school. They are most often lost, fought over, or broken. It is risky to allow children to wear jewelry to school for the same reasons.
Wonder Table
	Each primary classroom has a special area - a small table called "The Wonder Table," where children are invited to bring in special treasures to share with each other. We will all learn to treat these treasures with the respect they deserve, and we expect to make memories that will last a long time. Please be aware of what pleases your child, or something she would be willing to bring into the classroom. Please be on the lookout for things that inspire wonder. The Wonder Table replaces "Show and Tell," and the entire staff will appreciate your encouraging the children to bring in items worthy of consideration!
Textbooks
	The Montessori curriculum is based on library research, rather than the traditional dependence on simplistic textbooks as the primary focus of learning. Much of our students’ work in school involves the use of hands-on materials that remain in the classroom or readings in a wide range of reference or source books from the school and public libraries. Some subjects do involve the use of texts that will remain with the children throughout the year. Naturally, it is essential that the children respect and take care of their books. Students are responsible for lost or damaged texts or library books.
Lost & Found
	A lost and found area is maintained in each classroom.
Lunch
	The Acorn community places great emphasis on the importance of good nutrition as the first step to a lifelong wellness education program. Lunch is a very important part of not only your child’s school day, but of her wellness education as well. We need to count on you to work with us to teach her about health and nutrition. Obviously, we all want to pack lunches that our children will eat. The challenge is to help them discover that wholesome, sugar-free foods can taste even better than junk food and don’t have the negative effects on our bodies. With younger children, it is a good idea to prepare food in small, easy-to-handle servings, such as cutting sandwiches into quarters, slicing up fresh fruit, and preparing bite sized slices of cheese. We do not microwave lunches for toddler and primary children. There is a wide assortment of ‘hot thermos’ containers available so you can prepare your child’s hot lunch at home. Please do not send sugary desserts, drinks, or soda. At Acorn, the children tend to quickly develop the habit of drinking cold spring water. We strongly recommend only milk or water for lunch. (Elementary: For your convenience, we have arranged to have milk delivered weekly to Acorn for the elementary children. If you wish to have your child participate you may join in September for a yearly fee of $40.00) Acorn students remaining for lunch need a clearly labeled lunch box. We recommend lunch boxes with built in cool packs. Please send drinks in a thermos or securely closed plastic container, along with a napkin, beverage, spoon, and straw. All uneaten foods which can be contained will be sent home. You’ll want to monitor your children’s lunch boxes to see what they like and dislike, and to determine the correct amount of food to pack. We appreciate your care in preparing a good lunch. Children with allergies to nuts and eggs are living with a life threatening situation. If exposed to nut & nut oils (ie peanut butter) or egg product foods, they can become anaphylatic. In response to this very serious situation, we ask that everyone abide by the following: Please DO NOT send in peanut butter or other nut related foods for lunch, and/or snacks. Since there may be "hidden" peanut products or nut oils in a food you purchase, please remind your child not to share their lunch with other children because they may be allergic and can get sick. Become a "label reader" along with us when making purchases for school consumption and note particularly the ingredients listed on the cake, muffin, etc., boxes. Click here to see our lunch suggestions bulletin
Snacks
	All students share nutritional snacks in the mornings and afternoons. We also have many food preparation lessons that include fruit, veggies, cheese, etc. We serve 2% milk or water. Parents take turns providing healthy snacks and often help out with food preparation. Please be aware of children with peanut and egg allergies. (See previous section on "Lunch") Special Dietary Restrictions: Some students may follow a special diet for religious or medical reasons. Please be sure to notify the teachers if your child should avoid certain foods. This will be taken into account in planning snacks or on days when the class prepares its own lunch.
Field trips
	Primary classes will periodically take field trips to local points of interest during the year. They are planned to coordinate with subjects being studied by a class or take advantage of special community events. Notice of upcoming events will be sent home in advance. Acorn depends on parents helping with transportation and are welcome to join the class in these activities. If you are interested, please speak with your child’s teachers. Every child must be restrained in an appropriate car/booster seat. NO child may ride in the front seat of a vehicle. If you cannot provide a car/booster seat for your child he/she will not be allowed to participate on the trip and may need to remain at home since all the teachers participate on the field trip. Field trips may involve a small fee. Elementary field trips within a 20-mile radius of the school will be covered by a single permission slip signed at the beginning of the school year. We will notify you in advance of these trips. Longer distance trips will always be preceded by notification and will require a permission slip. Volunteer Field Trip Drivers: Volunteer field trip drivers must have a valid driver's license, registration, and insurance card on file in the Acorn office. Drivers will need to complete a Parental Waiver and Consent Form. Each car must have two adults. If you volunteer to drive, please plan to stay with the group during the field trip unless the teachers confirm that you are not needed to chaperone as well. We strongly recommend that you do not bring younger siblings along when you drive on a field trip. In the event that you will be coming along to chaperone but not drive, please ride in the car to which you are assigned. We do not allow students to switch cars to sit with friends and ask you to model the rule. The teachers will provide a handout with further suggestions for making the field trip a success.
Birthdays
	Children love to celebrate their birthdays with their friends. Primary children have a special birthday ceremony in which we tell the class the story of the birthday child’s life. Please send in a photograph of your child at each year of his life. It is especially nice to send in a special snack in honor of your child’s birthday. Small muffins, oatmeal cookies, etc. work well, but try to keep sugar to a minimum. Please do not send in cupcakes. Toddler and elementary parents should check with their child’s teacher to further discuss birthday celebrations. Please do not send birthday invitations to school to be passed out. They should be sent through the mail.
Celebrations
	Celebrations are emphasized by all classes during the course of the year, however, each class may add its own special touch on each celebration. Some of the annual traditions we celebrate will include: United Nations Day: Students plant flags from 180 nations around the Flagpole Garden. Halloween Fun Fair: This fun event is held on a Sunday before Halloween and gives all of our families a chance to get together for hot dogs and chili, visit a haunted house and play Halloween games. Cultural festivals: Each year, parents help us celebrate special cultural events such as a Chinese New Year’s Feast, complete with a seven man dragon; a Japanese Tea Ceremony with costumes and much bowing; Mexican Tortilla Day, which covered everyone in flour during the making of tortillas and during which we learned a Spanish lullaby; and the Lighting of the Menorah, which included the Dreidel game, geld, latkes and applesauce. The events vary from year to year. Parents are encouraged to approach their teachers with suggestions. Thanksgiving: Time for reflection and giving thanks. Classes will prepare a Thanksgiving luncheon to enjoy with one another. The story of the first Thanksgiving will be retold and occasionally dramatized. Hanukkah and Christmas: The stories of these two holidays are told with rich cultural flair. Martin Luther King Jr,’s Birthday: A focus on the civil rights movement and Martin Luther King Jr. as the greatest American proponent of a non-violent campaign for human rights, social justice, and the brotherhood and sisterhood of all humanity. Montessori Education Week: Each class celebrates Maria Montessori in their own way, either through an art project or reading about her life. Valentine’s Day: The children share valentines and explore the themes of love, family, and friends. President’s Day: We celebrate a bit of American history through the lives of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Passover and Easter: The stories of these two holidays are retold, with rich cultural and artistic projects and activities. Arbor Day: Kindergartners plant a tree as a culmination to their study of botany. Earth Day: A celebration of the coming of spring and the importance of stewardship for the Earth. End of Year Picnic: Acorn celebrates the graduation of kindergartners with a picnic and graduation ceremony. This is an occasion for students to say good-bye with words and music, culminating with the giving of a booklet created by each kindergartner and the giving of an oak seedling to each graduate.