March 2019

                              MARCH NEWSLETTER 2019

Hello Parents,

Here comes March – full of Fun and Learning! This month we will have many fun activities with the highlight being our “Fasching” celebration! The plan is to scare winter away with lots of noise makers and loud singing voices! Keep your fingers crossed and eyes open for the first signs of spring!

MARCH THEMES          

TRANSPORTATION

This month we will be looking into different areas of transportation. Our students will explore and learn about forms of transportation such as airplane, train, bus, boats, cars, bicycles, etc. We have several fun activities planned that will support the children’s’ learning about vehicles. They will be building with boxes, use dump trucks, chairs will turn into train wagons and we will make boats out of recycling material. If anyone has an old licence plate, please let me know. We would like to make licence plate rubbings.

COMMUNITY HELPERS

Based on our transportation unit, we will introduce different occupations such as fire fighter, policeman, pilot, sailors, bus driver, train conductor, EMT’s, etc. to our class. Many of these professions require specific vehicles to transport people or deliver items on tracks, roads or water.  

We are lucky that we have some community helpers among our own preschool families! If you are interested in talking to our students about your job, please contact me and we will arrange a date and time for a visit. This would be a great opportunity for PARENTS to “show & tell” and enriching our children’s learning!

FASCHING (Carnival)

This week will be celebrating a very special and fun German holiday, called “Fasching”. Fasching is a traditional German holiday season, often associated with festivals of the Christian church (letting loose before lent and fasting begins). However, the original Fasching tradition goes back to pagan times, and was a way of driving out the spirits of winter and encouraging the coming of spring and good crops. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, at this time of the year, many people dress up in costumes.  

The most exciting part is the candy toss during parades and floats that are happening all over the country. You will see hundreds of people in costumes on the sidewalks, shouting “Helau” or “Alaaf” and trying to catch Fasching candies.  

I put up a poster in the hallway that has more information on the cultural tradition of Fasching. When you go on you tube, you will find lots of videos that take you on a tour through this ‘crazy season’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fqv9Nurr4jA).

FASCHING PARTY:  Monday 4th / Tuesday 5th

Ø  Children are invited to wear a costume!

Ø  We invite parents/care givers to join us for the last 15 minutes of the day!

We will paint masks, play Fasching games, dance with balloons and make music with instruments.

Our children will be marching through the classroom, singing and scaring winter away! The highlight will be the  “candy toss” at the end of class.  We will also send each child home with a traditional German “Fasching Krapfen” (doughnut).

SPF Fundraiser

A few weeks ago we have emailed you information on this unique Fundraiser. All proceeds from raffle tickets will be evenly shared between SPF (Saskatoon Preschool Foundation) and our preschool. We have decided to purchase toys for outdoor exploration from the proceeds. Families are asked to return all raffle books (sold/unsold latest by March 21/22). If you would like to have more books, please contact me.

Thank you in advance for supporting SPF and Hansel & Gretel Preschool.   

Mark your Calendar

4/5       Faschings Party (Wear a costume) Parents are welcome to join us for the parade at 11:30 a.m.

7/8       Scholastic Book Order due.

11         PD Day, no school

21/22    Last day to return raffle books (sold/unsold)

We are looking forward to another month of Fun & Learning with your children!

Kind Regards,

Uli Hecker & Larissa Lorenz

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