News + Notes December 2017

Welcome to Winter from Ashley

Winter is a lovely time at Leila Day. With the snow comes the building of igloos, quiet winter walks, and the opportunity for animal tracking. To many of us, winter also means Lou's homemade soups and hot tea and we embrace the quiet comfort of this majestic season. At Leila Day, we subscribe to the Norwegian belief that there is no bad weather, only bad clothing and encourage you to ensure that your child is equipped with cold weather gear that allows them to enjoy all the outdoor experiences of winter.

"Diversity is about all of us, and about us having to figure out how to walk through this world together." - Jacqueline Woodson

• Core Value #4: We commit to ethnic and socioeconomic diversity.

A strong and diverse community of parents, teachers, and administrators supports an environment where children thrive. Positive culture is fueled by relationships built on respect for multiple perspectives and empathy for diverse experiences. Such culture fosters a strong community that nurtures children, parents and educators, ensuring that everyone can wonder, experience, learn and grow together.

• Thank You for Everything You Do!

Thank you to everyone who came out and lent a hand at our Annual Fall Work Day last month. Board members, friends, teachers, parents, and children all pitched in and made this community event not only very productive, but lots of fun, too! Leaves were raked and bagged and mulch was spread throughout the yards. Thank you!

• Community Service & Outreach

This winter we will launch our first service project of the year. These school wide projects offer an opportunity to model and teach the preconditions to problem solving: compassion, kindness, empathy, and courage. Young children who develop these values are positioned to grow into caring and constructive citizens of the world. Please look for news of our community service project in the days ahead.

• The Leila Day Annual Fund

The Leila Day Fund supports our mission to make Leila Day a possibility for children of all socioeconomic backgrounds. Gifts to the Annual Fund also directly impact our staffing and educational program, making it possible for us to create enriching experiences for children that foster curiosity, compassion, and joy. A contribution at any level is meaningful and can be made easily online, by mail, or in person. Your gift is a symbol of our belief in our very special program. Please consider giving; we thank you in advance for your support for Leila Day.

• Current Families on leiladay.org

Our school website has been redesigned and has a new feature for current families. Leiladay.org now has a password protected section that houses all the documents that are relevant to our families: the family handbook, directory, calendar, forms, and the link to your family portal. Please look for your username and password which will be emailed in the coming days. You can login by visiting our new website.

• Looking Ahead to 2017-2018

We are making our way through the admissions process and are very excited about all the prospective children and families we have the pleasure of meeting. Please let us know of your schooling plans for next year as soon as possible. An email has been sent to current families with instructions to indicate your plans for 2018-2019. In order to ensure your child's spot for next year, please don't hesitate in responding. Should you have any questions about next year, please reach out to Sheila.

• Life After Leila Day

Leila Day alums move on to a wide array of school in Greater New Haven. We have a wonderful support network of current and former parents who are happy to share their experiences. I have emailed a contact list of Life After Leila Day parents to all families. If your child will be leaving Leila Day next year, I encourage you to reach out and learn about the schools you are interested in from another parent's perspective. Also, please keep an eye on our community bulletin board for notices of upcoming open houses and information sessions at area schools.

• Inclement Weather, Delays & Snow Days

Winter weather will soon be here. When declaring a delay or closure due to snow or bad weather, our first priority is safety. We consider both the importance of children being in school and the safety of teachers and families traveling to Leila Day. We understand that school closures can be disruptive for working families and make every effort to remain open when we can ensure adequate staffing and supervision. We will make the decision to have a delayed opening or school closure by 6:00 am and will communicate through WTNH Channel 8 and an email to all families.

• Flu Shots

The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood requires an annual flu shot for all children in preschool programs (ages 6 months to 4 years; this does not include kindergarten). Children must receive the flu vaccination before December 31st. Please provide documentation of your child's immunization to Sheila. Thank you.

• Winter Solstice is Almost Here!

The Winter Solstice, also known as midwinter, is an astronomical phenomenon marking the day with the shortest period of daylight and the longest night of the year. Winter Solstice is a special celebration at Leila Day. Our learning is rooted in the seasonal phenomena of the natural world and we support children as they develop a sense of wonder about the outdoors. Winter Solstice inspires celebrations of light, the winter sky, family, and friends This special day occurs on Thursday, December 21st, our last day of school before the December break.

• December Break

Please be reminded, Leila Day will be closed from December 22nd through January 1st. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on January 2nd.

• Fine Art Portraits

Rachel Liu-Ballard's beautiful fine art portraits are ready for you! Be sure to check your inbox for an email from Rachel Liu Photography (if you don't see her email, check your promotions or spam). This will take you to your child's gallery where you can view, choose, and order your images. The galleries were sent out on November 22nd. The galleries will be up until December 15th, so be sure to visit yours soon! If you have any questions or trouble navigating the site, please email Rachel at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Rachel has captured each child's spirit in her gorgeous compositions. We are delighted to partner with her on this very special project and grateful that she has committed to donating 20% of all proceeds back to Leila Day.

• Original Works

Thank you to East Class parent, Jackie Lanno for helping us with Original Works. We had excellent participation in this fundraiser that turns children's art into everyday products and thank you all for taking part. Compared to last year's fundraiser, we doubled our revenue! Original Works products will arrive and be distributed by December 13th.

• Leila Day Community Table

We are delighted to share a new component of life at Leila Day, our Community Table. Paige Vickerman is supporting children as they form friendships and helping them build relationships with one another. She will be using lunchtime as an opportunity to bring together children from across classes with the goal of modeling social skills, developing confidence, and building relationships and community throughout the school. Community Table will happen each Wednesday, starting this month.

• Winterfest 2018

Save the date for Leila Day Winterfest! Our annual all-school, outdoor play date will be held on Sunday, January 14th from 10 am to noon in the Leila Day outdoor space. Bonfire, s'mores, snow forts, and cocoa...Winterfest is a celebration of this glorious season and our very special school community. The parents of the North Class have volunteered to organize the event- please look for information from them in the weeks ahead. Let's all join in the fun and celebrate winter together!

• Follow Our Adventures on Instagram

We are a capturing the Leila Day experience each day and sharing our adventures on Instagram! Follow us: @leiladay

A Closing Thought

Each day fills us with gratitude for the work we do at our very special school. We delight in the children and are grateful you have chosen Leila Day as your family's home away from home. Every year is a celebration of the turn of the seasons and personal growth. In the new year, we look forward to deepening our relationships and experiencing new adventures. Wishing joy and happiness to you and your family.

Warmest regards,

Ashley