PARENTS OF NEXT YEAR’S KINDERGARTNERS!

For those parents of Kindergarten age children (Five years old before Sept. 1) that want to learn more about our outstanding Kindergarten, we will have a presentation explaining all about our program on Wednesday, January 11th, at 6:30 P.M.  Rich will give an overview, Kindergarten teachers Cindy and Missy will talk about the curriculum, and Sudie will introduce you to our art program.  Then on Thursday, January 12th, from 9:00-10:00 A.M., you can come and observe the Kindergarten children in action. During this time they will change their schedule so you can see language, reading, math, and science groups, plus calendar activities and message of the day during that hour.  After this time they will have their normal morning schedule of activities.

Our Kindergarten has twenty children with three terrific teachers, a ratio that allows for lots of individual attention and teaching, and a ratio unmatched by any other school.  It is so alive with learning and our Kindergarten really is the icing on the cake here at The Acorn.  So we encourage all parents of next year’s Kindergarten age children to attend.  In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact us.  Thank you!

Enrollment for next school year begins January 17th. 


Come see what makes  The Acorn Kindergarten so special and unique!

Inside this Newsletter
Many Thanks, Spring Semester Calendar, Grandparents Days, Tuition Due, Enrollment for 2012-13 School Year, Fundraiser Kickoff Coffee

Thank You’s
We are so grateful for the kind families who made donations to the school during the holiday season.  Big Acorn thanks go out to:   parents Lisa and Jeff Turpin, Amie and Wes Bunch, Laine and Jonathan Lipsky, and alumni Cheryl and Steve Lewis, Helena and Steve Gossen, and Kitty and Rich Lange.  We also thank Natalie and Graham Matthews for donating a good deal of camping equipment to be used by the Kindergarten families on their campout for many years to come.  We thank you all for your heartwarming support of The Acorn and especially now when your donations are doubled through our $25,000 Matching Grant.  We are so very appreciative!  The school could never exist without your thoughtful and generous donations. 

We also want to thank Jamaica Saporsky and Amie Bunch who have helped in the office with preliminary organization for our Fundraiser.

Spring Semester
For your convenience, a calendar for the remainder of this school year is included on the reverse side of this newsletter.  Please note the following upcoming dates:

Mon., Jan. 9, during school hours: Parent information coffee at school to kick off our big Fundraiser.
Wednesday, Jan. 11, 6:30 P.M. Kindergarten Information Meeting for parents of those children attending Kg. next year
Th., Jan. 12, 9:00-10:00 A.M.-Kindergarten Observations
Monday, Jan. 16, Martin Luther King Day; No School.
Tues., Jan. 17: Enrollment for the 2012-2013 school year begins.  We will hand out enrollment forms for current children and their siblings at the beginning of each class period.  Please be prepared to complete your forms and pay your enrollment fees.  (Forms will be given to the M/W/F classes on Wed.)  If you have not submitted an application along with the $30 application fee for any siblings, please remember to do so at this time.  Thanks!
Saturday, Jan. 21: Tour of school for prospective parents
Wed., Feb. 1: Open Enrollment Day for new families
Friday, February 3: Teacher In-Service; No School
Monday, Feb. 21: President’s Day; No School
Friday, March 2: Acorn Fundraiser – San Antonio Country Club, 7:00 PM

Grandparents Days: A Chance to Visit The Acorn:  A special time this semester is the week we host all of our Grandparents Days in each class.  We hope that each child can have a grandparent, or two or three or four, come to share in the fun!  (Because of limited space inside as well as parking, we ask that parents resist the temptation to tag along.  Thanks!)

The schedule is as follows:
Mon., Feb 6
10:15 – 11:15 AM: 3 Day AM Class
2:15 – 3:15 PM:  4 Day PM Class

Tues., Feb. 7
10:15 – 11:15 AM: 2 Day AM Class
1:00 – 2:00 PM: Kindergarten

Thurs., Feb. 9
9:00 – 10:00 AM:  5 Day AM Class
2:15 – 3:15 PM:  5 Yr. Class

Fri., Feb. 10
2:15 – 3:15 PM:  3 Day PM Class


Parenting Class:  Please turn in your enrollment form for our upcoming STEP Parenting Class, (Systematic Training for Effective Parenting) which will be held on Tuesday Evenings starting January 10,  at 6:45 P.M.  This STEP class has received enthusiastic reviews with many families reporting positive changes in their child’s behavior and more confident parenting.  It’s a class that every parent can gain so much from, and we welcome you to enroll a non-Acorn friend, if you want. The STEP class size will be limited to the first twenty to enroll, and we do have some spaces left.  Please refer to the Dec. flier or our website for details.  You can also call the office.

Spring Tuition Due:  We’d like to remind everyone that tuition payments for the new semester covering Jan. through May are due.  The following is a chart indicating the amount due for each class.  If your child is enrolled in either Wed. extended day or Thurs. early session, that amount is listed separately.  If you are able to pay for the entire semester now, that helps the school’s cash flow, otherwise, paying by the month is fine.  Please note, we do not send out bills, so this is your official reminder of tuition due.  Tuition not paid by the 10th of the month incurs a $25 late fee.  For Jan., the late fee will apply on Jan. 14th.  Thanks!



Spaces Available in our Thursday Lunch Bunch for our Afternnon Sessions:  If your student would like to join us, there is room for our afternoon 4 day or five year old students in our early Thursday Lunch Bunch.  Your child can bring their nutritious lunch and arrive at 11:10 on Thurs.; the cost is $52 per month.  Please give us a call in the office if you’re interested.

Kickoff Coffee: Monday,
Jan. 9th!
Look for your flier handout!   Please mark your calendars!  Your family’s packet will be ready for you to pick up!  Every family should stop and visit! (Two Day families can visit in the office on Tues. morning, if Mon.  is not convenient for you.)

Happy New Year!
Rich and Jo

The Acorn - A School for Young Children



Mon., Jan. 2    Teacher Work Day; No School
Tues., Jan. 3    Classes Resume
Mon., Jan. 16    Martin Luther King Day, No School
Tues., Jan. 17    Enrollment Begins
Sat., Jan. 21    Tour Date
Th., Jan. 24, 25    Alumni Enrollment
Wed., Feb. 1    Open Enrollment
Fri., Feb. 3    SECA Conference, No School
Feb. 6 - 10    Week of Grandparents' Days
Mon., Feb. 20    Presidents' Day: No School
Fri., March 2    Acorn Benefit: SACC
Sat., Mar. 10 - Sun., Mar. 18    Spring Break: No School
Fri., April 6    Good Friday: No School
Fri., April 27    Battle of Flowers: No School
May 7-11    Week of Mother's Days
Sat., May 5    Tour Date (Tentative)
Sat., May 5    H.S. Senior Alumni Kindergarten Reunion (Tentative)
Fri., May 18    Last Day of Classes
Mon., May 21, Tues., May 22 (Wed, May 23 if necessary)    Parent/Teacher Conf. w/ Head Teachers

The Acorn will be closed Dec. 19 - Jan.2.  Classes resume Tuesday, Jan. 3.  Have a wonderful family holiday season!

Inside this Newsletter:
Matching Grant, Family Traditions and Sharing, Elf Louise Project, Gift Idea, Vacation Reminder, Grandparent Days,
STEP Parenting Class

Big Acorn Thanks go out to the generous family that has offered to match donations this year up to a total of $25,000.  What an incredible way to help the school!  Details are in the “State of The Acorn” letter which you recently received, and which is also available on our website.  We also thank the many families who throughout the year make donations from our wish list on the website in honor of their child’s birthday.  Thanks to the Simelaro, Rocha, Avila, and Giddens-Kozak Families, who also recently donated a holiday present of several items from our wish list.  In addition, we appreciate the Lipsky family who donated a book for our parenting library.  We are grateful for Jamaica Saporsky, as she has offered her time in the office organizing and preparing for our upcoming fundraiser kickoff.  And Evette Hudson lent a hand with the prep in the office as well.  We appreciate your generous support and efforts.

Special Thanks to:

Expressions Printing & Copying
1106 Austin Highway
San Antonio, Texas 78209
210-930-2679

For donating printing services for the tickets to our Friday evening, March 2nd Fundraiser!



Family Traditions & the Season of Sharing:  We’d like to share with you the approach the teachers will be taking in their holiday activities with the children.  At The Acorn we really like to emphasize the fact that this is a season for giving, sharing, togetherness, and showing our care and love for others.  In our time of celebrating, we will be trying to help the children look outwardly and think of how they can show others that they care for them.  Some of the activities our teachers are planning are making gifts, cards, ornaments, and wrapping paper for parents and family members and looking at ways to help in the community.  Once again, all the classes will collect toys for the Elf Louise Project.  This wonderful community service project is particularly dear to us since Elf Louise is an Acorn parent whose son Christopher graduated from The Acorn in the late 80’s.  We encourage you to help your child select at least one “like new” toy in very good condition from home that he/she has outgrown or no longer uses, or bring a new purchased toy, to give to a less fortunate child that otherwise might not receive a Christmas present.  The “Elves” have stipulated only new stuffed toys be shared, as one previously loved cannot be cleaned properly.  We will accept items up through Monday, December 12th.
We should add that outside of singing traditional songs, we essentially don’t put any emphasis on Santa Claus here at school, because that is usually associated with, “What are you going to ask for?” or, “What do you want to get for Christmas?”  Children are egocentric enough, and at this time of year we want them to be thinking about what they can do for and give to others.  So the kinds of activities we choose will be those that encourage a spirit of sharing, giving, caring, and kindness of the season.
The Kindergarten will perform their version of the annual Christmas Nativity Play for the other classes during the weeks before Christmas.  It is a wonderful Acorn tradition and after hearing the nativity story, the children enjoy writing and telling it in their own way for the play.  All classes will enjoy hearing the Nativity story, as well as sharing in Hanukkah and other family celebrations and the traditions of the season.  This sharing of customs and traditions is a lovely way of starting that crucial step of caring for and appreciating each other.  It is such a self-esteem builder as the children relate their own experiences, and it instills an appreciation for the beauty of other cultures and celebrations in which our friends may participate!

Gift Idea:  A thoughtful and lasting gift for someone on your list might be a personalized brick in The Acorn walkway.  You can obtain one for a $75 donation.  We will provide you with a nice presentation certificate. These bricks would be installed next summer.
Vacation Reminder:  Our last day of school this month is Friday, December 16th.  Vacation begins on Saturday, December 17th, and runs through Monday, January 2nd.  Classes resume Tuesday, January 3rd.  (Mon., January 2nd, is a teacher work day and staff meeting.)

Jan.-Feb. Events
Tues., Jan. 3          Classes Resume Tues.
Mon., Jan. 9        Fundraiser Kickoff Coffee
Wed. Evening,  Jan. 11    Meeting for Next Year’s Kindergarten Parents
Th., Jan. 12        Kindergarten Observations
Mon., Jan. 16        MLK Day Holiday
Tues., Jan. 17        Enrollment begins
Sat., Jan. 21        Tour for Prospective Parents
Fri., Feb, 3        Teacher In-service: No School
Mon., Feb. 20        President’s Day, Holiday
Fri., March 2        Fundraiser at SACC

Fundraiser Planning Meeting Th., Jan. 5th, 10:45 A.M.  Come and get involved! Watch this space for updates and information!

Mon., Jan. 9th - Fundraiser Kickoff Coffee:  Mark your calendars and plan on dropping in the Kindergarten room during school hours – there will be a packet waiting there for every family!  More details when we return in Jan.


The Acorn’s Annual Fundraiser - Friday evening, March 2nd, 2012, at the San Antonio Country Club.  As you all know, our big Fundraiser will be Friday, March 2nd at the San Antonio Country Club.  We’ll taste good wines from around the world, have our attractive silent auction including the projects that each class of children has helped create – quilts, works of art, etc., and enjoy each other’s company.  Tickets are $75 per person of which our cost of the party is around $40.  While you get together with family and friends over the holidays, please remember to talk up our party.  Lots of grandparents, family members, and friends always attend this fun event. Also, as you are doing your Christmas shopping and ringing the cash registers, please remember to ask for prize donations.  A copy of our prize request letter is attached.  You can copy it, come into the office for extras, or download it off our school website, theacornschool.net, under “print your forms” any time you want.  Thanks!


Pick Up Time – Please be Prompt:  We know this is a busy season for all, but please plan accordingly so you can pick up your children on time.  If you are late and they are in the office, be prepared to pay your late fee.  Late fees begin at 11:45 for A.M. preschool classes, 12:05 for Kindergarten, and 3:45 for the afternoon classes.  And, as a reminder, please keep longer conversations for another time, and keep our pickup line moving.  Thanks!  Also, please remember to avoid parking in the driveway of our neighbor on the other side of the playground.


Grandparents Days: A special time next semester is the week we host all of our Grandparents Days in each class.  We hope that each child can have a grandparent (or two or three or four!) to come and share in the fun!  The schedule is as follows:

Mon., Feb 6
10:15 – 11:15 AM: 3 Day AM Class
2:15 – 3:15 PM:  4 Day PM Class

Tues., Feb. 7
10:15 – 11:15 AM: 2 Day AM Class
1:00 – 2:00 PM: Kindergarten

Thurs., Feb. 9
9:00 – 10:00 AM:  5 Day AM Class
2:15 – 3:15 PM:  5 Yr. Class

Fri., Feb. 10
2:15 – 3:15 PM:  3 Day PM Class


STEP (Systematic Training for Effective Parenting) Parenting Class:  The Acorn is hosting a seven week course to help moms and dads through the many facets of early parenting.  We’ve all experienced moments of power struggles and stubborn arguments where the situation has us baffled beyond our wits end!  Who would ever imagine we could be so befuddled by a preschooler!!!!  This course will be led by Katie Gaebel, a Four Day PM teacher, who earned her BA in Special and Early Childhood Education and holds her Master’s Degree in Elementary School Counseling.  Katie has taught numerous STEP classes over the years including the last four years here at The Acorn.  Parents attending have thoroughly enjoyed the class and learned invaluable information about raising their children.  This course will cover understanding young children and their behavior, building their self-esteem, communication skills for parents, setting limits, effective positive discipline, how to help children learn to cooperate, and nurturing emotional and social development.  The content is so relevant and of great value to every parent.  The classes will be held on Tues. evenings, starting January 10th. The cost will be $90 for one parent and an additional $55 if both parents attend.  This includes one parent workbook per family that will be used throughout the course.  Information and Enrollment Forms were sent home earlier in November, and are also available on the website.  Mark your calendars and enroll now! (Class size limited to the first 20 parents.)


Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and enjoy your family time together!

Rich and Jo

We are happy to announce a $25,000 Matching Grant Challenge for this 2011-12 school year! We appreciate your consideration as you make your charitable donations this year!  Please follow the link for more details.

Rachel Ferris, harpist, and Beth Girko, violinist, from the San Antonio Symphony, came to visit the Kindergarten and Five Day A.M. Classes.  The children enjoyed learning about these lovely string instruments and hearing a selection of both classical and children's music.

The Acorn wishes you a blessed Thanksgiving.  School is on break the entire week of November 21; classes resume Monday, November 28.  Enjoy your family time together!