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This coming weekend is the Annual
Harvest
Fair - Saturday, October 13, from noon to 3 p.m.! We hope that everyone will come to GFS for this
fun fall event (read more below about volunteer opportunities the day of the fair). This event is also open to families of preschool-age children in our community. Check your child's backpack this week for a flyer to share with a neighbor or to post in your grocery story or favorite coffeeshop! You can also download a copy of the flyer by
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Message from the Head of School
Dear families,
Three times a year, Goshen's teachers come together for an all-day in-service meeting. These gatherings provide professional development for teachers, and include discussions around differentiated instruction, First Aid or health-related issues, program and curriculum or best teaching practices. At Friday's meeting, we discussed mindfulness and how living in the moment is so important in the modern world for people of all ages.
Everybody's heard the expression, "stop and smell the roses." Mindfulness is a new spin on that old mantra. It means that we put down our cell phones and iPads and make a concerted effort to slow down, to think about what we are doing and where we are in that moment in time, to not worry about what's happened or what lies ahead. Quakers have long practiced mindfulness techniques in Meeting for Worship; Buddhists practice through meditation. However you choose to achieve mindfulness, it is a wonderful concept to introduce to young children.
Here are a few activities we do here at school, before Meeting for Worship, to help the children settle and feel "in the moment":
- Have your child lie down on her back with a pillow under her head. Ask her to take a few deep breaths. Gently place a beanie baby or small stuffed animal on her belly, and have her breathe in for four counts and out for six. Does she see the beanie rise and fall with her breaths?
- Use a hand drum to play a heartbeat to the rhythm of four: drumbeat 1-2; pause 3-4; drumbeat 1-2; pause 3-4. Repeat a steady soft rhythm for a couple of minutes. Ask, "Can you feel the beat inside you? Listen to your heart and feel it beat with the drum."
- If your child is feeling upset or frustrated, shift his attention toward a stone, crystal or rock that you place on the floor between you and him. Ask him to look at it carefully and quietly, observing its color, shape or texture. Pick up the stone and say, "I'm going to hold it for a few minutes, and see how it feels in my hand, then pass it on to you." This simple activity will hopefully relax your child and take his mind off his troubles!
These are simple techniques. Do you have one that works in your home? Please feel free to email me. We are always looking for new ideas!
Have a great week, everyone, and I hope to see you at the Harvest Fair Saturday!
In friendship,
Tr. Mimi
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Goshen Parent Community
There are still slots available to help with Saturday's Harvest Fair. This is great event!
Please see the following links:
The first Dine & Donate of the year will be Thursday, October 18,
at Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza in Exton
from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. This fundraiser
will return 20% to the school - eat in, take out, and adult beverages will be included in the total. We need at least 20 RSVPs prior to event. Please RSVP at the link below:
Additional information will be sent home via backpack.
Please send in your Box Tops via your child's backpack no later than
Friday, October 19!
October Pretzel Madness will be held October 30 & 31. Give pretzels as your Halloween treats! Please see the attached flyer for more information.
To read the minutes from the September 14 GPC meeting, click here
.
To read minutes from September 28, click here
.
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Extended Care
To read about all of the offerings in Extended Care this year, visit our website by
To download individual forms for Extended Care, click below:
For questions about Extended Care, contact Patrice Brown at 610-696-8937 or
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In Other News ...
Thank you to all who contributed to the Snack Drive to benefit Goshen Fire Company. Stay tuned for information about our November Service Project to benefit The Chester County Food Bank!
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