eRPDS - Redeemer Parish Day School Newsletter

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eRPDS May 2021

If you look hard enough, there is beauty in everything.

Letter from the Director

Dear Redeemer Community,

Last August there was an air of excitement, anxiety, uncertainty, but most importantly, determination. None of that should surprise us after the year we have been through together. It has been a unified journey of which each and everyone one of us should be very proud. There are no words to adequately describe this past year, but “We did it!” may have to suffice.

First, I want to thank the Redeemer faculty. They made school happen!

Embarking on a school year like none before us during a time when so many schools chose a different path, our teachers were true pioneers. Their creativity, resilience, and dedication to their profession and students is nothing less than remarkable. It was hard, hard work but also rewarding. I have heard from parents that going to school, thanks to the Redeemer teachers, normalized a scary and unprecedented time. The gift our teachers gave our students is priceless.

Thank you to our Redeemer parents. Open and transparent, the commitment our parents made to keeping our students healthy and safe is the number one reason we kept our doors open all year. We are all appreciative of your partnership and the gift of your children. Our community has never been so unified, and we are grateful for the role you played in making that happen.

Finally, our students are the number one reason we all chose to do this. They are our future, and our success this year will impact them for a lifetime. Their bright smiling eyes, ability to adapt, and constant curiosity kept our school joyful, energetic, and magical.

Together we will always be a very special group that shared a remarkable year. It was one of many hardships, but also one of many silver linings. We will always go down in history as the group that faced COVID together.

Thank you for being part of it!

Warmly,

Mary

The Year in Numbers

20,000 (give or take) temperatures taken.

??? face masks in the school – we stopped counting!

754 pieces of sidewalk chalk worn to the nub.

238 rain boots strewn about the schol

170 days of outdoor learning – under the tent/on the lawn/anywhere on campus

120 open windows each day – rain, shine, heat and cold!

34 outdoor Chapel services – we didn’t miss one!

180 committed parents

119 smiling, happy children

20 dedicated faculty and staff

1 unified community!

Office Notes & Reminders

Reminders and Updates:

In gratitude to PDS Advisory Board Chair, Sophie Coates!

Sophie Coates, after three years of dedicated service, has completed her term as the PDS Advisory Board Chair. Sophie's insight, sense of humor, and steady leadership seamlessly carried us through the most challenging time in school history. We are so grateful for her time, service, and dedication to Redeemer!

Thank you parents, Parent Council & PC Co-chairs!

Despite COVID, our Parent Council provided us with a great deal of support and help in a year with so many restrictions. The pumpkin patch, treats for parties, an unforgettable faculty appreciation dinner, as well as fund raisers like March Madness, the Piezzetta Fund Raiser, Pedal for Pediatrics and Boots for Baltimore all helped our students, faculty, program and community. We are especially thankful to Chrissy Levering and Helena Illardo, PC Co-chairs, for reinventing the wheel over and over again. Thank you also to the many parents who partnered with them and supported our school. We are so grateful!

Faculty Milestones:

Redeemer is blessed to have a team of teachers and staff who are talented, dedicated, and nurturing educators. In a year of incredible challenge, their strength and resiliency shone more than ever. It is exciting to announce that they will all return for the 2021-2022 program year.

We especially want to acknowledge those that have completed milestone years of employment at Redeemer either this year or last. We are so grateful for their service!

Karen Blair - 5 years (2020)

Catherine Wyatt - 5 years (2020)

Jennifer Arrup - 5 years (2021)

Jenny Vandenberg - 5 years (2021)

Annette Bednez - 10 years (2021)

Redeemer Church Staff

Thank you to Redeemer rector, David Ware, and the church staff for their support this year. Not only has the Redeemer campus been essential to our ability to provide a strong program during COVID, it has taught us to think outside the box, teaching and learning in new ways. We are very grateful for everything our church does for our community!

Kona Ice

Thank you in advance to Meghan and Brian Nee for generously treating the entire school to Kona Ice on the last day of school! The students will be so excited for this surprise treat!

June Jamboree Schedule - Friday, June 4 - outside in front of the church:

9:30: Wyatt 2/2s, Schroeder 3s, Baker Pre-k, Smith Kindergarten, Pre-first

10:10: Wyatt 3/2s, Ball 3s, Knott Pre-k, Vandenberg Kindergarten, Pre-first

10:50: Blair 3s, Hobson 3s, Arrup Pre-k, Kind. Mixed Group, Pre-first

Pre-first parents are asked to attend the 10:50 performance.

School will dismiss at 11:45 for summer vacation via the carpool lane.

Lost & Found:

Lost and found items will be placed on tables in the parking lot the following days and times:

Tuesday, June 1: 8:30, 11:45, 2:45

Wednesday, June 2: 8:30, 11:45

Important Calendar Information:

Friday, May 28 - 11:45 Dismissal

Monday, May 31 - No School; Memorial Day

Thursday, June 3 - 11:45 Dismissal; Faculty Meeting

Friday, June 4 - 11:45 Dismissal; June Jamboree and Last Day of School

Click Here for Upcoming Events

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Click Here to View Our Student Slideshow

May, 2021!

Here Comes the Sun!

PDS Monthly Value

One Big Heart

Celebrating our Similarities & Differences!

A Fly on the wall...

What's happening in the classrooms?

Lunch Bunch with Miss Ball, Mrs. Schroeder, Mrs. Knott,

Mrs. Zuidema & Mrs. Wyatt

We have been busy bees (or cicadas) in Lunch Bunch this month! We have been enjoying the weather by picnicking under the trees in the field with our new cicada friends. At playtime we have been enjoying the exploration that the emerging bugs bring with cicada weddings being held and houses being built for the creatures. We are excited to end the year with necklace making, spray painting and of course playing group games with the children. We recently went through the lost and found and organized the clothing while reinforcing Spanish words. If you are looking for a missing mitón it could be in the lost and found! Thank you all for a wonderful year of Lunch Bunch. It has been a pleasure to spend our afternoons with your children!

Find out what is going on in all of our classes.

Click here!

Program Highlights

Redeemer continues to find fun and joy in May! Our parents treated us to beautiful plants, handmade notes and cards, and a spectacular dinner for Teacher Appreciation. Thank you, parents! Thank you to our 2s classes for a amazing art show, displaying oil and watercolor dropper paintings. Congratulations to the 2s and their teachers! The annual Pre-first and Kindergarten Publishing Parties were a huge hit! Our budding authors and illustrators spent the year learning about the writing process. Their efforts were met with huge accolades at their book launches. They and their teachers should be so proud of all they have accomplished!

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