Nature 3s Parent Coffee Chat
Where: The Red Barn at CNS (front playground closed)
Contact: Irene Baker: ireneo@gmail.com
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Where: The Red Barn at CNS (front playground closed)
Contact: Irene Baker: ireneo@gmail.com
CNS’s spring grounds clean-up will be happening April 5, and we need your help! Three times a year, families organize to rake or blow leaves, remove vines from the fence, and otherwise tidy up the grounds. As a licensed facility, CNS must maintain a certain standard of cleanliness on our school grounds, and your participation saves us thousands a year in landscaping fees.
All families must send one parent to one school clean up per year, equal to four hours of work. If you are unable to make a clean up, there are tasks that can be done on alternate days. You can sign up for the spring clean-up at the link below!
Take a night off from bedtime routines and join us for a fun and relaxed evening out with your fellow co-op participants. It’s the perfect chance to unwind, mingle, and maybe even win a prize or two!
There will be raffles and lots of laughs! If one partner can’t make it—divide and conquer—come solo and enjoy a well-deserved night out.
Meet Your Hosts: Hi! We’re Connie and Michael Bakutes. We joined CNS in 2023 with our daughter Sienna, who will be starting PreK 3’s and Nature 3’s in the fall. We also recently welcomed our son Jack, who is now 5 months old. We’re so excited to host this night out and get to know more of our fellow co-op families!
✨ Want to donate a raffle basket? We’d love your support! If you’d like to contribute a basket for the raffle, please email me at conniemottola@aol.com.
Come connect, relax, and enjoy a fun evening with your amazing co-op community—we can’t wait to see you there!
Hosted by Connie & Michael Bakutes
(516) 476-6778
Where: CNS back playground
Contact: Lily Prioreschi: LilianPrioreschi@gmail.com
Where: The Red Barn at CNS (front playground closed)
Contact: Michelle Jackson: mbjackson728@gmail.com
We are so happy to be offering a Beginners’ Yoga Class just for CNS Caregivers at Mother Luna this month, Friday, March 21 at 6:30PM! Class will be $25 per person and you can use the link below to sign-up (only ten spaces available). For questions, please reach out to Ashley at (203) 241-8165.
CNS Yoga for Caregivers Sign-up
Enjoy a sow-paced class designed to relax the mind at the end of your day and gently stretch the body. Modifications wil be offered to support any injuries. No experience required, all are welcome!
Date: Friday, March 21, 2025
Time: 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Location: Mother Luna Studio
Address: 1575 Boston Post Rd in Guilford
All props are provided, if you have any questions for the teacher please email shorelinectyoga@gmail.com.
It's time for the second session of our virtual Parent Literacy Workshop with Dr. Jen Scoggin! We had such a great turnout for the first one and we look forward to seeing more of this community next week on Google Meet (link to come).
Join us, Tuesday, March 4th @7:30PM!
Details: In this session, we will explore various routines and purposes for reading aloud with your child, highlighting what you can do to prepare your reader for future success with understanding stories and informational text. In addition, we will talk about the vital connection between reading and writing and some tips for supporting early engagement with writing.
Sara Levine, local children’s author and CNS alumni, will be joining us on 2/26 for a special program. We will be reading one of her books, Bone By Bone, and doing hands on lessons and activities with her. We are excited to welcome her (back!) into our doors!
The CNS board meets virtually on the third Monday of every month from 7:30-9:30pm.
Hello families! CNS is so excited to offer three parent workshops this year! This year we have focused on developing our literacy curriculum, and are working with Dr. Jen Scoggin who is a literacy consultant and author. Her website to learn more about her and her work: https://trustingreaders.com/
In addition to doing PD with the staff, we are also asking her to do three parent workshops on literacy. Jen is an incredible expert in her field and we are so fortunate to have her! For ease these workshops will be virtual, and the first one will be 1/14 at 7:30.
Virtual link to follow, description of workshop below!
Workshop #1: As parents, often one of our greatest joys is sharing books with our children. Children’s positive experiences with text from a young age have the power to set the stage for future confident literacy success. In this first workshop, we will explore the connections between emotions and reading, the importance of staying child-centered and what it means to start to build an identity as a reader. In addition, tips for feedback, addressing mistakes and setting up literacy opportunities in your home will be shared.
All Nature School students and families are invited to celebrate the winter solstice together. Winter solstice marks the first day of winter, the shortest day of the year,
and the promise of more light. Communities have celebrated winter solstice since ancient times.
The Guilford Tree Lighting runs on Friday, Dec 6th from 5:45pm to 6:30pm. Stage(s) will be set up near the Town Christmas Tree in front of town hall.
There are a variety of acts, but CNS forms the Nursery School Choir! They perform in the second half of the show and also greet Santa. The children will gather no later than 5:30 - we will be given a meeting spot as it gets closer. The children sing two songs with Dee (the woman who coordinates the tree lighting):
Jingle Bells will be first
When we get ready to bring Santa in they sing: Santa Claus is coming to town with Dee.
At then end they join everyone for We Wish You A Merry Christmas
They ask that there are some adults on stage to supervise but NOT a 1 parent to 1 child ratio.
It should all wrap up by about 6:30!
Please RSVP to abbeauvais11@gmail.com just so I have an idea about how many kids, and maybe three parent volunteers to go up on stage with the kids.
Past, present, and prospective nature families are invited to join us for a Nature School open house on 11/23 from 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Please note this is an adult-only event.
Agenda:
10:30 a.m., Meet at the Barn for a director-led introduction to Nature School at CNS
11:00 a.m. Visit the 3s basecamp for a teacher-led info session about the importance of free explore
11:15 a.m. Travel to 4s basecamp to learn about meeting/circle time
11:30 a.m. Visit Nature K to for an instructor-led overview of emergent curriculum, standards based lessons
11:45 a.m. End your time at CNS with journaling and a tea ceremony
Prospective parents are invited to stay for a Q&A following the tea ceremony.
A group of CNS parents and staff who gather every other month at a local establishment. We’ll pick the book together and come together to chat and hang! This is a great way to get to know your CNS community outside of pickup and drop off.
Email amyjohnsoncns@gmail.com to receive updates & join us!
Next meeting: November 21st @ 7pm
Book: The Silent Patient
On the front playground. Please feel free to bring siblings!
Hi CNS Families!
The first School Clean-Up is scheduled for Saturday, November 9th @ 9:00am-1:00pm. There are 24 family slots available for the first clean-up. If this date/time works for your family please sign up (one slot/family) using this link:
Each family is required to send one parent to one school clean-up this year, unless your co-op job requires extra clean-up attendance. This event is child-friendly, it can be a great opportunity for us to model for our children a community at work. Please keep in mind if you do decide to bring your children that you are responsible for keeping an eye on your child and ensuring their safety during the clean-up!
Thank you!
Matt Hendrix (Sydney's Dad)
If you would like to ask a question, email hendrix04@gmail.com.
We will need a few people to bring leaf blowers.
Mark your calendars! Raise Craze will take place from November 4-17. Stay tuned for more information.
Raise Craze is not just about fundraising; it's also about fostering kindness. Families are encouraged to not only make a donation but also to pay forward an act of kindness. In addition, students will participate in activities that promote kindness both in the classroom and the wider community.
Hear from teachers, the CNS board, and the CNS director about the start of school.
Please join us for food and fun for the CNS Fall Picnic!
Food will be provided. Just bring a blanket!
When: Saturday September 28, 11am-1pm
Where: Jacob's Beach Pavilion and Playground
Please RSVP using the below evite link by Wednesday, September 25.
http://evite.me/FFRwcgXJzy
Raindate will be Sunday September 29, 11am-1pm.
Book is Queens of London. Please email cayg118@gmail.com for location.
Community Nursery School traditionally participates in this annual town event and is looking forward to having our families join us this year. We understand that, due to the timing, some of you who are celebrating Rosh Hashanah may not be able to make it, but we hope as many families as possible can join us for the parade.
Bring your own picnic & help us kick off the year!
Email Ashley Schildwater with questions.
Hello Nature School Families!
We are getting excited for the school year to start! Since your child is enrolled in Nature School, which is a non-traditional program, we thought this year we would spend some time going over important parts of NS handbook together before the start of school. You can find the handbook here. Please take a look at it and gather any questions for the evening of the 28th! Thank you!
Rachel
Hello CNS Families!
I would like to welcome you to our annual Beach Meet-Up at Jacob’s Beach! This event is BYO food and is simply a coordinated time for us to have fun in the sun and sand!
Date: Saturday August 17, 2:00-4:00pm
Dependent on the weather. Raindate options include Saturday or Sunday, Aug 18, 24, or 25 either in the morning from 10:00-Noon or the afternoon from 2:00-4:00, all depending on the weather:) I’ll send a confirmation email the day before.
Hope to see you all there!
Best,
Christina Daly
Bring your own picnic & help us kick off the year!
Email Ashley Schildwater with questions.
Save the date for a work party where CNS community members will tidy the school grounds to prepare for the summer program. Organized by Bonnie Marr: bonnielynnblb@yahoo.com
Since 1956 Community Nursery School has hosted the fair on the historic Guilford Green. The fair transforms the Green into a playground for children and families, creating memories that will last a lifetime. The little ones will be thrilled with the bounce rides, petting zoo with donkey rides, our famous little train, a circus arena and much more. Great fun and food await!
Get ready to give! On May 1-2, visit thegreatgive.org and make a donation to CNS as part of the Greater New Haven Great Give. All giving will end at 8:00PM on May 2, so make sure to get your gift in on time.
We'd like to welcome all current and incoming families to the CNS Spring Picnic!
Please click on the evite link below to RSVP by April 25.
Where: Jacob's Beach Pavilion
When: Saturday April 27, 10:30-12:30
Raindate: Sunday April 28, 2:00-4:00
More Details to follow!
Artwork created with recycled materials will be on display in the outdoor art studio. Check it out during drop-off and/or pick-up!
Help give CNS a fresh start as we welcome warmer weather and more outdoor play!
The CNS board meets virtually on the third Monday of every month from 7:30-9:30pm.
Interested in getting an event on the calendar? Email theboard@guilfordcns.org.