Happy New Year

We've successfully completed almost one-half of the 2017-2018 school year.

I'm sure you must share my amazement at the rapid and splendid growth and development of our lovely Little Sun People.  It's been delightful to spend this time in the midst of our garden of flowering, shining Little Sun powerful girls and beautiful boys, as they make their way from toddlers to little kids to pre-kindergarten and on to big kindergarten for some.  It's really hard to believe time goes this fast.....but it does!

While all this growing and flourishing is going on, our professional, committed, nurturing teaching staff along with our mission driven administration team, work together to insure that each child as unique individuals and all the children as a community of peers, get accurate and positive information about themselves as Black and Brown people.  This information and perspective will ultimately help them to form a strong, confident, sense of inner rightness and belonging that will help them to become the leaders and high achievers that they have the full potential to be.  At the same time, we challenge the children to think critically, to articulate and express their ideas fully, love books and reading, to understand and feel confident with mathematics, and to explore, research and go deeper into all the hands on projects and learning platforms that we help organize for them.

Another important initiative at Little Sun People is the integration of art and creativity in every aspect of our overall programming.  Helping our children to understand on a cellular level that we are all capable and in need of the self-expression of art and creativity,  not only do these activities nurture the whole being but also offers critically important avenues of self-expression for the heart and mind......So we dance, and sing, and play violin, and drums, and chess, and yoga.  And of course, while all these good things are going on, we never forget to just, play.....outside, weather permitting, for almost and hour a day, every day.  Yes, we look out for the whole little person.

While we're doing our very best on behalf of each of our wonderful whole Little People, we always keep in mind the importance of good health and nutrition.....combined with our regular physical activities we cook together weekly and this year we're initiating a new program called, "Eat Well/Play Hard Championship Initiative" where we'll take an even deeper dive into bringing our students, staff and parents together to think, talk, and implement healthful food and nutrition practices for the best physical outcomes for our children.

Finally the spirit,  The spirit of community, care, the family, and love.  We reply understand that our children can't flourish without our unconditional love for each and everyone of them.  Sometimes even little ones are in emotional  pain and are challenged by life's circumstances that are out of their or their parents control, i.e. the death of a loved one, parental divorce or separation, big moves and changes in circumstances,  even the addition of new family members.  We welcome our Little Ones along with whatever challenges they might have to bear, with warm smiles, open arms, and words of comfort, encouragement and support, at the same time that we connect with the family to work out a plan together to meet the child's needs in those times of difficulty.

I hope you enjoy our little spot light on Little Sun People in the New Year, the old year, and every year these are they ways our practice plays out.

We end with "Harambee", the KiSwahili term that means: Let's all pull together.

If we all pull together no challenge is too great, we can do it and we will!