“Play is a Child’s Work,” is an adage that parents and educators of young children invoke often. Through dramatic play children construct knowledge of their world. They act out experiences from their own lives, such as travelling to visit

grandparents, a trip to the doctor’s office or parents going to work, as well as worlds they’ve been exposed to through books, games and media. Children pretend to be dragons and dogs, giraffes and princesses, using their imaginations, adapting and adjusting play scenarios to accommodate peers.

Play with blocks, animals, and other manipulatives also help children to recreate scenarios real and imaginary, as well as discover the physical properties of objects. There are countless examples of how children learn through active exploration and play, but does that mean that all early childhood experiences should be open-ended, and that teacher directed projects are developmentally inappropriate? Can teacher directed projects be playful, yet still meet specific learning goals?

At Spruce, we believe in offering children opportunities to play and navigate their social and physical worlds while concurrently offering more structured

learning opportunities. A morning in the Maple and Oak rooms may include a rousing game of family in the house under the Truffala Trees, incorporating babies, pets, parents and a dragon, followed by a lesson on the importance of conserving resources and making paper from scraps in the Maple Class and a meeting on hibernation followed by the construction of bear caves from Model Magic in the Oak Class! In the Acorn room, the children may spend free play hopping on and off the Quadro “train” with their Willow friends and then construct their own trains from construction paper shapes, while the Willows make letter F Arctic foxes from differently sized rectangles, complete with googly eyes and tails.

Balancing free play with more structured learning addresses the needs of all learners, and ensures that children have the opportunity to make friends and explore materials and their environment, while learning to follow directions and classroom expectations. A balance of structure and play is what we call sneaky learning, Spruce style!

Yours always,

Christie

Spruce Street Nursery School Newsletter

Play, Process and Product

Winter 2015Volume 25

Auction 2015!Friday, May 1st at 6:00PM

Ritz-Carlton BallroomLet’s get super excited! Spruce Auction

2015 will be here before you know it and the planning is well underway! The evening will kick off at 6PM with cocktails and a silent auction, followed by dinner, live auction and a DJ!

The amazing Spruce annual fundraiser is critical to the financial health of the school and is always a true Spruce-wide effort. Its success depends on the creativity, dedication, and generosity of the entire community. You will be hearing from from us soon about how to place a photo of your child in the auction program - check your inbox for a message from Eliza explaining the process of creating a program ad for your child in a few simple steps.

We are currently in the process of collecting donations, so please contact auction co-chairs Makenzie Domb, Alice Indelicato, or Taylor McIntire, if you have any ideas or details that you would like to share. Donations of any size and type are welcome! Here is a sneak peek of our best items so far . . .

❤ Weekend fall getaway to Okemo Mountain in Ludlow, Vermont

❤ Tickets to Jimmy Fallon!

❤ Family golf and spa getaway to Arizona at the Boulders, a Waldorf Astoria Resort

Heard on Spruce StreetThe Willows welcomed a new friend into their

classroom this winter, “Duke the Snowman!” Duke keeps an eye out for positive behavior from our fun-loving Willow friends.

We turned to the Willows and asked them, “What do you think snowmen do at night?” Here are their wonderous responses. . .

T Aiden: “He flies around the school!”

T Avery: “They go on vacation.”

T Brin: “They jump on trampolines!”

T Carson: “They get crooked.”

T Charlie A: “They go to sleep.”

T Charlie W: “They run around and play.”

T Eleanor: “They play in the sand table and throw sand in each others’ eyes!”

T Eloise: “They play and eat corn.”

T Emerson: “They eat snow!”

T Ethan: “They escape from monsters and protect Frosty!”

T Gideon: “They have a snowman sleepover!”

T Gigi: “They go to school and play.”

T Graydon: “They make apple pies.”

T Gwen: “They play in the snow with my big brother Xander.”

T Hiroki: “They go apple picking!”

T Kata: “They be quiet.”

T Landon: “They go home.”

T Lucy: “They play school.”

T Maya: “They make hearts.”

T Owen: “They wake up and eat some breakfast.”

T Reagan: “They always melt.”

T Win: “They play with snow.”

Teacher NewsWe have had some exciting changes to

the Spruce staff over the past year! Megan Bushey joined Spruce as a maternity float for Kristen Lyon Jones during the Winter of 2014. Megan attended the University of Vermont and graduated with a degree in Sociology. Meg became our float teacher this past fall and is now in the Oak room with Nancy! In her spare time, Meg loves spending time with her 3 adorable nephews in Marblehead.

New to Spruce this year is Sydney Hopkins! Sydney joined the Spruce staff as a maternity float for Marybeth O’Keefe, and is now our full-time float teacher! Sydney graduated from UVM with a degree in Early Childhood Education. She spent last winter in Aspen working as a children’s ski instructor! Welcome Megan and Sydney!

Extended DayWith all of the snow and slush outside,

extended day is the best place to spend the afternoon! Upcoming themes will include Music & Movement and Cooking. Please join us in our cozy classrooms for some popcorn song fun or fruit kebab assembly!

Annual Fund 2014-2015The 2014-2015 Annual Fund is off to

a terrific start. To date we have surpassed $100,000 in contributions from current families, alumni families, alumni students (yes, Spruce has grads old enough to give back!), grandparents, and dear friends of Spruce. Thank you to those who have generously given. Our goal is one of participation, and we are hoping for a record year. Every gift, no mater the amount, is meaningful and important to the school. You may send donations to Spruce Street Nursery School, 5 Avery Place, Boston, MA 02111. Or, donate online at www.sprucestreet.org. The Annual Fund closes on June 30th. Thank you!

SAVE THE DATEMonday, February 16th

Presidents’ Day - No SchoolTuesday, February 17th

Staff Development Day - No SchoolSaturday, February 21st

1st Annual Spruce Day of ServiceTuesday, March 7th

9th Annual Skating PartyMarch 16th - 27th

Winter BreakThursday & Friday, April 9th & 10th

Parent Teacher ConferencesMonday, April 20th

Patriot’s Day - No SchoolMonday, May 25th

Memorial Day - No Classes

Wednesday, June 10th Ending Ceremonies

Kids Helping KidsWhat a difference a meal can make! The

Ouko Community Initiative (OCI) provides a free school lunch to more than 600 students at the Menara Primary School in the impoverished town of Koru, Kenya. For around $1 a meal, OCI brings nutrition, energy, and the ability to sustain learning to the students of Menara who range from pre-K through 8th grade. All funds raised at Spruce will go directly to OCI so they may reach their $35,000 goal to feed the school for the whole year. Our Sprucers raised over $550!

OCI is a non-profit organization run by several Boston-based families, including both Barkan families! This summer OCI sponsored Spruce teacher Christine Augustyn to travel to Koru to workshop with the Kenyan teachers and to assist at the school. Thank you Spruce families!

LJ ‘11 and Ruby ‘12 Lammers are both enjoying the Chestnut Hill School! Now in 3rd grade, LJ’s favorite subjects are science and social studies. In 1st grade, Ruby’s favorites are science and art. LJ played Newton soccer this fall and his team, the Everton Toffees, just finished an undefeated season. Ruby’s Brook-line girls soccer team, the Rosebuds, enjoyed a great season as well. Both kids were thrilled that Eric could coach both teams, which made for some hectic Saturdays. LJ and a few of his teammates are trying Futsal for the first time this winter to keep their soccer skills sharp. He is also continu-ing with Karate at after school. Ruby continues to dance (both in lessons and throughout the day) and is enjoying a second year of CHS Rock Band with another former Sprucie Vivian Dykema ‘12. Ruby pressed us to put her in gymnastics this fall - and she loves it. Both are continuing with their drum lessons (what were we thinking?) and also playing basketball at the Y this winter. The whole family is looking forward to ski season!

The Silverman kids have been busy! Now at Bates College, Maisie ‘00 was a finalist at the

USTA National Grass Court Open Mixed Doubles Tournament this past August. This was Maisie’s first Open Tournament and her first Silver Ball! Maisie and her partner are ranked #1 in Open New England Mixed

Doubles. From the tennis courts to the slopes, Myles ‘01 recently won the Mountain Dew Vertical Challenge in Okemo, VT after qualifying by winning at Mount Sunapee in NH. In addition to winning his age group, Myles had the fastest time of all 180 competitors! Myles trains at Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club in Colorado and is a student at the Steamboat Mountain School. When not in school, Brunswick, Maine is called home!

Elizabeth White writes with news of Katherine ‘09 and Caroline ‘09. Katherine is now in 5th grade and Caroline is in 2nd grade at BB&N. Both girls love spending time with their old Spruce buddies. They play soccer and love skiing. This summer, they picked up water-skiing while at sleep-away camp for four weeks in Wisconsin. When the girls returned home, a new puppy joined the family, Coco, an adorable micro labradoodle! Katherine and Caroline are still taking Chinese lessons and we are all looking forward to our two week trip to China in March. We hope that the girls will translate the menu for us - the best part, is that no one in the family likes Chinese food! This picture was taken at a family wedding in Georgia where we had some delicious BBQ. We miss our terrific Spruce friends!

We were so delighted to hear from the McNeill Family over the holidays! Grace ‘04 is now fourteen years old and a student at Newton Country Day.

Big hugs to you Grace from Spruce Street!

The Valdmanis family writes, “Hello Spruce! After two years in Tokyo, we have relocated again to Hong Kong! The kids attend Hong Kong International School. They are all very happy! Lizzie ‘09 is very into gymnastics and rock climbing. Ian is a soccer playing, tennis loving 2nd g r a d e r . Anna is in preschool and is a total tom-boy. And T e d d y , now 2, is a very social little dude who just goes with the flow. We’ve done a lot of travelling in Asia - Cambodia, Thailand, Philippines, Bali, and Malaysia. And we just spent a month in Australia. We are definitely trying to take advantage of our limited time abroad. We look forward to the day we finally come home!”

We are now in our second year living in Tel Aviv and loving it writes Rachel Friedman. Leah ‘13 started 2nd grade at the renowned Nature School here and Eitan is enjoying his second year in a wonderful p r e s c h o o l which in many ways reminds of Spruce Street. We were excited to visit Five Avery Place during our recent summer in Boston, and Leah really enjoyed reuniting with Oak friends Nicky Perricone ‘13, Devin Jamal ‘13, and Luke Winter ‘13. We think of Spruce often and would love to hear from any families who happen to find themselves in Israel!

We love having visits from former Sprucers! While on winter break from Milton Academy, Annie Winter ‘09 volunteered as a teacher’s assistant in the Acorn Room for the day. She

r e m e m b e r s her time as an Acorn - e s p e c i a l l y their class p r o d u c t i o n of “Going on a Bear Hunt”

with Colton Begley, Sarah Collier, Charlie Irwin, Jack Kerrigan, Ava Lewis, Jamie Madison, Mikey Steinberg, and Maddie Ward.

Former teacher Elizabeth Hull Evans and her husband Max are living in South Glastonbury, CT. Stepson Grant is 14 and a sophomore in high school, Julianna is 6 1/2 and a 2nd grader, and Margaux, now 4 1/2, is in preschool. Elizabeth is working as a math tutor at the same elementary school where the children attend and she loves it. Elizabeth writes, “I miss Spruce Street and love hearing about past students, even though it makes me feel old!”

Check out Jack Brennan ‘11 and Jack Winter ‘12! Ski buds on the same ski team at Sugarbush in Vermont. Just keeping the Spruce spirit alive and well on the slopes!

Send your Alumni updates to admin@sprucestreet.org

Alumni Family Tree

Please join us forSPRUCE STREET NURSERY SCHOOL’S

Ninth Annual Alumni and All-School Ice Skating Party

Steriti Memorial Rink561 Commercial Street

Boston’s North End

March7th10:00-12:00 PM

Pizza and drinks will be provided. Please bring helmets.

Skate and crate rentals available.

Hockey sticks and pucks will be allowed on one end of the rink for the annual Alumni Hockey Game.

Holiday Party 2014

Spruce Street Nursery School 5 Avery Place Boston, MA 02111 617-482-5252