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CNS January 2025 Newsletter
Dear CNS Families,
It’s been cold this winter! Staying warm outside in cold weather can feel daunting, but with the proper dress, winter is one of the most beautiful times to enjoy nature. One of the best way to stay warm in the cold weather is to layer. Dressing in a base layer, mid-layer and outer layer will help you stay comfortable and adjust to changing temperatures.
Base layers are where it all begins and should fit snuggly to the body. A base layer’s primary purpose is to manage moisture so that you stay dry and comfortable. Base layers made of wool or fleece can add an extra layer of warmth in addition to transporting moisture away from your skin. Mid layers provide insulation; fleece is a great option here. This layer will trap the heat and should fit comfortably over your base layer and under your top layer. The outer layer provides protection from the elements (rain, snow, wind). Parka, jacket, shell, snow pants, rain pants are all examples of outer layers. After you have considered all the layers for your body, don’t forget to think about your hands, heads, and feet. You can layer here too! A liner glove offers the same warmth generating benefit that a base layer offers the body. Neck warmers and balaclavas add another layer of protection from the elements and can be layered under hats or hoods.
The right gear will truly make a huge difference. As Alfred Wainwright said, “There is no such thing as bad weather. Only unsuitable clothing.”
Julia Souvlis & Donna King, CNS teachers
What’s New
Summer Enrollment is Open
Enrollment for summer at CNS is open! Full-week sessions are open to any child up to 8 years old who has completed a year of PreK3s. There are also sessions for nature programming, art & artist exploration, and a theater program.
Last year, CNS summer program students were able to apply for financial aid courtesy of a $2,000 grant awarded by the Youth Advisory Grant committee (advised by The Guilford Foundation). We encourage families who need support to apply.
Spring Parent Participation Sign-Ups Open
The joy of seeing your children's faces light up when you join them in the classroom has been one of the highlights for the staff for our fall semester. As we prepare for spring, we're excited to offer new opportunities for these precious moments of connection and discovery.
We're now opening participation sign-ups for February through May. As a reminder, below are the updated participation guidelines:
Each family should select two participation days for spring (February-June)
Please choose days in different months to spread out the joy
One participation day per family per month ensures everyone has opportunities to participate
To sign up, access Sign-Up Genius using the button below. Find your child's classroom tab at the top of the page and select your preferred dates and times. If you need any assistance with scheduling or have questions about participation guidelines, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're here to help ensure every family can enjoy these special moments with their children.
These classroom moments create lasting memories not just for your child, but for our entire community. Whether you're reading a story, helping with art projects, or discovering nature's treasures together, your presence makes our cooperative truly special.
Dr. Jen Scoggin Holds 1st Parent Literacy Workshop
This year CNS is working with Dr. Jen Scoggin, a literacy consultant and author, to develop our literacy curriculum. We offered the first of three workshops with Dr. Scoggin earlier this month, and it was an incredible opportunity to learn about the connections between emotions and reading, and how to help our children begin to build identities as readers.
Dr. Scoggin spoke about learning to read as a set of emotional competencies, far more complex than simply recognizing and comprehending words. Self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, social awareness, and relationship skills are all key factors when learning to read.
Children’s positive experiences with text from a young age have the power to set the stage for future confident literacy success. Some key take-aways for helping to build a strong reading identity were to normalize mistake making, be a reading mentor, incorporate reading and writing into play, and create calm, positive, varied, and frequent routines around reading.
As parents, often one of our greatest joys is sharing books with our children. This workshop was a powerful reminder of all of the ways early literacy can be fostered. If you’re interested in learning more about Dr. Scoggin’s work, please visit https://trustingreaders.com.
We are so fortunate to be working with Dr. Scoggin, and we’re already looking forward to her next workshop on March 4!
Totally Turtles at Meigs Point
CNS families and alum visited Meigs Point Nature Center Saturday, January 18, to learn about turtles native to our area. There were lots of turtles to see up close and some turtles races at the end! The crowd favorite was definitely the snapping turtle. Thank you so much to everyone who attended - our donations contributed a large sum to the nature center and all of the wonderful programs there.
We love seeing this community come together for fun experiences! Please watch the Facebook page for new upcoming events.
Purchase Your CNS Swag!
All of the students have their CNS t-shirts, so now it’s time to stock up on some cold weather gear for both kids and adults!
CNS sweatshirts (and a cozy winter hat) are available to purchase online and can be easily picked up at school.
Family Spotlight
The Lieponis
Sarah and Jonas Lieponis are parents to Tory (2), who is in a once a week 2’s playgroup with Ms. Sullivan. Jonas grew up in Guilford and is a CNS graduate! He had been living down south for work and returned to CT for a job opportunity when he met Sarah. Sarah had been living in New Haven when she met Jonas and they moved to Guilford in 2019. Jonas does market development for a spine company, and Sarah works in commercial marketing for a sports medicine company. She also helps with marketing for the CNS capital campaign. Tory absolutely adores water-related activities during the warmer months, and their family is passionate about music. Jonas plays guitar, and Sarah loves to sing. Tory is thrilled with her new karaoke machine and loves a good dance party. The Lieponis family is curious to know which other families share their musical enthusiasm. CNS sing-along, anyone? They already have Chase's dad, Dave, and Mira's dad, Jeff, on the list. Who else wants to join in the fun?
Classroom Corner
Our nature school classes use an emergent curriculum. This means that when the children show interest or curiosity in something, the teachers encourage that line of inquiry and build the curriculum around it. The newest line of inquiry is ICE! With very cold temperatures, the children were fascinated with water freezing and the shapes they could make with ice. Here are a few photos of the ice museum they created!
Rachel Daniels, CNS Director
Upcoming Events
Past News & Announcements
CNS December 2024 Newsletter
Dear CNS Families,
My name is Kris Bloch and I am the treasurer for CNS’s Board, a role that I have held for three years. As treasurer, I am responsible for developing the school’s annual budget, in close partnership with CNS’s executive director and board. Put simply, budgets are about dollars and cents; at CNS, we aspire to align the budget with our values and allocate resources towards our priorities. These include:
Keeping tuition affordable to maintain broad access for the community;
Augmenting investments in our talented staff;
Increasing capacity and financial aid to support enrollment growth; and
Diversifying revenue sources to meet rising costs.
I am excited to share with you that the board recently voted to approve a construction contract to add two accessible classrooms to our property. This expansion represents the largest capital investment in the school since CNS’s founding 70 years ago, and it will transform our ability to meet the increased demand for our programs. In the coming months, we will be launching a capital campaign to help fund this important project.
As always, we strive to be responsible stewards of the funds that have been entrusted to our organization, using them to further our mission and priorities while working to manage costs where we can. CNS’s cooperative model, which relies on family participation, is critical to maintaining our financial sustainability. Through your positive engagement in our coop model, we are able to create an environment where all students can learn to love school.
We invite your input in our priorities or changes you’d like to see at the school, which can be sent to theboard@guilfordcns.org. All board meetings are virtual and this year we have posted the meeting links on the CNS website on the events page. All families are welcome to attend.
Kris Bloch, CNS Board Treasurer
What’s New
2025-2026 Enrollment Opens for Current Students
On January 1, 2025, enrollment for the 2025-2026 academic year will open for current students.
Some notable additions include a new Transitional Kindergarten program as well as an expanded PreK 3 program, with more flexible day combinations. Below is a list of all of the offerings for the 2025-2026 academic year. Enrollment forms and financial aid applications can be submitted to Rachel Daniels. Enrollment opens to the public on January 15. If you have any questions please reach out to Rachel. We look forward to another enriching year of playing, learning and growing together!
PreK 2s - Teacher-led songs, stories, sensory activities, process art as well as free exploration and playground time. All of our PreK 2 programming is parent/caregiver & child.
Tuesdays 9:15 - 10:15 am (for siblings of currently enrolled preschool children)
Tuesdays 10:30 - 11:30 am (for children without siblings currently attending CNS)
Co-Op Playgroup - Social meet-up for families with children 18 months - 2 years old, teacher-provided activities, use of playgrounds and outdoor learning spaces. All of our PreK 2 programming is parent/caregiver & child. This class is open to children who are currently enrolled in PreK2s or Nature Explorers, or currently have a sibling attending CNS, and is not teacher-led.
Mondays 9:15 - 10:15 am
Nature Explorers - The first step into Nature School, teacher-led outdoor activities, hikes, and time in outdoor learning spaces. This program takes place in all safe weather, so proper clothing and gear is important! All of our PreK 2 programming is parent/caregiver & child.
Thursdays 9:15 - 10:15 am (for siblings of currently enrolled preschool children)
Thursdays 10:30 - 11:30 am (for children without siblings currently attending CNS)
PreK 3’s Nature School - This Nature School program is for three year olds seeking an outdoor preschool experience. Curriculum will be based on all the PreK 3 learning standards as well as providing opportunities for greater independence, appropriate risk-taking, and exploration of the natural world. Nature Schoolers spend time at basecamps, the outdoor art studio, and hike on the trails daily.
Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Monday/Wednesday or Friday 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
PreK 3’s Morning Program
Tuesday/Thursday 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
PreK 3’s Enrichment
Tuesday/Thursday 12:00-1:00 pm
Nature School 3’s Enrichment
Monday/Wednesday/Friday or Monday/Wednesday or Friday 12:00 -1:00 pm
PreK 4’s Morning Program - Play-based learning across all content areas. Teacher-led instruction and child-led exploration of themes that address all early learning standards. PreK 4 students spend time journaling, hiking, building, creating process art, and engaged in imaginative play. Our PreK 4’s program gives children time and opportunity to develop pre-writing skills through fine motor activities and mark-making. Children spend time indoors and outside in our outdoor learning spaces.
Monday/Wednesday/Friday 9:00 am -12:00 pm
Transitional K - Transitional Kindergarten is a program that allows students to a final year of preschool before entering a true kindergarten the following year. This program was designed for children seeking a third year of preschool, and a longer, more challenging day. Transitional K will focus on more specific early learning standards and incorporate kindergarten standards for those children developmentally ready. Transitional K incorporates all afternoon enrichment programming; cultural, art, cooking, and music enrichment as well as a foreign language component built into the day. The children are able to use all of the indoor and outdoor spaces CNS has to offer.
Mondays-Fridays 9:00 am -2:00 pm
PreK 4 Art and Artist Enrichment - This class explores the lives of famous artists and allows children the opportunity to create pieces inspired by their work. Children learn about artists’ lives as children, and how they grew up into their craft. All different types of art is explored, including impressionism, pop-art, surrealism, and modern art. Artists range from Frida Kahlo to Banksy, from Van Gogh to Ansel Adams. Children learn to appreciate different types of art and the creative process.
Mondays 12:00 - 2:00 pm
PreK 4 Music and Musicians Enrichment - Our Music and Musicians enrichment class allows students to learn about different types of music, genres, and musicians throughout history. Children will learn about music from different cultures, with intentional curriculum tie-ins to the other afternoon enrichment classes.
Tuesdays 12:00 - 2:00 pm
PreK 4 Cultural Enrichment - This class explores cultures around the world: customs, holidays, food, music and language. Focus will be on celebrating differences and noticing commonalities between cultures. Cultural enrichment is a two-day a week offering to allow children time to dive deeper into the material and learning. Cultural enrichment also drives the other afternoon enrichment classes, as art, cooking, and music will all spend time focused on art, recipes, music, and celebrations from that culture. These classes can be taken independently, or all together for a meaningful learning experience.
Wednesdays and Fridays 12:00 - 2:00 pm
PreK 4 Cooking Science Enrichment - In cooking science children discover the science behind what happens in the kitchen. Children will learn the basics of growing their own food, the chemistry behind the cooking process, and how to make and create meals and snacks. Exposing children to the process of growing and preparing their food not only encourages them to expand their palates; it allows them to build confidence as they learn new skills. Cooking enrichment allows children to explore foods and ingredients from other countries and cultures, creating a cohesive afternoon experience.
Thursdays 12:00 - 2:00 pm
Nature School K - Part of our Nature School program, Nature K will allow for learning across all academic and social content areas in an immersive nature experience. Particular focus on fostering personal and environmental responsibility. Emphasis on play-based learning experiences and opportunities. This child-led (but teacher-facilitated) approach gives children ownership over their learning experience and deepens their understanding of subject matter that resonates with them. Nature K can be used as either a transitional K year, or a true K year depending on the age and development of the child.
Mondays-Fridays 9:00 am -2:00 pm
CNS Celebrates Winter Solstice
Students and families flocked to CNS to celebrate the winter solstice on Thursday, December 19. Students collected the beautiful lanterns they had made during the week, and everyone gathered to drink hot cider and sing a song. Mrs. Souvlis read the book The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper as the sun set. Families were invited to visit the three basecamps, each with its own craft activity, and admire the festive decorations the students had made. It was a wonderful celebration of community and nature.
Enhancing Equity in Classroom Participation
The CNS Board is truly grateful for your enthusiasm and dedication to our cooperative model. The level of parent participation this year has been extraordinary, and it speaks volumes about the commitment of our community. However, this positive engagement has highlighted a few areas we need to address to ensure the process remains equitable and supportive for all families and children.
Moving forward, there will be some small changes to the participation process to ensure that it is fair for all. Please read more about these changes here.
CNS Sugar Shack Grant Approved
The Guilford Fund for Education (GFFE) has approved our grant for our CNS Sugar Shack! We will soon be making our own maple syrup, which will allow CNS students the opportunity for a wide range of learning experiences.
Standby for maple syrup! Thank you as always to the generous GFFE!
Family Spotlight
The Blochs
Kris and Jenna Bloch are parents to Henry (7), Ruby (5), and Jack (1.5). Ruby is currently in Nature Kindergarten, and Jack is planning to start in the toddler/2s program next fall. Henry is a CNS alum who wishes to return soon as a “parent helper.” In 2022, after many years of living in Boston, the Blochs relocated to Guilford to be close to Jenna’s family. Prior to moving, Jenna worked as a seventh grade science teacher, and is now home full time taking care of the family. Kris is a senior director at Elevance Health, formerly Anthem. He also serves on the CNS board as the school’s treasurer. As a family, they love watching OKC thunder basketball games - Kris’s hometown team (and, coincidentally coached by Jenna’s cousin!). They also enjoy being active outdoors, gardening with their Papi, and taking road trips to places old and new. They are so grateful to be a part of the CNS community!
Classroom Corner
In the classrooms this week children have been learning about different winter holidays- Christmas, Solstice, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Talking and leaning about different celebrations allows children to make connections between what they do in their family and what it looks like for other families. Understanding similarities and differences across cultures is an important step in developing respect and appreciation for others.
Rachel Daniels, CNS Director
Upcoming Events
Past News & Announcements
Enhancing Equity in Classroom Participation
Dear CNS Families,
I hope this email finds you well. We are truly grateful for your enthusiasm and dedication to our cooperative model. The level of parent participation this year has been extraordinary, and it speaks volumes about the commitment of our community. However, this positive engagement has highlighted a few areas we need to address to ensure the process remains equitable and supportive for all families and children.
Participation Equity
As outlined in our Co-Op Member Requirements, each family is asked to participate in the classroom twice from October to January and twice from February to June. Some families have already signed up for more than the required two days this fall, which has created a few unexpected challenges:
Equity Among Families: Extra sign-ups can limit availability for other families to select dates, potentially causing frustration or missed opportunities.
Equity for Children: Seeing some parents more frequently in the classroom may lead to questions or concerns from children whose parents participate less often.
Developmental Impact: Increased participation by a single parent can sometimes lead to separation challenges, limiting a child's opportunity to develop independence.
Legal Considerations: Volunteers who exceed 12 visits in a school year could be subject to regulatory requirements that treat them as staff members, leading to additional administrative processes.
Updated Guidelines for Participation
To ensure fairness and address the concerns mentioned, we are implementing slight adjustments to the participation process moving forward:
Initial Sign-Ups: Each family may sign up for a maximum of two classroom days from October to January and two days from February to June, meeting the required four total days for the school year.
Additional Opportunities: Once all families have fulfilled their initial two-day requirement for each period, additional slots will open for those wishing to participate more. At that time, families may sign up for up to two additional classroom days from October to January and two additional classroom days from February to June. This would total four days per period and a maximum of eight participation days for the entire school year.
Monthly Limit: To ensure balanced opportunities, family participation is limited to one day per month (per child), regardless of the number of classes or programs your child is enrolled in or the number or family members participating.
We will continue to monitor the participation list to ensure availability is equitable and aligned with the Co-Op Member Requirements.
Evolving Model
This is our second school year using our new participation model. We appreciate your feedback and cooperation as we strive to improve this process moving forward. Being a cooperative is an integral part of our mission, and our goal is to execute this model fairly, equitably, and in the best interests of the children.
Next Steps
If you have already signed up for more than the required two days for this period, we kindly ask you to review the schedule and adjust your sign-ups to align with the updated guidelines. For any questions or assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to racheldanielscns@gmail.com.
Thank you for your understanding and for continuing to make CNS such a special place. Your participation not only enriches your own child’s experience but also strengthens our entire community.
Warm regards,
CNS Board
CNS November 2024 Newsletter
Dear CNS Families,
Earlier this month, our awesome parents came together for an incredible cleanup at the school, showcasing the spirit of teamwork and commitment to our children's environment. Thanks to all who participated, we successfully removed a mountain of fall leaves, replaced the kitchen sink faucet, and fixed a leaky hose. The lower playground's playscape was power washed in preparation for painting, while our picnic tables received a fresh stain, enhancing their appeal. We even deconstructed the play car, setting the stage for future fun!
But the hard work didn’t stop there! Over the following weekends, our volunteers continued to make significant strides. We proudly installed a new fence behind the yoga platform, ensuring a safe and inviting space. The playhouse received a much-needed makeover with a new roof and siding, and it was pressure washed, ready for a fresh coat of paint. Excitingly, we also began the reconstruction of the play car, promising more adventures for our little ones.
As we look ahead, a group of enthusiastic volunteers will gather over Thanksgiving weekend to wrap up all outstanding projects. Together, we are creating a vibrant and nurturing environment for our preschoolers to thrive! Thank you to everyone who contributed their time and effort!
Matthew Hendrix, House and Grounds Board Member
What’s New
Raise Craze was a Huge Success
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, we raised $10,576 during Raise Craze, surpassing our $9,000 goal to fund all school supplies for a year at CNS! With the additional money, we’ll be able to invest in beautiful, high-quality, and reusable materials for our school celebrations, including our Solstice event, art shows, and cultural celebrations. These materials will not only enhance the experience for our students and families, but they’ll also be a lasting investment that will help CNS events shine for years to come!
Raise Craze is our largest fundraiser of the year, dedicated to promoting kindness and supporting our mission. One of the best things about CNS is we feel very strongly that teachers should not need to buy supplies out of pocket. Families were encouraged to not only make a donation but also to pay forward an act of kindness. In addition, students participated in activities that promoted kindness both in the classroom and the wider community.
Holiday Pop-up Shop at CNS
This year CNS is creating a Holiday Pop Up Shop at school, so your children can “shop” for items (free of charge) for their special people for the holidays. Teacher Amy Johnson is spearheading the effort to collect donated items to stock the shop with.
“I am hoping I can encourage you to gather things from around your house you are no longer in need of…pot holders, wooden spoons, key chains, your wedding toasting flutes…(come on you’re not using those…) to donate to our shop!”
There will be a plastic storage bin outside of the barn for the next couple of weeks to receive any donated items. We would be so grateful for anything you can part with, and we know the students will be tickled at the chance to pick out unique gifts for the holidays!
CNS at the Guilford Tree Lighting Ceremony
As in past years, the CNS children have been invited to participate in the Guilford Tree Lighting, 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, with CNS forming the Nursery School Choir.
The CNS children will perform in the second half of the tree lighting ceremony, singing “Jingle Bells” and then “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” as they greet Santa. Everyone will then sing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.”
If you’re interested in having your child participate, please email Ali Beauvais at abbeauvais11@gmail.com. The children will gather no later than 5:30, and we will be given a meeting spot as it gets closer. We will also need a few parent volunteers to be on stage with the children. Registration is not required - last-minute participants are welcome!
Community Survey Reminder
Please take a moment to fill out the CNS Community Survey, if you haven’t done so already. Your feedback will help our school community thrive!
Save the Date - Co-op Holiday Art Pop-up
In the spirit of the season and because we're hoping to bring you more community events, we'd love for you to join us for our first Co-op Holiday Art Pop-up!
Come do art with us and your kiddos! The event will be Saturday, December 14 at 10:00 am, and the cost is $20 per family. This is a parent/child event with limited spaces. Please RSVP through Brightwheel.
Family Spotlight
The Palladinos
Lauren and Nick Palladino are parents to Tessa (4), William (3), and Annie (1 month). Tessa and William are both in Ms. Sullivan’s afternoon class.
Nick is an ER doctor at Bridgeport and Milford Hospitals, and Lauren is a pediatric ER doctor at Yale.
We’re new to Guilford! We just moved here this summer from outside Philadelphia.
We’ve been spending lots of time getting to know our new town, and have especially loved exploring the hiking trails, beaches, playgrounds, and pizza!
Our CNS co-op role is the Little Folks Fair Booth Chair - Publicity.
Classroom Corner
Our Cultural Enrichment class has been studying India. This week they learned about the holiday Diwali and its traditions. They made their own diyas out of paper plates and air dry clay and painted them using the back of a paintbrush. They are beautiful! They also learned about the history of henna and made their own henna designs and got amazing henna tattoos.
Rachel Daniels, CNS Director
Upcoming Events
Past News & Announcements
CNS October 2024 Newsletter
Dear CNS Families,
Classroom participation is off to a fantastic start! We’ve had 44 classroom helpers so far and we are only at the end of October! It is such a positive experience for our little ones to share their school day with us, introduce their friends and routine, and show off their caregiver. This also helps out our teachers, an extra set of hands and eyes goes a long way! You can sign up for up to 4 days between now and January (you only need 2 to fill your quota) and there will be opportunities for 2-4 more days available in the spring. Also, a reminder that the new check in is very easy with the QR code option!
Sign up for additional days here!
Daniella Hernandez, Parent Participation Coordinator
What’s New
CNS Welcomes Literary Consultant
We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Jen Scoggin as a literacy consultant this year. It is really exciting to have someone of her caliber working with the school, as most preschools do not have this level of support. Dr. Scoggin will be coming in to observe teachers, give feedback, and run parent workshops. Please stay tuned for more details!
Workshop 1 (date TBD): 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.
Raise Craze is Coming!
Raise Craze is our largest fundraiser of the year, dedicated to promoting kindness and supporting our mission. One of the best things about CNS is we feel very strongly that teachers should not need to buy supplies out of pocket. Our goal for Raise Craze 2024 is to raise $9,000 as a community—enough to cover all school supplies and educational materials for the school year!
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.
Mark your calendars! Raise Craze will take place from November 4-17. Stay tuned for more information.
November Grounds Clean-up
CNS’s fall grounds clean-up will be happening in November, and we need your help! CNS is a licensed facility, and in order to keep our license we must maintain a certain standard of cleanliness on our school grounds. Three times a year, families organize to rake or blow leaves, remove vines from the fence, and otherwise tidy up the grounds. This 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.
More information will be sent as we get closer to the clean-up date.
CNS on the Guilford Green
CNS helped Guilford get in the Halloween spirit! We contributed a witch to the Scarecrows on the Green contest, with a recipe for "CNS Children." Don't worry; she's a good witch, so she's making them, not cooking them. 😉
Across the street, CNS painted an enchanting window display showcasing the witch from "Room on the Broom," a children's book that teaches friendship and generosity.
Huge thanks to our town event coordinator Melissa Reiner, Dan Reiner, Lindsay Hendrix, and Lindsay’s daughter for putting it all together. They look fantastic!
Parking Lot Reminder
We have so many wonderful families at our preschool co-op that the parking lot can get a bit busy during pick up and drop off time. You can help everyone stay safe and organized with the following reminders:
Park close to other cars. Until the new parking lines are painted in August, please pretend they are there and park a reasonable distance from other cars. This will help everyone fit into the space we have.
Keep parking lot conversations to a minimum. We love chatting and connecting with other families! Please hold conversations on the grass or on the front playground if it's available. This will free up space for cars to enter and leave.
Be considerate when leaving cars. Many of us add extra layers to our kids in the parking lot. Please take those layers out of your car, close your car door, and dress your child in the space in front or behind your own car, leaving space to the sides of each car to allow other families to park and leave.
Thank you for your help in making our parking lot a safe and organized place for everyone! We appreciate your consideration during this busy time.
Family Spotlight
The Marrs
Bonnie and Nick Marr are parents to Lucy (4.5 yrs) and Scott (2.5 yrs). Lucy is in the 4’s and the Nature School program, both with Mrs. Cruz and Mrs. Bober. Lucy started at CNS in the toddler program when she was 18 months old. Scott is currently enjoying the 2’s and Nature Explorers programming with Ms. Sullivan.
Bonnie is originally from Upstate NY, and Nick is from New Fairfield, CT. They met at Quinnipiac University during undergrad which is what prompted them to now reside in Branford. They moved there in 2019 after living in the Boston area for several years and have been enjoying the Shoreline ever since.
Nick is the Pharmaceutical Sector Lead for Aggreko, a global provider of mobile modular power, temperature control and energy services. Bonnie is a former Sr. Marketing Manager and is now home full time caring for the family.
Lucy enjoys creating art and crafting while Scott enjoys riding his bike and all things engines. As a family they love enjoying what the current season has to offer. Most of all, skiing and snowmobiling in the winter and hiking, boating and swimming in the summer!
Classroom Corner
Did you know a play-based curriculum is incredibly intentional? It IS! During free explore the space is set up for opportunities across all content areas. This is how we meet all of our learning goals through play!
Rachel Daniels, CNS Director
Upcoming Events
Past News & Announcements
CNS September 2024 Newsletter
Dear CNS Families,
This October, CNS will be participating in 3 Halloween town events - Scarecrow on the Green, Halloween window painting, and the Halloween Spooktacular. The first event, the Scarecrow on the Green, will be Friday, Oct. 4th. After the scarecrows have been set up, the town will put pictures online for people to vote for. The kids love seeing the green covered in these creative scarecrows! They are truly a sight to see; definitely come take the kids for a walk-through.
The next day, Oct. 5th, begins the Halloween window painting. We are assigned a window space from one of the participating businesses and paint our approved sketch. The town will also take photos to put online to vote for your favorite one. Last year, I believe we received 2nd place for our Halloween Bluey painting. The paintings are always so fun and bring so much color to the center of town.
Lastly will be the Halloween Spooktacular on Oct. 27th from 2 to 4 pm on the green. A carnival-style game will be created for the kids to enjoy before they take their treat. Last year we did a feed-the-monster game, and the kids absolutely loved it. We hope to see everyone there for it!
If anyone would like to assist with any of these fun fall events, please email me at vesper721990@gmail.com.
Melissa Reiner, Town Event Coordinator
What’s New
Family Classroom Participation Sign-Ups
Sign-ups are now open for family participation in the classroom. Family participation is an amazing opportunity and an essential part of the cooperative model at CNS.
The sign-up page, linked below, shows available date and time slots for the first half of the year, through the end of January. On this page, you'll find tabs at the top representing each teacher and classroom. Scheduling is on a first-come, first-served basis - once a date is chosen by someone, it becomes unavailable to others.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Daniella Hernandez, the Parent Participation Coordinator, at dwilliams4812@gmail.com.
Reminder: Choose your Co-op Administration Role
The Administration Role coordinator will begin checking that each family has selected a role soon! If you have not yet done so, please choose your role as soon as possible to ensure you are meeting the co-op requirements. High needs roles include: Fundraising Committee Chair, Fall Clean Up Organizer, Little Folks Fair Assistant Director, and Treasury Assistant.
CNS T-shirts
All new CNS students receive a free t-shirt from the school. Adults should order their t-shirts online (they are needed for community events such as Little Folks Fair). You can also order shirts for younger children or those who have outgrown their shirts below.
CNS in the Guilford Parade
CNS had a great time at the Guilford Parade. Forty parents, students and teachers marched one mile around the town green. It was a thrill to see new and returning CNS families marching together, and to hear alumni families cheering from among the spectators. CNS is indeed a place where community flourishes and endures.
Best in Show
Community Nursery School’s process art submission earned Best in Show at the Guilford Fair! Look at the amazing work done by our little hands <3
Family Spotlight
The Nanis
Roger and Leah Nani are parents to Luke (4) and Elise (15 months). Luke was in Mrs. Krischtschun’s class last year and this year is in Mrs. Cruz’s class.
Roger is a Principal Scientist at Detect in Guilford, and Leah is a personal assistant to real estate agent Emily White in Guilford. They moved to Madison in 2017 from Frederick, MD, where Roger was completing his Postdoc at the National Cancer Institute, and before that they lived in Pasadena, CA. The Shoreline really feels like home to the Nanis - they bought their first house in Madison in 2021.
Roger, Leah, and their kids love to go to the Surf Club in the summer, as well as Roger’s parents’ boat in City Island, NY. Luke loves roller coasters, so they’ve been to Rye Playland and Disney World. Luke enjoys cooking and baking with us and his grandma, and Elise helps to eat it all!
Classroom Corner
Welcome to the start of school! We are so proud of all of our students for getting used to being part of a classroom community. For the first several weeks of school we spend a lot of time talking and learning about feelings and emotions. We do this intentionally so that children know that their feelings are valued, and also to help give them the language they need to express themselves. One of our favorite books is The Color Monster, this book explores the many feelings out there - and also how you can have more than one feeling at once! Voicing your own feelings is one of the first steps in understanding others. We are feeling proud of all our children this month as we transition into our school year!
Rachel Daniels, CNS Director
Upcoming Events
Past News & Announcements
CNS August 2024 Newsletter
Dear CNS Families,
I’m not sure about everyone else, but it feels like summer flew by - I cannot believe the first day of school is almost here! If your family is anything like mine, you’re probably trying to reestablish reasonable bedtimes, limit ice pops to special occasions, and cut back on those 8 p.m. trips for Bishops Ice Cream because “it’s summer!” While the school year brings much-needed structure and routine, many of us are also embarking on an exciting (albeit daunting) new chapter in our children’s lives.
Fortunately, one of the best aspects of Community Nursery School is its community. I encourage everyone to participate in as many events as possible, sign up for co-op roles, and seek support from veteran parents. The Cooperative is only as strong as our collective commitment!
Please feel free to reach out with any questions or just to say hi—my figurative door is always open.
Here’s to new friends, cherished memories, and a fantastic school year!
Taryn Kelly-Doran, CNS Board President
What’s New
Back to School Reminders
The start of the school year is a busy time. Be sure to double check that all of your required CNS forms have been submitted, and you are set up in Brightwheel. The CNS Handbook is a great resource, as is the CNS Co-Op Field Guide - all of this information will help ensure a smooth transition into the new school year.
Save the Date
August 28, 7:30pm: CNS Nature School Orientation Meeting (virtual)
September 3 & 4: Meet and Greets
September 5 & 6: First Day of School
Top Tip - A Goodbye Routine
Before school starts is a great time to start practicing your goodbye routine. For many children entering preschool this is the first time they are saying goodbye and separating from their grown-up. Coming up with a short, sweet, and predictable goodbye routine is a great way to give your child clear expectations about what this will look like on the first (and second, and third!) day of school. It's fun to come up with this special goodbye together. Some children like a hug and a fist bump, others like a special saying, others a secret handshake. It doesn't matter what it looks like as long as it's predictable. Saying goodbye to your child confidently communicates that you feel positive and safe with leaving them at school. Reassure them that you will see them after their day of learning and playing. ♥️
Rachel Daniels, CNS Director
The Guilford Foundation Award for Finical Aid
Over the summer, The Guilford Foundation (TGF) awarded CNS $5,000 for financial aid. This award represents part of our ongoing efforts for equity in our programming with a goal of making our play-based, nature inspired program more accessible for the community.
Family Spotlight
The Bartkuses
Andrew and Lauren Bartkus are parents to twins Graham (4) and Rhys (4), both in the Nature Kindergarten class, and their older brother Caelan (7). After many years in Seattle, WA, they moved to Guilford in July. All three boys enjoyed outdoor preschools on the west coast, and Graham and Rhys are excited to continue here.
Andrew is a software engineer for Redfin, a real estate brokerage. Lauren is a graphic designer and is looking forward to working again after caring for the kids full-time. They moved to CT to be closer to Lauren’s friends and family. Together, they’ll be crafting the CNS newsletters all year long!
As a family, they enjoy board games, watching football, and visiting the pool or the beach. The boys spent the summer immersing themselves in the Olympics and the world of Harry Potter - they can spend a whole day at their imaginary Hogwarts!
Classroom Corner
Olympic Spirit!
As summer sessions came to a close, students enjoyed participating in the CNS Nature School Olympics.
Upcoming Events
Past News & Announcements
CNS July 2024 Message from the Board
Hi CNS Families,
I’d like to start off with a HUGE welcome to all our new and returning families! I’m Taryn Kelly-Doran, and I’m honored to be your board president for the 2024-2025 school year.
We joined the CNS community last year, and this year we will have our son, Beckett, in Nature Kindergarten, and our daughter, Louisa, in the 3s program. There is so much to love about CNS, but one of the school’s greatest strengths is its community! Our cooperative model empowers all of us to participate in shaping the educational experience we want for our children during these crucial formative years.
Through our collective efforts, we can ensure the continued growth and success of CNS. There are plenty of opportunities to join committees, volunteer, or participate in school activities. Your involvement is key to our community's success.
As we approach the fall, we would love to have you join our end-of-summer events, such as CNS Kickball, or create one of your own! Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, concerns, or even just to say hi!
Additionally, be sure to check out our school website and newsletters for updates and resources available to you.
Taryn Kelly-Doran, Board President
Choose Your Co-Op Participation Role
All families are required to choose one co-operative role from the spreadsheet.
To sign up for a role, place your name in Column G and your email or phone number in Column H.
Some of the roles are high priority as indicated in column D and those roles must be filled for the start of school; we will make every effort to keep families in the roles that they select.
These roles are crucial to the school's functioning and improve the experience for all of us here at CNS. The best part is that these tasks can be easily scheduled around your availability, allowing us to make connections with other families as we work together to administer the school.
What's New
As we gear up for fall, we're excited to share the 2024-2025 academic calendar, available on the CNS Family Portal (password loveschool). The Family Handbook is still going through its annual revisions and will be released in August. Please be on the lookout for emails from Rachel Daniels, CNS Director, regarding required paperwork for the start of school.
Save The Dates
Sept. 3 & 4: Meet & Greets
Sept. 5 & 6: First Day of School
Sept. 21: Guilford Fair Parade
Board Meeting Minutes
Board meeting minutes are on the Family Portal.
Newsletter Idea or Suggestion?
Email theboard@guilfordcns.org
Upcoming Events
***Reminder*** Please email your events to webmaster and parent Jeff so that they can be added to the website and published in the newsletter!
Purchase CNS T-Shirts
All new CNS 3 & 4 students will receive a free t-shirt from the school. Adults should order their t-shirts online (they are needed for community events such as Little Folks Fair.
Past News & Announcements
CNS May 2024 Newsletter
Hi Families,
Get ready for Little Folks Fair! It's our only annual event where everyone works together to create a fun day for the community, and it’s on the first Saturday in June each year.
Here's what you need to know:
Arrival: Aim to be at the Green by 9:30 am, unless your Booth Chair tells you to arrive earlier.
Sign In/Out: Check in and out at HQ with the LFF chairs or assistants. This helps track volunteer hours.
Schedule: Expect to stay until the Green is cleared, usually around 4:30-5 pm. (Except set Up/Clean Up Crew.)
Food & Drinks: Bring water and snacks! Food trucks might have long lines.
What else to bring? LFF shirt, sunscreen, phone charger, and a portable power bank.
Making it a Success:
We need everyone to show up on time, stay for the duration, and work hard! This ensures we can continue with the one-adult-per-family requirement in the future, instead of the two-adult-per-family requirement from previous years.
Why it Matters:
While dedicating a Saturday can be challenging, it's rewarding. It's a chance to work with other parents, bring joy to children, and support a great cause.
A Big Thank You!
Huge thanks to Liam Doherty-Nicholson, Amy Johnson (LFF Chairs), and all the booth chairs and others who helped to make LFF possible!
Questions?
Email Amy Johnson at amyjohnsoncns@gmail.com.
See you there!
Caitlin Garzi
Swing Set Update
Remember how we all rallied during Raise Craze to raise funds for a new swing set for the front playground? Thanks to your incredible generosity, we fully funded the project!
Here's a quick update: To make sure the swing set has its perfect spot, we're waiting to finalize the location of our new classroom before we purchase and install it. This way, we can be certain it won't need to be moved later.
We'll keep you posted on the progress, and we can't wait to see the swings in action soon!
What's New
Save The Dates
June 1st: Little Folks Fair
June 8th: Work Party (clean up school grounds to prepare for summer program)
Family Spotlight: The Fox Family
Paige and James are parents to Fia (5), Lenora (2), and are getting ready to welcome a new baby to their family this summer. Fia is just finishing up a year of 4s and nature school with Mrs Cruz. She will be starting nature kindergarten in the fall. Lenora was in the toddler class on Tuesdays this year and will be starting 3s in the fall.
James is the vice president of business development at Starfish Medical. Paige is a nurse in the Yale pediatric emergency department. They moved to Guilford from Salem MA in the beginning of 2022.
As a family they love traveling, spending time with family and friends, and being outside as much as possible-especially riding bikes, exploring at Chaffinch Island Park and hiking in Westwoods.
Classroom Corner
Our Art Enrichment enrichment students are finishing up their year of learning about the lives and works of famous artists. This year they learned about Frida Kahlo, Yayoi Kusama, Andy Warhol, and Vincent Van Gogh to name a few! Most recently they studied Ansel Adams and Keith Haring; and their inspired artwork is amazing!
Upcoming Events
CNS Co-op Participation Survey
We want to know how the participation model is working for you! Let us know by taking this survey.
Purchase CNS T-Shirts
All new CNS 3 & 4 students will receive a free t-shirt from the school. Adults should order their t-shirts online (they are needed for community events such as Little Folks Fair.
Questions or need financial support? Email Agata Rzucidlo.
Past News & Announcements
CNS April 2024 Newsletter
Dear CNS Families,
Our Spring Picnic, coming up on April 27 (rain date April 28), is more than just a picnic. It’s also our CNS annual meeting. The annual meeting is a CNS tradition and part of our By Laws. At the annual meeting, the whole community votes on changes to the By Laws proposed by the board and new members of the board whose terms start July 1.
On April 27, the following community members are on the slate for board representation.
Taryn Doran - President
Johnny Fendt - Vice President
Elizabeth Chilton - Secretary
Caitlin Garzi (me) - Publicity
Ashley Schildwater - Community
Changes to the bylaws up for a vote are visible here.
The board president is also responsible for sharing an annual report with the school during the annual meeting. This is typically in the form of a speech made at the event, but this year I’ve created a written report that you can read in advance of our meeting. Inside you will find our top accomplishments for the year. I am so proud of the work we have done, and grateful for all our CNS community members who contributed.
Sincerely,
Caitlin Garzi
CNS Board President
What's New
Save The Dates
April 27th from 10:30-12:30: CNS Spring Picnic at Jacob’s Beach (rain date April 28th)
April 30th at 9:00: School-wide recycled art show at the art studio (to the left of the building beyond the fence)
May 5th 9:30: Toddlers/all welcome to Spring Parent Coffee
June 1st: Little Folks Fair
The Great Give
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. Our goal of $3,000 would furnish our new classroom with cubbies!
Star Awards
The Guilford Fund For Education (GFFE) is sponsoring the STAR Awards for Teacher Appreciation Week. STAR Awards are the perfect gift for our amazing CNS teachers!
Certificates feature a personalized message from your student and are delivered directly to any Guilford school, or other applicable Guilford location. To ensure delivery, all Star Award orders for Teacher Appreciation Week (May 6-10) are due by May 4. Funds raised through STAR Awards will contribute to future GFFE grants for our students and schools.
Little Folks Fair Sign Up is Open
The annual Little Folks Fair is Saturday, June 1 this year from 11am-4pm.
All families, including preK 2 families, must send one parent to the fair to volunteer. If you have a known conflict such as a wedding or travel, there are other opportunities for you to meet this commitment. Please email Amy Johnson if so.
Co-op members must be there early to help set up and may leave when the green is fully tidy, with the exclusion of Set Up Clean Up Crew which works different hours.
Those who signed up for LFF booth chair co-op participation roles, the role description indicates that you must send two parents to LFF. The LFF chairs will assess how necessary that is as we get closer to the event.
Some folks signed up for LFF additional support as part of their co-op participation role and will send two parents to the fair as part of that role.
Family Spotlight: The Blochs
Jenna and Kris are parents to Henry, Ruby, and Jack. Henry (age 6) attended CNS last year. He had 4s with Mrs. Cruz, and Nature school with Mrs. Cruz and Mrs. Souvlis. Ruby (age 4) is in her second year at CNS - this year she is in Nature school with Mrs. Cruz and 4s with Mrs. Krischtschun. Jack turns 1 in May!
Kris is a senior director of Medicare Strategy at Elevance Health, formerly Anthem, and serves on the CNS board as treasurer. Jenna is a former middle school science teacher and is now home full time caring for their kids. Jenna grew up in Guilford and Kris grew up in Oklahoma. They met in college in Boston and lived there for 17 years. They moved back to Guilford in 2022!
Ruby loves to use her CNS cooking skills to help in the kitchen. Henry and Ruby stay busy during the week participating in several different activities and sports. As a family they love traveling, watching OKC Thunder basketball games, and getting outside to play, hike, bike, swim, and help our Papi in his garden.
Classroom Corner
Teaching Beyond the Square
The month of April was all about loose parts at CNS! We had a special visit from Teaching Beyond the Square. They brought their loose parts trailer from NYC and the children and teachers "shopped" for parts, and then spent time creating and exploring the materials. We were able to collect so many fun loose parts to keep at school!
Loose Parts Playground
Out back we now have a Loose Parts Playground! This area allows children to build with large open-ended materials. This is a great opportunity for gross motor development, collaboration with peers, problem solving, and of course fun. Many of those loose parts are recycled and reused materials, a perfect way to celebrate Earth Day every day.
Upcoming Events
CNS Co-op Participation Survey
We want to know how the participation model is working for you! Let us know by taking this survey.
Purchase CNS T-Shirts
All new CNS 3 & 4 students will receive a free t-shirt from the school. Adults should order their t-shirts online (they are needed for community events such as Little Folks Fair.
Questions or need financial support? Email Agata Rzucidlo.
Past News & Announcements
CNS March 2024 Newsletter
Dear CNS Families,
Soon, during our upcoming spring picnic/annual meeting on April 27, we will vote in new board members for July 2024, making space for new families to steward the future of the school. This yearly tradition is one of my favorites! In my four years here, I have served in various roles on the Board of Directors – President, Co-President, & Secretary.
In each of these roles, working alongside dedicated parents, teachers, and of course Rachel, I have seen firsthand the power of collective effort and shared vision in shaping the future of our school. It has been an absolute privilege to witness the remarkable transformation of CNS over this time.
From the establishment of our beautiful art studio to the launch of nature school programming, every milestone has been a testament to our commitment to providing the best possible learning environment for our children. And now, we’re embarking on the exciting journey of adding a new classroom space.
My role on the board allowed me to have a hand and a voice in all of these changes. As I move on, I want to extend a heartfelt invitation to each of you to consider taking on my role of Secretary on the Board of Directors. Your fresh perspectives, enthusiasm and dedication are vital to the continued success of our school. By becoming actively involved, you not only contribute to shaping the future of CNS but also forge meaningful connections within our community.
Amidst the excitement of new beginnings, there is also a twinge of sadness; I will miss the warmth of our families and the sense of belonging that permeates every corner of our school. Still, it brings me so much joy to know what lasting change my work at CNS will leave for future students!
Sincerely,
Liz Kelly
Board Secretary
What's New
Save The Dates
April 21 at 10am: The Spring Work Party
April 27 at 10:30am: Annual Picnic & Meeting (Rain Date: April 28 at 12:30pm)
June 1: Little Folks Fair
Spring Parent Coffee
The room parents are excited to invite you to the Spring Parent Coffees on the front playground after drop-off.
3s/Nature 3s & Nature K: Tuesday, April 2nd
4s/Nature 4s: Friday, April 5th
Additionally, we have a date for the toddler parents as well as anyone else who wants to get out of the house and give the kids something to do:
Toddlers/all welcome: Sunday, April 21, 9:30am
We are looking forward to catching up over coffee and pastries. See you there!
Little Folks Fair Sign Up is Open
The annual Little Folks Fair is Saturday, June 1 this year from 11am-4pm.
All families, including preK 2 families, must send one parent to the fair to volunteer. If you have a known conflict such as a wedding or travel, there are other opportunities for you to meet this commitment. Please email Amy Johnson if so.
Co-op members must be there early to help set up and may leave when the green is fully tidy, with the exclusion of Set Up Clean Up Crew which works different hours.
Those who signed up for LFF booth chair co-op participation roles, the role description indicates that you must send two parents to LFF. The LFF chairs will assess how necessary that is as we get closer to the event.
Some folks signed up for LFF additional support as part of their co-op participation role and will send two parents to the fair as part of that role.
New Classroom Space Designs
CNS is expanding our space by adding a new classroom, allowing us to enroll up to 15 more children per day, provide handicap accessible classroom space, and more.
This work is made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant of $52,000 to Community Nursery School distributed by The Guilford Foundation on behalf of the Town of Guilford. Thank you to the Town of Guilford First Selectman Matt Hoey and the Board of Selectman for their vision and generosity in allocating the historic ARPA funding for nonprofit recovery to strengthen the town of Guilford.
We invite you to view the second draft of designs produced by Antinozzi Associates. Mike Antinozzi’s children graduated from CNS nearly 20 years ago!
You may share your thoughts to theboard@guilfordcns.org. Emails will be shared with the Expansion Committee.
Family Spotlight: The Onofrios
Amy & Antonio Onofrio are parents to Elena, who has a birthday coming up and is joining Mrs. Johnson’s 3s class!
As part of their coop job, they will be taking over the monthly newsletter— you can email them with any newsletter additions.
Both Amy and Antonio are RNs at Yale, with Amy working in Labor and Birth and Antonio as the Assistant Manager of Emergency Services. Both are also from CT but moved to Guilford in 2016.
Together they like to garden, play Legos and board games (especially "Eye Found It!", a Disney hidden picture game). They love going to Disney as a family; Elena's favorite ride is "It's a Small World", Amy's favorite ride is "Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind", and Antonio's favorite ride is Star Wars Rise of the Resistance.
Classroom Corner
Maple Syrup Making
Yale tree experts returned to CNS to help students identify tree to tap (courtesy of the Schildwaters).
The children monitored buckets, experimented with boiling sap in an instant pot and taste tested maple cream, maple candy and maple syrup.
Ready for Spring
This month students are welcoming spring and experimenting with primary colors!
These students are painting beautiful spring flowers.
Upcoming Events
CNS Co-op Participation Survey
We want to know how the participation model is working for you! Let us know by taking this survey.
Purchase CNS T-Shirts
All new CNS 3 & 4 students will receive a free t-shirt from the school. Adults should order their t-shirts online (they are needed for community events such as Little Folks Fair.
Questions or need financial support? Email Agata Rzucidlo.
Past News & Announcements
CNS February 2024 Newsletter
Dear CNS Families,
As parents, many of us are spending January planning six months ahead, enrolling our children for school in the fall and booking summer sessions.
On the school administrative side we are also planning ahead. Looking to the 2024-2025 school year, we anticipate new openings on the CNS board (the board is comprised of current families, so as students graduate so do board members!).
The CNS board provides oversight, strategy and direction for the school. Parents join the board for various reasons; my reason for joining the board was to make a difference. I hoped (and still hope) to leave the school just slightly better off than when I joined.
If you have an interest in stewarding the long term vision of one aspect of the school and believe you will have students attending CNS for two more years, we’d love to hear from you! Please fill out this expression of board interest form and someone will reach out to you shortly.
Thank you,
Caitlin Garzi, CNS Board President
What's New
Current Year PreK 4 Openings
CNS has two openings in our preK 4 M/W/F program for 2023-2024. If you know of someone looking for a change, please direct them to the website or the director. Programming for 2024-2025 is now full.
There is still limited space in our M-F summer program. You can download the enrollment form below.
New Program!
Feb. 27, 6:30pm: Parent Mixer
Please join us for a fun evening to get to know your fellow CNS parents! Enjoy pizza, connect with other parents, bid on some great silent auction items and enter the 50/50 raffle while sipping some beers at Stony Creek Brewery.
LFF Grant from GSB & TGF
The Guilford Foundation (TGF) awarded CNS $2,500 towards The Little Folks Fair in a grant sponsored by Guilford Savings Bank. We are so grateful for the supportive Guilford community!
CNS Co-op Participation Survey
We want to know how the participation model is working for you! Let us know by taking this survey.
Family Spotlight: The Bendernagels
Victoria & Eddie Bendernagel are parents to Eddie, in Mrs. Outtrim’s 3s class, and Andrew, who is 16 months. As part of their coop job of “handy person,” they were instrumental in building the new yoga platform with materials funded by TGF & GSB!
Victoria was an engineer at Edgewell Personal Care, currently taking time to be a stay at home mom. Eddie is an Engineering Supervisor at Electric Boat in New London.
They moved to Guilford in the summer of 2017 with Victoria coming from NYC and Eddie from South Windsor, CT.
Together they like to take walks and go to the beach. They are a split sports household - Yankees vs Red Sox! Stay tuned to see what the kids decide as they grow.
Classroom Corner
Fun in the snow
There’s nothing like snow to add a new element of learning and fun to our toddler curriculum. The kids enjoyed sledding, making snow sculptures, and using snow in the play kitchen.
A Muddy time
After the snow melted, it gave us yet another gift: mud. Here students are using the mud to paint beautiful pictures outdoors.
Purchase CNS T-Shirts
All new CNS 3 & 4 students will receive a free t-shirt from the school. Adults should order their t-shirts online (they are needed for community events such as Little Folks Fair.
Questions or need financial support? Email Agata Rzucidlo.
Upcoming Events
Past News & Announcements
CNS January 2024 Newsletter
Dear CNS Families,
As parents, many of us are spending January planning six months ahead, enrolling our children for school in the fall and booking summer sessions.
On the school administrative side we are also planning ahead. Looking to the 2024-2025 school year, we anticipate new openings on the CNS board (the board is comprised of current families, so as students graduate so do board members!).
The CNS board provides oversight, strategy and direction for the school. Parents join the board for various reasons; my reason for joining the board was to make a difference. I hoped (and still hope) to leave the school just slightly better off than when I joined.
If you have an interest in stewarding the long term vision of one aspect of the school and believe you will have students attending CNS for two more years, we’d love to hear from you! Please fill out this expression of board interest form and someone will reach out to you shortly.
Thank you,
Caitlin Garzi, CNS Board President
What's New
Summer Programming Posted
Join us at CNS for an amazing, nature-filled summer! Sessions are open to any child entering PreK4s, Kindergarten or 1st grade with separate PreK-2 programming available. Summer session provides the opportunity for social development through both planned activities as well as relaxed, fun, open-ended play.
Feb. 27, 6:30pm: Parent Mixer
Please join us for a fun evening to get to know your fellow CNS parents! Enjoy pizza, connect with other parents, bid on some great silent auction items and enter the 50/50 raffle while sipping some beers at Stony Creek Brewery.
LFF Grant from GSB & TGF
The Guilford Foundation (TGF) awarded CNS $2,500 towards The Little Folks Fair in a grant sponsored by Guilford Savings Bank. We are so grateful for the supportive Guilford community!
CNS Co-op Participation Survey
We want to know how the participation model is working for you! Let us know by taking this survey.
Family Spotlight: The Bendernagels
Victoria & Eddie Bendernagel are parents to Eddie, in Mrs. Outtrim’s 3s class, and Andrew, who is 16 months. As part of their coop job of “handy person,” they were instrumental in building the new yoga platform with materials funded by TGF & GSB!
Victoria was an engineer at Edgewell Personal Care, currently taking time to be a stay at home mom. Eddie is an Engineering Supervisor at Electric Boat in New London.
They moved to Guilford in the summer of 2017 with Victoria coming from NYC and Eddie from South Windsor, CT.
Together they like to take walks and go to the beach. They are a split sports household - Yankees vs Red Sox! Stay tuned to see what the kids decide as they grow.
Classroom Corner
Fun in the snow
There’s nothing like snow to add a new element of learning and fun to our toddler curriculum. The kids enjoyed sledding, making snow sculptures, and using snow in the play kitchen.
A Muddy time
After the snow melted, it gave us yet another gift: mud. Here students are using the mud to paint beautiful pictures outdoors.
Purchase CNS T-Shirts
All new CNS 3 & 4 students will receive a free t-shirt from the school. Adults should order their t-shirts online (they are needed for community events such as Little Folks Fair.
Questions or need financial support? Email Agata Rzucidlo.
Upcoming Events
Past News & Announcements
CNS December 2023 Newsletter: Grants, Solstice, & 2024-2025 Programming
Dear CNS Families,
My name is Kris Bloch and I am the treasurer for CNS’s Board, a role that I have held for two years. My daughter Ruby is enrolled in PreK4s, NS4s, and several afternoon enrichment programs, and my son Henry is a recent CNS alumnus.
As treasurer, I am responsible for developing the school’s annual budget, in close partnership with CNS’s director and board. Put simply, budgets are about dollars and cents; at CNS, we aspire to align the budget with our values and allocate resources towards our priorities. Last spring, the board adopted a strategic plan that guides our budget process, and includes the following key priorities:
Keep tuition affordable to maintain broad access for the community;
Augment investments in our talented staff;
Increase capacity and financial aid to support enrollment growth; and
Diversify revenue sources to meet rising costs.
The board’s commitment to promoting equity and inclusion is embedded in all of these priorities.
Despite rising costs, the current school year’s budget holds tuition steady for the third year in a row. We approved a cost of living raise for our staff and tripled our investment in financial aid. We continued our investment in school facilities, which allows us to remain competitive and directly impacts our families. We increased funding for classroom materials, which allow teachers more flexibility to plan engaging activities for their classes.
Holding tuition constant while expanding investment in our community is no easy feat. We owe tremendous credit to our Director, Rachel Daniels, who has evolved CNS’s programming to make more efficient use of the school day, resources, and building, allowing us to serve a record number of families this year; developed new curriculum, such as Nature School and Art & Artists, that differentiates CNS’s offerings compared to other local schools; and relentlessly pursues grants to fund enhancements to our facilities and programs that we otherwise could not afford through our existing tuition and fundraising sources.
I am excited to share with you that the board recently voted to approve tuition for the 2024-2025 school year, keeping tuition steady once again.
As always, we strive to be responsible stewards of the funds that have been entrusted to our organization, using them to further our mission and priorities while working to manage costs where we can. CNS’s cooperative model, which relies on family participation, is critical to maintaining our financial sustainability. Through your positive engagement in our coop model, we are able to create an environment where all students can learn to love school.
We know that you have many choices for pre-school education - we are sincerely grateful to you for choosing CNS for your children and your investment in our school in ways too numerous to describe.
We invite your input in our priorities or changes you’d like to see at the school, which can be sent to theboard@guilfordcns.org. All board meetings are virtual and this year we have posted the meeting links on the CNS website on the events page. All families are welcome to attend.*
Thank you,
Kris Bloch
*Rules for non-board member participation & agenda items are listed in the calendar invites on the website.
What's New
CNS receives outdoor mindfulness Grant from GFFE
CNS was awarded a $5,000 grant from Guilford Fund for Education (GFFE) to support efforts to expand our mindfulness program. The grant will fund an outdoor yoga platform on the back playground to be used by CNS students and equipment for the children. “Developmentally, young children's brains are in the here and now,” says CNS teacher Heidi Outtrim. “Yoga and mindfulness strengthens a child's ability to be present as their brains develop. As a result, we see improved emotional regulation, a skill that will benefit them through later childhood and adolescence.”
The new materials will expand on recent staff investments in early childhood yoga instruction certification, creating a dedicated space to practice mindfulness in the open air. Says Outtrim, “when [Yoga is] practiced in nature, children are better able to focus, relax and optimize sensory development.”
A winter work party led by Bonnie Braley will be organized for the construction of the platform, offering another opportunity for CNS families to meet their annual participation obligations. Once the platform is complete, children will be free to use the platform to practice mindfulness.
2024-2025 Programming Announced
2024-2025 programming and enrollment forms have been released. Programming remains relatively similar to our existing offers with just a few small improvements. Currently enrolled families are able to submit their enrollment applications during the priority enrollment period (Jan 1-14). We recommend submitting your form before the school opens to the public for enrollment; we anticipate programs will fill early.
CNS Co-op Participation Survey
We want to know how the participation model is working for you! Let us know by taking this survey.
Family Spotlight: The Jacksons
Michelle & Brian Jackson are parents to Hailey, in Mrs. Cruz’ 4s class, and Avery, in Ms. Sullivan’s toddler play group.
Michelle is an interior designer at Pottery Barn and brings her design eye to CNS with monthly imaginative play stations in the muscle room. Brian works in program finance at Sikorsky Aircraft.
Brian is originally from Madison while Michelle is from Cape Cod. They lived together in East Haven before moving to Guilford in 2017.
The Jacksons are big Boston sport fans. Hailey has been in attendance for Celtics & Red Sox games at an early age. They also love swimming, traveling, and their yellow lab, Sydney. Hailey and Avery have six cousins all under 12 and ALL GIRLS!
Classroom Corner
Solstice celebration
Nature School children of all ages gathered together with their families in the evening for a Solstice celebration. Families enjoyed the artwork made by their children by lantern light and enjoyed various crafts. During the school day this month, several nature classes worked together decorating winter wreaths courtesy of CNS-family owned Balsam + Berry.
Enriching Afternoons
Tuesday & Thursday enrichment classes have been exploring mindfulness. Here the students are practicing rainbow pose.
Cooking Science enrichment classes have been learning where their food comes from thanks to the bounty provided by the CNS greenhouse. These students picked their own veggies to make a salad.
Purchase CNS T-Shirts
All new CNS 3 & 4 students will receive a free t-shirt from the school. Adults should order their t-shirts online (they are needed for community events such as Little Folks Fair.
Questions or need financial support? Email Agata Rzucidlo.
Interested in 2024-2025 Board Service?
All board members are current parents of students at the school (hello natural term limits!). As we look ahead to the 2024-2025 school year, we anticipate new openings as students graduate. If you have an interest in stewarding the long term vision of one aspect of the school and believe you will have students attending CNS for two more years, we’d love to hear from you! There is an FAQ sheet below, and you can also chat with existing board members about their experience as you see them at school. A form to express interest in board service will be coming soon.
Upcoming Events
Past News & Announcements
🍂🍁CNS October 2023 Newsletter: Upcoming events, fundraisers, and more.
Happy October to our CNS families! We hope your family is fully settled into the school routine and have been fully enjoying the season.
Our children's teachers have been leaning into the natural world each day, guiding our little ones to look up or down at the wonders nature provides. They have been coaching our children in the rhythms and routines of the day: hand washing, checking in, greeting neighbors and listening to circle time.
Those of you who have been able to get into the classroom for your helper day have been able to see these special routines first-hand. Observing your child at school and meeting their friends is such a special experience and I am so grateful to CNS for providing this opportunity for all of us.
Outside of the classroom, I also hope you have been able to connect with CNS friends at our various social events or through your cooperative participation job.
We have two very exciting activities coming up. The first is the fall clean up, where parents work together to tidy up the school and the grounds.
The second is Raise Craze, our kindness fundraiser! You may have noticed the front playground is without swings. This year, we will use the funds generated by Raise Craze to purchase new swings for the front playground! With your help, we hope to install 6 swings + 2 toddler swings WITH an accessible swing.
We have many exciting upcoming events and ways to get involved. Please browse the events page to learn more.
What's New
Window Painting
CNS parents worked together to paint the Amarones window with a spooky Bluey scene. Vote for the window by liking the Facebook Picture!
CNS T-Shirts
All new CNS 3 & 4 students will receive a free t-shirt from the school. Adults should order their t-shirts online (they are needed for community events such as Little Folks Fair.
You can also order shirts for younger children or those who have outgrown their shirts below.
Questions or need financial support? Email Agata Rzucidlo.
Family Spotlight: The Wysoczanskis
Tim & Carly Wysoczanski are parents to Luke, in Mrs. Outtrim's 3s class, and Dylan (age 1).
Carly is leading the fall and spring clean ups this year for the co-op participation job, so look for her if you are joining the group on November 18!
Carly is an occupational therapist for birth to three and Tim works for the Meriden Fire Department. They moved to Guilford from Cheshire in 2019 and love spending time outside, pizza nights, and hanging at the beach 🌅
Upcoming Events
Classroom Corner
This season is all about the leaves! Their bright colors are perfect for creating nature art, from group pattern projects to individual artwork.
CNS students are also working with pumpkins, acorns, and other natural materials as they learn all about what the changing weather means for our forest friends and the environment around them.
Reminder
Please make sure to keep an eye on the CNS events page and the family portal (password loveschool).
Board meeting minutes are posted to the portal along with many other documents or messages sent throughout the year.
All board meetings have been posted to the events through 2023, along with many other fun community events.
Past News & Announcements
August at CNS: Family Handbook, Updated Participation Requirements, and More
Hello everyone in the wonderful CNS community,
My Name is Carl, the CNS board Participation Chair, and I'm excited to embark on my second year in this role. Taking over from my sister-in-law, Amy, who is now one of our amazing 3's teachers, has been an incredible experience. As a family, we wear many hats and, of course, parenting is a full-time job in itself.
When I first stepped into this position, I must admit, I felt a bit apprehensive. Balancing the responsibilities of parenting and work is already challenging, and taking on a board role at the school seemed like a significant commitment. However, my belief in the CNS vision and the importance of active family participation motivated me to take on this role wholeheartedly.
Throughout my first year, I engaged in meaningful conversations with parents and teachers, listening to your valuable input. I wanted to understand how our model could adapt to the changing needs of CNS families. This year, we are taking action based on your feedback.
To make participation more manageable for everyone, each family will now be required to participate in the classroom four times per year - twice between September and January, and twice between February and June. That number is the same regardless of the number of children your family has enrolled or the programs they are in; this approach ensures a more equitable experience and represents a significant decrease from the weekly in-class days some families had last year.
With the extra time, all families will sign up for a cooperative administrative job that lasts for the entire year. These roles are crucial to the school's functioning and improve the experience for all of us here at CNS. The best part is that these tasks can be easily scheduled around your availability, allowing us to make connections with other families as we work together to administer the school.
We also recognize the need for flexibility, and most families will now only be required to send one parent to The Little Folks Fair (LFF) in June unless they have signed up for a LFF job in the co-operative administrative job list. This change is meant to make childcare arrangements more straightforward, enabling you to enjoy the fair with your children fully. Similarly, the school clean-up days will only require one parent per family in attendance, further supporting your childcare needs.
To ensure accountability and foster connections, we are introducing the Community Committee. This standing committee will regularly check in on family participation to ensure we all work equitably to meet our membership requirements.
I am genuinely excited about these changes to the participation model, and I hope you will embrace them too. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at theboard@guilfordcns.org.
Looking forward to an incredible year of growth and learning together!
Warm regards,
Carl Chu
CNS Participation Board Chair
P.S. For more details about the participation requirements, please read the 2023-2024 Handbook which has just been posted on the family portal (pasword loveschool). To sign up for a job using the below link, put your name in column F and your contact information in Column G.
What's New at CNS
The Family Handbook
The family handbook is now posted to the Family Portal, as is the Nature School Handbook.
Get Ready for School
The CNS director, Rachel Daniels, recently sent out a list of everything necessary for families to complete before the start of school-- including school supplies. Make sure you've checked everything off the list! New forms will be available at the end of August.
Member Spotlight, Maggie Moffett
Maggie and her husband Joe are helping to coordinate a CNS grant submission for town ARPA funds.
The goal of this grant is to enable CNS to expand our footprint to give more students the benefit of our play-based and nature inspired education.
This summer, Maggie has been calling architects and scheduling contractors, working to get schematics in advance of the grant deadline.
Maggie and Joe own a local line striping company and have also donated the labor and materials to line our parking lot-- coming soon, after we repave to fix all the potholes.
Maggie & Joe's son Hunter graduated CNS last year out of Mrs. Cruz's class and their daughter Madison starts at CNS in the fall.
Classroom Corner
The Summer Program at CNS is coming to an end! This month, the children painted rocks and worked with other materials from nature to build interesting and fun creations. What projects are your children bringing home?
What else is new? The CNS grounds are getting ready for fall. The House and Grounds board chair, Daniela Locke, is arranging mulch for the musical garden on the front playground.
The musical garden was funded in part by 2022 Giving Tuesday donations and in part by the school's capital improvement funds. Thank you to Kevin "Pop" Locke and the Locke family for their generous donation of mulch!
In the News
The Nature School program at CNS was featured in The Guilford Foundation (TGF) impact report. TGF funded the weatherproof gear closet used by our nature students last year, and the wooden bridge that leads to the CNS outdoor classroom. Both the closet and the bridge are intended to be used by future students for years to come.
This newsletter is published by the CNS board. Please send suggestions to theboard@guilfordcns.org.
2022-2023 End of Year Note from the Board
Dear CNS families,
It's June. That means another school year has come and is soon to go, and with it, at least 72 drop offs, nine parent-helper days, one Little Folks Fair, and countless other CNS experiences.
This year has been transformational. Not just for the school, but for us, as parents, families, and a community. We hope, as you think back to the fall, you see the change in your children. The growth they have experienced, the independence they have gained, and the friends they have made.
And for you, we hope you also look back and see growth in your community and friendships made. The connections we make here together will strengthen our children throughout their school journey.
Beyond our own relationships, the work we've done this year for CNS will help shape the school and the children who attend it for years to come. Together, we added new programming, more opportunities to connect as a community, and improved our grounds.
Next year we have over 70 families joining the school-- a 40% increase. We are offering our first Kindergarten class. With our new programming, we are also hiring for new staff positions (please email Rachel to apply) and increased financial aid.
We'd like to extend a big thank you to our school Director, Rachel Daniels, for her relentless dedication to the school and her work to deliver quality programming for our children. Thank you as well to all our wonderful teachers and aides. Special thanks to Marissa Capasso, who will be missed as our 2s teacher.
In addition, thank you to our board members who have donated so much time and energy to the school, especially our exiting board members, Crystal Gaudio, Maggie Sullivan, and Brittany Stalsburg.
Thank you as well to our LFF co-chairs, Brittany Stalsburg, Jessica Herrington, and Laura Bell. Early results are showing record proceeds for this year's fair. As you know, LFF is our sole source of funding for financial aid and also contributes to capital improvements-- things like the new musical playground you might notice on the front playground this week. Hosting LFF is work, that's for sure, but it's so, so worthwhile. And Brittany, Jessica, and Laura rocked it this year!
Thank you to Kim Schmid for her work on our long term planning committee and her previous years supporting the school as a board member, and for her service chairing the Winnie The Pooh station at LFF year after year.
Lastly, congratulations to the CNS families who celebrated the arrival of their little ones this year: Nigel, Eleanor, Heath, and Jack. Here's to our future CNS students!
As you reflect on the year, we hope you can look back and see the value in your commitment to the CNS co-op experience. With so many competing priorities, carving out time to grow roots in your community is no easy feat. But we believe that your community investment will pay dividends for many years to come.
For those of you who will rejoin us again next year at CNS, we look forward to seeing you on the playground and at drop off. And for those of you who are moving to new schools with your families, we wish you well on your journey! We hope to see you at the stepping up ceremony this week.
Sincerely,
Liz Kelly & Caitlin Garzi
CNS Board Co-Presidents
P.S. Read the CNS board May meeting minutes.
Thank you to our exiting board members!
We would like to both recognize the accomplishments of and extend a big thank you to exiting 2022-2023 board members! The 2023-2024 board term begins July 1.
Brittany Stalsburg
As the CNS Enrollment officer, Brittany will be known for leading the charge to double financial aid for the 2023-2024 school year.
Her work enabled students to experience a nature-inspired, play-based education who otherwise would not have been able to attend school, and helped the school as a whole make strides towards our mission to embrace diversity & inclusion in the classroom.
Brittany also co-chaired the Little Folks Fair, leading the fair to a record-breaking fundraising year. LFF is our sole source of Financial Aid funding, so Brittany's work this year will continue to enable future students to benefit from our programming.
Crystal Guadio
Crystal, the CNS House & Grounds board member, made her mark on the school in just one short year by installing the Musical Garden on the front playground.
While the rest of us were resting post-LFF, both Crystal & Rachel returned to the school on Sunday to supervise the installation of the new playground equipment, which will be used by CNS staff next year as part of a new music curriculum.
Crystal will also be known for solving the parking lot pothole problem & lining the lot (thank you to the Moffett family of Moffett line striping for their donation of materials & labor), and for her time on the pollinator garden & greenhouse.
Crystal and her husband David led the charge to temperature control the barn for student use. Their contributions to the school grounds will be used by students for years to come!
Maggie Sullivan
While Maggie may be leaving her role as Secretary of the CNS board, she is remaining at the school as an incoming 2s teacher and 4s aide.
The school could not be more lucky to have Maggie leading our 2s programming & supporting our 4s students. Special thanks to Maggie for joining the board mid-year and continuing to support the school!