June 2026
Hello families!
June flew past and we now head into our final month of the school year. July will be filled with so many activities and it’s sure to fly by as well.
This June, the children observed the full butterfly life cycle, from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly, and then participated helped with butterfly releases on our many sunny days. Each child had the opportunity to hold an orange slice with a butterfly perched on top before gently letting it go. Watching the releases and the children’s amazement is always a highlight. A very special thank you to Francis for wearing butterfly wings on release days, and Safa for bringing his demonstration of the life cycle for Circle. The beautiful weather also meant picnic lunches, classroom tables, and work moved outdoors. Practical life activities with handwashing boards, tubs, and our portable clothesline were resurrected for large motor skill water works. Sunshine, water, and bubbles. Who said laundry couldn’t be fun? The teachers have been making frozen fruit and yogurt bars as a refreshing, cooling treat. They are easy to make, super yummy and the children adore them. Summer safety is becoming a regular topic of Circle conversation, which includes using sunscreen. We have the mirrors set up outdoors for children to apply on their own faces. Help and supervision is always there. To keep the theme running, the children made a sun crown with Mr. Sun wearing sunglasses.
The Teddy Bear Picnic was two delightful afternoons filled with parades, singing, favourite stuffies, stories, and a very, very special snack. The children mixed and baked chocolate cupcakes, decorated them, and proudly carried them home in adorable handmade picnic baskets. So adorable!
Our Father’s Day project was a wonderful exercise in fine motor skills, measuring, counting, and concentration. The children carefully fringed thick cotton canvas to create placemats, then added black-painted handprints to make each one personal and unique. Ingredients were measured and mixed before being funneled into recycled glass bottles and sealed with corks. One bottle contained a mix for Ranch Dip, while the other held an all-purpose Garlic Daddy Seasoning (also great as a barbecue rub!). Everything was wrapped together in a little gift bag for Dad to enjoy on Father’s Day. We hope every Daddy, Papa, and Grandpa felt appreciated and had a wonderful, well-deserved Father’s Day.
FIFA fever has arrived in our classroom. Everyone seems to have a favourite team, and some friends even have favourite players. Jersey drawings, colour weaving, and FIFA-inspired artwork have become a big part of our free art time, and we expect the excitement to continue until the tournament ends. We have also heard that Ranch Dressing has become quite a hit with our visitors from abroad, so hang on to those Father’s Day mixes!
To celebrate Canada’s birthday, the children participated in the making of a very special song and video. All the parts were carefully spliced together into a wonderful performance. A heartfelt thank you to Miss Ainsley for sharing her talent, extra time, and patience in bringing this special project to life. We also purchased a Canadian flag for every child to take home. Happy Canada Day!
A gentle reminder to please return any extra clothing that comes home after accidents. We also ask that you replenish your child’s spare clothing as needed. Our classroom “extras” bin is used whenever children need a change of clothes, and these items are not always returned, and so donations are always greatly appreciated. We are especially grateful for extra underwear, socks, tights, T-shirts, sweaters, pants, shorts, and leggings to help keep our clothing bin well stocked. Thank you for your generosity.
Our final Scholastic Book Order went home last month. A special thank you to Aiden for ordering a classroom book for everyone to enjoy. The Big Cheese is a wonderful early-years story about friendship, participation, and having fun together. Thank you, Aiden!
During the final days of June, the children have been busy making homemade pizza for snack (always a favourite!), preparing for our annual In-House Sports Day in July, and practicing earthquake drills. We are expecting some very warm July weather and will be spending much more time outdoors and at the local parks. Please arrive by 9:00 a.m. each morning, as we often leave early for our daily adventures and there will not be anyone remaining in the classroom.
Please send your child with:
- A bathing suit or moisture-wicking clothing for water play
- And a labelled hat and sunscreen if they don’t already have these supplies
We will be applying sunscreen before long walks, outdoor activities, and picnic lunches. We also plan to enjoy several visits to the water park throughout the month, making the most of our beautiful summer days together.
Special upcoming dates in July to note:
- July `1st (Wed) … Canada Day! (closed)
- July 8th & July 9th (Wed & Thu) … Casa Gelato days (weather dependent) … (if the weather is not cooperating for a walk to the gelato shop, we will switch with the Sports Days dates)
- July 16th & 17th (Thu & Fri) … Tie-dyeing classes, featuring fabric artists Chad and Cordie
- July 20th & 21st (Mon & Tues) … Strathcona Montessori Sports Days (at school0
- July 22nd (Wed) … All August birthdays
- July 30th & 31st (Thu & Fri) … Family ice cream sundae days … An ice cream sundae bar will be set up in classroom for students, siblings and parents (and grands) to enjoy at pick-up time, on the last days of classes.
- School will be closed in August and will reopen on the first Tuesday after Labour Day for the 2026-2027 school year.
July will be fast-paced, a little wild, and will zoom past. Please let us know if you have any questions or need clarification. There is no such thing as a silly question. Welcome to July.
