Cassia 1 & 2 News

Dear Families,

What fun our dolly and teddy tea party was! The children danced so well and were very excited and happy to have their special doll or teddy from home come to Cassia for the day. Thank you, families, for supporting it in such a wonderful way; I am so grateful for your generosity of spirit!

In the lead up to our tea party, both Cassia classes were lucky enough to have dear little babies and their beautiful Mama’s come in and show us how to bathe a baby. We saw the care that was needed and we talked about and remembered that we were also that little once! Thank you so much to Jude and baby Melle for coming into Cassia 1, and to Yolande and baby Mallee for coming into Cassia 2. After watching the baby bathing, we gave our dolls at Cassia a gentle sponge bath and then we gave their clothes a good wash and hung them out to dry in the spring sunshine. We even bathed our Little Ones (ever so gently!)

The day was a culmination of a big focus this term on care and thoughtfulness and being little, but growing up too. Underlying it all is nurturing the feelings of gratitude and cooperation.

Tea towel Fundraiser: A hearty thankyou to Jeanette for taking on the organisation of the Cassia tea towel fundraiser. We are so grateful to you Jeanette for all your work. Thank you to all the families who bought tea towels for yourselves and your families! We are very grateful as the money raised goes directly into supporting Cassia resources. 

And now our focus turns to the last 5 weeks of term 4 and completing the Cassia year. We have begun preparing the material that the older children who are leaving Cassia at the end of this year, will use for their class 1 craft bags. This week we will iron our tie-dyed material and prepare it for sewing. The children will begin finger knitting the draw string handle and they will take this bag with them to class 1 next year.

Important Dates:

Week 7: Thursday 21st November at 8.45am, the older children from the two Cassia classes will visit the Class 1 playground together with Rose and myself. 

Week 8: Thursday 28th November, at 8.45am, again, the older children from the two Cassia classes will go to visit Class 1 to watch their Morning Circle and some of their Main Lesson.

Please be on time on these days! Both opportunities are set up and organised to support your child’s transition to Class 1 next year. 

Week 10: Cassia Summer Festival: 

Please put in your diaries the date of our Cassia Summer festival. It will be held on Thursday 12th December, from 12noon, which is the last day of school for 2024. There is no Friday Cassia on the 13th.  Stay tuned over the next few weeks for more detailed information

Beginning Cassia 2025: 

If your child is returning to have another year in Cassia, in 2025, please put in your diary the ‘Meet and Greet’ morning for Cassia children is Saturday 25th of January and consider this when returning from holidays. The Meet and Greet is an important morning for the commencement of a new Cassia year. It is not only important for new Cassia children, to come and meet the teacher and see their new classroom and familiarise themselves with the space, but also important for returning children. There will be a new cohort of children to make friends with, a new Cassia teacher to meet and 6 weeks is a long time when you are this age.

Thank you, families, for your wonderful support of your beautiful children and for the support you give us all here at Cassia in the many different ways you give.

Blessings upon the week ahead,

M’Lis

Important Dates 2025 for CASSIA

Meet and greet Orientation morning for ALL Cassia children and families:

Saturday January 26th, 9-10am

We invite all returning families and new families to come to familiarize your child and you with the space, the teachers and with each other.

Primary School starts: Wednesday January 29th

Primary School starts with a Welcome Ceremony for the new class one. 

There is no Cassia class this day as the Cassia teachers are involved in the ceremony.

Starting days in 2025 for Cassia children:

Cassia has a staggered start to allow the children to settle in gently.

• Thursday January 30th – all children having a second year in Cassia
• Friday January 31st - all Cassia children attend for the full day
• For the next 4 Fridays: no Cassia class as teachers are on home visits
• From week 2 onwards: all young Cassia children (those turning 5) go home on Thursdays at 12:30pm

Home visit days:

• Friday February 7, 14, 21, 28 – NO Cassia classes as the teachers do home visits.

Cassia Parent/Teacher Meeting: 

Thursday January 30th,7:30-9pm for ALL Cassia families.

What is this year in Cassia about? How can I help my little child, who is finding her/his way into the world, to get the most out of this year? We ask that every child be represented at this evening – it sets the scene for the year ahead.

Working bee with your child: 

Saturday February 8th from 8-10am

A great time to meet and mingle and create an interesting and beautiful learning environment for the children.