Rae-Douglas

It is hard to believe we are in Week 3 week of the Summer program.   School and Camp are in full swing and our newcomers are settling in nicely.  Campers are enjoying the many and varied activities based on this year's theme "Space".  Interspersed with swimming on Wednesdays and special activities on Fridays, the days pass all too quickly.  With a bumper crop of students in Summer School, we are anticipating a large group of superstars in the Fall. We are having fun and hope you are too.

What happens when 2, 3, 4 and 5 year old students sing holiday songs to bikers?  Magic, that's what!  On Friday morning, December 14, at 9:30, the Citron students will be singing their little hearts out for the Orange County Harley Owners Group.  After which, the Harley riders will gather all of the unwrapped gifts that the children have collected and will take the gifts to the Children's Hospital of Orange County. An additional performance will also be held on Thursday @ 9:30. 

The big day will be Tuesday November 20th.  Pilgrims and Indians will share a traditional Thanksgiving Feast complete with all the trimmings.  Stuffed turkey centerpieces (made by extended day students) will adorn the tables.  This is an incredible, must-see, event and a great photo opportunity. Thanks in advance to all the parent volunteers who so willingly give of their time.

On November 21st, the children will experience the native California Indian culture through a workshop with Jaque Nunez.  She introduces the students to the language and customs with the aid of beautiful artifacts she has collected over the years.  A special thanks to our Parent Association who sponsors this event.      

As a result of Fairmont's committment to use "Character Counts" as a common framework to develop positive character throughout the school, Citron is designing a version that will be meaningful and exciting to their young students.  The program encourages children and their parents/teachers, etc to make decisions based on the Six Pillars of Character. The Pillars are as follows: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibililty, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship. 

Mrs. Sunny Altman (one of Citron's fine Kindergarten teachers) is designing and heading the program. She has been through extensive training and is modifying what she has learned to fit the ages of our students. Each pillar will be assigned a colored bead (for the preschoolers the bead will be larger).  As the students earn their beads, for demonstrating the actions associated with the pillars, they will be put into a drawstring bag and kept till the end of the month.  At the conclusion of the month they will be given class time to string their beads and explain the meaning of their necklace.     

On Friday Sept. 28th, the boys and girls at the Citron Campus will celebrate the birthday and life of American folk hero, Johnny Appleseed.  He planted apple seeds across Indiana and Ohio and the settlers who followed enjoyed the fruits of his labors. They say he wore a cooking pot for a hat and carried a sack of apple seeds on his back. 

Each elementary class will celebrate in a different style but the apple theme will be universal.  The festivities will include, apple crafts, songs, caramel apples, making apple juice, apple pies and everything else relating to apples.