Calendar:
Dec 12: Winter Wonderland Upper Elementary Student Party, 6 p.m. in the Barn, see below
Dec 17: Coffee with Trisha, 8:30 a.m. in person at The Children’s House and on Zoom, see below
Dec 17: Elementary Robotics Family Open House, 4-5 p.m.
Dec 18: Compass Junior High Holiday Party, 6-9 p.m.
Dec 19: Pajama Day for Primary, see below
Dec 19: Student Council Bake Sale, before the Seasonal Sing
Dec 19: Seasonal Sing, 3 p.m. in the Barn, school closes after the event, no Friends Club, see below
Dec 22-Jan 2: Winter Break, No School
Jan 5: Staff Work Day, No School
Jan 6: School Resumes
Jan 6: Elementary Theater Intensive begins
Jan 7: CHiPA meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 a.m., in the Community Room or via Zoom, details here
Jan 7: Junior High Shakespeare Theater Intermester begins with Interlochen Arts Academy faculty and students
Jan 14: ISACS Webinar; Elevating Discipline with the Brain in Mind, 7:30–8:30 p.m. on Zoom, details here
In The Know:
New! Student Council Bake Sale
Hello! We are the Student Council. We are hosting a bake sale on Friday, December 19 before the Seasonal Sing. Sales are by donation using cash or Venmo. To donate baked goods, please bring them to the morning carline that day. The money we make will support Women’s Resource Center and Food Rescue of Northwest Michigan. Thank you for your support!
New! Seasonal Sing, Friday, December 19 at 3 p.m.
This is a time-honored tradition on the final day of school before winter break. Families and friends gather to sing a variety of festive songs from many cultures, celebrating this wonderful time of year. The campus closes immediately following the event. Nido and YCC parents will receive specific instructions from their guide.
Primary Pajama Day, Friday, December 19
Primary students are encouraged to wear pajamas to school! Please leave stuffies and slippers at home.
Illness Policy Update – GI Illnesses
We’ve updated our illness policy to clarify procedures and exclusion periods for gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses (vomiting and diarrhea). In most cases, children must remain home for at least 24 hours after the last episode of vomiting, diarrhea, or fever. During a declared GI outbreak, however, students will be excluded for 48 hours after their last symptoms, and staff return-to-work guidelines are adjusted to reduce the risk of spread.
Please take a moment to review the full Illness Policy and the new GI-Specific section in the Family Handbook.
BATA School Loop Clarification
We want to share an update regarding the BATA service that some of our students use daily and to clarify both the nature of this public transportation option and our school’s approach to maintaining student safety. Read more here.
Coffee with Trisha, Wednesday, December 17, 8:30 a.m. in the Community Room and on Zoom
Managing stress as a parent during the holidays can be tricky. Join us for a holiday edition of Coffee with Trisha. We will be discussing emotional well-being and mental health of children, parenting, and supporting your child with Mental Health Consultant, Trisha Short, MA, LPC, IMH-E (II)! This was a popular topic last year; we hope to see you there!
New! Time to Order Lunch
January Lunch Menu is now available, view menu here.
Bright Futures Fund: Off to a Strong Start!
We’re excited to share that we’ve passed $44,000 toward our $275,000 Bright Futures Fund goal—thank you to everyone who has already contributed! A quick reminder that any gifts made before December 31 count toward your 2025 tax year. This year, our Bright Futures Fund is helping us move forward on several essential projects, including replacing our entire outdoor fence, installing a new water heater, and upgrading our kitchen classroom to better support daily learning. Thank you for helping us build a safe, vibrant, and inspiring environment for our students.
Mind Up Take Home Lesson
Students K-6 receive MindUP lessons each Monday. Our learners are having fun learning about their brains and how they work. MindUP take home lessons are available to families on this Google Document. It will be updated weekly with new lessons and will always be accessible on our Learning Resources page.
Our top-ranked blogs:
Giving Your Child the Gift of Independence
by Alison Breithaupt
Thursday, December 16, 2021
Have you noticed that all babies and young children tend to want to do things by themselves? This tendency is the beginning of independence, which promotes confidence and self-esteem as well as motivation and perseverance. It fosters self-reliance, allowing your child to feel they have control over their life. How do we encourage independence as parents?
Continue reading…
Writing Before Reading
by Megan Fellows
Thursday, January 13, 2022
Many of us who grew up attending traditional schools learned to read before we learned to write. We were taught the names of letters before learning the sound made by each letter. However, the Montessori sequence of lessons gives children opportunities to write before they even begin to read.
Continue reading…
Human Needs and Tendencies
by Megan Andrews
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
We know Dr. Montessori was a scientist, she observed children and made groundbreaking observations about the way they learn. Perhaps, more admirable is the way she connected childhood to being human. She made it possible for adults to see children as extensions of themselves, working towards the same goals and deserving of the same treatment.
Continue reading…
Extracurriculars:
Upcoming Registrations:
Battle of the Books (4th-5th)
Registration deadline: January 9, 2025
Registration: https://battleofthebooksgt.org/
2026 Coaches: Virginie Kanner, Alan Palazzolo, and Charlotte Smith
2026 Asst Coaches: Matt Haberichter, Jim Morse, Casey Ressl, Abby Taylor
Update: We have three full teams for 2026 and more coaches than ever! Woo-hoo!
Participants: Team assignments were sent via email on December 7. Please register at the Battle of the Books Website using your child's name and your coach’s name.
Event Dates: Saturday, January 17: Book handout at library, 10:50-11:50 am
Parking is always an issue; plan for extra time and know it will be chaotic. Please note this event is during MLK Weekend - Email if your reader is unable to attend.
Saturday, April 11: Tournament Day at TC West High School, 9 am-4 pm
Practices: Tuesdays 7:30-8:15 am & Thursdays 3:15-4 pm starting January 20 at TCH
Scheduling Conflicts? Contact us. Parent volunteers still needed for snacks, email TCHbattleofthebooks@gmail.com for access to snack signup.
Learn More
Navigators Robotics (6th-8th)
Registration deadline: January 7, 2026
Registration: Final Forms; (pay participation fee here)
Learn More
Parent volunteers make student extracurricular experiences possible!
Please fill out this form if you are willing to coach or assist. We do not need expert coaches, just adults who would like to help, so that we can have these teams!
Community Bulletin:
Welcome to the Community Bulletin! This is your space to share activities, events, and extracurriculars that your family is involved in outside of school. To submit a message for the bulletin, email Arielle@traversechildrenshouse.org.
- New! Volunteer for Cherryland Humane Society! -Estelle & Naomi, learn more
- Electronics Recycling Event January 11-18, learn more
- Kathryn Burke, TCH parent, is raising money for her hometown community in Jamaica that was recently devastated by a Category 5 hurricane. learn more
This Week in Photos:
