New Message from Michele:
Calendar:
Feb 7: Sledding Party at Twin Lakes Park, 10 a.m. to Noon, see below
Feb 9: 2026-27 school year re-enrollment opens
Feb 9: Navigators Girls Basketball AWAY Game (7th-8th VS EMS), 4:30 p.m. at East Middle School (Big Gym)
Feb 9: Navigators Girls Basketball AWAY Game (6th VS WMS), 5:30 p.m. at East Middle School (Small Gym)
Feb 10: ISACS Webinar; 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People featuring David Yeager, 7:30–8:30 p.m. on Zoom, details here
Feb 11: 100th Day of School (Lower Elementary Celebration)
Feb 11: Navigators Girls Basketball AWAY Game (7th-8th VS EMS), 4:30 p.m. at West Middle School (Big Gym)
Feb 11: Navigators Girls Basketball AWAY Game (6th VS SEAS), 4:30 p.m. at West Middle School (Small Gym)
Feb 12: Kindergarten Field Trip to Boardman River Nature Center
Feb 12: Junior High Trip to the South Slideshow Celebration for JH families, 2:00 to 3:00 pm at our Park Street Campus, details here
Feb 13: No School, Faculty and Staff Records Day
Feb 16: No School, Presidents Day
Feb 17-20: Robotics workshop with Quarkmine for all 4th and 5th years
Feb 17-21: Montessori Model United Nations (MMUN), 6th Year trip to New York City
Feb 18: Coffee with Trisha, 8:30 a.m. in person at The Children’s House and on Zoom, see below
Feb 19: Parent Night Out, 6 - 7:30 p.m. at Rare Bird Brewpub, sign up here
Feb 23: No School for 6th Years Only
Feb 24-Mar 6: Elementary Visiting Days – scheduled visits
Feb 26: Human Growth & Development Parent Meetings (7:15 p.m. Upper Elementary, 8 p.m. Junior High)
Feb 27: Primary Visiting Day, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Mar 1: Re-enrollment and deposits are due
Mar 2-6: Human Growth and Development for Upper Elementary & Junior High, see below
Mar 4: CHiPA meeting, 8:30 – 9:30 a.m., in the Community Room or via Zoom, details here
Look further ahead…
In The Know:
Sledding Party, Saturday, February 7, 10 a.m. to Noon
Join us for a fun morning of sledding at Twin Lakes Park. Warm up by the fire and enjoy hot chocolate. We are inviting families with our youngest children (Nido, YCC, and Primary) to arrive at 10 a.m. Families with children in Elementary and Junior High are invited to arrive at 11 a.m. to allow our youngest children a safe time to sled first. Indoor bathrooms are available. As part of our Green School initiative, please bring your own mug!
Time to Order Lunch
February Lunch Menu is now available, view menu here.
It’s time to order your yearbook! Extended to Monday, February 9!
Please return payment to the school by Monday, February 9. You may also place your order online (shipping rates will apply). Look for the email from Timeless Image with your student’s unique order code. If you have questions about ordering, contact Timeless Image at (231) 929-1010 or email cs@timeless-image.com.
New! ISACS Webinar; 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People, with David Yeager, Tuesday, February 10 at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom, register today
Young people have an innate need to be respected and admired. But few parents understand how to harness it. David Yeager can help. An expert on the psychology of grit and persistence, Yeager has spent years researching how to motivate and equip young people for success. He can show us why our conventional methods of communicating with young people aged 10 to 25 tend to leave everyone frustrated, and he can teach us a better way of ensuring the younger generation feels inspired, enthusiastic, and empowered to do their best work.
New! Coffee with Trisha, Wednesday, February 18 at 8:30 a.m. in person at The Children’s House and on Zoom
Why Your Child Isn’t Lazy: Understanding Executive Functioning and Conscientiousness. As part of our commitment to social and emotional learning for our students, these conversations focus on topics related to the emotional well-being and mental health of children, parenting, and supporting both your child and yourself. Drop in to connect through engaging and timely parenting topics. Trisha Short, our Mental Health Consultant, will facilitate the discussion.
New! Human Growth and Development, Monday, March 2 - Friday, March 6
Elementary students will participate in Human Growth and Development at different times throughout the first week of March. Please plan appointments around your learner's specific learning.
- Monday, March 2: 12:30-3:00 – Compass JH, comprehensive
- Tuesday, March 3: 12:30-3:00 – Compass JH, comprehensive
- Wednesday, March 4: 8:30-9:30 – Elementary 4/5/6, Anti-bullying; 9:45-12:00 – 4th grade, puberty/anatomy; 12:30-3:00 – Compass JH, comprehensive
- Thursday, March 5: 8:30-9:30 – Elementary 4/5/6, Anti-bullying; 9:45-12:00 – 5th grade, puberty/anatomy
- Friday, March 6: 8:30-9:30 – Elementary 4/5/6, Anti-bullying; 9:45-12:00 – 6th grade, puberty/anatomy; 1:15-2:45 – 3rd-grade girls, periods
New! Bright Futures Fund: Save These Dates!
We’re excited to share two special events coming your way this spring and fall! More details, tickets, and sponsorship opportunities coming soon!
- Bright Futures on the Fairway, Monday, May 11th at The Traverse City Country Club for a golf outing supporting our school community.
- Gala 2026: Where Wonder Begins, Friday, October 2nd at The Children’s House. This magical evening will celebrate the joy, curiosity, and promise that begin right here.
New! How to Delete Family Account in Honeycomb
Even though we are not using Honeycomb this school year, and Honeycomb no longer has any school data, your family account may still be active. Unless you are using Honeycomb for other groups, here is how you can remove all of your data from Honeycomb:
From the home tab in the app, tap on the cog in the upper left. Then choose “Delete family account.”
Elementary Theater Intensive
Thanks to all our Elementary Faculty, Specialists, and Staff for supporting our children through the Theater Intensive! You can see the recording, performance photos, and read a wrap-up from the teachers on our Theater page.
Parent Night Out at Rare Bird Brewpub, Thursday, February 19 from 6:00 - 7:30 PM
This is a fun night of socializing with Children's House and Compass Junior High parents. First drink and appetizers on us. We hope to see you there!
Children’s House Summer: Elementary Programs are now open to the public
The 2026 Children’s House Summer Program offers a rich and engaging summer experience for children, running from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday, June 15, through Friday, August 21, for a total of nine weeks. The school will be closed from July 3 to 10, 2026, for Independence Day and the Cherry Festival. Summer camp availability is first-come, first-served. Program minimums must be met before confirming registrations. A day camp embodying the values of respect, empowerment, challenge, authenticity, and joy. We hope you'll join us for Summer 2026.
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.
New Faces:
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Blog:
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New! Sparking Creativity in Kids: From Toddlers to Teens
By Carey Wendell
One of the greatest joys of parenting is watching your child’s imagination come alive. Whether it’s a young child turning a cardboard box into a spaceship or a teenager composing music in their bedroom, creativity gives children a safe, joyful way to explore who they are and how they see the world. With just a little encouragement, children of all ages can find ways to express themselves, solve problems, and grow their confidence. Here are some ideas to help spark creativity at home.
Extracurriculars:
Upcoming Registrations:
New! Boys Basketball (2nd-3rd) Comets
Registration deadline: Friday, March 20th, 2026
Cost: $80.00
Learn more and register: LEAP
New! Girls Tennis (6th - 8th) Co-op with West or East Middle School
Registration deadline: Friday, March 20, 2026
Cost: $190.00
Learn more and register: LEAP
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! Sign up here!
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! Rayito Del Sol drive for immigrant families in Minneapolis by Feb 10, learn more
- New! Northern Michigan Opportunity Scholarship to attend Interlochen Arts Camp, learn more
- The Traverse City Curling Club’s Junior Curling Program (ages 8y+) kicks off February 1, learn more
- Linden is selling Girl Scout Cookies! learn more
- Upcoming Dennos Museum kids events: Full Cord, Feb 13 (free!), and Dinosaur Day with PaleoJoe, Feb 20 ($10), learn more
- Interlochen Winter Events: Winterlochen, Feb 21 (free!), Be Like Blippi Tour, Feb 22, and Peppa Pig: My First Concert, Mar 18, learn more
- Interlochen College for Creative Arts will be hosting a series of social dance classes and baby/toddler & me dance classes this spring, learn more
This Week in Photos:
Pass Gallery allows us to share high-resolution images with you. Sign in with an email or Facebook account to download photos. Once logged in, you can click on the photo you want to download and then click the download icon. If you're downloading to a mobile device, you will need to hold down on the photo and choose to save it to your photos. Galleries will stay live for three months and then be deleted, so download what you want to keep!
Kindergarten Field Trip to Compass Junior High
