Happy December AEEC Families!

We are excited to share with you information about the upcoming performance and holiday parties! Kindergarten students have been working hard and can't wait to show off their talents during the Baking Spirits Bright Performance. We welcome kindergarten families and friends to attend! Doors will open at 8:40am.

Holiday Performances: This year, there will be one performance on December 13th. All kindergarten classes will perform at 9:00am in the Tiger's Den.

Dress: Students should wear holiday, festive, or baking attire.

Location: AEEC Tiger's Den

Date: December 13th

Time: 9:00am

Holiday Parties: Teachers and room moms are working together to plan and implement classroom parties. Please refer to classroom newsletters and emails for information regarding parties.

Thank you all for a wonderful first semester! It has truly been an honor to serve your families! We have learned together, made new friends, and SHINED! Enjoy the holidays with your loved ones and we can't wait to see you in 2025!

Sincerely,

Glori Lammons

Can you believe the holiday season is upon us? What better time to curl up with a blanket and enjoy a good book? Amidst all the concerts, entertaining, and gift giving that the holidays can bring, most of the time, it's nice to skip right to the good part — being at home and sharing quiet moments of holiday magic with the people you love. This season is truly the perfect time to bond over good books and create those precious memories. I have created a list of heartwarming holiday-themed books that capture the essence of this cozy season. From stories about joy and togetherness to books about the holidays, traditions, and winter, these titles will evoke feelings of warmth, love, and happiness — and teach kids about the true meaning of the holidays. The list that follows reflects some of my own “heart book” holiday favorites! I hope you get the chance to read them together!

· Mell Fell by Corey R. Tabor

· The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak

· The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld

· Oh, Olive! By Lian Cho

· Chairs on Strike by Jennifer Jones

· The Boy of the Bells by Carly Simon

· The Nutcracker in Harlem by T.E. McMorrow and James Ransome

· The Bear and the Star by Lola Schaefer

· The Tree That’s Meant to Be by Yuval Zommer

· A Kenya Christmas by Tony Johnston

· What’s Cooking Jamela? By Niki Daly

· The Magic of Friendship Snow by Andi Cann

· Lunar New Year Story: Dumpling Soup by Jama Kim Rattigan

· Hanukkah Bear by Erik Kimmel

· The Giving Snowman by Julia Zheng

· The Candy Cane Fiasco by Rachel Hilz

· Too Many Tamales by Gary Sato

· Daddy Christmas and Hanukkah Mama by Selina Alko

· A World of Cookies for Santa: Follow Santa’s Tasty Trip Around the World by M.E. Furman

Wishing you Happy Holidays and all the Magic books can bring!

Mrs. Clifton, NBCT

Instructional Coach

Happy Holidays!

I just wanted to take a quick moment to share with you all the exciting holiday events happening in our community during the month of December. Please click on the link for some family friendly events: Auburn Opelika Family Friendly Events December 2024.

I surely hope that your family enjoys the holidays together and create many fun and exciting memories but to also rest up and relax plenty over the break. My favorite memories growing up were just helping my parents wrap gifts and baking delicious treats. I also enjoyed riding around looking at all the Christmas lights.

I hope this holiday season is the BEST one yet!!

Always Choose Kindness,

Dr. Dorman

As we wrap up the year, our focus in December will be on two important themes: Service and Relationships. In this season of giving, we will explore the joy and importance of helping others, whether through small acts of kindness or community service. Students will learn how even the simplest gestures can make a big impact, not just on others, but on themselves as well.

Additionally, we’ll be discussing the significance of healthy relationships—with friends, family, and classmates. Understanding how to communicate, share, and resolve conflicts are all key skills we will practice this month. Our goal is to help students recognize the value of positive, supportive connections in their lives and learn how to build stronger, more caring relationships.

We are excited to share this time of reflection and growth with our students as we continue to nurture kindness and empathy within our school community.

~Mrs. Handley, AEEC School Counselor

In Library Media classes, we will be participating in the Hour of Code, December 2nd through the 15th. The Hour of Code is a national computer science movement where students use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to create codes that move robots through mazes and challenges. Another activity that promotes collaboration and problem-solving skills to figure out puzzles and riddles is BreakoutEDU. The breakout students participated in during library media classes was called Elf. Research shows that implementing coding activities at an early age helps students understand how to adapt to a digital environment and set them up for success later in life. Mark your calendars because our spring book fair is right around the corner, February 3rd through 7th. Wishing you are yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

“Reading makes your world BIG.”

-Kara Sartain

Music

December is such a fun month in Music! Kindergarten students are working hard on their holiday show, “Baking Spirits Bright.” They can’t wait to show you what they have learned on December 13! First and second graders are having a great time exploring the story of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker ballet and discovering different genres of music – including classical, jazz, hip-hop, and a cappella – as we experience different variations of the songs from The Nutcracker!

Art

We are “Baking Spirits Bright” in the art room! As we continue our artistic journey, our young artists are exploring new techniques, learning about famous artists, and creating amazing works of art that showcase their creativity and imagination. During the month of January AEEC and OES will have art displayed at the Auburn Public Library. Your child will receive a certificate if their artwork is featured. Be sure to stop by to check it out!

If you haven't ordered a yearbook, they are on sale for $35 until January 31 at https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productBrowse/1409010/Auburn-Early-Education-Center/2024-Yearbook/20230613041829783155/CATALOG_SHOP/.

If you have any pictures from school events, feel free to email them to me at amkuhlman@auburnschools.org.

-Mrs. Kuhlman

PTO would like to thank all the parents who volunteered in the classrooms for Duty Free Lunch for the teachers in November and at our first Book Fair of the year! We appreciate you donating your time and helping out! If you haven’t been up to the school in a while, you might have missed the beautiful Holiday decorations around the building. Thank you to our PTO elves who help make the school so beautiful for this special time of year!

In December, PTO will sponsor a staff lunch for all employees, a visit from Tiger Mochas, and some other Christmas surprises! It is thanks to your support from our Fundraiser, T-shirt sales, and Restaurant Spirit Days that we are able to give back to our school.

We will also continue Dad’s at Drop off throughout the remainder of the school year. Be on the lookout for the sign-up genius if you would like to participate!

Thank you for your continued support of PTO! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Mary Lawrence Gibson

AEEC PTO

December 13: Kindergarten Winter Performance - 9:00am

December 18: Classroom Holiday Parties (Times will vary by class.)

December 19: End of 2nd 9 weeks and Pep Rally at 8:00am

December 20 - January 6: Winter Break - No School

January 7: Students return from winter break.

Website: https://www.auburnschools.org/Domain/8
Location: 721 East University Drive, Auburn, AL, USA
Phone: (334)887-4950
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Auburn-Early-Education-Center-117469374979695/