News
News from the Library
I'd like to share a little about the library at Plymouth, offer a list of quality books to read together at home, and suggest some ways your family can grow joyful reading habits.
Our library is on the second floor between the Blue and Purple Rooms. It has over 6,000 titles, both fiction and nonfiction, curated specifically for our early childhood school.
The library is a resource for teachers to collect storybooks and engaging nonfiction books. In addition to collaborating with teachers, each week, I spend time with your children in the classroom and bring a selection of books. These books reflect the children's interests, classroom learning, and project work, and are meant to spark curiosity while nurturing a love of books and exploration.
These are some of my favorite books that children have connected with over the years, while others are some of my favorite new books!
The lists below are divided by age, but please feel free to select books from either.
Birth to two
Let’s Be Bees by Shawn Harris
Mama Hug by Emma Straub
If You Find a Leaf (board book) by Aimée Sicuro
Little You by Richard Van Camp
We Sang You Home by Richard Van Camp
Owl Babies (board book) by Martin Waddell
More, More, More, said the Baby by Vera Williams
Threes to Fives
Sato the Rabbit series by Yuki Ainoya
Every Monday Mabel by Jashar Awan
The Blue Velvet Chair by Rio Cortez
Beneath by Cori Doerrfeld
Nose to Nose by Thyra Heder
Mouse on the River by Alice Melvin
Goodbye Hello season series by Kenard Pak
Who Will Plant a Tree? By Jerry Pallotta
If You Find a Leaf by Aimée Sicuro
Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
Ode to a Bad Day by Chelsea Lin Wallace
The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson (Brooklyn's own!)
Some Ideas to foster reading at home:
Read together as a family – set a timer for five to twenty minutes, depending on age. Everyone grabs their own book, sits on the couch together, and reads. Stop when it’s clear the moment has passed – no judgement, just joy.
Highlight the role reading plays in your daily life – newspapers, books in bags for subway reads, audio books on car trips, recipes, street signs, maps, emails, texts, and books.
When reading together, your child can "read the picture" or repeat known storylines from beloved books.
Take turns reading the book – each takes a page, either read the words or the pictures – which means you simply say what you see.
Happy Reading!
Sarah Adelman
Big Green Room Open House
On Wednesday, October 15th at 6:00pm we are having an Open House for families in our 4s to learn about the Big Green Room. We encourage you to come and meet the teaching team, see the beautiful classroom, and learn about the rich literacy and math curriculum we have developed for our fives.
Often, the best choice for a child is to stay at Plymouth for another year. Our fives program is what I like to call “joyfully academic.” We balance rigorous academic skill building with plentiful opportunities to play in an open-ended manner. Children also gain important leadership skills in their role as our oldest students.
Admissions
Admissions season is underway, and applications are open for the ’26 – ‘27 school year! Please remember to complete our online application for any sibling applicant by going to the admissions page on our website. All applications for priority applicants, including siblings, should be completed by November 15th. If you have any questions, reach out to Andrea. Re-enrollment for current students will take place in the new year.
Open House for Prospective Families
We are hosting an Open House for prospective families on Saturday, October 25th from 10:00am - 12:00pm. Please spread the word to your friends in the community. Children are welcome. If you would like to volunteer to attend the open house and speak to prospective families about your experiences at Plymouth, please sign up using this link.
Office Hours with Kate
Many of you met our psychological consultant Kate Wechsler when she spoke at Plymouth last week. Kate has worked with Plymouth for over 25 years and has helped many families tackle the conundrums of parenting. Plymouth will be hosting monthly office hours with Kate, which provide an opportunity for you to meet individually with her to talk about issues and concerns and get support. These meetings will be on Zoom.
Upcoming dates are November 14th, and December 12th. There are half-hour appointments available between 9:30am and 12:00pm. Please email pcsadmin@plymouthchurch.org to book an appointment.
Yankee Fair
Mark your calendars for the Yankee Fair on November 8th, a fun family festival hosted by Plymouth Church and Plymouth Church School. There will be lots of activities for everyone in the family including a pumpkin patch, rides, games, and a bouncy castle. Everyone is welcome! More information on how to get involved to come.
