October Blessing by the Big Green Room

Chapel

Today our teachers and children gathered in community to celebrate the week and sing together at Chapel. We sang songs, learned about the quiet candle, and ended with a blessing for the month of October written by the Big Green Room.

 

Chapel, a whole school assembly, provides a joyful opportunity for the children to come together as a community and celebrate the wonderful learning that is taking place at Plymouth. We also use this special time to talk about the ways in which young children can be a positive force in their community through discussions of kindness, community service, and helping others.

This year, grownups and caregivers will be invited to join us before the holiday break. The date will be sent in advance. Parents and children in our afternoon classes are also invited.

In the new year, our threes, fours, and fives classes will have the opportunity to lead a Chapel to share their learning. We will let families know when their class is leading Chapel well in advance so that they may attend.

 

Parent Talk: Meet Our Arts Specialists

Join Anetta Kotowicz, our Music and Movement Specialist, and Kara Canal, our Visual Arts Specialist, next Friday, October 24th at 9:00am in the Reception Room to learn more about our rich arts program and the ways in which the arts are integrated into the curriculum here at Plymouth.

 

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 are able to volunteer, please sign up using this link.

 

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.

 

Yankee Fair

 

Mark your calendars for the Yankee Fair on November 8th from 10:00am to 3:00pm, 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! To volunteer, please sign up using this link.

 

Label All Clothing

 

Now that the weather has gotten cooler, your children are wearing more layers to school. Please label all clothing, shoes, bags, scooters, and helmets with your child’s name. This greatly increases the likelihood that a missing item will be returned to you and helps teachers keep all those articles of clothing organized.

 

Flu Reminder

 

The NYC Department of Health (DOH) mandates that all children receive one dose of the influenza vaccine (flu shot) by December 31, 2025. We must have a record of your child's vaccine by that time; otherwise, we will be out of compliance with the DOH and subject to fines. 

 

Please email the proof of influenza vaccination to pcsadmin@plymouthchurch.org.

 

 Important Dates to Remember

 

October

20 - School Closed for Diwali

24 - Parent Talk: Meet Our Arts Specialists

25 - Open House for Prospective Families

 

November
4 - School Closed for Parent/Teacher Conferences
8 - Yankee Fair
11 - School Open – Evening Parent/Teacher Conferences
15 - Priority Application Deadline
26-28 - School Closed for Thanksgiving

 

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.

Willow Room Color Mixing

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.

 

LGBTQ+ Families Connect: The Independent School Experience

 

LGBTQ+ families are invited to hear from parents, administrators, and admissions representatives from participating schools across Brooklyn. The informational fair and panel discussion will take place on Wednesday, October 8th from 6:00pm – 7:30pm at Packer. Light snacks and refreshments will be served. We hope to see you there! RSVP: admissions@packer.edu 

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.

News from Plymouth Church

Blessing of the Animals

Plymouth Church is hosting a Blessing of the Animals for furry friends big and small this Sunday, October 5th at 3:00pm in Beecher Garden. All are welcome! No RSVP required.

 

Important Dates to Remember

October

10 - Parent Talk with Elizabeth Young, Associate Director of Curriculum and Learning

13 - School Closed

15 - Big Green Room Open House for Parents in our 4s

20 - School Closed for Diwali

24 - Parent Talk with Specialists

25 - Open House for Prospective Families

 

November
4 - School Closed for Parent/Teacher Conferences
8 - Yankee Fair
11 - School Open – Evening Parent/Teacher Conferences
15 - Priority Application Deadline
26-28 - School Closed for Thanksgiving

Watercolor Tree Rings by the Big Green Room

  Admissions Begins

 

Believe it or not, the admissions season has already begun, and applications are now open for the ’26 – ‘27 school year! Please 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 reach out to Andrea.

 

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.

 

LGBTQ+ Families Connect: The Independent School Experience

 

LGBTQ+ families are invited to hear from parents, administrators, and admissions representatives from participating schools across Brooklyn. The informational fair and panel discussion will take place on Wednesday, October 8th from 6:00pm – 7:30pm at Packer. Light snacks and refreshments will be served. We hope to see you there! RSVP: admissions@packer.edu 

 

Parent Talk with Elizabeth Young, Associate Director of Curriculum and Learning

 

Join Elizabeth Young, our Associate Director of Curriculum and Learning, on Friday, October 10th at 9:00 am to learn more about the literacy and math curricula we use here at Plymouth.

 

Office Hours with Kate

 

Many of you met our psychological consultant Kate Wechsler when she spoke this morning with our families. 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 October 10th, 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.

 

Important Dates to Remember

 

October

2 - School Closed for Yom Kippur

10 - Parent Talk with Elizabeth Young, Associate Director of Curriculum and Learning

13 - School Closed

15 - Big Green Room Open House for Parents in our 4s

20 - School Closed for Diwali

24 - Parent Talk with Specialists

25 - Open House for Prospective Families

 

With school in full swing this week, the Plymouth campus is alive with learning and playing. Our specialist teachers in music and movement, art, and library have begun working with the children and I can’t wait to see what they create together this year.

 

Curriculum Night

We had such a joyful evening last night at the 2s and 3s Curriculum Night and look forward to hosting our 4s and 5s families on Thursday, September 25th at 6pm. Please bring your potluck dishes to the gym and then go to your child’s classroom. After your teacher’s presentation, we will meet back in the gym for the potluck.

Floating Teachers

We want to introduce you to a few members of our community who you will see around Plymouth. Jeff and Rosalie are our two wonderful floating and Early Bird teachers. Throughout the year they teach in all of the classrooms and will get to know and love all of your children.

 

This is Rosalie Horton’s second year teaching at Plymouth. Born and raised down the block, Plymouth Church School and its community were foundational to her education. She also attended Plymouth Church and worked in the nursery on Sundays. She studied gender theory and developmental psychology at Hunter. She currently teaches afterschool at East End Temple and in the summer she’s a guidance counselor at the arts camp she went to for years, Bucks Rock. She is a ceramicist/multi-media artist but considers herself a crafter at heart. Some of the art she made at Plymouth still hangs in her apartment. She spends her free time with her two cats and occasional foster kittens.

 

Jeff Hemley is beginning his 14th year at Plymouth. He is excited to meet the new families and welcome back the returning families. Jeff graduated from Bank Street College in 2003 with a Master’s in Early Elementary Education. Teaching is Jeff’s passion and he is eager to help everyone feel accepted, safe and ready to learn.

Family Handbook

Our Family Handbook has been updated with a new policy outlining the taking of photographs on the Plymouth campus.

For your reference we have uploaded the updated 2025-2026 Family Handbook to the Families tab on our website.

 

Early Bird

Early Bird is up and running and so are the children! Your children are welcome to join them.

Early Bird children are dropped off each morning between 8:20am and 8:55am either in the gym or the playground. The children will have the opportunity to play and socialize under the supervision of Plymouth teachers. At 8:55am, your child’s classroom teacher will pick them up and bring them to class.

Families with children in our Pineapple and Orange Rooms may be eligible to participate in Early Bird. Please get in touch with Adrienne to discuss your child’s possible participation.

 

Parent Talk with Kate Wechsler

Come meet Kate Wechsler, LCW, our wonderful Psychological Consultant, on Friday, September 26th at 9:00am and learn some of Kate’s favorite tried and true parenting tips.

Kate has been working with Plymouth for over 25 years and families have found her practical advice and thoughtful insights incredibly helpful as they tackle the conundrums of parenting. Beginning in October, Plymouth will be hosting monthly office hours with Kate which provide an opportunity for you to meet individually with her to discuss issues and concerns and get support. We will send information on how to sign up for a meeting in the next few weeks.

 

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 all about the BGR. 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.

 

Prospective Family Open House

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 sign up to volunteer for the Open House, please get in touch with Andrea.

 

Upcoming Dates

September

23 - School Closed for Rosh Hashanah

25 - Curriculum Night and Potluck for Parents of 4s and 5s

26 - Parent Talk with Kate Wechsler

October

2 - School Closed for Yom Kippur

10 - Parent Talk with Elizabeth Young, Associate Director of Curriculum and Learning

13 - School Closed

15 - Big Green Room Open House for Parents in our 4s

20 - School Closed for Diwali

24 - Parent Talk with Specialists

25 - Open House for Prospective Families