Cub Chronicles: November 21st

Dear St. Mark’s Families,

As we wrap up our last day of school before Thanksgiving break, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for the joy, support, and partnership you bring to our community. The children were busy learning, creating, and preparing for our Friendsgiving celebrations this week, and our campus has felt full of warmth and excitement all week.

Thank You for Supporting the Annual Fund

A special thank you to all who have contributed to our Annual Fund so far. The pinwheels on the fence are a beautiful sight and a bright reminder of your generosity and commitment to our school’s mission. Your support directly strengthens the programs, teachers, and experiences that shape our children’s days at St. Mark’s. We are so grateful!

Thanksgiving in Preschool: Moving Toward a Meaningful Friendsgiving Celebration

At St. Mark’s Episcopal Day School, our celebrations reflect our core values: gratitude, community, respect, and care for God’s creation.

Because preschool-aged children experience holidays differently than older students, we take intentional care in how we approach Thanksgiving—focusing on gratitude, belonging, and joyful connection rather than historical reenactments. Below is an overview of the guiding principles behind the Friendsgiving experiences that took place this week.

Identity, Belonging, and Early Learning

Young children are developing a sense of belonging—to their classroom, their community, and the world around them. By celebrating Thanksgiving in ways that honor the dignity of all people, we:

• Model empathy and respect

• Foster community

• Teach that gratitude is universal

Alignment with Episcopal Values

Our approach intentionally reflects our Episcopal identity by emphasizing:

• Respect for the dignity of every person

• Thanksgiving to God for creation

• Community, hospitality, and welcome

Through Friendsgiving, we lift up the themes at the heart of the holiday for our youngest learners: gratitude, shared joy, and community.

Our themes this season include:

• Gratitude – for friends, family, teachers, food, nature, and God’s love

• Community – celebrating friendship, belonging, and working together

• Creation Care – noticing and giving thanks for the beauty of the earth

• Service & Sharing – finding small, meaningful ways to give to others

These themes allow children to experience the meaning of thankfulness in ways that are developmentally appropriate and deeply joyful.

If you’re looking for books to enjoy over the break, here are some of the titles our teachers love:

Gratitude & Thankfulness

Thanks for Thanksgiving – Julie Markes

Bear Says Thanks – Karma Wilson

Thank You, Omu! – Oge Mora

The Thankful Book – Todd Parr

Thanksgiving is for Giving Thanks – Margaret Sutherland

Family, Sharing & Togetherness

A Plump and Perky Turkey – Teresa Bateman

Thanksgiving in the Woods – Phyllis Alsdurf

Fall & Nature

In November – Cynthia Rylant

Good People Everywhere – Lynea Gillen

Apple Cake: A Gratitude – Dawn Casey

Wishing You a Restful and Joyful Break

We hope your Thanksgiving holiday is filled with rest, connection, and gratitude. Thank you again for sharing your wonderful children with us—they bring so much joy to our school community each day.

Warmly,

Whitney Zisman

Head of School

Annual Fund Update

We are off and running on our Annual Fund! You may have noticed the pinwheels lining our fence, a cheerful reminder of the generosity already shared by our community. We are so grateful to the families who have contributed so far. At the moment, the Foxes Class is in the lead for the participation award, with 40% of their class already contributing! 

Christmas Program Updates

The holidays are quickly approaching, and it’s time to mark your calendars for our annual Christmas Pageant! Each class will have its own special day to shine.

Thursday, December 18: T, Th Bears, Otters, and Owls
Friday, December 19: MWF Bears, Ladybugs, Butterflies, and Foxes

The program will begin at 11 a.m. on both days, followed by a short reception in the parish hall. There will be no extended care on either day.

We can’t wait to celebrate the season with all of our families!

Santa Visit

Santa is coming to St. Mark’s on Thursday, December 11th! This is always one of our favorite days of the year. Children are invited to wear their coziest pajamas for a fun and festive morning. We will also be providing Santa photos for all students. Parents of our MWF Bears are welcome to bring them to see Santa on Thursday so they don’t miss out on the fun (teachers will reach out with those details). We can’t wait to welcome Santa and capture a little Christmas magic together!

Just a friendly reminder that drop off begins at 8:30 a.m., and pick up runs from 12:30 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. Extended Care ends at 3:45 p.m. If you are running late, please call the office or send a quick Brightwheel message so we can support your child and their teachers. Children who are not picked up by 12:45 p.m. will join Extended Care for the afternoon and will be charged the drop-in rate. We also charge one dollar for each minute past Extended Care pick up time (3:45 p.m.). Thank you for helping us keep each day running smoothly.

Chaplain’s Corner

We’re so grateful for all the families who joined us as we celebrated Mother Kelly’s last chapel this week. The children honored her with beautiful handmade cards and a special song. We are especially grateful for her, and her many blessings on our school. 

January Open House & Sibling Waitlist

Current families: if you have younger siblings who may be ready to join us in the future, now’s the perfect time to join our Sibling Waitlist. Siblings receive priority consideration, and your early interest helps us plan for upcoming school years. Please note there is a $50 waitlist fee that will come through Brightwheel.

The holidays are quickly approaching, and it’s time to mark your calendars for our annual Christmas Pageant! Each class will have its own special day to shine:

Thursday, December 18th: T/Th Bears, Otters, and Owls
Friday, December 19th: MWF Bears, Ladybugs, Butterflies, and Foxes

We can’t wait to celebrate the season with all of our families!

Save the Date: Lion's Pride!
February 21, 2026 @ Bouldin Acres

Save the date for our annual Lion's Pride Fundraiser on February 21, 2026 at Bouldin Acres. This year’s theme is Giddy Up and Give, and we cannot wait to celebrate our school community together.

We are looking for parent volunteers to help bring this special event to life. If you are interested in serving on the Lion's Pride Committee, please sign up below. The roles listed include areas where we need the most support from parents.

Lion's Pride Committee Sign Up

Thank you for sharing your time and talents to make this a memorable and successful event for our school.

Another week of fun! We’re growing and learning more every day.

GreenJay Baby Sessions

Expert-led playdates for babies and their grownups

October 30th Babies newborn to crawling
Hosted by GreenJay Therapy | At St. Mark's Preschool
Snacks & light refreshments

Reserve your spot here

• Support your baby's development from day one

• Master tummy time without the tears

• Learn milestone-boosting play for every age

• Prevent flat head and support symmetry

• Connect with infant development specialists

• Meet other families and build your confidence

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

November 24-28- Thanksgiving Break

Looking forward to December:
December 4- Coffee Talk
December 11- Santa Visit
December 12- Pizza Day (T-TH 11th)
December 18/19- Christmas Program
December 22-Jan 5- Christmas Break