December 2022

Enjoy the Holidays!
We love the teachers and staff here at MCH, so for the holidays, a bunch of us on the PA got together to write holiday cards for every staff member. Thanks to your contributions during the SEED campaign, we were also able to include a gift certificate with each card, as well as sponsor part of the staff holiday dinner.  
 
Like me, many of you may be deciding how much tax-deductible money you can give to worthy causes before the end of the year. Whether it's $5, $50 or $100, whatever you're able to contribute, the Parent Association would be most grateful to be included in your end-of-year giving plan. And of course, don't forget to check if your employer does matching contributions for a larger impact (see more below). 

It’s the holiday season and everyone has a lot going on with family, travel, shopping, and work. Remember to take some time off for yourself to recharge. Whatever your plans, stay safe, warm, and healthy! We hope to see you at one of our meetups in the new year! 
 
Warmly, 
Jessica Lin
President, MCH Parent Association

---

---

Showing Our Appreciation for MCH Staff
We so look forward to the holidays every year, as we get to take a moment to show MCH teachers and staff our deep appreciation and gratitude for all that they do for our kiddos. Thanks to donations from the recent SEED fundraising campaign, the Parent Association delivered hand-written thank you notes and personalized gift cards to all of the teachers and staff this week. We feel it's important that all of the folks who teach and look after our children know that they're treasured. We're grateful for the parent community's generosity that allowed us to deliver our collective thanks. 

---

---

December SEED Campaign
 It’s not too late to make a gift to the 2022 SEED campaign!  Does your company run an employee giving campaign during the month of December? Payroll deduction makes giving easy! Please consider adding the MCH PA SEED Fund to your list of non-profit organizations receiving tax-deductible donations directly out of your paycheck. You can usually find us by our EIN or Tax ID number: 91-1960800. So, if you can give, please do! We appreciate everything you do to make this a great community! 

---

We Want to Hear from You!  
Did you decide not to give to the SEED campaign this year? We’d love to know why! We were further off our goal than we expected, so we’d sincerely appreciate your anonymous feedback via this survey so we may improve our communication in future campaigns.

---

---

Positive Discipline Workshop Coming Soon

---

Save the Date for Our Next Walk & Talk!
Please join us December 17th for a get-together at Evans Creek Preserve. All family members are welcome! We will meet approximately 9-11 am. Register HERE by Tuesday, December 13th, so we know how many people are coming.  Note: We will gather at the main trailhead off Highway 202, just east of MCH. See you on the trail! 

---

---

Upcoming Book Club Meetups
Join us on Zoom in 2023 for a variety of book club reads! All are welcome, and while reading the book is encouraged, it is certainly not required. Come and meet MCH parents, engage in conversation, and have some casual fun.  
 
January
To kick off the new year, we are reading The Mysterious Benedict Society (#1) by Trenton Lee Stewart. We chose this creative book as a delightful read over the holidays, perhaps one that can be read aloud and enjoyed by caregivers and children alike (book age recommendation is 9+). Learn more about the story and author HERE (also a great listen if you don’t have time to read the book). This story has been made in to a TV Series, as well! Join us January 19th at 7:30 pm to chat about this clever and quirky book! Contact us for Zoom login details.  

Summary:
"Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" When this peculiar ad appears in the newspaper, dozens of children enroll to take a series of mysterious, mind-bending tests. (And you, dear reader, can test your wits right alongside them.) But in the end just four very special children will succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and resourceful children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. As our heroes face physical and mental trials beyond their wildest imaginations, they have no choice but to turn to each other for support. But with their newfound friendship at stake, will they be able to pass the most important test of all? 

February
In February, we'll be discussing Between Us: How Cultures Create Emotions by Batja Mesquita. Brilliantly synthesizing original psychological studies and stories from people across time and geography, Between Us skillfully argues that acknowledging differences in emotions allows us to find common ground, humanizing and humbling us all for the better. Preview the topic in this excerpt that highlights the authors’ craft and groundbreaking insights. Date and time TBD.

March
In March we'll be reading Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships by Nina Totenberg. Check out this article to whet your appetite for reading the book! Date and time TBD.

---