Director Kitelet September 2026
Dear GCS Families,
How quickly the first month of the school year has already passed by! It has been wonderful to watch children and families find their rhythm and become part of our GCS community. New friendships are beginning to blossom, familiar routines are taking shape, and children are becoming more comfortable, confident, and connected to one another and to their teachers each day. We are all learning, discovering, and growing together!
Yearly Theme
Here at GCS, we select a theme each year to help guide us and focus on our staff trainings, curriculum development, and classroom experiences. This year, we have chosen to focus our energies on Resilience – in our children and in ourselves as teachers, parents, and caregivers.
We have the incredible opportunity, and responsibility, to help children begin developing the skills they need to navigate challenges, changes, and uncertainty at this young age. Throughout the year we will provide meaningful classroom activities and experiences that help children explore and practice resilience, while also offering guidance and education for the adults who support them each day. Stay tuned for a year of “Rooted in Resilience” as we learn, grow, stretch, and discover together. Enjoy the ride!
Kindness, Peace & Love Day
A special GCS tradition, established more than 25 years ago by a former Kindergarten teacher, is our September 11th observance – a low-key yet meaningful event we have come to call Kindness, Peace, and Love Day. The tradition was created as a way to acknowledge the events of that tragic day in a manner that is meaningful, age-appropriate, and focused on the values we want to nurture in our children.
This year, our Kindergarten class gathered in the GCS Memory Garden to place American flags, share a few simple patriotic songs, and hear gentle, age-appropriate words about heroes, kindness, and caring for others. Small vases of flowers were arranged by the Kindergarten children and shared with our administrative and teaching teams, made possible by the beautiful garden of our own Kindergarten Teacher, Laura Hankin. Paper flowers were handed out to children and families during arrival, and small acts of kindness could be found throughout the halls.
These simple gestures are just one of the many ways we help our children develop an awareness of the world around them and, most importantly, begin to understand and practice kindness, compassion, and empathy for others.
Sunday Night Weekly
Each week, our amazing Abbey Lambert, PR on our Board of Directors, puts together our Sunday Night Weekly, which is shared via email with all GCS families and highlights events, reminders, and happenings for the week ahead. Abbey even manages to include a special child-created craft and a fun “joke” for everyone to enjoy!
Please make sure you are receiving these weekly communications. Be sure to double-check your SPAM or junk folder and reach out to us at the Front Desk at reg2@grotoncommunityschool.org if you are not receiving them or if you would like to add an additional email address. We don’t want you to miss out on this valuable, and often fun, source of GCS information.
GCS Collaborative Art
At the Groton Public Library in the Owen Smith Shuman Gallery, located on the second floor in Sibley Hall, is the display of The Hidden Story, which is a collaborative art collection by all of the GCS children. It is a celebration of literacy. Within the artwork is a collage of different materials that are used organically in the classroom to peak curiosity and discussion of letters, which form words, which then become stories! This collection shows the GCS journey toward a love for literacy. It will be on display from September 30th through November 1st.
Annual General Meeting
As a private, nonprofit early childhood center, GCS hosts an Annual General Meeting each fall. This gathering provides an opportunity to come together as a community and learn more about our fundraising plans, budget, and an overview of the year ahead. Members of our Board of Directors and Staff will be present for this informal and informative gathering.
Please join us on Monday, October 5th at 7:30 p.m. for a casual Parent Social to meet fellow GCS Families, Room Parents, Staff, and Board Members and to hear more about all that is happening at GCS and what lies ahead for the year. We would love to see many familiar and new faces, and we look forward to getting to know our families and community members on an even deeper level. Leave your name at the front desk if you are interested in attending. Door prizes and refreshments will also be a part of the excitement!
Groton Community Home Tour
You don’t want to miss this! Save the date of Saturday, November 21st for our 21st famous Groton Community Home Tour organized and hosted by GCS. Our Board has been working hard to plan for this amazing and largest fundraising event that brings together the community for home touring, good food, vendor and artisan shopping, and FUN! More information to come! Want to get involved – the more, the merrier! Just drop us an email at hometour@
Congratulations!
Congratulations to the following families on welcoming new babies into their families: To the Adkins family on the birth of their daughter (sister, Nora, is in the Aqua Room); to the Parker family on the birth of their son (sister, Sloane, is in the Yellow Room); to the Peer family on the birth of their daughter (sister, Saanvi, is in the AM Blue Room); and to the Penney family on the birth of their son (brothers, Sam & Rory are in the Kindergarten & AM Blue Rooms respectively).
Thank You!
Thank you to the members of the Board for kicking off the school year with snacks & beverages for “Stock the Staff Room” this month. We truly appreciate it!
We’d also like to take this opportunity to thank those who have generously donated items or time to GCS over the Summer and in September: To the Cleary family for plastic grocery bags; the Crowley family for Keurig coffee pods & breakfast breads for Staff; the Guaraldi family for craft supplies; to Rob Grove for some school repairs; to Lindsay Moncrief and the Moran family for dance costumes; and to the Cohen, Daily-Recco, Johnson, and Stelling families for Staff snacks.
Special thanks go out to the Lucot family for their very generous gift certificate to Tropical Smoothie Café for the Summer Camp Staff and to Monique & Paul Meehan for carpentry work and repairing our paper cutter here at the school. We are truly grateful to all for your efforts.
Happy Autumn!
Linda Kosinski, GCS Director
GCS Collaborative Artwork
Groton Public Library
Sept. 30th – Nov. 1st
Curriculum Day –No School
Thursday, October 1st
Annual General Meeting
Monday, October 5th
7:30 PM
Columbus Day – No School
Monday, October 12th
Peace Pole Rededication Ceremonies
More info to come!
Friday, October 16th
Fall Fix-Up
Saturday, October 17th
9 AM – 1 PM
