TerraNichol Academy Of The Arts
Closure for the Summer and School Updates
TerraNichol Academy School Family!
Dear TerraNichol Academy of The Arts Families,
I hope this message is finding you and your family safe and healthy during this difficult time. Our staff here at TerraNichol Academy is eagerly awaiting the return to normalcy, whenever that may be.
The state of Florida announced that schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year. This is sobering news, but we will push forward together. In the back of our minds, we knew that it was probably coming, I think we were holding onto hope.
All educators felt devastated by the news, even if they were bracing for the decision.
It's triggered deep sadness among students, parents, and teachers, who will miss important rituals and celebrations, as well as serious concerns for the children whose lives and learning have been disrupted. Parents struggling and juggling work and keeping up with remote learning for the siblings and trying to keep the young ones busy with daily projects. The daily routine and balance are hard right now.
This year as an educator and founder of the school I feel cheated and robbed from the time I had with my students, families, and staff. We didn’t get to celebrate the unique person they grew into this year, the accomplishments, the mastered growth mindset goals, how they thrived and challenged themselves this year, stepped out of their comfort zone and explored risk. To have closure to the school year, to wish the graduating students well. View their student portfolios together of all their art masterpieces, writing journals and photos. We didn’t get to have our art gallery exhibit which showcases all the clay, mixed media, sewing, woodworking, and 3-D art pieces the students engage in over the school year. We didn't get to celebrate our favorite day of the year together, Earth day. We won’t get to help our students create with love a gift for Mother’s day, celebrate our staff during teacher appreciation week, or have our end of the year lulu party.
We didn’t get to say goodbye to our students before schools abruptly closed. Now, we won’t be able to hug our students on the last day of school, and I won’t see them again until the fall. I have been an early childhood educator for over 25 years and I thought I have seen it all, experienced it all, nothing like this have I experienced. Great sadness and disappointment.
As I enter the school this next week to pack up student’s belongings, portfolios, and art pieces. The campus will be empty and silent. I won’t hear the music appreciation music playing throughout the learning labs, the families arriving for morning drop off, greeting the students by saying “Buongiorno!”, students laughing and calling my name or greeting my staff. I won’t get to celebrate each morning with them through yoga and warm tea. Giggle at their stories or observe the accomplishments and sense of pride when they follow through with a project or activity. I will miss family lunches with the entire student body discussing what’s in our lunch today or trying something from the school garden as a snack, and making it a goal to always try new foods and encouraging my students to introduce new brain foods to their lunch each week. Students calling out “Miss Terra, pasta queen. I have pasta in my lunch today.” "I respond with eat it all up or I will." I won’t get to reflect on our day through ending meeting and sing our goodbye songs and letting them know what to anticipate the next school day. Building the excitement for another day of learning.
Cherish this unique individual you create and embrace their love for learning over the summer.
The teaching team will be packing up the student’s belongings, finishing up the student portfolios, and adding their remaining work to them. The teaching team will be preparing the campus for summer closure.
Pick up date for student personal belongings and portfolio. TBA
The founder will be preparing a special summer package for the students.
We do need a volunteer to top the garden beds off with hay to put them asleep for the summer. I can send additional information with directions.
We love you and your children and will miss seeing you during this mandated closure.
Stay well, safe, and balanced. Have an awesome positive summer. See you in the fall.
Warm Regards, Terra Tominelli
The Upcoming School Year.
We will begin planning for the upcoming school year. Although our business is taking a huge hit, we are committed to providing the same excellent care and service that your families enjoyed until COVID-19 came along and turned our world upside down. We are all in this together, this uncertainty and we need our TerraNichol Academy families to be loyal to the program now and for the foreseeable future.
I am trying to lead this new direction and position that has been placed upon me as a small business owner with compassion, kindness, and fairness. These circumstances are particularly precarious for the school. We have applied for the aid that is provided to help assist small businesses closed due to COVID-19.
The crisis circumstances have made our program particularly vulnerable. Our success is contingent upon receiving a robust investment from our loyal families, community, and government. We hope and recommend Congress move quickly to make similar direct investments this year to secure the future of children and families in our country. Specifically, we request Congress to provide robust flexible emergency funding for schools and to preserve our community-based preschool program.
We love big journal!
Great Positive Inspiration for learning.
Yoga 4 Classrooms
Yoga 4 Classrooms is a great addition to our original curriculum created by the Founder. We hope the students will continue their yoga practice and growth mindset goals throughout the summer. Miss Terra will be continuing her practice! #mindfulschool
School Reggio Emilia Project Boards
Happy Summer Adventures!
Founder