Imagine stepping foot into a cavernous, empty room off Beacon Street where two women sat talking about possibilities. Imagine their children running around playing, while the women sat with catalogs, paint chips and wood samples strewn at their feet. Imagine them describing their vision and talking excit-edly about a preschool that began at 2.0 rather than 2.9, where children’s ideas were honored and respected and where the environment was both nurturing and stimulating. And then imagine entrusting your child to their fledgling idea, all before there was any track record at all.

The very first Spruce families did just that. They came in our door at 20 Spruce, listened to our plans and ideas, saw the shelves and lamps being put into place, watched the Quadro being configured and the rugs laid down, and believed. They took an enormous leap of faith that launched a community that is now more than 300 families strong. Their decision to leap made each subsequent decision to leap that much easier for the next family, and

the next. Those first brave families looked around, evaluated the few data points available, did a gut check, and went for it, and I am so grateful they did.

And now those same children and parents are making another leap. They have spent countless hours researching and visiting colleges, talking to friends and speaking with their guidence counselors, and now they are ready to take the leap into college. They are flying away this time to points far and wide, with their dreams and aspirations held close, and their futures as grown-ups before them. These children and families, who started all the wonder and love that is Spruce, are our first full class to head to college. Wow! As leaps of faith go, this is a really big one, but perhaps not as big as that very first leap into Spruce so long ago.

Congratulations to all those brave souls who take leaps of faith and to the amazing Spruce class of 1999!

Spruce Street Nursery School Newsletter

A Leap of Faith

Spring/Summer 2013Volume 21

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any

direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one

who’ll decide where to go....” - Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

Welcome to Spring at Spruce!This is an incredible time to be part of

this Spruce community and a Bostonian. The Public Garden is abloom, class pictures have been snapped, and the caterpillars are spinning their cocoons. While each year at this time I am overcome with how beautiful our city is and how fortunate I am to be immersed in this supportive environment, I have never felt more fortunate than this year.

While some of our families were at the marathon this year, most had just left for a nap or were blocks away when the unthinkable happened. I have not heard of anyone directly connected to Spruce who was injured, and I am so grateful.

Boston is a tightly knit city, as evi-denced by our sports teams, community events and reactions to the happenings on Patriot’s Day. Spruce is a microcosm of Boston and all that makes it such a wonderful community. Each day that we help a friend, sing a song together, or say hi to someone we don’t yet know, we reinforce what it means to be a part of something larger than ourselves. I have never been more proud to be part of this resilient and caring community.

A portion of our proceeds from Auction Night went to the One Fund. We are thrilled that we were able to give $8,200 toward the cause. It is in the spirit of Boston to help others and in the spirit of Spruce to be caring and compassionate. May Boston always be strong, and may Spruce always be a part of this remarkable place.

Yours truly,

Christie Guevin

Spruce Goes to College!Abby Anderson - UC Berkeley

Ginger Brostowski - Notre Dame

Jack Henry Delano - Middlebury

Chloe Jane Hewins - Emory

Andrew Kafker - Haverford

Miranda Mahmoud - Columbia

Nicholas LaRussa- Univ. of Hartford

Rebecca Manning - Washington Univ.

Walker Pappin - Univ. of London

Anna Parkhurst - UC San Diego

Shannon Peters - Univ. of Georgia

Alexa Riobueno-Naylor - Barnard

(Over)Heard on Spruce Street Teacher Edition!

For the last four years, the Heard on Spruce Street column has brought you unedited insights and advice directly from Spruce Street students. In this issue, we turn to our teachers for some of the best lines uttered in the halls and classrooms of Spruce. We asked teachers to share the funniest things they’ve heard their colleagues say on the job. Here is what they shared:

K “We love your tongue, just not on our bodies.”

K “This is called the stink-eye...get familiar with it.”

K “I love your watermelons.” (Referring to the Willow class project)

K “It’s a little too early to get weird.”

K “I’m hoarding this paper.”

K “Let me smell your hands. Did you really wash them?”

K “Whoa, whoa, whoa...what’s this? Hands out of your pants!”

K “Did we just hot lips?”

K “It’s go time.”

K “Wow, you’re such a good gymnast but please don’t do cartwheels in the middle of morning meeting.”

K “Please don’t yuck my yum.”

K “Please tell your friend not to hit your ball with his hammer.”

K “Oh go potty. It’s a great time!”

K “Put the drill away.”

K Sometimes things don’t happen your way, and you have to go with the flow.”

Teacher NewsThis year we bid adieu to our lovely float

teacher, Lauren Jaquin. Lauren will be marrying her sweetheart Brendan Merrell and pursuing an advanced degree in education in the fall. We are so grateful to Lauren for all her help this past year!

We are excited to welcome back Abby (McClure) Lewis as next year’s Float teacher! Abby taught at Spruce in the Acorn and Maple classrooms from 2000-2003. She is the mother of three children, Piper, Scout and Walker, and is moving back to the Boston area from Providence with her husband Chad and their three girls. Welcome back, Abby!

Annual Fund 2013The 2012-2013 Annual Fund has had a

truly successful year, thanks the the gener-osity of our current families, alumni families, grandparents and friends. We have raised $172,530 to date! Wow! More importantly, 81% of current families have contributed to this year’s fund. We are so grateful for such widespread support and are hopeful we will reach our goal of 100% participation.

For those of you who haven’t yet given, there is still time! Gifts received by June 30th will count toward this year’s drive. As a reminder, we appreciate ANY contribution, and no amount is too small. You can mail your donation to Spruce Street or give online at www.sprucestreet.org.

Thank you for your extraordinary generosity and for your unwavering support of Spruce Street Nursery School!

SAVE THE DATE

Monday, July 8th-Friday, Aug. 16th Spruce Street Summer Program

Monday, September 9th All School Open House

Tuesday, Sept. 10th & Wed., Sept. 11th First Day of School (half day)

Thursday, Sept. 12th First Day of School

Sunday, Sept. 22nd All School Potluck

Spruce Street Auction 2013Thank you to the amazing auction team

of Kate Gilbane, Courtney Winter and Susan Boney who, with help from a fantastic committee of Spruce volunteers, put on an incredible night of Eric Carle-themed fun at the Ritz. The auction raised a record amount for Spruce and generated an additional $8,200 for One Fund Boston. Thanks to all of the members of the Spruce community who supported this year’s auction through dona-tions, sponsorship and enthusiastic bidding. We send a special thanks to Courtney Winter who co-chaired her fourth auction this year!

Summer at Spruce! Summer camp is filling up quickly and is going to be terrific. While camp is great for Spruce students of all ages, it is a particularly good way for new families to ease into life at Spruce.

This summer, in addition to swim lessons on Mondays and Thursdays, our camp themes will be “We’re Going on a Picnic” with a blueberry picking field trip on July 17th, “Sports” with a yoga class taught by Kate and Chandler Gil-bane and a ballet class from Al and Madeleine, plus a field day extravaganza! Our “Safari” theme will round out the summer with a trip to the zoo! So sign up today, and join the fun!

“We are settled into the Big Apple and loving our new ‘hood,” writes Jaimie Baird. “Loch ‘12 (almost 6) is finishing Kinder-garden at PS234 in Tribeca. Blake ‘12 (4) is looking forward to

her last year at Montessori, and Olive (2.5) is excited to join Blake at preschool in September. Tribeca is a very family-friendly community that has embraced us. Loch is loving t-ball, soccer, swimming and hitting balls at Chelsea Piers with his Dad. Blake is the ultimate balle-rina and swimmer, and Olive is just about game for it all. We are all very much looking forward to summer on Cape Cod. We miss you all, so please let us know when you are in the city!”

“Hi Spruce!” writes former teacher Kate Lefevre. “I am teaching Kindergarden in the KEP classroom at Kingsley Montessori and loving it! Kindergarten is my favorite age so far. Their creativity and free-spirited nature remind me of my time in the Oak Room. I am looking forward to summer when my boyfriend and I will head to Northern Michigan to soak up the sun. Miss you all and hope everyone is well!”

Jake French ‘02 is in 10th grade at Boston Latin School where his sister Eliza joined him this year. Jake is busy with studies and club soccer. He is beginning to think about

his next school—college! Little sis Eliza danced the part of Clara this year in the Boston Ballet’s new production of the

Nutcracker. We had a great time connecting with friends and family for shows. Thanks to Spruce Street for the wonderful beginning.

Olivia Lamarre ‘03 is in 8th grade at Charlotte Country Day School in Charlotte, NC. She loves horseback riding and music. She also enjoys making clothes for herself and her friends. She is a good skier too!

Mandy Gardiner reports: We are having a great year in Concord and live on the same block as Spruce alum Myles Alternative. Eliza ‘10 is finishing 1st grade at the Willard School where Hays ‘10 is finishing Kindergarden. Kate is in preschool at the Leap School. We have had a very busy spring with soccer and lacrosse for the kids. They are also loving art and the drama programs. We miss Spruce and all the wonderful families there!

Spruce alumni represented Hill House on the Bruins’ home ice before the Bs’ January 31 game.

The group played a 50-minute scrimmage capped off by a locker room visit from Bruins legend Cam Neely. Pictured here: (front row) Robbie Baker ‘11, Charlie Crowley ‘10, Max Kerrigan ‘11, Markie Driscoll ‘09, Colin Dowdle ‘10, Brian Gamble ‘10, (back row) Jack Kerrigan ‘08, Jamie Madison ‘08, Tommy Madison ‘06 and Danny Crowley ‘08.

Jeannie Peters reports that Shannon Peters ‘00 is headed to the University of Georgia next year. “She is thrilled, and we are very happy for her. Jack ‘03 will be a sophomore at Milton Academy next year,

and Jenna ‘07 will be starting middle school there as well. Yikes! Seems like we were just there at Spruce. We still stop and chat with the Ritz doormen whenever we are over there!”

Ginger Brostowski ‘00 is headed to Notre Dame after finishing up four years at Dana Hall. She has had a great four years. Ian ‘04 is staying at Park School for 9th grade, and we have our fingers crossed for the year after.

Walker Pappin ‘00 was granted a full academic award for New College of the Humanities at the University of London. He is a writer (check out his first novel, Dogs on Lulu) and a musician and lives in London with his family.

The Stressengers have kept busy with mom’s business, Walker ‘04 and Maxie’s ‘06 various activities and a recent move to Mt. Vernon St. Walker is at Dexter School playing soccer, hockey and tennis. He heads off to Wyoming this summer to complete a NOLS course. Maxie is loving her friends, sports and activities at Southfield School. She still gets to hang out with her Boston crew through Hill House soccer. She’ll head to Lochearn Camp at the beginning of the summer, and then both kids will be sailing and playing tennis and golf in Falmouth! Todd’s oyster farm is thriving, and his oysters have been seen at various restaurants! We are so thankful to Spruce for creating the communi-ty where we have found some of our greatest friendships!

Jack Henry Delano ‘99 will be going to Middlebury in the fall. According to Jack, Middlebury is his ideal college. In addition to taking advantage of new hiking opportunities, Jack has recently become interested in biking after his internship with Superb Bicycle. Jack is an avid fire-fighter and looks forward to volunteering at the Middlebury Department, and as a recently certified First Responder, he will be doing overnights at the station. Jack will be taking up Arabic and looks forward to returning to Jordan and studying abroad!

Alumni Family Tree

Welcome Spruce Saplings(2012-2013)

Harper Rose Carroll- 10/2/12Teddy Alessi - 11/21/12

Jack Lawrence - 12/13/12Avery Alexandrov - 2/13/13

Mack Dickie - 2/22/13Finlay Silvia - 4/15/13

Daphne Kocoloski - 5/8/13Benjamin Rowe - 5/9/13Nikhil Swani - 5/18/13

Send your Alumni updates to admin@sprucestreet.org

FLY AWAY2013

Spruce Street Nursery School 5 Avery Place Boston, MA 02111 617-482-5252

Luke A: “Playing with toys and clean-up.”

Caroline: “Playing on the Quadro.”

Chloe K: “Playing.”

Maddie: “The kids here.”

Myles: “Going outside and playing with the doctor kit.”

Sadie: “Playing with Kate. We play princesses.”

Sophie: “I like to hold Hermie and Kiki.”

Will: “I like to zoom into a mountain with a rocket ship.”

Xander: “Play police to the rescue.”

Anders: “Playing games.”

Antonio: “I like to play Spiderman outside.”

Clara: “I like to play in the house with Kearney.”

Elizabeth: “I love to play dress-up with Vivi.”

Francisco: “I love to draw pictures of Mama and me.”

Jack: “Seeing Kristin everyday.”

Julian: “Playing with Mobilos and going outside.”

Lila: “I love making collage projects.”

Tanner: “Free Play.”

Taylor: “I like to play rescue princess fairy with Vivian.”

Vivian: “Playing with my friends.”

Alexis: “Playing with the toys and going on field trips.”

Butterfly Goodbyes 2012-2013Teachers asked departing students what they love most about Spruce Street.

Chloe E: “Going outside and playing and going on field trips to farms.”

Devin: “The jobs. (My favorite job is Weather Helper.)”

Leah: “All of the drawing.”

Lexi: “The toys and books.”

Lorenzo: “Being Weather Helper.”

Luke W: “The sandbox.”

Nicholas: “Free play.”

May: “The field trips.”

Story: “That you can build really high castles with Magnatiles.”

Wally: “Reading books in the house.”