Thanksgiving & Winter Breaks

Just a reminder that we will be closed, Thursday and Friday, November 27th & 28th, for Thanksgiving.

(UPDATED!) Looking ahead, we are also closed December 24th through 31st for Winter Break, and January 1st and 2nd for New Year's Day.

The Ann Arbor Public Schools are closed Dec. 22nd-January 2nd. If your school-aged child needs care on the days the schools are closed but we are open (i.e., Dec. 22nd & 23rd, Dec. 29th & 30th), please contact your center ASAP to reserve a spot.

Address Change

Our Administrative Center has moved! We're now at 4531 Concourse Drive, south of Ellsworth of State Street across from the Ann Arbor airport. Our admin phone number has also been updated: 734.761.2576. The fax number's the same. All this info is on our website but we wanted to call attention to it.

Michigan Theater Family Events

This Saturday, November 22, Ann Arbor gem the Michigan Theater is showing the beautifully restored Wizard of Oz at 1:30 p.m.

Next weekend, November 28th, they're showing the classic version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, also at 1:30 p.m. Admission is free for kids twelve and under! What's more, for every $5 you spend at neighboring shop and movie sponsor Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, you will receive one free adult ticket to Willy Wonka!

The Michigan Theater is a beautiful local landmark that offers a genuine, old-time movies experience. For more family-friendly events, please click here.

-- Admin

Courtesy

We are revamping the Gretchens's House website to make resource sections for staff and parents. Fun project! Please e-mail us any requests or suggestions for things/info/links that you'd find useful.

During the information-gathering process, I came across one of our newer Purple Pages*, the one on Courtesy. The subject of courtesy is particularly relevant as we head into the holiday season--a time filled with family meals, parties, and gift exchanges...and stressful situations. Courtesy is a wide range of civilized bevahiors that children learn over time as they observe us interact with friends, families, and strangers every single day. Remember: our kids mind our manners even when we don't! Check the newsletter out and let us know what you think.

-- H.V.

*Purple Pages* are coffee-break-sized newsletters on developmental topics, family living issues, and group care concerns. We have a large library of topics available in hard copies at our centers. Parents of currently enrolled children have online access to printable versions of the entire collection. Visitors can preview a few of the subjects here (the highlighted titles on that page are links to actual Purple Pages).

NAEYC Handouts

If you attended a presentation given by Gretchen's House Staff at the 2008 NAEYC conference in Dallas, you can find the handouts by clicking this link.

Thanks for attending our sessions. We hope you found them useful!

-- Admin