Cutting out flash cards

So far, the girls' school is really working well for them.  The preschool is really phenomenal, and the teachers there did so much for the Bug - and are doing so much now for the little Bunny - we have absolutely no complaints. We lucked out with the new (to us) kindergarten teacher.  She's a gem, and the kids leave school every day with grins from ear to ear.  Plus, they're actually learning how to read.  And do math.

It's not without its issues, though.  Since it's a charter school, it relies heavily on parental contributions.  The money part is easy enough - they have fundraisers all the freaking time!  It's the volunteer work - a hefty 60 hours per year per family (or an average of over two hours per week during the school year) - that is a bit burdensome.  Plus, with all the time parents are in the classroom, I hear way more inappropriate gossip about students than I'm comfortable with.  But that's another subject altogether.

Anyway, with my extra free time lately I've been trying to volunteer in the classroom at least every couple of weeks.  Mostly, this means cutting out flash cards.  Or sorting them, alphebetizing them or pasting them together.  I've also quizzed some kids on the numbers from 11-20, and helped others make "k"s and "d"s.  Frankly, I'm much more comfortable in the non-student-contact-y roles.  Something about a whole bunch of goobery 5-year-olds puts me on edge. 

And right now, to really buck the comfort zone, I am in charge of the Valentine's Day party.

My hopes were that the teacher would have a couple of tried and true activities.  I'd decorate something red and pink, ask the other parents to bring in punch or cookies or candy hearts or whatever.  Easy peasy.  But my only guidance is that the crafts should take about 15 minutes.  Which pretty much means gobble-de-gook to me.  Suggestions are welcome.  The Google gives me way too many ideas.  Maybe I'll just let the Bug pick.