January Newsletter

December at The Big Mystic was a very busy and exciting month filled with creativity, learning, and holiday cheer! The kids had a blast diving into fun arts and crafts, including DIY Christmas trees, DIY snowflakes, and many other festive creations that helped get everyone into the holiday spirit. Our clubs were just as exciting, Dean and Linda’s Cooking Club explored the origins of classic treats like chocolate cookies and wrapped up the experience by making their very own chocolate chips. Chess Club kept minds sharp as kids worked hard to level up their chess skills, while Switch Sports Club brought lots of energy and laughter with classic games like bowling, tennis, and more. Of course, one of the highlights of the month was opening presents and sharing the joy of seeing what each of their friends received. December truly captured the magic of the season at The Big Mystic!

Staff Highlight: Nilson

Nilson is a great addition to The Big Mystic team. He is always helpful, positive, and ready to jump in wherever needed, helping create a fun and welcoming environment every day.

Kid Highlight: Ana

Ana is a true team player who brings great energy to the group. She’s always ready to help others, join in on activities, and make everyone laugh with her jokes. Her positive attitude and sense of humor make The Big Mystic an even more fun place to be!

New month, new fun activities!

Every day of the week, we create lesson plans according to our daily themes:

Movement/Mindfulness Monday: Activities to get the body moving, whether it's yoga and connecting with their minds, playing kickball, or a game of capture the flag.

STEAM Tuesday & Thursday: Science, math, technology, arts and crafts, oh my! These activities focus on creativity and building.

Service Learning Wednesday: Activities focused on giving back to our community, whether it's making a card for the elderly or picking up trash in our neighborhood!

Fun Friday: Activities based on all things fun! The activities range from cooking and baking to playing at the park.

December went by so much faster than we thought it would, bringing us to the new year in no time but it is okay because we still had a good month. From fun choices to opening presents at the end of the month we were in for a great time. Some of our favorite choices we had were; Just Dance Club, Seasonal No Bake Club (the treats were so tasty) and Puzzle Club. We also finished off our last few sessions of comic book club where we actually used clay to make our characters come to life. We also got to get in the holiday spirit with winter watchers club, watching classic holiday movies creating a craft that goes along with it. We were so excited for the Holiday break this year because we soooo needed a break and how relaxing it was. The MELC is ready to lock in the year and finish up the school year better than ever. For this year, we will be practicing reading more and trying to solve harder math problems, pushing ourselves to be better than we were last year, while also practicing how to be better friends. We are so happy to be in the new year and we hope that everyone has a great year!!

Congratulations to December’s Staff and Kid

Kid- Miguel is proving to himself to be more and more ready to be with the older kids each month. This month, he has definitely been able to solve problems much better with his friends and his homework. He has been willing to help others with homework. Miguel is getting better at self regulating as well when it comes to choice and playing games at free time and we are proud of him.

Staff- Hugo has just started here at the MELC but it has felt like he's worked here for the full year. Hugo used to be a kid here at Mystic so maybe that is why he was able to jump right in. Hugo always asks if there is something he can do and jumps right to it. He also is great at working with the youth during homework and choice time! We are happy that he is now part of the MELC family.

New month, new fun activities!

Every day of the week, we create lesson plans according to our daily themes:

Movement/Mindfulness Monday: Activities to get the body moving, whether it's yoga and connecting with their minds, playing kickball, or a game of capture the flag.

STEAM Tuesday & Thursday: Science, math, technology, arts and crafts, oh my! These activities focus on creativity and building.

Service Learning Wednesday: Activities focused on giving back to our community, whether it's making a card for the elderly or picking up trash in our neighborhood!

Fun Friday: Activities based on all things fun! The activities range from cooking and baking to playing at the park.

Oranges are the perfect pick for January, bringing bright citrus flavor and a refreshing boost to the winter season. Packed with vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants, they help support immunity and energy during colder months. Whether enjoyed fresh, blended into smoothies, squeezed into juice, or added to salads and snacks, oranges add a burst of sunshine to every bite. Juicy, naturally sweet, and full of goodness—oranges make January healthy, fresh, and flavorful!

Londyn 01/24

Staff Brithday

Aniana 01/30

Holidays

MLK Day 01/19

The MLC & MELC will be open as early as 1:00 pm:

Somerville Public Schools:
January 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th (Every Wednesday)

Stoneham Public Schools:
January 14th (Early Release – Professional Development Day)

Thank you for understanding that the MLC & MELC will be closed. We appreciate your consideration during our planned closing on the following days:

Our Parent Meeting will be on Monday, January 12th

• Meetings are on the second Monday of the month unless stated otherwise.
• Parents are responsible for arriving at 5:30 pm, eating family dinner together in the community room, and signing them back in for childcare during the meeting.
• Parent Meetings time is 6:00-7:30pm.

Paddington
Animated/Comedy | Ages 6+
Streaming on: Prime Video / Apple TV

Frozen
Animated/Musical | Ages 5+
Streaming on: Disney+

The Lego Movie
Animated/Adventure | Ages 7+
Streaming on: Max / Prime Video

✨ MLC Holiday Potluck! ✨

We were so happy to host our MLC Holiday Potluck and celebrate together as a community! From delicious food and drinks to crafts and fun games, the evening was filled with laughter, joy, and holiday cheer. A huge thank you to all the MLC families and kids who joined us and brought food to share—your energy and generosity truly made the night special. ❤️🎄 We are so grateful for our wonderful community and can’t wait to gather again soon!

❄️ Snow Tubing Experience at McIntyre Ski Area ❄️

Registration Required: Please scan the QR code on the flyer or go to Instagram click the link in our Linktree to register.

As of January, MLC and MELC have openings for school-age children (youth ages 5 in kindergarten through 13). Give us a call (617-623-0110) or send an email (info@mysticlearningcenter.org) if you have any questions or are interested in enrolling your child(ren).

We're licensed by Massachusetts to provide child care for youth between the ages of 2.9 -13 years old. Youth with special needs can attend up to age 16. Click the link below for more info.

** At the moment we aren't accepting children under 5 due to not having a Lead Preschool teacher.

The Human Service Division of the City of Somerville Department of Health and Human Services is now available to take online referrals for services through a new online contact form. Referrals may be completed by individuals directly seeking services, parents or guardians, service providers, or community partners.

The services provided are available at no cost to Somerville residents of all ages and include:

• Supportive counseling for individuals and families
• Briefcase management
• Service coordination for individuals and families
• Information and Referral to services
• Including mental health services, utility and benefits assistance, workforce development, housing support, youth services, financial literacy, legal assistance, survivor services, literacy, and language development, public health services, substance misuse services for youth.

• School consultation, support, and advocacy