August

When it is your preschool or extended day child’s birthday, please send in a picture of each year of your child’s life on his/her birthday or on the school day closest to his/her birthday.  Elementary students will need a photo from each year of their life for their birthday books.  These photos can be copies or printed on a color printer (they cannot be returned).  We are celebrating the following birthdays in August:

 

 

 

Separation Anxiety

Sometimes at the beginning of the school year, a child has difficulty being separated from Mom, Dad, or the caregiver during carpool.  Some simple ways to help your child are as follows:

Preparation:  During quiet times with your child, remind her that Mommy (or whoever) ALWAYS comes back.  In the car during carpool, say, "I'll be back to pick you up after playtime."  After a quick good-bye, you are both on your way.

Separation:  It is very important to arrive at carpool on time.  It is much more difficult for you and your child if you park and walk in to the school.  Please know that your child may cry for a few minutes until she realizes the environment is a safe and happy place to be.  Once this realization occurs, the tears dissipate, the interest in the classroom is kindled, and the child becomes involved in her work.  A staff member remains with your child until she reaches this level of calm.  Your child is reassured that you will return after playtime. 

Reunite:  At carpool, your child is happy to be with you and excited to share her work.  Allow her to be buckled securely in the car and avoid asking questions.  Your child will share everything in her own good time.  If you are still uncomfortable after a few weeks of consistency, schedule an observation of the classroom or go through carpool, park, and peek in the window!  You'll be pleasantly surprised by what you see.

You have made a wonderful decision on choosing a school; trust your judgment and yourself -- we're all in this together!!

 

                                          

 

Meet the Teacher Night, Open House, and Pizza

Everyone will have so much fun on Friday, August 17^th as we look in our classrooms and eat pizza.  The teachers are excited to show you their classrooms and to spend some time visiting.  The north campus Open House is from 4:30 to 5:30 PM and the south campus Open Hose is from 6 to 7 PM.  Many thanks to the PSG for providing the pizza and drinks.

 

 

PSG Meeting

Our first PSG meeting of the 2007-2008 school year will be held Tuesday, August 14^th, at 6:30 PM at the south campus.  Childcare will be provided.  This is a great opportunity to learn more about the PSG and the events it sponsors.  Everyone is encouraged to attend. 

 

 Elementary Happenings

The elementary class will be studying rules of the classroom, nutrition, study habits, and community building, 

 

 

Elementary Standardized Test

The 3^rd 4^th and 5^th year students in the elementary class were given the Iowa Test for Basic Skills (ITBS).  Their overall score as a class was 90 %.  The highest possible score is 99%.

Individual 3^rd year scores are below.  Public schools and charter schools gave the Terra Nova, which is a normed reference test similar to the ITBS.

Here are some 3^rd grade scores on the Terra Nova of schools close to our campuses and some charter Montessori schools.  AIMS scores are not comparable with the ITBS scores as the AIMS scores are not nationally normed and are scored more subjectively. 

Sunrise Montessori    (L) 96   (M) 94 (R) 90

Sunburst                                                (L) 51      (M) 59    (R) 51

Legend Springs                     (L) 68      (M) 76    (R) 68

Copper Creek                       (L) 61      (M) 63    (R) 64

Terramar                               (L) 63      (M) 69    (R) 66

Happy Valley Charter         (L) 63      (M) 69    (R) 64

Bell Canyon Charter            (L) 37      (M) 42    (R) 35

Montessori Day Schools     (L) 40      (M) 38    (R) 38

Villa Montessori                   (L) 69      (M) 71    (R) 74

Khalsa Montessori               (L) 79      (M) 79    (R) 81

Challenge Charter               (L) 66      (M) 63    (R) 66

Pioneer                                  (L) 37      (M) 37    (R) 37

Frontier                                  (L) 59      (M) 68    (R) 59

Coyote Hills                           (L) 57      (M) 66    (R) 59

We are very proud of our elementary students!  And please remember, some of the above schools spend several weeks preparing for the test.  Our students received a lesson on how to fill in a bubble on a test, with nary a day of preparation.

 Elementary Happenings

The elementary class will be studying rules of the classroom, nutrition, study habits, and community building, 

 

 

Elementary Art Studies

In the months of August & September, the elementary children will be studying the following:

1^st years – Introduction of prehistoric art and Introduction to

             line and shape

2^nd years – Art history review of prehistoric art through

             ancient Roman art and review elements of art.

3^rd years – Art history review prehistoric through Gothic art

            and review elements of art..

4^th & 5^th years – Art history review Renaissance art and

            review elements of art.

 

Art History will be on Mondays and Creating Art on Fridays. 

 

 

 

Extended Day Gardener

Olive and Michelle would like a parent to volunteer to grow and tend the garden with the extended day children.  If you think you would enjoy this, please mark the response form at the end of this newsletter.

 

 

Preschool and Kindergarten Needs

 logs for hammering

 construction paper (all colors)

 manual coffee grinder

 straws

 colored burlap

 colored felt squares

 puffy paints (for birthday crowns)

 scrap paper

 rice

 mini-trampoline

 

 

2007-2008 Staff – South Campus

We are pleased to announce our staff for the 2007-2008 school year: 

 

AM Toddler & PM Toddler: 

Montessori Certified Teacher:   Mary Ellen Marion

Assistant:         Jaime Williams

 

AM & PM Preschool & Kindergarten:

Montessori Certified Teacher:   Olive Quinlan

Montessori Certified Assistant:   MiYoung Sweet

 

AM Outdoor Environnent:         Sandy Raucci

 

Spanish:                                   Rosalia Vallelonga

Physical Education:                  Reinhold Von Gunten

 

Mother’s Day Out:                     Jaime Williams

Before School:                         Michelle Marion

                                                Jaime Williams

After School:                            Jaime Williams

Piper McElhaney

Ally Winfield

Angelina Villagomez

 

Office:                                      Kelley Seale

Substitute:                               Fiona Quinlan

 

2007-2008 Staff – North Campus

We are pleased to announce our staff for the 2007-2008 school year: 

 

Elementary:

Montessori Certified Teacher:   Heather Karsten

Teacher:                                   Amy Clement

Elementary Art:             Betty Jo Gregolynskyj

 

AM & PM Preschool &:  Kindergarten:              

Montessori Certified Teacher:        Michelle Marion

Montessori Certified Co-Teacher:  Leisa Medrano

Montessori Certified Assistant:     Farhana Khan

 

AM Toddler & PM Toddler: 

Montessori Certified Teacher:   Marjorie Tague

Assistant:         Dawn Wood

 

AM Outdoor Environnent:         Tracie Prall

 

Spanish:                                   Judy Von Gunten

Physical Education:                  Reinhold Von Gunten

Substitute:                               Fiona Quinlan

 

 

 

Carpool

Please arrive at carpool at your assigned time.  For toddler, preschool, and kindergarten at BOTH CAMPUSES, we begin morning carpool at 8:50 AM and afternoon carpool at 12:25 PM.  At 9:10 AM and 12:40 PM, the staff will come into the classroom.  If your child arrives after this time, you will have to walk her in to school and make eye contact with the teacher so she knows your child has arrived.  Please be sure to sign her in at the office.

At the north campus, elementary carpool will start promptly at 8:25 AM.  The carpool line starts at the back of the building.  If you need to talk to a teacher, please park and come inside. 

One way to help our carpool run smoothly is to REMAIN IN YOUR CAR while a staff member gets your child or children out of the carseat or puts them in at the end of class.  Your cooperation is greatly appreciated!

Please help carpool run smoothly - do NOT park in the parking lot at the south campus and walk your child into school during the following times:  8:45 – 9:15 AM, 10:45 – 11:45 AM, 12:15 – 12:45 PM, 2:15 – 3:15 PM Thank you!!

 

Entrance into the Classroom

When you enter the school for any reason, please enter through the office door.  This will let the office know there is a visitor on campus. 

At the north campus, please enter through the door by the front desk.

This is for the safety of all the children. 

 

 

Water, Water

Please send extra water with your extended day (Kindergarten) and elementary child with their lunch.  A small box of juice is not enough fluid for the older children.  They seem to be thirsty more for water than for juice!  Arrowhead now makes smaller lunch box sized water bottles.  These might work well for extra water until the humidity decreases.  Thanks!!

 

 

Backpacks

Please do not send your toddler or preschooler to school with a back pack.  Backpacks are reserved as a privilege for the kindergarten children to bring to school.  Elementary students will be provided with a cloth book bag.

 

 

Newsletters

This is the first of our monthly newsletters.  These newsletters will include the reminders of the monthly events at our school.  Each month will include information about a different aspect of the Montessori classroom.  This month the articles are about the Montessori philosophy.  Sometimes we might include a list of needs the teachers have for the classroom or we might ask for volunteers to drive on field trips, etc.  If you have an idea to include in a newsletter, please contact the office. 

 

 

Happygrams

Beginning in October, the teachers will be sending home a monthly note about the work your child is doing at school.  These are great conversation starters.  Instead of asking, “What did you do in school today?” you could say, “I see you did the pink tower.  Did you do it by yourself or with a friend?” or “Tell me what the pink tower looks like when you have finished that work.”

Please remember that in a Montessori classroom, the children do not bring home lots of paper work.  Most of what they do is with hands-on manipulative materials. 

 

 

 

To Jenna Haggard for hosting an exquisite teacher appreciation luncheon.  The staff thoroughly enjoyed relaxing with a long and delicious lunch.

 

To the officers and board for the Parent Support Group for the 2006-2007 school year for an OUTSTANDING job!  Julia Wright, Jenna Haggard, Tracy Tauscher, Angie Casey, Heather Karsten, and Pam Silliman.

 

To all the elementary parents for assisting with and donating items for the spring play.

 

To Steve Gilman for boxes for the staff at the north campus.

 

 

School Supplies:

The following is a list of items that each child needs to bring to school.

Toddler:

            1 box of tissues (pop up kind)

            2 boxes of 3 oz. paper cups

            1 box of unscented baby wipes

            1 roll of paper towels

            1 box of My First Markers (washable)

            1 box of My First Crayons (washable, thick)      

 

Preschool:

            1 box of tissues (pop up kind)

            2 boxes of 3 oz. paper cups

            1 package of colored pencils

            1 roll of paper towels

            3 rolls of scotch tape

            2 boxes of small envelopes

            1 package of glue sticks

            1 can of unscented shaving cream

 

Kindergarten (Extended Day):

            1 box of tissues (pop up kind)

            2 boxes of 3 oz. paper cups

            1 roll of paper towels

            3 rolls of scotch tape

1 box of washable markers

I box of small envelopes

2 packages of O-Cel-O sponges

1 box food coloring

 

Elementary:

            box of Kleenex

            1 roll paper towels

            1 roll Scotch tape

            2 boxes of 5 oz. cups

 

 

Cartridges for Kids

Welcome Back…to recycling.  Sunrise Montessori School is again recycling this year to raise funds for the Parent Support Group by turning your ‘trash’ into ‘cash’.  Please donate any unwanted cell phones, used inkjet and laser printer cartridges, laptop computers and PDA’s to our school.  Collection boxes are located in the office.  Help the environment, and help our school, by recycling!

For more information about Cartridges for Kids®, visit www.cartridgesforkids.com or call 800-420-0235.

 

 

Heifer Project

The children collected $620 for the Heifer project.  It is amazing what a collection of change can buy:

A buffalo for $250 or a llama for $150 or a goat, sheep, or pig for $120 or a tree for $60 or some tree seedlings for $10 or rabbits for $60 or some bees for $30 or some chicks, ducks, or geese for $20. 

Please continue to collect your change and send it in to your child’s class.  We will again be buying animals for the Heifer Project to send to underdeveloped countries.

 

 

How to Begin the School Day Calmly

If parents handle the situation correctly, they can reduce their little one’s separation anxiety.  Follow these tips:

 

Þ     Give her chances to talk about her feelings.  “This in itself makes any fears

Þ      seem more manageable,” says Thomas Olkowski, Ph.D., a Denver psychologist.  Kids can’t always put their emotions into words, so you may have to lead off the conversation.  You might say, “Going to school can be exciting and sometimes scary.”  Then wait for your youngster’s response.  Reassure her that her fears are normal and won’t last forever. 

Þ     Encourage his independence in other areas, such as letting him pick o