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Mill Falls News
December 22, 2017
IN THIS ISSUE
Ongoing: 
  • Food Drive for the MFCS Food Pantry
12/25-1/2
December Vacation

1/2/18
First Session of McIntyre Ski Club Programming (Club Members go directly to the mountain, school is not open.)

1/3/18 
School Reopens!

Last Day for Pizza Form Return: 9am!

Lottery Enrollment Period begins

1/5/18 
Read-In: Glacier & Everglades, 8:15-8:45am.

1/10/18
2018 Lottery Information Session, 10am at MFCS.

Drama Club, 3-4:30pm

1/12/18
Read In: Yosemite, Acadia, Zion,  8:15-8:45am.

Please click here for our online Google calendar.


Playing the Dreidel Game during this week's Cultural Study.
CORPORATE SPONSORS

We gratefully acknowledge the ongoing contributions from the following corporate partners: 

 

 

 

 

 

Surprise Ending...
Good afternoon on this unexpected snow day and earlier than expected start to our December Break. This will be a shorter than usual Mill Falls News, but we still wanted to be sure to get this out to you today. 

We have had an amazing close to the calendar year with tons of curricular and cultural work well underway. Our Kinder and Lower Elementary classes were able to do the majority of their holiday study and special projects. However, presentations of the Family Tree & Traditions project by our Upper Elementary Students will have to wait until we are back in session. Parents of Upper Elementary Students, please stay tuned for updates on that from your children's teachers.

In the final days of the year, our MFCS Families showered the staff with gifts and kindness. There were classroom donations of books and materials, thoughtful gifts for individual staff members and so many yummy treats brought in for the staff to share.  And of course so many of you have contributed food to our MFCS Food Pantry, which provides support for those students and families in our School Community who are in need. 

And then there is the gift of time...Thank you to the many MFCS parents who came in to assist during the Lower Elementary's exploration of this season's holidays; to MFCS mom, Rachel M, who made a HUGE dent in the re-organization of our lending library; to those many parents who taught handwriting or read with our students right up to the final hour yesterday; to Ms. Devon who came back for a visit, bringing her college service club with her to volunteer their time reading and working our students; and a special shout out to MFCS mom,  Julia M, who set up her massage table and offered a few minutes of de-stressing to our hard working staff members. 

We know there are other gifts, too - big and small - that have been shared, which this snow day prevented us from hearing about, but for which are so very grateful!

And what we also know is this...
We are one lucky crew here at MFCS! 
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Wishing everyone our very best for a warm and loving holiday season. 
 
Here's to the new challenges and successes ahead in 2018!
MFCS Family Sledding Event!
Mill Falls Family Outing: 
Sledding on New Year's Eve Day! 
 
Mill Falls Parents, Amanda G. and Jen K. invite you to another fun community family gathering they have organized... this one just before the New Year rolls in! 

When: Sunday, December 31, 1-3pm
Where: Derryfield Sledding Hill on Mammoth Road across from the fire department.
What: Loads of sledding fun.  Hot cocoa will be served. Feel free to bring some baked goods or treats to share - please be sure to note ingredients.

Questions? Please call MFCS parent, Jennifer Kulesza at 603-674-3973
January & February Pizza Friday Orders

Some of you may be wondering about your  Pizza Friday payments in light of the snow day we had today...

Please note, due to the storm we have  extended the deadline for those Pizza Friday payments to Wednesday, January 3rd at 9am. That will make for a very tight deadline for the processing and ordering, so we will not be able to accept any payments or order forms AFTER Wednesday at 9am. 

Thank you for understanding and for remembering to get those forms to us, if you haven't already, but Wednesday first thing!

See you in 2018!
  


See you on 
January 3rd!

A reminder that MFCS reopens to students on Wednesday, January 3rd. On January 2nd, staff will be participating in an all-day retreat with a focus on Montessori culture.
 

2018 Enrollment Lottery

MFCS Families  - if you plan to enroll a child in the 2018 Lottery you MUST complete the 2018 Lottery Enrollment Form That simple form will be available on line and on paper beginning on January 3rd . We have scheduled the 2018 Lottery for March 20th and have scheduled Information Sessions between January and March.  This 2018 Lottery Information is now posted on our website. 

If you don't have any children to enroll in the Lottery, but would like to lend a hand during this busy lottery season, please keep an eye out for  Volunteer Opportunities during the Enrollment Period We will be needing Parent Ambassadors to help welcome our prospective families, and to help on Lottery Day. Stay tuned for sign up information.

Another way to help is to share information about the 2018 Lottery Enrollment with family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors.  All information about our Lottery is available on line, including common FAQ's. 

Thanks, too, for sharing the link with those 
who are interested in learning more about MFCS!


After School Clubs
Coming Soon...
Two New After School Clubs!
 As soon as we return, Ms. Tana will be announcing the details 
 of her next two After School Clubs: 
      • No Bake Cookie Club
      • Introduction to Sign Language Club 
 Stay tuned for details which we will send out the first week of January.

* * *


One Spot Left to Fill in our 
MFCS Lower Elementary Drama Club!
 
Join Ms. Becca and Ms. Christine at the MFCS Lower Elementary Drama Club. The club will offer students an introduction to theater skills and etiquette, utilizing games and activities to build student confidence and understanding of the components of performance. All experience levels are welcome!  Please click here to view the flyer. 

* * *


The Lower & Upper Elementary Choruses
had a wonderful trip to 
St. Teresa's Rehabilitation & Nursing Facility where they performed a number of songs. Fun was had by all. Thanks to the parent chaperones and to Ms. Kristin and Ms. Tana for a great experience! 

* * *

Ski & Snowboard Club 

The Club's First Session will take place on January 2nd at the mountain, even though MFCS students will not be in school that day. Club members will meet at the mountain!

Construction Update
With the arrival of winter weather, all outdoor work has now come to a close. We will continue to use various areas on campus here at 100 William Loeb Drive during the winter months and our landlord has told us to look forward a completion of the exterior spaces once the warmer weather returns.  
Winter Reminders...


Weather-Related Closings & Delays:
In the event of a weather-related closing or delay, we will post information on WMUR. You can see that on the TV or online at
  wmur.com/weather/closings . You can also download the app on your phone or tablet. 

Cancelation Guidelines: 
  • Generally, we follow the Manchester School District's weather-related decisions because so many of our students depend on busing to get to and from school. 
  • In the unusual event that weather conditions require that we close or delay, even if Manchester has not decided to, we will send out an all-school alert via ALMA. You can check your alert settings by logging in to ALMA (it can send a text and/or automated call).

End of Year Donations & Monthly Giving...
Please Consider A Year End Gift to Mill Falls

As the calendar year comes to a close, we hope that you will consider making a meaningful donation in support of our School. Donations of every size are needed and MUCH appreciated.

Year-end giving is a great time to make a tax-deductable donation in support of NH's first Public Montessori School.

Our school program is offered tuition-free like any other public school, but we receive less than half of the public dollars that are provided to neighborhood schools across our state. 

Your Generosity = Educational Success! 

Please click here to learn more about donating, and don't forget that many companies will match your donation with a Matching Donation of their own! You can ask your HR department about that.  We LOVE corporate matching and hope to connect with more businesses - large  and small - this year to grow our corporate match partnerships. Please help  be part of that effort! Inquire with your employer today to find out if  they will match your donations. If you have any questions,  please  send Meryl an email . Thank you!!

As you consider ways to support MFCS, please consider  Monthly Giving. You can become part of the Monthly Giving Circle today! It's a great way to 'set it and forget it' - you simply decide the donation amount to give monthly, and then have that donation automatically made either by check from your bank, or via PayPal. Please click here to learn more!
 

M ontessori Moments...
So many crafts this week as the Lower Elementary Students learned about Chanukah, Kwanza & Christmas.


Thanks to the many moms and dads who helped out during the craft-making related to the Lower Elementary Students' study of these season's holidays. 


Below: Thanks to Ms. Devon and her classmates at Nashua Community College, who visited MFCS as part of their Rotaract Club December Service Program. The Club focuses on community service and helping others. During their visit they: helped MFCS students make holiday cards for residents of a local nursing home; helped our Kinders make gingerbread people and snowflakes; and helped students in several classrooms during Work Cycle which gave the Club Members a first-hand look at our beautiful Montessori materials and programming! 




Left: Some of our Lower Elementary Students worked on a seasonally-influenced lab this week. 

They put candy canes in cold water, warm water, and oil. 

T he Students made hypotheses about what they expected to see...and then observed during 5 minute intervals noting how the candy canes fared when put into the different liquids. 





Below: Decorating Gingerbread Houses...
an annual Yosemite Room tradition!


Happy Holidays everyone!