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Children's House News
 
  

Families, can you believe it is 2016?  My goodness, where does the time go?  

A few reminders:

Please guide your child to make appropriate clothing choices daily. We try to spend as much time outdoors as possible even during the winter month and prefer your child to be comfortable.  It is always a good idea to pack an extra set of clothes in case your child gets wet; that includes sock and shoes.  We welcome slippers when your child changes out of boots if you prefer not to keep extra shoes at school.    

Anyone who is not already a current or a confirmed future Charter student and is interested in Charter Enrollment (K-8) must do so via Lottery.  

Interested parties must attend a MANDATORY Enrollment Meeting as part of the application process; you need only attend one of these meetings. More information including Lottery Application Deadlines & Timelines will be available at these enrollment meetings.  
  • January 14, 2016, Thursday at 7pm, Children's House Campus
Who should apply? 
  • If your child has not previously been offered placement for Children's Kiva Montessori School's Charter K-8;  the previous Lottery was held in February of 2015.  
  • If your child is on a "wait-list" for Charter placement for the 15-16 school year, you must reapply for placement in this next lottery.    
  • If your child will be Kindergarten age in the fall of 16-17 or 17-18, NOW is the time to enter the Lottery if you would like your child to attend Kindergarten at Children's House.  If your child has already been offered and confirmed for Charter placement, you do not need to reapply.
 
Please note that preschool enrollment or Charter waitlist placement for 15-16 does not guarantee Kindergarten Charter placement nor does sibling Charter placement; you must apply in this next Lottery cycle.  Conversely, if your child was awarded Charter Kindergarten placement for 16-17, preschool placement is not automatic, you must enroll your child for preschool.  If you are unsure please see Alexia in the office right away.


January Calendar
  • Thursday Jan. 7th-BOD Strategic Planning Committee meets, 5:00 pm at Children's House
  • Monday Jan. 11th-Finance Committee meets 5:00 pm, Beech Campus
  • Tuesday Jan. 12th-PTO meets 5:30 pm at the Children's House Campus. Free childcare provided.
  • Thursday Jan. 14th-Charter Enrollment Meeting, 7pm Children's House 
  • Monday Jan. 18th- NO SCHOOL-Martin Luther King Day
  • Monday Jan. 18th-Board of Directors Meet at the Beech Street Campus. Children's House 5:00-6:15pm El/MS 6:15-7:45pm
Philosophy Corner:
 
Why is observation so essential in Montessori?
"Observation is an integral and ongoing part of a Montessori teacher's work. Observing without judgment is one of the most vital teaching tools we have to "follow the child," recognize her needs, and assist her in finding her strengths and capabilities. Observation is a critical component of lesson planning and classroom management. When the teacher observes that a student has mastered a concept or skill, she can introduce new lessons.

There's much more to the art of observing than recording the skills children have mastered. For example, we try to detect what Montessori called "sensitive periods" in the child's development, as well as heightened interest in music, art, or nature. We need to be knowledgeable about child development in order to have insight about children's behavior, social interactions, and learning styles. The teacher who is gifted in the science of observation can help children overcome difficulties and redirect their interest when necessary."  READ MORE

Home Connection:    Observing your child at Home   

BONUS:  Montessori at Home  Incorporating Montessori activities at home is easy to do! 

 
 
PTO Press.....
Please join us on Tuesday, January 12th at 5:30 to 6:30 for PTO meeting at Children's House campus.  Light snacks and free Childcare will be provided.   At this meeting we will hear updates on school activities from CH and EMS Administration.   We hope you can attend.  Parent involvement and participation is what makes this school so great. 

If you can't be at the meeting feel free to contact us at kivapto@gmail.com, or catch up with any of the PTO officers, Angie Seeley, Stacey Weyand and Holley Christensen.   We are excited the PTO can be one avenue for your voice to be heard.

 
Thank you for supporting the Parent/Teacher Organization!  

From our Board of Directors.....
Greetings, and welcome back to school!  Your Children's House Board has been working hard on all our normal duties - ensuring the financial stability of our school of course, and working through committees on defining the relationship between Children's House and the Elementary/Middle School, organizational structure, and the lines of communication.  

We're also very excited to be reading and discussing the book Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius, by Angeline Stoll Lillard.  Chapter One is called 'An Answer to the Crisis in Education', and explained the model of 'the school as a factory', which started in the mid-nineteenth century, and focused on efficiency where children were referred to as 'raw materials'. Incredibly, this is the model that is still used today in many schools in our country. Maria Montessori and her very different model of education was an 'answer to this crisis', and still is today. We encourage any interested caregiver to check out this book for more insight and background on Montessori.

Our next board meeting is Monday, January 18th, 5pm at the Elementary/Middle School.  All are welcome to attend.  Thank you!

School Nurse News
Cold season is in full swing! The key to slowing the spread of the flu and other illnesses is excellent hand hygiene and "catching" our sneezes and coughs. Teaching our young children proper hand washing and drying is the number one key to reducing the spread of illness. Gentle reminders to young children regarding proper hand washing are essential. Here are some tools to help children wash properly and have fun while doing so.  Read More

As always, your questions, concerns and ideas are important; please come see me.

 

Sincerely,
Alexia Hudson-McGrath
Director
Children's House