Please read for important information and announcements.

MMS Monthly E-Newsletter |  March 2017

NOTES FROM PRIMARY The children in Primary I have been engaging with a variety of work from the Cultural Area of the classroom.  Land and water forms, books featuring animals and people native to each of the seven continents, maps, nomenclatures of the solar system, and life cycles of various animals are a few of the work processes that have captivated them.  There is continued interest in other areas of the classroom, as well. Writing and illustrating sentences has been a popular choice in Language.  The snake game and the square and cube chains, have inspired interest for some in Math.  We are all looking forward to spring and the enchantment that it brings! As spring is (maybe) upon us there is excitement and enthusiasm stirring in Primary II. The children have been enjoying our special Friday sessions with Colleen Anderson, singing and listening to stories and poems. Extended day friends have been enjoying working on food preparation skills by helping to make snack once a week on Wednesday afternoons to share with the entire class. Most recently they have helped prepare "taco cupcakes" and waffles. Many of the older children have also shown great interest in the passage of time with particular focus on the calendar and our daily schedule and "where the short hand and long hand point" at various times throughout our day. The younger children are being introduced to more multi-step practical life lessons that incorporate many of the skills they have practiced thus far, two of their favorites are dough making and sifting. We are anticipating warm weather and the reopening of our outdoor environment!

NOTES FROM LOWER ELEMENTARY Lower Elementary I has been keeping very busy!  The children continue to work diligently on their work plans, and also on their record keeping, special assignments, organization, and responsibility.  Currently, all children are using the knowledge they have acquired from their lessons throughout the year and producing pieces of work which they are creating, editing, and typing. In addition, the third year group is having fun creating challenges for their friends - which also give practice with various language skills. We have been preparing for a group number for the talent show, and are discussing ways to help out our school community.  In Lower Elementary II, students are diving deep into extended math studies with some of the third year working with more abstract processes of long division/long multiplication and exploring measuring angles.  The younger friends are diving in to creative writing processes and developing research works that are focused on topic and summarized in their own words.  Many of the children are learning more about the summer and winter solstices and how the earth is positioned in these times.  We are diligently working on the original class play, with older friends helping to engage and support the younger friends that are new to the process.

NOTES FROM UPPER ELEMENTARY In the upper elementary classroom, students are continuing U.S. history work, preparing the timeline projects to represent important historical events through the centuries.  We are engaging in collaborative learning, with students creating and sharing lessons related to our areas of focus. Recent lesson topics include reconstruction after the Civil War, women's suffrage, and Henry Ford and the Model T assembly line. We are also working daily to improve our writing skills.

NOTES FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL The Middle School has been busy with their new unit on soil science, exploring soil formation, mechanical and chemical weathering, and types of soil.  Recent math lessons have included work with graphing exponential functions, trinomial factoring, multi-step algebraic equations, and dividing polynomials.  Students are hosting several events to raise money for their upcoming field trip to Washington, DC. Please join us for our first ever Talent Show, and next week's Spaghetti Dinner!

SUMMER PROGRAM Click on the link below for details and registration information for our  2017 Summer Program.  Early registration ends May 15! MMS Summer Programs 2017

2017-2018 FINANCIAL AID APPLICATIONS The online financial aid application process is open, and applications are due by March 30.   Please note that applications for financial aid must be completed online through our website (www.mountaineermontessori.org), using the FAST program.  A new FAST application must be completed each year, regardless of prior financial aid awards.

UPCOMING EVENTS

MMS Talent Show | Friday, March 17  | 5:30-7:00 pm The Talent Show is hosted by our middle school students and staff.  They look forward to providing an opportunity for MMS students to showcase their talents in an evening of entertainment, refreshments, and fun.  Admission is $5/individual or $20 for a family of four or more.

Board Meeting | Monday, March 20  | noon Everyone is welcome.  We meet in the art room.  Please note the change in time.

Lower Elementary Parent Education Night | Tuesday, March 21  | 5:30-6:15 pm Please meet in your child's classroom for an interactive presentation on Montessori Cosmic Education, including the Great Lesson 'The Timeline of Life'.   Primary parents whose children are moving up to elementary next year are encouraged to attend.  There will be time for Q & A with the lower elementary staff following the presentation.

Upper Elementary Parent Education Night | Tuesday, March 21  | 6:15-7:00 pm Please join your children in the Upper Elementary classrooms for timeline presentations representing significant events in American history through the 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.

Spaghetti Dinner | Saturday, March 25  | 6:00 pm Join us for a night full of games, food and music!  Please call or  Beth at 304-342-7870 or bgeorge@mountaineermontessori.org to reserve a spot.  Dinner is $10 for adults and $5 for students.  Proceeds benefit the MMMS Spring Trip.

Primary Parent Education Night | Tuesday, April 4  | 5:30-6:30 pm Please join us at the South Ruffner Church, 300 20th Street.  The session will include a preview of upcoming nutrition studies in Primary and a discussion of ways to support your children's growing bodies.  Samantha and Kathryn will be joined by Zeina Haidar, Montessori parent, pediatrician, and consultant.  We hope to see you there!

NO SCHOOL | April 10-14 School resumes on Monday, April 17.

THANK YOU Thank you to the following friends of MMS for your contributions to our school.  We appreciate: our 'Mulch Party' Crew:  Mark and Sam Lopinsky, Paul and Abilgail Ihle, Casey and Kamryn Stutler, Ben and Ben Coll, John and John Edward Auville, Ben and Helen Gilmer, David and Chace Boland, David and Thomas Bailey, David Hanna, Jay Stevens, and Susie Newhouse the Primary parents who donated materials for spring planting, coffee grinding and food preparation lessons. all the Primary parents for providing wonderful nutritious snacks for the children. all of our room parents, who are busy coordinating special projects for Paint the Town. Eric Abdalla, for fixing our phone line troubles following the power outage. Eric McEwuen for his donation of building materials for Plus. our friends at Columbia Gas, for providing a wonderful venue for our first ever MMS Talent Show. Yoga Power, for hosting the middle school aerial yoga unit. JoEllen Zacks and Abbey Fiorelli for their work on the middle school brochure and video. all the MMS families and staff for calmly and efficiently handling the unexpected early dismissal on Tuesday. Jasmine Phillips and Julia Carriger, for sharing their stories with parents at the middle school open house. the Leef family's donation of materials for the Upper Elementary play, and all the  UE parents for helping to get the costumes together.

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Mountaineer Montessori School 308 20th Street, Charleston, WV 25304 304.342.7870 | Email | Website