Dates to Remember
September 9-20 - MAP Testing Grades 3-8

September 13 -- K-3 Assessment Day
 
September 14 -- Ag Arts Volunteer Training Day

September 17 -- MSCS Board Meeting

September 23 -- Class Parent Representative Briefing Night

September 26 - Skate City Fundraiser (Parent Council)
2019-2020 School Year Begins
Tuesday, September 3rd, marked the start of the 2019-20 academic year at Mountain Song Community School. The two first grade classes were welcomed by their teachers and the rest of the grades students in the Rose Ceremony in the gym. The Kindergarten classes started school on Wednesday, September 4th, and the Home School Program has had first days of school all week. Teachers and students throughout the school have gotten straight to the joyous engagement of learning this week! 

For the full story and pictures, click here .
Economic Data Survey - Fee Waivers
Please complete your Economic Data Survey form if you have not already done so. If you qualify for free and reduced lunch status, your school fees will be waived. Even if you think you may not qualify, please complete it and turn it in, since we need a high participation rate to help the school qualify for additional funding. Information is completely confidential. Thanks to all who have completed it so far! Click here for more information.

K-3 Assessment Day
Friday, September 13, 2019
The K-3 Assessment Day is Friday, September 13th. This will not be a typical school day for grades K-3. Instead, please bring your K-3 children to school only in their assessment time slot during which they will be assessed for reading. Sign up with your class teacher.

Grades 3-8 MAP Assessments September 9-20, 2019
The beginning-of-year MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) growth assessments will be administered in grades 3 through 8 between Monday, September 9th and Friday, September 20th.

Attendance Awareness Month
Research shows how important school attendance is for academic, social, and emotional learning. In fact, school attendance is a stronger predictor of who will complete high school than test scores are. Click below for more information:


Volunteer Training for the Agricultural Arts Program
Saturday, September 14, 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Do you love being outdoors, working with plants and animals, and logging your volunteer hours all at the same time? Consider volunteering with the Agricultural Arts Program.
If you are interested in volunteering in the garden, please join us for an Ag Arts Volunteer Training Day on Saturday, September 14th from 9:30-11:30 am . This is a drop-in event, so feel free to arrive and leave as you wish. Please wear closed-toed shoes and appropriate sun protection. This training is for adults only; please make alternate plans for children. We will review how to water our garden, feed our animals, and complete other fun tasks!

Mr. Adam Wright
Substitutes, Kinder Assistant, and Para Needed

Are you or someone you know interested in being a Substitute Teacher, a Kindergarten Assistant, or Para-professional at Mountain Song? Please see the application and job descriptions at the link below, and/or contact Dan Kurschner at (719) 203-6364 or dkurschner@mountainsongschool.com . 

Link to the Employment page on our website:  https://mountainsongschool.com/about/employment/  
Class Parent Representative Briefing Night
Monday, September 23rd, 6:30 p.m.
Class Parent Representative Briefing Night
Monday, September 23rd 
6:30 p.m. 
Mountain Song Community School Gymnasium
Thank you for signing up to be a Parent Representative for your classroom! This is such an important and rewarding volunteer position in the school. Please plan to attend the Class Parent Representative Briefing Night on September 23rd at 6:30 p.m. This will be an adults only meeting. This will be a great meeting with lots of helpful information to help you be successful this year. See you there!

Parent Council

Thank you,

Veronica Slack and Holly Sucharski
MSCS Parent Council Co-Chairs
We have 2019-2020 enrollment opportunities still available for 6th, 7th & 8th Grades.
New Aftercare Provider: Innovation Learning

We are happy to announce our new relationship with the aftercare provider, Innovation Learning. Based on our research of various programs, we feel that Innovation Learning will be able to provide an after-school program that closely aligns with our Waldorf approach while at the same time bringing competitive pricing for you. 

Please see flyer below for information on their program and how to register.

The MSCS Executive Leadership Team
It's Time to Run!!
The Landsharks Running Club is an after-school running club for students in grades Kindergarten through 6th. Practice times will be 3-4pm Monday and Friday starting September 9th. Practices consist of running games and workouts with a strong focus on fun. Races are held on Sunday afternoons at the Bear Creek Park. Kindergarten and 1st grade race distances are either .5 miles or 1 mile. The 2nd - 6th grade race distances are either 1 mile or 1.5 miles. Race dates are Sept. 22nd, 29th, and Oct 6th. Cost is $60 - Financial Aid is available through Landsharks. Register online at www.Landsharksrunningclub.com . All participants must be registered prior to their first practice. I look forward to seeing our Mountain Song students.  

-- Mr. Dan Kurschner
Shoe Requirements for
Agricultural Arts and Games/Movement
Closed toed shoes (preferably waterproof) will be required for all students during Ag Arts. Closed toed shoes that are comfortable to move, jump, and play in will be required for all students during Games and Movement.  

Please talk with your student's classroom teacher about the days your child will be participating in Ag Arts and in Games/Movement. Also consider donating any shoes your child has outgrown to our programs so that we can begin building a stock of shoes for others to use.

Celebrating 100 Years of Waldorf Education

One hundred years after the first Waldorf School was founded in Stuttgart, Germany in September 1919, over 1,000 Waldorf schools thrive today throughout the world in nearly 90 countries. While many Waldorf schools in the United States are private, Mountain Song Community School is among the growing number of public Waldorf charter schools. As such, Mountain Song belongs to the Alliance for Public Waldorf Education .

Click here if you would like to learn more about this worldwide movement and the 100 year celebrations of Waldorf education. And below, enjoy one of the videos created for this special year, to highlight some of the cultural challenges Waldorf educators meet in different countries.
Mountain Song School Event Calendars
Mark your calendar with these important Mountain Song Community School dates.

Songbird Contributions
Article or announcement contributions must be submitted to Dr. Woods by Tuesday at 5 p.m. for inclusion in each week’s Songbird newsletter, typically distributed on Fridays. ( twoods@mountainsongschool.com )
As a public charter school, Mountain Song Community School is proud to provide quality Waldorf education at no cost.  Yet the funds we receive as a charter school are less than what a typical Colorado public school receives.

At the same time, we are responsible for additional expenses, such as our facilities and maintenance costs.  The expenses associated with the building lease, instructional and learning materials, staffing, special programs, and field trips continue to increase each year. In order to provide the valuable programming that makes Waldorf education exceptional, we rely on community donations to reach our annual fundraising goals. Please consider signing up for a small monthly recurring contribution today.
Mountain Song Community School | 2904 West Kiowa St, Colorado Springs, CO 80904