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V
olume 4, Issue 9 | June 2018
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Message from Matt Simberg, M.Ed.
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Dear Parents,
I want to start by thanking all of you for another successful school year at Montessori Seeds of
Education. It is amazing to me to think we are moving into our 5
th
year with AMI Recognition and all Montessori Programs making up MSOE, except for High School! This is all thanks to you and your enthusiastic verbal recognition to other families, which is continually and quickly establishing our good reputation! We have worked hard to fulfill the mission of MSOE and the authenticity of a Montessori experience.
We have quite a few additional families joining us for the summer program and for next school year. It is also exciting that some of these families have Montessori experience, and some are looking forward to their child(ren)'s participation based on what they know about Montessori and what they have heard about our programs.
Also, throughout the next few weeks, you will be receiving communications about next school year, either regarding individual programs or the whole school, such as the calendar. Regarding the property, there will be no further information until the end of August or sometime in September. That does not mean we are not still vigorously at work.
All of our guides are looking forward to seeing everyone in September. We hope you have a safe and enjoyable summer. You may be in contact with me at anytime throughout the summer if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Matthew Simberg, M.Ed.
Head of School
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Toddler Update
Dear Parents,
It is very hard for me to believe that this is my last newsletter to you for this 2017-2018 School Year! It seems as though it was just yesterday that I met those new adorable little faces in September and welcomed back my students from last year! It has been an absolutely amazing year filled with wonderful learning experiences for both the children and myself. I was so honored to have this particular class this year, they have truly been the sweetest, most polite, and funniest little ones who made me laugh everyday!
We were so very busy in the month of May! We Celebrated Cinco De Mayo by making our own quesadillas with salsa for our snack! The Elementary Class hosted a Cinco De Mayo Festival, which was so much fun for the toddlers! An Elementary Student read a book to us about Mexico. The toddlers made a cactus craft and the flag of Mexico! We were served black beans and rice and a Mexican cinnamon dessert made by the Elementary students. Everything was yummy! At the end of the festival, the Elementary students performed the "Mexican Hat Dance" for us and they did a great job. Maybe next year they can teach it to the toddlers!
I hope that you all enjoyed the Mother's and Father's Day Celebrations as much as your little ones loved preparing it for you! The toddlers made the yogurt parfaits, which were so much fun to make and eat! They were so excited to make their fans, cards, place mats and pins for you! Your children worked so hard practicing the songs and all their hard work paid off because they did a fabulous job and it was a beautiful celebration!
We concluded our Life Cycle of the Butterfly in May. The children observed them grow from tiny caterpillars to giant caterpillars then into chrysalis and finally into butterflies. I'm sure you heard all about our little class pets, as the children were eager to see their changes and growth every day! We also started our curriculum on birds. The children are excited when they see a bird outside for our walks and can identify it!
We have been able to spend much more time outside since the weather is warmer. We have been integrating the Toddler and Primary Classes in preparation for transitioning some of our toddlers into the Primary program next year! We have joined the Primary Class during our outside time, which the children love. Some of them get to spend time with their siblings or friends that they have in the Primary Class. We have been going to the Primary classroom to join them for singing songs, having picnics outside together and taking a walk to the gazebo, which is a special treat for them!
It has been a joy for me to see that your little ones have all grown in leaps and bounds and it has been a pleasure to help them blossom into independent, enthusiastic and inquisitive toddlers. I want to wish the children who are moving up good luck in the Primary Classroom, although I will miss them all dearly, I know they will be in the best of hands with Mr. Carl. I look forward to welcoming back those who return in September!
I would just like to remind you to continue encouraging independence throughout the summer at home to insure preparedness for the next school year whether your child will be in the Primary Program, the Toddler Program or moving on to another program. Some of the things you can do to help them continue their independence is to have them dress themselves everyday, remembering not to "correct" them if they have put their shoes on the "wrong" feet or if their shorts are on backwards. Remember, the most important thing is that they have done it themselves and it builds up their confidence when they are able to do anything for themselves. Should we step in and try to "correct a wrong," these actions or language crushes their sense of self pride, their confidence and their desire to try other things on their own. I encourage you to have a picnic once a week or using their lunch boxes when having a meal, so they will continue to practice zippering and opening and closing their containers independently.
I would like to extend a special thank you to all of my parents this year! All of you have been so extremely supportive to me throughout the entire school year and especially through my recuperation. Your support has made this year a very successful one! Please feel free to contact me over the summer should you have any questions or concerns. I will miss those little faces everyday! Have a wonderful summer and I look forward to seeing everyone in September!
Best Regards,
Chris
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Primary Update
Dear Primary Parents,
In the blink of an eye we have come to the end of the year! Many thanks for all your support this year. It was so nice catching up with all of you during conferences, and I feel that this year has been a great year of learning for me and your children. A lot has occurred during our end to the year!
We started the month of May with a party celebrating Cinco De Mayo. The Elementary children organized a huge event and hosted the younger children with a myriad of Cinco de Mayo activities. Some of these activities included a sampling of delicious Mexican food, crafts and lastly a performance of dancing. All the children thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Soon after, the Primary children participated in an African drumming circle. The children learned about the Djembe drum and gained insight into dynamics in music as well as actively practicing listening to each other.
Subsequently, the children throughout the month were hard at work not only practicing lessons, but also preparing for Mother's Day and soon after Father's Day! Whether it be preparing food or putting together crafts and cards, the children were fully engaged and excited for the opportunity to give back to their moms and dads. As a result, both events were truly a labor of love. For those of you who were able to make it, thank you for coming! The children worked so hard and they all did a beautiful job!
The last few weeks of school were a good time for all the children to transition into the end of the school year and their next phase of development. On the last day of school, all the Primary and Toddler children had a fun day of special activities. Some of these activities included sidewalk painting, sandboxes, scooters and water relay races, water boat activities to name a few. We ended the afternoon eating watermelon and reminiscing about our favorite days at school.
In closing, I feel that each month this year has seemed to grow into a crescendo of positive experiences. It has truly been a pleasure for me and Ms. Anne to be able to get to know all your children this year. I appreciate all your insights, conversations and support this year. I hope that all of you have a wonderful summer!
Best Regards,
Mr. Carl and Ms. Anne
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Elementary Update
Dear Parents,
We have had a very successful year in the elementary classroom. The children have had a wide scope of experiences. It has been a pleasure and honor to participate in watching your children develop and grow on all levels. A lot of engaging and fruitful work occurred regularly throughout the year. As you may have experienced, we also worked on things like shaking hands, making eye contact, conflict resolution and communication skill building.
Over the next week you will be receiving at least two things from me via email. One will be a summer reading list with corresponding assignments. Another will be homework assignments/things to do with your child over the summer. These things will incorporate suggestions to nurture your relationship with your child(ren) and help to maintain continuity throughout the summer between things worked on at school and at home. I do not encourage too much academic work during the summer. However, if you have questions and would like suggestions, please feel free to call or email me.
Some additional goals for next school year will include the following. I would definitely like to incorporate more going outs and 1 to 2 field trips. It would be great if there were parents who would like to come in to share some personal skills that they have. I know one new parent is proficient in sign language and has offered to collaborate in teaching some of the children this communication skill.
I'm really looking forward to things like that and other opportunities I have not even thought of. Also, I would like to offer at least four parent collaboration nights. So if you think of anything that would be of interest to you for me to plan, please send those thoughts my way by clicking here. I could even give lessons in certain areas for you to get an idea of some of the things your children experience. Additionally, I would like to collaborate to come up with a solution for childcare for your children on those nights and maybe even a family meal.
I want to thank you all for a great year coupled with your support. Again, it has been a pleasure working with you and your children. I am looking forward to working with them again and the new children who will be joining us for the 2018-2019 school year. Have a safe and enjoyable summer!
- Mr. Matt
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Adolescent Update
We are excited to announce that Ms. Patty will be going to California this summer to get her AMI Montessori Adolescent Guide Certification at the Grove School in Redlands, Ca. She will spend five weeks at their farm school working hard to prepare for a great new chapter for MSOE. The plan is for Ms. Patty to head up our Adolescent program next school year with the help of supplemental subject area experts and we are looking forward to what's in store for the adolescents. We will be cross training and hiring new staff in order to help manage all of the administrative duties so that she can focus on establishing a solid foundation for the program. We are excited to be able to offer the next step in our growth and expansion.
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STEM Scouts Update
Elementary STEM
Elementary STEM Scouts have been exploring magnetism! We learned about the different types of magnets like the horseshoe, bar, Neodymium and we even got to make electro magnets. Each of those magnets are of different strengths, but we learned to increase their strength by charging them, combining them and electrifying them. We learned about polarity, what metals are able to be magnetised and which are not. Finally, with some copper wire, a battery and a magnet, we made a simple motor to take home.
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Holistic Health & Nutrition with Mrs. Jamie
The summer is here and it feels like the school year has flown by! I am so grateful for all the families that have participated and contributed to the first year of the Primary Snack Program! It was a huge success, thank you.
If you plan on being outside a lot this summer, which I hope you are, remember that the sun and summer time activities can be very dehydrating to the body. Be sure to drink plenty of liquids. Skip the sugary sports drinks, juices and sodas and replace them with good ol' water. Juices, sodas and sports drinks don't hydrate the body quite like water can.
Adding slices of fresh fruit like pineapple, watermelons or strawberries to your water can be surprisingly refreshing and add a delicious flavor. You can also purée fruit then pour into ice cube trays and freeze for tasty and decorative ice cubes.
Staying properly hydrated prevents heat related illnesses such as headaches, exhaustion and nausea. This is especially important to be careful for with children & seniors.
I hope everyone has an enjoyable and safe summer. Stay cool with this healthy and very tasty alternative to ice cream!
Chocolate Avocado Ice Cream
Serves 2
Ingredients-
2 Frozen Bananas
1 Frozen Avocado
1 Tbl. Cocoa Powder
1 Tbl. Maple Syrup
1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/8 Tsp. Sea Salt
Directions-
1.) Peel and freeze bananas overnight.
1.) Blend frozen bananas, frozen avocado, vanilla, maple syrup and salt in food processor or blender until smooth consistency.
3.)Spoon the mixture into a tray and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Place tray in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Remove from freezer and scoop into bowls.
Enjoy!
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