November 22 - Half Day for Kindergarten
November 25-29 - Thanksgiving Break -- NO SCHOOL
December 7 - Winter Faire
December 13 & 16 - Vision and Hearing Screening
December 23 - January 7 -- Winter Break -- NO SCHOOL
January 6-7 - Teacher Work Days
January 8 -- School Resumes
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Exciting things are happening at Mountain Song, and each day I find myself so grateful to be here. Now in mid-November, I feel the routines and rhythms of the school year have finally taken hold, notwithstanding the snow days that threw us for a loop in October!
With Thanksgiving approaching at the end of the month, I anticipate quiet days with my family and in nature. I hope the break will also provide quality time for you and your family.
It’s worth remembering that holiday times often disrupt children’s routines, which can cause stress and anxiety, no matter how excited they may be for new activities. Please plan to maintain your good home routines as much as possible, such as healthy eating and sleeping habits. These help nurture resilience in children so they can fully enjoy the special activities over break. They also help them return to school rested and ready again to learn, which is, of course, what we treasure.
Please note the upcoming events and deadlines below, as well as the link to the article on reducing holiday stress for children.
Thank you for the warmth and grace that you offer to others. Your kindness provides so many blessings for our school community, and I am deeply moved on a daily basis.
With gratitude,
Dr. Teresa M. Woods
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Have you seen it yet? Mountain Song’s website has had a makeover, thanks to Mr. Greg Knedler, our consultant who formats the Songbird and helps us with so many other things. Thank you, Greg!
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Accepting Intent to Enroll Forms for the 2020-2021 School Year
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Families interested in enrolling their children in Kindergarten through Grade 8 classes or our Homeschool Enrichment Program must submit a
SY 20-21 Intent to Enroll form
by January 31, 2020 to place their child(ren) in the
Enrollment Lottery
. The Intent to Enroll forms are also available at the front office
.
The lottery will occur on Tuesday, February 11, 2020. If your child is selected in the lottery, enrollment packets will be sent to you from our Director of School Performance after confirmation in February. Please contact Sarah Kreger with questions at
skreger@mountainsongschool.com
.
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Vision and Hearing Screenings December 13th
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On December 13th, we will be conducting our annual vision and hearing screenings per state mandate. We will screen all K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 7th graders. In addition, we will screen the following students from all grades:
- Students who are new to MSCS this year
- Students who received referrals from the nurse last year or students whose teachers refer them this year
- Students with 504 plans
- Students with new IEPs or whose IEPs will go under triennial review this year
If you do not want your child screened, please inform Kate Pettey at the front office in person or by email (
kpettey@mountainsongschool.com
) no later than December 12th. Please include your child's name and grade, as well as your preference not to have them screened for the 2019-20 academic year.
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Volunteers Needed: Vision and Hearing Screenings
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CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS: Mountain Song's eyes and ears need you! We need 6 - 8 volunteers to conduct the hearing and vision screenings under the guidance of our consulting nurse, Kimberly Nowland, on Friday, December 13.
Ms. Nowland will provide training to all volunteers on December 13, so please do not hesitate if you've never done this type of volunteering before. Lunch from Qdoba will be provided. We ask that volunteers be available from 8:00 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., as we expect it to take all day to conduct all of the screenings. However, the more volunteers we have helping, the faster we can screen classes and finish the day. Please email Kate Pettey (
kpettey@mountainsongschool.com
), or leave a message on the attendance line (719-203-6364, option 1) if you are able to help.
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Our library is a labor of love and generosity. Many parent and staff volunteers have spent countless hours over the years helping to collect and catalogue books, and every book in our library has been donated by families and friends in our school community.
Please encourage your children to be responsible users of the library. Also, please consider volunteering in the library. It is exciting to see our students using the library with gusto this year. They are READING!
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Citrus Fundraiser by Parent Council (Deadline Today!)
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The Parent Council is in the midst of its citrus fundraiser, featuring the freshest, premium California citrus fruits that will arrive just in time for the winter holidays! Ordering deadline is Friday, November 15. We need 108 boxes ordered to make the companies order minimum, so order today for your holiday gift-giving. The school earns $8.00 per box of citrus purchased, with funds used to benefit our children’s education.
Click here for more information
.
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Please join us for our annual Winter Faire, Saturday, December 7, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
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Want to help?
We are also seeking donations for the following:
- cocoa powder
- broken crayons
- baked goods for the sweet and savory bake sales (donations will be collected Friday, December 6th)
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Reduce Holiday Stress for Children
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Thanksgiving week is fast approaching, with the December holidays following closely on its heels. This time of year often means family gatherings, special foods, extra activities, travel, and magical encounters. It can also mean disrupted routines, new people to interact with, loneliness, overstimulation, and unrealistic expectations.
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6th Grade Aspen Class Fundraiser
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Muffins and hot cider will be sold by the 6th Grade Aspen Class after school today from 2:55 to 3:30. See you there!
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2019 Mountain Song Community School Annual Appeal
(November 15 – December 31)
The Mountain Song Community School Annual Appeal is an important time for Mountain Song Community School where we ask families, friends, and other members of our community to support the school with a philanthropic gift.
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Volunteers Needed for the Farm
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The Farm is in Need of Volunteers! This is a very integral part of our school, so please consider using some of your volunteer hours to keep The Farm up and running. Children are more than welcome to help and are encouraged to participate. Links are now live for signing up for Fall/Winter and Winter/Spring volunteer hours. See below:
Thank you! Parent Council
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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
)
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Mountain Song School Event Calendar
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Mark your calendar with these important Mountain Song Community School dates.
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Mountain Song Community School | 2904 West Kiowa St, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
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Looking for past issues of the Songbird or to sign up new recipients
click here
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