October 12 - Fall Harvest Festival (Parent Council)
October 14 - NO SCHOOL - Teacher PD
October 15 - MSCS Board Meeting
October 17 - Rescheduled Parent Council Meeting
October 25 - Dia de los Muertos Assembly
October 30-31 - Parent Teacher Conferences -- NO SCHOOL
November 1 - NO SCHOOL
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I am so impressed at how quickly winter roared into view! The forecast still promises some true autumn days ahead, but it is certainly time to think about winter storms. Please see our inclement weather policy below. Also, be sure your children are dressed warmly for the cold weather, and be sure to check the Lost and Found at the bottom of the entryway stairs for any warm clothes that have been left on the playgrounds in the milder afternoons.
In this week’s Songbird, we let you know of upcoming activities, including the Parent Council’s Fall Harvest Festival on Saturday! We report on the Festival of Courage activities from last week, new initiatives, volunteer opportunities, and other news. Remember there will be no school on Monday, October 14, as teachers are immersed in professional development activities. Also, the Parent Council meeting originally scheduled for last night (October 10) has been rescheduled for next Thursday, October 17, due to the winter storm.
I would like to thank the many volunteers who help deepen the community involvement at Mountain Song. We would not be a community school without you!
Thank you for your support.
--Dr. Teresa Woods
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Fall Harvest Festival
October 12, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
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The Mountain Song Parent Council Festivals Committee would like to welcome our community to join in this year’s Fall Festival on Saturday, October 12th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The Fall Festival is the committee’s gift to our community and is completely free. We will welcome the autumn with stories, stone soup, drinks, and bread.
How can you help?
- Join the Parent Council Festivals Committee
- Take home and complete a craft kit
- Volunteer for set-up and/or clean-up for the festival
- Help seek donations
- Volunteer to collect windfall apples in Penrose, Colorado
- Donate veggies for the soup
- Volunteer to chop veggies with the community after school on October 11
- Most importantly, come join us at the festival!
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Mountain Song students participated in an Obstacle Course and a dramatic pageant during the Friday Assembly last week to celebrate the Autumn Festival of Courage!
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Inclement Weather Policy and School Closures
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Now that we are experiencing winter weather, please be reminded of our policy regarding inclement weather school closures and delayed starts.
While Mountain Song is not a District 11 school, it does reside in School District 11. During the school calendar days that coincide with D-11, we will observe their closure schedule for inclement weather. For the days during which we schedule classes when D-11 does not, this decision will be made by the School’s Executive Leadership Team.
We also recognize that weather in our region may vary widely, and that we have many families residing outside of the D-11 area. We encourage families to make wise decisions about coming to school based on safety. Such absences will be excused.
The Executive Leadership Team
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October Parent Council Meeting
Rescheduled
Thursday, October 17th, 6:30 p.m.
MSCS Gym
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Due to the snow storm, the Parent Council Meeting originally scheduled for October 10th has been rescheduled for Thursday, October 17th.
Please join us for the October Parent Council Meeting.
Thursday, October 17th
6:30 p.m. at the MSCS gymnasium
There will be childcare provided by one of our very own classroom assistant teachers. We will have board members present to go over the proposed Parent Council and Board merge. We will also be voting on Chair Committee positions and upcoming events. See you there!
May the light brighten your day☀
Holly and Veronica PC CO Chairs
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Greetings, wonderful Mountain Song community!
As the school’s new Dean of Students, I am thrilled to be working closely with our faculty and your sweet children in another fulfilling year!
As I get to know our students, I am finding a few common experiences that are prevalent within our student body. We would like to offer as much support to our students as possible so they understand they are not alone in their experiences. It is also helpful for many children to hear from others as a way of processing their own, sometimes complicated feelings. To help, we will begin instituting a “Lunch Bunch” group, where students can have lunch with Dr. Woods, our Principal, Erin Kivo, our Social Worker, or me. We will simply gather and let the children meet other classmates and allow them to eat together, talk, or just listen to kids who are experiencing similar circumstances.
Our first Lunch Bunch group will focus on children who are experiencing a family member who is deployed. The family member can be currently deployed, anticipating a future deployment, or may have recently returned from deployment. We will meet twice per month for several weeks during your child’s normal lunch time.
Please contact me if you would like your child to participate. I will also personally reach out to families who currently serve in the military to whom we may offer support. I am happy to speak further or answer questions if anyone would like to reach out; my direct phone number is 719-800-5479. Thank you for your consideration!
Warmly,
Cori Karasiuk, Dean of Students
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No School on Monday, October 14
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Please remember that there will be no school for students on Monday, October 14, as teachers will be involved in professional development. Specifically, teachers enrolled in the Denver-based Gradalis Waldorf training program will be gone Friday, October 11, and busy with the training through the weekend. Teachers enrolled in the Mountain Song Waldorf training will be working all day Monday with Katherine Lehman from Sacramento, California. Enjoy the day off for students!
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Parent-Teacher Conferences:
October 30 and 31 - No School
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Parent-teacher conferences will be held on October 30th and 31st. Classes will NOT be in session during the parent-teacher conferences. Child care will not be provided during this time. Teachers are sending information about how to sign up for parent conferences. Parents/guardians, please check your emails for additional information, or contact your child's teacher directly with any questions about the conferences.
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Dear Mountain Song Families,
Every year, we survey our families to count how many federally connected students are enrolled in our school. Why? Because the federal government reimburses schools for loss of tax revenue for families that are federally connected (the federal government is exempt from paying property taxes). So be sure to be counted so Mountain Song can benefit from these efforts to level the playing field!
Federally connected students are those connected to members of uniformed services, to federal properties such as Indian lands, national parks, VA hospitals, national labs, federally subsidized low-rent housing, and whose parents work on federal property. Depending on the number of federally connected students we have at our school, we may be eligible to receive additional federal funds.
If you or a member of your household is federally connected, please be sure to be counted by completing this form and returning it to the school by December 10th. The form should be completed per student. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Sarah Kreger at
skreger@mountainsongschool.com
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Fall Masquerade Ball
Saturday, October 26th, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
$5.00 admission for students, chaperones are free
Please join us in your most fantastically elegant attire for this year’s Fall Masquerade Ball! There will be a photo booth in which to make lasting memories with friends and to show off those amazing masks. Dance and twirl the night away to new music requests (pre-approved) and enjoy some popcorn at the Snack Shack.
The first hour of the ball (5 - 6 p.m.) will be for ALL students (chaperoned by all parents), while the last 2 hours of the ball (6 - 8 p.m.) will be for middle school students ONLY (chaperoned by parent volunteers in shifts). Middle school students MUST be signed in to enter the Ball and signed out at the conclusion of the Ball. Masks may be worn in front of the face on sticks only (may not be attached to the head) and the dress code is either in line with the theme or nice clothing, no rips or tears, no hoodies or ball caps, etc...
Thank you
Parent Council
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Ms. Splees is now Ms. Tafoya Congratulations!
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Ms. Regina Splees, Mountain Song’s Class Teacher of the Willow 7th grade class, married Mr. James Tafoya earlier this fall, and she is now happily known as Ms. Tafoya. Our joyous congratulations to the wonderful couple!
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Volunteers Needed: Traffic Safety Monitor
For Drop-Off and Pick-Up
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We are looking for volunteers to help keep traffic moving during morning drop off and afternoon pick up. Volunteers will be required to wear a yellow vest. One person will patrol the loading zone at the front of the building (Kiowa Street), the other will patrol the loading zone to the east side (29th Street). The first volunteer to arrive will choose which area they want to patrol.
Volunteers must be prepared to remind fellow parents that they cannot park in the loading zones. Signs on both are clear: "No Parking During School Hours" We need four volunteers each day, two in the morning from 7:50-8:15 am and two in the afternoon from 2:35-3:15 pm.
Since school started this year, we have experienced some close calls in keeping children safe during morning drop-off and pick-up.
Please help keep all children safe during these times by observing traffic zones.
If you are interested in volunteering as a Safety Monitor in a morning or afternoon shift, please sign up
here
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Citrus Fundraiser by Parent Council
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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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Help Restock the Parent Council Food Pantry
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The MSCS Parent Council has established a Food Pantry for our school! We have an ongoing need for accessible nutritional food for our students, and with your help, we can fill that need. The Food Pantry is in need of restocking. Please drop off donations in the bin just inside the front doors. Cold items can be dropped at the front desk.
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100 Years of Waldorf
An Education for the Future
All over the world, people connected to Waldorf schools are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the first Waldorf school this month. Here is a video recently released in celebration of Waldorf schools around the world.
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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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