Important Dates: August 27 - September 24
MONDAY, AUGUST 27 - FRIDAY, AUGUST 31: Orientation for Toddler Program and Children's House: ALL Students

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3: NO SCHOOL, Labor Day

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4: Regular schedule begins for Toddler and Children's House students; Soccer Game, 4:30 @Force Northfield

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6 : Ice Cream Social, 6 - 7:30pm; Grades 7 and 8 Class Trip Meeting, 6:30 - 7pm

MONDAY, SEPT 10 AND TUESDAY, SEPT 11: NO SCHOOL, Rosh Hashanah

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12: Soccer Game, 4:15pm @Beaumont

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13: Soccer Game, 4:15 @Andrews Osborne

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14: Montessori Morning for Toddlers and Children's House, 9 - 10:30am

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17: Soccer Game, 4:30 @Force Northfield

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19: NO SCHOOL, Yom Kippur

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20: Soccer Game, 4:30 @Force Northfield

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24: NO SCHOOL, Sukkot
A Note from Mike Griffith
Dear Ratner Families,

Wow!! What a great end to a fantastic first week of school! Many thanks to our wonderful faculty and staff for the hard work and preparation they have put in to provide our students with an exceptional education. From the classrooms, to the offices, to the work done on the grounds and facility, and the dedicated activities of the RPO, each person has taken great care in making Ratner Montessori a vibrant school community. The energy and enthusiasm each member of our community brings to each day is inspiring. I have had an opportunity to spend time in classrooms across the building, in recess duty, and the lunch room. Your children are remarkable and full of great promise. It has been a joy to see the warmth with which our returning students have received those new to Ratner. We are a welcoming and caring global community. This value has truly been apparent during the first few days of the year.

The hard work and focus on our transformation to a full Montessori school is well underway. I know that everyone is exploring this and opening their minds to new things. And not just the students - the staff and you all as parents are all engaging in the change! The benefits to our students and the learning this will bring is tremendous. Thank you for your commitment to this journey. We are better together as a community and will continue to grow as we share this learning experience.

In the coming months there will be more examples of our continued growth, and I invite you to come in and see the students and staff engaging with these tools to enhance their learning. The work of Montessori students and classrooms is best seen in practice.  

Many thanks to you, Ratner Montessori parents, for entrusting your children to our care. We will do everything we can to live up to that trust, and to continue to provide an exceptional educational experience for your students in a safe and nurturing school environment. My hope for this year is simple; for each and every student to be fully engaged, and excited for learning, so they can grow and develop to become the wonderful young people that we all see in our hopes and dreams for them.

Best,
Mike
Get to Know Elementary Montessori -
A Note from Mrs. Morin
The Great Lessons are an important and unique part of the Montessori curriculum. These lessons are bold, exciting, and are designed to awaken a child's imagination and curiosity. The child should be struck with the wonder of creation, thrilled with new ideas, and awed by the inventiveness and innovation that is part of the human spirit.

The Five Great Lessons are traditionally presented in lower elementary (grades 1-3), and are presented every year so that children see them more than one time. Unlike the 3-6 environment, where the child is introduced first to "small" ideas that gradually widen into larger concepts, the elementary child is introduced right away to large concepts - the largest of all being the beginning of the universe. Then they can be shown how all the smaller ideas fit into the larger framework.

Traditionally, there are Five Great Lessons that are used to paint a broad picture before moving to more specific study. They consist of:
  • First Great Lesson - Coming of the Universe and the Earth
  • Second Great Lesson - Coming of Life
  • Third Great Lesson - Coming of Human Beings
  • Fourth Great Lesson - Communication in Signs
  • Fifth Great Lesson - The Story of Numbers

Elementary I students experience the First Great Lesson on the first day of school! We hope you enjoy these photo highlights, and we encourage you to ask your child about the lesson!
Drop Off and Dismissal Reminders
FRONT DOORS OPEN AT 8:15AM
Any students arriving prior to 8:15 should be dropped off at Morning Movement, which is available 7:30 - 8:15am. Morning Movement drop-off is in the upper parking lot, at the back sidewalk, and entry is through the gym breezeway doors. If you are arriving just a few minutes prior to 8:15, you are welcome to wait in the carpool line or parking lot until you see Ratner staff open the front doors at 8:15 .

DISMISSAL CHANGES SHOULD BE COMMUNICATED TO THE FRONT OFFICE
If your child will be going home in any way other than what we have on record on your transportation form, please notify the front office via email or phone (i.e., if your child typically rides the bus, but you will be picking them up instead). Any early pick-ups or late arrivals should also be communicated to the Front Office.

Please email Mandy Walden ( mwalden@theratnerschool.org ) and Nadia Vinogradov-Carek ( ncarek@theratnerschool.org ) to communicate these changes, or call 216-464-0033 .
Annual RPO Ice Cream Social - Sept. 6, 6pm
Join us on Thursday, September 6, 6 - 7:30pm.

The annual RPO Ice Cream Social is a fun event for all Ratner families, featuring delicious ice cream, a photo booth with hilarious props, and a chance to meet your children's classmates and their families. See you there!
Grades 7 and 8 Class Trip Meeting
Parents of 7th and 8th grades students received an email this week regarding a meeting to discuss options for this year's 7th/8th class trip.

As many of you know, The Island School in Eleuthera, Bahamas, could no longer accommodate our school, and Ratner's science teacher, Mrs. Patel, spent the summer researching other options. Mrs. Patel and the 7th/8th team would like parent input and feedback before selecting one of the options.

The meeting will take place during  Ratner's annual Ice Cream Social on Thursday, September 6 . The Ice Cream Social begins at 6pm, and the meeting will take place in the  chapel  (feel free to bring your ice cream in with you!) at  6:30pm . 
Raptors Soccer Registration is Open!
Students entering Grades 5 - 8 are invited to join the Ratner Raptors soccer team!

Practices have started, but it's not too late to join! The season finishes the week of October 22. All scheduled practices and games can be found on our website calendar . Please use the link below to register.

Questions? Email Coach Dom at dianiro@theratnerschool.org

27575 Shaker Boulevard
Pepper Pike, Ohio 44124
216 464 0033
www.theratnerschool.org