Hilltop Montessori School's mission is for students to practice responsible independence in a caring community of curious, critical learners and thoughtful citizens.
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Next Week:
March 3-6th
- American Montessori Society Accreditation site visit
March 7th
- Children's House Work Share - 8:30-9:15 am
- Winter Sports Make Up / Last Winter Sports Day!
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Important Future Dates:
March 14th
- Noon Dismissal: Parent/Teacher Conferences (afternoon child care available, sign up at the front desk)
March 15th
- No School: Parent/Teacher Conferences (child care available, sign up at the front desk)
March 22
- Lower El Field Trip to Beneski Museum of Natural History (more info below)
- The Board Meet and Greet - Second Annual Chili Cook-off (more info below)
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The American Montessori Society is sending three members of its accreditation team to Hilltop!
This is the culmination of two years of self-study by the Hilltop staff, faculty, and parent/Board partners. We
are excited to demonstrate how deep and authentic Hilltop's practice of Montessori is! Only 13% of Montessori schools have this accreditation. The visit will start on Sunday with a tour of the school and an opportunity to meet staff and later the board. The accreditation team will then have three jam packed days at the school. They will be looking to certify that we do what we said we do in our 200 page self-study submitted last summer. It will be very gratifying to have this visit! We have had fun getting ready!
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On Wednesday evening the HOS Board of Trustees braved the snow to gather for our February meeting. Some of the highlights include:
- AMS accreditation site visit! Next week we will have a team from the American Montessori Society on campus to evaluate HMS Montessori programming. As a board, we will be having a dinner with the site visitors to discuss our governance and strategic planning for the school.
- Board Meet and Greet - Friday, March 22 - This is the second Annual Board Chili Cook-off - Meet, Greet and EAT! We will be doing a short presentation about Hilltop's progress in our 5-year strategic plan, as we are now about halfway through. This will include:
- an update on the AMS accreditation site visit,
- our progress towards our long-term endowment goals,
- the impact this is having on the school's finances,
- Board engagement in the equity/diversity discussion and learning,
- supporting the school in implementing secondary strategic goals related to technology integration and non-English language learning at different program levels.
Each Board committee is preparing their own special chili recipe, and there will be cornbread, tres leches cake, and games! Child care will be provided by the Middle School Kids' Night Out team. We really hope to see you there!
Stay in touch!
Vanessa, Alix & Angela
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Too cute for words, so how about a few pictures:
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One of the most rewarding things about being a Montessori teacher is being able to watch children over years of development. We are always so honored to see each step of growth along the way! We wanted to share some observations from this past week that highlight that experience.
In the Birch Room, we watched Oliver give a lesson to Daegan, who was trying to figure out a counting work. Oliver jumped over with a smile and said, “I can help with that!” He carefully laid out the materials, and showed Daegan how to count the spindles. Oliver’s words and gestures closely followed a teacher’s while he gave this lesson. This included pointing out the difference between a numeral and a quantity. “This says seven,” Oliver said when pointing out the numeral. “We need seven,” he explained while gesturing to the bundle of spindles in his hand. He had clearly not only mastered the material, but the social skills needed to explain it.
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Oliver gives Daegan a lesson on the spindle work.
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A similar experience occurred the next day in the Willow Room with Mazin and Liam. Liam needed assistance with a letter matching work. When a teacher asked Mazin if he could help, he jumped up and told the Older he was working with, “I’ll be right back - Liam needs me!” Mazin quickly crouched down next to Liam and got to work helping him sort and identify some lower case letters. We were struck by how Mazin scaffolded his help, only offering assistance if Liam seemed stuck. Mazin also let Liam know his work was important by giving Liam both attention and positive feedback. “Great job!” he said more than once after Liam figured out a tricky match. Like Oliver, Mazin had used both his content knowledge and his social skills to be a leader in the classroom.
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Mazin and Liam work on letters.
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This kind of leadership doesn’t suddenly happen once a child becomes an Older. Helping each other is part of the culture. Youngers not only get help from older children; they contribute to the classroom too. They may be asked to do small things, like getting a paper towel for a friend, but the idea that we are here to help each other is already there. All the children participate in cleaning and tidying up the whole room, for example, rather than just the section they were sitting in. The children help prepare snack for each other. And we note “random acts of kindness” toward one another every day. As the children get older, they are gradually asked to take on more responsibility in both taking care of their own body and things, and in taking care of others. They see the Olders as leaders and look forward to taking on the increased activities and responsibilities of that role.
At this time of year, we see the Olders truly settle into their leadership role, and consolidate their learning from their years in the Children’s House. By next fall, they will start the cycle again as they rely on older peers to help navigate their new classroom and responsibilities. Liam, Daegan, and the other Youngers will start taking on some more responsibilities of their own. Soon enough, they will be the ones giving the lessons!
-The Children’s House Teachers
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Harper helps Athena with a puzzle while Sylvia looks on.
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Sophie and AJ collaborate on a map work.
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Annabel assists Quentin with a puzzle.
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We picked up where we left off before parting for break, finishing up reading group projects and Timeline of Life work. Our measurement study began, too. Students were busy finding objects in our room to measure, using various measuring tools (rulers, yard sticks, measuring tapes, and small wooden cubes) to judge their length.
UPCOMING FIELD TRIP! On Friday, March 22nd
,
we are heading down to Amherst College, to get a tour of their Beneski Museum of Natural History. We will leave at 8:45, and will get settled at the museum at 9:45. The visit includes a guided tour and discussion of Ice Age mammals, as well as the progression of life from jellyfish to tetrapod. Then we have a half hour to explore the dinosaur and mineral halls in small groups. We will depart at 11:15 and return to school in time for a (belated) lunch, including pizza for those who receive it. If this sounds like your cup of tea, please email both
Kerstin
and
Patrick
to let us know that you would like to drive, and how many children you can accommodate in your car-with and without booster seats.
Notes on Sharing in LE: We are happy that our students want to share their interests with us! With so many sharings, we have not been able to accommodate them in a timely fashion. After doing some thinking, we realized if every child wants to share, they would have an opportunity about once a month. In order to make these items and stories as meaningful as they can be, we are asking for your help in the planning of these sharings. Any type of item that has a story or demonstrates the child's hard work (something they built, tested, painted, etc.) is encouraged. We generally discourage bringing in toys.
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Addy, Ayla, Sophia, and Lydia practice supplying reasons for their opinions during Writers' Workshop
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Belly-sliding fun at recess
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Charlotte measures classroom objects using cubes.
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Henry creates his own Australia Biome Reader.
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Oona works on a poster for her reading group.
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Sebastian uses a ruler to measure a classroom chair.
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The Youngers draw pictures of their collections during Writers' Workshop.
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The Youngers measure the length of Uri with wooden cubes - He is 66 cubes long!
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Winter sports - Students learn how to twirl during their skating lessons.
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The sixth grade visited Montpelier as a part of our government study. We began in the Vermont Supreme Court, conducting a mock trial, led by a law clerk at the court. The case was based upon a real case concerning the dispute over ownership of a dog. It was very revealing about how the court operates. The students also got a big kick out of assuming the roles needed to ‘try’ the case in the real courtroom and sitting in the judges’ seats.
From there, we proceeded to the State House, a very busy place. It happened to be “Disabilities Awareness Day”. We ran into many friends: Rep. Emily Kornheiser, mother to Solomon (HMS middle school student) who challenged us to find the three portraits of women in the State House; Rep. Mollie Burke, who taught art at Hilltop for near two decades before her legislative career; Rep. Tristan Toleno (D Brat); Sen. Becca Ballant (D Brat); and Maya Sutton-Smith, Hilltop graduate, and now a Committee Assistant. She explained that her job is to schedule all the people who testify before the committee she serves. After lunch, we took a guided tour and were later introduced on the House floor to the assembled Representatives and visitors. We wrapped up the day with a quick walk through the Vermont Historical Society Museum.
In other news, the class began a study of ecology by looking at different types of ecological interactions, such as parasite/host, commensalism and competition. As a precursor to looking at the spread of religions through Eurasia, the 4th-5ths were introduced to the ideas of animism, polytheism, and monotheism. The sixths meanwhile were introduced to key events leading to the Civil War. We began a new round of lit and sem books:
Number the Stars
by Lois Lowry,
Day of the Pelican
by Katherine Paterson, and
Heart of a Samurai
by Margi Press. Grammar lessons, on hold during winter sports, made a reappearance with a review of noun types (common, proper, abstract and collective), and a new study of verbs.
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Now that we have returned from February break we are focusing our sights on the upcoming Alabama Odyssey. We are leaving April 3rd and returning on the 10th. Before we leave there are specific outlines and research papers on a leader of the Civil Rights Movement to write, speeches in the spirit of that person to craft and memorize, and charcoal portraits to create. The portraits of these remarkable people along with an accompanying quote will be on display at Amy’s Bakery beginning the middle of March through the month of April. Please drop by and take a look.
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Preparing the terrain for a science experiment
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If you’re signed up, we’re looking forward to seeing you and your child(ren) there! If not,
the next KNO will be on March 22
. Mark your calendar! In the meantime, please visit our
website
. If you have any questions, email us at
sponzio@hilltopmontessori.org.
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UE seeks hamster/small rodent cage
: The UE class would like to acquire a new pet, but needs a hamster or mouse cage to put it in. If anyone has anything not currently in use that they would be willing to donate, let us know (
jhed@hilltopmontessori.org
) Thanks!
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THANK YOU
to
Hazel Pizza
for providing delicious pizzas for the students and staff every week! Sccccrrrrumptious! We still and always will ♡ 🍕!!
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BIG THANKS
to
Brattleboro Tire
for donating our Hilltop van's winter snow tires and for rotating them each year!
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Girls on the Run is starting next Wednesday, March 6th! It will be from 3:00 - 4:30 at Hilltop. Details to follow early next week!
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NEYT's Junior Company would like to extend a warm invitation to Hilltop students for our production of
A Wrinkle In Time
, by Tracy Young, adapted from the novel by Madeleine L'Engle and directed by Katrina Spenceman and Julia Tadlock.
Meg Murry is once again joining forces with Mrs. Whatsit, Charles Wallace, Calving O'Keefe and more to battle the forces of evil so she can rescue her father, save humanity and find herself. Performed by young actors ages nine to twelve, this particular adaptation tells this story of adventure and discovery in a fresh, unexpected way, and, of course, in the end, audiences will know two things for sure: 1. Love CAN overcome evil and 2. There IS such a thing as a tesseract. Join us!
The play performs March 8 at 7 pm, March 9 at 2 pm and 7 pm, March 15 at 7 pm, and March 16 at 2 pm and 7 pm. Tickets for these performances are $11 for Adults, $10 for Seniors, and $7 for Students.
Tickets may be purchased in advance at
www.neyt.org
, in person at the NEYT Box Office, or by phone (802) 246-6398 from 12-5pm on Wednesdays. The show plays at New England Youth Theatre,
100 Flat Street
in Brattleboro, Vermont.
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Do you like to play hoops?
Put your basketball skills for charity and come play at the Sunrise Rotary 3 on 3 Tournament. All levels are welcome to join in the fun! If you have a team of 4 who would like to play, see the flyer below on how to register. There will be lots of prizes and snacks! All proceeds benefit the Sunrise Rotary Scholarship Funds.
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