Hilltop Montessori School's mission is for students to practice responsible independence in a caring community of curious, critical learners and thoughtful citizens.

Newsletter / Friday, October 12, 2018

This Week:  Parent/Teacher Conferences are this week! Fri, Sat & Sun, October 12-14 Soccer Tournament, Red Team: Fri: 5:00 pm vs. Putney @ Field 2 (Landmark) Sat: 10:15 am vs. Dummerston @ Field 2; 11:45 am vs. Brattleboro Green @ Field 1; 2pm vs. TGS @ Field 2 Sunday TBD Tuesday, October 16 3:00-4:30, Soccer, K-3 Practice 5:00-6:00, Soccer, Red Team @ Home vs. Kurn Hattin Wednesday, October 17 4:00-5:00, Soccer, White Team @ Home vs. Twin Valley MS 6:00-9:00 pm, Board Meeting Thursday, October 18 8:45-9:15 am, All School Gathering Noon Dismissal, Parent/Teacher Conferences Friday, October 19 No School, Parent/Teacher Conferences

Future Dates: Thursday, October 25 Middle School field trip to Concord, MA Friday, October 26 5:30-7:30pm, Annual FUNd Family Halloween Party, Arts Barn Friday, November 9 Lower Elementary Field trip to Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center from 9-11

Parent/Teacher and Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences

These meetings, coming up next week (and again in March), are an opportunity for parents to hear about and see the work that their child is doing in the classroom. We thank everyone for signing up and for your flexibility with additional conference times this month.  For the Toddler Program, Children’s House and Lower Elementary, the conversation is just with the adults (and free childcare is provided for the children). This sharing of information from school and from home is part of the important partnership between families and teachers. We can all better support the child if we have a shared understanding of what we are all observing and are on the same page.   For the Upper Elementary and Middle School programs, students take further responsibility for their learning and lead these discussions about how they are progressing. Many of the benefits to this student lead conference are covered in this article.  It is another step in students "practicing responsible independence” here at Hilltop Montessori School. We look forward to seeing you all at conferences next week! [Remember - Noon Dismissal on Thursday and No School on Friday. If you need childcare beyond your conference time, please sign up at the front desk by Monday. The regular After Care charges apply to this childcare outside of your conference time.]

Kids Night Out

There is a Kids Night Out tonight! If you are signed up, we look forward to seeing you(r child) there! We'll let you know when the next KNO will be so you can sign up. In the meantime, please visit our new website. If you have any questions, email us at  sponzio@hilltopmontessori.org

Annual Fund Family Halloween Party!

Toddler Room

Children's House

This week in Children’s House, we’ve been exploring fall themed works and getting to know each other as we add our "All About Me" books to our classrooms. Thanks so much to those of you who’ve had a chance to complete and return them! If you haven’t seen your finished book yet in the classroom, don’t worry! They take a while to assemble and laminate so it takes a few days between receiving them and putting them on display. There’s also still time if you haven’t had had a chance to fill yours out! Please note: We’ve been enjoying our time outside on these wet, warm, and muddy days but we’ve also been going through a lot of clothes! Please check to make sure your child has everything needed and extras for all kinds of weather. Whatever the morning looks like or the forecast says, this is still New England, and the weather is mercurial this time of year!

Cheryl introduces Oliver's book before it goes to be laminated. Sharing "All About Me" with AJ.

Daegan shows off his book. Eleanor and Phoebe work on autumn leaf materials.

Lower Elementary

Below are some pictures of work (and play) (and pizza) happening in the Lower Elementary classroom. We look forward to seeing you next week to discuss your child's work. Upcoming field trip : Lower El is going to the Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center on Friday, November 9th, from 9-11, to participate in a workshop about plants! If you would like to be a driver/chaperone, please email both Patrick and Kerstin, and let us know how many children you can fit (with car seats/boosters). Thank you! Have a great weekend! Kerstin, Patrick, and Amelia

Leaf crown fun at recess! Esme does multiplication problems using the stamp game. Sophia works on a Reading Group assignment. Layla sets up the strip board to do her math work.

Upper Elementary

Topics in UE this week: short story writing first class levers respiratory system of animals turning research notes into organized sentences rules of capitalization the three branches of government using and citing evidence in our lit books to support our ideas measuring angles with protractors a very exciting section in our read aloud, "Because of Mr. Terrupt"   We all look forward to parent conferences next week. Your child is preparing a portfolio of sample works they have completed this fall. The conference is an opportunity for your child to show some examples of the new skills or challenges they have been working on. This is an opportunity to listen to them explain how they have grown over the term so far, what they find challenging, and to discuss how we all can support them in their learning and their social lives. This is not the time to quiz them on their background knowledge of Ancient Egypt or math :). Finally, a number of students are reporting being hungry during the day, requesting additional food. The school is really not set up to easily address this. Students are also thirsty during the day, and trips down the hall to the fountain disrupt our regular classroom routine. Please help them remember to pack adequate food, and to keep a water bottle permanently in the classroom. Thanks for your help here!

Cianna and Luci sort various object into examples of first, second and third class levers.  Keirsten shows Mae the ins and outs of the stamp game as it applies to long division.

Ciana and Lucas put the polishing touches on their tilt-a-maze. Thank you Mac O!

As part of the new UE Community Service Elective, Will, Charlie, Finnegan, Tucker and Mark completed the Green House renovation project. We installed the rain catch system and gravity feed drip irrigation system.

Middle School

Out and About It has been the season for travel. Late in September we visited the American Precision Museum and last week we spent a day in Harrisville, New Hampshire. There are many reasons we visit Harrisville. The brochure “The Warp and Weft of a Textile Village” describes Harrisville as: “unique because it is the only intact 19th century textile community which survives with its original plan and most of its buildings where they were constructed.” It is in many ways a magical place that captures the imagination and a perfect location to further our understanding of the industrialization of rural New England and the constantly changing economic and social forces that help define who we are today. We spent the morning with Erin Hammerstedt, the executive director of Historic Harrisville. In the course of our time with Erin we descended into the bowels of the Cheshire Granite Mill to the old turbine room. Currently Historic Harrisville is replacing the old turbine with a brand new state of the art turbine that when installed will provide all the electricity for the building. Historic Harrisville has helped repurpose the old mills into vibrant artist studios and small businesses. The last woolen mill closed in 1970. John Colony of the long time mill owning Colony family wanted to find a way to continue the textile heritage of Harrisville. He moved a series of machines dating back to the early years of the 20th century, moved them downriver to a new building, set up a spinning mill and began a new business called Harrisville Designs. We visited the mill with John and experienced the same sounds, smells, and processes that have been going on for generations. We are currently preparing for our next journey. On Thursday, October 25, we are heading to Concord, MA to deepen our study of Transcendentalism and its connection to abolition and the women’s suffrage movement. Starting this week students will be reading selections from Thoreau, Emerson, Hawthorne, and Lousia May Alcott. While in Concord we plan to visit the Emerson House, the Old Manse, and Author’s Row at the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.

A museum of machines Explorers Harrisville Granite Mill Machine spinning explained by John Colony The American Precision Museum

Carding machine Exploring the American Precision Museum Harrisville Granite Mill Staring out the window of an old mill in Harrisville

Community

Performance  This exciting collaboration of Winged Productions (Susan and Paul Dedell) and the Retreat Farm features singing Hilltoppers Marion Wojcik, Nora Gordon, and Paul Dedell and former Hilltop parent/poet/farmer Ross Thurber. The animals of the Retreat Farm will also be making an appearance! This performance of Missa Gaia is the closing event of the Retreat Farm's Fall Festival.

Let's support Groundworks Collaborative!

Let's Hike for the Homeless! Saturday, October 13 Please come " Hike for the Homeless ", a benefit for Groundworks Collective, our local homeless shelter and drop-in center. Contact  Roselle  if you'd like more info. The hike is family friendly up Mount Wantastiquet, in Hinsdale. Let's show our support with a gaggle of Hilltop Friends!  Registration opens at 9:30am. All proceeds benefit Groundworks Collaborative and are tax deductible.

Art Exhibit

Hilltop Grandparent Emily Mason has a new exhibit opening at Brattleboro Museum and Art Center (BMAC) that opened on October 5th. Click here for more information. She will also be giving an Artist Talk at BMAC on Friday, October 19th, at 7pm. More information on her talk can be found here.

Go to the Latchis and see our very own Upper Elementary student, Finnegan Pucciarello, sing in:

The First Annual Pumpkin Promenade & 5K October 20, 2018 9:30 a.m. Half Mile Walk/Run/Roll Wear your costumes, have some fun, prizes and candy for everyone!!!! Meet at The Gathering Place starting at 8:30 a.m. 30 Terrace St, Brattleboro Parade to the Common for games, face painting, donuts, cider and more!!! Recommended donation: $5 per person/$20 per family (accessible restrooms) Timed 5k at 10:00 a.m. Preregister online at gatheringplacevt.org $25 for early registration, $35 day of, families can register day of for $75.