HMS NEWSLETTER | May 22, 2020

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

Monday, May 25
  • NO SCHOOL: Memorial Day

Thursday, May 28
  • All School Gathering, 9-9:30am
  • HMS Parent Connections, 7-8pm
Upcoming:

Thursday, June 4
  • All School Gathering, 9-9:30am
  • HMS Parent Connections, 7-8pm
SummerFun Update
We are excited about the possibility of being able to offer SummerFun this summer. We sent out a survey earlier this week and received nice interest. As of this morning, we have received responses from 10 families, with a total of 16 students. We have been working to facilitate group size, staffing, and having SummerFun be as safe as possible for everyone. We will be capping total enrollment for SummerFun at 20 students. This means that there are currently 4 spots left. 

We expect to have two groups of up to 10 students that include both Children’s House and Toddlers. In order to keep the groups separate in regards to germ transmission, we will be keeping household units (i.e. siblings) together in the same group, which means combining Children’s House and Toddler Program students. We are working to have up to 3 staff people with each group, bringing the total group size to 13.

If you are interested and have not yet let us know, please review this letter and sign up using the survey link attached by Tuesday, May 26, at 8am . We appreciate your patience and willingness to work with us as we navigate these tremulous waters. You are valued!
Notes From the Board
The HMS Board of Trustees convened via ZOOM for our final meeting of the school year. It is hard to believe how fast the year went, especially considering the past 3 months! We spent a good portion of this meeting expressing gratitude: for the fact that, despite the tumultuous past few months, the school is in a strong financial position; for the service of our departing Board members Marti Anderson & Sandy Campbell, who will continue to remain active at Hilltop via committee work; for the fact that Tamara is staying on as Head of School; and for the warm community which we experience through our Board Service.

We also managed to get a lot done! We reviewed and approved the annual Head of School evaluations from the Board, staff & faculty, and Tamara herself, and the Board Self-Evaluations. We reviewed and approved Tamara’s new contract. And, we formally voted in our officers for the 2020-21 school year, and welcomed 4 new Trustees! We are so excited about our new Trustees Ellie Pennell, Dora Urujeni, Marta Bernbaum, and Elizabeth Fisher; check out their bios below! We look forward to welcoming them into the work of the Board at the annual Board retreat this summer, and are really hoping we will be able to meet on the beautiful Hilltop campus later this summer.
Current Board Members are enthusiastic to vote in the new trustees!
From left to right, top to bottom:
Asher, Tamara, Marti, Vanessa,
Andrea, Todd, Sandy, Travis,
Heather, Joslyn, and Alix
New HMS Board Members Marta Berbaum, Ellie Pennell,
Elizabeth Fisher, and Dora Urujeni
From left to right, top to bottom: Marta, Ellie, Elizabeth, and Dora
Ellie Pennell

Ellie has worn several hats as a member of the Hilltop staff for 10 years - from Children’s House classroom aide to starting and directing the Toddler Program. She is thrilled to continue serving the Hilltop community in a new way as not only a board member, but also In-Coming Chair. Ellie holds two Montessori teaching certificates at the Infant/Toddler and Children’s House levels, as well as a BA in Psychology from Miami University, and a Masters in Education from Loyola University Maryland. She is now transitioning to a new role at an educational non-profit, The Aloha Foundation, as the Director of Hive Camp for 7-12 year old girls. With her husband, Andrew, Ellie has 3 teenage children, the youngest of whom is a Sixth Grade student at Hilltop. She loves running with her dog, hiking, anytime near a beach, and feels so lucky to call Vermont home.
Marta Bernbaum

Marta grew up shuffling between the Maine Coast and the Colorado Rockies as a kid. She now lives in West Brattleboro, up high off of Sunset Lake Road, with her husband Josh and son Finn, who is in Upper Elementary. She has a Fine Arts Degree with a focus in working in glass, which has evolved into glass art teaching and offering lessons through Airbnb Experiences (both virtual and in person). During her free time she plays ukulele, does graphic design for a few different nonprofit groups of which she is a member, and can usually be found gardening on her three acres. Being a participant in the local "Hortidorks" group as well as being steeped in her family’s landscaping business, it is hard to keep her out of the dirt. She’s hoping to continue her efforts with Kegan on the grounds work that she has been a part of for the past few years, and is excited to work the overgrown areas into something bright and vibrant again! 
Dora Urujeni

Dora earned her Master’s Degree in Peace Building and Conflict Transformation from the School of International Training, and a Bachelor’s Degree and Graduate Diploma in Educational Psychology from the University of Rwanda. She is a former Member of Parliament in Rwanda. She was the Director of Memos, an NGO dedicated to educating youth and community members about non violence and genocide prevention. She was deeply involved in the Truth and Reconciliation processes in Rwanda, and was a lead organizer of international exchange programs and logistics coordinator for field studies courses with those visiting from Smith College, Johns Hopkins University, Zen Peacemakers, and the School for International Training, among others. She was a visiting fellow at the Greater Falls Community Justice Center, supporting and developing programs aimed at providing restorative justice alternatives to incarceration. She is skilled at leading circles for conflict transformation and harm repair. She first joined the Hilltop community as a parent to her young son who started in the Toddler Program and is now in the Birch Room. 
Elizabeth Fisher

Elizabeth is the mother of Nicholas, now grown, and Cara, who attends the Upper Elementary at Hilltop. Cara and Elizabeth share their West Brattleboro home with a Bassetoodle, a Bischapoo, two kittens, and a variety of Dust Bunnies. As a child, Elizabeth lived on the Islands of Jamaica and Trinidad, where she observed troubling racial and socio-economic divisions; she developed a lifelong interest in seeking understanding and reconciliation between people of differing races and cultures. She attended The School of International Service, at American University, where she received a B.A. in International Relations; and went on to receive an M.Div from Yale Divinity School. She served as an Ordained Pastor to United Church of Christ (UCC) congregations in the D.C. Metro Area, Connecticut, and VT., for 18 years. After adopting her son from Moldova, she moved to Brattleboro to study at SIT where she earned an M.Ed in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) in 2001, and for the fifteen years thereafter, she was a teacher for immigrant and refugee children in the Greenfield Public School System. Since Cara began at Hilltop, Elizabeth has enjoyed volunteering in her daughter’s classroom. She was also involved in forming the Parent Anti-Bias Committee. She also volunteers as a Guardian Ad. Litem for Foster Children in Windham County, and is an active member of the Guilford Community Church. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys hiking, biking, photography, and gardening.
Staffing Update
We are excited to welcome two new staff members starting this August, to join Hilltop for the 2020/2021 school year!
Haley Hopkins,
Toddler Program

Haley is very excited to be joining the team at Hilltop next year as an assistant teacher in the Toddler Program, working alongside Sarah and Francoise! Haley grew up in Jamaica, Vermont, and stayed in the area to graduate in 2015 with an Associate’s in Liberal Arts from Greenfield Community College. The pull of working with children has always been present in her life, but became clear as she cared for her nephew from the ages of 1-3. Haley looks forward to immersing herself in the Montessori learning style.

In her free time, you can find Haley hiking, reading a good book, writing, or spending time with her friends and family, especially goofing around with her three nephews.
Ashley Stephens,
Upper Elementary

I am so excited to become a part of the Hilltop Montessori community! It has been a dream of mine for the past few years to move back to Vermont and I have had my eye on Hilltop waiting for an opportunity. I look forward to meeting all of you and most especially to collaborating with your children.

Ashley has long enjoyed working with children. From ski instructing, to tutoring, to leading nature camps, to volunteering with aboriginal students in the remote mountains of Taiwan, her broad experiences have enriched her ability to engage and support children. During her three years in Taiwan teaching English to young children, she had the privilege to help develop and
supervise a new program that was centered in a hands-on approach to learning. Her observations of children becoming passionate and voracious learners when their curiosity and creativity were allowed to flourish, led her to seek out an educational approach that held this principle at its core. She found all she was looking for, and more, in the Montessori Method. Thus, she returned to the USA to take the AMI Montessori 6 – 12 Elementary training in Portland, OR. The past five years she has been honing her skills as the Elementary Guide in a Montessori school in Virginia and has cherished her time collaborating with the children. Ashley has recent experience providing a robust distance learning program form her current Upper Elementary students, using a variety of supporting tools. Ashley has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master’s in Education from Loyola University, Maryland. She brings with her a strong foundation in mathematics and science and an intense love of nature. She enjoys any activity that gets her outdoors, exploring the wonders this world has to offer. When she’s not off on an adventure, she loves gardening, crafting, reading, and playing her ukulele.

A request from Ashley:

As I will be moving to the area, I would greatly appreciate any help in finding a home to rent. I am looking for a small, affordable place close to nature, or with a backyard, for my two dogs and I to play in.

Please contact the Front Desk with any ideas for a new home for Ashley.
Cleaning Position Open Immediately!
There is a position open as part of the Hilltop Facilities Team. Join the crew of folks that keep this school a safe, clean, and inviting learning environment for our students, staff, and families.

This weekday cleaning is a 2-4 hour shift on Monday-Friday evenings. The position is year-round with a flexible start date. Additionally, the position requires availability to assist weekend cleaning, event setup/clean up or to perform seasonal weekday deep cleaning shifts. Candidates should be thorough, efficient, and reliable. The position involves vacuuming, mopping, disinfecting surfaces, and removing trash. Ideally the candidate lives locally.

Please send resumes or letters of interest to our Facilities Manager,
Toddler Program
Hello Toddler Families!

This week, we have another bag for you all to pick up. 

In the bag you will find:
  • A popsicle matching game
  • A book
  • A booklet of yoga cards
  • A ladle transfer activity (a jar full of grass seeds, a ladle and another container to transfer the seeds into)
  • A packet of sunflower seeds 
  • A reusable, handmade tea bag with mint leaves!

We also are putting out all the clothes that were left in each child’s baskets with your bags, which will be in the greenhouse!

Thinking of you all, 
The Toddler Team
Françoise , Sarah, and Olive G-M share a banana snack!
Children's House
We are looking forward to a new week and more goodies for you to explore! please come and get your next bag! It's a full one! 

We hope that everyone is enjoying the nice weather. Be on the lookout for flowers blooming, song birds, and other joyous natural wonders!

Some things to do this week:
 
  • Find a "thinking rock" or spot where you can sit quietly to observe in nature. 
  • Put up a bird feeder (could be as simple as birdseed in an elevated tray).
  • Plant a flower garden for bugs, birds and butterflies. 
  • Grow a "kitchen" garden box of herbs for tea and cooking. 

For those who are balancing work and parenting and all other stresses that may pop up, we wish you a stress free relaxing long weekend!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

The Children's House Team
Liam, Cheryl, and Mariam show each other their masks.
Cheryl and Mariam have laughs with Eliza.
Owen does virtual pottery class with the Olders.
New Montessori Goodie Bags are ready to be picked up! You can find them in the greenhouse along with a seed planting set. Please also p ick up your child’s extra clothing (located in the green house with names on them).
Lower Elementary
“Education must begin at birth.” -Maria Montessori

The physical school building is not the only place where learning happens, and these last couple of months have highlighted this. The Lower El teachers strive to recognize and honor the knowledge and skills each child has brought to our community through their life experiences, while also adding to their store. It has given us great pleasure to follow our students’ progress in not only multiplication facts, dynamic addition, knowledge of botany, and mastery of “glued sounds”, for example, but to observe creating, building, animal husbandry, and letter-writing skills grow, too. 

We are anxiously awaiting the time when we can reunite with our students and share the same physical space as them; in the meantime, we will continue to connect with, and learn from them, as they follow their individual schedules at home. 

We hope you can go outside and soak up some sunshine this weekend!
The LE Team
Patrick leads us in group jumping jacks during Morning Meeting.
Owen shares some of his favorite Lego creations with the class on Wednesday.
Upper Elementary
Things were humming along this week, from bumblebees on the apple blossoms, to the students’ strong progress in math!

Our full menu of weekly culture topics was posted on Monday per our new normal, complete with videos, charts, questions sets, maps, and which day the material would be reviewed during Morning Meeting. Thus: Tuesday at class meeting, we learned how to convert the bird count data into a bar graph. On Wednesday we went over the classwork related to cellular respiration in leaves. On Thursday we used some new nomenclature to practice identifying type of margins and vein patterns in leaf specimens from the yard. Friday we reviewed a video and answered questions about the Civil War.
Tom explaining how to graph the bird data.
Cara's Bird Data Graph.
Inspired by last weekend’s virtual commencement addresses, we have incorporated President Obama’s speech as a springboard for our last unit of writer’s workshop this year. Students were asked to watch the 7-minute speech, then consider: Which of the three pieces of advice offered in the speech do you find most important for you at this time? The students built out their ideas by considering how they would explain the advice to a grandparent, a younger sibling or cousin, and a good friend. Next week they will turn their ideas into paragraphs. Along with the “Helpers in the Community” writing, these small projects seek to sound a note of hope and empowerment for all of us.
Obama's Commencement Speech.
A highlight was again seeing the faces of third grade friends. They joined us on Thursday for our brief review of the leaf work, and gave us an excuse to get back to prioritizing games at the end of Morning Meeting! (Featured this week: Where the Wind Blows and Charades).

Plans are in the works for a “Workshare Museum,” presenting favorite topics of recent learning. We are also making plans for adapting our beloved graduation rituals to this year’s crew and setting. Stay tuned for dates and details on both counts!

Please note that most days, we are posting a brief recap of Morning Meeting announcements in our Classroom Stream. This could be a good way to keep a beat on what’s happening for the group.

Finally, we offer continued thanks to all of you who work with us every day supporting these wonderful learners. Be well, and enjoy a spectacular weekend.

UE Team
What's on the History and Science "shelves" of our classroom this week.
6th graders give a 'thumbs up', the universal ZOOM sign for 'OK'.
Middle School
The Middle School has been very busy in our world of ZOOM this past week. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings featured our short story extravaganza. It was wonderful to see faces of family members attending the readings and the event was a terrific celebration of word, creativity, and community.

On Thursday afternoon, Hilltop graduates Gus Williams, Marley Hathaway, Lucy Parks, and Lily Charkey, along with several other BUHS students, convened a panel for our BUHS bound eighth graders, their families, as well as interested seventh graders. Gus initiated this idea when he realized that new students wouldn’t be able to attend the scheduled high school orientation that would be happening right about now. It was a really helpful session and greatly appreciated.

The hot topic being discussed in the Middle School is this year’s graduation. It goes without saying that graduation will look very different, but our goals remain the same: a celebration of our graduating eighth graders, a recognition of the new rising class, and a deep appreciation of the entire year. We are looking at a variety of ideas, listening to Governor Scott’s every word, and conversing with Montessori Middle Schools all over the country (thanks again to ZOOM). As the time approaches and our vision becomes clearer we will be in touch with every family. 
Friends and family join us for a reading of Short Stories.
Community at Large
Building Bright Futures (BBF) is Vermont’s early childhood public-private partnership established by law to monitor the state’s early care, health and education systems and to advise the Administration and legislature on policy and systems improvements.
Vermont Early Childhood Forum on Mental Health: supporting children through transitions during the coronavirus crisis
Topic:  Supporting children through transitions during the coronavirus crisis
Date: Wednesday May 27 from 1:00-1:45 pm
As the coronavirus crisis continues, parents everywhere are struggling to support children through the sudden closures and now slow reopening of childcare, work and community. If you’re anxious about this next phase of the pandemic response, you are in good company!
Building Bright Futures in partnership with the Department of Mental Health invites you to the next in a series of Early Childhood Forums with a panel of child development experts to help you and your child through these transitions. 
Panelists include:
  • Amaryah Pendlebury- Parent and Registered Childcare Provider 
  • Dr. David Rettew- Child Psychiatrist
  • Cindy Cole- School Psychologist
The forum will include resources, stories and Q&A. You can submit a question in advance  here . This forum has a capacity of 500 people and will be recorded and available following the forum on the BBF website.
Coming next...Early Childhood Forum on Mental Health for providers working with children and families on Thursday, June 4 from 11:00-11:45 am. 
Please note that once you register with Eventbrite, your confirmation email will contain a link and call-in number to join the forum near the bottom of the email.