September 8
Coffee and Conversation 8:45-9:30
September 11
Skate City Fundraising Night 5-7 p.m.
September 12
Landsharks Begins
September 19
Picture Day
September 29
Festival of Courage (in-school festival)
September 30
Stone Soup Harvest Festival 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
October 2
Urban Air Fundraising Night
October 13-14
Parent Enrichment Conference
October 20-23
No School - Professional Development Days
November 1-2
No School - Parent Teacher Conferences
November 3
No School - Teacher Work Day
November 17
Half Day for Kindergarten
November 20-24
Fall Break
December 1
Winter Spiral (in-school festival)
December 9
Winter Faire
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Just as the story of Stone Soup reminds us, when everyone works together, we can do remarkable things!
I was reminded of that several times over the last few days. First, as our teachers applied for (and won!) grants from CDE to help our students through the lasting effects of the pandemic. Again, while watching our incredible Parent Circle make preparations for the annual Stone Soup Harvest Festival (where we’ll celebrate 10 years of Mountain Song)! Once again, this past Wednesday meeting with our design-build team as we continue to collaborate to transform our beloved school. Finally, I was reminded once again when our Teacher Leadership Committee secured the incomparable parenting expert Kim John Payne for our Parent Enrichment Conference October 13-14!
Exciting things are on the horizon and we’re so happy you're here for it!
Cheers to ten years,
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Teresa M. Woods, Ph.D.
Executive Director
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Parent Enrichment Conference
Kim John Payne - Keynote Speaker
Mark Your Calendars!
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We are thrilled to offer our Parent Enrichment Conference on Friday, October 13th & Saturday, October 14th with world-renowned parenting expert and best-selling author of Simplicity Parenting, Kim John Payne.
The weekend’s events will take place in the evening hours on Friday, continuing through Saturday morning.
The weekend will include…
- Keynote addresses by Kim John Payne (joining us via Zoom) and Mr. Karl Johnson, our Pedagogical Director
- Artistic workshops
- Informational session
- Group discussions
This conference is for parents and guardians only with online and in-person options. Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks.
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Stone Soup Harvest Festival
Saturday, September 30th
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
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We're so excited to welcome our community to Mountain Song’s Stone Soup Harvest Festival, thanks to our dedicated Parent Circle. You can expect crafts, stories, a rummage sale, and of course, delicious soup. This year, we’re celebrating 10 years of Mountain Song and kicking off our Annual Fund! As you may know, Stone Soup is a European folk tale about a stranger passing through a village and a community coming together to share what they had, something we plan to model to our students at this upcoming festival!
Please sign up to donate or volunteer here!
We’re accepting donations in the gym the week prior to our Stone Soup Harvest Festival, from September 25th-September 29th. We also need…
- Potatoes
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onions
- Green beans
- Sweet potatoes
- Pumpkins
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Homemade or store-bought bread (please label if donations are gluten-free)
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Apple cider (shelf-stable, please)
After school on Friday, September 29th, bring your own pots, knives and cutting boards and come to the gym to help chop the vegetables for our Stone Soup. If you’re able, please be prepared to bring supplies home to cook the soup prior to the festival Saturday morning. Children are welcome to help!
If you have any questions or would like to help, please contact Parent Circle’s Michelle Jaramillo at pcchair@mountainsongschool.com.
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Rummage Sale - Donations Needed
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New to the Stone Soup Harvest Festival this year is a community-wide Rummage Sale! This is an opportunity for our Mountain Song families to clean out closets and perhaps find some "new to you" items while also raising funds for our sweet school!
If you have some good quality items to donate, we will be accepting donations every day at the school until September 29th. There will be a table set up by the front office for smaller items. For larger items or furniture, please contact Becky Mikita bmikita@mountainsongschool.com or 719-339-1664 to make arrangements.
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We loved seeing so many of you at our first ever Coffee and Conversation last week, and we look forward to doing it again TODAY! Right after the weekly assembly, our executive director, Dr. Teresa Woods, will discuss rhythms and cycles in our school days. Please make sure you check in at the front desk!
Assembly 8:20 a.m. - 8:40 a.m. (in the Gym)
Coffee & Conversation 8:45 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. (Homeschool Room)
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Several Mountain Song teachers received $1,000(ish) grants thanks to the Colorado Department of Education! So far, nine of our teachers have received grants for projects totaling $8,647!
Funded projects include…
- Cultivating Social-Emotional Skills in the Mountain Song Garden (Mr. Adam)
- Help the 4th Grade Cottonwood Class Build a Class Library (Ms. Oliver)
- Ukuleles for Middle School (Ms. Lijuaco)
- Math Is the Language of Science (Ms. Neal)
- Calming Sensory Room Supplies (Ms. Artino)
- Reading, Writing & Social Awareness (Mrs. Arzate)
- You Can Do It! There Is Nothing to It (Mrs. Kemmler)
- Math Tools, Games & Wonder (Ms. Siebert)
- Literacy Extravaganza (Ms.Carson)
Four other grant proposals are pending – cross your fingers! You can read more about the funded projects HERE.
These funds are part of a federal relief package that allows teachers to purchase academic materials to help students recover from the impacts of COVID-19 on student learning. Altogether, CDE will award $11M to Colorado teachers.
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We are thrilled to welcome our new Facilities Manager, Mr. Gary Pillars! Mr. Pillars comes to us with nearly three decades of experience in the field, most recently as the Director of Operations at Melody Living, an assisted living community in Colorado Springs. As the spouse of an educator, Mr. Pillars has a profound respect for the heartfelt education here at Mountain Song. He is happy to be part of the team, and we’re so happy to have him.
When you see Mr. Pillars around, please say hello!
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Chalk Art in the Classrooms |
Here’s a little tour of the chalkboard drawings currently on display in the classrooms here at Mountain Song Community School!
This artwork not only enlivens our curriculum and deepens the storytelling, but it’s also a tangible example of a teacher striving for excellence. It’s so important for our students to witness their teacher’s perseverance, especially when things are challenging.
We love the way our students light up when they see fresh artwork and the way older students say “I remember that story!” as they walk past a former classroom.
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LGBTQIA+ After School Club |
Mountain Song is offering our LGBTQ+ club again this year, with Mx. Jessie thrilled to be back as the club sponsor, assisted by a rotating group of supportive faculty and staff members. This club will be held Mondays from 3:15 - 4:15 p.m. in Mx. Jessie’s classroom (downstairs) beginning September 11th for students in 5th-8th grades.
Meetings will include crafts, board games, social and emotional wellness, LGBTQIA+ advocacy and education, and community outreach.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please reach out to Mx.Jessie Stege.
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Skate City Fundraiser
September 11th
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Join your friends at Mountain Song for an evening of roller skating on Tuesday, September 11th from 5-7 p.m. These evenings provide our families with healthy, fun and screen-free entertainment at reduced prices, while also raising money for our school!
Admission is $7 and you can rent skates for $4! If at least 50 skaters attend, we'll raise $150 for our school that night!
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Mark your calendar for our other Skate City fundraising nights on November 6th, January 29th, and March 4th!
This school year, we are also planning fundraising nights at Urban Air on October 2nd, December 4th, February 5th & April 1st, where Mountain Song receives 20% of the cost of each admission. Make sure you mention Mountain Song!
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Landsharks Starts Next Week |
Landsharks starts next week, and it’s not too late to sign up! Landsharks is a non-competitive youth program introducing running to young athletes in grades K-6 in a safe and fun environment. The focus is on self-improvement, being an encouraging teammate, and making new friends. Practices consist of running games with an emphasis on fun!
The Mountain Song team will meet at Thorndale Park on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. – 4:15 p.m., beginning Tuesday, September 12th. Cross-country style meets will be held on Sunday afternoons at 3:00 p.m. at Trailblazer Elementary on September 17th, 24th, and October 1st.
Cost: $78/runner
Questions? Please email Christine Biermann, Landsharks coach and Mountain Song parent, or via phone (315) 877-5680.
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VOLUNTEER/DONATE TO STONE SOUP
DONATE TO THE RUMMAGE SALE
VOLUNTEER IN THE GARDEN
MAKE A RECURRING DONATION
JOIN A COMMITTEE
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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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