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Head of School Message
Ms. Martha Carver
Thank you for another amazing year at Rock Prairie Montessori School! It is with great gratitude that I recognize our children, families, board members, staff and faculty, and extended community of grandparents, aunts, and uncles.
It has been a great year! With all the challenges the world has presented, we continue to thrive as a community and school. We have been the constant you can count on with our students, faculty and educational programs. Our staff is stable, the school is in great shape financially, and enrollment / demand is the highest it has ever been. We are poised to continue this good work with a robust summer school as well.
We continue to invest in the maintenance of the school by replacing essential hvac units as they retire and will enhance the parking lot this summer. We are blessed with beautiful woods and playgrounds. When parents volunteer their time to help us with our grounds and needs, it is really appreciated and makes this all possible.
Our Middle School program is a joy to behold, and the students have continued success in their micro businesses with Growing Roots. Through the experiences of beekeeping, keeping chickens, selling eggs and the production, selling, accounting, and marketing of goat milk soap and balms, our middle schoolers are learning authentic life skills every day.
Upper Elementary is thriving with enrollment and we enjoyed our favorite overnight stay at the MacKenzie Environmental Center. We also had our first dramatic production: Maria Montessori, the Musical. The Middle School and the Upper Elementary classes participated in our first ever World Peace Game in February.
The two Lower Elementary classes had a wonderful year full of discovery and awesome field trips as well. Our annual Elementary Presentation Night really highlighted the accomplishments of the children in all the elementary levels and recognizes the many talented educators that make it possible. Everyone is welcome to come see for yourself next year!
All the Children’s House classes are full for next year and they have enjoyed a great year providing a developmentally appropriate experience of hands-on learning. Toddlers’ House is successful and thriving as well. The reputation of our Toddlers’ House classes, which support children and families with knowledge, order, and a safe environment to grow and become, is well known and sought after in our community.
We were thrilled to experience our first Farm Day where several of our farm families and their children helped us all enjoy their agricultural heritage. We were able to climb into a combine and tractor, hold baby goats, pet and learn about Jersey Cows and an Icelandic Horse, see a rooster and chicks, and learn about the essential elements of healthy soil by walking through an inflatable soil tunnel. We learned about different types of grains and what is made with them, and were able to sample homemade sourdough bread, eat blue organic tortilla chips, have ice cream and swag bags!
Thank you for trusting us with your children; they make us proud of their accomplishments as independent, curious, motivated learners.
We celebrate our 8th grade graduates: August Burke, Vivian Hamburg, Elizabeth Kirchner and Megan Stormes. We are proud of you all and it has been a delight to watch you all thrive! We will have around 15 middle schoolers next year in this growing program.
Our kindergarten graduates are being celebrated this week as well. We thank our forward-thinking families for giving their children the most important gift of the third year of Children’s House. This essential year ties the whole Children's House experience together, instills experiences of leadership and solidifies an all-important work ethic. Congratulations to the 14 Kindergarten graduates!
Enjoy the summer and we look forward with anticipation to another great school year in September.
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