Upcoming Dates to Remember
March 10
Rescheduled Group Tour 9:15 a.m.
March 12
Daylight Saving Time Begins
March 15
Helping Children Settle 8:30 p.m.
March 17
St. Patrick's Day
March 19
Armenian Student Fundraiser 6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m.
March 22
AirCity360
March 24
Half Day for Kindergarten
March 27-31
Spring Break - NO SCHOOL
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Our sweet Evergreen 6th graders surprised their teacher with a handmade blanket for her new baby boy! They’ve been busy these last few months while Mrs. Blum has been on parental leave making granny squares during Handwork class. Then, with the help of Ms. Gonzalez, they put it all together to create this thoughtful and beautiful gift. What a treasure! |
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Feeling tired of winter? Ready for Spring to be here? February and March can be trying months as we await the truly warm weather. And so we persevere. One of our teachers shared this timely poem with the staff recently, and so we share with you. |
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Instructions on Not Giving Up
Ada Limon - 1976
More than the fuchsia funnels breaking out of the crabapple tree, more than the neighbor’s almost obscene display of cherry limbs shoving their cotton candy-colored blossoms to the slate sky of Spring rains, it’s the greening of the trees that really gets to me. When all the shock of white and taffy, the world’s baubles and trinkets, leave the pavement strewn with the confetti of aftermath, the leaves come. Patient, plodding, a green skin growing over whatever winter did to us, a return to the strange idea of continuous living despite the mess of us, the hurt, the empty. Fine then, I’ll take it, the tree seems to say, a new slick leaf unfurling like a fist to an open palm, I’ll take it all.
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Our 2nd and 5th graders celebrated Holi this week, also known as the Festival of Colors in the Hindu tradition. As we look toward Spring, this celebration honors the eternal and divine love of the god Radha and Krishna, and signifies the triumph of good over evil. We love sharing the diverse traditions of the world with our students!
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Prepare for Daylight Saving Time
Spring Forward
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This Sunday, March 12th, we will set our clocks forward for Daylight Saving Time. Losing an hour of sleep as our clocks “spring forward” disrupts our circadian rhythm and sleep schedules. So, how can we help our children make the adjustment?
Experts tell us we can help kids (and ourselves) adjust more easily by moving bedtimes earlier bit by bit over several days, while also keeping bedtime routines consistent and predictable. Consider making these adjustments in the coming days. This article, Daylight Saving Time for Kids: The Best Tips to Prepare Them for the Change, describes this and other practical suggestions.
This is also a good time to pay attention to general sleep care. Make sure children get exercise during the day, have healthy eating habits, and refrain from screen time 2 hours before bedtime. Maintain a dark environment during sleep, and let light in when it’s time to wake up. A recent 10-minute story on the Colorado Matters Public Radio program focuses on Healthy Ways to Help Your Preschoolers Sleep – good information for all ages!
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How Much Sleep Do Kids Need? |
The American Academy of Pediatrics reminds us that children need more sleep than adults do. How much do they need? The following are their recommendations.
- Infants under 1 year: 12-16 hours per 24 hours, including naps
- Children 1-2 years old: 11-14 hours per 24 hours, including naps
- Children 3-5 years old: 10-13 hours per 24 hours, including naps
- Children 6-12 years old: 9-12 hours per 24 hours
- Teens 13-18 years old: 8-10 hours per 24 hours
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Thank You, Jeff Zearfoss! |
Thank you to Jeff Zearfoss for speaking with our 6th graders as part of our Ag Arts business math unit. Jeff owns The Carter Payne, a unique downtown restaurant, brewery, and events space. His business is located in a historic 125-year-old building that formerly housed the city’s first African-American church. Jeff has honored the legacy of this space by creating a beautiful gathering place that uses social enterprise as a tool for change. We appreciate Jeff teaching our students how a business can earn money while also giving back to the local community!
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I’m Ani Karapetyan, and am volunteering at Mountain Song. I am an exchange student from Armenia studying in the US. for an academic year to get acquainted with American culture and people. I’m doing a Charity project for Armenian students who can’t pay for their education because of their financial situation. I am organizing a Music event. The purpose is to discover the talents of Colorado Springs, bring them together, and have a wonderful event. Their participation will help students in Armenia to continue their education and will make them believe that their dream to receive an education can come true. Some of them lost their parents in the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan in 2020. This event aims to encourage people who want to participate to realize that their talent can change someone’s life and that their talent can make someone’s dream come true. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Ani
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Are you a musician interested in playing for your volunteer hours? We are in need of a pianist to play for the middle school choir every Wednesday morning from 8:30 - 9:20.
We are currently preparing for our end-of-the year presentation, and we would surely appreciate an accompanist to help us with our songs. Please contact our music teacher, Ms. Kristine Joyce Lijauco, to volunteer or learn more about it. Thank you so much in advance!
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I (Dr. Woods) was in Denver early last week for state charter school meetings and met Deborah Hendrix, Executive Director of Parents Challenge. This organization, located here in Colorado Springs, is dedicated to empowering parents to exercise their educational choice so that their children succeed. They offer lots of helpful resources – check out this link to their Spring 2023 schedule of classes and offerings.
One of their offerings is the free Nurturing Father’s Program advertised below, which you could still join. This is an evidence-based course designed to teach parenting and nurturing skills to men. Each session provides effective skills for healthy family relationships and child development. The program brings men together from all backgrounds to learn the importance of loving praise and a nurturing / secure environment.
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We’re Hiring Substitute Teachers! |
We are in need of substitute teachers at Mountain Song! We have a vibrant team of teachers who occasionally need to be out. We rely on clear and compassionate substitutes who can step in and lead the classes with care, making a positive impact on the lives of our students. Teachers provide lesson plans to follow, and our staff is supportive and helpful for substitute teachers. Substitute teachers play a critical role in keeping our school functioning in a healthy way.
If you have successful experiences working with children, we would love to have you apply. If you are interested, please contact Erinn Lynn for more information, go to our website, or pick up an application and drop it off to the front office as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you!
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We’re looking for caring and compassionate individuals to join our amazing team dedicated to helping our students grow into their full potential.
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Group Tours for Prospective Families |
If you know someone who is interested in learning more about Mountain Song … they’re in luck!
Over the previous months, we have offered tours to curious parents eager to learn more about Mountain Song and our Waldorf-inspired programs. Our final group tour for this school year will begin at 9:15 a.m. on April 7th, with only a handful of slots remaining.
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Approved Calendar (Revised)
SY 2023-24
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The MSCS Board of Directors approved the 2023-2024 Calendar for Mountain Song. Click below to download the PDF version. Please note the revised version below corrects a previous typographical error.
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We are looking for garden volunteers to help out during weekends throughout the Spring semester. Duties include caring for the animals and watering the greenhouse. This is a wonderful opportunity for you and your family to engage with our school garden, to get outside, and witness the impact of nurturing all living things while everyone is away!
Please email Mr. Adam if you have any questions or want to receive training.
Mr. Adam Wright
Agricultural Arts Coordinator and Teacher
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2022-2023 Calendars and Schedule |
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Please find the 2022-2023 school calendar below.
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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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