As the weather warms, the garden is being planted, a plant sale is underway (!), and we are focusing on plans to celebrate our wonderful students and their milestones. Your teachers are communicating specifics about classroom celebrations, and I’ve provided school updates below. I am also collecting student heart photos for one more week -- please send them in to me for our student heart project (
twoods@mountainsongschool.com
).
We are planning for next year, and we announce below staffing and class changes. Considering all our changes, we are incredibly pleased that all of our teaching positions have been filled internally by experienced Mountain Song teachers. We will be working with new and returning families throughout the summer to ensure you have your enrollment spots for fall.
While we are still uncertain what the fall looks like in terms of in-person schooling, we are planning closely with state leaders and their guidance, and we will keep you informed.
What we are confident about is that we have strong, dedicated, and high quality Waldorf teachers to serve you and your children in their educational journey at Mountain Song. While we navigate this pandemic crisis, we are so incredibly fortunate to have this beautiful community that connects and helps each other in such heartfelt ways.
With such gratitude,
Dr. Teresa Woods
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Calendar Revised: School Ends May 28, 2020
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On Tuesday, May 5th, the Mountain Song Community School Board of Directors voted to modify the current 2019-2020 Academic School Year and end the school year a week earlier than planned. The last day of school will now be Thursday, May 28, 2020 (rather than June 4).
Please adjust your calendars accordingly. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. Please see the Revised Calendar at the link below.
The Executive Leadership Team
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Agricultural Arts Plants Sale
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It's been an exciting week in the garden! With our final frost date behind us, we've finally been able to transfer many of our seedlings from the greenhouse into our raised beds outside. We have many seedlings left over, which we would like to offer for sale to our Mountain Song community. All plants will be sold individually for $2 - $3 each to help support our Ag Arts program. I
f you are interested in buying plants, please contact Mr. Adam directly at
awright@mountainsongschool.com
to place your order.
Plants can be picked up at school during normal packet pick up times. We are selling the following herbs, vegetables, and houseplants:
- Aloe
- Basil
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Kale
- Spider plants
- Spinach
- Swiss Chard
- Tomatoes
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Bristlecone Pine 8th Grade Graduation - May 28th
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We are making plans to honor our graduating 8th grade class as they leave Mountain Song and move onto high school. Like schools all over the world, we are planning a different kind of celebration this year in light of the coronavirus crisis. Mr. Jesse Rochette, class teacher, has been working carefully with the class on their culminating projects and their graduation. On Thursday, May 28, we will celebrate this incredible group of students through a virtual graduation ceremony on video conference, and then we will have the school decorated and staff safely spaced around the perimeter of the school for a drive-by parade of students and their families. The timing of these events will be announced soon. We hope to hold an in-person celebration in the future when we are able. Congratulations, Bristlecone Pine Class!
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Juniper Class Announcements
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Mrs. Debbie Ellington and Mrs. Shannon Lang will be saying farewell to the 5th grade Juniper class at the end of this year. They have loved working with this wonderful class through their elementary years. Mrs. Ellington will be retiring from class teaching, and continuing with Homeschool teaching part time. We are so pleased she will be staying within our community, and we celebrate her successful teaching career and the positive difference she has made in the lives of so many children! Mrs. Lang’s exciting next step is announced below.
As the Juniper class moves to 6th grade next fall, we are so pleased to announce that Mr. Jesse Rochette has been chosen as their class teacher for their middle school years. Mr. Rochette has been a teacher in outdoor as well as classroom settings, and he brings the rich experience of having taught the Waldorf middle school curriculum for the last three years. We think he will be a wonderful class teacher for the Juniper class!
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We are absolutely thrilled to announce that Mrs. Shannon Lang will be returning full time next fall as a first grade class teacher! Mrs. Lang has already looped with the Willow class from first to fifth grade at Mountain Song, and has been co-teacher for the Juniper class for the last two years. She has taught for 20 years and has been with Mountain Song since its very first year, and we are so happy to welcome her back to the first grade next year!
Mrs. Shannon Lang will be joining Mrs. Stacie Warren to complete our roster of first grade teachers. We are so pleased to have these quality educators in place to welcome the new first graders next fall to their elementary grade years!
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Combining Classes Next Year
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The difficult decision was made to combine the two current seventh grade classes next year into one eighth grade class due to low enrollment in one class. Mr. Nathaniel Dolce will lead next year’s 8th grade class. While we are saddened that Mrs. Regina Tafoya will be leaving the Willow class as teacher, we are most pleased to be retaining her with her strong teaching skills and caring dedication at Mountain Song (see following article).
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Mrs. Regina Tafoya will be moving from 7th grade teacher to the Kindergarten as lead teacher, and we are so happy that she’s accepted this position! From her diverse teaching career, Mrs. Tafoya brings years of early childhood expertise to the classroom, as well as her rich cultural background through her time spent living in other countries and regions, including Japan and Hawaii. We feel we are fortunate to be keeping Mrs. Tafoya within the school, as she has shown remarkable dedication, excellence, and compassion in her work with Mountain Song students. We have confidence in her ability to continue offering her strengths to our students in this new role.
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Please send your student heart photos so we can create a compilation for our wonderful Mountain Song Teachers. (Ssshhh … don’t tell them.) Thank you to those who have already sent them in. I would love to have a lot more from all the classes! Let’s make a point of celebrating each other and sharing our own hearts, even if we have to do it from a distance. Please send photos to me by email:
twoods@mountainsongschool.com
❤
Dr. Woods
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A Better World: Children, Nature, and Hope
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I joined the
Children and Nature Network
(C&NN) after meeting Richard Louv, its founder, many years ago as an author who coined the term Nature Deficit Disorder. He has been deeply concerned about connecting kids and nature. He knows about Waldorf schools and is encouraged by them.
I am impressed with how C&NN has gathered research reports, fostered local and global networks, and adapted to current events. These challenging days are no different. I find this group a haven of hope for the future -- can we make a better world?
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Parent Council Fundraising
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Hello families,
Our school is happy to help support small businesses, and Skate City will be offering their Membership Cards for our students and families at a discounted rate.
With a $5 membership card ($12 at the facility), any child or adult can skate for just $1 admission during any public skating session
through the end of 2020
! You will also receive $5 loaded onto your game card upon entry each time you use your membership card.
Should this interest you, all you would need to do is click the link below and make sure to select the school name, as $1.50 for each card purchased will go back to the school!
Deanna Stonick
Parent Council Fundraising Committee
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Mountain Song Students Engaged in Continuous Learning
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We are delighted to see all the learning and creativity going on at home through pictures, stories, and assignments! Your photos warm our hearts -- please keep them coming! New ones have been added this week!
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While Mountain Song Community School is closed for in-person instruction, teachers and staff are very much open for Continuous Learning. We miss the children very much, and are excited to continue to connect with them and make sure they know there is a vibrant community of people that care for them very much.
The
Continuous Learning
webpage
serves as a portal to all the teacher webpages, which are password-protected. Passwords have been sent to you by your teachers.
Hard Copy Options:
Many teachers are preparing hard copy packets for distribution. Please see the Packet Pick-Up article in the Songbird for details.
Nothing replaces face-to-face engagement with students, but we are committed to maintaining our community of learning and growth. We appreciate the strong relationships you continue to foster between your family and the teachers and staff at Mountain Song. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any question or concern.
Warm wishes,
Dr. Teresa Woods
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Some teachers will prepare packets for families to pick-up at school. Your teacher will communicate directly with you if they are preparing such packets. If you need to pick up packets, please carefully observe the following protocols.
It is imperative that we follow strict safety procedures.
Times:
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 8-10am and 3-5pm
- Friday: 8-10am and 3-6pm
- Saturday, Sunday, and Monday - closed for 72 hours safety
Drive-Through Instructions
- From Kiowa Street, drive through the parking lot next to the gym.
- Stop your car by the picnic table next to the gym door.
- You must stay in your vehicle.
- If no attendant is visible - give one short beep on the horn to let the attendant know you are there.
- Roll down the passenger side window - to keep social distance and communicate the name(s) of student and the teacher’s name.
- Attendant will hand the packet(s) through the passenger side window.
- Drive straight through the backside of the school and exit onto Bijou Street.
Teachers will e-mail you directly if packets are prepared and are ready for pick-up.
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Community Resources - Dial 2-1-1
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Pikes Peak United Way can help you access resources that may help you through this challenging time. By dialing 2-1-1 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, you will be connected to a trained information specialist who can help you find the health and human service providers that you need. Dial 2-1-1.
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Announcing Mountain Song Agricultural Arts
Summer Garden Camp!
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We are excited to announce our new Mountain Song Agricultural Arts Summer Garden Camp, which will be held every other week beginning June 29! Camp will run Monday-Friday from 8am to 12pm. The cost for each week of camp will be $125 if registering before April 1 and $150 afterwards. (A $25 per day option is available for rising 1st graders only.) Scholarship opportunities are available to middle school students who would like to be junior counselors. More information regarding financial scholarships for families in need will be available mid-March. Payment can be made by check, cash, or on our
website via Paypal
. Contact Mr. Adam at awright@mountainsongschool.com with any questions.
Dates are as follows:
Rising 1st: June 29 - July 3
Rising 2nd - 3rd: July 13 - July 17
Rising 4th - 6th: July 27 - 31
Rising 7th - 9th: August 10 -14
Mr. Adam Wright
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Support for Mountain Song
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As a public charter school, Mountain Song Community School is proud to provide quality Waldorf education at no cost. Yet the funds we receive as a charter school are less than what a typical Colorado public school receives.
At the same time, we are responsible for additional expenses, such as our facilities and maintenance costs. The expenses associated with the building lease, instructional and learning materials, staffing, special programs, and field trips continue to increase each year. In order to provide the valuable programming that makes Waldorf education exceptional, we rely on community donations to reach our annual fundraising goals. Please consider signing up for a small monthly recurring contribution today.
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Article or announcement contributions must be submitted to Dr. Woods by Tuesday at 5 p.m. for inclusion in each week’s Songbird newsletter, typically distributed on Fridays. (
twoods@mountainsongschool.com
)
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Mountain Song School Calendar
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Mark your calendar with these important Mountain Song Community School dates.
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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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