Upcoming Dates to Remember

August 18
Back to School Night - Kinder and Homeschool 6:30 pm

August 19
Back to School Night - Grades 1-8 - 6:00 - 8:00 pm

August 25
School Starts Grades 1-8

August 26
School Starts Kindergarten

Week of August 30
School Starts Homeschool

Back to School Nights - August 18th and 19th
You are warmly invited to our Back to School Nights!

  • Wednesday, August 18th, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. -- Kindergarten and Homeschool
  • Thursday, August 19th, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. -- Open House Grades 1-8

Kindergarten and Homeschool teachers will communicate directly with families about meeting details on Wednesday, August 18th.

A video will be sent out and placed on our website with all the general school information. We are doing this in lieu of gathering in an all-school meeting, so as to minimize crowd size. Feedback from some of you last year also indicated a video would be much appreciated.  

On Thursday, August 19th, we will hold an open house from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. You can visit your classrooms and meet teachers. You can also turn in enrollment paperwork, register for our after-school program with Innovation Learning, and learn about our educational programs, volunteer opportunities, the Parent Council, and the Board of Directors.

You may come any time during the 2-hour window - there is no scheduled meeting time scheduled. This is an effort to try to stagger visits and keep the crowd numbers down. 

Face coverings are highly encouraged. We look forward to a healthy school year!
Enrollment Paperwork
Dear Mountain Song Families,

Before Back to School Night, please make sure that you’ve provided the school with all the necessary registration forms listed below. We ask that ALL families complete the Economic Data Survey, even if you do not think you will qualify. The state bases our funding on information from all our families, so we thank you in advance for completing these.

The forms are linked below and are on our Back to School webpage. They can be downloaded, completed, and printed currently. We are working on creating fillable PDF versions of these forms on our website, which should be up soon. In addition, these forms can be picked up at the front desk. If you have any questions about the listed materials, please contact Sarah Kreger (skreger@mountainsongschool.com) or Katherine DeLeon (kdeleon@mountainsongschool.com).  

SY21-22 Forms for all new and returning students:

Medical Records:
  • Immunization Records (please contact the front desk for medical or non-medical exemption forms to be signed yearly)
  • Health Survey (returning students with changes in medical needs) - coming soon
  • If your child has any medical needs or take medication at school, please contact our school nurse, Kimberly Nowland at knowland@mountainsongschool.com.  
2021-2022 Calendar and Schedule
Please find the 2021-2022 school calendars and daily schedule for grades 1-8 at the links below. Start dates for school are:

  • Wednesday, August 25th -- Grades 1-8
  • Thursday, August 26th -- Kindergarten
  • Week of August 30th -- Homeschool

2021-2022 School Update
Last week, we sent a letter to families with updates that included COVID protocols at school. If you missed it, you can access it here at the link below.


Appropriate Clothing for School
As you prepare to send students back to school, please be mindful of students’ clothes. They should be safe, appropriate to the weather, and non-distracting.  

Reminders:
  • Suitable and protective clothing is required for seasonal safety, as our students can be outside for up to 3 hours on some days.   
  • In the sun, hats are encouraged. In wet weather, rain boots and coats are important.  
  • In winter, warm jackets, gloves, and hats are required. 
 
  • Shoes must be worn at all times, and they should allow students to move freely and safely.  
  • Shoes with flashing lights or wheels are not allowed.

  • Clothes should be free of media characters and logos.  
  
Please refer to the Mountain Song Dress Code for further information.
Welcome Ms. Schirtzinger!
Please welcome Ms. Angela Schirtzinger as the Lodgepole Pine 3rd Grade Class Teacher!
 
Ms. Schirtzinger completed her Bachelor’s degree in Holistic Programs Management with concentrations in outdoor education, arts, and sustainability at Ohio University. She has since taught in art and nature centers managing educational programs, most recently as Education Specialist and Program Coordinator at Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center. In her quest to learn more about Waldorf education and to pursue her dream to teach in an elementary setting, she found Mountain Song!
 
Ms. Schirtzinger has effectively created and taught programs to students grades 1-4 that joyfully integrate academic subjects with art, mindfulness, and nature studies. She has rich artistic skills, and she comes highly recommended for teaching effectively through creativity and a sense of wonder. She is passionate about meeting children academically at appropriate developmental levels, cultivating their imagination, fostering a connection with one another and the earth, and guiding them in well-rounded skill development.  
 
We are truly gratified to have such a competent and Waldorf-aligned teacher joining Mountain Song to carry the Lodgepole Pine class forward. Please join me in welcoming and supporting her as the Lodgepole Pine class teacher!
Congratulations Waldorf Teachers!
Our new and returning Mountain Song teachers have been extremely busy this summer training in the unique Waldorf approaches. 

Of special note, three of our teachers, Ellie Arzate, Alisia McCabe, and Amy Siebert, completed their Waldorf training in the Gradalis program in Denver this summer! Warmest congratulations go to you three! They have been training for the last 2½ years, which added many extra hours of coursework and homework during years already full with COVID challenges. Their accomplishments are extremely impressive.

The Mountain Song Waldorf Training this summer featured master Waldorf teachers in the arts and in general education from around the country who led our teachers through two weeks of discovery, practice, and planning. Rich, full days! Our newest hires have been working hard this week in Waldorf training. Mentoring will continue, with additional professional development training in Waldorf approaches throughout the year. 

Our teachers who were already fully trained also completed various professional development courses this summer, expanding their skills and deepening their work in the classroom.   

The commitment, joyful participation, and perseverance of all our teachers who train so willingly reveal their dedication to educating your children through the renewing Waldorf education principles. We are so honored to have these teachers among our staff!
Volunteer Day in the Garden - August 21, 8-11 am
To prepare our garden for our return to school, the Ag Arts program will be hosting a volunteer day on Saturday Aug. 21 from 8 - 11am. Feel free to come for any amount of time to help clean, weed, harvest, etc. Snacks and lemonade will be served. Please email Mr. Adam at awright@mountainsongschool.com to RSVP.  

We are also looking for regular volunteers to help out throughout the month of August. You can sign up here via our SignUp Genius.

Mr. Adam Wright
Agricultural Arts Coordinator and Teacher
Mountain Song Community School | 2904 West Kiowa St, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Looking for past issues of the Songbird or to sign up new recipients click here.