Upcoming Dates to Remember
March 19
Half-Day Kindergarten

March 20
Parent Council Festivals Classes
Spring Equinox

March 22-26
Spring Break

March 23
Futures Committee 3:30pm

March 29
Grades 5-8 Begin “Remote Mondays” for In-Person Schedule
Grades K-4 Resume In-Person

March 30
Grades 5-8 Return to In-Person
From the Principal
Spring Break is upon us, and I hope you find time to wonder at the beauty of the natural world. Tomorrow, March 20, is the Spring Equinox, that moment between winter and summer in which the length of daylight is perfectly balanced with the length of nighttime. As the Spring sun warms the land, water, and air, we can sense the Earth breathing its deep breaths of life.   

I hope this Spring Break helps bring balance and breath to you and your family. Please be mindful of maintaining safe practices during the break so we can keep our community spread numbers down, which in turn, ensures improving school conditions.  

We so look forward to seeing more students in-person and continuing to hold our remote students close after the break. Please stay safe and well. 

Blessings,
Dr. Teresa Woods
Spring Break March 22-26
NO SCHOOL
Mountain Song Community School will not be in session March 22-26 due to Spring Break. We hope this provides a wonderful opportunity for families to explore our surrounding natural wonders! 

  • Did you know that the increasing sunlight is one thing that triggers birds to sing? Enjoy The Old Farmer’s Almanac Bird Songs page.

School Picture Days 
April 20-21, 2021
School pictures are scheduled to be taken on April 20-21, 2021. Please mark your calendars. Details are forthcoming!
Learning Plan Update
We are overjoyed to have grades 5-8 join grades K-4 for In-Person Learning after Spring Break. Please note updates below. Your child’s teacher will provide more detailed information and class schedule with you. Please see Mountain Song’s Return to School webpage for more information and continued updates.
 
In-Person Learning
  • Grades K-4 will be In-Person four days a week (Monday through Thursday), with one Remote Learning day (Friday).
  • Grades 5-8 will be In-Person four days a week (Tuesday through Friday), with one Remote Learning day (Monday).
Full Remote Learning
Some families have communicated their choice to stay in full Remote Learning due to COVID, and we have staffed accordingly to continue to provide a Mountain Song experience.
 
New Student Drop Off
Please drop off your child(ren) between 8:00 - 8:15 a.m. on 29th Street (east side of the building) heading south (toward Colorado Ave.). Staff members are present to help students get from the car to the school building. For safety reasons and traffic flow, we ask that you drop off only heading south on 29th Street next to the school in order to avoid having children cross the street.

Arrival and Dismissal
Agricultural Arts Update
“If we wanted to help an extinct animal come back to life, how would we do that?”

That was just one of the thought-provoking questions our Mountain Song fourth graders asked Corey Adler, District Wildlife Manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Adler, the latest in a series of Agricultural Arts guest speakers, spoke to the students last week about the economic and biological importance of hunting and fishing in Colorado. As it often does in Waldorf teaching, the conversation circled back to the past, focusing on the importance of fishing to the Nordic people, as our fourth graders are currently immersed in the magic of Norse mythology.

They discussed local animals, types of predators and the reintroduction of the grey wolf in Colorado. They also learned about how hunting and fishing supports our state's booming tourism industry and how the money that protects animals comes largely from fishers and hunters themselves.

Another recent guest speaker in Agricultural Arts was Molly Hamant, Interpretive Program Coordinator at Bear Creek Nature Center, and coming up next is Erin Taylor, Director of Food Education at Food to Power (formerly known as Colorado Springs Food Rescue).
Parent Council Classes March 20th
Parent Council Festivals Committee is hosting two small-group in-person classes on Saturday, March 20th! Contact the Festivals Committee if you are interested in attending.
Seed Starting Class 10am

We will discuss seed starting (inside and direct sow) and necessary supplies. Family group size can be up to 3 people per table. Children are welcome to join the class! We ask that all participants wear a mask for the duration of class. Masks provided if needed. Social distancing guidelines apply.

Where: Outside at school (weather permitting), otherwise in school gym
When: Saturday, March 20, 10:00am
Supply Cost: $10
RSVP: Friday, March 19th by 6:00pm to Festivals Committee
Stuffed Bunny Class 1pm

We will make a felt stuffed bunny with a pom pom tail, using a pattern to sew the body, stuff it and make a pom pom tail. This is a great class for children. We ask that all participants wear a mask for the duration of class. Masks provided if needed. Social distancing guidelines apply.

Where: Outside at School (weather permitting), otherwise in school gym
When: Saturday, March 20, 1:00pm
Supply Cost: $10
RSVP: Friday, March 19th by 6:00pm to Festivals Committee
Parent Council Spring Festival
Mountain Song’s Parent Council continues to showcase creativity with remote festivals. Please take a moment to peruse the Festivals page for the current Spring Festival.

Preheat the oven and try making something new! Recipes include Bunny Buns and Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns, as well as a recipe link to an entire meal for Ostara - the celebration of the Spring Equinox. Scroll down the page just a tad to find a few crafts, such as Natural Easter Egg Dye, Paper Flowers and Sprouting Wheat Grass. Below the recipes and crafts, enjoy video stories recorded by our very own Mountain Song teachers: Miss Maple's Seeds, How Fletcher Was Hatched, Festival of Colors, and Rachel's Day in the Garden.

As a Waldorf-inspired school, Mountain Song festivals are a vital part of our education. Festivals mark the rhythms of the seasons with the richness of story and song, light and food, celebrating our shared humanity.

Join in the celebrations with the Parent Council this Spring! Click here to bring the Spring Festival into your home!  Please share the link with family and friends.

Get Social with Mountain Song
Best Post of the Week:

We could listen to Ms. Banach sing all day long!  Head to Facebook and Instagram to see a day in the life as a third grader at Mountain Song Community School and watch how our teachers enrich all their subjects with song.  If you’re not on social media, click here for the video.

Please take a moment to follow, tag, and support our Instagram account @mountainsongschool!  See more of Mountain Song Community School on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mountainsongschool/

Encourage friends, family and community members to explore Mountain Song on social media! 

Innovation Learning After School Program for Families
Innovation Learning is offering an after school program for K-8 in-person students beginning March 29th. If you are interested in joining Innovation Learning, please click here for information about how to register.
 
CCCAP is accepted. CCCAP is the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP) that provides child care assistance to families who are working, searching for employment, or are in training, and families who are enrolled in the Colorado Works program. View the Family Income Guidelines for CCCAP eligibility.
Mid Shooks Run Community Garden 2021
Mid Shooks Run Community Gardens is a group of organic gardeners with composting available on site. If you are interested in joining the community at the northwest corner of El Paso and Boulder Street, please fill in this simple form to communicate your interest. You will be contacted to submit a formal application and to learn how to pay for a raised bed - approximately $60 for a 4x8 raised bed. Gardening classes will be offered in the summer. For additional information contact sean.svette@gmail.com or jricejon@gmail.com or call 719-357-7259.

Parent Council Meeting Dates
The mission of the Parent Council is to facilitate parent involvement and to support teachers in preserving the vision of the school. Please support Mountain Song by joining one of these Parent Council committees. 

Festivals Committee 
Meets 2nd Wednesday each month at 4pm
Meetings at 4pm on this Zoom link

Health and Wellness/Hospitality Committee 
Meets 2nd Tuesday each month at 4pm
Meetings at 4 pm on this Zoom link

Parent Council 
Meets 3rd Thursday each month at 4pm
Meetings at 4 pm on this Zoom link

All Parent Council committees seek volunteers. Remember, involvement in Parent Council committees satisfies volunteer requirements for Mountain Song! Please reach out to Cambria at pcchair@mountainsongschool.com if you are interested. 
Farm Volunteers Needed in March!
Winter chores continue in the garden. We have March slots available for volunteers in the garden - including Spring Break! We need volunteers to help us keep our animals fed and their habitats clean and tidy. We have bunnies, chickens, and many fish that require our warmth and attention. In addition, we have some seedlings that need watering in the greenhouse.

If interested, please volunteer via our Sign-Up Genius.

This is a wonderful way for you and your family to engage with our school garden. If you haven't volunteered in the garden before, please contact Mr. Adam at awright@mountainsongschool.com so he can arrange a time for you to be trained.

Songbird Contributions
Article or announcement contributions must be submitted to Ms. Sŏnia Cruz by Tuesday at 5 p.m. for inclusion in each week’s Songbird newsletter, typically distributed on Fridays. (scruz@mountainsongschool.com
Mountain Song School Calendar
Mark your calendar with these important Mountain Song Community School dates.


Mountain Song Community School | 2904 West Kiowa St, Colorado Springs, CO 80904
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