Prairie News

October 27, 2023

UPCOMING EVENTS

Besides our weekly update, events are also posted on our online Parent Google Calendar.

October 26

(Tonight)

Trunk or Treat

5:45-6:45 p.m.

Gym

November 1

Word Parade & Mystery History, 8:40 am, Gym

November 1

Evening Parent Teacher Conferences

November 2

No School - Parent Teacher Conferences

November 3

No School

November 5

Daylight Saving Time Ends

November 8

Coffee and Conversation

November 20-24

No School, Fall Break

November 29-December 1

Middle School Soap Sales

December 5

Culver’s Scoopie Night, 4-8 pm

December 6

Coffee and Conversation

December 20

Morning Children’s House/Lower Elementary Winter Sing

December 20

Early Release Day:

11:00 am for CH, Elem, Middle school (10:00 am Toddler)

Head of School Notes

Ms. Martha Carver

What are the three R’s in Montessori? Well, they are different from typical education. Our three R’s are: Respect, Responsibility and Resourcefulness. All children have the inherent ability to learn. Anyone can gain knowledge if it is delivered often and sometimes forced to memorize. In Montessori, we are more interested in how to learn, how to have a thirst for knowledge and how to continue that quest.

Respect is how we all get along. Not just with others but respect for the classroom and the environment.

Responsibility is how we internalize that we make choices, sometimes wise ones, some not so, and how to accept responsibility for those decisions and move on to try again.

Resourcefulness is that we are capable. We can use our executive function skills to make decisions, find the information we need and how to be self-reliant. We can be independent.

Elementary rooms make a classroom constitution every year that is generated by the students and ratified with their signature. This is from the Trillium Room which is one of our Lower Elementary Classes. This classroom constitution embodies the Montessori three R’s quite well.

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Parent Teacher Conferences

NEXT WEEK

Parent Teacher Conferences are coming up next month and we encourage parents to take this opportunity to celebrate your child and discuss their progress with their teacher. Appointment slots have been posted on SignupGenius. Kindergarten parents: please sign up with your child’s morning Children’s House teacher; she will include all kindergarten progress updates during that conference time. Please also note that conferences are being offered during the evening of Wednesday, November 1 and the entire day of Thursday, November 2 (no school day). Please note, these are the only times offered for formal conferences this Fall.

Childcare will be available in the gym during your child’s conference time in the gym on Thursday, 11/2, from 7:30-4:45 pm; no rsvp necessary to use this service.

Click here to sign up for Ms. Stacy’s Conferences

Click here to sign up for Ms. Elizabeth’s Conferences

Click here to sign up for Ms. Brittany’s Conferences

Click here to sign up for Ms. Justine’s Conferences

Click here to sign up for Ms. Monica’s Conferences

Click here to sign up for Ms. Kris’s GRADES 1-3 Conference

Click here to sign up for Ms. Michelle’s GRADES 1-3 Conference

Click here to sign up for an Elementary GRADES 4-6 Conference (students must be present for this conference).

Click here to sign up for Ms. Tracey’s Conferences

Remember to log this time for volunteer hours!

Word Parade and Mystery History

Each year, our lower elementary students design a costume to illustrate a vocabulary word, while upper elementary students design an outfit that embodies a historical figure. We invite parents to gather in the gym by 8:40 a.m. on Wednesday, November 1, to watch the parade and delight in the clever costumes our students have devised. As the vocabulary words and historical figures are known only to the individual students until after the parade, we will share a photo album in a later newsletter, revealing the mystery words and figures.

Scholastic Book Orders Due November 8

Flyers can be viewed online, where payment can also be made:

Connect to Our School Page “Ms. Badger’s Class” : https://orders.scholastic.com/PZR8T

Order Due Date: 11/8/2023

Class Code: PZR8T

Book orders will be sent home with students when they come in. Happy Reading!

Next Outdoor Community Coffee

Please join us for a community coffee gathering on Wednesday November 8, right after drop-off. Make yourself a cup of coffee in our vestibule gathering space and join us outside if good weather - in the library if bad weather. No presentation - just connection and conversation. Please bring your own lawn chair for outdoor seating. (In case of rain, we’ll have our coffee indoors.) We hope you can join us!

RPMS Student Soap Sales in the Community

This Friday, October 13, will be the last Milton Market of the year that our middle school student business, Growing Roots, will be present to sell their soap, balms and other goods. If you are out Friday night, be sure to stop by their booth anytime from 5 to 8 p.m.

Another chance to catch these students out and about will be at the Clinton Fall-O-Ween sales event, on October 29, 2-4 pm. Besides our students’ business booth, there will be other vendors, live music, crafts, games & Trick or Treating stops!

support!

Family Volunteer Hours

RPMS families are asked to contribute 10 volunteer hours before the end of the school year. Virtual and in-person parent meetings, parent education events, observations and conferences are included in these hours; double attendance means double the hours! Always refer to the Weekly Update for volunteer opportunities; though some opportunities will be emailed out separately. Families can log their volunteer hours online at: https://bit.ly/RPMShours. Any unfulfilled hours will be invoiced at $10/hour in June.

Culvers Scoopie Nights

We have two more Culvers Scoopie NIghts for this year. This is a great opportunity to hang out with other RPMS families and staff while enjoying some delicious food and treats!

We are looking for adult servers for one-hour shifts. Children may help but must be closely supervised.

To sign up to volunteer for Tuesday, December 5:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4DA8AE2BA2F94-culvers4

To sign up to volunteer for Wednesday, March 6:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4DA8AE2BA2F94-culvers5

ONGOING FUNDRAISERS

Besides RaiseRight,

we collect the following items to turn in for funds.

Please place in labeled boxes in lobby, drop off in office

or give to office staff at morning drop-off.

Recycled Technology - Inkjet Cartridges

We participate in the Planet Green E-Waste Recycling Program. We receive funds for various inkjet cartridges we recycle. Please note that due to program changes, this program only applies to inkjet cartridges, not laser or toner cartridges. Please bring your cartridges to the office or drop off in the outside Office bin.

Prairie Farms Milk Caps

RPMS receives 5¢ for each milk cap collected. These caps are marked with "Our Caps Your Cause". These can be dropped off in the Office bin outside the front doors.

Coca-Cola Product Caps

Save those Coca-Cola product bottle caps! Bring your caps to the office (or put in the outside Office bin) and we will enter the codes to earn our school money. More information is online at: coke.com/give.

Thank you for reading our bi-weekly update. If you need another email address added to our listserv, please contact Ms. Melissa at mbadger@rockprairiemontessori.com.

Rock Prairie Montessori School

rockprairiemontessori.com