N E W S L E T T E R NO. 121 MAY 21, 2009
All parents and family members of graduating students are cordially invited to attend the CASA AND ELEMENTARY end-of-the-year celebration and graduation on Thursday, June 18, 2009.
CASA GRADUATION, Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 10:00 AM Casa ceremony will begin at 10:00 am and end at 11:30 am. There will be no lunch and afternoon program for Casa children. After the formal ceremony in the gym all Casa children and Casa staff will move to their classes at about 11:30 am to say good bye to each other. Please collect your child from his/her Casa classroom after the classroom farewell.
ELEMENTARY GRADUATION, Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 1:30 PM Elementary celebration will begin at 1:30 pm and end at 3:30 pm. There will be no after school program for all elementary Montessori students. We are aiming to end this part of the celebration around 3:30 p.m. After the formal ceremony in the gym all elementary children and elementary staff will move to their classes at about 3:30 pm to say good bye to each other. Please collect your child directly from his/her elementary classroom after the classroom farewell.
In the Upper Elementary class this year, we have a group of 11 students completing the 9-12 level. The farewell of this special group after nine years experience in Montessori always brings back special memories to all of us.
Please use the neighbourhood parking lots during the graduation ceremony as our parking lot will not be able to accommodate all cars.
Thank you to all the parents for selecting Humberside Montessori School as a destination in your child’s life. Only through parents’ commitment can this school fulfill its purpose. Thank you! We would like to thank the Parents’ Association, Chair – Janet Woodward, Vice-Chair Tony Harker and all the volunteers for another great year and for embellishing the school through its activities. To families not returning to us in September, we would like to thank you for your interest in Montessori and for your trust and confidence in leaving your child with us. Please stay in touch.
Have a great and safe summer! See you in September! Molly & Felix
TEACHERS’ UPDATE
CASA “A” AND CASA “E”
Sara Priolo, the current directress in Casa “A”, decided to work in her mother’s school and will not be returning in September. Thank you Sara for all your hard work and dedication to children and for that personal touch you brought to all your undertakings in Casa “A”. We will miss you!
Sonia Zadra, the current directress in Casa “E” will become a new Casa “A” directress in September. All remaining children in Casa “E” will also join children in Casa “A” in September. Sonia received her AMI Montessori Training at the Foundation for Montessori Education in 2001. She worked in Montessori schools for the last seven years. Prior to her Montessori training she received a degree in French and Italian Linguistics from the University of Toronto. We will make some arrangements for Sonia to meet children and parents in Casa “A”.
DATES TO REMEMBER
SUMMER CAMP INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION FORM
Please find attached a Summer Day Camp Application Form. If you decide to enrol your child in the program, please return your application and cheque back to us ASAP. All spaces will be distributed on a first-come first-serve basis. This program will be provided from our school location. All children will be bringing their own lunches, snacks, juices, etc. However, starting Friday, June 26, 2009, the children will be preparing one lunch per week. This will be a LIVING LIFE CAMP. Children will be involved in sports, music, cooking, swimming program, arts and crafts, care of plants, field trips, and lots of other fun things.
FAMILY FESTIVAL – Saturday, June 6, 2009
Please come and join us for the 1st Family Festival being held on Saturday, June 6, 2009 at the school. This is a new event organized by the Parents Association. Please read more about it in the blue pages of this newsletter. It is the year-end party with live music, food, fun and more fun. Please submit your form for tickets and sign up to volunteer. Kids Caravan will return in June 2010
NEWS FROM CASA “A” by Sara Priolo
Another fabulous year comes to an end…. Wow how the time has flown and how the children have grown! At the beginning of the year we introduced many new children to our Casa environment and they came barely able to reach their baskets and fasten their shoes. Now they are able to help prepare the classroom, care for themselves and have been presented many new things.
The second years are no longer the youngest, but examples like the graduating students, for the younger children. And what fine examples they have been! Great focus and concentration has led to an explosion of learning among my middle-aged children and they have accomplished many great things. They are more than prepared to lead the class next year, and will be fantastic examples to the younger children next year.
The graduating students and I have been together for three whole years, enough time for me to see them develop from absorbent little boys and girls into fountains of knowledge. I am very proud of you little ones and I wish you the best of luck in elementary and your future education. It has been a pleasure to be with you through your three-year cycle and I hope that you will come back to see me in the future so that I will know what great things you get up to!
To the parents of Casa A, thank you for your support and understanding throughout this year. Everything that you do is appreciated and I could not do my job without you having invested so much time and love into your beautiful children. Have a peaceful and safe break.
Mirian and Valerie, as usual I cannot possibly thank you enough for all the hard work you have put into the class. You have been my bodyguards, my peacemakers and excellent models for our impressionable children. Please don’t forget how much our class needs and appreciates you both!
And of course to Felix and Molly and the rest of the Humberside Montessori staff, the school would not be what it is without you, keep up the fabulous work that you do. Have a fantastic summer everyone!
NEWS FROM CASA “B” by Marc Vespa
It has been a wonderful year and I would like to pass on a few thoughts.
Firstly, to be able to witness children growing (physical and developmental) right before your eyes, is a great privilege! The growth I have seen in every single child is incredible and still amazes me, even though I have been doing this job for 12 years.
Secondly, I would like to compliment the parents of Casa ‘B’. Thank you for being the wonderful parents you are! Each and every one of you has been so nice, so kind and so understanding to me and the work we are doing here at the school.
Lastly, I want to thank you for choosing Montessori as a method of Education for your child (or children). You have made an excellent choice in putting your trust in Montessori. The fruits of the Casa program will not only show themselves in the present but I believe that you will see the real benefits of having your child complete the Casa program down the road. One of the key concepts of Montessori is Independence. By helping your child to make decisions, make choices every day and become functionally and emotionally independent, we are in essence helping your child develop the person who they are becoming. As your child grows and advances through the various stages of childhood, becoming a teenager, becoming a young adult and finally becoming a full-grown adult they will have these three years in the Casa class act as the cornerstone to their personality. We simply do not want to give your child just the basics of mathematics or the foundation towards reading and writing.
Montessori is much more than that. We want your child to develop self-esteem, self-confidence, self-discipline, independence, excellent social skills and a joy for learning. It is a grand task but thanks to Maria Montessori we have the knowledge and the tools to carry out this task. Ultimately, it is your child who will reap the rewards of completing the Casa program – maybe at some point down the road they might even thank you for choosing Montessori.
I hope everyone has a safe and happy summer!!
NEWS FROM CASA “C” by Ausra MacLeod
As the end of the year is fast approaching, one cannot help but reflect on the beginning of it all. As I observe the children, I am amazed at their emotional, intellectual and physical progress. One of the most rewarding aspects of our job is witnessing life unfolding right in front of our eyes. It is wonderful to see that the first year children, who a few months ago were challenged by the pouring rice activity, are now scrubbing tables and chairs, washing linen and polishing shoes. We teach the children not to interrupt others at work, but I cannot think of a more important reason to be interrupted than: “Ausra, I really like school!” or “I am really good at this!” or “Ausra, you forgot to show me how to wash linens.” It is exhilarating to witness the progress of our second year children: their interest in working together has helped them to internalize certain math concepts (addition, subtraction, etc.) and aided in the development of their ability to read and write.
We have numerous projects and ideas emerging from the third year children. They are writing stories, making atlases, discussing the spelling of different words and quizzing one another on the facts of math. We have eight children graduating this year. I would like to wish Andreas, Ariella, Cassie, Emma, Evan, Grace, Mary-Clare, and Tasia all the best in the future. Children, I enjoyed my time with you immensely. When I reflect on the year as it comes to an end, I cannot help but be overjoyed by one overpowering thought: the level of camaraderie, caring, and compassion amongst the children is amazing!
I would like to thank all the parents for your support throughout the year. My experience working with you and your children has been wonderful. Thank you for bringing fresh cut flowers to the classroom. It provided the children with the opportunity to embellish their environment with beautiful flower arrangements as well as to make pasting collages with pressed flower petals.
I would also like to thank the Parents’ Association for giving us the funds to renew and enrich our library. It also allowed us to supplement our music and art collection. The biggest ‘hit’ with the children this year was a book on birds (Between the Wingtips) with beautiful, up-close photographs of different birds. And of course, I would like to thank Kostanca and Jeannette for their warmth, energy, and enthusiasm throughout the year. Thank you for always being there for me and the children! Finally, I would like to wish everyone a safe and exciting summer. See you all in September!
NEWS FROM CASA “D” REPORT by Alison Grinton
As we look forward to spring I find myself in disbelief that the end of the year is soon approaching. What a wonderful year it has been, spending my days with 31 fantastic and energetic children. I offer a big thank you to the parents for sharing their children with me, giving me the pleasure of guiding them in the environment. You offer your support and it is always a pleasure chatting with you at the beginning and end of each day. I wish you all a wonderful summer and look forward to seeing you in September.
As for the graduates, (Olivia, Keili, Olesia, Adrien and Gabriel) it has been a pleasure watching you grow and mature into elementary children. I have truly enjoyed spending the last two years with you. You will be missed by all of us, but know that you are always welcome to come back for a visit! I wish you all the best as you journey on from Casa D.
I would also like to thank Anna and Connie; your daily support is greatly appreciated by the children and myself. Thank you for everything you do in Casa D.
I think ahead to September with anticipation, it is a wonderful time of year when I get to see the smiling faces of all the returning children and get to know all of those new faces that will be joining us!
I hope everyone has a great summer!!
NEWS FROM CASA “E” by Sonia Zadra
As my first year at Humberside Montessori School quickly comes to an end, I reflect on the wonderful community I have had the pleasure of being a part of. Having 8 years experience in small school environments, Humberside has shown me the benefits of working side by side with many colleagues for advice, guidance, support and inspiration.
The children of Casa E have reminded me how much I get enriched from them each day. Patience, love, empathy and knowledge is in the making, that is, their learning may be routine and simple to an adult but so exciting and complex to a child. Their inquisitive nature makes each day vary and full of new challenges. The children remind me that it is their interest that we adults must follow and not our own ideas imposed onto them that they must learn - this is the thrill of working in a Montessori environment. My dedication to the child grows stronger each year with each new experience.
As a former Casa assistant and Elementary assistant during the years prior to my training as a directress, I carry the greatest respect for my assistants Lisa and Lesley (as for all other assistants). No classroom environment is complete without the help of an assistant to carry out the many important tasks a classroom requires to function – from clean cups, dishes and cutlery for when the children are hungry and thirsty, to refilling paper, pencil and chalk supplies. We could not run an efficient classroom without you – thank-you!
To the graduating students: Liam M., Mackenzie, Owen, Kendra, Molly, Liam C., Nikolas, Gibreel, Conall, Maya C., I have known you all for only a short few months, but it feels like I have known you for much longer! You all have such wonderful unique personalities! It has been such a pleasure to get to know you all and to guide you through this wonderful journey in your last year. You have all worked so hard with such great work accomplished. This learning that you have adapted will reverberate within you for a lifetime. I will treasure the memory of each on of you. Good luck in all your future endeavours!
To all of the children of Humberside, their families and all of my fantastic co-workers, have an enjoyable and safe summer!
I am ecstatic at returning in September. I look forward to many years at Humberside Montessori School!
NEWS FROM ELEMENTARY “A” by Dara Hager
The speed at which the year has passed has truly amazed me. Looking back and thinking about how, what seems like, only a few short months ago the students, Carol and I all embarked on this great adventure in a new environment and now seeing how we have all become a working community with all its challenges and gifts truly shows the strength and beauty of what Dr. Montessori envisioned.
This year has been marked with many great experiences, large and small. We have been lucky enough to have continual visits to High Park for nature walks and observations, which have led many of the children to see the impact we have on our environment and feel a sense of responsibility to it. Along with environmental awareness the children have also become aware of the community surrounding them with frequent visits to stores to ask questions, pick up supplies or just to observe all the jobs and activities that surround us on a daily basis.
I greatly appreciate all of the work and help that many people have provided to the class. The children and Carol have been able to explore our surrounding environment and community throughout the year. I also want to thank all of the parents for their continual support and help.
The classroom has been filled with scenes and animals from around the world and past eras, explorations of different geographical phenomenon and beautiful music from great artists and composers. I feel very lucky to be apart of the enthusiasm for knowledge and the hunger for learning that each child exhibits in their own unique way and I look forward to the following year to see how each child grows in their continual quest for more knowledge.
I hope everyone has a beautiful and enjoyable summer and I look forward to seeing everyone next year!
NEWS FROM ELEMENTARY ‘B’ by Deirdre O’Brien
What a wonderful year……. A year of new beginnings, new friendships, new discoveries, and new challenges!
How far we have come from those first lazy days of summer, when learning each other’s names and finding your cubby was the priority. Many elements along the way have led to the close knit and familial community we have established in our room.
There was much excitement and decision making involved in the arrival the smallest member of our room. The small crested gecko joined our room in late fall and was finally named (after much debate and then voting) Charles Toko Darwin or Darwin as he is affectionately known.
Many memories have been gloriously etched in our minds, hiking on the Bruce Trail, exploring the flora and fauna, readily available on our doorstep, in High Park. Organizing and selling Christmas cookies to raise money for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada, weekly shopping trips, dying and painting eggs, to name but a few. The multitude of projects, activities, and discoveries throughout the year has created for us a place of learning and growth.
Many thanks to Christina for all her help throughout the year; we could not have done it without you. To Felix and Molly for providing and sustaining the environment necessary for all this work to happen. Most of all, thank you to the students of Elementary B, for bringing with you everyday “the minds to think with, the hands to work with and the hearts to love with.”
As we approach the end of the school year we look forward to the warm and bright summer days and the reality that some of us are moving on to new environments. We wish you all the best and every happiness in you new room school. I hope everyone has a wonderful summer and I look forward to all the many new discoveries and adventures that await us next year.
Elementary B Energetic explorers Loving to laugh Eager to help Multi-talented Especially kind Never a dull moment Truly amazing Always inquisitive Reasoning minds Yearning knowledge Best of friends .
FRENCH IN “LOWER ELEMENTARY by Jamila Samaa
It’s hard to believe that my first year in lower Elementary has already gone by. The beginning of the year was challenging in getting the children interested in French but little by little my journey with these gifted children becomes appealing and enriching.
Every time someone utters a word or a sentence in French, it fills me with joy. What I have accomplished with the children is mostly thanks to their hard work, I would like also to thank the parents for their support.
Special thanks to Aneta who provides me with help and advice, to Dara and Deirdre and to all the children for this amazing year. I wish all the graduates of Elementary D and B all the best and have a great summer, I will miss you.
Félicitations a vous et bonnes vacances a tout le monde.
NEWS FROM ELEMENTARY “C” AND “E” by Niamh Grech and Jim Mallen
They say time flies when you’re having fun. It’s difficult to believe that another graduation trip approaches signifying the end of the year. As with all programs their success is dependent on the contributions of many people. ‘Going Out’ is such a vital part of the elementary program and we are fortunate enough to have staff and parents who value this aspect of the program. Many people have assisted us in enriching our class by allowing opportunities for the children to experience the larger community of our school.
This year we continued to visit the numerous facilities in our community. Our students were extremely active this year participating in soccer games with Maria Montessori School, tennis, basketball, golf, Nature Centre in High Park, canoeing around Toronto Islands, rock climbing, and skiing and skating. The children also had a wonderful experience hearing and meeting Cornelia Funke at the annual Author’s Conference. This especially inspired several children to embark on a passionate period of reading and writing. To enhance the artistic aspects of our program we visited the Living Arts Centre where each student created wonderful ceramic gargoyles and canopic jars! The highlight of our holiday season was seeing an amazing performance of A Christmas Carol. It was almost interactive as the children were literally at the foot of the circular stage.
We have also planned two more trips to end the year. Our graduates have chosen Montreal as their destination. While the third years are away, the remaining students will have the opportunity to visit either the Toronto Zoo or a cooperative games centre on Toronto Island.
This year our students continued our tradition and volunteered their time in the local community. The graduates visited Grenadier Retirement Residence where they participated in weekly visits with the residents. Both classes also performed Christmas carols for the senior’s community at Grenadier Retirement Residence. The donation to the Sharing House from previous fundraising efforts fostered a new relationship where our second years assisted in the compilation of care packages for families in need. In addition, monies from our holiday fundraising also benefitted Boys and Girls Club of Canada, and enabled us to provide two local families with Christmas presents.
We both feel so fortunate to have worked with all the children and feel privileged to be involved in their development. It is always a sad occasion when we must say goodbye to our graduates but we feel confident that they will be excellent ambassadors for Humberside Montessori. We would like to thank Anderson, Arden, Daniel, Deanna, Evelyn, Jenny, Lindsay, Rhys, Shona, Sim, and Thomas for the fond memories they have given us.
We would also like to express our gratitude to our assistants Adam and Michelle for their daily support in all our endeavours. Our classrooms would not be the same without them.
To conclude we would like to thank Felix and Molly, our parents, and the Parent’s Association, who supported our aims and goals for the children this year. Your trust and faith in Montessori has bestowed a precious gift to your children which will continue to blossom for many years to come. In addition, we would especially like to thank Janet Woodward for her on-going assistance and dedication to the school.
We hope you all have a happy and safe summer.
FRENCH IN “UPPER ELEMENTARY” by Yevs Bernard
I have spent a most wonderful and enriching year with my upper elementary students. All of them, at a different pace, have made enormous progress in French and I am all the more pleased with their efforts as they had to adapt to a more challenging schedule this year.
Besides teaching, my dedicated colleague Jamila and I spent a considerable amount of time putting together a comprehensive French programme for both the Lower and Upper Elementary levels. Especially designed for Humberside Montessori School, this programme not only goes well beyond Ontario curriculum in its expectations and content, but also offers a unique hands on approach based on some of the best teaching material from Europe and Canada. Its gradual implementation in the course of the year has already brought improved results and increased motivation on the part of the students.
I would also like to thank Felix for releasing all the necessary funds for the acquisition of French material, as well as my two Upper Elementary colleagues, Niamh and Jim, for their valuable advice and suggestions all throughout the year.
NEWS FROM ELEMENTARY “D” by Aneta Kopinski
When Felix was asking for the summary of the last school year, he suggested that it should not be longer than a page. Well, how can you do justice to all the amazing happenings that took place since September? All the projects, the happy and exciting events, the discussions and arguments were so important and memorable. But I think one of them may have been the most prevailing above all.
At the beginning of the school year one of the students brought his own copy of the children’s version of the Odyssey to read during our daily routine of silent reading. Soon after, other children were asking his permission to have their turn to read it. Once the waiting list became to long we devoted several afternoons to read it out loud. Then, a series of projects followed the fascination with Odysseus’ adventures. The Trojan Wars became a subject for many informal discussions. A play, which is still in progress, has been devoted to Odysseus’ journey. The spirit of ancient Greek warriors took over our study of history. You could sense a rare and somewhat puzzling connection with such remote and barely real events.
Our frequent discussions related to different moral aspects inspired by Homer’s poem became an important common experience. The sense of adventure that attracted the children so much might have awakened a deeply rooted tendency for exploration in all of us. In times of Webkinz, Pokemon, and other commercial phenomena, a fascination with a character built on such a strong foundation of moral values brings a hopeful feeling associated with human virtues tested not once throughout history.
There was a time when the nineteenth century English Prime Minister, William Gladstone, suggested that the study of literature in Oxford University would be reformed and limited to the work of Homer alone. In his opinion, Homer’s magnificent poems are sufficient to develop an entire moral code by which to live an honorable life. It is very inspiring and uplifting to see young students fascinated with the literary character personifying the very essence of an unconquerable human spirit.
As it is every year, a large group of the students will leave our classroom to join the upper elementary. We will miss Alana, Anika, Ava, Carlos, Erica, Isabelle, Jacob, Jeremy, Kiera-Lynn, Micaella and Teo, but I hope they will continue their important exploration of the human condition. We’ve had a great year.
Maia, Megan, Miriam, Nicholas and Ridley brought a special touch to our environment. Never before has the youngest group of students created so many originally written and presented plays, or voluntarily explored so many lessons to a point of total exhaustion- of the materials and of themselves.
Andrew, Alexzandra, Alexander, Claire, Finn, Foo-Foo (Isabel F.), Isabel W., Jackson, Jasmine, Kaia, Olivia, Sean and Samantha will soon become a group of the leaders and they deserve this position not only because they will be the oldest in the classroom.
I would like to say thank you to Karen, who helped me make our environment such a special place to learn and to grow up. Her devotion to children makes them feel taken care of and loved. Thank you, Molly and Felix, for or all your support and help. Thanks to the financial support of our Parents Association we were able to enjoy a new set of charts and cards devoted of the Periodic Table of the Elements.
Many thanks to all the parents who helped us throughout the school year, during our skating, skiing sessions and other trips. Finally, a very special thank you to Mary-Lynn Fulton for her work as a parent representative.
I wish you all a happy and adventurous vacation.