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N E W S L E T T E R NO. 125
May 10, 2010
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 17, 2010.
CASA GRADUATION, Thursday, June 17, 2010 at 10:00 AM The 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 17, 2010 at 1:30 PM The
Elementary celebration will begin at 1:30 pm and end at 3:30 pm. There will be
no after school program for 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 19 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 also like to thank the Parents’
Association Chair – Janet Woodward, Vice-Chair Jennifer Scott 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 - ELEMNATRY “A”
It is with a deep regret that we would like to inform you that Dara
Hager has decided to move back to her home town in Kansas State. Dara
has been longing for her family as she was away from home for many years, first
working in Africa, then studying in Europe, and now working in Canada. Thank you
Dara for all your hard work and dedication to the children and for that personal
touch you brought to all your undertakings in your class. We will miss you!
Aasiya Faris Sachwani, will become the new Elementary “A”
directress in September. Aasiya received her AMI 6-12 Elementary Diploma from
the Maria Montessori Training Institute in London, UK., and B.A. in Human
Communication and Communication Disorders from Victoria Univeristy of Manchaster,
UK. After graduation, she worked for many years in different health institutions
dealing with speech language therapy for children. Presently she is working as
6-9 directress at the Start Right Montessori School in Karachi, Pakistan. She
will be returning to Toronto this July. Some children may remember her as she
did her Montessori practice teaching in Elementary “B”. Welcome to Humberside
Montessori Aasiya!
DATES TO REMEMBER
SUMMER CAMP INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION FORM
Please find attached a Summer Day Camp Application Form. If you would like to
enrol your child in the program, please return your application form 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 25, 2010, 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.
KIDS CARAVAN – Saturday, May 29, 2010
The Kids Caravan is returning this year and will be held on Saturday, May 29,
2010 at the school. Please come and join us for the year-end party with live
music, food, bouncing castle, rock climbing wall, fabulous dinner buffet, fun
and more fun. Please submit your form for tickets and sign up to volunteer.
INTERVIEW DAY – FRIDAY, May 28, 2010 (no classes)
Please check the interview and observation schedules posted on the
information boards outside each class.
NEWS FROM CASA “A” by Sonia Zadra
As my second year at Humberside Montessori comes to an end, I am humbled once
again by the accomplishments of the children in Casa ‘A’. From mastering pouring
water from jug to cup, to mastering the four arithmetical operations, I am
amazed at the potential of the child, even after 9 years in the classroom!
Witnessing the pure joy of a child who learns how to tie a bow, or recognizes
and blends all the sounds in a word, or independently bakes biscuits from
scratch, continues to bring warmth, respect, and love amongst the classroom
community in regards to each individuals success. As adults, we may tend to
forget to respect and love one another. Observing the innocence of childhood,
their unconditional affection, their consistent motivation to be accepted in
their community, their resilience in protecting the feelings of classmates
during social injustices, truly depicts how our world should be outside of the
Montessori classroom. Love, affection, patience, and respect are what the
children teach me on a daily basis.
Montessori followed the child and created a brilliant system of auto-didactic
materials to assist the child in teaching himself/herself. As adults, we must
relinquish ourselves from our own needs and attachments to material items that
are superfluous objects, if we want to aid the child in his/her creation. We
cannot do this if we try to live vicariously through our children; we want an
independent, self-assured, self-reliant, self-sufficient, confident individual.
Casa ‘A’ would not function so beautifully without the assistance of Mirian
and Erica. We are truly a fantastic team. They maintain the environment and any
needs of the children without any direction. Their role as assistant is so vital
to the classroom. I have been very content with their work. They are adored by
all of the children. Thank-you Mirian and Erica, I look forward to many years of
great days together! To the graduating students: Griffin, Luca, Sam, Ilaria,
Drew, Hamish, Veronica, Gabriella, Yahvi, Patrick, and Graeme. 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 one 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!
NEWS FROM CASA “B” by Marc Vespa
Being a parent myself I have the same hopes, fears and thoughts about my
children as you do. As both of my children make the transition into the
adolescent phase of their lives it is imperative for my wife (Christine) and I
to make informed decisions about their lives such as: schools, daily lifestyles,
nutrition, setting limits and preparing them for the future. So, what means of
assistance are available to us to help us in our decisions and our parenting?
Most importantly, I believe our school is an excellent source of advice and
information. I challenge all parents to attend as many workshops next year as
possible. If you have never gone to a parenting workshop then go to just one
next year – I assure you that you will leave feeling empowered and enlightened.
The Casa staff at Humberside has been trained to understand the child under six
and our objective is to pass on that knowledge to you.
Secondly, there are many excellent books out there for parents (be aware,
there are also many terrible parenting books!). One of my favourites, “Kids
Are Worth It!” by Barbara Coloroso is a reference book in my house that I
continually go back to whenever I have questions or concerns about my children.
Would you like to know more about Montessori? I suggest getting a copy of “The
Secret of Childhood” by Maria Montessori. This book is a relatively short
read with a fascinating section on some of her earlier discoveries regarding the
true nature of the child.
Lastly, check into other resources such as your church, local library or
community centre. There are many sources that will provide information, books,
workshops, and seminars about parenting – you just have to look and you will
find them. Remember that having children requires an on-going process of
self-education by the parents to understand our children as they pass through
their various phases of childhood (as the child passes through each phase the
child changes in radical and mystifying ways). To quote Maria Montessori, “The
adult must find within himself the still unknown error that prevents him from
seeing the child as he is.”
With the end of the school year right around the corner I would like to thank
a few people. Many thanks to all the parents who brought in fresh flowers
throughout the school year. The flowers are a big part of our class and much
anticipated every week by the children (and staff). A big thank you to Khadija
and Elizabeth. What a blessing it is to the children and myself to have your
presence, guidance and patience in the class everyday! Lastly, thank you to all
the parents that helped to make this year so memorable and wonderful. Have a
great summer!
NEWS FROM CASA “C” by Ausra MacLeod
As the end of the year is nearing, Casa “C” is abuzz with activity. The 3rd
year children are busy writing stories, making atlases, discussing planets and
noting it all in their journals. They are visiting Elementary classrooms and
sometimes stay ‘upstairs’ longer than in Casa “C”. This encourages our 2nd year
children to ‘step up’ and really take charge of the environment - helping the
younger children, setting up the tables for lunch, deciding how many chairs we
need, etc. Our 1st year children are not new to the environment any more. Their
competence is growing every day while they are cutting snippets, polishing wood,
washing linen, writing letters or counting number rods.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the parents for their
support throughout the year. I have had another wonderful year with your
children! Thank you for bringing in fresh cut flowers – the children greatly
enjoy making flower arrangements and beautifying our classroom. I also
appreciate the Parents’ Association for providing us with the opportunity to buy
books and art for the classroom.
I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Kostanca and Jeannette for
their continuous support and hard work. Casa “C” would not be able to function
without you!
I extend my best wishes to our graduating children: Danielle, Emily, Hugh,
Joshua, Melanie, Nigel, Olivia, Sophia and Xander. I had so much fun working
with you, children! Casa “C” will always remain your classroom, so please
remember to visit us.
I wish everyone an exciting and safe summer! See you all in September.
NEWS FROM CASA “D” by Alison Grinton
It has been a pleasure to come into Casa “D” and spend my days with such an
amazing group of children. I am so thankful that I have had the privilege for
each child to show me a little bit of who they are. Each of you are amazing in
your own way and each of you has a very special place in my heart. We certainly
have had some great times this year!
But with the end of the year approaching comes a feeling of sadness, because
at the end of each school year comes a time to say goodbye. We have seven
students graduating this year out of Casa “D”. Some will move up to our
elementary and others will move on to new schools. Aidan, Alexandra, Benji,
Evelyne, Ian, Jayden and Keira I wish all of you the best next year. I have
loved the time that we have spent together and will miss you next year. I know
that each one of you will do great wherever you go. Good luck!
I would like to say a big thank you to the parents for choosing Humberside
and for trusting your child with us each day! It is so important that we have
your support, thanks! Thank you Connie for all your help in the class, it is
greatly appreciated. Catherine thanks for coming into our class mid year and
jumping right in! You both have done a great job.
Well, as the year ends we can look forward to a relaxing summer and begin to
think about September, when we get to do it all again! Have a great summer!
NEWS FROM ELEMENTARY “A” by Dara Hager
As enthusiasm builds for the upcoming summer, it is always pleasant and
rewarding to reflect back on the school year that has past. The first reflection
is one of time moving at a great speed. Looking back to not only the first day
of class this past fall, but also that long ago day over a year and a half ago
when the students of Elementary “A” and I embarked on this great journey
together. It is not surprising to see the maturity and growth that each child
has exhibited not only as individuals, but also as a part of our working
community. After all of the trials and successes, tears and joy, frustrations
and accomplishments, the class has become a beautiful reminder of what Dr.
Montessori strove to instill in all of her teachings; a place where each
individual can explore and gain knowledge and be accepted with enthusiasm and
respect.
Not only have the students matured and grown socially, but also their
continued love of learning and thirst for knowledge are a constant reminder of
that innate sense of wonder found in all human beings. The students spent
countless hours researching different animals, eras in history, technology,
parts of the Earth, etc. This was knowledge that was not only used for personal
growth, but was then imparted to the rest of the class through lively
discussions or engaging presentations. I was also continually amazed by not only
the students’ love and passion for learning, but also their desire to go even
further in a work, or need to challenge themselves to the largest example
possible. (My mind goes to a time when we had every pegboard on the second floor
laid out in our room to find the largest square root that could possibly be
found with the material.) It is in reflecting on these things that you cannot
help but be filled with the contagious energy for the love of learning and work
that that the students continuously display.
This passion for learning and knowledge continued beyond the classroom and
was ever present in the students’ work and exploration of the surrounding
community. The students of Elementary “A” embarked on a great endeavor this past
February. Upon hearing about the earthquake in Haiti and the great need for
help, the class decided, with great empathy and compassion, to plan a fundraiser
to raise money for the people of Haiti. Because of the contributions from all of
the elementary classes, as a school we were able to raise over $1,000 to aid
Haitian relief. Elementary “A” would like to thank everyone who contributed
food, money and time to the Bake Sale.
Not only was the bake sale a huge success, which allowed the students to plan
and organize a large event, but it also gave each child a chance to feel the
importance and responsibility of being a ‘world citizen’ and was a great example
in demonstrating the immense difference a community can make when it joins
together.
This year saw the beginning of a new French program, which allowed the
children to immerse themselves even further in French as a living language.
Jamilla has been a huge part of the classroom, acting as French teacher,
assistant, and gym teacher. I would like to thank Jamilla for her hard work and
dedication to our classroom.
I would also like to thank the parents for their continued support and
encouragement. It is because of their continued support that we are able to
impart social, community, and educational skills to the students, which the
children will continue to carry with them to adulthood.
This year we will be seeing two students moving on to upper elementary. Thank
you Sonya and Israel for the enthusiasm and joy you brought to the classroom
each day!
It is always bittersweet to see the time pass, but I have to say this year
has been full of so much wonder and excitement that one can not help but feel a
sense of fulfillment and also curiosity for what the future holds.
I hope that everyone has a lovely summer full of exploration and joy!
NEWS FROM ELEMENTARY “B” by Deirdre O’Brien
The annual blossoming of the Cherry trees in High Park signifies that another
year is drawing close to an end. This valuable resource on our doorstep is a
favourite location for hikes, sketching, an inspiration for poetry writing and
simply a wonderful place ‘to be’. With this passage of time, we get ready to
wrap up another year, and look back fondly on all the wonderful times,
activities and personal development that occurred along the way. To those
students graduating or moving on to new schools, we wish you every success and
happiness. You will be sorely missed.
This year saw the implementation of a French-speaking assistant at the lower
elementary level. Merci Beaucoup Lisa, you have made it a wonderful and highly
successful addition to our room. Many thanks to Felix, Molly, and the Parent
Association for your continued support, we could not do it without you.
As always, the lower elementary is a hive of activity and conversation. This
year was no exception. Working with the children throughout the year, I am
constantly reminded of the infinitesimal potential they demonstrate and feel
privileged to bear daily witness to this. Thank you to each and every one of you
for all that you bring to our room. You continually restore my faith.
Have Faith in the Child
I maintain that it is possible to foresee a new society in which man will
be more world-social, because when he was a child, people had faith in him. He
will also be more cultured, have more mental energy and more equilibrium. I also
hold that, if properly provided for, the children - who love to work and who
therefore work spontaneously and without fatigue - will absorb by the time they
are twelve as much as is expected now of a child fifteen. 'But', it will be
objected, 'when the children grow old, they will not always be fresh
spiritually; you have too much confidence in human goodness'.
No, I am not over-confident. My personal experiences with humanity have
been such as to make me the most fanatic pessimist. Mine is not a vision, it is
reality. It is possible that when these children I speak of will grow old, they
will no longer be spiritually fresh, so pure, so dynamic. But they will have
this advantage over us, they will have faith in youth and provide for their
spirit. The spirit should be eternally young - and it is the spirit which
recognises the essential goodness of mankind.
Dr. Maria Montessori
NEWS FROM ELEMENTARY “D” by Aneta Kopinski
It was a happy year, an important year, and a year to remember. As every
year, it was full of enriching classroom events that have left us with many fond
sentiments and memories.
For the second time since I began working with elementary students, the
Montessori apparatus has been used to illustrate facts of human misery. The
first time was after September 11, 2001, when the cubes from the golden beads
material, each representing a thousand people who vanished with the attack on
the Twin Towers of the World Trace Center, were arranged on a small table at the
entrance to our school.
This year, a thousand small wooden cubes from the volume-calculating material
were arranged into feeble structures representing houses, schools, and offices.
The children set-up the complex of buildings along an edge between two adjacent,
flat sheets of cardboard representing tectonic plates. With a little movement of
the sheets following opposite vectors, the whole structure instantly transformed
itself into a pile of rubble. The same happed to houses, schools, and offices in
Port au Prince this past January. Our “experiment” illustrating the devastating
forces of nature allowed the children to understand the physical reason for what
happened in Haiti, then Chile, Indonesia and many others places all over the
world since. But what is more important, it connected them emotionally to the
gravity of the devastation. Their compassion incited them to initiate a
fundraiser that brought in close to $1700 which was passed via the Canadian Red
Cross to those that needed it most. All the children crocheted hundreds of wool
bracelets braiding blue and green yarn with skillful hands and hearts filled
with the need to help.
Soon, we will say goodbye to thirteen of our graduates: Andrew, Foo-Foo,
Finlay, Samantha, Olivia, Kaia, Mihaillo, Alexzandra, Alexander, Jackson,
Claire, Rachel and Isabel will join upper elementary or leave for other schools.
We will miss them all tremendously. It was the first year the children were
aided in their work by a French speaking assistant/teacher. This approach
allowed them for a very special experience and significant enrichment of the
second language. Thank you, Valerie for your hard work and dedication. I would
also like to say a special thank you to all the parents who helped us during a
variety of school events; to Molly, Felix, our office administrator, Brenda,
Andrea, and Pacita for helping us on a daily basis to make things run smoothly.
I wish you all a great summer.
NEWS FROM 9-12 ELEMENTARY “C” AND “E” by Niamh Grech and Jim Mallen
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 and
the province. We had an incredible experience on our over-night trip to the
Kawartha Outdoor Education Centre which we plan to repeat next year.
Complementing presentations led to visits to Saint Marie Among the Huron, Body
Works at the Science Centre, and the Mc Michael Art Gallery. In addition to our
Physical Education program our students also participated again in soccer games
with Maria Montessori School, and several other programs some of which included:
tennis, basketball, golf, Nature Centre in High Park, rock climbing, and skiing.
All our students participated in a swimming program called Swim to Survive. To
enhance the artistic aspects of our program, we visited the Living Arts Centre
where each student created wonderful two dimensional drawings with wire! The
highlight of our holiday season was seeing an amazing musical performance of The
Princess and the Handmaiden.
This year we were all saddened by the numerous disasters around the world.
Like many communities, our students also responded by collecting funds and shoes
for Haiti. They also organized a food drive for the Sharing House. 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 first and second year students assisted in the compilation of care
packages for families in need.
We have also planned two more trips to end the year. Our graduates have
chosen Quebec City as their destination. We would like to thank you all
(especially Teri Ouellette) who generously supported the children’s fundraising
efforts for this trip. While the third years are away, the remaining students
will have the opportunity to visit Harbourfront Centre.
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 Adrian, Aleah, Alex, Alison, Caitlin, Ella, Emily,
Erin, Isabel, Karl, Katrin, Natalie F., Natalie G., Natasha, Rachel, Tamara,
Tea, Samantha, and Vilde for the fond memories they have given us.
We would also like to express our gratitude to our assistants Nick and
Michelle for their daily support in all our endeavours. Their dedication and
hard work ensure the smooth operation of our classrooms.
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. We hope you all
have a happy and safe summer.
SCHOOL HOCKEY TEAM - SCHOOL YEAR 2010/2011
This coming year Humberside Montessori School is planning to enter a hockey
team in the TDSB league for Grade 6 and under players. The aim of the
program will be to get some exercise, have some fun, and perhaps learn a little
about hockey along the way.
The season will start in January, just after the Christmas break, and will
run through February. Typically, a school team will play 8 games – one per week.
The tentative plan is to start practices in October and continue throughout the
season. We expect to practice 16 times and play 8 games. Practices will be
scheduled one day a week after school. The games will be scheduled by the
league. There will be no practices or games on weekends.
The budget for the season will be approximately $350.00 per player (a final
budget will be provided to the parents in the fall). In order to make this work,
we need enough interested players, and two parents willing to volunteer their
time to be assistant coaches. If you are interested in playing, coaching, or
both, please e-mail Tim Broughton, Anne’s father from Elementary “B” (timb@connection.com).
Any child interested in playing, no matter their skill level, will be welcomed.
The only limitation is a maximum of 16 players (6 defence, 9 forwards, and a
goaltender). The actual registration and tryouts (a TDSB formality) will take
place in the fall. |
