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N E W S L E T T E R NO. 126 August 24, 2010
Dear Parents,
Welcome back! It is with great enthusiasm that we bring this newsletter to
inform you about the upcoming school year.
GENERAL INFORMATION
1. FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
All children from Casa “A”, “B”, “C”, and “D” who attended classes in June/10
and are returning this year, should come to school on Tuesday, September
7, 2010. The first day of school for all Elementary children will be the
same.
2. FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR NEW PRIMARY (CASA) CHILDREN
The new Primary children will begin classes in small groups between
Monday, September 13, 2010 through Wednesday, September 22, 2010. To
find out the starting date for your child, please call the office after
September 1, 2010, or you may get this information on September 9, 2010
during our Parents Orientation Night. Our gentle approach of having a smaller
number of new children start each day ensures your child has the best possible
experience during those first very important days of school.
3. PARENTS ORIENTATION NIGHT – WINE & CHEESE
Parents of new and existing students are kindly invited to an Orientation
Night on Thursday, September 9, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. Please come
directly to the classroom your child is attending. There will be an introduction
to the daily routine, work in each particular level, question and answer period,
etc.
Afterwards, all parents are welcome to attend the wine and cheese reception
in the gym.
4. CLASS AND STAFF NEWS
MONTESSORI COORDINATOR – KYLA MORENZ
Kyla Morenz will be joining our school as a Montessori Coordinator. Kyla will
be working with Felix in preserving the highest standards of AMI Montessori
pedagogy in the classrooms. She will serve as a support to the teachers and
parents in all aspects of school education and philosophy with primary focus on
implementation of Montessori curriculum, child development, parents’ education,
as well as parents’ and staff relationships. Kyla has both her Primary (Toronto)
and Elementary (Washington) AMI diplomas. She has taught in 6-9, 9-12, and 6-12
environments. She is currently the Training of Trainers Programme and has
lectured on Elementary training courses in Dublin, Ireland and London, England.
ADOLESCENT TEACHER – MATT SMITH
Matt Smith will be opening our new Adolescent class (grade 7 and grade 8)
this September. Upon graduation from the University of Western Ontario, Matt
joined the Montessori House of Children in London, Ontario where he worked as an
adolescent teacher for five years. He completed the North American Montessori
Teacher Association’s special training for adolescent teachers and the AMI
Elementary training in Bergamo, Italy.
ELEMENTARY “A” – AASIYA FARIS SACHWANI
Aasiya Faris Sachwani will become the new Elementary “A” teacher 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 the Victoria University of Manchaster, UK. After
graduation, she worked for many years in different health institutions dealing
with speech language therapy for children, and also worked as a 6-9 teacher at
the Start Right Montessori School in Karachi, Pakistan.
CASA “C” PM English Speaking Assistant
Kelly Masschelein will be joining Casa “C” as the new PM English Speaking
Assistant. Kelly holds an ECE Diploma from Humber College and a BA in Early
Childhood Education from Ryerson University. She worked for many years in
various nursery schools and has completed the AMI Assistant Training at the
Foundation for Montessori Education.
CASA “D” PM English Speaking Assistant
Giovanna Comisso will be joining Casa “D” as the new PM English Speaking
Assistant. Giovanna is a graduate of Child Studies at Concordia University. She
worked for many years with special needs children and adolescents. Over the
years she became interested in baking and became a Pastry Chef. She has
completed the AMI Assistant Training at the Foundation for Montessori Education.
5. PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION GENERAL MEETING
The first meeting of the Parents' Association is scheduled for Tuesday,
September 14, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
6. FRONT DOOR ENTRY CODE
The main entrance door in the school is equipped with a numeric combination
lock. You need to know the new combination code in order to open
the door. You may obtain the code from any staff member. Please remember that
this code should not be shared with your child.
7. CHILDREN DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP
Please remember not to park your car in front of the school or across
from the school.
You may drop-off your child by stopping briefly in front of the school or you
can park your car in the school parking lot and bring your child to school
yourself.
All Casa children begin their work in the classes at 8:45 a.m. All
Elementary children begin their work in the classes at 8:30 a.m.
If you have any messages for anybody, please have them already written
down and please leave them in the main office. We will pass on your written
message to the right person.
Please make sure that you are not late as it disturbs the other children and
may make your own child uncomfortable.
Please allow your child at least 15 minutes to get changed, greet his/her
friends, and get ready for work at 8:45 a.m. (Casa) and 8:30 a.m. (Elementary).
If you are late, please make sure that you reduce your farewell to a minimum.
Please allow your child the opportunity to enter the classroom
independently – Dear Parents, please do not enter the classroom. Please do not
carry children upstairs and do not help them to change their clothes. To foster
independence, all ‘goodbyes” for elementary students should happen at the bottom
of the stairways on the ground level.
The ideal time to arrive for Casa children in the morning is between 8:30 and
8:45 a.m. Full-day children can be brought into the school for before-school
supervision as early as 7:30 a.m., to be supervised by the French Speaking
Assistants in the before-school area (2nd floor) between 7:30 a.m. & 8:15 a.m.
Please note that the French Speaking Assistants have been instructed to
speak French only in the presence of children.
At 8:15 a.m., all Casa children who are coming for before-school supervision
will be moved to their own classes. They will be able to start working with the
materials earlier in a regular fashion.
Around 8:15 a.m., all Elementary children who are coming for before-school
supervision will return to their appropriate environments. Elementary children
arriving between 8:15 and 8:30 a.m. will go directly to their own classes.
Half-day children should arrive to school anytime between 8:15 a.m. and 8:45
a.m. Please note that half-day classes end at 11:45 a.m. Parents
who are collecting their children at 11:45 a.m., should wait in the main lobby
(ground floor). We will bring all half-day children there.
Full-day Casa children who are not enrolled in the after-school program
should be collected from the second front lobby at 3:30 p.m. CHILDREN NOT
ATTENDING THE AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM MUST BE COLLECTED BY 4:00 P.M.
Elementary children who are not enrolled in the after-school
program will group together in the front lobby for pick-up at 3:30 p.m. Parents
who come to the school between 3:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. should pull up to the
front of the school driving northbound on Kennedy Avenue, so their
child can see them. The children will be dismissed by the adult on duty.
Please remember that this 30-minute time period is not an extension of
school hours.
8. SCHOOL BUS HOME PICK-UP AND DELIVERY SERVICE
We would like to begin home school bus delivery service as of Tuesday,
September 7, 2010. The regular home pick-up will begin on Wednesday, September
8, 2010. Please call the school ASAP if you are interested in this program. The
program is available for a monthly fee. However, if space and time permit,
single trips will be available at a cost of $7.50 per trip. Please pay this
single fee in advance.
9. SCHOOL BUS ZONE AND PARKING AREA
Please do not park your car in the school bus zone. Please use our parking
area to avoid a parking ticket!
10. AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM
All children who will be staying in the school after 4:00 p.m. must be
enrolled in the after-school program on a monthly basis. Please call us ASAP if
you are interested in this program. There will be a fee of $10.00 per day for
the after-school program if your child is not collected by 4:00 p.m. and is not
enrolled on a monthly basis. Please pay the single day fee in advance.
11. SCHOOL CALENDAR
Attached is the calendar for the upcoming school year. This calendar lists
the dates that the school is open plus all workshops and conferences.
12. MONTHLY TUITION FEE
The monthly tuition fee is due on the first of each month. Please bring your
postdated cheques covering the period from September 2010 to June 2011 on the
first day of attendance. For parents who have submitted September 2010 fee
earlier, please remember to pay the remaining extra September fees – i.e. lunch
program, after school program or busing.
13. CHILDREN CLASS LIST
Your child’s class list with parents’ names and home telephone numbers will
be available soon to all parents. Please submit to us ASAP, the attached
Student Information Form 2010-2011. If you do not wish to have your home
telephone number published, please let Felix know. The class list is used for
quick passage of information or reminders of important events at the school. It
may also come in handy around birthday times!
14. TELEPHONE SYSTEM
The school is equipped with a telephone system including Star Talk. You will
be able to leave a voice message for your child’s teacher. Please ask your
child’s teacher for her/his telephone extension number.
PRIMARY CLASSES
1. WHAT TO BRING ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
Please bring to school a complete change of clothes for your child, including
a pair of indoor shoes. The child’s indoor shoes should be kept at school.
Slippers are not suitable for school. Please mark your child’s name on all
of his/her clothing and belongings.
2. PARENT DOs AND DON’Ts
1. In keeping with our goals of nurturing the child's growth in independence,
we kindly ask that parents drop their children off in the corridor (or the front
foyer) and say their goodbyes outside the children's class environment. This
will allow the children to enter into the classroom on their own, taking
responsibility for themselves and their belongings.
If they require assistance, someone within the environment will offer help.
This simple act will encourage grace and courtesy among the children for each
other and will also raise your child's self-esteem and self-reliance.
2. As we strive to preserve the quality of the daily work periods, we would
appreciate it if you could ensure that your child is in his/her classroom no
later than 8:45 a.m. (Casa) and 8:30 a.m. (Elementary). In the event that your
child will be absent or will need to arrive late (i.e. doctor's appointment,
etc.) please leave a message with the main office. In this way, we can be
prepared to greet your child properly upon his/her arrival and also minimize the
disruption of work to other children. Likewise, if you need to collect your
child earlier than his/her regular dismissal time, please notify the main office
so that we can make arrangements to say goodbye and have your child ready to be
picked up by you. We would kindly ask that you refrain from opening the
classroom door and calling out to your child or the teacher, as this causes a
tremendous disruption to the peace and concentration in the class, thus
disturbing the work of the children and the teacher.
3. Here are a few helpful suggestions for parents of Primary children to help
make your child's growth and experience more wholesome and consistent.
* Allow your children to walk on their own when taking them places
(particularly into and out of the school!). Maria Montessori stated that
children under two can walk a mile -- we need only to walk beside them at their
pace. This will allow your child to cultivate self-esteem and a healthy physical
development. (Hugs and kisses can be shared at this level!)
* Encourage them to give up items and habits that encourage dependence rather
than independence (i.e. pacifiers, baby bottles, diapers, stuffed toys,
blankets, thumb sucking, etc.). Children who are able to soothe themselves and
can function as independent individuals are on the right path to living a life
of self-sufficiency, pride and confidence.
* Attend as many lectures and workshops as possible, and continue to read Dr.
Montessori's works regarding child development and the Montessori philosophy.
This will aid in presenting a harmonious approach to raising your child as well
as help you to understand the goals and objectives of the Montessori Method of
Education as an "Aid to Life".
* The children are welcome to bring in interesting and unusual items from
time to time (e.g. shells, souvenirs or ornaments from a vacation, foreign
objects that illustrate different customs or traditions, etc.) to contribute to
the children's cultural awareness of the world in which they live. Toys,
stickers, body tattoos, jewellery and cosmetics are not appropriate articles for
school as they are highly distracting to the children and are often the cause of
arguments.
4. Please remember that if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions
related to your child's daily activities or well-being, please address them
directly to your child's teacher. Assistants and other supporting staff are not
pedagogically responsible for answering inquiries of this nature.
5. Ensure that your child has a seasonal change of clean clothes available in
his/her cubby at all times while at school.
Most importantly, please dress your children in clothes that they are
functionally able to manage on their own. Overalls, belts, suspenders and pants
that are difficult to fasten and unfasten only serve to slow down your children
in their efforts to toilet themselves successfully, as well as cause unnecessary
frustration and discouragement when having to depend upon others for constant
assistance.
6. Help your children to help themselves by allowing them to do as much as
they can without offering unnecessary assistance. Dr. Montessori writes,
"...listening does not make a man...only practical work and experience lead the
young to maturity..." and, "the most favourable time for a child to learn is
when she wants to do it herself."
7. In an effort to keep all the children in our care safe, happy and healthy,
we need to advise parents about the importance of allowing children who are
suffering from an illness to remain at home until such time as they have fully
recovered. Children who are not well enough to play outdoors are not well
enough to be in attendance at the school. Please understand that we cannot
detain a needed staff member for one sick child. If your child becomes ill
while at school, you will be contacted to make arrangements to collect your
child as soon as possible.
Your promptness will ease your child's discomfort and enable your child to
receive the care he/she needs ASAP, as well as prevent the illness from
spreading to the other children and adults in the close environment.
8. Your children's journey through life begins with you, the parent, and must
continue to be guided by you throughout their early years, as the road to
adulthood is a challenging and lengthy one. While you have chosen to have your
children's wholesome growth and development supported by a Montessori Education,
this task cannot be assumed without the parents involvement in the children's
learning experience. It is imperative that parents "get on board" and support
the Montessori philosophy by continuing to educate themselves regarding the way
that Montessori is offering your child education as an “Aid to Life”.
Parents are strongly encouraged to read the works of Dr. Maria Montessori, which
are available in our school's Parent Library, as well as to attend and
participate in all meetings, lectures and workshops scheduled throughout the
school year as part of our commitment to Parent Education.
The task of educating a child is a momentous one and therefore has little
chance of being successful if the principles of the philosophy of the parents
and their chosen method of education are not in harmony.
9. A Montessori environment is a "prepared environment". Its main function is
to offer the children everything they need to aid in their task of
self-creation. The adults in the environment have a unique role in that we act
as the child’s “guide on the side". Children are their own master teachers and
in an effort to support their personal and individual growth to the maximum,
while creating a special place that encourages independence and self-confidence,
the adults must maintain a marginal position in the learning experience with the
child. The only way to accomplish this is to preserve a professional
relationship among the children, their parents and their teachers (teachers and
assistants) at all times.
It is our school policy that all staff members follow the Staff Handbook
which provides guidelines regarding relationships with parents and children
outside school hours. The Conflict of Interest Policy which is a part of the
Staff Handbook guides a staff member into not engaging in employment
relationship with parents, as well as not engaging in intimate social activities
in after-school hours involving parents and children. If you have any
questions please speak to the school principal.
ABC PARENT GUIDE
1. The children need to walk (not carried) into school by themselves and come
upstairs to put their own things away. This may take a few extra minutes of your
time but we assure you it's time well spent. They must learn the importance of
walking up/down the stairs properly. The child's movement is a paramount element
of his/her development. The children must have "liberty of movement" in order to
"exercise themselves to learn to coordinate their movements".
2. Please do not change the clothing of your children or hang their clothes
up for them. Although this saves you time, your child is left not knowing where
his/her belongings have been placed. Encourage the right habits and
independence. You may not hear it, but this is what your child is saying to you:
"Please help me to do it myself!"
3. We refer to everything that the child does at school as "work", rather
than "play". It is only we, the adults, who do not give a positive connotation
to the word "work". Although this may seem trivial, this distinction should be
respected and carried on at home.
4. Any questions regarding your child's progress at school should be directed
to her/his teacher. Assistants have been instructed not to give out this type of
information.
5. Throughout the year we will be holding Parent Education Evenings, where we
will introduce you to the Montessori materials. It is important that all
parents attend these sessions as they will help you to understand how your
child is learning and how you can help to foster learning experiences outside
the school environment.
6. Once the class has begun, the teachers will not be available to speak to
any parents in the hall. Please relay your messages to the assistants or leave a
message at the office.
7. Please call and leave a message with the main officeif your child is not
coming to school.
8. Please dress your child in comfortable and practical clothing. Remember
that your child has to use the washroom independently.
10. Please dress your child for the outdoors according to the weather
conditions. On the colder/winter days, children who do not have hats, gloves,
and warm coats will be kept inside. Label all of your child's belongings --
especially the winter clothes.
11. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT CHILDREN DO NOT BRING TOYS TO SCHOOL. They cause
endless confusion and unhappiness, especially when some beloved toy is broken or
disappears.
HEALTH POLICY
For the health protection of your child and your family, please follow this
health policy when your child is ill. Your child should not be at school if
suffering from any of the following:
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Persistent cough
- Severe rash
- Diarrhea
- Contagious diseases
- Pink Eye (conjunctivitis)
- A cold that indicates infection
If your child is off sick with anything contagious, please consult with your
doctor as to when your child can return to school. We would like to thank you
for your co-operation in helping us to stop the spread of unnecessary ailments
and to keep your family healthy!! For a detailed list of communicable diseases,
please check the parents' board in the lobby.
A copy of your child’s immunization record must be submitted to the
office not later than September 30, 2010.
ELEMENTARY CLASSES
1. WHAT TO BRING ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
- gym shoes
- separate pair of indoor shoes
- water bottle
- small pencil case that will hold a pencil, eraser, coloured pencils,
sharpener
2. WHAT NOT TO BRING TO SCHOOL
- comics, magazines
- hockey cards or cards of any kind
- stickers
- toys of any kind, including digital pets
- gum, candy, pop
- in general, any other distracting material
3. CHILDREN AFTERNOON DISMISSAL
The Elementary children will group together in the front lobby for pick-up at
3:30 p.m. Parents should pull up to the front of the school so your child can
see you, or you may come to the front lobby in person to collect your child. The
children will be dismissed by the adult on duty.
4. LUNCH ROUTINE
All Elementary children will begin eating their lunches in the classroom at
11:30 a.m. The children who have finished eating will go outside until 12:45
p.m. We encourage the children to make or help to make their own lunches.
Include nutritious items such as fruit, vegetables, sandwiches, milk or fruit
juice. Avoid sugary foods. Please do not send any products to school that
contain any nuts, as some children have allergies to nuts. Also, please
pack the lunch in reusable containers. Any leftover lunch should be taken home.
Please help us to encourage the children to recycle as much as possible.
5. PHYSICAL EDUCATION - MUSIC - ART – FRENCH – SPECIAL EDUCATION
The children will continue participating in physical education, music and art
as part of the daily work cycle. The French program for 6-9 classes will be
provided this year by three teachers: Jamila Samaa, Lisa Barbosa and Valerie
Ingram. Yves Bernard will continue working with 9-12 students as a French
Teacher. Jane Lautens, AMI trained Montessori teacher will continue working as a
Special Education Educator. Children who are in need of extra enrichment and
remedial work will be joining this program on a regular basis. The Special
Education Program will be available to all elementary students in need and will
begin in mid September.
6. OBSERVATIONS & WORKSHOPS
We believe that parent education is very important. In order to facilitate
this, we offer parents the opportunity to observe the Elementary classes. This
will take place two times a year. The times for these observations will be
posted in November and May. We strongly encourage parents to attend the
Elementary workshops. Please see the attached School Calendar.
7. INTERVIEWS
Parental interviews will be held twice a year in November and May. If you
participate in observations, class visits, workshops and interviews, you will
have a better understanding of the Montessori Elementary program. Progress
reports are issued towards the end of the year, reflecting the development of
your child.
ADOLESCENT PROGRAM
Dear students and parents,
I would like to take this opportunity to officially welcome you to the
Humberside Montessori School Adolescent Program. As our first class you are in
the unique position of participating in the establishment of this program. We
have many exciting things planned for this year both in and outside the
classroom but the spirit and heart of the program will come directly from the
students and all the hard work they do throughout the year. Below are some
details to help get us started. I look forward to seeing you all on the first
day of school.
Yours truly, Matt
1. IMPORTANT DATES
Tuesday, September 7 – First day of school 8:30 am. Parents please
feel free to come in when you drop off your son or daughter to say hi and see
our beautiful new classroom.
Thursday, September 9 – Parent Orientation Night 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, September 15 to Friday, September 17 – Trip to Camp
Hurontario. This will be a time for the class to get away from the city and to
spend some time bonding as a group. Full details to follow at the Parent
Orientation Night.
2. WHAT TO BRING ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
- A combination lock
- Pencils, erasers
- Pens – blue, black and red are a must; other colours are fine too
- Coloured pencils – a standard 10-12 colour set is just fine, however there
are many options to choose from
- Highlighters – at least two colours
- Pencil case
- Ruler
- Math kit
- Binders
- 1.5” red
- 1.5” green
- 1.5” black
- 1.5” blue
- 1.5” other colour
- 3” any colour
- A journal with lined pages – approximate size 6” x 8”. This item will
become very close to you so please choose a journal that you really like.
- Gym clothes and shoes
- Water bottle
- Indoor shoes
3. WHAT NOT TO BRING TO SCHOOL
- Cellular phones, iPods, mp3 players, etc. We will discuss the Adolescent
Program policies on these items during the first week
- Gum, candy, pop/energy drinks
- In general, any other distracting material
4. AFTERNOON DISMISSAL
The students in the Adolescent Program will be dismissed from their classroom
at 3:30 p.m. After that, the students are free to proceed with whatever routines
they have arranged with their parents: i.e. walk/bike home, subway or pickup.
Parents who are picking up their son or daughter should pull up to the front of
the school so they can be seen or they may come into the lobby.
5. LUNCH ROUTINE
The Adolescent students with eat their lunches together in the classroom at
12:10 p.m. each day. In general, they will need a bag lunch three days a week
and we will be cooking two days a week. Please bring a bag lunch on the first
day of school.
We encourage the Adolescent students to make their own lunches and to include
healthy items such as fruit, vegetables, milk and fruit juice. Please do
not pack any items that contain nuts, as some children in the school have
allergies to nuts.
It is not abnormal for an adolescent to not feel like eating first thing in
the morning but rest assured they will be very hungry around 9:30 or 10:00.
Please encourage your son or daughter to pack a healthy mid-morning snack if
they find this to be the case.
We encourage all students to pack their lunches in an environmentally
responsible way. Try to avoid individually packaged items and to use reusable
containers.
6. PHYSICAL EDUCATION – MUSIC – ART – FRENCH – SPECIAL EDUCATION
The adolescents will continue participating in physical education, music and
art as part of the daily work cycle. Yves Bernard will provide the French
program four mornings a week. Jane Lautens, AMI trained Montessori teacher will
continue working as a Special Education Educator. Students who are in need of
extra enrichment and remedial work will be joining this program on a regular
basis. The Special Education Program will be available to all Adolescent Program
students in need and will begin mid September.
7. OBSERVATIONS & WORKSHOPS
We believe that parent education is very important. In order to facilitate
this, we will be holding regular events for parents throughout the year. These
will be student organized and run and will give parents the opportunity to see
examples of work their sons and daughters have been doing as well as to offer
parents the opportunity to observe the Adolescent class. We also encourage
parents to attend the Adolescent workshops. Please see the attached School
Calendar.
8. INTERVIEWS
Parental interviews will be held twice a year in November and in May. If you
participate in observations, class visits, workshops and interviews you will
have a better understanding of the Montessori Adolescent Program. Progress
Reports are issued towards the end of the year, reflecting the development of
your son or daughter. |
