September 2011 Parent Newsletter

Greetings, and welcome to the 2011 – 2012 school year! We are truly excited to be back, and have spent the last week and more in preparing the classrooms, fine tuning curriculum, and thinking about your child and how excited we are for he/she to be with us.

For those returning, moving up, or new I would like to share or refresh some procedures for the year:

We know that communication is so important to the confidence and success your child experiences at FCD. That is why each week your child’s weekly folder will go home with important updates and “work” to be signed and returned Monday of the following week. The Primary (3 – Kdg) will include a weekly newsletter, while the Pre-Primary will publish a bi-weekly newsletter. Of course, additional communications will be sent home during the week. It is important that your child have a small bookbag to carry all of these papers. Thanks!

Carpool – Optional - this is offered between 8:45am – 9am at the sidewalk area near the mailbox. Please do not block the circle, and having your child on the right passenger side helps for a safe exit. Ms. Debbie, Ms. Lorraine, Ms. Rebekah, and Ms. Shoshana will all be assisting with carpool.

Please strive to be on time. Children do not like walking into a class that has already started. Allow yourselves time in the morning so that you are not rushed. Conversely, please be sure to pick your child up on time at noon or 3pm. This year we are going to have the Primary children dismissed from the playground at 3pm. (Pre-Primary will be dismissed from classroom.) Parents would buzz in, come down the hall to the back door, and children who go home at 3pm will be on the left side of the playground. Your child’s teacher must see you, then she will sign you out. Bookbags can be collected from the hallway as you pass your child’s classroom and exit the building. We tried this dismissal procedure during the summer program and it seemed to work well. Of course, if the weather is bad/too cold, etc. we would have inside dismissal.

Also, as a reminder, and with the weather still warm and sunny, please apply sunscreen before arrival and we will follow-up during the day, as needed. Thanks!

This week we will be celebrating Maria Montessori’s Birthday!

She was born August 31, 1870. I will be visiting the classrooms to introduce or review her life, and why we call this a Montessori School. On Wednesday and Thursday we will host a coffee and donuts social for parents at arrival in Maria’s honor and hope that you will join us between 7am – 9am.

Next week we will begin back to school class dinners: Room 1 on Tuesday, September 6^th, Room 3 on Wednesday, September 7^th, and Room 2 on Thursday, September 8^th. Please arrive at 5:30pm for Parent Meeting, while children can play on the playground with staff supervision. Then at 6:15pm we would gather to enjoy a potluck meal with FCD providing drinks and desserts. A sign-up will be posted on your classroom door this week. We hope that you have this scheduled on your calendars! The Pre-Primary will be meeting on Wednesday, September 14^th.

Please note 2 changes on the year long calendar:

1. Our pasta/salad lunch is moved to Friday, September 16^th, not September 8^th. A permission slip will be going home soon.

2. Our Montessori Matinee Workshop for Parents is moved to Saturday, October 8^th @ 2pm, not Saturday, September 17^th, due to a staff development workshop.

Finally, as a staff we are adopting the “virtues” of simplicity, patience, and compassion as our theme this year. I think Maria would agree! Welcome, and we are so glad that you are here!

Ms. Louise, Director

April 26^th, 2011 Parent Newsletter

Dear Parents,

As the end of the year approaches ever too quickly, I wanted to touch base with you.  First, as our Pennies for Peace project winds down, we want to thank you for all your support here at school and in the home.

Next week, May 2 – May 6, we celebrate our annual Appreciation Week: for our children, our staff, and you!

We kick off the week with a Grab n’ Go Breakfast on Monday, May 2, hosted by Ms. Lorraine.  Stop by for some coffee, juice, bagels, and a fruit grain bar.  It is our way of saying thank you, and that we appreciate all that you do.

On Tuesday, May 3, we provide a pizza lunch for the children.  If it is warm enough, we will picnic outside under the umbrellas!

Wednesday, May 4, is our Staff Appreciation Potluck Lunch.  Parents can sign up to send in favorite dishes so that the staff can enjoy this special treat.

Thursday, May 5, we have some fun with wear your favorite t-shirt day:  good day to wear the new P4P shirts!

Then on Friday, May 6, not only will we have an ice cream social for all, but we will also gather at the Peace Pole to close off our P4P project, and announce the grand total.

On behalf of the FCD Staff, thank you for making this such a wonderful year!

Ms. Louise, Director

March 2011 Parent Newsletter

Greetings! The month of March came in gently as we move on to Spring. We were so thrilled to celebrate Montessori Education Week this month with the children, families, and staff. We managed to pack many activities into the week, and the highlights included the parent, “What I Like About Montessori Education For My Child” essays, as well as the FCD slideshow produced by Ms. Kathleen. Of course, nothing can top the Peace Banner, made by you, which is now on display in the front foyer. Thank you all for making this Week special and for choosing FCD for your child.

Re-enrollment forms for next year are due into the office by March 15^th. Please see Ms. Debbie if have not received your contract for the 2011-2012 school year.

Enrollment for Summer Under the Red Roof is coming along nicely. However, openings for the Pre-Primary are down to 4-5 per session, so please let us know if you are interested before we open these spaces up to the community. Thanks!

Our Kindergarteners have 2 special events coming up: the traditional Irish Potato Heads display, and a trip to the Weinberg for a play in early April. Thank you for all the contributions of treats and donations to their Bake Sale. They netted $77 towards future activities. Thank you!

As a Montessori community, we are trying our best to teach the children to be not only independent, but also interdependent. Thus, each month we engage in some kind of outreach project. Last month we collected, and sent 150 pairs of shoes to El Salvador. This month we will kick-off our Pennies for Peace project, collecting pennies to help build schools for girls in Pakistan. We will be hosting many activities to tie students, parents, and staff together. A full schedule of events and activities will be released soon. Meanwhile, if you haven’t read Greg Mortenson’s Three Cups of Tea or Stones to Schools, these make great readings with our P4P project!

We are looking forward to Parent Conferences on March 25^th! It is always such a pleasure to share in the “specialness” of each child. Looking forward to a the new season and to the growth and beauty that unfolds each day!

Ms. Louise, Director

Around the world Montessori Education Week is being celebrated Monday, February  28^th through Friday, March 4^th. Last year Frederick Country Day wrote to Governor O’Malley to proclaim this celebration and recognition by the State of Maryland. We do so to bring honor to the work and play of Maria Montessori: as you look at the calendar for this week, many wonderful activities are planned for families, children, and staff.

There are three exciting activities we are thrilled to be a part of:  1. A parent essay on “What Montessori Means to My Child”  which puts those who respond into a gift card raffle!  2.  A video of “I Love My Montessori Classroom” produced by our own Ms. Kathleen, Assistant Teacher in Pre-Primary classroom, featuring the real stars of FCD, your children!  3. A Peace Gathering on March 4^th where we will unveil the Peace Quilt, made from the squares contributed by our FCD families.

All of this, in addition to parent socials, sundaes, sing-a-longs, and a real live diorama of the life of Maria Montessori!  We look forward to a great week and invite you to share in our appreciation and honor for the life and legacy of Maria Montessori.

MONTESSORI WEEK ACTIVITIES

MONDAY, FEB 28:

Montessori Parent Appreciation Social, a.m. Refreshments.

Maria Montessori Timeline.

Montessori Quotes Shared with Children & Parents: “My Child is Honored at Frederick Country Day” Stickers!

TUESDAY, MARCH 1:

Make Your Own Sundae Ice Cream Social.

Frederick Country Day Community Sing -A-Long

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2:

Kindergarten Bake Sale.

Parents Reflections, “What I LIke About Montessori for My Child” viewing in foyer.

Parent Raffle.

THURSDAY, MARCH 3:

Frederick Country Day Birthday Walk, 1997 – 2011

Staff Pizza Lunch.

FRIDAY, MARCH 4

Peace Pole Ceremony @ 11:00 a.m. Bubble Release!

“I Love My Montessori Classroom” Video & Peace Quilt Unveiling.

Moving Matters: The Link between Movement and Discipline

(based on the book Growing an In-Sync child by Carol Kranowitz and Joye Newman)

Did you ever wonder about freedom in a Montessori classroom? Are you interested in the mixed age groups and learning how children ages 3-6 can function together in a common space? The answers lie in what is known as “the secret of childhood”. Come learn the “secret” that Maria Montessori observed over 100 years ago…and that modern- day therapists Carol Kranowitz and Joye Newman confirm in the book Growing an In-Sync Child. In this forum you will discover the dynamic link between movement and discipline that has Developmental Psychologists and Occupational Therapists focusing in on Montessori Education in 2011.

1. Movement and Development: Wednesday, January 19^th 6pm-7:15pm

Muscular Education

2. Development and Intellect: Wednesday, February 2^nd 6pm-7:15pm

Montessori Planes of development (brief charting)

3-6 yr olds in the same environment

3. Intellect and Discipline: Wednesday, February 23^rd 6pm-7:15pm

Kindergarten year…

“If the child is not yet master of his actions, if he cannot obey even his own will, so much the less can he obey the will of an adult.”

“Discipline is therefore attained indirectly, that is, by developing activity in spontaneous work.”     (M.Montessori, (1948) The Discovery of The Child)

We are excited to be offering this three-part workshop to parents and the community.

(Childcare will be provided for FCD students in the Rainbow Room.)

Please see the sign-up in the foyer for workshop and childcare, or call the school at 301-694-7000.

December 2010 Parent Newsletter

“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” Helen Keller

It was very heartwarming to share in our FCD’s Thanksgiving feasts with families, especially with our visiting grandparents. We now move into a new month, and despite the many activities planned, we know our teachers will do their best to keep everyone on track. We know how excited we all get at this time of year.

Many of our staff attended a workshop presented by the author of the best seller Growing an In-Sync Child by Kranowitz/Newman. Because early motor development is one of the most important factors in a child’s physical, emotional, academic, and overall success, we discovered that simple movements such as skipping, rolling, balancing, and jumping can make a world of difference for your child. We are now implementing some of the 60 activities to help with sensory processing, perceptual motor skills, and visual processing. For the Primary classes, we have designated Thursday as In-Sync Day and will be offering special activities during the day. We hope to be able to offer a parent workshop in January to share in some of the ideas presented so that you can try these out at home. Stay tuned.

Outreach: At FCD we strive to connect our children and families with the local community, as well as to reach beyond as world citizens. Thank you so much for the $200 forwarded to UNICEF. We also thank you for the many dozen of cookies that were baked by you and packed up and already sent to deployed military, along with 150 cards from our families and staff. Another community event chaired by Ms. Antoinette and Ms. Cynthia was the organization of the first ever Wounded Warrior Project, held November 27^th at Baker Park. We hope to make this an annual event!

In December, we invite interested families to form a caroling group to benefit the Ronald McDonald House. FCD has offered to supply families with flyers and song sheets. This could be a great annual family outing, bringing families and neighbors together for a great cause.

If this is December can January and registration for the 2011-2012 year be far behind? January will be pre-registration for our current FCD families; we will be hosting Open Houses on Saturday, January 29^th, and Sunday, January 30^th for the community.

Wishing all of our families happy holidays and peace in family traditions.

Ms. Louise, Director

NOVEMBER 2010

Greetings as we welcome the month of November! Before moving on to some fun activities this month, I wanted to share with you the great joy we experienced at the North American Montessori Teacher’s Conference last month. The central theme revolved around bringing nature into/and outside of the classroom.  With our herb/vegetable/and herb garden in its waning days (yet, with much fruition), the children “put the garden to bed” by weeding, pruning, and harvesting plants, and now, by planting bulbs and potatoes for Spring viewing….the children are finding new uses for the classroom botany cabinet, identifying and matching leaves, and gifting other classrooms with repotted plants. The children are also being introduced to the gem and flower of each month, and lessons on each are on the shelves to investigate. Maria Montessori believed that the outside should be the classroom, with so many lessons to be learned from being in, and with, nature. We continue to thank you for your kind donations of flowers to the classroom, too. The children love to cut and display these in small vases around the classroom. We will continue to look for opportunities to bring nature into each classroom.

We hope to see many parents visiting before conferences to get a bird’s eye view of the richness of the day. The Staff are also looking forward to Parent Conference Day on November 12^th. Childcare is available during your conference time, with registration.

Our monthly Peace gatherings are a great community time. For United Nation’s Day we were able to gather around the Peace Pole and send wishes for peace to all of the seven continents. Ask your child about the continent colored balloons that took off into the air, unexpectedly! One child remarked, “Look, we’re really sending peace around the world!” Our next gathering is scheduled for November 16^th @ 9:30am. Please join us! Special thanks to all who dropped off the UNICEF boxes this month. Thanks!

On Saturday, November 13^th, from 10am until noon, we will be part of the Pre-School Mom’s Fair at the Elks Club in Frederick. This is an Open House for all pre-schools in the area and Ms. Monica, Ms. Shoshana, and Ms. Antoinette will be there for FCD. If you are a parent who would like to join us at the table to add your input for ourschool, we would welcome your presence. Please see Ms. Louise for more information.

Of course, November means Thanksgiving Feasts and each class has a special day to enjoy this together. We also are looking forward to our annual Thanksgiving Week Grandparent Visiting Days on November 22nd and 23^rd. It is such a treat to watch grandparents sitting beside their little one, smiling away!

We have been enjoying Toddler Tales on the first and second Thursday of the month with toddlers 18 months and up, along with parent(s). Please extend an invitation to any friends who would like to join in with us.

Our Outreach Project for November has changed:  we are going to be baking and sending cookies and cards to the deployed troops in time for the holidays. Children will be baking the week of November 15^th and we will open our FCD kitchen on Saturday, November 20^th from 10am – 2pm for mom’s or dad’s to bring prepared batter or already made cookies, pack them up for shipping, and join in holiday songs and card making. All donations would be shipped out on Monday, November 22^nd. We have joined in this project in past years, and it is always an honor to bring this small bit of home to other’s so far away from families and loved one’s.

Looking ahead: There will be lots of activities for the month of December….both in the classroom and for the family. Look for more information to arrive in your child’s weekly folder.

Finally, we dedicated the Peace Garden at the Peace Pole this month to our late Montessorian teacher, Ms. Kim Coker.  Staff gathered for a lovely ceremony and to plant the garden fairy plaque in her name. Special thanks to our own, Ms. Lisa, for designing and purchasing all the beautiful mementos. Please stop by with your child for a rest. Explain to them that a wonderful teacher, who loved FCD, helped to plant the Peace Pole a few years ago. She loved peace, and she loved the children at FCD. Thank you!

Ms. Louise, Director