We have an eventful week coming up! First, on Tuesday October 27, we will have School Picture Day. This will be a one-day event this year, as only individual portraits will be taken. Class photos will then be assembled using the students' individual shots. Tuesday will be a non-uniform day, and children are encouraged to dress up. We will be amongst the first classes to get pictures taken, so your little ones will not have much time to show "wear and tear" from their day! We always restrict any potentially messy activities, such as snacking, painting, markers, etc, before student pictures are taken. Being on time that morning will greatly facilitate getting to the photographer on time!
On Friday, October 30, we will have our Halloween class celebration. Montessori students are encouraged to dress up in costumes, and we will have Halloween-themed snacks and activities throughout the morning. There will be no school parade. Please be aware that this is still a full day at school, including lunch and rest. Therefore we ask that children don't wear make-up or face paint, that their costumes can be comfortably worn all day, and that they don't bring small or fragile costume accessories that you don't want to risk getting damaged or lost. Families may, if they like, send in Halloween treats to share (individually sealed, please), but it is by no means required, so please don't feel obligated. Finally, this coming week, a free breakfast and lunch program will begin at St. Mary's. You may order lunch for your child online, through the "What's for Lunch?" icon on the school's website. Details were in the last Buzz newsletter. School breakfast will be delivered to the Montessori classroom daily, where we will utilize it for our students' self-serve snack. Therefore, the nature of our snack program will change. As you know, the expectation was that each student's family would be responsible for one week of classroom snack for the year. Well, we're pleased to say that this burden will be greatly eased with the addition of the daily delivery of breakfast foods. Our snack wish list will transition to a "Snack/Classroom Supply" Wish List. Many families have asked what we need for the classroom, especially regarding cleaning and other consumable supplies, and have delivered! For that, we thank you! So for your future Snack Week, you will still get a wish list, but it might not ask as much for food as glue sticks, or Lysol, or paper cups, for example. Either way, the cost to families should be less than buying snack for 32 children for a week! As always please reach out with any questions or concerns, either through the Remind App, or using the information provided on the Contact Info & Schedules page on this website. And enjoy the rest of your weekend!
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Hello from the Montessori Children's House. Above are photos from our rainy St. Mary's Marathon Walk! Thank you for all who pledged money and volunteered. We took one quick, wet lap (to singing of "It's Raining, It's Pouring") and went back inside! As we continue the themes for the month of October, several children have had lessons about the parts of deciduous leaves. Who knew a leaf had so many parts? We have enjoyed watching the colors of trees change, and have learned about the characteristics of deciduous trees (as well as learning the word "deciduous"!). This weekend, I would like your child's homework to be to bring in one special leaf that they've found. We will see how many colors and shapes can be collected among the class. As you know, Ms. Rachel gives religious lessons to the Montessori students. This past week, she has given a lesson recommended by the Diocesan plan, "Protecting God's Children" that revolved around teaching personal safety. She read the book, "God Made ALL of Me: A Book to Help Children Protect Their Bodies." The lesson focused on age-appropriate bodily autonomy. God made us all, every part of us, and all of it is good. We have the right to say no to others if we don't want to be touched. It's a good thing to ask a trusted adult for help if someone doesn't respect your wishes. And that we don't keep secrets from our parents; if someone asks us to not tell Mom and Dad, that's not a good thing! Of course, we encourage you to talk to your children to reinforce these lessons often.
On a final note: We sent home rest mats to be laundered. We also ask that masks be laundered frequently. Young children often chew on their masks, or put them on before they are quite finished chewing and swallowing that last bite of lunch, and they become rather wetter and dirtier than an adult's mask probably would. We encourage you to do a bookbag sweep every weekend to throw masks into the wash. Thank you! As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns! And enjoy the rest of your Fall weekend! September is finished, October has started, and we have just counted our 20th day of school! Students of the Montessori Children's House have been showing that they are comfortable and knowledgeable about our routine. The classroom is peaceful as children choose their own work, complete it, and put it away. They understand about things like "mask breaks" and "sanitizing." Teachers have taken lots of notes to assess each student's abilities, interests, and learning styles, and we plan their individual curriculum accordingly.
Each month, we introduce new learning themes. This month, we will continue to learn about the season of Autumn, while exploring deciduous trees and their leaves. And of course, we are very excited for Halloween at the end of the month! Some parents have asked about drop-off and pick up times. A teacher will be available every morning at door C6 (back church door) for drop-off from 7:30-7:50 am. If there are cars at 7:50, the teacher stays until all children are inside. If there are no cars at 7:50, we will close the door. Please make every effort to make it during that time frame. It is difficult to leave the room to answer the door once instruction is supposed to have begun. Thank you for your cooperation in this. For dismissal time, full-day Montessori student dismissal is at 2 pm. This is to help ease the congestion of students and traffic during dismissal (and facilitate distancing). If your Montessori student has a sibling in grades K-8, their dismissal will be closer to 2:10-2:15 pm. We generally wait until all siblings are together before calling them to be dismissed from Door B1. Thank you for understanding. Tomorrow is our Marathon Day! It's a wonderful tradition to move our legs and raise some money for our school. This year, classes will walk separately, rain or shine, during a designated time. Montessori class' time is the earliest - from 8-8:30 am. Every child needs a permission slip - that is the pledge sheet that was sent home. We have extras for parents to sign at drop-off, if we have not received a permission slip from you yet. Please dress your child for the weather, as we will be outside in it! A final reminder: we are working hard to keep the room clean and healthy for our school days. While we do take temperatures, we do not ask your children the survey questions about health and symptoms, due to young age. Each day, please keep in mind the following questions for your family as you get ready to go to school: 1. Has your child been in close (unmasked/ un-distanced) contact with anyone who has tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 14 days? 2. Has your child been in close contact with anyone who has or had symptoms of Covid-19 in the last 14 days? 3. Has your child tested positive for Covid-19 in the past 14 days? 4. Has your child experienced any symptoms of Covid-19 in the past 14 days (upper/lower respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms) and had a temperature more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit? 5. Has your child traveled international or from a state on the New York State's Travel Advisory List, within the past 14 days? If you have any questions about this survey, or simply aren't sure, we would invite you to call the school office at 716-689-8424. Thank you for your continued care and caution in this matter! |
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Ms. Teresa is just one of the three fantastic teachers in St. Mary's Montessori Children's House! |