November Newsletter
CountrySide Montessori School at the Little Mulberry Park
“Where children love to learn, discover, and respect one another”
November 2013 Newsletter
Piñata Party and Fall Festival! We had a wonderful time at our Piñata Party and Fall Festival! The children enjoyed breaking the piñata and gathering the special treats! A huge “Thank You” to all the parents who brought delicious salads and foods, and their favorite dishes from their native country! We all enjoyed the delectable variety! We would not have been able to do this fun day without our amazing parents! There were also so many volunteers who brought interesting items as fillers for the piñatas. Please know how much we appreciate each of you! We hope you had fun, as well!
November Birthdays! Tommy celebrated his 6th birthday on November 7th! Sydney will be 6 years old on November 19th, and Cadence will turn 6 years old on November 27th. “Happy Birthday” to Tommy, Sydney, and Cadence!
Classroom Observations! If you have not yet “observed” in our classroom, mornings or afternoons, please sign up for this unique experience. You will amazed at the peaceful classroom atmosphere, with each child selecting his/her own activity and putting it neatly back in its place when finished. Observing in the classroom is the BEST way for parents to truly understand what is happening in a Montessori environment. Parents are able to write down questions to discuss with Ms. Hanne after observing. We invite you to come in and see what your children are learning!
Our Children’s Benches look like New! Mr. Steve Bodine, Addison’s dad offered to repair and restore four of our children’s benches that had fallen apart. Addison also helped with staining the solid new wood replacements! The solid benches will last a long time, and will bring much enjoyment to our children! Thank you so very much, Steve and Addison! Mr. Bodine is so very talented with wood-working; such a craftsman! We love all he does and has done for our school. Our Compost Bin is such a welcomed addition to our school environment, and the children will so enjoy sitting on the newly restored benches Mr. Steve has made for us.
This month, we will focus on the history, traditions, and geography of the United States. If you have any items or books relating to these subjects, please feel free to bring them for a day! We will treat every item with great respect! I will show our children old quilts, pictures of Williamsburg, and pictures of log houses located in Kentucky. They will also learn about the early explorers, Lewis and Clark, the pioneer life, and native Americans. I would love for one or two of our moms to help us with carving a pumpkin, taking out the seeds, and roasting them here at the school for the children! We will also make Stone Soup!
Thanksgiving Feast!On Friday, November 22nd, we are planning to have a “Thanksgiving Feast” for our children, beginning at noon. We will have early release at 1:00 PM for our afternoon children. All children will be going home at that time. Please bring a small dish of traditional Thanksgiving food of your choice to share with our class instead of the regular lunch. This is a very enjoyable event! Please let us know if you wish to help us. Thank you!
***In the morning, children will enjoy holiday and festive foods, such as pumpkin muffins and apple cider. Please let us know if you wish to bring any special traditional snack items. Thank you so much!
Annual CountrySide Family Celebration! The holidays are approaching fast, and that means it is time for our 9th Annual CountrySide Family Celebration! Please note the date change: Friday, December 13th, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. We changed the date and venue for our Familiy Celebration to accommodate more family members this year. Mrs. Suiter arranged for us to use the “Roof Top Room” at the Hamilton Mill Methodist Church on Hog Mountain Road, across from the entrance to the Little Mulberry Park. It is a fabulous place! There is also a stage for our children, and the room will be festively decorated! We are so appreciative of Mrs. Suiter’s help in obtaining this special meeting room! Thank you, Mrs. Suiter! Please mark your calendar. More details will be coming soon!
CountrySide Shirts Day! Many of our boys and girls already have a CountrySide shirt, and beige skirts or slacks in anticipation of possible uniforms or a dress code for our children. We would like to make at least Wednesdays our designated day for the children to wear their CountrySide Polo or T- shirts shirts, and on other days also, if you like! Order forms for shirts will be given or sent to you as soon as I receive them.
AMI Reaccreditation! We are pleased to inform you that CountrySide Montessori School received again its AMI Accreditation for this year. The Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) accreditation is the oldest and most prestigious accreditation awarded to Montessori Schools who adhere to the standards set forth by Dr. Maria Montessori herself. There are about 5000 various Montessori schools in the United States, but only around 200 are AMI accredited Montessori schools.
Sight Word Quiz! All children who are entering First Grade next year, need to know a group of words called “sight words.” At the beginning of this school year, all eligible children received a list of sight words so that they could practice at home with their parents’ help. During the last week of November, I will ask all students who will enter first Grade next year to read the first three columns. As an additional challenge, I will then dictate these sight words as well.
Thanksgiving Break! CountrySide Montessori School will closed for Thanksgiving from November 25th-November 29th.
November 17
Dear Parents,
An exciting week awaits our children at CountrySide this week!
Tuesday: The Suiters are bringing Mr. Lamb, an instructor from the Dojo, to our school for a visit!! He will eat lunch with the children and then lead them in an afternoon of activities and games outside. Many of our families know the Dojo and Mr. Lamb very well and always applaud his abilities. This will surely be lots of fun! Thank you to Sydney and her family!
Wednesday: Kirsten Ingram will be teaching the children about pickling. This is perfect timing as the children learn about the role of food in early America, the harvest, and the need to preserve and save for the winter months. What a fun and unique experience for them! Thank you, Kirsten!
Friday: Our Thanksgiving Feast is this Friday at noon. Early release is at 1:00 PM for afternoon children. All children will be going home at that time. Please bring a small dish of traditional Thanksgiving food of your choice to share with our class instead of the regular lunch.
Looking forward to a fun filled week!
Jessica Cooney
From our families to yours,
we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving Holiday
with your loved ones!
