Athena Montessori Academy
January 2022 Newsletter
"Man is capable of every great heroism; it was man who found a means of conquering the formidable obstacles of his environment, establishing himself lord of the earth, and laying the foundations of civilization."
-- Dr. Maria Montessori
Important Dates
Tuesday, January 4th
First day of Spring semester (returning students)
Wednesday, January 5th
First day of Spring semester (new students)
Monday, January 17th
MLK Day (school closed)
Friday, January 21st
100th Day of School
Welcome back to Athena!
Most of our extracurricular programs begin the week of January 10th! The class lineup for the spring is Soccer Shots, Dance, Life Ki-do, and Mr. Sean's Music. Mariposas Spanish will be starting in February. We still have a few spots open in some of them, so refer to Joy's extracurricular email for more info on registration.
Upcoming parent workshops:
The Arc of the Tantrum
Katie Malinski, LCSW-S, is one of Athena's favorite parent coaches. Katie is hosting a popular workshop series The Arc of the Tantrum beginning January 11, 2022.
The benefits of this workshop series are many. You will fill your parenting toolbox with solutions as well as preventative measures. Being able to diffuse a situation before it gets to 'Code Red' is great for the whole family! There are eight classes in the series, held safely over Zoom, and allowing you to connect with Katie and a community of parents who have children ages 2 - 10. You can learn more about Katie and her work here, on her website, Parenthood Understood. Be sure to sign up for her free newsletter and bonus pdf: Top Five Tips for Better Behavior.
Tuesday, Jan 11, 2022, 12:15 PM
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How to Help Your Child When They Flip Their Lid
Kirby Schroeder with Austin Family Counseling will be hosting a parent workshop for the Athena community. Today's topic: How To Help Your Child When They Flip Their Lid!
We will send out a flyer a couple weeks before the event with more information and a link to register. In the meantime, you can read this blog from Austin Family Counseling on the subject.
Tuesday, Feb 8, 2022, 12:00 PM
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Life Ki-Do Family Workshop
Come join us for a unique workshop for families that combines mindfulness, movement, and social-emotional learning. Fun parent-child activities & tools will deepen family cooperation, communication, and connection and can be easily applied at home. This is an in-person, interactive event for Primary Students and older & their parent(s).
This workshop will be led by Sensei Jonathan Hewitt, author of the award-winning book, Life Ki-do Parenting: Tools to Raise Happy Confident Kids from the Inside Out and Founder of Life Ki-do Martial Arts, Parenting & Life Education AND Sensei Deven Penn, Lead Life Ki-do Instructor and Athena Montessori Life Ki-do Instructor.
Information on how to RSVP will be sent out closer to the date.
Saturday, Feb 26, 2022, 04:00 PM
Athena Montessori Academy
Community Commitment Update
P3 Team Spotlight
1. What is your favorite aspect of the Three to Six Plane of Development?
Drew -- The emotional and social capabilities of the students. They want so much to be respected, be seen and accepted, take responsibility for big work, be trusted, etc. I love seeing them grow into themselves.
2. What is a sweet moment you have already experienced this school year?
Drew -- When I ask a Kindergartner to help a new student I will often see them walking away together to their destination while holding hands. I have so many mental photos of two students walking away from me, one taller and one shorter, holding hands gently, off to find the pencils or their cubby or to whatever they may need.
3. Name something that people generally think very young children cannot do, but you have seen them do.
Tiffany -- They’re able to process and handle conflict with ease when given the right tools. Throughout the year I get to watch these tiny people problem solve by telling each other how they're feeling, what they want done differently, and coming up with plans and solutions without any help from their guides.
4. If you could own only one book on early childhood, which book would you pick?
Meghna -- The Hundred Languages of Children by Carolyn Edwards, Leila Gandini, and George Forman.
Follow the link below to read the full Primary 3 Spotlight:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wd1AOZ4jWKaugoK3rENkcy0UpIELxfQ6iQ4iV9OO5I4/edit
Attention Cyclists!
Happy Birthday!
Student Birthdays:
Ronan B. - 1/6
Jane L. - 1/8
Milo G. - 1/12
Harrison C. - 1/13
Liliana A. - 1/13
Leo P. 1/14
Sevie M. -1/14
Gia C. - 1/15
Otto S. - 1/19
Hibiki H. - 1/20
Rocky B. - 1/23
Alexander N. - 1/25
Caspian R. - 1/28
Freya S. - 1/28
Olive G. - 1/28
Cora R. - 1/29
Judge S. - 1/29
Frances S. - 1/30
Vivian C. - 1/31
Staff Birthdays:
Joy Jacobson -- 1/25
Drew Fischels -- 1/31
Mr. Sean's Music
We exist at Mr. Sean's Music to inspire the love and creation of music for every family to carry on.
Our dream is to create an environment where making and experiencing music is as natural as hearing the sounds around us in our beautiful world, having the potential transform any space, and any moment, into one of artistic exploration.
Our focus starts with the child, and their unique ways of experiencing and participating in music. The most important first step to learning and expressing is feeling included. This is why every child, in every class, has the opportunity to share their ideas, insights, and musical expression!
Because of the nature of music being an aural experience, there are so many ways that we can participate, both actively and passively. Whether we are moving our body to a rhythm, playing a musical instrument, singing an improvised song, or simply listening while our auditory faculties create sonic landscapes in our mind, we deeply experience music and the connections between mind, body, and emotions that it can evoke.
--Sean Kohler
Enrollment Notices
Enrollment for the 2022-2023 school year is underway! Current and Waiting Pool families can expect to hear from the Admissions Director by March if we are able to welcome their child to Athena this coming fall. In the meantime, you are welcome to reach out to Admissions@AthenaMontessoriAcademy.com with any enrollment-related questions.
Mariposas Spanish School
Practice and learn Spanish with Mariposas Spanish School! They offer an array of resources: virtual after-school classes, on-demand classes, printable material, music albums, Spanish app, and more! Visit their website & social media for more info: www.mariposasSpanish.com
School Supplies
CODE 165595