Nuts & Bolts
July 20, 2018
Thank you!
Hello all! I hope summer is treating you all well. This N&B looks extremely similar to the parent version because I have similar things to communicate. Thank you all for honoring my away message and for your patience as I was on vacation two weeks ago.
It has been busy since I returned. We conducted the assistant administrator interviews and I want to thank those individuals who participated in that process - both interviewees and interviewers. All of the candidates did an excellent job expressing their willingness to serve in the role of assistant administrator.
Thank you lower elementary teachers for attending the curriculum chat and chew breakfast last week. The curriculum writers did an excellent job sharing the vision, rationale, and documents created this summer. I appreciated the excellent questions, growth mindset, and positive attitude shared by this group. I am excited to see this curriculum unfold in classrooms this year.
I look forward to the upper elementary curriculum chat and chew lunch next week, July 27th from 11am - 1pm. We still have to schedule the early childhood and junior high groups to meet.
Congratulations!
Ms. Lana has been chosen to serve as MMA's Assistant Administrator!! We are thrilled for her to join the MMA leadership and support team.
Thank you to the teachers, office, and support team members who participated on the assistant administrator interview panel.
Staffing Updates
Joy and Melanie will not be returning for the 2018-19 school year. We appreciate their contribution to MMA and wish them the best moving forward.
Martha will take Joy's former class and transition to be the lead teacher in early childhood. Christina is coming to MMA from Indiana and will take over Lana's lower elementary class. Christina is early childhood Montessori credentialed and looks forward to continuing her training for LE.
We are in the process of hiring general education and special education teaching assistants as well as a front office administrative assistant. If you have a TA opening, René has contacted you asking you to participate in the interview process.
If you know anyone who would be a great candidate to work at our school, please have them email René.
Welcome Back!
Representing MMA
As I stated in the parent MMM, I had the pleasure to meet with several families who had excellent questions and insights about MMA. If we encounter parents or people in the community or on social media who have questions or misunderstandings about MMA, we need to honor our employee agreement and our collective commitments if we choose to engage in conversation.
The end of the 2017-18 school year was emotional (for staff, parents, and students) with the changes in staff. I am excited and very much looking forward to putting our plans into action next school year and to bring together veteran and new team members. If you are feeling discouraged for any reason, please come talk to me. We may not always agree; however, I promise to listen and consider your perspective.
To keep us accountable to each other, please remember that we all agreed to support the policies, curriculum, mission, administration, and governing board of the School. We agreed to act in a professional, respectful manner whenever conducting school business, or when it is reasonably expected that we would be viewed as a representative of the school, whether we are on or off school grounds. We agreed to maintain a positive attitude and demeanor at all times when representing the school, both on school property and off school grounds.
Construction Update
Things are really coming together nicely as the construction on our addition nears completion. We have official occupancy of our new space, which means you can finally get in and start situating your new classrooms.
We have sprinklers, fencing, and grass! Furniture deliveries are arriving daily. North Ogden City is still working on installing the drainage pipe that runs the length of our property line. In the next few weeks our parking lot will be re-paved and our new, awesome playground equipment will ship.
Check out the ribbon cutting ceremony details below!
Join MAPA on Facebook
The Montessori Academy Parent Association (MAPA) is the Parent-Teacher Organization for Maria Montessori Academy. This organization is used to facilitate communication and involvement between parents and teachers. MAPA is currently seeking volunteers who are interested in joining this organization to ensure that the needs of Maria Montessori Academy’s student body are being fulfilled.
Come Visit Us
Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Pool Party!
Sneak a Peek
We are hosting a PreK-9th Sneak A Peak event on Monday, August 20th from 1:30-3:30pm. This new event was created in response to multiple parent requests that we have some sort of Back to School event that is not so late in the year. Many parents (and teachers) have expressed to me that they love the pool party; and, that it is not the best venue to talk actual business.
On the half hour, beginning at 1:30pm, then again at 2pm, 2:30pm, and 3pm - each teacher and assistant will greet families, give an overview of the classroom and expectations. Afterwards, please allow time for families to ask questions, meet each other, drop off supplies, and check out the classroom.This is an excellent time to describe the specific expectations in a Montessori environment.
Parents have been encouraged to attend promptly on the half hour so you do not have to stop, start, or repeat yourself. With four time slots, families with multiple children attending MMA have time to visit all their teachers. If parents do not attend your time slot, you may use that time to finalize tasks before students arrive on Tuesday.
All teachers and assistants are required to attend as this occurs during normal hours. Please account for this event as assistants are planning their weekly schedule as to not exceed their hours for the week.
Building Closure
Seeking Volunteers
MMA is participating in several community events and we are seeking volunteers to help staff these events. Please contact René if you would like to volunteer.
We would love your help as we walk the Pioneer Day parade route at 8:30am (after the children's parade and before the big parade) to pass out bags with MMA info inside.
We need volunteers to staff a booth at Ogden's National Night out on August 1st in the evening. You could educate people about MMA, pass out swag, share works, or run the plinko game.
We will be hosting another booth with swag, works, and games at the Harrisville Heritage Day on Saturday, August 4th.
For your convenience, our community outreach events can be found on this google doc.
Class lists
You will receive an email early next week with the spreadsheet of class lists.
Due to the email migration and my wanting to honor your summer break, I will be emailing families next week to inform them of their 2018-19 teacher assignment. You are highly encouraged to touch base with families before you return to school. At the latest, you are required to welcome new families to MMA and your classroom by August 15th.
Again, make sure that your updated school supply lists are on your blog and include the following: NOTICE: THE ITEMS ON THIS LIST WILL BE USED DURING THE REGULAR SCHOOL DAY. THEY MAY BE BROUGHT FROM HOME ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS, OTHERWISE, THEY WILL BE FURNISHED BY THE SCHOOL.
Annual Required Trainings
You are encouraged to get a head start on completing your annual required trainings. For your convenience, these trainings are now online and can be accessed by clicking the button above. You are required to have these trainings completed by Friday August 17th - so you could chose to complete these after you return to school on August 14th.
This training includes the employee handbook, legal liability information, blood borne pathogens, sexual harassment, and workers comp. All employees of MMA need to complete these trainings.
Please contact René if you have questions. Thanks!
Email Migration
Coming Soon!
- JH finalized schedule
- JH student schedules and class lists
- Year at a Glance calendar
- 5K & Pancake Breakfast Information
- PD Week Schedule
Maria Montessori Academy
Email: info@mariamontessoriacademy.org
Website: www.mariamontessoriacademy.org
Location: 2505 N 200 E, North Ogden, UT, United States
Phone: 801.827.0150
Facebook: facebook.com/MMAofUT
Twitter: @MMAofUT