MMA Montessori Moments
November 4th, 2019
Nitty Gritty
- Fun Run student pep rally Monday during school
- Share Fun Run info through social media and with all your friends/family
- Eat dinner at Pizza Pie Cafe Monday
- Seeking reading group volunteer starting at the end of January for 6 weeks, training in Nov & Dec.
- Junior High report cards mailed this week
Save the Dates in November:
8--Classic Skating Spirit Night (5:00pm-9:00pm), all invited
13--Boosterthon Fun Run, all families invited
14--Parent Education Night 5:30-7:00pm, all families invited
21-22--Junior High Parent-Teacher Conferences 3:00-7:00pm
21--MAPA Gratitude Feast @ 12:00pm, volunteers needed
22--Cultural Festival 1-3pm, all families invited
Fun Run Pep Rally
Mr. Guiseppe
Ms. Kimber
Mr. Giuseppe
What three traits define you? Honest, caring, positive
What would you like to be your greatest accomplishment? My greatest accomplishment would be to be a positive role model for my children, which will impact my children's children and others around them.
What's one thing you couldn't live without? I couldn't live without Peruvian food because it represents my culture, my home, and my world view.
What is one thing you cannot resist? I cannot resist Chinese food.
What is your favorite thing to do? I really enjoying hanging out with my dog playing and going to the dog park because she helps me destress and focus.
Where is the most interesting place you've traveled to and why? Peru - I was born in Peru but grew up in the states. Specifically, I like going to the jungle areas of Peru. It's beautiful green, and humongous - everything is big - the trees, the mountains; and, it's hot.
Who is your biggest inspiration? My grandfather from my Dad's side because he raised a family of 13 in a third world country. While also being a good man, he was a medic in a small town. He would provide shots to people and not charge them. He was also hard working and a respected man in his community.
What advice do you have for kids who are struggling at school? Even though the work is hard and you feel like you will never understand, if you keep on trying and putting in the effort - that wall will be broken and you will be able to understand and gain solutions.
How do you define success? I define success by accomplishing goals that we have set out for ourselves and even if we don't reach those goals - gaining a new skill or knowledge you didn't previously have is also a success.
What do the students think of Mr. Giuseppe?
1. What is the best thing about Mr. Giuseppe? Mr. Giuseppe cares about students, like in a real way, and wants them to do their best.
2. Why do you think Mr. Giuseppe is a good fit for MMA? He is a good teacher and works hard.
Ms. Kimber
1. What three traits define you? Patient, peaceful, respectful
2.What would you like to be your greatest accomplishment? My greatest accomplishment would be that I become an old, happy, fat grandma to lots of grandchildren. My life would be worth living if it is full of children.
4. What is the one thing you cannot resist? Salt water floating in a sensory deprivation pod in silence
5. What is your favorite thing to do? Tai chi, qi gong
6. Where is the most interesting place you've traveled to and why? I really liked going and visiting Mesa Verde to see how all the Native Americans lived on a cliff, the way they built their homes and how it was preserved in a cave on a cliff was really cool to see.
7. Who is your biggest inspiration? Mother Teresa for her endless service and love to unify people; Maria Montessori for her endless search to better the world starting with the child; my Aunt Sandy because she showed me what it means to be a directress of Montessori education
8. What advice do you have for kids who are struggling at school? Find your true self; be who you are, authentically; learn to enjoy life and give to others from your heart.
9. How do you define success? I think success overall is self-contentment in every aspect of the word.
What do the students think about Ms. Kimber?
1. What is the best thing about Ms. Kimber? Ms. Kimber is nice and helps me with my works and helps me stay on task.
Pizza Pie Cafe Spirit Night
Junior High Report Cards
Report cards are printed and will be mailed out this week. There was a glitch in our system preventing us from downloading/printing until Friday, so report cards will be mailed a few days later than anticipated. Thanks for your patience.
Get a fresh start in second quarter. Review the Junior High Handbook to re-familiarize yourself with grading and other expectations.
Red Ribbon Week - Thank you!
Volunteers Needed to Lead Reading Groups
Ms. Kim, our reading specialist, is due to have her second child on January 22nd and we are so happy for her! We do not want to slow the excellent progress being made by students in her reading groups and are seeking parent volunteers to run her reading groups for the 4-6 weeks until she returns.
Ideally, our goal is to have the same volunteer run the same groups twice per week. We have opportunities for volunteers to lead reading groups on the following schedule:
Mondays and Wednesday 9:30-11:30am and/or 12:30-2:30pm
Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30-11:30am and/or 12:30-2:30pm
Friday 9:30-11:30am
Want to help but feeling uneasy if you will know what to do and/or this would be a good fit for you? No worries; Ms. Kim will train you!
Parent Volunteer Training:
Come in during reading groups
Best time for training is Tues/Thurs 12:30-1:30pm
Observe Kim leading groups 12:30-12:50pm
Train, practice, have Ms. Kim provide feedback 12:50-1:20pm
Email Ms. Kim today if you are interested or have questions.
Overheard
Coach's Corner
A big part of Montessori education is teaching to the whole child, which means holding the social and emotional well-being of the child as high (or higher) with the academics. As students build confidence, we see their desire to learn increase.
I recently attended a national conference about MTSS (Multi Tiered Systems of Support). I walked away from this conference being amazed of how far and advanced we are, as a school, in addressing the social and emotional well-being of our youth. Today around the nation, education systems are seeing the need to teaching behavior coping strategies for anger to depression, teaching strategies of conflict resolution, and relationship building. MMA already does these things and has systems in place to address students who are struggling in these areas.
At MMA, we are doing great things! Part of this is because our Montessori approach to education already incorporates peace corners, conflict resolution, and following the child. The other part is because we have incredibly compassionate, loving, and attentive educators who agree that the best way to educate child is through building relationships and serving as a guide in their educational process.
Here is a brief non-Montessori video that is incredible and serves as a great reminder of who we are as educators at Maria Montessori Academy - being a guide, offering compassion, meeting the child where they are at in their growth, and working alongside them.
HOPE Squad is a school-based peer to peer prevention program. MMA has 13 JH students who were selected by their peers to be on the HOPE Squad. This groups is planning community building around the school to help students of all ages feel welcome, safe, and to ensure that every student feels as though their voice is heard.
Check out the Junior High community board of compliments below!
The following are helpful resources for parents, families, and students in relation to suicide awareness, feelings, depression, emotional/physical disorders.
SafeUT (app)
Semicolon.org
Thealexproject.org
TheCrisisLine (text) 741-741
National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-TALK
Seeking Art Supply Donations
The MMA Art room is in need of art supplies. These materials will benefit ALL students of MMA from Early Childhood through Junior High. If you are willing to donate any supplies, this would be greatly appreciated!
Gallons of tempera paint
Elmer’s glue
Canvas (new or used)
Wood panels
Broken shelves
Paper- any kind of paper (colored, resume, white, etc.)
Airdry clay
Tape- general, duct tape, packing tape
Book making supplies- if you have experience with this material and you can donate please contact Ms. Andria.
Anything that you think of of recycling, please contact Ms. Andria first before recycling to see if she would be interested in using these for the art classes.
Junior High Essay Contest
The Fleet Reserve Association sponsors an annual essay contest to promote the spirit of Americanism and patriotism among our country’s youth. FRA's Americanism Essay Contest is open to all students, grades 7 through 12, including those who are home schooled. Students are invited to submit a 350-word essay through an FRA member or local FRA branch before the December 1st deadline. Local winners are forwarded for competition at the regional level and regional winners compete for national prizes.
The grand national winner will receive $5,000, with additional prizes for the top three essays in each grade category ($2,500 for first place, $1,500 for second place, and $1,000 for third place). Each national winner will receive an attractive plaque citing his/her achievement, and every entrant judged at the national level receives a certificate of recognition. Additional prizes may be awarded to students winning at local and regional levels of competition.
Next year we will have a very important election. Soon our youth will also be able to vote if they can't already. This year's essay contest will help our kids explore their feelings about such an opportunity.
I am extremely excited to read the input and opinions on this theme.
Attached are the rules and cover sheet. Students can send their essays by snail mail or email to participate. Please contact Tiffany Gregory for more information.
Tiffany Gregory
4598 S West park Dr
Roy Utah 84067
Montessori Lingo
Do you ever wonder what your child is talking about when they come home? What is this lingo that they are speaking? This is a great resource of Montessori terminology a library of terms: https://montessori-ami.org/resource-library/facts/glossary-montessori-terms
Children's House
The English name for Montessori's Casa Dei Bambini (Italian). This is a place for children for 3-6 years old to love and grow where they have everything necessary for optimal human development, included in a safe and secure environment.
Vocabulary Enrichment
The young child's vocabulary increases exponentially in the years from 3-6. To feed this natural hunger for words, vocabulary is given: the names of biology, geometry, geography can be learned as well as the names of qualities found in the Sensorial Material. The child's absorbent mind takes in all these new words 'rapidly and brilliantly.' (Montessori, 1946, p. 10)
November
4--Boosterthon (Fun Run) Pep Rally during school
4--Pizza Pie Cafe Spirit Night
8--Classic Skating Spirit Night (5:00pm-9:00pm)
11--Pizza Pie Cafe Spirit Night
12--MMA Board Meeting, 5:30pm
13--Boosterthon Fun Run
14--Parent Education Night 5:30-7:00pm
18--Elementary Parent-Teacher Conference Sign-ups Open
18--Pizza Pie Cafe Spirit Night
21-22--Junior High Parent-Teacher Conferences 3:00-7:00pm
21--MAPA Gratitude Feast @ 12:00pm
22--Cultural Festival 1-3pm
25--Pizza Pie Cafe Spirit Night
25-26--Teacher Compensation Day; No School
27-29--Thanksgiving Break; No School
December
6--MAPA Meeting @ 8:45am
9--Elementary Concert @ 5:30pm
10--Elementary Play @ 5:30pm
11--Junior High Concert @ 5:30pm
12--Junior High Play @ 5:30pm
17-19--Elementary Parent-Teacher Conferences; Early Release
17-19--Book Fair/ PTC Meals provided for teachers/staff
20--Professional Development; No School
23-3--Winter Break; No School
Quick Links
Track It Forward - school events calendar and volunteer sign-ups
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