MMA Monday Montessori Moments
February 20, 2018
A message from our Assistant Director, Kacee Weaver
As educators and parents, we are all reeling over the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting last week when 17 American lives were lost. Regardless of your political views about gun control, I think we can all agree that there’s more to it than that, support for mental health, improved parental involvement, less violence in the media, bullying prevention and more, things must change before more innocent lives are lost.
At MMA we believe our number one job is to keep students safe, both emotionally and physically and Maria Montessori believed that education was the most powerful and universal way to bring about World peace. In 1943 she wrote Peace and Education; examining history and citing science she called for deliberate organization for peace education.
Peace is defined as freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility and an end to war or violence. We create an environment in our school that facilitates these things on a daily basis. From the time students enter our school as 3-year olds until they exit as 15-year olds, we emphasize that we can respect and get along with others despite our own beliefs.
Our peace curriculum holds just as much importance as the math, science and reading curricula. Our teachers provide intentional lessons about the value of all living things, conflict resolution, speaking respectfully and showing respect to others. We know children are capable of great love and understanding, when shown love and understanding.
Our students learn about others’ cultures and traditions. They practice taking others’ perspectives and empathizing with one another. When a child makes a mistake we encourage a verbal apology, an act of service, along with a plan of how to learn from this mistake and not make it again. We study great peacemakers and celebrate differences in one another. Peace is the definition of a Montessori education.
After the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012, we worked with Safe and Sound and North Ogden Police Department and installed security doors and safer entry procedure to protect your children. We installed a method for quick locking of interior doors through the use of removable magnetic strips and we continue to improve our lock down drill methods. We are working both proactively and re actively to keep your children safe. We believe that if more schools and teachers were asked to prioritize these things as we do, we could decrease the amount of deaths both by suicide (the leading cause of death for 11-18 year olds in Utah) and by tragedies like the one in Parkland, Florida.
Thank you for supporting your child and our shared goal of Education for a Better World. Navigating these topics, while essential, in a school setting is tricky. We must balance our own political views while supporting student understanding and an increased ability to navigate the “real world” around them. Please view the resources below to learn how you can bring peace education into your home and discuss last weeks’ tragic event with your children.
https://archive.org/details/Peace_And_Education_
https://www.cnn.com/2015/11/16/health/talking-to-kids-tragic-events-advice-parents/index.html
If you have any questions or comments please reach out to me or our guidance counselor Ms. Andrea.
See you tonight at Classic Fun Center
"The essence of independence is to be able to do something for one's self."-Maria Montessori
Construction Update: Look at Us Grow!
Skate Night
Tuesday, Feb 20, 2018, 05:00 PM
Classic Fun Center, North Angel Street, Layton, UT, USA
Science Fair
Wednesday, Feb 21, 2018, 08:30 AM
MMA
Junior High Parent Teacher Conferences
Wednesday, Feb 21, 2018, 03:30 PM
MMA
Box Top Store
Friday, Feb 23, 2018, 11:30 AM
MMA Conference Room
Enrollment is now open!
Do you know anyone who would be interested in sending their children to Maria Montessori Academy? The Montessori Method is the most widely and longest practiced form of education in the World. There are more than 22,000 schools in 110 countries worldwide. Current brain and educational research supports many of the practices perfected by Montessori teachers over the last 110 years.
Enrollment for the 2018-2019 school year is open and our first lottery pull will be on February 1st. Don't wait any longer to educate your child for a better world! Enroll now.
We MUST be the change we wish to see.
You can learn more by visiting our website or call and schedule a tour to see this incredible method in action.
Your opinion is important to us!
MAPA Information
Recruiting MAPA Vice President / President
If you don't know what MAPA is... it is our school's PTA program. The Fall Festival, Gala, book fairs, teacher appreciation, classroom safety kits, box tops (and more!) all happen because of MAPA. We want these wonderful events and opportunities to continue to happen for our school and students, so keep your eyes and ears open for someone who would do a great job!
I hope you all got your invitations for the upcoming Gala. Your student should have brought them home to you, so check their backpacks. We are offering a pre-sale price on tickets purchased before March 10th.
Purchase online at https://squareup.com/store/mapa-9 or
MAPA will be at the school during these times:
. Wed February 14 1:00-6:00 pm
· Thu February 15 1:00-6:00 pm
· Fri February 16 1:00-6:00 pm
· Fri February 23 3:00-4:00 pm
· Fri March 9 3:00-4:00 pm
Regular Price Ticket Sales
· Wed March 14 3:00-4:00 pm
· Thu March 15 3:00-4:00 pm
Thank you,
Heidi Bradley
MAPA President
Gala Donations Needed!
Plans for our annual Gala are underway! This is our biggest fundraiser of the year and 100% of the proceeds benefit the students of MMA. Past year's proceeds have purchased computers, playground and PE equipment, classroom grants, and so much more! Every year MAPA asks each classroom to donate a basket for our silent auction. If you have a connection to items that would benefit any of the baskets listed regardless of your student's class, please consider donating. Watch for a request from your students room parent for more details. If you don’t see your child’s class on this list, please contact the teacher and possibly offer to help create a basket for the Gala. As always, any items donated go toward your service hours.
Jr. High- Mindfulness Basket
Ms. Amy- Cooking Basket
Ms. Brittany- Exercise Basket
Ms. Kaley- Golf Basket
Ms. Joy- Rainy Day Basket
Ms. Jen- Gardening Basket
Ms. Laura- Kid Craft Basket
Ms. Jill- Art Basket
Ms. Lana- Movie Basket
Additional baskets not connected to a classroom:
-Car Cleaning Basket
-Spa Basket
If you are willing donate any items to these baskets, please email me at heidibradley81@gmail.com, or drop items off to the office with a note explaining which basket the items belong to:)
WE ARE LOOKING FOR OTHER DONATIONS SUCH AS DISNEY CONNECTIONS, VACATION RENTALS, FLAT SCREEN TV's, LAGOON PASSES AND MORE! If you have connections to any of these items please contact me.
Thanks for all your help!
-MAPA
Wanted: Parents interested in helping with fundraising for 2018-2019
We are in need of a Chair and Co-chair to organize our fundraising for the 2018-2019 school year. Committee members are also welcome! Funds raised go towards all grade levels. We have streamlined things quite a bit so that there are only 4 major fundraising events throughout the year instead of one a month, and we have had an incredible community response in donations to these events. The skeleton is pretty well in place- we just need parents to take it and run! If you are interested please contact rbaker@mariamontessoriacademy.org by Feb.1. We would like to meet with everyone as soon as possible so that dates can be set for next year's events and assignments can be given on things that need to be started on to give the committee a head start for next year. If you have questions, please contact Jenna Beers at (801)695-5864.
Calendar Of Events
Flu Season
Overheard
"Mom, I don't think my shoes like valentines."
"I just love hot copies!"-Early childhood girl (while rubbing warm copies on her face)
MMA Spotlight-Ms. Shanan Zollinger (Upper Elementary)
How long have you been at MMA? 8 Years. Since it opened.
What is your favorite thing about MMA? I love the sense of community I feel here. I consider MMA my family, both the teachers and students.
What is your favorite food?My favorite food is a California burrito from Beto's with green salsa.
What is your favorite color? Indigo Blue
What is your favorite movie? Lady Hawk
What is something people would be surprised to know about you? I have been lost in the Yukon wilderness in Canada. It took me two days to find my car.
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