• This past week has been booked with parent conferences across all levels to recognize and celebrate student growth and progress. The conferences in our upper school are student-led and give the students an opportunity to share their challenges, accomplishments, and academic and personal goals with their parents and teachers. Their active participation in these conferences is one way that the students take ownership over their own learning and educational journey. A Montessori education fosters such personal responsibility from the youngest ages and the benefits are clearly evident as these adolescent MSA students prepare to step out into the world as responsible young adults!

• The FACTS Financial Aid Portal is open to apply for 2022-2023 tuition assistance. It may be accessed using the login information that you already have for your FACTS Tuition Payment Plan account. The deadline to apply for financial aid for current MSA families for the 2022-2023 school year is May 1, 2022. After this date, the portal will only be open to new families.

• Infant/Toddler and Primary Summer Camp information and MSA Summer Enrichment Information has been shared through email and will be sent home hard copy on Monday. Melissa Hightower is the point of contact for all summer programs. If you have questions, she may be reached at (864) 226-5344 or through email at mhightower@msasc.org.

Peace & Blessings,

Dr. Dana Hill

March 28 - Montessori Monday - Wear Montessori attire/MSA colors

April 4 - Montessori Monday - Wear Montessori attire/MSA colors

April 15 - Student holiday - all programs closed

April 18 - Student holiday - extended care available

April 29 - Field Day

As a SCISA STEAM-certified school, our students get the opportunity to take part in several major projects throughout the year involving aspects of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics throughout the year in addition to the every-day activities they experience in those fields. Before Spring Break, students took part in the 2022 Fluor Engineering Challenge which tasked them with creating the longest duration "marble" run out of paper and tape. Students had to meet certain requirements, such as limited paper (up to 30 sheets) and tape (one roll of clear or masking/painter's tape) and the run had to start at least ten inches above the surface and end at least one inch above. The project score was based on the number of seconds it took a ping pong ball to reach the end from the starting point, minus the number of sheets of paper used. The students enjoyed following the scientific process and engineering model to test their hypotheses and continually make improvements to their designs. Photos from the event can be seen below and in this Photos album.

These students on campus during Spring Break last week celebrated St. Patrick's Day on Thursday by wearing green.

Primary One and Two had some excitement at the beginning of the week this week as the school was able replace the flooring in the primary classrooms over the Spring Break holiday. Thank you to everyone across campus that participates in the lunch and snack programs that provide funding for the classrooms at each level to make improvements like these at the primary level. See below for a before and after photo from the Primary One classroom.

Below you can see some after shots of the Primary Two classroom.

These students are developing their concentration and hand-eye coordination through sewing projects in Mrs. Ponder's Fiber Arts class.

Students in Lower Elementary Horticulture this week harvested some kale and took care of the flower beds and surrounding area.

Mrs. Patch covered basketball basics this week in Lower Elementary P.E.

Students in Mrs. Patch's upper school P.E. class have been studying basketball in preparation for the ongoing March Madness tournament.

This week's rainy day P.E. with Mrs. Patch in the Upper School consisted of making healthy snacks using a healthy mystery ingredient. Faculty taste testers judged each of the seven groups' treats, and they were all delicious! Click this link for more photos of the students' culinary creations.