Mountain West Montessori Newsletter
May 2022
Editor-in-Chief: Ms. Angie, Director
Author: Ms. Sheri, Assistant Director
DATES TO REMEMBER
-TEACHER & STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK: Monday, May 2nd - Friday May 6th
-CODING NIGHT: Tuesday, May 10th, 6:00 PM in the Library. Come and enjoy coding and robotic activities with your children. All ages are welcome!
- K - 3 PARENT NIGHT: SIMPLE, FUN SUMMER READING WITH KIDS:Thursday, May 19th 6:00 - 7:00 PM in the Library
-EARLY RELEASE, LAST DAY OF SCHOOL: Friday, May, 27th
MWMA 2022/2023 SCHOOL CALENDAR:
TEACHER AND STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK: MAY 2ND - MAY 6TH
Monday, May 2nd - Friday, May 6th is our fun pirate-themed teacher and staff appreciation week. For specific details, please see the flyer below (Ms. Angie emailed this out to parents as well) about the daily activities students and families can support in order to share the LOVE for our AMAZING teachers and staff members!
SHOW ME
If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many more words is a model worth? In Montessori education we use physical models as much as possible to teach concepts, but the most influential model that children have is US—their teachers and especially their parents. Perhaps you’ve heard the expression “the fruit doesn’t fall too far from the tree” and wondered if that’s nature (genetics) or nurture (environment)? The answer is both. But the only one that we can impact NOW is environment, and sometimes we forget just how much our modeling influences children. The way that parents (and teachers) live in the world has the biggest impact, day after day, on children.
We might give some thought to how we are modeling:
- Handling big emotions: Do we pause and take a breath? Do we allow ourselves to work through feelings rather than avoiding or repressing them? Have we educated ourselves about completing the stress cycle? Consider “thinking aloud” during these times so that children understand your strategies: I’m so disappointed and angry right now. It’s okay to be angry, I just need to take a breath and find a place to cool down for a minute.
- Body image: It always makes me sad when I hear very young children say that they are “fat” or make disparaging remarks about some aspect of their bodies. We live in a diet culture where negative body image is rampant and fueled by media. Are we modeling respect and love for our amazing bodies? Are we focusing on health? Are we comfortable commenting, “I feel beautiful today!” Or are we more likely to say, “I feel fat today”? Body image issues are not just for girls, either—many boys in a normal, lanky adolescent phase feel deficient because they are not “buff”. Where are they getting this message?
- Critical thinking & intellectual honesty: Wouldn’t it be great if all parents modeled good epistemology by showing their children how they know what they know. This might include evaluating the validity of a source, commenting that human memory is not known for its accuracy, or debunking a spurious website. And I am always happy to hear a teacher or parent say, “I don’t know. But I bet we can find that out!” Are we comfortable with not knowing, and with ambiguity and nuance?
Every single day there are hundreds of ways in which we model things, big and small, for children. They are paying much more attention to what we DO than to what we SAY, especially when there is emotion involved. No pressure, parents! LOL But I hope what we model is intentional, rather than simply a default mode.
I can’t believe that the school year is winding down. I feel privileged to work with your amazing children and I am so proud of them as I see them grow academically and emotionally—not to mention their rapidly expanding executive function skills! I hope you all have a fun and relaxing summer and spend quality time together, especially enjoying the outdoors.
Happy summer!
~Ms. Angie
HOW PARENTS CAN ENCOURAGE SUMMER READING
Ms. Sheri, Assistant Principal & Literacy Director
The school year is quickly coming to an end and our thoughts may be turning from school schedules to bike riding, swimming, outdoor sports, and summer vacation!
Unfortunately, for many children summer is a time to stop reading. The fact is that kids that don't read over the summer experience a backslide in their hard-earned reading skills. Conversely, kids that read over the summer improve in reading skills and they really enjoy it. Here are a few simple ways to encourage summer reading:
- Pick out a good chapter book to read to or with your child.
- Celebrate when your child completes reading a book. Watch a video of the book, plan a trip, visit a museum, or have a cooking experience about the book.
- Schedule daily reading time. We are often good at scheduling things like soccer or swimming—which are great—but schedule in some quiet reading time too!
- Subscribe to a magazine. Pick a magazine that interests your child (Highlights, National Geographic Kids, American Girl, Sports Illustrated for Kids etc.).
- Enourage your child to read and use "to do" books (American Girls’ Handy Book, American Boys’ Handy Book, Baking Class: 50 Fun Recipes Kid Will Love to Bake, The Everything Kids’ Science Experiments Book).
Reading Rockets: Summer Learning Tips to Go! Text Messaging Service
One of my favorite resources for parents is the website, Reading Rockets. Parents can register for FREE summer learning weekly text messages starting May 1, 2022. Click on the hotlinked picture below to register if you are interested!
K-3 PARENT NIGHT: SIMPLE, FUN SUMMER READING FOR KIDS!
DANCE-FIT FUNDRAISER UPDATE: COMPUTER CREATION STATIONS PURCHASED!
Mr. Alden, Computer Science Lead
We continue to receive more supplies from the Dance-Fit Fundraiser. One of our exciting arrivals are our new Computer Creation Stations. Students can use these laptops, work stations, and other equipment to do 3D modeling and animation, digital art, programming, audio and video editing, game design, space exploration, and more. These student Computer Creation Stations will support hands-on mastery of the computer science standards, problem solving skills, and creativity for years to come!
Summer Computer Science Learning
While we're running out of time for students to work at school this year, there are many ways for students to continue learning computer science at home. Here are a few:
- Skillstruck.com/ - The Launchpad program we have been using at school helps students learn basic coding principles. The Voyage program for older students is what they've used in building websites.
- khanacademy.org - This resource has lessons in many subject areas. The computer programming courses on HTML and JavaScript are great for students who are more familiar with coding.
- scratch.mit.edu - This simple block-based coding program focuses on making animations and games, and works well for beginners through advanced students.
- https://hourofcode.com/us/learn - Hour of Code has simple projects for everyone from pre-readers on up that include many topics, not just games.
LOWER AND UPPER ELEMENTARY "WHAT COMES NEXT" 2022
Are you a parent of a kindergartner going into 1st grade or a 3rd grader going into 4th grade and you were unable to attend our "What Comes Next Night"? No worries! Below are hotlinked handouts that contain simple, helpful tips that parents can do over the summer to help prepare their kiddos for lower or upper elementary.
MEDIA MINUTE
Melissa Zuckerman, MLIS
Library Media Teacher/Assessment Director
As we wrap up another busy year I wanted to share my gratitude for getting to spend time with your kind and considerate students… they are deep thinkers and joys to work with. We’ve had some great discussions in the library this year and wrapped our brains around big ideas.
This year your students checked out a whopping 4756 items and close to half of those books were non fiction! Raina Telgemeier was our most popular author…her books, Guts and Ghosts were the most checked out books in the school, followed by Shannon Hale’s book, Real Friends and Nathan Hale’s, Hazardous Tales Donner Dinner Party. We love our graphic novels!
Families from our school and the nearby community donated over 200 books to the library, and grants and fundraisers brought us over 300 more! Computer Science grants and State funds also contributed to our growth this year. It was a good year for the library!
I’m excited to return for the 2022-2023 school year! I love seeing how much your students grow over the summer. I’m also looking forward to doing some light remodeling in the library… I’m planning to add new tables and chairs and update our nonfiction section.
I’m including a summer reading challenge that I think will be fun for all. Try to keep up 20 minutes per day… and if you’re traveling that can include reading a menu or a map!
"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read."
- Groucho Marx
Thanks for All You Do
The year is closing quickly and I wanted to take this opportunity to tell the students and parents thank you for all you do. When I came to Mountain West Montessori several years ago, I remember how surprised I was at the level of support, kindness, and community that I received from both the students and their parents. You are awesome!
This year I asked for parent volunteers to help with career exploration. I got so many willing parents that I didn’t have room to schedule everyone that wanted to help. So much amazing support.
We expanded the HOPE Squad and I got so many amazing students who signed up to serve their fellow students and the school. I had at least twice as many that were willing to help, but due to logistics, I had to put a cap on student volunteers.
Parents have generously donated to different school donorschoose.org grants and the school-wide fundraiser. Due to your generosity, we were able to give your students supplies and experiences that they may not have had otherwise.
We supported our community through a local refugee supply drive. We received so many donations from the students and parents that we were barely able to get all of them to fit in the delivery truck.
I am amazed time and time again at how willing both the students and the parents are to serve, give, and be a living example of the goodness that there is in the world. Thank you for all you do to help us be successful. Our school is truly better because of you. I look forward to working with many of you again next year.
COUNSELING CALENDAR
May Theme: Enjoying Diversity
- May career pathway: manufacturing, transportation, distribution, and logistics.
- 9th grade plan for college and career meetings.
- Ongoing - keep an eye on your email.
- Small counseling group are ending the first week of May.
- One-on-one appointments are still available by appointment.
- Middle school registration.
- Look for the registration forms coming home.
- HOPE Squad activities have ended - Thank you for all of your support and hard work!
CLASS SPOTLIGHT: Ms. Melissa Keegan, Lower Elementary
What is a paragraph frame? A paragraph frame can be used to support students to have meaningful discussions. In addition, paragraph frames are a great pre-writing tool to help students write well developed and well organized paragraphs.
In Ms. Melissa's lower elementary classroom, paragraph frames are used every day! Students talk about their ideas and share them with other students by filling in the paragraph frame before writing. In other words, the oral discussion "primes the pump" for outstanding writing. Ms. Melissa shares that her students are now much more confident, passionate writers and that their writing is well organized, contains greater detail, and has grown in length from one paragraph to serveral pages due to paragraph frames.
We are very grateful for Ms. Melissa's outstanding writing instruction and we are so proud of these amazing student-writers! WAY TO GO!
JORDAN EDUCATION CENTER
Here are just a few of the many services they provide.
- TIMELY TOPICS: One-night seminars for parents addressing various pertinent topics. Parents are welcome to attend any or all of the sessions. Classes include: Co-Parenting Through Divorce, Video Game Addiction, Study Skills: Supporting Your Teen, Life Hacks for Coping with Depression, Internet Safety for our Children, and Raising Your Rainbow Child.
- Excellent class topics for children and teens range from anxiety to making and keeping friends.
- Several support groups are also offered.
Here is a link for all the supports and classes available.
https://guidance.jordandistrict.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/A-0316.pdf
For information or questions about classes, support groups, and counseling, call the Jordan Family Education Center 801-565-7442.
2021/2022 THEME: FINDING JOY
MOUNTAIN WEST MONTESSORI ACADEMY
Email: admin@mwmacademy.org
Website: https://www.mwmacademy.org/
Location: 4125 Foxview Drive, South Jordan, UT, USA
Phone: 801-566-6962
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