Our annual, pre-winter break, pancake breakfast is next Thursday, December 21.  Parents should arrive at 10:00 for a short “program” followed by delicious pancakes, fruit and drinks.

A sign-up sheet to donate items, or time, can be found here.

Your child should have brought home an invitation last Friday.  Please RSVP by returning the form with your child no later than this Friday,  December 15.  Please include the number of people attending (excluding your child), so we can prepare accordingly.

Please review this message from MAPA.

Maria Montessori Academy Parents Association (MAPA) is very excited to announce effective December 1, 2017,  we will be using Track it Forward to schedule and record volunteer hours.

We feel that using track it forward will help us provide the most positive experience possible when signing up for,  and recording volunteer hours.  This program allows MAPA to send out reminders for sign ups, families to track their hours on their own electronic devices,  and help us become a more centralized Montessori family.

Families are asked to donate 40 volunteer hours a year to the school.  The MAPA presidency is trying to provide as many opportunities to complete this act of service yearly.  Track it Forward will allow families an easier way to sign up to volunteer.

In sending your children to a Montessori school you are taking the initiative toward bettering your children and families.  MMA’s mission statement is “Education for a better world.”   By volunteering you are providing opportunities to help make this a better world. 

Albert Einstein said,  “Only a life lived for others is worth living.” 

By volunteering,  you are giving of yourself to your children and the children of others. Volunteering does not have to be a big sacrifice of time away from the family or involve monetary contributions.   Many teachers at the school offer opportunities to volunteer at home,  and MAPA has opportunities to volunteer where you can bring your children. 

Ways you may be volunteering and not even know. 

· Attending a MAPA meeting

· Room mom calls and asks you to cut something out or bring something to the class

· Coming into the school and reading with children

· Bringing in food for an activity

MAPA,  in cooperation with the MMA,  is trying to say “thank you” to those that have sacrificed time and volunteered this year by giving those families with 10 service hours completed an “act of service.” The details are still in the works,  but we want everyone to know we appreciate and value all of those that have volunteered.

You can sign up using Track it Forward two different ways: 

1.  https://www.trackitforward.com/site/mapa 
2. Email mapa@mariamontessoriacademy.org with your family’s last name and the names of your children and we will send you an invite.  Once in,  you can track your family’s hours and sign up for volunteer hours. 

Again we appreciate all that our wonderful MMA families do!!! 

“Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.” — Elizabeth Andrew