I sent an email today informing you that we have at least one student who is currently being treated for head lice.  I wanted to make you aware we will not use the school wide headphones during our computer on wheels time in our classroom, to reduce exposure, but when students are in the computer lab they are using school wide headphones.  Your child may bring their own headphones or earbuds to use during computer time.  Bluetooth will not work.  I will provide storage bags and a place to keep them within the classroom.

I also have a few students who like to use noise reducing headphones.  Those will be assigned to only specific students for the school year.  If you wish to provide your own for your child, I will provide storage bags and a storage location.

If you have further questions or concerns, please let me know.

I wanted to let you know about an addition we have made to our morning line time.  It is called “Good News Moment”.  The students even created a fun little jingle to add after the news is shared.  The good news moment is a piece of our morning line that I am asking for some support from you at home.  This is something that I have wanted to do for sometime now and I am hopeful it will have a lasting impression with our students. The idea behind “Good News Moment” is to recognize the good in our world.  “Be the change you wish to see in the world”, is what I think of when I say “Good news moment”.  With your help, students may bring in newspaper articles, web links, personal stories, magazine articles, and such, that share good news happening in the world around us.

Some examples that have recently been shared included an article from our local North Ogden Connection about a student from Weber High that created a project called buddy bench.  The idea is for these benches to be placed on playgrounds at our local elementary schools. “Too Often, a kid is alone at lunch, bullied in a classroom, or alone at recess.  The idea is that a bench can be placed outside at recess where a student may sit if they don’t feel included, feel low for the  day, or are just alone.  Other students will see the bench, and the person on it, and respond in the loving, caring ways that children do”.  Another good news was shared about the local North Ogden Jr. High student who saved his money to buy flowers for students, at his school, on Valentines day.  His hope was to bring happiness and smiles to everyone on that day. One student shared how Cherrios company is planting extra flowers to help save the bees. Another article that was shared helped for students to reflect briefly on the things they take for granted and see how their own creativity and ingenuity can help others.  A man invented adjustable shoes for poor child.  The article can be found here.

I encourage you to look for these opportunities and share them with your children, so they can bring them into our classroom.

I wanted to make you aware of a few things for tomorrow.  First, we have the International Festival from 1:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m.  Everyone is encouraged to come.  Your child will be presenting for part of the festival and will be available to visit other classrooms for the other part.  Second, please send your child with their backpack tomorrow.  I am concerned that the lower el festival falls on the last day and important items will be left over the break. They will be clearing out their cubbies, lockers, water bottles, in addition to bringing their projects home and gifts.  They will have a great deal of items to be responsible for bringing home.  I would encourage you to do a quick inventory of items, especially coats before you leave the school tomorrow.  The lost and found is generally cleared out the end of each month and I don’t want your child’s belongings to vanish.  I have encouraged the students each day to take home their extra items, but will be doing our final inventory before lunch and recess tomorrow.  If everything is in their backpacks, it will be easier to make it home. Last, if you still have not taken the parent survey, please take a few minutes to complete this valuable feedback.  You can find the survey here.

Thank you for all your support and we hope to see you tomorrow at the festival.

Maria Montessori Academy Parents Association (MAPA) is very excited to announce that 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 will allow families to track their hours on their own electronic devices, send out reminders for sign ups and help us become a more centralized Montessori family.

Families are asked to donate 40 volunteer hours a year per family to the school. As a member of MAPA (all parents are automatic members) the MAPA presidency is trying to provide as many opportunities to complete this act of service yearly and Track it Forward will allow families to sign up to volunteer.

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

The reason I volunteer is to provide my children with opportunities they may not get at other schools. “Only a life lived for others is worth living.” — Albert Einstein. 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 money spent, many teacher 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 that we appreciate and value all of those that have volunteered.

How Track it forward works:

You can sign up in one of two different ways. On the website https://www.trackitforward.com/site/mapa or email mapa@mariamontessoriacademy.orgwith 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

Today your child was sent home with a letter regarding our upcoming hearing screenings.  If you do not want your child screened, please sign and return the form by this Wednesday, December 6th.  I would also suggest sending me an email, sometimes students forget to give me the form, if you do not want them screened. If you have questions, feel free to email me.

Please take 15 minutes to complete the AdvancED Parent Survey. We value your opinion and incorporating parent feedback is important for our school growth.  You can find the survey here.