Dear parents,

Here is an outline of the classroom policies and information:

Attendance

Please try to ensure that your student is on time for school. We start the day promptly at 8:30 and move straight into circle time where the day ahead is outlined to the students and any whole class activities are commenced.

Blog

As you are aware, nearly all communication regarding our classroom will be done through the class blog. Therefore, it is important that you subscribe to the blog in order to stay informed about field trips, homework and home projects etc… To subscribe, scroll down the page and on the right side you will see: “Subscribe to Mr John’s blog by email.” You have to follow the link in the email for this to then work.

Homework

You, or your students, may have heard the adage ” we don’t get homework in Montessori.” That is not strictly true. Students who do not complete required classwork will need to bring it home for completion. Likewise, once the online math program, IXL, is up and running, then students will be expected to use this at home, along with regular reading and spelling work and sometimes the online writing program, Utah Compose. Also, every 4-5 weeks, students will have a home project to complete. The first home project this year will be on Native Americans. 

Dress Code

If your student violates the school dress code policy, then a report will be sent home. The school’s policy can be found at:  https://mariamontessoriacademy.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Dress-Code-Policy-MMA-signed-04.08.14.pdf

Field Trips

There are field trips for each grade scheduled through the year (American West Heritage Center – 4th grade; JA Biztown – 5th grade; The Redwoods – 6th grade) and we will endeavor to provide other field trips as the year progresses. The next field trip is the “Freedom Light” festival in Bountiful on September 21st. Permission slips will be sent home tomorrow (Thursday). Please make sure that you sign them and return them ASAP.

For our field trips we are usually reliant on parents volunteering to drive and chaperone our students. If you can help, then please email our Room Mom, Alisha Coakley, at eventhair@yahoo.com, and she will arrange the rides. We usually take the Frontrunner and Trax for at least one field trip as well.

Planners

Each student at MMA was given a planner in the first week of school. Planners are a tool provided by the school to develop your student’s planning and time management skills. Therefore, all students are expected to use planners to plan and record their work each day. As parents and guardians, please review their planner and question them about what they are doing. Then initial in the space provided at the bottom of the page. If a  student loses their planner, then it is a $15 cost to replace it.

Every Friday, each student will get a Weekly Work Evaluation to complete. This will allow them to see where they need to improve and what help they require from the teacher.  This evaluation will come home with their planners every Friday.

Again, please email me if you have any questions about your student or the class.

With thanks – John