Dear Parents-
This week Mother Nature and Father Sky brought some crazy weather phenomenons to Northern Utah. As a class we shared about the diverse experiences we all had. I hope that everyone is safe. If you or someone you know had destruction and are in need of help in anyway please let me know so we can further assist you in helping to feel settled and safe. The following is a picture at MMA after the storm.
With crazy there is also beauty!
Wow- this is the last week of the normalization period, this will be our sixth full week of school! Where has the time gone- I have enjoyed these past weeks so much getting to know the students and watching them build a class community. I am so proud of each of them for who they are and so excited to watch them grow. Over the past weeks I have seen confidence rise, friendships blossom, voices spoken that before were unheard, self direction and independence begin to unfold and lots of smiles.
This past week the class wrote their class commitments, class pledge and their class constitution. This has been a work in process from day one of school without them knowing- the team building and initiatives, class meetings, and sports games have all been a dynamic part of the creation of their Class Constitution. Below is a copy- please take a moment to read it and to discuss with your child. It is very powerful and even more powerful knowing they are the voices of the students.
We have had a great opportunities during the last two weeks to attend the Celebration of Constitution Day, Lee’s Market, and the Duck Pond for out of the classroom experiences. These field trips were about American History, money math, nutrition and science. Thank you to all of the chaperones for your help in making these field trips an opportunity.
Level 4’s should have brought home a field trip permission slip for American West Heritage Center- this is their big 4th grade level field trip, where all 4th graders from MMA attend. Please turn permission slips back in by Wednesday.
Wednesday was International Peace Day. Our class wrote poems expressing their thoughts of Peace, these are hanging in the hallway. They also chose a person who they felt has brought peace to the world, they researched about the person for two weeks and on Wednesday and Friday the students gave presentations regarding their person. This project had no rubric assigned with it, the assignment was to chose a person and to present to the class for 1-2 minutes- they could present in any form they wanted. I was wowed! by the class presentations, so much more than I ever had imagined for this project to be. We had songs, guitars, plays, power points, posters and simple presentations. It was very humbling to hear about the people they chose and why- and is a reminder of how important offering tools and avenues for a peaceful environment is to our young ones- they are our future! 
As a school we participated with other schools around the world to sing, Light a Candle for Peace- if you want to see it live check out the school Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/MMAofUT/?fref=ts
This coming week we will be diving into biology, the life sciences, social studies and science. Level 4 ‘s will be learning about land/ water forms, the geography of Utah and the water cycle, Level 5’s will be learning about Ancient Civilizations,specifically studying Mesopotamia and physical and chemical changes, while Level 6’s will be focusing on the Middle Ages and micro-organisms.
Our morning work cycle is unfolding and students are receiving small group and independent lessons in regards to their math, language and grammar.
RUMBI Wednesdays– This year our school is continuing to have Pizza Fridays but we also have the opportunity for Rumbi Wednesdays. The following link is to order Rumba for Wednesdays if you are interested.
“RUMBI Wednesdays!!”MMA is offering our families the opportunity to purchase a rice bowl from Rumbi Grill every Wednesday for their child’s lunch. All proceeds from the purchases will go towards our 6th and 9th grade end of year fieldtrips. Your choices will consist of: Teriyaki Chicken & Veggie with White Rice- $4.00, Orange Chicken with White Rice- $4.00 To order a rice bowl on Wednesday’s for your child, please follow the payment link below: https://secureinstantpayments.com?Event=2375Orders must be submitted by the Monday prior to Rumbi Wednesday. Any orders submitted after Monday, will be added to the following week’s order. For any questions regarding Rumbi Wednesday, please contact Melanie in the front office.
SNACK– we have been so blessed this year for our delicious and gracious snacks. We have had loads of fresh fruits and vegetables from gardens and from the local farmers. Thank you so much. This week Carson Knight is signed up to bring snack.
PLANNERS and PASSWORDS– this week your student will be receiving their passwords for some of our extension lessons in regards to reading, writing, and math. Their passwords will be written in their planners so please be looking for these so they can be practicing at home as well. IXL, MyON, and Utah Compose
Celebrations of Life– we have had more than half of our class have a birthday in the first 6 weeks of school. With this being said beginning the following week we can begin to have our Celebration of Life ceremonies in class. If you child’s birthday was in the summer or the first 6 weeks of school please sign up for a time to come celebrate in class. https://www.wejoinin.com/sheets/cwdkw
Parent Teacher Conferences– Conferences are just around the corner. I will be sending a sign up sheet by the end of this week. Please note conferences are for both the parent and the students- please have your child attend conferences. Monday- Wednesday, Oct. 17-19, early release days at 1:00.
Have a wonderful week. If you have questions, concerns or comments please feel free to always email me at nhouseholder@mariamontessoriacademy.org.
Ms. Nicoletta