November 2013 Newsletter
Mosaic Montessori Academy (MMA) Update
The 2013-14 school year is in full swing and what an exciting few months it’s been! This September, MMA kicked off the school year with a Back to School Pizza Party at Keystone Park. Students and families enjoyed a gorgeous late summer evening filled with food, friends, and plenty of playground playtime. Thanks to Pam Daley for organizing the fun!
Despite less than ideal weather conditions, Mosaic Primary students impressed the staff at Cantigny with their attention, inquisitiveness, and stellar behavior during an October field trip. The children had the opportunity to walk Cantigny’s scenic gardens and received a lesson in local history by touring the
McCormick Museum and Mansion.
October closed with a spectacular Halloween Party featuring many amazing and adorable costumes, games, arts and crafts, face painting, healthy snacks, and goodie bags. Special thanks to Mindy Brimeyer for taking the lead on this awesome event as well as everyone who dedicated their time, resources, and effort to making the Halloween party a huge success. In addition, to date the MMA Family has taken part in a field trip to Constructive Chaos, 2 Fun Lunch tastings, picture day with Sonrisa Studios, Parent Information Night, and Session I after school art and cooking classes.
Still to come…..Pajama Day and Holiday Show
Friday, December 20, promises to be an extraordinary day for Mosaic students. Children are invited to wear their favorite PJs to school as Mosaic Montessori Academy celebrates its annual Pajama Day! The children will enjoy a cozy morning of winter- themed crafts, activities, and special snacks courtesy of Miss Maria and the entire Mosaic staff. Please note that dismissal for all Primary children will be at 11:45 am.
Later that night, the Primary class will perform in MMA’s much anticipated Holiday Show. Please plan for your child(ren) to eat dinner before the show. Students should dress appropriately (dresses/skirts for girls, dress shirts/sweaters for boys, no jeans please) and arrive at the school no later than 6:20 pm. Coffee and dessert will be served following the performance. Family and friends are welcome to attend.
Thank you to Rekha Rajkumar for organizing the Holiday Show. Rekha will soon be seeking volunteers to help with set up, clean up, baking, etc. Please don’t hesitate to let her know if you’re available to help out. In addition, the school is in need of a photographer and videographer to help document the event. Please let Mr. Ranier know if you can help.
Mini Montessori Journey
This winter MMA will offer parents the exciting opportunity to journey through the Montessori classroom environment from the perspective of children. Don’t miss this chance to learn more about the Montessori experience and the unique ways in which Montessori education serves the needs and developmental stages of our children. Mark your calendars for February 19 and 20, from 6:00-7:30 pm, if you wish to attend this event led by Miss Maria, Miss Marisel, and Miss Dawn.
Toddler Tid-Bits
The toddlers have settled in nicely since the beginning of the school year. Along with the day to day lessons that are given in the Toddler Community, the children have been doing various art projects with Ms. Meg. They have made caterpillars with pom- poms on a foam leaf, had an introduction to the painting style of pointillism (a toddler version), tissue paper pumpkins, and Indian headbands, to name a few.
The children have already baked banana bread and pizzas and have more healthy, tasty treats to come. They will be preparing pumpkin muffins when we return from our Thanksgiving break.
At this time, we would like to acknowledge one of our staff members. The toddler parents may have noticed that another person has been working with the children in addition to Ms. Meg. While Ms. Meg conducts art projects with the children (from both environments, Toddler and Primary) and other school tasks, Ms. Alison assists in the Toddler Community 3 days a week. Ms. Alison has trained in Montessori studies and has an AMI diploma for ages 0-3 and is Kaleigh Jane’s mother.
As you know, parent observations have been going on this month. Throughout this process, the children in the Toddler Community have been doing an amazing job. While a few children have been distracted by the presence of their own parent, the others have continued about quite impressively. You can see from the pictures just how hard they have been working!
