Page 1 of 3. December 2013 MMS Book Fair Newsletter. Mountaineer
Montessori School. Parent Organization (MMSPO). A community of Mountaineer
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December 2013 MMS Book Fair Newsletter
Mountaineer Montessori School Parent Organization (MMSPO) A community of Mountaineer Montessori parents Contact: Elizabeth Scharman
[email protected]
Dear Fellow Parents,
Past Events This year at Parent Night, MMS tried something new. Each parent was given the opportunity to visit all rooms (Primary, Jr. and Adv. Elem.) to learn about MMS lessons. We thought this would be a good way for parents to see what was in their child’s future (November 5, 2013).
This issue is primarily about the upcoming MMS Book Fair. You will also find the regular book suggestion feature and, as the holidays are approaching, some additional recommendations. I want to personally thank all of the parents and MMS supporters who helped with the MMS Spaghetti Dinner. The food was great and you couldn’t beat the company! It is impossible for one parent to volunteer for each and every one of his/her children’s many activities. So, when activities come up that a parent is too busy to help with, it is wonderful to know that other parents are available to pitch in. Elizabeth Scharman – Shannon and Aidan Rogers’ mom
Mountaineer Montessori Book Fair Tips: Once your child has attended the MMS Book Fair, it becomes the annual activity that they will look forward to. In addition to helping the school raise money, it is a wonderful real-life lesson in money and spending money. For New MMS Parents: The MMS Book Fair has traditionally occurred each year at the beginning part of December. It is a chance for students to select books and for parents to buy gifts. Baked goods and specialty homemade foods are also sold as part of this fund-raising activity. It occurs over a two day period this year (Wed., Dec 10th 8:00 am to 6:00 pm & Thurs., Dec 11th 8
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am until 3:30 pm). The children are given some time during school to attend the fair to make their selections. The youngest children can attend with their parents after school. For all MMS parents: Most of the Scholastic books are around $ 10.00 (some a little more and some a little less). New this year, items from the West Virginia Book Company and Learning Odyssey will be available. These items will generally have higher prices than the Scholastic books as they are specialty items. Parents may be especially interested in these items for gifts. The baked goods will be around $ 0.50 each and there will be some specialty food items that will sell for a bit more. Cash and checks are accepted. Adults attending the Fair can pay with a credit card. If you send a check with your child, make it out to Mountaineer Montessori School and leave the amount blank. Important: All blank checks must be accompanied by a signed note telling the fair volunteers the maximum amount allowed to be filled in. The Fair will be open for extended hours on Wednesday so that parents can come and shop after work.
MMSPO Tips (Children & Money, a Learning Opportunity): For all but our oldest MMS students, the value of money and the meaning of prices are still abstract concepts. A quarter to them is better than a dollar bill because it is fun to play with. A nickel is more than a penny because it is bigger. A $1.00 bill is as much as a $10.00 bill because the bills are the same shape and size. Even if a child knows that 10 is more than 1, the value difference is still not clear to them as they do not have the perspective on money’s worth. For these reasons, talking to your child ahead of time can help them get the best experience from the Book Fair:
Discuss what they are allowed to buy. o Can they buy treats or just books, how many treats and/or books can they purchase? o Make sure your child knows what the money you send them with is for (books, treats, or both) Make sure they know what to do with any change they receive. o Can they buy something extra or are they to bring it home? Let them know what to do about giving money to friends (either the money you send or any change they may receive). o Giving the $10.00 bill to a friend because they asked if they could have it might be OK with them but may not be exactly what you had in mind. Help your child come up with a plan to store their money (many children seem to have holes in their pockets and missing money is a common problem).
To Help Parents This Year: On the first day of the Fair, you can send your child to school with $5.00 to $10.00. If the book they select is more than this, they can leave a deposit and the Book Fair volunteer will put their name on the book and set it aside for the next day when they can bring in the rest. This should avoid the distress that occurs when they come back on the second day and the book they selected is already sold.
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MMSPO Topics Book Recommendations from Fellow Parents – books that meet our kids reading level and have topics that are age appropriate:
Any Which Wall by Laurel Snyder Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder Lucky by Wes Tooke Follow My Leader by Beverly Cleary
Games That Also Help Your Child Build Math Skills – these classic games are fun and reinforce math skills at the same time!
Yahtzee o Addition (single and multiple digit numbers), and multiplication by 3’s. As a bonus, provides practice in writing numbers. Battleship o Practice using graphs as ships are placed on the game board, and subsequently sunk. Use of a grid system (x and y axis) is required to find their location. 4-Way Count Down o Can play using addition or subtraction only. For more advanced players, multiplication and division are allowed. Digits from 1 through 10 are utilized. Monopoly o Begin to learn the meaning of money and the consequences of one’s spending choices.
MMSPO Parent News None reported this month.
Other Game Recommendations
Candy Land o Endless games of Candy Land can be a parent’s worst nightmare. However, it is a great way for 3 to 5 year old students to learn how to work through setbacks, to take turns, and to win and loose gracefully. A total lack of violence is an added plus. Cranium Hullabaloo o For Primary children, a fun way to practice following directions and use gross motor skills at the same time.
Do you have news to share? E-mail:
[email protected] and it will be included in the next newsletter.
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