shortly after that Secret Garden observed the ... the classroom a book of ideas for
celebrating that date, and ... piano from Adriana and Leslie's family this win- ter.
The Secret Garden Leaflet "The roots of every plant seek out, from among the many substances which the soil contains, only those which they need." Maria Montessori, from The Absorbent Mind Volume 1, Issue 2
Spring, 2011
Melting Ice, Flowing Streams What a lot of memorable weather this winter held! Our doors were closed entirely on two days, we delayed opening another two, and closed early twice. It all seemed to go very smoothly but please let us know how the snow policy worked for you, especially if you have an idea for improvement. Children love snow and their school days have held plenty of outdoor play in it! Inside the activities have also been shaped by the season, as the interests of the class became focused on the cultural observances of the season. All heard stories and the older students made reports on Martin Luther King in January. Around Chinese New Year the children got involved in making little dragons. Handmade Valentines from home marked mid-February, and shortly after that Secret Garden observed the 100th day of school. Jenny’s mother had given the classroom a book of ideas for celebrating that date, and after looking through it the kids decided that since there were 10 students in the class, 10 thumb-and-fingerprint pictures from each of them would mark the day!
In February we also held our first Open House of 2011 and despite an ice-storm in the morning we had two prospective families brave the roads to join us. Congratulations to the Andersons and the Brennans on meeting the goal we’ve challenged each family to achieve: personally attracting just one visitor to our spring enrollment events. With our March Open House coming up shortly and Café Days in April, May and June we have a steady series of opportunities for visitation.
Hands-On Gifts from the Community to the Class Parent Don Whitlock recently created 3 beautiful screwdriver boards, along with a flashlight board, small wooden dishes, and chunky pencil holders for the students to sand and polish. In Montessori schools all over the world parents & teachers make many of the materials that allow children to practice real-life skills at their own pace and according to their own interests. We also received the amazing gift of an upright piano from Adriana and Leslie’s family this winter. This will allow us to bring real music into the lives of the students for many years to come.
Warm thanks to the Whitlock and Roessner families for their generous contributions!
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Parent Conferences on March 21 Semi-annual parent conferences are a feature of Montessori education from primary on through the elementary years. Conferences are an opportunity for the teacher to frame a narrative of the child’s learning style, interests and progress on specific skills. Barbette will offer time-slots during both day and evening on March 21 to make scheduling easier, and of course other times can be arranged if necessary. Look for conference sign-ups soon! Parent conferences are not unique to Montessori, of course, but a Montessori elementary school is notable for its use of conferences and written narratives rather than grades and report cards to describe student progress. Parents sometimes wonder whether eliminating grades and de-emphasizing competition adequately prepares students for “real life.”
Spotlight on student work: above, the movable alphabet; below, a model Statue of Liberty
The FAQ at MariaMontessori.com addresses this question as follows: Montessori classrooms emphasize competition with oneself: self-monitoring, self-correction, and a variety of other executive skills aimed at continuous improvement. Students typically become comfortable with their strengths and learn how to address their weaknesses. In older classes, students commonly participate in competitive activities with clear “winners” (auditions for limited opera roles, the annual spelling bee, etc.) in which students give their best performances while simultaneously encouraging peers to do the same. It is a healthy competition in which all contenders are content that they did their best in an environment with clear and consistent rules.
Frenchtown Food Pantry Thanks SGM We received a warm thank you letter from the Frenchtown Presbyterian Church for our winter food pantry contribution. Families wishing to make further donations to the Food Pantry can find it in the rear of the Parish House (entrance off the parking lot on 4th Street). Hours: Monday morning from 10:00 AM to 10:30 AM.
Classroom Visitation Schedule We have had a fairly steady stream of prospective families visiting in the last few weeks and are sure to receive more in March and April. We generally schedule visits on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:15 - noon, but we can accommodate other time-slots if necessary. Observation visits allow the parent to spend some time learning about the Montessori approach and give Barbette a chance to meet each child individually as a part of the admissions process. Having visitors in the classroom also allows our current students to practice the Montessori lessons of grace and courtesy, welcoming guests and learning to make introductions.
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Notes from Jenny
Tuition, Re-enrollment, and Transitions
April brings the tuition year to a close. For families paying monthly under the ten-month plan, it is their last payment; our billing cycle will begin anew in July. We are committed to keeping high-quality Montessori education affordable, and have not raised tuition for the coming year. We are counting on growth; please help spread the word by sharing this newsletter when you’re done reading it! We encourage all families to consider the twopayment plan for 2011-12. Receiving upfront tuition is very helpful to our operations, and I have heard from many two-payment plan users that it is a real stress-reliever to have the year paid for in full by November. The process for re-enrollment is simply to sign a new tuition and co-op agreement. There are no deposits necessary. We will ask families to submit these forms at their parent conferences. For children who are completing the cycle it is helpful for Barbette to know where they are planning to attend school and discuss any written documentation that may need to be provided. If your child has not completed the cycle and you are not planning to re-enroll, please let either Barbette or Jenny know as soon as possible.
Some students will be moving on from Secret Garden this year. Olivia has completed the cycle and will be attending her local public elementary school. We will also bid farewell to Adriana and her mother Leslie, who are moving to Massachusetts. Leslie will be enrolling Adriana at a Montessori school in their new community, and is planning to pursue Montessori teacher training herself. It is a personal pleasure to hear that her work at Secret Garden has inspired Leslie to dedicate her talents to teaching! This is also an exciting career opportunity for her, as accredited Montessori teachers are very much in demand. I know that our parent body and Barbette share my gratitude to Leslie for so capably filling the role of Assistant Teacher this year. We all look forward to hearing about her next steps on the road to becoming a Montessori professional! I am also delighted to report that there will be no loss of continuity in the classroom, as we will welcome current parent Jessikah Humphrey back as Assistant Teacher in the fall. This is wonderful news for Secret Garden! Jessikah holds a New Jersey teacher certification and brings with her a passion for dance education, her specialty. It is fitting that on August 1 we will move into our new larger classroom in the old dance studio next door!
Summer Program Information 2011 Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays 8:30 — 2:30 June 21-26 July 5-9 July 19-23 EARLY BIRD March 1 - March 30 $10 registration fee $150 per week
June 28-July 2 July 12-16 July 26-30 AFTER APRIL 1 $20 registration fee $160 per week
Families can reserve one or more weeks. There is a 10% sibling discount.
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Overheard on the Playground
Gardening Corner All has been quiet in the garden as it sleeps under its blanket of snow, but soon that will change. The students will soon be spotting the first growth and bloom of the bulbs they planted around the parking lot in the fall. As spring progresses they will also observe the return of the perennials and add annuals to the Frenchtown Field garden. Our summer program will be held largely outdoors and will include daily tending to the garden.
See summer program details inside this issue!
Several children (observing a heap of feathers on the ground): “What’s that?! What happened?” Liam: “A pillow explosion!”
SECRET GARDEN MONTESSORI
1110 Harrison Street Suite D Frenchtown NJ 08825 908..628.9639
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A nurturing and affordable learning cooperative serving families in Hunterdon County NJ & Bucks County PA
IMPORTANT DATES - PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW GREEN ELECTRIC INFO EVE Tuesday March 1st @ 7:00 pm Could choosing a “green” electricity provider help raise funds for SGM? Representatives from Viridian will explain the possibilities. A Board meeting will follow.
OPEN HOUSE
Saturday, March 5th 1 - 3 pm PARENT CONFERENCES
Monday, March 21 (day & eve) HOWELL LIVING FARM VISIT
Wednesday, April 13 10 - noon
Parent Evenings & Board meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month.
CAFÉ DAYS
Prospective parents are welcome to attend.
Thursdays 1 - 2:30 pm April 7th, May 5th, June 2nd
Secret Garden Montessori is a registered 501c3 nonprofit and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, gender, sexual orientation or physical disability in the acceptance of students or the employment of personnel.
