Correction: Spelling Bee

Erratum:

The Montessori Borealis spelling bee is Friday Feb. 3.

The District bee is Wednesday Feb, 8.

 

January is both winding down and revving up! “B” Season Soon to End.

Today we battled the books and won! What a great time we had and everyone did well. Comradery, satisfaction in stories, thoughtful interpretation, friendly competition – our goals were well met. Thanks to all of you who read with your children everyday and bring your joy of story to your families. 

A big messy crowd of readers!

Tezah, Joel and Colm (3rd & 4th graders) will be representing our school at the District battle. Sasha,Dugan, Kaleah (5th graders) will join them and, Nora, Phoenix, and Katie (7th/8th graders will battle it out with the middle schoolers.

All adults and children are welcome to attend the District battles and support our Montessori Borealis children at the District battles.

• Elementary Battle:  Wednesday  February 8 at the Riverbend Commons                   5:30 pm 3rd/4th, and 6:45 pm for the 5th grade level

• Middle School Battle: Thursday January 26 3:15 pm at the FD Library

AMP End of Quarter

AMP progress report cards will be coming home Friday. Keep a sharp lookout.

MAPs Testing Next Week

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday will be round 3 of District mandated MAPs testing. All levels will be involved.

Spelling Bee

Montessori Borealis’ spelling Bee will be held the morning of February 8. The District Bee will be at Harborview on Februray 8.

Thus we will officially end the “B Season”:geography bee, battle of the books, spelling bee. Whew!

 

Battle of the Books!

Battle of the Books Thursday!

Stop by this Thursday, January 19 in the Montessori Borealis Commons for this year’s Montessori Borealis Battle of the Books. Everyone is welcome!

Things are organized a bit differently this year:                                                                      •  5th grade only – 8:45 set up, starting by 9 am                                                                           •  3/4th grade battle – about 10 am                                                                                               •  6/7/8th grade battle – set up 12:45, starting by 1 pm

Guest in the hOuSe! Upcoming Events

Tlingit storyteller and spoken word poet, Na Haan performed a story for the AMP students this Wednesday as a guest lunch speaker. Na Haan shared his background as a native artist and cross-cultural artistic interests such as hip-hop that inspire his creative talents. Na Haan also performs regularly at the Canvass as a free-style spoken word poet.

Na Hann is of the Dakl´aweidi clan, keetgooshi hit house.

Gunalchéesh, hó hó! We are very thankful.

 

Upcoming Events

• Early Release Mondays for January are January 9 and 23.

 

• NO SCHOOL Monday January 16  in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday.

 

• SEAFOM (Southeast Alaska Friends of Montessori) Meeting this upcoming Sunday, January 8 at 3 pm. Call Mary Jane or Chris, or stop by for location. All are welcome!

 

• Montessori Borealis Battle of the Books is Thursday January 19. We haven’t set times yet – so stay tuned for further information!

 

• And district mandated MAP testing will be visiting our corner of the world again late in January. We’ll let you know as soon as the dates are settled.

 

Happy New Year!    “I live in heaven, my home is a sphere that travels around the sun. It is called Earth”                      ~ Dr.  Maria Montessori

 

 

December in the Falling Dark

As the dark outdoor days of December increase,the light indoors shines!

We celebrate with bright  expressions of the individual and group this week with two special winter events.

Thursday December 15 is our 3rd annual Gallery Walk and Potluck

• We begin with a “Finger Food Potluck” at 5:30 pm in the Yaakoosge  Daakahidi Commons.

Last names: A-M sandwiches or pizza and Last Names N-Z cut-up fruits or veggies. Everyone do your part to keep the season green – Bring your own plates!

 • At about 6 pm we’ll journey upstairs for a Gallery Walk of recent art, winter poetry recitations by the lower el. and music from AMP. Our special work developed with Teaching Artist, Mary Leslie will also be on display.

Bring the aunties, the grannies, the uncles, the friends and have a fine time with your children and our community!

Friday DECEMBER 16 IS OUR December “Play-OFF” aqt 2:30 in the Montessori Borealis Commons

• Friday, 12/16 from 2:30 to the end of the day in the commons.  The upper elementary orchestra will be playing for the lower elementary. The lower elementary will be playing (recorder) for the upper elementary and we will all sing a few lusty songs together.  It is a a crowded, but joyous space –  all are welcome to attend this informal event.

 

• Upper el. students are working on personal responsibility to themselves and the group. Please share a gentle reminder that instruments, stands and music need to come to school on Thursdays and Fridays.

Please join us this last week of school  prior to Winter Break for luminous moments of music, art, wintry words, and fine fellowship. See you Thursday and Friday!

Helping Hands, Hands at Work, Hands at Play

We’ve been up to all sorts of good things!

The children, as always, are wonderfully and purposefully busy!

Work with intention engages the head, heart, and hands.

We’ve just begun our annual Artist-in-the-School program. Artist, Mary Leslie is working with us for the next two weeks, thanks to an art grant from the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council and Southeast Alaska Friends of Montessori. (SEAFOM).

You will get the opportunity to view the results of our school-wide project, as well as other wonderful efforts at our annual Gallery Walk & Potluck.

The lower el. will be hosting this event and presenting their annual performance for all of us. Join us December 15 (Thursday) at 5:30 pm for food  downstairs before repairing upstairs for a wander through the creative work of the children.

Recorder Club meets 3-3:30 every Wednesday in the Commons. It's for everyone!

THEN…Join the children in the Commons at 2:30 the next day, Friday December 16 for Final Friday Music Play-off.

There will be singing!

There will be recorders!

There will be the first performance of the year of the Montessori Boreralis upper elementary orchestra!

See you at these wonderful events!

This and That and All Kinds of Fun

• Our site council has reserved the bowling alley – Take Lanes (across from Foodland/AP) next THURSDAY, November 10 at 7:30 pm. There is NO SCHOOL FRIDAY due to Veteran’s Day.

Bring the babies, bring the aunties, come and have a family evening of fun with our school.

This is a pay-as-you-can event. So, please make sure to join us. Shoes and balls are provided.

The fun is just down the lane! See you Thursday for this fun, family event!

• Monday, November 7 is NOT AN EARLY RELEASE MONDAY. School is operating normally. November early release dates are Nov. 14 and 28.

• Remember that school is in session Thanksgiving week, Nov. 21, 22, 23. There will be NO MORNING BUSES but there will be our regular afternoon buses.

Have a great weekend with your children – and help them learn to dress for the weather – not the vehicle (that is, the warm and cozy car or truck, the bus or the classroom). They will go outside in almost all conditions and wet, cold, shivery children do not learn well nor are they happy companions!

Gift Wrap Has Arrived! PICK-UP FRIDAY

From our wonderful Stephanie Alison who organized the gift wrap sale:

The products are in town and will be sent home with students on Friday.

If your child(ren) had significant sales, please consider how they are going to get several boxes of product home on Friday.

If there are any problems with your order, there are instructions in each box on contacting Innisbrook; I’m also happy to help!

Stephanie

Activities and Events

6th Grade Research/Art: The Hungarian Parliament Building

Tomorrow, October 13 AMP CoffeeHouse

Please join our adolescent community while they present recent work and creative expressions.Expect to see and hear music, science, and more!  The evening begins at 5:30 pm in the Montessori Borealis Commons. All are invited to attend.

Community Service: Jacket Drive

 

 

UPPER El. Community Service Work

One kind of good work can spark another. Just look what has started in upper elementary this year!

Several of our upper el. children have established projects to help other humans and animals in our community. Sasha and Anna are running a coat and jacket drive for another week or so. Adriann, Hailley, and Kaia are organizing monetary donations for the Gastineau Humane Society. Their goal is $100.

Please support the compassionate intentions and good works of these children if you are able. A donation to either is appreciated as are kind words and recognition of their efforts on the behalf of others. Perhaps you and your children may have discussions about how they can help others in small and significant ways.

Plant good seeds, temper them with care, and good crops will one day be ready for harvest.

In our next post: The Maria Gazette, math, field trips, upcoming site council events and more.

Gastineau Humane Society EffortDid you know?

We’ve had a great first month of school. The children are settling in and great work is being undertaken. The AMP students have returned from another successful Odyssey and we have events and activities galore coming up over the next couple of weeks.

Digging for Gold(en potatoes!)

Here’s a quick rundown for the next couple of weeks

– mark your calendars!

Monday                                                                                                         Please get those very last gift wrap orders in Monday or we shall not be able to count them!

Monday-Friday / MAPs Testing

~ Upper El. will be undertaking this set of tests this upcoming week

~ AMP will be taking the tests next week

~ Lower El. will be testing  the following week.

Thursday 9.22 / Parent Evening: Writing!    

     Do you have questions about writing and reading and how these are presented in our school and how you can support these vital human activities at home? Come by for a story, some Montessori materials, and some hands-on activities as Chris and Cory host this event. This evening is suitable for parents from lower el., upper el., and AMP.

Next Monday 9.22, Thursday 9.22 & Friday 9.30 

Monday 9.26 is Early Release                                                              School is out one hour early. Buses are also 1 hour early. Non-bus riders should be picked up at 2 p.m.

Thursday and Friday 9.29 & 9.30                                                          There is NO SCHOOL for ANY of our children. Conferences are for elementary and adolescent students. Conference appointments will go home early next week.

(School WILL BE IN SESSION for ALL of our students on Mon., Tues.,Weds. of Thanksgiving week but there will be NO MORNING BUSES that week – Nov. 21, 22, 23. Afternoon buses will run as usual those days.)