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Author: Alejandro Malespin

Coronavirus Updates

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.

Dear FMSL Community,

We are continuing to closely monitor the outbreak of COVID-19. We are utilizing the guidelines of the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to guide and inform us through this process. We typically rely heavily on the expertise of these agencies on issues related to public health. We follow their recommendations closely and are grateful for their support in informing us about these important issues.

Margaret Mc Donald has taken point to coordinate our Emergency Operation Plan. Our plan takes into account the CDC and local governmental recommendations, the scope of the population infected within our state and city, and the current impact of the illness upon the school population. It includes prevention efforts, measures of action for social distancing, and a quarantine scenario. An overview of its tiered response measures is being drafted and will be shared with our community as soon as it is completed. We thank the members of the Health and Safety Committee who have been instrumental in its development and review.

The following are key points from our plan that we ask all members of our community to be attentive to:

Preventative Measures

You may be able to reduce the risk of spread of coronaviruses by taking the same steps as you would to prevent infection from the flu and the common cold:

  • Wash hands often with soap and water. Use hand sanitizer if water is not available.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Cover your mouth/nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing.
  • Avoid contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home while you are sick and avoid close contact with others. Please note that we shall err on the side of caution and send all students and staff home should they fall ill at school.

Environmental Measures

Our teachers, custodians and cleaning service sanitize school surfaces regularly using health department-approved, environmentally responsible, and user-friendly chemicals to sanitize. The sanitizing of “high touch” areas is done daily throughout the flu/cold season. To date the UDOH has said, “Special sanitizing processes beyond routine cleaning, including closing schools to clean every surface in the building are not necessary or recommended to slow the spread of respiratory illness. Follow standard procedures for routine cleaning and disinfecting.” However, we have increased the frequency of the sanitizing of our high touch areas and additional areas can be targeted if the need arises.

Social Distancing Measures

Currently there are no restrictions on public gatherings and therefore school life is being conducted as normal. However, this situation is developing rapidly and FMSL staff is formulating plans and measures should the situation worsen. This includes “distance learning” should school closure become necessary.

Communication 

We shall use our emergency notification system for Alerts if circumstances require your immediate action or attention. Otherwise our FMSL newsletter and email shall be our main method for weekly Updates; please note that while these updates will provide important information they are unlikely to require immediate action. So as to allow our teaching staff time to develop “distance learning” plans and put extra attention into the sanitizing of their classrooms we are limiting the Compass Weekly Reports to a general comment. Please note, this shall mean teachers will not be providing  individual comments nor will they be uploading photos.  We appreciate your understanding.

Stigma

Stigma and discrimination can occur when people associate an infectious disease, such as COVID-19, with a particular population or nationality. Fear and anxiety regarding coronavirus may lead to social stigma towards Chinese or other Asian Americans. We appreciate your help in ensuring that you are providing support and facts:

  • Viruses cannot target people from specific populations, ethnicities, or racial backgrounds.
  • Wearing a face mask does not mean that a person is ill.
  • Show compassion and support for those who have been most closely impacted.

This is a rapidly developing situation and we recognize that our families are likely concerned and that you and your children may have many questions.  State leaders have launched a website, coronavirus.utah.gov,  to share accurate information about the virus and how the state is responding. We recommend that you utilize this resource to avail of the latest information. It has many helpful resources such as: how we can take proactive steps to stop the spread of germs, travel recommendations, frequently asked questions along with many other other community resources.

If your Spring Break plans include overseas travel we highly recommend that you check to see how your travel may be impacted and what extra precautions you should take to protect yourself.

We appreciate everyone’s continued attention and diligence in helping safeguard our students, their families and our whole FMSL community.

Flyers for the UDOH and CDC have been posted outside of each classroom and at the main entrances to the school. Additional copies are available in the front office for families to take, alternatively they are available below for your convenience

Replacement Behaviors – Parenting Connection

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.

As a general Montessori rule, we avoid use of the word “no” when disciplining children.  We save the word “no” for very serious situations, when children are in danger. Otherwise, language is based on the replacement behavior (that which we want to see in place of the one that is undesirable).  For example, “our mouths are used for eating food” if a child bites, “why don’t you tell your peers the rules of the game so everyone understands how to play” when there is a conflict on the playground, etc. We believe that knowledge is power and when we give clear examples and explanations, children are empowered to make recurring good choices.

School closed due to bad weather – 2/3/2020

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.


Due to unsafe road conditions we will be cancelling school today February 3, 2020. Our first objective is always to keep our students and families safe. We apologize for this inconvenience. School will resume regular hours tomorrow unless further notification is sent.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding,

FMSL Administration

Substitute Position (Closed)

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.

A well-established Montessori school in the Salt Lake City area is looking to hire substitute teachers for our Toddler, Early Childhood and Elementary classrooms. Experience working with children is necessary and familiarity with Montessori philosophy is a plus. You should be flexible and able to adapt to each classroom’s expectations, and be able to process information and directions quickly. General safety knowledge, courtesy, and ethics are required.

It would be ideal that you have a flexible schedule to be on call. You will often be called first thing in the morning and asked to substitute that day. School hours are 7:30 am – 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

Candidates must have First Aid and CPR Certification or obtain certification immediately upon being hired (offered on-site). Candidates must also be able to pass a background check.

Please send a resume, letter of interest, and a brief description of your availability to jobs@mcsslc.com

Practicing for Emergencies – Parenting Connection

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.

Teaching our kids the proper response to an emergency is a skill best reviewed such as we would a Montessori lesson.  Talking through the process may be appropriate for older children, but practice makes perfect. Going through the motions, sharing and talking in casual conversation, and giving kids scenarios to practice will really seal the deal! Today recently did an article about this

Praise – Parenting Connection

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.

Praise is a pretty controversial topic and one could easily find plenty of research that supports both its pros and cons. What do we think about praise in the Montessori environment? Simply put, we believe in supporting intrinsic motivation and that is done through the recognition of hard work, appreciation of natural curiosity and helping a child recognize the internal joy that comes from success.  One study, Dweck, C. S. (2006) Mindset. NY, NY: Penguin Random House) showed us that students who were given praise for things that were out of their control (ie; being smart or naturally good at something) were less willing to try hard things and even went so far as to inaccurately share their successes and failures (ie; they lied about results because of their embarrassment of failure). Those who were given recognition for their willingness to work hard, do hard things, try new things despite potential failure, etc. were overall more successful and, better yet, they believed that they had the potential to grow and develop new skills and talents.  Want to know more? I recommend the book Mindset by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D

Tuition Assistance – FACTS Grant & Aid

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog, Parent Education.

Foothill Montessori of Salt Lake uses FACTS Grant & Aid system to manage Tuition Assistance. This system allows parents who are unable to pay for their full tuition, apply for assistance.

Please see the most recent Tuition Schedule to better understand the current guidelines, requirements and timeline for Tuition Assistance.

Tuition Schedule

To apply for Tuition Assistance:

  • Go to online.factsmgt.com/aid and follow the instructions for completing the application
  • You must have an account on this system which is separate from the login information to the FACTS Family Portal.
  • If you have not already created an account for Grant & Aid, you will need to create a new account.
  • The Grant & Aid cycle follows the normal calendar year (not the school year). If you apply After January 1st but need tuition for the current school year please specify that in an email to billing@mcsslc.com

There are several items which may be required for each parent/guardian in the household:

  • 2 Years of Recently Submitted Tax Returns
  • Copies of W-2 Wage & Tax Statements
  • Security question for phone inquiries
  • Application Fee Charged to a Debit or Credit Card
  • We also ask that families email a brief summary of their circumstances and why they are applying for Grant and Aid to the Tuition Assistance Committee (billing@mcsslc.com).
  • All inquiries, applications, and supporting documentation submitted regarding tuition assistance are treated confidentially.

Promoting Kindness – Parenting Connection

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.

This amazing article in The Atlantic, written by Adam Grant, gives powerful insight to the value of prioritizing kindness and concern for others over achievement as a way of supporting children’s life-long success.

“Quite a bit of evidence suggests that children who help others end up achieving more than those who don’t. Boys who are rated as helpful by their kindergarten teacher earn more money 30 years later. Middle-school students who help, cooperate, and share with their peers also excel—compared with unhelpful classmates, they get better grades and standardized-test scores. The eighth graders with the greatest academic achievement, moreover, are not the ones who got the best marks five years earlier; they’re the ones who were rated most helpful by their third-grade classmates and teachers. And middle schoolers who believe their parents value being helpful, respectful, and kind over excelling academically, attending a good college, and having a successful career perform better in school and are less likely to break rules.”

FMSL has proudly celebrated #KINDNESS week, where random acts of kindness have boosted our community throughout this week. We invite and encourage you to promote similar acts of kindness as a way of supporting your child’s efforts.

Behavior – Parenting Connection

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.

I appreciated this article from Parents.com where Francyne Zeltser, Psy.D. explores with us which aspects of our children’s behavior we typically get caught up in compared to those which *should* be taking our attention.  With so many things to worry about, it’s nice to have some direction as to where our energy should be going. As Dr. Zeltser says, “While there’s no right way to parent, it’s possible to feel confident that you’re making the best parenting choices for your little ones.”

Flu Prevention and Safety

Written by Alejandro Malespin on . Posted in Blog.

It has been an especially bad year for respiratory infections, especially influenza, and many of our students have been ill. We are working hard here at school to encourage healthy practices and a clean environment, but we need help from families as well. There are a few things families can do to help prevent spread of these viruses.

Flu signs and symptoms usually come on suddenly.  We thank you for keeping your child home if they experience any flu-like symptoms. Students are not permitted to return to school unless they are symptom-free for 24 hours.  In some cases, parents may be asked to provide a doctor’s note before their child will be permitted to return to school. Students experiencing flu-like symptoms will be sent home from school immediately.

STAY HOME IF SICK
Please have your child stay home if they are ill. These signs and symptoms include:

 fever over 100˚F (38˚C)  For many adults and teens, a sudden high fever is the earliest symptom of the infection.

 muscle aches

 fatigue

 loss of appetite

 chills

 vomiting

 headache

 stuffy nose

 Remain home until at least 24 hours after the fever or fever symptoms (chills, feeling very warm, flushed appearance, or sweating) resolve without fever reducing medicine such as Tylenol or Motrin.

 You and your child can shed influenza for up to 5-7 days, so an extra day or two home is also encouraged if you are known to have influenza.

 Children who have been vaccinated for influenza do not generally develop symptoms as severe as others, so may only have low grade fever or mild cough and it could still be influenza.

 Although most people will recover fully without complications, antiviral treatment may be helpful if given in the first 48 hours of illness. This can prevent serious complications and shorten duration of illness. Contact your healthcare provider to discuss this if you or your child are sick.

WAYS TO PREVENT INFLUENZA
Help us with health habits to prevent spread of illness:

 We encourage everyone to get a yearly influenza vaccine. It is not too late if you have not received one. Even if you get the flu, your symptoms will be less severe and shorter in duration thus helping the spread of influenza.

 Even if you get influenza, you should still receive vaccine as there are several strains circulating.

 Students and staff should cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or their bent arm.

 Put the used tissue in a trash can and wash their hands right away.

 Students should avoid touching their eyes, nose or mouth.

 We will provide supplies that are easily accessible for everyone.

 Luckily influenza does not live on surfaces more than 24-48 hours, but enhanced cleaning measures in classrooms are being implemented. Influenza will respond to any general cleaning method at home as well. Soap and water or products such as Lysol are effective.

SOME KIDS ARE AT ESPECIALLY HIGH RISK FOR INFLUENZA
These children may need antiviral prophylaxis if they have a known influenza exposure. If your child falls in one of these categories, please contact their healthcare provider if there has been an exposure in the classroom.

 Children younger than 6 months old

 Children aged 6 months up to their 5th birthday (especially those less than 2)

 American Indian and Alaskan Native children

 Pregnant women are at very high risk for complications. Please contact your Obstetrician if you or a family member/close contact are ill.

 Children aged 6 months old through 18 years old with chronic health problems including asthma.

 Children who are taking aspirin or salicylate-containing medicines.

 Extreme obesity, which has been associated with severe flu illness in some studies of adults, may also be a risk factor for children. Childhood obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile, for age and sex.

Here is a link to the parent information from the CDC website:
The Flu: A Guide for Parents

Thank you for reading this guidance and helping us keep our school healthy! Let us know if there are questions.