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Author: Joshi Haskell

MCS’ 2015 – 2016 PSA Team

Written by Joshi Haskell on . Posted in Announcements, Blog, Community News, Get Involved (P.S.A).

Left to right: Jeannette Shaffer: Lower Elementary, Gretchen Strear: Early Childhood, Greg Feucht: Toddlers, Annie Guerrero: Upper Elementary, Soo Schmidt: Early Childhood

This year, the Parent School Alliance (PSA) has been restructured to include one (1) representative for the Toddler, Lower Elementary & Upper Elementary age groups, and two (2) representatives for the Early Childhood age group. We hope that the presence of a PSA Team will continue to help facilitate conversations between parents and the school, and to create events throughout the year that give us an opportunity to get to know each other, and have some FUN!

The PSA includes parents, faculty, and administrative staff of MCS and allows us to work together with a mission to offer support to our school, which allows our children to get the most out of their education.

There are a number of ways for you to get involved such as various Social Events, Fundraisers and MCS Community Committees. We would love your enthusiasm and assistance in getting involved with Community Building for your child’s class, the Halloween Carnival, the Spring Music & Dance Performances, the Art Showcase and the End of Year Carnival. By participating you will work toward completing your parent participation hours, have some fun and it will also give you a chance to help improve our school.

Parents are always encouraged to participate as volunteers in the classroom, help with events, and attend our PSA activities throughout the year. Volunteer opportunities are fun, diverse, and vary in time commitment. We encourage you to be as involved as your schedule will permit.

We look forward to working with you over the next year. Please feel free to contact us at any time. Also, we will have a PSA Suggestion Box in the office at all times, and we will be available to answer any of your questions via this box or you can email us direct psa@mcsslc.com.

Thank you again for your support.

Montessori, Why Not?

Written by Joshi Haskell on . Posted in Blog.

I choose a Montessori school for my son almost as an act of faith. At that time my knowledge of the method was null, besides having heard of small chairs and colored beads. But seeing my son happy day after day encouraged me to study and deepen the Montessori’s ideas. What I had discovered astonished me as a father and as a scientist. As a father, I found how children are really respected and prepared for the future. As a scientist, I found solid scientific foundations for everything Maria Montessori proposed.

And now, that my son completed his Montessori experience, I have many examples from these years to show that, I hope, could convince other parents that their fears and concerns have no reason to exist and that sending their children to a Montessori school is the best gift they can make to them.

Good morning and thanks for the invitation!

I’m a Montessori father and I’m here today to share with you the reasons why I sent my son to a Montessori school and why I’m convinced this had been the best gift I ever had done to him.

Read More…

Parent Education Night

Written by Joshi Haskell on . Posted in Announcements, Blog, Parent Education.

Sign-up outside of your student’s classroom.

Childcare will be provided, however, you must sign up in advance.

This is a really great night full of insight regarding the education of your child in relation to Montessori Philosophy. Don’t miss out!

(Your attendance can go toward Parent Volunteer Hours).

Peace Makes Me Feel…..

Written by Joshi Haskell on . Posted in Blog.

When asked to describe how yesterday’s peace celebration made her feel, a third year Early Childhood Willows class student
(kindergartener) uses the moveable alphabet to build the words peace, love, magical, wonderful and grateful.

Written by Joshi Haskell on . Posted in Blog.

When asked to describe how yesterday’s peace celebration made her feel, a third year Early Childhood Willows class student
(kindergartener) uses the moveable alphabet to build the words peace, love, magical, wonderful and grateful.

A Peek Inside a Montessori Classroom

Written by Joshi Haskell on . Posted in Blog, Community News.

In a Montessori classroom, order and creativity coexist. Animated conversation and silent observation work together in the same space. In the best environments, children of all races and cultures learn side by side.

 

The Montessori approach offers children intentionally prepared environments that are full of beauty and order. Materials in the classroom are appealing and designed to meet the developmental needs of each child. Montessori-trained teachers are the bridge between the environment and the student, first through careful observation of each child, and then by providing appropriate instruction and guidance.

This video was created as part of the documentary film project, Building the Pink Tower. “What if we were to set aside the noise of failing schools, teacher evaluations, test scores, achievement gaps, and funding issues — and ask, instead, what is the true goal of education?”

Welcome Back Potluck Picnics

Written by Joshi Haskell on . Posted in Blog, Community News.

We would like to say how appreciative we are at the excellent turn out for all or our Back to School Potluck picnics. It appeared that all of you enjoyed the opportunity to meet or reconnect with other families and we were most fortunate to have such perfect weather.

 

All the Early Childhood families met together on the Green Space at the school while Toddlers met at the West Pavilion at Canyon Rim Park and our Elementary families enjoyed the evening at Washington Park in Parley’s Canyon where the students had so many exciting areas to explore.
In addition to giving parents the opportunity to spend time other parents the students all had a wonderful time. A bonus for all of us was the delicious food.
We welcomed back all of our continuing families and were delighted to begin to get to know our new families. What a great way to build our school community.

Medical Action Plans and Medication Release Forms

Written by Joshi Haskell on . Posted in Announcements, Blog.

If your student has or uses an Epi-Pen, Inhaler, or Benadryl for an allergy or other medical condition, you MUST have a recent Medical Action Plan and Medicine Release Form filled out.

 

Please fill the forms out with complete, detailed information as soon as possible. If any information changes throughout the year, please update the information and return it to the MCS office.  You will be able to download the forms from the announcements section of the website for the remainder of the year.

Please be vigilant and thorough while taking the time to do this, as we want any member of our staff to have enough information to offer the care and support your student may need if there is an emergency.

This information is not only for those parents with students who have allergies or other medical conditions, but for all parents to look at and become familiar with, as many of our students are very young and are still in the process of discovering their little bodies and their bodies responses to potential allergens.

Please check out these other supplemental forms that would be helpful as the more information we have regarding your child’s health and medical procedures, the better prepared we will be in assisting and administering the proper medications the correct way.

Food Allergy Action Plan

 

Asthma Action Plan

Seizure Action Plan

 

Diabetes Action Plan

Celebrating our own Ms. Donda!

Written by Joshi Haskell on . Posted in Blog.

As many folks at MCS know, I love nature and continuously find more and more ways to be engaged in natural cycles and environments. This summer I had the amazing opportunity to be involved in the Herb Pharm Herbaculture Internship program in Williams, Oregon! Herb Pharm is a world renowned company that grows, sources, prepares, and sells herbal extracts. Through the internship program, interns work on the farm in exchange for herbal classes and opportunities to gather and make medicine. While I was there, I wrote an article for their newsletter about our experiences as the summer interns, which is also included in this publication. I have already found my summer immersion into herbs to be greatly inspiring in my personal life as well as my work with the children of MCS! We are eating the weeds and making seasonal teas out of our on site local flora and loving it! May your relationship with plants continue to grow as well!

Click here

The pictures here show Calendula!
We harvest about (literally) a ton of Calendula by the end of the season.
So, usually 300 to 400 pounds per week or so! Is it any wonder how Calendula is my new favorite herb?!