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Author: Foothill Montessori

FACTS Online Enrollment

Written by Foothill Montessori on . Posted in Blog, Parent Education.

Once you are logged into FACTS Family Portal using these instructions, continue to Enrollment with the following instructions:

Click on the hamburger menu in the top-left corner next to Foothill Montessori of Salt Lake, click the down arrow next to Apply/Enroll and choose Enrollment / Reenrollment and Click here to open Enrollment

When the Enrollment / Reenrollment forms have been opened up for the coming year you will be able to click Start Enrollment Packet for your child.

A Glimpse into Winter Sports 2022

Written by Foothill Montessori on . Posted in Blog.

Upper Elementary students take everyone’s skis and boards and load them onto the right bus.
Teachers and upper elementary students take roll to ensure everyone gets on the right bus.
Ready to shred!
Poling across the flat.
Teacher chaperones ready to help
Winter Sports is hard work!

Order Free at Home Test Kits

Written by Foothill Montessori on . Posted in Blog.

Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order 4 free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests. The tests are completely free. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days.

Order your tests now so you have them when you need them.

Order Free COVID-19 Tests

If you need a COVID-⁠19 test now, please see other testing resources for free testing locations in your area.

 Insurance Reimbursement for At-⁠Home Tests

Your health insurance company will pay you back for 8 at-⁠home tests per month for each person on the plan.

https://www.cms.gov/how-to-get-your-at-home-OTC-COVID-19-test-for-free

Parent Teacher Conferences are coming up quickly!

Written by Foothill Montessori on . Posted in Announcements, Blog.

Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Friday, February 4, 2022. Progress Reports will be published in Compass prior to conferencing. Please note, all conferences will be virtual. The process to sign-up for a time slot will be shared with you soon.

Helpful tips to make the most of your conference:

  • Be prepared. Write down questions or things you would like to discuss and email the teachers with your questions before the conference.
  • Confer with your child. Ask your child if there is anything they would like you to discuss with the teachers.
  • Use your time carefully. Keep the conference focused on the child and the purpose of the conference.
  • Listen and share. Be open to suggestions from the teacher and be prepared to share suggestions of your own. No one knows your child like you know them.
  • Ask for clarification. If you are unclear about what the teacher is telling you about your child, ask for specific examples. Remember that you and the teachers are a team and your main focus is meeting the needs of your child.
  • Write it down. Take notes so you can share information with your child after the meeting.
  • Keep the teacher informed. Things happening at home often affect children’s behavior and performance at school.
  • Summarize. At the end, make sure that everyone understands what was talked about and what they have committed to do.
  • Follow up. If you have items that need to be followed up on, establish a check-in date.

Please note, the school and office are closed on all PTC days.

On-site Testing Has Begun

Written by Foothill Montessori on . Posted in Announcements, Blog, Community News.

The first day of on-site COVID testing went smoothly. 25 students were selected for this first round of randomized testing; 3 of the 25 were unable to attend; 2 were a no-show. With advance knowledge of the absent students, Margaret selected 2 individuals to take the available slots. In total, 21 tests were conducted on students ranging from toddlers to sixth grade. One staff member was selected for testing. As previously reported, all tests had negative results. Phew!

The students were awesome. They lined up patiently to await their turn, listened very carefully to the directions and cooperated fully with all involved. Several of the upper elementary students were amongst the first tested and remarked they had lost count of the number of COVID tests they had already completed. Their confidence/nonchalance helped set the tone for the session. A life-sized, plush rainbow trout accompanied a 1st year lower elementary student and was a great diversion to those awaiting their turn. Kudos to the students who gently helped and supported those who were a little nervous. One lower elementary student was overheard explaining to an early childhood student that it [nasal swab] was comparable to the sensation experienced when picking your nose!

This success of the event was due in no small part to the parents who volunteered their time to make this possible.

  • Words cannot do justice to the gratitude we feel for those on the Test Team who helped research and implement the program. Simply said, thank you Elena, Tera, Matthew and Sophie.
  • In addition, we are grateful to Eyal for reaching out and offering to conduct the selection of students for each week’s randomized testing.
  • And lastly but by no means least, our heartfelt appreciation to the parents who showed up to conduct the first test session. Set up, swabbing, timing and reading of tests, and clean up was conducted with very careful attention to detail.

The Test Team met on 1/6/22 to discuss the possibility of expanding our testing capabilities to include a Test-to-Stay option. This was recently proposed by the CDC as an alternative to quarantine in an effort to keep students attending in-person school. Several members of our community have also enquired about the possibility of FMSL providing Day 5 testing (the recommended testing date for those exposed to COVID-19). Both options require more research and consideration. The community will be updated on developments in either of these areas.

We currently have 64.28% of those eligible to participate registered in the program. Registration for testing remains open.

Bathroom Independence in the Early Childhood Program

Written by Foothill Montessori on . Posted in Blog.

All children entering the Early Childhood Program should be bathroom independent. This means that they can handle bathroom related tasks with little or no assistance.

We expect:

  • Children entering the EC classroom have had a good deal of experience listening to the cues of their body as to when it is time to go to the bathroom.
  • Children have had experience dressing and undressing themselves.
  • Children have been taught how to handle basic toilet hygiene. This includes- wiping, flushing and handwashing.
  • Children are using a regular restroom toliet and not a training potty.

Why does my child need to be bathroom independent?

Our Early Childhood classrooms are not equipped to have children enrolled in our program in diapers or pull ups. We do not have changing tables or cleaning supplies for diapering in these environments. EC classrooms are not staffed to allow for students to be provided a great deal of assistance in the bathroom.

How do I tell if my child is bathroom independent?

​If your child is staying in the same cloth underwear and clothing all day long, 4 out of 5 days per week, and they are independently recognizing the need to go to the bathroom a majority of the time, they are considered bathroom independent.

If your child does not initiate going to the bathroom most of the time and is having at least one accident a day or is not using the toilet for urine/BMs, it is best to wait until they are ready.

 Accidents happen…

We do anticipate that in a new environment some children will have some mishaps. Students are given lessons on how to handle bathroom accidents. Children are never shamed; the accident is handled in a matter of fact and practical way.

If regression in bathroom independence occurs, a gradual transition to school can be considered. A half day or reduced hours may help support the child to transition into the school routine and become fully independent in no time.

What if…

What if my child is not bathroom independent and is having multiple accidents throughout the day? The child’s start date will need to be delayed until your child is ready to be in the classroom.

Tips for gaining bathroom independence:

  • Stay near home or a toilet during this transitional time. If you are not consistent, you can slow the process to the point of regression.
  • Read interesting and relaxing books while they are sitting on the toilet.
  • Be consistent: once you decide to make the transition from diapers to underwear do not go back. Pull-ups serve the same purpose as diapers and should only be used overnight when children cannot control bodily functions while asleep.
  • Set a timer for 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes, etc. When the timer goes off say, “It is time to go to the bathroom,” and “Even if you don’t have to go, you can still try.” Lengthen the time as your child is successful with the shorter times.

Additional Resources:

http://www.montessorimom.com/montessori-potty-training/

https://montessorirocks.org/5-montessori-potty-training-tips/

https://www.themontessorinotebook.com/montessori-approach-toilet-training/

http://www.dailymontessori.com/self-development/toilet-learning-vs-toilet-training/

**Adapted from Mandala Montessori 

Admissions Meeting: Jan. 11 – 6:30pm

Written by Foothill Montessori on . Posted in Announcements, Blog, Community News.

Join Meeting (offline)

This event will be virtual. The “Join Meeting” button above will connect you on the day of the event:

  • When: Tuesday, January 11, 2022 from 6:30-7:30pm.
  • Enrollment Opens for 2022-2023: January 14, 2022.
  • How to RSVP: Families interested in attending should begin by filling out the Admissions Inquiry form if not already done.
  • Rolling Admissions: Parent interviews will be scheduled in the order in which applications are received. This event is a required step for beginning the application process and will count as a tour while we observe COVID-19 safety protocols.

Foothill Montessori of Salt Lake City serves children aged 3 months through 6th grade. Our mission is to provide an authentic Montessori experience that nurtures the natural unfolding of the whole individual, instills a love of learning, encourages acts of peace, and empowers all.

One of the great strengths of our school is its community of parents, students, and staff. We appreciate and are grateful for the word of mouth referrals by our current families and ask that you pass the information along to friends and/or family interested in Montessori education.

General Admissions Information Meeting: January 11, 2022, 6:30pm – Facebook Event

Please share this event on Facebook with friends or family.

Join Meeting (offline)

Upgrading our Masks

Written by Foothill Montessori on . Posted in Blog, Community News.

Erin Lipovich is the parent of a Wasatch student, and an avid researcher. She has kindly compiled the following information to help the community source quality masks. Thanks Erin!

The cloth masks recommended earlier in the pandemic helped prevent those infected from spreading covid-19. Today, with more highly contagious variants spreading, medical personnel are urging everyone to upgrade from cloth to more protective masks that also keep the wearer safe.

Masks certified as N95 (USA), KN95 (China), KF94 (Korea), or FPP2 (Europe) have been tested and proven to filter out >94% of all aerosols, including airborne viruses such as covid-19. Unfortunately, sources like Amazon are overrun with fakes, making it best to buy your masks from reliable sources.

  • The N95 Project – a non-profit dedicated to providing access to trustworthy personal protective equipment – only sells masks guaranteed to be genuine.
  • Bona Fide Masks, as the name suggests, only sells masks that have been certified as genuine and is the sole US distributor of Powecom Brand KN95 masks.
  • Armbrust is a manufacturing company in Texas that sells masks “designed, developed and made in the USA.” Wanting to help people find trustworthy masks wherever they can, the company has made their extensive testing database public and searchable.
  • Aaron Collins, an aerosol expert known to the internet as Mask Nerd, has been testing masks since the start of the pandemic. His results, found HERE, have a special section on masks for children. He also has a YouTube channel.

As we enter year three of the pandemic, working together and following best practices will help keep our community as safe as possible.

Winter Sports Starts January 12, 2022!

Written by Foothill Montessori on . Posted in Announcements, Blog.

Winter Sports 2015

The Winter Sports program at FMSL started back in 1994, spearheaded by our very own Brandi Alllen. Brandi, a former ski instructor, was very much involved in the program in those formative years and is delighted to see how it has grown and expanded since then.

Winter Sports 2015

This year we were fortunate to have our safety measures and the overall preparation for Winter Sports reviewed by Peter Girardi. We are so very grateful for his advice and guidance. Peter is a coach with Valvoline Racing, a private ski team, traveling for Nor-ams and European race and training projects. Prior to that he was on the Men’s Alpine staff at Killington Mountain School in Vermont. He was also part of the Student Life department and helped write the Covid-19 Response for the school. He is the proud parent of Theo in Sego Lily (Infant Class).

Winter Sports 2017

The intent behind our Winter Sports Program is that the experience as a whole lets our students have a real-life group driven opportunity to practice the life skills they have been learning and practicing in such a safe environment here at FMSL. And it is an opportunity to let our students explore one of Utah’s greatest beauties- the mountains and our incredible snow!

Winter Sports 2019

One of the reasons we appreciate Snowbird’s Ski Program is that they take an approach to individualized instruction that is similar to our approach here at FMSL. Snowbird instructors go through intense training on how to meet the needs of each student in a group. Please keep in mind that these lessons are peer-oriented and groups are bound to contain students at varying levels of mastery in the skill sets being worked on. Some students will be close to the peak of that skill set and some will be further down. We ask that you place your trust in the ski program to group our students as they see fit. As these lessons continue on, it really is a collaboration as a group to learn and practice.

Have a Wonderful Winter Break

Written by Foothill Montessori on . Posted in Blog.

Brandi and I wish you and yours a safe and restorative Winter Break. 2020 has been challenging to say the least yet we are so very grateful to have had such a wonderful community with which to face the challenges. On behalf of Robyn, and all the staff, we want you to know that we greatly appreciate your support and partnership. You have made this school year possible. See you in 2021!

Brandi & Margaret

Holiday cheer from the on-site crew of Cherie, Brandi, Sabine, Margaret, Jemmyn, Candace, Nanette, Lian and Felipe