Dear MCS Parents, What a year we have had! I want to thank all of you for your love and support. The past few months, in particular, have been trying and you have been incredibly gracious and patient with our school and our administrative team.  While the future of COVID-19 remains somewhat uncertain, we are comforted by the newfound realization that our community will endure trials together and that in collaboration we will continue to move forward. I want to especially thank the parents on our Health and Safety Committee who have worked with our admin team to prepare for the future. And I would like to recognize Brandi Allen, Margaret Mc Donald, Jemmyn Buchanan and Jordan Newbould for their quick implementation of a Distance Learning program.  They have supported parents and staff through this difficult transition.   As we look at the future, you can expect some changes in our administrative...

Dear MCS Staff and Families,  Teaching music at MCS for the last few years has been so rewarding and I am so thankful.  As time is short, I have decided to spend more of it with my kids and teaching private violin lessons. I have had a chance to work with all the Early Childhood, Lower Elementary, and Upper Elementary students.  They are gracious, kind, eager to learn, and wonderful students.   I will really miss singing and playing instruments with them, seeing their eyes light up when we make music together, and watching their interest in music grow.  It has been a blessing working with amazing, supportive teachers, administration and parents. Memories from this time will carry with me.  Wishing you the best! Sincerely, Ana Bunce Music Specialist

Joshi has worked as a Montessori Middle School Teacher since 2009. A former Montessori student, she received a Bachelor's of Science from the University of Utah in 2005. In 2012 she completed the NAMTA/AMI Introduction to Adolescent Studies in Cleveland, OH. In 2016 she completed the CMSTEP Curriculum course. She has enjoyed working with students throughout her life as a Secondary Montessori Teacher, Physio-Neuro Therapist, nanny, tutor, as well as an art and physical education specialist.  In her spare time, Joshi enjoys being outdoors, creating art, and spending time with her husband, family and friends.”

Dear Parents and Students, It is with mixed emotions that I write to tell you I will not be returning to teach in Uinta next year as I am moving into administration full time. For the past several years, my time has been split between the upper elementary classroom and administration and I am grateful for the opportunity that has afforded me to work, not only, with the Uinta students and families but, also, the greater school community and MCS itself. While the day has arrived for me to leave the classroom I know that that the classroom will not completely leave me; I will continue to draw on the lessons I learned there and the experience I gained from working alongside you and your children as I enter my new role. I thank you for your generosity, partnership and support.    I am happy to announce that we have hired a...

Hello friends!Happy last week of school! You did it! I hope that as this year comes to an end you feel proud of what you have accomplished this year, especially these last few months. I wanted to update you on a change to my support position next year.  As you know MCS has hired Cherie Mockli to support students and staff members next year.  This is really exciting as her expertise will be an valuable addition to the wellbeing of our community.  That being said, my position as Student Support Coordinator is now changing to a consultant position. I will still be available to observe and support you all, but it will be on a case by case basis as determined by your teaching team and members of admin.  I am BEYOND grateful for you all inviting me into your classrooms over the years and being open minded and thoughtful as you have created meaningful...

Dear MCS Families,  As we approach the last day of the academic year, we wanted to provide you with an update on our planning for 2020-2021 and to share some context for how we are assimilating information and making decisions. While it is premature to state exactly what the school experience will be like in August, please rest assured that we are striving for flexibility and transparency in our process.   When formulating our plans, MCS continues to take into consideration the guidelines and regulations provided by the state of Utah and the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We are in regular communication with school leaders, both locally and nationwide, so as to review best practises and standards of care in regards to this pandemic. Our very own Utah Montessori Council (UMC) has proven to be a source of practical advice as well as much needed moral...

Wednesday, May 20, 2020 Dear Summer Camp 2020 Parents, It is with much joy and eagerness that I welcome you to Summer Camp 2020: A trip to Mexico. MCS Administration and all of the camp staff are so excited to see your children and can’t wait to be together again inside our beloved school. Our world has changed in many ways since we were last together in March and these changes have affected how camp will look this year. I will try my best to make this letter brief while giving you important information for camp this year. We have been hard at work preparing the details of camp so as to make it a safe and successful experience for your children, our staff and our entire MCS community.  After reviewing the details outlined below, if you have additional questions regarding camp, please reach out to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If after...

MCS has developed a particular set of protocols for operating during the re-entry phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. These decisions have been made in anticipation of reopening for Summer 2020. The protocols take into consideration current public health guidance, local regulations, our school’s mission and culture, and the community’s safety. We shall revisit these protocols in preparation for the 2020-21 academic year as information and appropriate safety measures continue to evolve and change. Click here to view our RE-ENTRY-RUBRIC. 

Dear MCS Parents, I would like to start by thanking you for your ongoing support of our teachers, our administration and of your children.  It seems that no one has been dealt an easy hand in all of this and we are continually amazed at the love and support of our community.   As we move into the last leg of the academic year, we wanted to give you some updates as to what our administration has been focusing on in preparation for summer and for the upcoming school year.   We appreciate your patience as we work to be as transparent as possible and appreciate your understanding that the circumstances around COVID-19 and our financial situation are changing on an almost daily basis, hence making updates a difficult thing to communicate. Like many other businesses and individuals, we are at the mercy of a long line of unknowns and changing circumstances. ...

At this time we would like to update you as to what  loan our school is in the process of applying for to assist us financially during this challenging financial crisis.  Below you will find the details of the loan. We are working with our banker at Chase bank to file the appropriate application. On the first day it was possible to apply for the PPP loan under the CARES ACT our book-keeper attempted to make our application. Unfortunately the Chase site was overloaded and crashed. Later we were advised to submit contact information and based on the time and date  we made our attempt to apply a Chase representative would be in touch to help us walk through the process. Our banker had kept us in the loop and advised that we were in the top third of the Chase customers (with a position of around 130,000 out of a...

Please note that our Billing Department will be issuing full refunds for Early Care and Extended Day services for the time MCS has been closed.  The first refund will span March 16th - May 1. If our closure extends, a second refund will be issued for additional closure time. FACTS does not have the option of issuing refunds through their system. Checks will be mailed directly. Some families have emailed directly stating that they do not expect a refund of any kind for the duration of the closure. If you do not want a refund for Early Care and Extended Day services, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. If you are interested in exploring additional tuition refund or assistance and have not completed our COVID-19 Tuition Assistance Questionnaire, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your request.  

Talking about feelings can be a challenge for a wide range of reasons. Sometimes we don’t like the discomfort of vulnerability, sometimes we  haven’t quite acquired a complete vocabulary for emotional language and sometimes we simply can not quite identify what we are feeling.  This is a scary time to be human and there are a lot of feelings, some of which might be new for us all.  When the adults are scared, the kids know it.  This is a great time to model appropriate ways to manage these big feelings by showing ourselves love and compassion and practicing self care. There are a lot of new and unfamiliar expectations on us and our children right now. Our routines are different, our jobs and school work are more complex, and fear of the unknown surrounds us.  While your child’s education is important and their school work should continue, the most important...

Dear MCS community, As we navigate this new territory of distance learning, we are very grateful for the words of gratitude that have been sent our way. We have been especially touched by the members of our community who have offered to help support our talented and passionate teaching staff in this extraordinary time. This kind of support is wonderful to see and provides us with some much needed encouragement as we work through all the financial solutions available to us to keep MCS alive and well for many years to come. We are exploring various means of supplemental income to welcome our students back with as much normalcy as possible. I am overseeing researching state and federal funding options that are available to us. I am working with our bank and our HR firm to determine which is the best avenue for MCS to use. I want to ensure that we...

Dear MCS Parents and Guardians,To this point, in the rapidly escalating pandemic, our priority has been on making plans for our community's safety and wellbeing. We take our responsibilities very seriously and, as this situation continues to rapidly shift and evolve, we feel it prudent to extend our suspension of physical school through at least April 17. This decision was not made lightly.  Our focus now shifts to supporting our community in the transition to Distance Learning. This week our staff have directed their energy and efforts to establishing alternative means of delivery of our services and curriculum. It is our intention to keep many facets of MCS up and running throughout this emergency.  The administration is identifying the specific parts of our operation that are essential to maintain and investigating how they can be done remotely or how an equivalent substitute can be implemented. Our teaching staff has been hard...

Although social distancing is being highly encouraged to help contain the spread and impact of COVID-19 within our community, we remind everyone to consider the effect that this may be having on those most affected by social isolation. It’s in times like these that we need to step up and help one another. Here are a few items to consider: Many of you may have seen the impromptu balcony concerts from Italy or the national round of applause for health care workers in Spain; could we not do something similar in our own neighborhoods to help bring cheer and distraction from worry? Create WhatsApp groups with neighbours, family or friends. Share how you’re getting on and ask other people how they are.You may have neighbours, such as the elderly, that rely heavily on community services to meet their daily needs. Reach out to see how you can help.We encourage people to call...

Waking up Wednesday morning to loud noises and shaking was a reminder that earthquakes do still happen here in Salt Lake City. As a California native living in Salt Lake City, I will tell you now; yes, earthquakes still scare me. Growing up, I remember my mom retelling a story about a 5.9M earthquake that rolled my crib from side to side as she tried to pick me up and move us to safety. At 7 years old I remember the 6.7M Northridge earthquake that rattled communities, caused fatalities, and created severe road damage. Discussing Earthquakes and drills is something that should be kept age-appropriate and factual. Like anything that can be scary or cause anxiety, knowledge can be the power to help combat that fear. Personally, knowing I was prepared on how to react during and after an earthquake is what helps make earthquakes a less scary event. Preparing your home...

  Download PDF File Here

Dear MCS Community, We are continuing to closely monitor COVID-19 on a state and national level. Utilizing the recommendations of the UDOH and the CDC, we created a Tiered Emergency Operations Response Plan to be implemented at the varying stages of how this outbreak could impact our community. That plan was shared with you via email on 3/7. We are currently implementing a Level 2 response.  We encourage you to stay informed to this rapidly developing situation. We ask that you be mindful of the following advice from the UDOH and the CDC: If you develop symptoms that match novel coronavirus (fever, cough, shortness of breath), you should contact your healthcare provider via phone call or telehealth, and you should stay home from work, school, and all public spaces until you are symptom free. Older adults & people with a severe chronic medical condition should be mindful to take extra measures and...

I believe wholeheartedly that our children require a great deal of practice at becoming empathetic, compassionate, contributing members of society and that they deserve a great deal of support along the way.  Feelings can be SO BIG for kids and, in a world that thrives on immediate gratification, it can be hard to work through the “stuff” that comes with those big feelings. This wonderful article from Montessori Nature discusses the elements a child needs to learn to regulate their emotions at a young age. 

Dear MCS 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 MCS 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 MCS 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 MCS 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 

• Symptoms (https://health.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/COVID-19.pdf)
• Reduce your risk (https://health.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/Reduce-Your-Risk-COVID-19.pdf)