Yes! The first two weeks of MCS’ Winter Sports Ski and Snowboard lessons have gone well. Thank you to all those staff and parent volunteers who are making this program so successful and organized. Why skiing and snowboarding, you wonder? It has always been a goal to be able to give each elementary student the opportunity to explore the sports as part of our great Wasatch Front, and world-renowned mountain slopes. Transporting eighty plus students, with gear, snacks, and equipment is no small feat. There is a lot of preparation, practice, and patience involved. There is nothing quite like the panic of missing snow-pants, a broken clasp on a helmet, or the confusion of 4 sets of skis that all look alike and the label has rubbed off. However, and whatever the new challenge is, the buzz and nervous excitement of the students makes it all worth it. Our students are...

Schools should plan for the rare possibility of an intruder as part of a comprehensive crisis/emergency preparedness effort; however, the nature and extent of those preparedness activities should be based upon a risk assessment of the crisis events a given school is most likely to confront. A Lock Down Drill is scheduled for February 12, 2019 .  This emergency procedure at MCS involves staff - Sweeping and clearing hallways Turning off classroom lights Locking doors Sheltering with children in our agreed upon secure areas Taking roll Waiting for the all clear We recognize that this drill in particular can sometimes cause anxiety and concern for parents and guardians, students, and educators too. For the adults, being familiar the procedure and ones responsibilities within that process can bring assurance and comfort. Practicing can prepare and be of comfort to the children with the fact that their teachers, parents and guardians, and the...

We are already making plans for activities for Summer Camp 2019 for your children. We know that people's plans do change and this is a reminder of the withdrawal policy for Summer Camp.  It is as follows:   After January 31, 2019, you will be responsible for 100% of the school Summer Camp  tuition if you chose to withdraw your student. There is also a $75.00 schedule fee that is required for administrative costs to initiate the withdrawal from the program and FACTS management system.   Please respond to this email or contact the Business Manager no later than January 31st, by email request, should you need to withdraw from the Summer Camp 2019.   Please give a call so we can address any questions or concerns.

We are waist deep in raising teenagers at our house so conversation about bodies, puberty, consent, respect for others, and sex are fairly common. But the conversations didn’t start yesterday. We’ve been talking in age appropriate terms since my children were toddlers. We've kept a variety of age appropriate books laying around the house to allow the boys to do their own research, as needed. My personal philosophy is that the more I talk openly, even during the stages or about topics that have been slightly uncomfortable for my kids, the more they will see me as a resource when their questions arise. There are too many resources at their fingertips that aren’t necessarily trustworthy and I believe sex and body shame are two of the most avoided topics in homes.   Sometimes, especially when my kids were upper elementary and middle school age, they would tell me that the topic was...

Thank you so much to all those who participated in our annual Holiday Gift Giving, particularly our PSA for helping to put the whole thing together and our elementary students for helping to carry and load so many of the gifted items. This year we donated to three different organizations; The INN Between, International Rescue Center (IRC), and The Neighborhood House. We were able to fill every request because of the amazing and generous support of our community. We received a wonderful thank you note from the INN Between House, whose mission is to end the tragic history of vulnerable people dying on the streets of our community by providing a supportive and safe haven for individuals who have nowhere else to go in time of medical crisis. Our School Director, Britney Peterson, and her family were able to deliver the gifts to the family assigned to MCS from the IRC who needed a little help...

The MCS Silent Journey and Discovery is an event dedicated to parents to provide the meaningful experience of visiting each of our programs, from Toddlers through Upper Elementary. We invite you to experience for yourself the magic of the Montessori materials and discover how the lessons learned in our early programs set the tone and lay an important foundation to prepare students for higher academics and critical thinking skills in the upper programs. This is a wonderful opportunity to gain a sense of how the Montessori Curriculum unfolds through the eyes of a child to guide and nurture the natural unfolding of the whole child to inspire a lifetime love of learning and peace.  Who: All MCS Parents Invited When: Saturday, January 26, 2019 @ 9:00am - 1:00pm Where: Meet in the MCS lobby Cost: Attendance is free of charge Child Care: Child care will be provided to those who sign up...

Montessori Community School will be hosting an Admissions Information Meeting for all adults interested in learning about any of our programs for 2019 - 2020 Admissions.  Parents are invited to join us for a presentation about Montessori method, curriculum and philosophy and how they are implemented in our program to educate the whole child.  Parents will have the opportunity to visit our classrooms and meet our Montessori teaching staff. RSVP on our Facebook Event Application Packets will be available.  Meeting starts promptly at 6:00 pm  Adults only - sorry, no child care provided Bring a friend! 

Montessori Community School offers an authentic Montessori education while supporting a charming and safe community for our students and their families. Choosing the right school can be a difficult task as increasing numbers in research show the impact of early education on the growing brain. So, beyond why a parent might choose a Montessori education for their child, I would like to answer some common questions about what sets Montessori Community School apart and how you will know if it is the right fit for your family. Tour, Admissions Meetings and Observation:  Inquiring parents are required to visit our facility prior to acceptance of their child. This allows parents to “get a feel” for our campus and to learn specifics about each program from a knowledgeable member of our staff. Following attendance at a tour or an admissions meeting, parents are invited to observe in one of our classrooms. While an...

Thanks to your generosity during our Fun Run Drive this past Fall to our non-profit Montessori Education Foundation (MEF). We were able to send or order the following items to our sponsored Navajo Grandmothers this week through the Adopt-a-Native Elder Program. Mothers Day Box-  Spring Delivery only and delivered during the Spring food run. This gift box fills a need to provide personal care items that are not contained in any other gift option. It contains Cottenelle wipes, Kleenex, a wash cloth, bath towel, vent brush, bobby pins, Vaseline, shampoo, sanitizer, emery boards, and a bandana.   Grandmother Box -  This box contains 3 yards of Panne fabric and 4 yards of cotton fabric for making a skirt and blouse. Also included are safety pins, socks, scarf, thread, yarn, and a hygiene kit. The price of this item includes a credit card charge.   Food Certificates that can be used at all...

All around the world little free libraries are popping up. These libraries are helping to bring communities together by providing a peaceful meeting place where everyone is welcome to share in the joy of reading, imagination, education, sharing, and creativity. Maria Montessori defined joy by saying, "Joy, feeling one's own value, being appreciated and loved by others, feeling useful and capable of production are all factors of enormous value for the human soul." She taught that the development of language is part of the development of the personality and that words are the natural means of expressing thoughts and establishing understanding between people. Montessori philosophy teaches that careful preparation of the space and materials is key to a successful classroom and learning environment.  It is our hope that by having a Little Free Library we will help bridge the gap between the development of language and personality, creating that space where all...

A happy welcome to the new families entering Montessori Community School.  Parents, you will soon discover that being a part of a Montessori community is encompassing and the efforts you make towards supporting the Montessori approach will determine the success your child has in this environment. Below is an article by Edward Fidellow which will give you several tips to embracing your new role as a "Montessori Parent." And so begins your journey...... Becoming a Montessori Parent by Edward Fidellow There are seven simple steps to becoming a Montessori parent. When we say simple we don’t mean that they are not challenging. It is a lot like the definition of bull riding. “The object is to keep the bull between you and the ground.” Simple – but challenging. The first step to becoming a Montessori parent took place when you enrolled your child in a Montessori program. That in itself is a...

There are many parts to a Montessori education. There certainly is the beautiful materials that add so much to the enjoyment of learning. There is the educational philosophy that goes along with the materials. There is also the part that looks at your child’s gifts and abilities but the most crucial part of  a Montessori education is the part that nurtures and helps transform your child into a successful adult. Ultimately, Montessori is a philosophy of life, of a way to approach the challenges and blessings. If you love what Montessori does for your child at school begin to implement at home those actions that will continue the transformation. We are not talking about red rods, alphabets or math but about the core value that makes Montessori dynamic and transformational. It is all about making wise choices. It is a simple formula – learn to make wise choices – but it...

Last night's forecast promised rain (and snow!) for the weekend.  Today, I have noticed the forecast has shifted from snow to rain and back to snow in just a few short hours.  Ahhhh, Utah! While I love the weather and all it has to offer and am particularly pleased by how Utah weather can change on a dime, I feel fiercely protective of our children and their preparation for the weather.  Nature is a beautiful gift that is best enjoyed when it is respected.   Parents, please help your students develop a healthy respect for nature by encouraging them to be prepared for whatever Mother Nature has to offer on any given day, especially here at school!  Children should come prepared to go outside in any circumstances.  Layers, good shoes, water resistant outer clothing, and extra options are a great start.  Montessori Community School has always made it a priority to...

Welcome to November; it’s cold and dark early in the day. While there is really no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes, and we’d all benefit from spending a bit more time outside , the unfortunate reality is that many of us hibernate inside for much of the fall and winter. Along with this, we may also find ourselves filling more of our time with screens. While technology enhances our lives by connecting us with family, friends and information from around the world, it is also a worthy idea to set boundaries on its use. But technology is so deeply ingrained with most of our daily lives, do we really know just how much time we spend on screens. How do we know what is too much? How do we evaluate the content of what our children are viewing aside from general rating systems? Do we have to...

Grandmother Anita Jackson Approximately 25  years ago, because of Bob and Robyn’s strong connection to some Navajo friends, our school registered with the Adopt A Native Elder program to adopt three Navajo grandmothers and two grandfathers. Our two grandfathers died a few years into our involvement with the program and then for most of 20 years we continued to help support our three grandmothers - Grandmother Emma Bahe, Grandmother Roseline Jackson and Grandmother Elvira Horseherder. For many years we have been so successful with our fundraising that we were not only able to  provide food on each of the two Food Runs that originate in Park City but also send yarn, gift certificates for them to buy additional food, clothing and household items, firewood, basic medical supplies and blankets but in the past few years two of our Grandmothers - Emma (aged 94) and Roseline (aged 92) have died and we...

Our school is currently celebrating Day of the Dead, Día de los Muertos. Day of the Dead is a holiday celebrated in Mexico on November 1st and 2nd, which coincides with the Catholic holidays of All Saints' Day (November 1st) and All Souls Day (November 2nd). Traditions connected with the holiday include building private alters honoring the deceased. The altars are adorned with sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed. People often place the altars near graves of departed relatives. Scholars trace the origins of the modern Mexican holiday to indigenous observances dating back hundreds of years and to an aztec festival dedicated to a goddess called Mictecacihuatl. In Brazil, Día de Finados is a public holiday that many Brazilians celebrate by visiting cemeteries and churches. In Spain, there are festivals and parades, and at the end of the day, people gather at cemeteries and pray for...

Parent Teacher Conferences are coming up quickly!  Enjoy these helpful tips for making the most of your conference! Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Friday, November 9th. There will be no school that day. Sign-up sheets for the conferences are on a table in the lobby, arranged by class, from Toddlers to Upper Elementary (please check the top of each page for the name of the class).  As we do every year, we ask that you observe the following requests: · Please sign up for one meeting time per child. · Please be on time for your conference. · Please help the teachers to stay on time. · Please arrange for childcare during Parent/Teacher conferences. We have included some additional tips that might be useful in having a successful Parent Teacher Conference: Write down questions or things you would like to discuss and email the teacher(s) with your questions/comments before the conference. Ask your child...

MCS Parents, Did you know that you can check on your child’s weekly progress through Montessori Compass?  Compass is where your child’s teacher records lessons, uploads pictures, and writes anecdotes about what’s happening in the classroom.  This is an excellent way to stay connected to your child and their experience!  Compass includes some excellent parent resources.  We encourage each parent to access and read your child’s weekly reports and their Fall Evaluation, coming in October, in preparation for Parent Teacher Conferences in November.  If you are unable to log in to Compass or do not receive weekly updates to your email, please contact Britney at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Thank you for your ongoing support of both your child and your child's teachers!

Screen Free Sundays have become quite popular at our house.  Admittedly, when we began SFS there was a concern that the adults would feel more punished than the kids.  As it turns out, my dreams of us coming together spontaneously as a family have finally come true! Sundays at home are now spent adventuring, resting, and playing together.  Some of the best conversations I have with my kids each week now take place after a few hours of together time and I find that my children are more well rested and prepared for the new week than ever before! Lasso the Moon suggests these 75 Screen Free Activities .  

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.