Tag: community

Now Offering Montessori 101

Written by Cathy Bachman on May 22, 2024. Posted in Blog.

Have you ever wanted to know more about the Montessori Method?

This summer, Montessori Community School is offering Montessori 101, an introduction to the principles and pedagogy of Montessori philosophy to prospective and current families. These information sessions will be led by Catherine Mathews, our Head of School, a veteran Montessori Guide, Montessori parent, and Montessori grandparent. Lunchtime and evening sessions will be held each month.

The purpose of Montessori 101 is to provide prospective and current families an increased knowledge of the science behind Montessori philosophy and pedagogy as well as its high-fidelity implementation at Montessori Community School in a hands-on and engaging format. Parents will further their understanding of education techniques and our guide’s considerations, then have the opportunity to tour our beautiful facility, which fulfills a prerequisite to enrollment. This is a great opportunity for questions and discussion about who we are and who we are not at MCS.

Current parents will enhance their knowledge of the why, how, and when of the Montessori Method.

Montessori 101 Dates & Times:

June 17th at Noon

July 18 at 5:30 PM

June 20th at 5:30 PM

July 23 at Noon

Call (801) 355-1555 to RSVP for a date and time.

Professional Development Days

Written by Cathy Bachman on March 22, 2023. Posted in Blog.

Our March Professional Development days last week provided our staff with a wonderful opportunity to all come together at the same time to learn and engage with each other. We focused on bringing much needed training on policies and procedures to our staff. We had a large focus on the Health, Wellness, and Safety of all members of our community as well as the Student Support training. This policy will be available soon on our website so look for it. All staff also had the opportunity to deep clean and organize in their classrooms and prepare curriculum and end of year items for the remainder of the school year.

Our priority task was sharing our new Risk Management Policy with the staff. We continued with Part B of our Creating A Culture of Safety: Child Abuse Prevention in-service training. Infant and Toddler staff learned more about using sign language in their classrooms. All other teaching staff had training on new Student Support observation forms.

All of us benefited from training from Nurse Jen who switched roles with our teachers and stepped into the educator role to provide training on medical response protocols during our PD days. We started off discussing the staff and student Incident/Accident forms and how to assess for concussion symptoms and continuing to observe for new or worsening symptoms.

We went through the classroom emergency backpacks and discussed the purpose of each of the first aid items and how to use them. Nurse Jen provided a demonstration of how to provide first aid for wounds before having everyone partner up to participate in a scenario where everyone had a chance to wrap each other’s wounds. We also discussed participation in the Stop The Bleed training as part of our CPR and First Aid training requirements.

Nurse Jen wrapped up her training sessions with our extended day and new teachers to review Medical Action and Support Plans and provided training for how to respond to situations such as Asthma, Anaphylaxis, and Epilepsy in the school setting.

During these days we also enjoyed some service project work. Outside we started garden bed preparation, turning over the soil and planting flowers and early vegetables. We also contributed completed fleece blankets for Project Linus.

Declutter Day

Written by Montessori Admin on September 24, 2019. Posted in Blog.

Declutter Day
Friday, April 26th 2019
9:00 am – 6:00 pm
595 Guardsman Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108
University of Utah Tailgate Lot

Free to the Public

Shred documents safely
Donate used clothing
Recycle old computers and electronics
Turn in expired medication to the University of Utah Police Department

For a complete list of items accepted, please go to www.commerce.utah.gov/declutter

Illness Policy – Tis the season….

Written by Montessori Admin on August 31, 2016. Posted in Blog.

IllnessThe beginning of a new school year can bring many wonderful new things; new friends, new classroom works and new routines are just a few of my favorites. Unfortunately, new illnesses tend to make an exuberant appearance as well. While we understand that illness at home can impact schedules and routines (for both parents and children) we want to urge each of you to read up on and abide by our illness policy here at MCS.

We will do our part here at school to try to minimize the spread of illness by encouraging lots of hand washing and nose blowing (and then more hand washing) and by sending children and staff home when they are ill. We ask that you each support us by following the illness policy set forth in our parent handbooks and as listed below so that we might minimize the spread of illness to our students and our staff. It is so important that our staff remain healthy so that they can be here to help the children settle in and create effective classroom communities.

Should children become ill at school we will do our best to make them comfortable but please keep in mind that we are not staffed to care for ill children in our classrooms or in the office. We thank you, in advance, for allowing your child to stay home and rest when they are ill.

Warmly,
MCS Administration

Illness
Colds, flu and other contagious diseases are a serious issue in a school environment because they can spread so rapidly. Parents are asked to keep children home when they show symptoms of illness. If the child is ill, please call the school before 9:00am to report the absence. If your child exhibits any active symptoms of illness, he/she will not be admitted to the school, both for the child’s own comfort and to minimize the spread of illness to other children in the school. In the event of an outbreak of an infectious disease, such as measles, MCS will follow the guidelines set forth for schools by the Utah Department of Health.

The following tips are to help you decide if your child should be kept home from school:

How does your child feel? Variations from normal behavior are the best indicators of illness. You know your child best; trust your instincts.
Fever. If your child has a fever at night, he/she must not attend school the next morning. Temperatures are lower in the morning and a fever may occur again in the afternoon. You are required to wait 24 hours after the fever breaks before sending your child back to school.
Upset stomach. If your child vomits during the night, do not send him/her to school the next day. You are required to wait 24 hours after a child vomits before sending your child back to school.
Diarrhea. Loose and frequent stools have many causes. Do not send a child to school until bowel movements are normal.
Cold. Be sure a child knows how to handle tissues for coughing, sneezing and nose blowing, and practice good hand washing techniques. Your child may go to school as long as he or she does not have a fever or discomfort. If symptoms are severe (e.g., persistent cough or severe runny nose with thick mucous that will consistently interrupt their work or rest time), please keep your child at home so he/she may rest and recover.
Earache. Never ignore an earache. Contact your physician and keep your child at home.
Strep Throat. A strep infection requires a doctor’s visit and medication. Strep can lead to a more serious illness if not properly treated. The child must be on medication at least 24 hours before returning to school.
Contagious Condition. Head lice (see below), scabies, impetigo, chicken pox, strep throat, measles, rubella, mumps, whooping cough, meningitis and some forms of conjunctivitis (pink eye) are contagious and must be properly treated and no longer contagious before your child may attend school. Please notify the school if your child has a contagious condition so that other parents can be alerted.
Head lice. Due to the arrangement of student work spaces in the Montessori classroom and the number of collaborative work spaces and projects, if we find signs of lice (nits/eggs), in order to contain the spread we may ask parents to pick up their student early to begin treatment. If parents detect lice at home, please let the Office know immediately so that we can check the rest of the students in the class. Prior to the student’s return to school, we will need to know the specific treatment that s/he will be undergoing and the date that the treatment began, so that we can follow up regarding the second application of the treatment (which typically needs to be applied 7-10 days after the first application). Upon returning to school, before the child enters the classroom, please bring her/him to the Office where he/she will be discreetly checked for nits, and where we can record treatment dates and methods. Students will be allowed to return to class when they are nit-free. Nit removal can take several comb throughs and we ask that parents check the child each day during their treatment. Thorough combing with an egg removal comb each day during the 10-day period following the first treatment is an essential part of eliminating the lice and helping to prevent a lice recurrence. We will follow up, checking students and classes as needed to ensure that all active lice and eggs have been removed.
If your child has been out of school due to illness, we ask that you consider whether he or she is well enough to be outdoors before you send him or her back to school. The outdoors is part of our program and we do not have the staff to supervise students indoors and outdoors simultaneously.

Illness or Injury at School
If a child becomes ill at school, he or she will be taken to the office sick area. A parent/guardian will be contacted and will be expected to pick up the child as soon as possible. If a child is injured at school, first aid will be administered if the injury is minor. An accident report will be filed for injuries which require medical attention, including first aid. Parents will be asked to sign the accident report when they pick up their child and will be notified immediately if there are any questions concerning the severity of the injury. The student’s emergency contacts and physicians will be called if the parents are unavailable. All classroom teachers are CPR/First Aid certified. Paramedics will be called when necessary.

“Establishing lasting peace is the work of education…”

Written by Montessori Admin on July 15, 2016. Posted in Blog.

“Everyone talks about peace but no one educates for peace. In this world, they educate for competition, and competition is the beginning of any war. When we educate to cooperate and be in solidarity with one another, that day we will be educating for peace.”

María Montessori

Each year MCS staff and students decorate peace flags, share a peace walk through our campus, and hang a peace dove in our gardens as a way to support, honor, and celebrate peace on earth. Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times, Dr. Montessori was a strong advocate for peace. She firmly believed that the education of children was the key to future peace. Her vision was the reconstruction of society and formation of world peace through education.

A teacher walks with Toddler students past our Outdoor Classroom where the student’s peace flags have been hung.

Upper Elementary students prepare to carry the Peace Dove to the Outdoor Classroom, where it will be visible to the Salt Lake Community.

An Early Childhood student decorates a peace flag with images that remind her of peace. Her flag will be hung outside with the intent of spreading love and peace.

Another peace flag.

Elementary students help their younger peers locate their flags in the Outdoor Classroom, where the breeze blows the students wishes for peace.

Siblings share a moment.

Friendship is honored and celebrated.

MCS Halloween Carnival 2015

Written by Montessori Admin on November 5, 2015. Posted in Blog, Community News.

S would like to extend our deepest gratitude to all of the parents, grandparents and other community members who worked together to make our Halloween Carnival such a smashing success. Thank you to those who came out to play and enjoy this great event with all of us. And, congratulations to the Uinta class on the success of their first Spook Alley.

An Early Childhood Aspens class student smiles for the camera.

As always, the reptiles and other creatures were a huge draw, exciting children and adults all throughout the night.

Two families with students in the Magnolias class enjoy the trunk-or-treat in the parking lot.

This Early Childhood student had a great time showing off her wings all night.

We had a great time watching the magician.

Hey Chris!

MCS Family Ski Day

Written by Montessori Admin on March 18, 2015. Posted in Blog.

To close our Winter Sports season, Brighton Resort would love to host an MCS Family Ski Day. Tickets are at a reduced rate and can be purchased from the MCS Office. When purchasing your tickets, please ensure to make checks out to MCS.

Admissions Information Meeting – Open to the public

Written by Montessori Admin on January 13, 2015. Posted in Blog.

What: Admissions Information Meeting

When: Thursday, January 15th from 6:30 – 8:00pm

Where: Montessori Community School

Who: Parents interested in learning more about Montessori Community School.

Open to the public. Sorry, adults only – no childcare provided.

The teachers and administration of Montessori Community School would like to invite you to learn more about our program. During this hour and a half long presentation we will introduce our programs, administration and staff. And, you will have the opportunity to visit each of our classrooms and meet and greet with the teachers. We look forward to sharing our approach to education and the Montessori method.

Montessori Community School serves children aged 18 months through 8th grade and we offer an extended day program, 7:30am – 6:00pm.

Montessori Community School’s mission is to provide a rich, individualized educational experience, which guides and nurtures the natural unfolding of the whole individual and inspires a lifetime love of learning and peace.

Farewell to 2014-2015 – End of Year Carnival

Written by Montessori Admin on January 6, 2015. Posted in Blog.

MCS was “rocking” on Friday evening, May 29th, as two high school bands from The Wasatch Music Coaching Academy performed for attendees at the “End of Year Carnival.” The young performers impressed young and old alike with their performances and several children really showed off their moves during an outstanding rendition of Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk.”

Along with dancing, the children really enjoyed sliding and bouncing on the inflatables, having their faces painted, and making their own cotton candy.

The buffet was a Taco Bar including tortillas, beans, beef and chicken, guacamole and all of the delicious accompaniments followed by fruit popsicles and ice cream sandwiches.

Parents sat in groups on Mexican blankets listening to the music, eating and watching their children play. It was a great time to catch up with other parents and to wish everyone a happy summer after this wonderful school year (in spite of the flood).

Special thanks to our PSA president Ann Beverley who ended her term with a “bang” by pulling off a brilliant event that was enjoyed by all. Thanks also to Pamela Bunnell for planning, prepping and overseeing the food, along with volunteers Ann Beverly and Adina Padilla. Many parents volunteered on this night to help make the event so successful and we are so grateful to all of you.

What a great way for us to end the school year.

TGR “Almost Ablaze” Flood Fundraiser Movie Event

Written by Montessori Admin on December 10, 2014. Posted in Blog.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” –Margaret Mead

When Annie Guerrero, mother of an MCS Upper Elementary student, came to us in October and presented her idea to screen an extreme skiing movie in order to raise funds to offset the losses from the flood, we loved her suggestion but had no idea where to begin. We were busy moving the classrooms, settling them in, communicating with parents; Robyn, the Head of School, was knee deep in choosing new tiles and cabinets, carpets, and baseboards. Fortunately, without much help from us Annie took her idea and saw it through every step of the way until it was realized on Wednesday, December 3.

Annie’s main goal was to provide MCS with a fundraiser at no cost to us. She and her husband Ryan Carlson began contacting and getting sponsors to help pay for the cost of screening the movie “Almost Ablaze,” by Teton Gravity Research. After meeting with many theatres around town, Annie finally locked in the Salt Lake Film Society’s Tower Theatre for December 3, again turning to sponsors, including her and Ryan’s business, The Wasatch Team-Windermere, to cover the costs. Once the date was set, Annie, with a small crew of dedicated parents, began a grass-roots marketing campaign, with PR blasts going out to publications from Whitney Cripe, mother of two MCS Elementary students, and the posting of professional-quality posters around the Valley and at ski resorts as well as on social media sites. Annie also began contacting potential donors for raffle items, eventually getting enough 2-for-1 ski passes from Powder Mountain to give every attendee one. Through individual, direct contacting she collected a total of 75 raffle items; among them, Skull Candy headphones, avalanche shovels, helmets, ski passes to local resorts, and a gear bag.

Annie’s drive and determination to make this event work was truly remarkable. She also met with us weekly to set up the ticket sales system, and to give us the latest updates. Her behind the scenes work became more and more apparent as the date approached and we received more and more raffle items and sponsors. We want to thank those parents who helped Annie with all of those efforts over the past several weeks: in addition to Whitney Cripe, Jennifer Dahl Lewis, who sent a KUTV news crew to do a followup story on MCS and the restoration efforts; Corey Lewis; Marie Bosteels; Becky Taylor; Tom Binegar; and Whitney Miller, who provided many unique raffle items on the night of the event.

The evening itself was a huge success. Through the sale of movie tickets, raffle tickets, and donations, Annie and this core group of parents raised almost $5000 for the school. More importantly, it was a memorable community event. Rob Cordova, parent of an Upper Elementary student, provided much entertainment as the Master of Ceremonies. He built up excitement surrounding the raffle and had all the winners dancing a crazy dance when they won. The students who helped deliver raffle items served as great examples of the kind of education that we provide. Five of the athletes featured in the extreme skiing movie attended the event to sign posters; that was more than the number that attended the first premiere of the movie! Again, that was due to Annie’s enthusiasm and effort; she contacted each athlete directly via Facebook.

We want to thank the athletes who came: Tim Durtschi, John Collinson, Todd Ligare, Dash Longe, and Dylan Hood. We want to thank the companies that donated raffle items: Skull Candy/Smith, Rossignol, anon. Helmets/Hitcase, Hot Chillys, Voile, Snowbasin, Brighton, Scott, Saga, The North Face, and AceCamp. And we want to especially thank the sponsors for their generosity: Teton Gravity Research, Powder Mountain, Vintage Road Real Estate Fund, The Wasatch Team-Windermere, Guaranteed Rate, Discrete, and the Tower Theatre, for providing the venue.

Above all, we want to thank Annie Guerrero for her vision and for her perseverance and commitment in taking each step to make that vision a reality. We are so grateful for her efforts and for the contributions of all of the MCS and Greater Salt Lake communities.

Written by Ramira Alamilla