Thursday Bulletin | November 19, 2020 Message from Head of School Dear FIRSTNAME,
This year our 9th-grade students elected to join efforts with Youth Spirit Artworks to build tiny homes for Bay Area homeless youth. Their strong motivation to accomplish this is likely driven by the three ingredients researchers have identified as most important: Autonomy (i.e. self-direction), Mastery (i.e. drive toward excellence), and Purpose (i.e. actions linked to something beyond self-interest). Based on Daniel Pink's book, "Drive," I highly recommend this 10-minute animated video which captures brilliantly the synopsis of the research on human motivation, much of which runs counter to conventional thinking. (You will be gratified to learn that what the research shows is all very Montessori…).
Sam *Time Sensitive Reminders* Distance Learning for All Elementary and Junior High: November 20 - November 24 The Elementary and Junior high levels will be in distance learning on Friday, November 20 - Tuesday, November 24.
Minimum Day for Toddler and Primary: November 24
Thanksgiving Break: November 25 - 27 No school for all levels on Wednesday, November 25 - Friday, November 27. The office will also be closed.
Distance Learning for Upper Elementary and Junior High: November 30 - December 4
The Upper Elementary and Junior high levels will be in distance learning on Monday, November 30 - Friday, December 4. Toddler, Primary, and Lower Elementary will be on campus. Calendar Thursday, November 19, 2020
Friday, November 20, 2020
Monday, November 23, 2020
Tuesday, November 24, 2020
Wednesday, November 25 - Friday, November 27, 2020
Monday, November 30, 2020
Week of November 30 - December 4, 2020
Week of November 30 - December 6, 2020
Thursday, December 3, 2020
Tuesday, December 8, 2020
Grandparents Week Continues! We've enjoyed getting to know your Grandparents and Grandfriends! Thank you for registering and encouraging your Grandparents and Grandfriends to participate in this special week. We've had an amazing response, with over 250 Grandparents and Grandfriends participating in our week long program. Thank you to all of our community for making this event so special! Are you interested in continuing to share the MMS experience with your Grandparent and Grandfriend?
Have a meaningful experience with your loved ones by volunteering to do chores on our farm located at the Junior High campus. Chores include feeding the goats and chickens and should only take about a half hour to forty five minutes. Looking for the links to view your student's performance or classroom?
MMS in the Community Storytime Sing-along on Saturday Mornings
The MMS Junior High 9th grade students are spearheading a project to raise money to build a tiny home for homeless youth. One of the fundraising projects is a story time sing-along on Saturday mornings at 10:00 AM. We would love to have Primary and Toddler families join us. The entrance fee is just a donation of your choosing to the gofund me page! You can sign up here. Two of our incredible 9th years, Calliope and Maya, will lead your little ones in fun songs and stories. We hope you will sign up and join them! Montessori Adolescent Education The Throughlines of Montessori in the Junior High: Thursday, December 3 at 6:00 PM
Come spend time with Sam Shapiro, Jodi Pickering, current students. and alumni to learn about how the throughlines of Montessori education are realized in the Junior High Program. Save the Date! Junior High Curriculum Night: Thursday, January 14 at 6 PM
Join us to find out why our Junior High students are highly sought after and succeeding in great Bay Area high schools and beyond. Enjoy small-group presentations from talented Junior High faculty and current students. Gain a strong overview of the Junior High program and see it come alive through student work. Registration coming soon. All about Elementary Parent Education All about Elementary Parent Ed (for Primary Families): Tuesday, December 8 at 6:00 PM
Join our Lower Elementary teachers, Anna Mitchell and Allwyn Fitzpatrick, to learn more about the philosophy of the Elementary Program, as well as the nuts and bolts. We'll also offer tips for things you can do at home now to prepare your children for the Elementary Program and make time for Q & A. Please join us from your living room! Zoom details sent out in advance of event to registered families. Montessori 101 Sessions Deepen your understanding of Montessori philosophy and practice. Gain a clearer picture of a typical day at Marin Montessori School. Join us for an hour-long Montessori 101 led by Allwyn Fitzpatrick, lower elementary faculty member and life-long Montessorian.
The following three sessions are available. Please register below. Zoom details sent in advance of session to all registered attendees. January 13, 2021 February 24, 2021 7 PM-8 PM Save the Date! DEI and PA Book Fair DEI and PA Bookfair: Monday, November 30 - Sunday, December 6 Our Parents' Association, in partnership with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Committee, will be hosting a MMS Holiday Book Fair with Copperfield Books from November 30- December 6. There will be a wide selection of age appropriate books for all our students to choose from. Beginning on November 30th, you will be able to log on and order books for your families and friends for the holidays with proceeds benefiting our school! More details to come as we get closer to the start of the fair. DEI Library and Book Donation Help us Build our DEI Resource Libraries!
The DEI Committee needs your help! We are using this time of social distancing to begin to build DEI resource libraries at the Corte Madera and Junior High Campuses. These libraries will contain books covering the wide span of diversity, inclusivity, and equity for ages from toddler to adult. Books will be available for the children while at school, as well as for adults.
If you would like to help contribute to the library, the upcoming online MMS Book Fair, November 30th – December 6th, is the perfect time to help us get started. We are starting from scratch, so all books are welcomed. Wondering where to begin? Check out the MMS DEI booklist. If you choose a book from the list, please mark the purchased column. Books can be dropped in bins in front of primary and elementary drop off starting the first week of December. Junior High will also have a drop off bin on campus. For any questions please email us at DEI@Marinmontessori.org
A big thank you to the PA for hosting the MMS book fair which supports the school and thank you to all of you for helping us grow DEI on campus! Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Spotlight Dear MMS Community,
Let's read together! We'd love to know what you have read recently that has broadened your horizons, books that have deepened your understanding related to topics connected to diversity, equity, and inclusion. These can be books for all different ages and stages. If you'd like to share a book suggestion with the MMS community, please email it to dei@marinmontessori.org, along with a blurb about why you recommend it. We'll then share your offering in an upcoming Thursday Bulletin. MMS DEI Committee MMS Community Member DEI Book Recommendation "The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America," by Richard Rothstein Recommendation by Doug Aley, MMS Parent and Board Chair: One of the books that I highly recommend from our reading is "The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America," by Richard Rothstein. The book chronicles the systemic use of zoning ordinances by our municipal, state, and federal government agencies to segregate populations, and the as, if not more, insidious informal structures that kept families of color, and very specifically black families, from building wealth through property ownership well into the 80s, 90s, and present day. Read more. MMS Relief & Annual Fund Every donation received by the school between NOW and November 24th will be matched, dollar to dollar, up to $60,000 by a group of AMAZING Primary Families. No matter the size of your gift, a donation to the MMS Relief & Annual Fund shows your support and confidence in our work with your children and adolescents. Please join us and help us reach 100% family participation. Important Health & Safety Updates Cleared4School - Thank You!
Thank you for your patience and participation as we rolled out Cleared4School this week. As a friendly reminder, we will no longer be providing temperature checks during carline effective Monday, November 30.
Updated Health & Safety Guidelines for Thanksgiving and Winter Break Please review this important document and video that outlines our health and safety guidelines and plans for the weeks following Thanksgiving and Winter vacation.
Health and Safety Email Addresses
Admissions Updates Sibling Applications for Admissions to MMS
Tuition Assistance at MMS Tuition Assistance Applications must be completed and submitted by Sunday, November 29, 2020. The application process for Tuition Assistance begins with completion of the online questionnaire posted by SSS. Application process details are highlighted in the attached flyer, "Applying for Tuition Assistance at Marin Montessori School." The SSS application website opens on November 1, 2020 for the 2021-2022 school year. For questions or concerns about Tuition Assistance at MMS, contact Tuitionassistance@marinmontessori.org. Crew Connection We couldn't do what we do without each amazing member of our team. This space is dedicated to highlighting a member (or two!) of our Crew. Everyone on our team will be featured throughout the year, and our hope is that we all feel connected with one another even though we are unable to all connect in person. Minnie McBride, Junior High Faculty (School Biography here) Please share a specific moment/memory at MMS that has and continues to inspire you. Who is the most influential person in your life and why?
If you could go back in time, what year would you travel to and why?
I would love to hear jazz in the 1920s in New York, or I would visit Giverny when Claude Monet was alive and waiting in his garden. Links & Resources School Calendar
Parent Handbook
For Small Hands The For Small Hands catalog is filled with hundreds of age-appropriate, child-size items that encourage independence, creativity, and problem-solving. Free classroom supplies and materials for MMS when you place an order of $25 or more from the For Small Hands catalog or website and use the School Customer Number 113209. |