Thursday Bulletin | February 11, 2021 Message from Head of School Dear FIRSTNAME,
White privilege. Black Lives Matter. These phrases have entered our vernacular. How do we filter through the politicized or emotional reactions we may have to them, and instead dig in with curiosity to learn more? I've found two resources especially helpful in better grasping the differences that race can make in our day-to-day lived realities: (1) this radio story, "Let's Talk About Race and the Orinda Shooting" (warning: an upsetting story that you may not want your children to hear); and (2) Lori Lakin Hutcherson's essay, "My White Friend Asked Me on Facebook to Explain White Privilege. I Decided to Be Honest." I hope you find value in these as well.
Sam
Calendar Thursday, February 11, 2021
Friday, February 12, 2021
Monday, February 15, 2021
Monday, February 15, 2021 - Friday, February 19, 2021
Monday, February 22, 2021- Friday, February 26, 2021
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
Wednesday, February 24, 2021
Friday, February 26, 2021
Saturday, February 27, 2021
Sunday, February 28, 2021
Friday, March 5, 2021
Admissions Admissions Volunteers Needed
Admissions season is in full swing and we're looking for a few more parent volunteers to support our efforts. If you'd be interested in sharing your experience at MMS with prospective parents, please reach out to Leslie Kastner for more information. Thank you, in advance, for supporting MMS in this meaningful way. Parent Information Events Inspiring the Mathematical Mind: Recording
Join us as we answer questions about Math in the Elementary program. What is the mathematical mind? How do mathematical skills develop? What roles do repetition and correction play in that development? Video here.
Conversation with Dr. Madeline Levine: Tuesday, February 23, 2021, at 5:00 PM
You are invited to join a virtual conversation with Dr. Madeline Levine, a psychologist with over 35 years of experience as a clinician, consultant, educator, and author. Dr. Levine will be discussing her book, New York Times bestseller, The Price of Privilege, which explores the reasons why teenagers are experiencing epidemic rates of emotional problems. Her current book, Ready or Not, focuses on how to best prepare our children and ourselves for an uncertain and rapidly changing world. Dr. Levine will include strategies and practices on how we can support our students during these unprecedented times. Register here. Parent Conferences Our spring conferences are coming up soon and are required for all parents. If you have not done so already, please take a few minutes to sign up now using the MMS Online Scheduler. Conferences will take place via Zoom and your child's teacher will reach out with the link. MMS in the Community Junior High Art Fundraiser for Youth Spirit Artworks
Help with Junior High Marketplace Website
Are you handy with WIX Marketplace? The Junior High students have developed a wonderful marketplace for micro-economy, and they need some help with the accounting details post-sale. Please contact Kate Stout for details.
Volunteer at Our Farm
We love having families help with chores at the Junior High School, which is 1 St. Vincent's Drive, San Rafael. The chores take about half an hour and include feeding the goats and chickens. You can sign up for dates by using this link, Farm Chore Signup. Thank You! Calliope, Marin Montessori Animal Manager All School Event Introducing Part 1 of The Gather's Edible Education Series Sowing Our Future Join us for an interactive, virtual afternoon on the MMS farm with Kate Stout, MMS Farm Manager, & Junior High student performers.
Invite the whole family to learn how to plant a garden from seed and watch the plants grow! The program and performances are designed to engage our younger audience members. All are welcome to join. More information, and seeds, will be arriving in your mailbox soon! Date: February 28, 2021 Time: 3 PM
DEI In Honor of Black History Month
We highly recommend this tremendously impactful infographic created by Ross Valley Charter.
Thank You to All who Helped us Build our Resource Library!
The DEI committee has picked up the book bins with all of your generous donations. If you still have books to contribute to our Resource Libraries, it is not too late! Please email DEI to arrange for the pick-up of any future contributions. Families of MMS: Celebrating Our Vibrant Community The purpose of Families of MMS is to learn about and celebrate the special qualities of our families--to connect, learn, and enjoy. This week features the Ramchandran-Kaul family.
Hello MMS families! We are the Ramchandran-Kaul family: Deepa, Kunal, and Neyla (5th year in BKF) and Prema (Neyla's grandma and Deepa's mom). Kunal grew up in Bombay (Mumbai), India and Deepa grew up in Jos, Nigeria, and Istanbul, Turkey. We met in what we like to call, the old-fashioned way—online, on an Indian dating website! As cheesy as it sounds, we met face-to-face for the first time on Valentine's Day 16 years ago. We have been married for 15 years, lived in 5 homes and 3 states. We have two dogs named Laddu and Kulfi (named after two popular Indian desserts).
Food is a recurring theme in our lives. Deepa and her mom Prema love to cook, Neyla loves to bake and Kunal loves to eat! We will travel long distances for good food, and most of our vacations are planned around the best places to eat! Our daughter Neyla's first international trip was to India when she was six months old. We realized then that Neyla is an excellent traveler and sixteen-hour flights are a snap for her. Pre-covid, we traveled to India every year so Neyla could spend time with her grandparents and extended family. It is very important to us that Neyla has strong ties to her Indian heritage. Now that Deepa's mom Prema lives with us, Neyla has even more opportunities to learn about family traditions from her grandmother.
WE believe in kindness, honesty, and hard work. More than anything we want to encourage our daughter to be true to herself, give whatever she enjoys doing 100% of her effort, and ultimately contribute positively to society. We believe that these values are reflected in MMS. It has been an absolute joy for us to see how our daughter has blossomed these past few years in this wonderful community.
Would you like to contribute your family's story to Families of MMS? Please email DEI to express interest! Important Health & Safety Updates Please make sure to sign-up your child(ren) for the next two weeks of COVID-19 testing, required for Elementary and Junior High students in order to return to in-person learning after the mid-winter break.
On Tuesday, February 2, the health and safety team sent out a comprehensive Health and Safety Update. Included in this update were:
Please take a moment to read through the update and feel free to email Health and Safety with any questions or concerns. 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 even though we are unable to connect in person. Talia Carter, Reading Specialist (School Biography here) What inspires you the most about working at MMS?
Working at MMS, I have the privilege of witnessing the passion, energy, commitment, and joy that each of my coworkers brings to their job every day. I've never worked at a school where the teachers, administrators, and staff care so much about bringing their best. In turn, the children are at their best. My students are kind, engaged, determined, and truly delightful. Who is the most influential person in your life and why?
My family... my children are my constant joy, challenge, and mirror. They inspire (and require) me to be a more thoughtful and patient person. And my husband keeps us laughing, finding the humor for us all, even in the challenging moments. Links & Resources School Calendar
Parent Handbook
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