In joining MCOL this school year, one of the campus aspects that intrigued me was the ample green space surrounding our building! So much of our Montessori Science curriculum includes botany and zoology. Our campus allows us to explore more than our appealing playground! To that end, we have begun creating defined trails in the wooded area behind our building. Within that wooded area, our students will have trails that allow them to be outdoor explorers as we search for animal prints or bird and squirrel nests, and so much more! We are beyond grateful to Mr. Jason (Felician Facilities) for the hours he has spent bringing this dream to life. We hope to introduce the students to the trails the week of April 26. Below is a glimpse of our MCOL wooded trails –
April 2021
Hello, MCOL families!
Happy Spring, MCOL families! Despite COVID protocols continuing to restrict various aspects of our day-to-day lives, there is something quite uplifting, almost magical, about sunny and warmer days, birds chirping, trees budding, and perennials beginning to reveal themselves to us. Even when winter was gentler than years past, spring remains uplifting.
It’s hard to believe the current school year is quickly reaching an end, and Summer Camp 2021 is preparing to kick-off, and yet here we are! We thought you might enjoy a short introduction to the owners of Gymnastics Dreams and Abrakadoodle, our two outside Summer Camp Children’s House week-long vendors. Children’s House Summer Camp enrollment is at capacity for several weeks, with all other weeks close behind. We have reached our capacity for children six years and up. The limited spaces remaining for each week are for children, ages three through kindergarten.
Exit Surveys
We are also creating an exit survey for families moving on as elementary beckons a change for them educationally (for the time being, anyway 😉). We hope to learn what you enjoyed about your time with us, as well as any ideas or thoughts you want to share with us as you move on. Please know your response will help us as we work to move MCOL forward, and we genuinely seek your input. We hope you will take a few minutes and respond to the exit survey when sent to you in mid-June.
We are also creating an exit survey for families moving on as elementary beckons a change for them educationally (for the time being, anyway 😉). We hope to learn what you enjoyed about your time with us, as well as any ideas or thoughts you want to share with us as you move on. Please know your response will help us as we work to move MCOL forward, and we genuinely seek your input. We hope you will take a few minutes and respond to the exit survey when sent to you in mid-June.
Wooded Trails at MCOL!
Snack Schedules
Please let us know if you are finding it helpful to receive our daily snack list. Two parents reached out and asked for it so they could work around our snack list and their child’s lunch. We thought the rest of our community might find it helpful, too! You will note with our first two snack lists that cereal with milk appears. Beyond nutritional components defined by the federal government, we also teach our students practical life skills. Learning to eat cereal is such a skill. Once we feel the skill has been mastered by most, we will move to another helpful life skill through our snack offerings.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent-teacher end-of-year conferences are fast approaching. We will offer them outdoors with all adults wearing face masks that cover both noses and mouths and maintain physical distancing of 6 feet. We are following Public Health protocols as we have done all year, and will continue to do until governing agencies advise otherwise. Teachers can arrange for Zoom meetings if that is your preference as opposed to an on-campus conference. Teachers will clean, sanitize, and disinfect the outdoor conference table and chairs in between each conference. Hand sanitizer will also be at the conference table.
Kindergartners - Moving Forward
We are working with Public Health to determine what we may safely do for our kindergarten students as they prepare to move on. We have been asked to wait a few weeks before finalizing decisions due to the current surge in COVID cases in MI. I will reach out to governing agencies in mid-May to determine the next steps.
Teacher Appreciation Week
The week of Monday, May 3 through Friday, May 7, 2021, is Teacher Appreciation Week nationally. Our goal is a mutual expression (home and school) of love and appreciation for our team. We have nine team members. Each day will be a special offering created with their preferences in mind.
- Monday – Breakfast
- Tuesday – Flower bouquets and chocolates (milk and dark)
- Wednesday – Lunch (Provided by MCOL Administration)
- Thursday – Gift bags with small treats filled by you!
- Friday – Ice cream sundae bar
Gabby has prepared a Sign-Up Genius that allows you to sign-up for the day of your choosing and the item you want to contribute (link below). You are invited to drop off your items in car line (we will have a cart outside for easy transport).
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4EA4A723ABF9C16-teacher
Let’s peek inside each classroom, including our newest offering,
Nido (Infants) –
Our Nido classroom is currently under development with our youngest students joining us in September 2021. We already have three infants enrolled with parents excited for the opportunity to attend an authentic Montessori infant program. Here’s a view of the intimate breastfeeding areas for moms –
Young Children's Community -
Our Young Children’s Community has added some new work that allows our toddlers to explore care of their indoor environment! Doing so allows the child to follow through on their completion of a work cycle and needs after a spill (wet or dry). No longer does the child need an adult to navigate their spills. The skill set is under construction with them (you’re welcome 😉)!
Children's House -
Children’s House students are busy preparing to ready their outdoor raised garden beds for planting. Students took part in seed germination work and soil will be delivered in the weeks ahead. Our Summer Camp Earth Explorers will maintain the raised garden beds throughout their Summer Camp experience! Children’s House students will plant a variety of vegetables, fruit, and perennials. We had hoped to host a Family Gardening Day on a Saturday morning in May. However, that is no longer an option due to health and safety protocols due to the pandemic. No worries, we are ready for May 2022 if we can hold such an event at that time!
Mission Moments-
The Easter Promise The smell of spring is in the air, birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, buds are emerging, the sun is shining and the days are getting longer. Can this be a coincidence that it’s also the Easter Season? I don’t think so. For with God everything is masterfully and purposefully orchestrated. Isn’t it incredible that with the renewal of life in the spring we also experience Easter Joy; the promise of everlasting life through the resurrection of the Lord?!
While the Easter Story has a beautiful ending, it has many fiercely challenging experiences. Can you imagine enduring the suffering Jesus did? Or the pain his mother and father went through watching him take up his cross? I ask myself “How did they do it?” They each accepted and surrendered completely to the will of God; putting all their faith and trust in him. It all began with the angel, Gabriel, announcing to Mary that she would conceive through the Holy Spirit and bear the savior of the World. She responded with, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38). Complete surrender. Joseph in a dream was instructed not to divorce Mary but to take her as his wife. Again, complete surrender. Jesus, knowing he would be put to death so we could be forgiven for our sins and have everlasting life, completely surrendered.
When you are faced with a hardship or difficulty in your life, how will you carry your cross? Let Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and the Easter Story be your inspiration. Surrender your troubles completely to God and ask for the strength to persevere. Remember, Jesus promised he would never abandon us; he would be with us always, forgive us for our sins and offer everlasting life. What an awesome gift of Love! May each of us hold the faith ever near and rejoice in the Promise of Easter always! ALLELULIA, ALLELUIA!
In Prayer, Gail Jones – Mission Director
Upcoming Dates-
May 3-7 - Teacher Appreciation Week
May 28 - No School (Professional Developement Day)
May 31 - No School (Memorial Day)
June 18 - Half-Day 7:30-Noon (Last Day of School