March 28 @11:00 ENROLLMENT DUE DATE!
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Standardized Tests... ... what do they really assess, how is the data used, to whom do the results matter?
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Parental Rebellion... ... for responsible people.
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River of Dreams...
... RMF Spring Dinner & Auction is April 5.
Buy your tickets TODAY!
the 2014 MARCH ISSUE
RIVER CURRENT A MONTHLY PUBLICATION FROM RIVER MONTESSORI CHARTER SCHOOL
Message from our Executive Director March 28 @ 11:00 a.m. Enrollment Due Date
While I enjoy any good game, I do not have the same fevered approach to basketball so each year I listen, watch, attempt to learn something new, and try find a way to make it exciting for me as well. This year I have hit the jackpot — what would make basketball more exciting for me? You guessed it: Montessori. Is it a stretch? A philosophical analogy we can do without? Nope, just a great basketball player with a Montessori connection. So in the spirit of the many successful people who tout the benefits of a Montessori education in their life, we add the Curry Family... Stephen Curry, Point Guard for the Golden State Warriors, attributes his passion and success to his Montessori education: “Montessori has helped me become the person that I am today,” says the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry, the best 3-point shooter in a single season in NBA history.
Dear River Montessori Families, In my house, basketball takes a prominent role about this time of year. Despite my reminders of balance and other enriching experiences, March Madness consumes the three sports fans who live with me. They are excited, invigorated, enthused, and completely immersed in the playoffs. Stephen Curry credits Montessori with instilling in him the skills to learn at his own pace as well as to harness his strengths, work on his weaknesses, and develop a sense that he could achieve anything. “Montessori gave me a lot of confidence at a young age,” says Curry. “I used to love it when I’d come to school because there was something new I was going to learn every single day.” American Montessori Society, October 2013 His parents, Pro Ball Player, Dell Curry, and school-owner Sonja Curry, illustrate the value of Montessori to the family as well. [Watch here for more.] Do you find this as inspiring as I do? As a parent, I am always uplifted by shared experience. As Montessorians, we have the opportunity to see Montessori working on a grand scale — so many
children over many years allow a beautiful glimpse of the true nature of the child. At River, our faculty are heartened and affirmed by your children every day. Your children are an endless supply of inspiration as they figure out who they are, develop a sense of self and strategies for the things that are natural to them and that which requires extra effort, and a confidence in their potential. Healthy respect for themselves balanced with their responsibilities within a community is deep and profound. I have no doubt I’ll be quoting many of our students in the future as there is no doubt that they will be successful in their chosen field — they are unique, talented, thoughtful, and committed to finding their way! Peace, peace,
Kelly
MONTESSORI
Matters by Marc Seldin, The Center for Guided Montessori Studies
Words of advice from a Montessori leader: “Be Careful What You Test For” Our society no longer trusts teachers. This has serious implications for Montessori schools. It is because teachers aren’t trusted that we subject millions of students to additional tests every year. There is a widespread perception that public education is failing. Rather than questioning how we teach, or asking if there are ways to improve our pedagogical methods, instead the blame is placed solely on the teacher. Why can’t Johnny read? The teacher is lazy or incompetent.
“THIS IS LIKE BLAMING THE FARMER FOR A POOR HARVEST AFTER A TORNADO FOLLOWED BY A DROUGHT.”
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Testing, they say, shows us which of our classrooms and schools have improved in the past year, and which are failing. If a classroom isn’t measuring up, certainly our teachers are to blame. The only explanation for children underperforming on a standardized test is that someone is not doing their job. This is like blaming the farmer for a poor harvest after a tornado followed by a drought. Few teachers enter our profession for fame or glory. Fewer still select this “easy” job so they can coast to retirement. Most teachers don their mantle out of a passionate commitment to children and education. After a few years of being treated with suspicion and forced to teach to tests, it is amazing that any public school teachers re-
tain their passion for education. What will these standardized tests do to the Montessori classroom if we adopt them in our schools? What’s worse, the children do not benefit from these tests. They seldom if ever see the results of their standardized tests, so they cannot learn from their mistakes. Yet the consequences of their scores can have haunting repercussions. Public school students who test poorly are shunted into less challenging tracks, and are socially shamed. The curse of low-expectations has a tendency to be self-fulfilling, and Malcolm Gladwell has shown how an arbitrary assessment at a young age can painfully reduce children’s opportunities when they mature. Schools that test poorly can lose funding, see parent flight, and even be shut down. Fearing the loss of federal funding, many school districts have tied student performance to teacher pay, amplifying the pressure placed on children, teachers and administrators. There have been too many teacher cheating scandals to count, but at their root they are a lamentable yet sane response to an insane situation. You get the behavior you incentivize, not necessarily the behavior you want. If a company rewards workers for the
number of widgets they produce per hour, the company will get more widgets. But the firm should not be surprised when quality goes down. Reward bank officers for the number of loans they process, and we should expect more bad loans. Tell a teenager who doesn’t care about school that she’ll get a car if she keeps her GPA up and you should prepare for the possibility that you’ll be buying a new automobile. But don’t expect her to like school, to retain anything she has learned, or to have developed any life skill more meaningful than “work hard and cram facts when you are going to be rewarded.” This is not the recipe for a life-long learner. Similarly, if you inform teachers and administrators that their compensation will be tied to how school children perform on a standardized test, then of course
Assessment Tests (CATs), four Measures of Academic Progress Tests (MAPs), two practice End of Grade (EOG) tests, and two final EOG tests. Remember, these are in addition to any testing administered by the teacher. This child will be tested constantly on math and science skills. So it should be no surprise that the school’s weakest curriculum areas are history, art, civics and foreign language. One of the most glaring problems with the modern emphasis on standardized testing is how poorly it prepares children for the real world. In the age of the Internet, the ability to cram facts into your short-term memory is utterly irrelevant. The ability to synthesize is ever more important, but hard to demonstrate when filling out ovals. Collaboration is a critical skill to succeeding in the workplace,
P a re n t
UNIVERSITY Community Conversation Meetings are a dedicated time to talk with River’s Montessorians about supporting children in their growth and learning! Come ask questions, give and share perspective, meet new people, and get a little support in the process. Each meeting is hosted by our administrator and/or a guide and includes a loose topic for inspiration and time for agendafree questions and discussion.
March 20 Book Review: Montessori Madness: A Parent to Parent Argument for Montessori by Trevor Eissler
April 17 But if (one of my students)had been subjected to the test, he would, in virtue of
Bring on the Learning Revolution!
a long sensory training, have chosen the largest and the smallest cube very much
May 15
more easily... The test would therefore have measured the different methods of
The Happiness Advantage
education, whereas the psychical differences between the two children, really existent by reason of age or of intellectual attainment, would have remained absolutely obscure.
-- Dr. Maria Montessori
Spontaneous Activity in Education, p.
many will do everything they can to ensure that those test scores go up. Some of them of course will cheat. Any knowledge or skills that are not tested will be neglected or abandoned. So children in public schools are now tested constantly on the subjects that “matter”, English and those STEM subjects like math and science which are emphasized by the Race to the Top initiative and the Common Core Curriculum. In my area, in addition to the regular testing done in each classroom, children in each grade receive four to twelve additional tests, and each of these tests take most or all of a day. One 6th grader I know will take four Cognitive
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but oddly enough we call this “cheating” when done on an exam. Unfortunately, anxious parents have also come to believe in the importance of these test scores, and so even private schools are bowing to the pressure to report scores for these standardized tests. Today I am sorry to report that there is a growing movement of Montessorians who want to adopt the same standardized tests in private schools. Testing, with its emphasis on the extrinsic reward of a score, should have a limited place in a Montessori classroom. But some Montessorians believe that they need to employ these tests to demonstrate that their schools meet the same standards continued on page 9...
We l c o m e
BABY The Holiday’s welcomed a baby boy on February 15: Cyrus James Holiday. Congratulations.
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THE RIVER
Wish List Flowering bushes For front entry Tablecloths Kitchen Towels
SHIP
Shape Housekeeping, Reminders, Community Work Days
Bookcases: small and large Armoires, TV cabinets, kitchen/wall cabinets (storage, storage, storage!)
Shed (storage, storage, storage!)
Pool Table
CALLING ALL
Volunteers
Arrival, Dismissal & Traffic CAR-LINE & SHARING OUR LOT
Thanks for taking good care in the car-line with our children and our new neighbors! Reminder to parents that Cypress School is now open. River families and staff need to park vehicles in the parking lot adjacent to our front doors.Thank You!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DILIGENCE
Attendance Awareness Thank you for all of your thoughtful
Music Performers Got talent? French horn, trumpet, sitar, drums, electric guitar? The children would love to see you
efforts in supporting your children in consistent and timely arrivals and attendance. While we are mandated to rigidly follow up on
play! You only need a little time
attendance matters, it is our great-
and a little willingness to share!
est effort to offer your child an
Carpet Samples Someone to request the retired carpet samples from carpet stores (we use them for classroom, PE, and other activities!)
authentic Montessori experience. Together we share the dreams for your child’s greatest potential and we endeavor to advocate for understanding of the child’s development and work at the elementary level.
Peace Garden Check out the plans by the front door & let us know if you can help.
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Consistent on-time arrivals and attendance is imperative in order to fully experience and benefit from the Montessori education:
Children need to be present in order to self-develop and self-educate. Collaborative work in the classroom is created by forming different work and study groups for various projects. Missed lessons cause a child to miss out on creation of work, development of work partners, and opportunities for learning, confidence, collaboration, and leadership. Other children who are depending on your child’s collaboration learn that the frequently late or absent child cannot be counted on for the work and will make other social selections. Consistently late children experience discomfort, disengagement, uncertainty, feeling behind, and frustration which impacts their development, sense of self, and learning.
NEWS & UPDATES ABOUT OUR AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM
Rowing with River Crew Do you have summer plans? Well don’t forget the best Montessori experience around...
Come and join us in River Crew for an exciting month of sports and activities!
This summer RIVER CREW will include different themes from week to week providing the River Crew children an atmosphere of enjoyment, fun and learning. Our goal is to give the children a safe, educational environment with a Montessori based approach. We encourage the students to challenge themselves and their creativity!
For March 6th and 7th, River Crew will be open during conferences! We have exciting arts and crafts activities in store, along with some chances to get outside and take care of our beautiful River Montessori garden! Spring Break Camps are just around the corner! You won’t want to miss this fun Sports Stars themed camp! We will be exploring the science of sports and the appropriate healthy nutrition in order to accomplish your sports goals! In the morning sessions, from 8:30-12:30, we will be learning about healthy nutrition and have many hands-on, fast-paced activities. In the afternoon sessions, from 12:304:30 we will learn what it takes to be a strong, successful leader.
“Actually
the
normal
child
Our daily enrichment activities will include: outside play, walks in Ellis Park, face painting, gardening, yoga, ping pong (on our new table!), group games Please stop by RMCS River Crew if you have questions, concerns, or would like to sign up for a camp! Our door is always open!
is
one
who
is
precociously
intelligent, who has learned to overcome himself and to live in peace, and who prefers a disciplined task to futile idleness.” -- Dr. Maria Montessori, The Secret of Childhood
2013•2014
BOD CHAIR
Julie Parnow, Community TREASURER
Tim Lohrentz, RMCS Founding Member SECRETARY
Ginny Hautau, Parent MEMBER
Norman Lorenz, M.Ed., Community MEMBER
Julie Petersen, Community MEMBER
Milagros Ott, Parent MEMBER
Carolyn Duffy, Parent
Meeting Dates
BOD NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, March 4, 2013 at 6:30pm Meetings are typically held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, but please check the RMCS web site for any changes or additions.
April 8 May 13 June 17
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RAISING TOMORROW’S
Thinkers Brain Research, Parenting Articles & Food for Thought
Parenting Against Culture: A New Year’s Resolution by Aisha Sultan, Globe Columnist
The fundamental test of wills between parents and children hasn’t changed. But the ground rules may have. Previous generations have worried about changing social values for as long as there have been young people to socialize and judge. But our young people’s lives have a murkier terrain than ours did: They consume more media in more ways than any generation prior. They are both hyperconnected and more isolated. They flourish in ways we didn’t, yet struggle with skills we took for granted.
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As parents, we must ask: Does all their media-laced time create an outsized influence of the most corrosive elements of pop culture? Does every new technology — such as self-destructing instant messages that experts tell us will be used by tweens and teens primarily for sexting — make our job even harder? Our children are growing up with a relentless barrage of messages more pervasive than the ones that blanketed us as children.
So, too often, we feel we are parenting against the worst of what we see around us. We are parenting against the bad behavior we read about and watch constantly. It’s harder to parent against culture. It takes more self-discipline and effort at a time when we are managing more work and more demands than ever. But this is the type of parenting that gives us a chance at raising the sort of humans we want our children to become. “Parenting against culture” should become our mantra, repeated to ourselves during the moments when it seems so much easier to give in. Because this is what it really means: When you tell your child that her tone is unacceptable and make her apologize, you are parenting against disrespect. When you insist your children clean up their messes, wherever they have made them, you are parenting against unaccountability.
MONTESSORI When you teach your child how to stand up to a bully picking on another child, you are parenting against apathy.
When you purchase age-appropriate clothing, you are parenting against the hypersexualization of their childhoods.
When you talk respectfully to people with different views within earshot of your child, you are parenting against incivility.
When you instruct your sons on how to treat girls fairly and with respect, you are parenting against a culture of sexism.
When you admonish your child to work harder when he gets a bad grade, you are parenting against entitlement.
When you foster your child’s sense of empathy and compassion toward others, you are parenting against violence.
When you invest as much time and emotion in your child’s academic achievements as in her extracurricular activities, you are parenting against a culture that undervalues intellectualism.
When you enforce rules and consequences that make you unpopular, you are parenting against irresponsibility.
When you let your children fail, you are parenting against perfectionism. When you take away their gadgets at meal times and other times when they need to focus, you are parenting against the fallacy of multitasking. When you limit their involvement with social media, you are parenting against the notion that privacy has no value. When you show them how to save money, you are parenting against instant gratification.
Said “If education is always to be conceived along the same antiquated lines of a mere transmission of knowledge, there is little to be hoped from it in the bettering of man's future. For what is the use of transmitting knowledge if the individual's total
When you praise your child’s effort and acts of kindness, when you hold them when they are hurt, when you listen with your undivided attention, you are parenting against a culture of distraction and disconnectedness.
Montessori
It’s important to remember that you are not alone. Most parents reject much of what pop culture glorifies.
TK& K
Most of us hope we are passing on values from the culture we create in our homes rather than the one projected into our homes. But no one raises children in a bubble, and there are peer parental pressures just as mighty as the ones our children face.
When you encourage them to do their own homework and manage their own time, you are parenting against dependency.
But when enough of us decide to parent against culture, that’s precisely when we begin to change it.
When you resist the urge to buy much of what they want, you are parenting against rampant consumerism.
Aisha Sultan is a St. Louis-based journalist who studies parenting in the digital age while trying to keep up with her tech-savvy children.
development lags behind ? The Absorbent Mind
Our Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten (two year program) is filling up! RMCS is launching a TK/K program to provide a Montessori start for our families who come from traditional preschool looking for public kindergarten classes. After working with first graders for almost five years now, we have found that these children would benefit greatly from a Montessori foundation before they enter the elementary plane of development. How sweet will it be to see Primary children at RMCS?!
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Eat well. Be well. Live well. by Meredith Brown
All right River families, the first topic I’m going to write about may just blow some of you away. But it is a topic that is dear to my heart and, I believe, pertinent information to share with other families. If the idea sounds ridiculous to you because it goes against all you have learned, please stick with me anyway and listen with an open mind and heart. Here’s the fact: fats are good for you. That’s right, traditional healthy fats are an essential component of a healthy, nourishing diet that will assist a person in having life-long vitality. So that means that butter… is really good for you. Coconut oil is a fantastic oil for high-heat cooking, making desserts, has anti-bacterial and microbial properties, and… it’s good for you. Lard, it really is the secret to an amazing pie crust, light and airy biscuits, and… it’s good for you! I don’t know about you, but when I learned that butter is good for a body and carries some essential vitamins and nutrients that are found in little else, I was relieved. First of all, this makes sense to me because how have humans developed over thousands of years eating butter, only to suddenly find out in the 1920’s that it’s bad? It didn’t make sense to me. And second of all, I no longer had to feel guilty about eating glorious, delicious butter or other traditional fats. This also meant that I didn’t have to feel guilty about wanting to dress my family’s vegetables in butter or olive oil. What a relief, because that’s what makes the vegetables taste good. Fat makes food taste good! When people tell me their child doesn’t like to eat vegetables, I always ask if they put butter (or olive oil) and sea salt on the vegetables. Generally, children will
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eat the vegetables if you dress them in a healthy fat to make them taste good. Here’s another not-so-secret to the glory of eating plenty of healthy fats: your body can absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are all fat-soluble, which means they must be in the presence of fat in order for the body to absorb them. That means if you eat a bunch of vegetable with no fat, your body can’t absorb the fat-soluble vitamins! So the tasty fat that causes you to like eating the vegetables has a very synergistic relationship to the vegetables; they are essential one for the other. Finally, another benefit of eating plenty of healthy fats is that the heart, lungs, and muscles use fats for energy. The preferred source of energy for the heart and lungs is saturated fats. “Studies have shown that children who are fed diets high in butter and whole milk have a lower rate of asthma than children who are fed margarine and low-fat milk. Additionally, studies have shown that children on low-fat diets develop blood markers indicating a proneness to heart disease.” * By feeding our children healthy fats, we are giving their growing bodies plenty of fuel and energy for their daily activities as well as creating a solid foundation for future health. Another shocking bit of information is that children 1-7 years old should get
about 50% of the calories in their diet from fat. 50%!!! That is roughly 6 TABLESPOONS of fat a day!! Holy moly. (Consider that breast milk contains nearly 50% of its calories as fat, much of it saturated.) You can quote me as saying that if your young child wishes to eat a spoonful of butter, let them eat it. They wouldn’t reach for it if they didn’t need it, and it’s not like sugar, which triggers an addictive reaction. If my kiddos ask for a bite of butter, I happily give it to them. I offer about a pea size amount on a spoon and then just keep giving them about the same amount until they are satisfied. It is always my thought that when they are asking for the extra fat, they must be having a growth spurt. Now I know that this could be a lot of information, so I will wrap it up at the risk of it becoming overwhelming. But I do want to leave you with a list of traditional fats to give you something to start with. This information alone could be expanded into an entire book, but for this article I will keep it brief. A lot of what identifies fats and oils as good or bad has to do with the quality of the fats and how carefully they have been processed. High-quality fats are more expensive, but are worth the cost in regards to health. Try to source organic, cold-pressed, grassfed fats as much as possible. continued on next page...
(from Marc Seldin’s article) ... continued from page 3 as public institutions. (Please note: Links go to articles discussing this trend, not organizations necessarily supporting it.) There is so much pressure to show that our students meet this standard that we risk forgetting that the standard itself is flawed, and only traditional drill-based methods could possibly attain it. Let’s remember, this is all because we don’t trust teachers to do their jobs. If we trust teachers, we can utilize better ways of measuring student performance. I know a charter school where the students are forced to take the same array of standardized tests. But fortunately at this middle school the administration encourages the teachers to endure these rather than obsess over them. Instead, the children use portfolio assessment. They accumulate evidence of learning for each subject area - which may indeed include tests. They can also be essays, photos of projects, posters, etc. The goal is for both the child and teacher to come to agreement on what has been learned. Administration can sit in on these meetings to gain insight into the school’s operation. For students to complete the eighth grade they must present their portfolios to a review board of administrators and local business leaders, something like a mini dissertation defense.
I’m an odd duck in that I actually like tests, and have always tended to do fairly well on them. I am cynical about tests precisely because I often saw myself outscoring people who had worked harder and had a better grasp of the subject matter. I am not speaking only of standardized tests — even written exams penalize the slow, thoughtful thinker and reward test-takers who are artful at cloaking their ignorance in cunning phrases. Testing is not inherently bad, and limited standardized tests are not inherently evil. The problem with testing children is that it is like measuring the size of a diamond by looking at only one facet. As Montessorians, we know there is more to human potential than what filled-in ovals can capture. I urge our community to remain steadfast in our belief that children’s abilities are much more complex, and much more fascinating, than can be measured by standardized test. And I urge all schools, including public schools, to trust the teachers. Trust them to teach, trust them to determine whether the children have been taught. Allow teachers to help children through the wonder of discovery rather than the peril of state curricula. If we empower teachers to do what they know best, to adapt to each child as an individual, who knows what heights our world might reach?
Testing can: Measure how quickly and accurately student can translate a written question into something they know how to respond to; easure how quickly and accuM rately a student can present what they know in the manner they believe a test expects; Measure how well a child handles the stress of an important test under the pressure of an arbitrary time limit; Measure how good a child is at taking tests; for this is a skill that some are naturally better at, and which others can improve at with effort. Testing cannot: Tell how much a child knows; Tell how effective a teacher or teaching method is; ell how well a child works with T others in an era in which collaboration is ever more important; easure a child's emotional intelM ligence or motivation to learn; redict whether a child will be P successful in the work place.
H E A L T H Y
Links:
... continued from page 8 The best fats to use for high-heat cooking include, but are not limited to, ghee, coconut oil, lard, goose/duck fat, and beef/lamb tallow. Best fats for low-heat cooking can be any of the above, but also includes butter and olive oil.
Oils to be avoided as much as possible are canola, vegetable, peanut, and soybean oils. The biggest issues with these oils are the GMO factor and the way most of them are processed causes them to be rancid.
Other oils that can be used in smaller quantities and are good for adding variety are sesame, toasted sesame, sunflower and safflower oils. These oils are polyunsaturated and can become damaged easily by high-heat and light exposure. They need to be stored properly, which means stored in the dark and/or in the refrigerator. It is best to add the sesame oils at the end of the cooking for flavoring.
If you wish to read more about these topics, please look into the resources I’ve listing to the right as well as research the Weston A Price Foundation website. They are a wealth of information. Until next month~ Eat well, live well, be well. Meredith Brown, NTP, M.A.Ed., B.A.
Nourished Kitchen Nourishing Our Children Chris Kresser Mercola Food For Kids Health Simple Bites Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats Sally Fallon, 2001
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Auction
LIVE & SILENT Once again, the Live and Silent Auction should be the highlight of the evening. The auction items will include Dining Experiences, Vacation Homes; Weekend Getaways; Classroom Art Projects and Guide Donations ... and much much more!
Foundation
NEWS + VIEWS River Montessori Foundation : Founded by Families : Funded with Love
2nd Annual “River of Dreams” Dinner + Auction APRIL 5 from 5:30 to 11:00 at THE Sheraton
Special ROOM RATES If you’re interested in taking advantage of River of Dreams being on a Saturday night, the Foundation has reserved a block of rooms for River of Dreams attendees at a special rate of $139/night. To access the special rate, please call (888) 6278458 and mention “River Montessori.”
River of Dreams promises to be a night to remember. It will featuring delicious wines, craft beers from Lagunitas, tasty fares from Tolay’s and an amazing array of Live and Silent Auction items.
Get Your Tickets www.RIVERMONTESSORIFOUNDATION.ORG Advance tickets can be purchased for $50 at www.rivermontessorifoundation.org and tickets at-the-door will be $60. Each ticket comes with a drink ticket good for one glass of wine or beer.
A new twist this year are Table Packages. Grab a group of friends and purchase a reserved table for 10 people for $600. Each table package also includes 6 bottles of wine!
River Bar + Guest Bartenders BE SURE TO TIP YOUR SERVER! The Foundation will again be hosting the River Bar which will feature Petaluma’s own Lagunitas beers and an array of yummy varietals from premiere brands Napa Cellars, Filus, Picket Fence and San Simeon.
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Last year’s event was an incredible success – not only raising over $30,000 for River, but providing a great night out for River parents, familes and friends. Don’t miss it!
This year, the River Bar will feature celebrity bartenders, including River Guides and parents from each River classroom. It’ll be a great way to support your child(ren)’s classes as all tips will go directly to the Guides. Look for the River Bar Celebrity Bartender schedule in future communcations.
Service Work in the Montessori Environment BY KAWEAH RIVER GUIDE, LIBBY NEUMEIER “The aim of such an education indicates the desire to contribute to the good of all, to share in this cosmic goodness.” Maria Montessori The faculty at River Montessori know that sending students out into the community to do service work provides unique learning opportunities. Students learn the joys of giving of themselves, the value of volunteerism, a sense of compassion, and a little about the “real world” in the process. It is an important part of the education of the whole child. Philanthropy is one way in which people recognize their connection to each other, and such service to others is an important part of the Montessori philosophy. No matter what their interests or ages, all children can demonstrate generosity and recognize their connection to other people in their classroom and around the globe. As a school, we aim to serve those in our immediate vicinity of Petaluma as well as members of our global community. The community service program at River spans all age groups. At the lower elementary level, children are involved with elderly residents at a nearby senior facility, Sunrise Senior Living. Students from Tuolomne and Kaweah brought holiday cheer to the residents in December. They sang a variety of songs that the seniors enjoyed and participated in. The children also had some time to get to know the audience and chat over cookies and juice after the performance. In February the third years from both classes returned to Sunrise to deliver letters and read to senior buddies. They hope to create a long lasting bond with the residents at Sunrise.
CHILD
Care @PVAC Petaluma Valley Athletic Club will be hosting a kids night out at a special rate of $25. PVAC has a full childcare team that will be on hand to provide an exciting evening of fun and activity. Sign up form can be found at the Foundation website.
The students in Klamath put on the play Rikki Tikki Tavi for the residents of Valley Orchard Retirement Community. All the residents were delighted to see the students perform. Seniors and River students got to know each other during a meet and greet after the play. One student realized the retiree she was talking to had lived through WWII. This was quite a revelation and lead to a discussion of that part of history. In the future the River faculty hope to establish a rich service program that encompasses the needs of our Petaluma community and beyond to those in needaround the world. If you would like to help develop a community and global outreach program please email Libby Neumaier at lneumaier@rivermontessoricharter.org
The teacher, when she begins work in our schools, must have a kind of faith that the child will reveal himself through work.
Meeting Dates
RMF
-- Dr. Maria Montessori
NEXT MEETING: Thursday, March 20, 2013 from 7-8pm
The Absorbent Mind
Meetings are typically held on the 3rd Thursday of each month, but please check the RMF web site for any changes or additions.
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GRATITUDE Many Thanks Tuolumne Families for a great February Work Day!
Bob Hartley for char repair.
David Drake for donating a file cabinet and shelving.
Christina Isetta for donating desk, partitions and computer equipment.
River Montessori CHARTER SCHOOL
March Calendar MARCH 3 Pizza Monday Upper Elementary Field Trip to Wells Fargo MARCH 4 Pasta Tuesday Sixth Year Math and Readin Assessments BOD Meeting, 6:30 p.m. MARCH 6 Student Conferences, No School, River Crew Open MARCH 7 Student Conferences, No School, River Crew Open MARCH 10 Spring Break Begins, No School, River Crew Open MARCH 24 School Resumes. Pizza Monday
MARCH 25 Pasta Tuesday
MARCH 27 Burrito Thursday
RIVER
Montessori C H A RT E R S C H O O L 3880 Cypress Street Petaluma, CA 94954 www.rivermontessoricharter.org
ADDRESS LABEL HERE
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