2024-09 September Newsletter

“The child gives us a beautiful lesson-that in order to form and maintain our intelligence, we must use our hands.”

Maria Montessori, 1946, The London Lectures

Calendar of Events

The above information is from a “Google Calendar” and can be added to any Google Account by clicking here.

Principal’s Welcome

Welcome to the start of another exciting and enriching school year at MMEC! As we step into this new academic year, I want to extend my warmest greetings and share my enthusiasm for the journey that lies ahead.

At Maria Montessori Education Centre, our commitment to the Montessori philosophy guides every aspect of our educational approach. We believe in fostering a learning environment that nurtures each child’s individual growth and curiosity, encouraging them to become confident, independent thinkers and lifelong learners. Our dedicated team of educators is eager to support your child’s development, both academically and personally, and to work closely with you in this collaborative partnership.

As we embark on this journey together, I encourage you to stay engaged with your child’s learning experience and to reach out with any questions you may have. Open communication is key to a successful year, and we value your input and involvement.

Let’s embrace the new school year with optimism and excitement. Together, we will create a vibrant and supportive community where every child can thrive and reach their full potential.

Thank you for your continued trust and partnership. Here’s to a wonderful year of growth, learning, and discovery!

Warm regards,
Amanda Kershaw
MMEC Principal

President/Board Chair Welcome

As MMEC president and board chair, I warmly welcome you to this school year on behalf of my board colleagues and me. We are humbled and grateful to share in your child’s growth and development. Thank you for entrusting us with them!

The Montessori principles of respect, compassion and collaboration are interwoven into all aspects of our school practices. With a deep understanding of child development and the Montessori pedagogy, our administration and staff curate an experience for each child that respects their innate capabilities and desire to learn, nurturing their capacity to show compassion and respect for themselves, those around them and their physical community. With a collaborative approach that includes parents, students, and staff, the students are encouraged and supported to reach their full potential and enjoy learning.

We are so appreciative of everyone’s roles in orchestrating a cohesive Montessori experience for our community. Our credentialed guides/teachers and support staff ensure that the classroom environments are prepared to meet each student’s developing needs. As a board, we support the administration and offer guidance and perspective as needed. We ensure fiscal responsibility and transparency and review all policies and procedures. We hope to plan our second town hall engagement session in the fall and look forward to our conversations with the parent community. Should you have any questions or queries throughout the year, please contact me at servejit@mmec.ca.

Board Composition

Servejit Massey – President and Chair
Catharina Undheim – Secretary/Treasurer
Chad McCormick – Director
Kate MacLellan – Director
Robert Lassu – Director
Jenson Tan – Director
Frida Ismail – Director
Jennifer Farnell – Director
Andre Shoucri – Director

Sincerely,
Servejit

Family Picnic and Open Houses (both campuses)

Families from both campuses are invited to join us at the Chief Crowfoot location for a welcome-back picnic in the school field (weather dependent) on Friday, September 6th, from noon to 1 pm.

Please bring a blanket, picnic lunch and enjoy meeting new and returning families. Families are also invited to attend an open house at their respective campuses to meet classroom staff and visit their classrooms.

cSpace Open House: 10:30 am – 11:30 am.
Chief Crowfoot School Picnic: Noon to 1 pm.
Chief Crowfoot Open House: 1 pm – 2:00 pm.

First Day of School

School for all returning students (primary and elementary) starts on Monday, September 9. Primary children (Casa and Toddler) new to Montessori will be staggered as per the Primary Welcome Document schedule. Should you have any questions, please email Servejit at servejit@mmec.ca.

Arrival and Dismissal

Students enter and exit the school daily through designated doors and at specified times for ease and convenience. Children are expected to enter the school independently of a parent/caregiver, except for toddlers. Thank you for respecting your child’s independence and us. We appreciate your timeliness! Please see below.

Main Campus

Toddler drop-off between 8:10 and 8:20 am.
Toddler 1 enters through the back parking lot door near the waste disposal bins.
Toddler 2 enters through the main parking lot door off of 13 Ave.
Half-day children are dismissed at 11:30 am, and full-day children may stay until 5 pm.

Casa drop off between 8:15 and 8:25 am.
Casa 1 enters through the main parking lot door off 13 Ave.
Casa 2 enters through the back parking lot door near the waste disposal bins.
Casa 3 enters through the back parking lot gym door.
Half-day children are dismissed at 11:30 am, full-day children may stay until 6 pm, and Kindergarten children are dismissed at 3:25 pm.

Lower Elementary drop-off between 8:15 and 8:30 am.
All lower elementary children will meet their class group at the school field for supervised play and enter the school with their class through the playground doors.
Children are dismissed at 3:35 pm at the school field.

Upper Elementary drop-off between 8:15 and 8:30 am.
All upper elementary children will meet their class group at the school field for supervised play and enter the school with their class through the 12 Ave. doors.
Children are dismissed at 3:35 pm through the 12 Ave. doors.

Erdkinder drop-off between 8:15 and 8:30 am.
Erdkinder children enter the gym from the back parking lot doors for free play until 8:35 am when they go to class.
Children are dismissed at 3:35 – 3:40 pm and exit from the Erdkinder parking lot doors.

cSPACE Campus

Toddler drop-off between 8:15 and 8:30 am.
Toddler children are brought to their class by a parent/caregiver through the parking lot doors.
Half-day children are dismissed at 11:30 am, and full-day children may stay until 5 pm.Casa drop off between 8:15 and 8:30 am.

Casa children are greeted by a staff member at the main door off 30 Ave and led to class.
Half-day children are dismissed at 11:30 am, full-day children may stay until 5 pm, and Kindergarten children are dismissed at 3:30 pm.

Punctuality and Attendance

We are committed to ensuring children arrive at school on time (8:30 am at the latest). Timely arrivals teach children routines, commitments and respect for others’ time. Late arrivals not only disrupt the classroom environment, but the late student will miss out on social opportunities, as well as learning opportunities and lessons that occur in the morning. Your timely arrival after school at pick-up times is equally important, as classroom and office staff are busy preparing for the next school day. To support a positive school experience, please prioritize regular attendance and timeliness.

Before and After School Care (Main Campus)

Before and After School Care will be operational beginning Monday, September 9 (before care from 7 to 8:15 am and aftercare from 3:30 to 6 pm). Students are grouped according to age and placed with the appropriate care provider. While students move between the gym, lower elementary classrooms and the playground, programming will include arts, crafts, sports, and free play.

Saaeda Sarwar provides morning care, and the aftercare providers are Sheetal Tiple, Winnie Mei, Klarisse Gishti, and Diamond Sullivan. Children arriving for morning care must be escorted into the building via the back gym door by a parent/caregiver and signed in. After school, children will seamlessly transition to the care program upon dismissal at 3:30 pm. Aftercare parents must sign out their child before leaving. Please do not take your children home without connecting with one of the care providers.

Children should bring an additional snack to eat before/after school. This snack should follow the Canada Food Guide (no junk food, sugary, and highly processed foods, please).

Also, please ensure that your child is prepared for the weather, as the children go out to play daily. Please note that toys and games from home are not permitted as items can be damaged or misplaced, resulting in unhappy children.

Setting Clear Limits

It is crucial for children’s emotional and behavioural growth to grasp the concept of boundaries. Consistent boundaries create a feeling of safety and assist them in comprehending acceptable conduct. This requires creating a setting with explicit limits, where children learn that accommodating others sometimes means not always getting their way.

https://aidtolife.org/discipline/setting-limits

Thanks: Schmeiler family & Garage Builders

We are incredibly grateful to the Schmeiler family and Garage Builders for our fantastic new concrete stairs at the back of the school. Thank you for supporting MMEC and making it a safer place for our students!

AISCA – Advocacy at Work

Changing ‘private’ to ‘independent’.

For many years, AISCA has been advocating for the government to change the language from ‘private schools’ to ‘independent schools’ in the legislation and regulations. Our association believes that this change is crucial as it more accurately reflects the independent nature and structure of our schools and moves the public discussion away from some of the negative and inaccurate connotations regarding the word ‘private.’ 

We are excited to share that in response to AISCA advocacy work we received a letter from Minister Nicolaides which states that he is “pleased to accept your recommendation and will work with my colleagues to amend legislation to formally adopt the term “independent school” in place of “private school”. As the department currently uses the term “independent school” operationally, it follows to change legislation to formalize the use of that term. We will proceed with the amendments as soon as the opportunity allows on the government’s legislative agenda. This is an exciting milestone for independent schools in the province and I appreciate your Association’s advocacy for students in independent schools.”

While we celebrate this recognition from the government we also understand that it will take further work to ensure the change is brought to fruition. We’d encourage our members to thank the Minister for this pledge and also to mention the proposed change in conversations with other MLAs to help build consensus around this shift in language. 

AISCA Advocacy Video

Or watch it here: https://youtu.be/CWSu2pZtGN8

Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll learn:

• Funding: The video clarifies the misconception that independent schools take away from the public system. It explains how funding works, highlighting the savings independent schools generate for taxpayers.
  
• Diversity of Options: The video identifies the various reasons parents choose independent schools, such as specialized learning focus, unique educational approaches, faith-based environments, and specific academic or athletic programs.
  
• Regulations and Oversight: Despite the freedom of choice, independent schools adhere to established guidelines. The video details the curriculum, teacher qualifications, reporting requirements, and regular monitoring by Alberta Education.
  
• Positive Outcomes: The video showcases the positive impact of independent schools. You’ll learn how they foster safe environments, prepare students for future success, and encourage parental involvement.
  
• Valuable Contribution: Independent schools are integral to Alberta’s diverse education system. The video emphasizes their role in educating students and contributing to a vibrant, inclusive society.
   

Updated MMEC Technology Policy

Parents will be notified of updated policies every September in our updated Family Handbook.

Technology: Personal Devices Policy

A courtesy phone is available in the school office. Students are not allowed to use their personal devices during the school day, 8:15am to 3:35pm. A personal device is considered to be any personal electronic device that can be used to communicate with or access the internet, such as a cellphone, tablet, laptop, or smartwatch. Should a device need to be brought to school for after-school use, it can be kept in the school office and picked up at 3:30 pm. Erdkinder students may keep their personal devices in their locker for use over independent lunch or after school.

As determined by the principal, personal mobile devices are permitted for health or medical reasons and may be permitted for educational or other purposes.

It is the responsibility of the staff and administration to ensure compliance. If a student is found to be in violation of this policy, their device will be confiscated and kept in the office for after school pickup. Parents will be notified.

Dedicated e-readers (Kindle, Kobo) with appropriate text are acceptable for reading use.

Technology: School Devices and Lessons

Computer skills will be taught and computers/technology will be available for students in the Elementary and Erdkinder programs. Students who show readiness will have access to the Internet for research and other learning purposes. Computers have filters installed, and their use will be monitored for student safety. Students will not have access to social media platforms, as determined by classroom staff and the principal.

Members of the school community are responsible for good behaviour on school computers and other devices. Access to technology is a privilege which entails responsible use.