Dear CMS families,

I am busy picking out my outfit for the spring fair on Saturday. I am looking forward to the event and my main job for this year is to ensure that the weather is perfect for the day. The fair is the culmination of a great deal of work by the organizing committee and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their work in ensuring this school and community event is so special for the children.

 

I recently came across a clip of a talk given by Peter Benson, on the conditions necessary for human thriving. He is a leading authority on positive human development and when I heard this talk I was struck by how well he articulated the purpose of Montessori Education (though not a “Montessorian” himself).

 

Perhaps what attracted me to Montessori Education was the fundamental belief that education is a process by which we ignite the spark that exists within each child, rather than a process where we fill an otherwise empty vessel. Sometimes our approach requires patience and faith, but after 9 years of working at a Montessori School I am confident that our classrooms bring out the highest aspirations we have for our children. For me it is not an act of faith, I have witnessed so many connected and engaged Montessori graduates, and I am looking forward to celebrating more eager young students and their accomplishments at our Graduation ceremony in December. Though this clip is from a conference in Minneapolis, U.S.A., I think it is relevant to everyone in education, all over the world. If you have a moment please take the opportunity to listen to Peter and enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqzUHcW58Us

 

I encourage families to get involved in what remains of the school year; the fair, the Narooma weekend, our first annual Arts Extravaganza and the end of term Disco all dot the term 4 calendar and we hope that you can make time to convene with fellow parents and celebrate the most amazing times of your life (when you have young children at home). It goes all too quickly.

 

Peace

 

Jack Rice

Principal, CMS

 

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Enrolment for 2012

We have begun the process of filling classes for the 2012 school year. As you know we require one term’s notice of withdrawal. Thank you to those families who have let us know that their family’s journey will be taking them somewhere else next year. For our planning purposes we must insist on a notice period, so that the families on our waiting list, currently 84, can be placed when their child turns 3. Families that do not give one full term’s notice are charged one term’s fees in lieu.

 

From the Board

The Board has been busy with finalising the budget for next year and planning in general.  One thing in particular that we are spending time on is preparing for the update to the Strategic Plan for 2013 and beyond.  We’re looking at a number of ways we can involve the broader school community and we hope they will participate as the opportunities arise; stay tuned!

 

We’re getting detailed feedback from the various groups that put so much effort into our school and hearing what they are planning for the future.  We recently had a fantastic session with Laura and Clive from Learnscapes and were very impressed with everything that they have been achieving and also what they have up their sleeve. We’ve certainly noticed a difference to the grounds this year and we know everyone appreciates the efforts they put in.  We’re also looking forward to an upcoming session with the Fundraising committee.

 

We’ve also conducted a Staff survey and are currently collating the results.  Our staff are really important in making the school the great place it is, so we’re looking forward to hearing their insightful thoughts and suggestions. I’m sure there will be things for us to consider so we can continue to improve the school.

 

Finally, along with everyone else at the school, the Board was very sad to hear of the passing of Bob Dent. As Business Manager (and Acting Principal for a little while), Bob made a huge effort to be involved in every single aspect of the school.  He attended every event, he visited all the classrooms, including Red Hill, and you only had to meet him once for  him to remember your name from that point on.  Even after he stopped working due to his illness, he was still a regular face at CMS events.  Bob has had a big impact on our school and truly demonstrated the Montessori philosophy of Peace.  Our deepest sympathies go to his family and friends.  Thank you, Bob.

 

 

Narooma Weekend

If any new families are wondering just what is the Narooma Weekend—well, it has become a tradition, after all the effort put into the Spring Fair, to gather together at the Island View Beach Resort in Narooma for a weekend of relaxation together.  If you’d like to join in, just ring Island View, (02) 4476 2600, and mention that you are with the Montessori group. They usually offer us a 3 nights for the price of 2 deal.

 

 

Financial

Assistance 2012

Information regarding our financial assistance programme for 2012 is now available at reception.