From the Principal…
The new Jacaranda and Scribbly Gum rooms are now officially open! I thoroughly enjoyed our grand opening celebration and I thought the Cycle 2 and 3 children stole the show with their renditions of Waltzing Matilda and The Circle of Life. Our architect Bruce Fisher’s words were especially inspirational as he discussed the thought and passion that has gone into the design of the facility we now enjoy. Annette Ellis our local MP spoke about the importance of our school to the local community and it reminds us how our school connects so many people together. I’d like to thank our Music Director Allison Waddell for preparing the choir, and all of parents that were able to join us for the event.
As we steam ahead towards the second half of term 1, teachers are busy preparing reports for the end of the term and we will be looking forward to parent teacher interviews in April. A reminder that the school board’s Annual General Meeting takes place on March 16th at 7:00 p.m. For my part I have been asked to share a few thoughts in advance of the meeting on my own Montessori journey, which I will do in our new Jacaranda at 6:30 p.m. See you there.
Peace
Jack Rice
Principal, CMS
Afternoon Programme
During school hours, If you are running late for a pick-up or wish to make a booking please contact the school office on 6287 1962. Advance bookings can also be made by email to reception@canberramontessori.com
After school hours only (3.30pm onwards) please ring 0431 858 790.
Upcoming Dates
TERM 1 2010
Mar 16 Annual General Meeting 7pm
Mar 23 NEW Cycle 3 – Excursion Lanyon House
Mar 25 Cycle 2/3 reports due
Mar 31 NEW Canteen Day
Apr 2 Public Holiday – Good Friday
Apr 5 Public Hoilday – Easter Monday
Apr 9 Last day of Term 1
TERM 2 2010
Apr 26 Public Holiday – Anzac Day
Apr 27 Children return to school
May 11-13 NAPLAN Testing
May 15 Open Day
May 18 Montessori Information Evening
May 24-28 Open Sessions
May 30 Working
Jun 3 Parent Education Evening 7pm
Jun 11 Pupil Free Day – Montessori Conference
Jun 14 Public Holiday – Queen’s Birthday
Jun 30 Canteen Day
July 2 Last day of Term 2
Please check the Bulletin regularly for changes to published events.
Term Dates for 2010
Term 1: 3 February – 9 April
Term 2: 27 April – 2 July
Term 3: 20 July – 24 September
Term 4: 12 October – 15 December
Student Transitions at Canberra Montessori School
At our school, the teachers and I have been working on developing specific guidelines for students transitioning between Cycles. In general, we would like to give students every opportunity to be ready for the next Cycle before they move up. I have noticed that students at CMS tend to be moved from the Cycle 1 classrooms before they have completed 12 terms at that level, and a similar trend emerges in Cycle 2. I would prefer to ensure that children are receiving all of their foundational lessons before we begin to transition the children to the next level.
The result is that we will be transitioning fewer students during the school year and more students at the beginning of Term 1. As a general guideline students with later birthdays (after April) will not be scheduled to move to a new level until the beginning of the following school year. We would rather have students complete 3 full years in Cycle 1 and 2 rather than transitioning early and eventually spending more than 12 terms in Cycle 3.
As a Montessori school, we are always governed by the individual child and therefore we must allow for flexibility based on student readiness. Therefore while we will look to transition most of the children in term 1 to their new cycles, teachers may want to make exceptions to the guidelines on an individual basis.
Below are the specific guidelines that we will be using when discussing student transitions:
Into Cycle 1 from Parent Toddler programme
- Should occur between the ages of 2 years 9 months and 3 years 3 months
- Children need to be well on the way to toilet training
- Children should be ready to separate from their parents
- Placements at the start of a term would be preferred
- Older Students may commence a placement only at the discretion of the Principal
From Cycle 1 to Cycle 2
- Students should transition from Cycle 1 to Cycle 2 after they have turned 6 years old
- Children with early birthdays January, February, March, April may transition at the start of Term 1(before they are 6) in order to stay with their peer group, if they are ready
- Children turning 6 after April 30 will be scheduled to start Cycle 2 the following school year (term 1) so they may transition to Cycle 2 with their peers.
- Exceptions will occur if children are deemed to be fully ready for Cycle 2, have turned 6 years old and have mastered all materials at Cycle 1. In these cases students can begin to transition to Cycle 2 at the beginning of any term on the recommendation of their classroom teacher.
From Cycle 2 to Cycle 3
- Students should transition from Cycle 2 to Cycle 3 after they have turned 9 years old.
- Children with early birthdays January, February, March, April may transition at the start of Term 1 (before they are 9) in order to stay with their peer group, if they are ready
- Children turning 9 after April 30 will be scheduled to start Cycle 3 the following school year (term 1) so they may transition to Cycle 3 with their peers
- Exceptions will occur if children are deemed to be fully ready for Cycle 3, have turned 9 years old and have mastered all of the materials at Cycle 2. In these cases students can begin to transition to Cycle 3 at the beginning of any term on the recommendation of their classroom teacher.
As this constitutes a change in policy at our school, parents may wonder how this will affect their child. By the end of term 1, we will communicate with each family on the transition plan for their children. Our hope is that the new guidelines will allow children to be more academically and emotionally ready to make successful transitions to their new classrooms.
Jack Rice
Principal, CMS
The Term 1 Disco is coming!
Friday March 26 5pm – 7pm
Come and groove to the sounds of our resident DJs in the Cycle 1 playground, suitable for all ages.
Sausage sizzle, drinks, icy poles, glow bracelets and face painting for sale.
Brigid Lombard 0403 893 209
Putting up Notices at School
If you have an announcement for your class or Cycle, please feel free to use the noticeboards outside the classrooms. If you have a general announcement for the school as a whole Jack will be happy to put your notice on the main noticeboard outside the admin. building.
CANBERRA MONTESSORI
SOCIETY INC.
Notice of Annual General
Meeting
Tuesday 16th March 2010
Time: 6 for 6:30
Multipurpose Building, Holder
AGM (Chair - Steve Stern)
The evening will open with a talk from
Jack Rice
“Enjoying the Journey”
Board Positions
7 Positions open for nomination.
Nomination forms to be lodged with Board Chairman,
c/o Canberra Montessori School Office Holder
Multilingual families at CMS
Quite a number of families at CMS speak languages other than English at home and to their children. The school's role in many cases is to teach English (speak, read, write) to those children and it is fair to say that the school and the teachers can fulfil that role well. The universal nature of the Montessori materials is also supportive of a multilingual education for the child.
But parents may still be looking for answers and solutions to supporting their children outside of school in their respective native languages. Which strategies should we use? What resources can we tap into when we're starting teaching those children how to read and write in those native languages? What habits and rules should we implement at home? Are there guidelines that can help towards a successful outcome? Does anyone have stories to share on the topic?
If those kinds of questions are important to you, there may be a benefit to your family and all multilingual families at the school to share information on the topic. Please register interest in the matter by contacting:
Greg Cassagne -Banksia Parent
greg@cassagne.com.au - 0415 905 905
and let us know the questions you have. This will allow us to choose a format to share the information (be it a meeting, newsletter, email list or anything that suits the needs) with views to support the whole multilingual community at CMS.
No ifs or buts
(a CMS parent’s response to ‘If’ in our last Bulletin)
When your kids are grown,
“If I had my time again”, you moan,
But when you’re there it’s a different story,
One of balancing practicality with basking in your child’s glory.
You want to relive childhood with them, only hunting tigers in the garden and reading books in a comfy chair,
But who’s going to do the shopping, cleaning, cooking and washing while you’re whistling dixie out there?
So as you dart through the mall,
Pushing one in a pram, with the other quick to call:
“Want a cuddle, want a cuddle”
You wonder how many of you it’d take to get it all done without the permanent muddle.
The most I can hope for, the most that I ask,
Is the one morning a week when the toddler goes to Grandma’s and they are stuck fast,
Painting and gardening and pouring some tea,
Time to run errands with just baby and me.
And Grandma? She’s delighted – a chance to play, to watch him learn and grow.
“This is what I missed out on when you were a little girl, you know”.
And there lies the rub – when you’re there, you’re doing your best, so it’s all they can get,
If later you choose to review with regret,
Remind yourself of the endless cups of tea gone cold, the nappies – oh, so many nappies – and the years of broken sleep,
And then, Diana Loomans, do us all a favour and stop trying to sound so deep.
© Kus Pandey
Community Notices
Ride2School
Wednesday 17 of March is Ride2School Day, a national event to encourage children to be active and learn safe independent cycling skills through riding to school.
CMS has registered in the event, and encourages students and parents to join in and be part of the fun. We are asking cyclists joining in the Ride2School event to gather at 8.30 am on Wednesday morning for a photo on the grass next to Karri.
The Ride 2 School program offers the following tips on helping children learn to ride safely:
· Teach your child the road rules and reinforce them and test them.
· Ride behind your child to observe if they are obeying the road rules.
· Ride on cycle paths where possible.
· Cyclists are allowed to use footpaths in the ACT, but must give way to pedestrians.
· Always insist children wear a helmet at all times. They are compulsory for all bike riders in Australia.
Riding with children and modeling safe riding habits is a good way to build riding skills. While every child is different, it is suggested that children from 8 – 10 years are ready to start to ride independently.
When riding to school please ensure your children stay clear of the driveway and car park and use other entry points. There are a number of students from St Jude’s that need to cross our driveway on their way to and from school. Please keep an eye out when entering and leaving the school and remember that by law vehicles must give way to people on the footpath when leaving driveways.
Anyone interested in Ride2School Day or in encouraging safe riding to school in general, please contact Laura Stuart (Banksia / Grevillea) on 0403 243 156.
Taekwondo at Montessori
Instructors Joel Muyot and Catherine McMaster welcome all existing and new students to an exciting year of Martial Arts training in the new Multi Purpose Facility at the Canberra Montessori School. As you see when you walk past a class we have students of all ages. New students are welcome to join in; just wear comfy pants and
t-shirt.
Classes are on Mondays and Wednesdays :
Juniors 3:30-4:30pm
Seniors 4:30-5:30pm.
Please contact Instructor Catherine McMaster with any questions you have on 0415 628 951