Jason Phillips

Hello Lyonsgate Montessori Families,

Thank you all for your patience and understanding this past week as we endured the two-day closure due to the ice storm. It’s definitely been an interesting couple of weeks with the snow storm, a teaser of a spring day, and two days of ice. We hope you all had a safe experience.

Last weekend, Ms. Boyle and Ms. Moffatt attended the annual Montessori Refresher course for Casa guides at the Foundation for Montessori Education in Toronto, where both received their Montessori training. This year’s course focused “on the supports and practical tips in the casa environment that help our children reach optimal points of self-discipline and concentration.”

“After two full days of being immersed with our peers and our trainers,” said Ms. Boyle, “I feel connected, grounded and (as it goes) refreshed! We are happy to be a part of a true AMI Montessori program, and are thrilled to see how the children thrive because of it.”

“We had a great time,” Ms. Moffatt added, “seeing our trainers (Sandra Girlato and Lynn Woodward), and connecting with colleagues.” Ms. Moffatt also encourages you to visit the Foundation website to learn about their Information Sessions available for parents or those interested in undertaking Montessori training.

Not many photos this week due to the closures. Sorry. We got a few from the Elementary kids today, but we’ll try to get lots for you next week.

This Week:

Toddler:

This week, we experienced a spontaneous crossover and we were elated!

A student from Casa North brought ingredients for bread making into our classroom and he immediately gained an audience that comprised of eighty percent of the students in our environment.

It was yet another opportunity for the adults to step back and this time watch a Casa student work on a presentation. The toddlers were in awe, watching every little detail as the Casa student combined the ingredients. They were captivated by the Casa student’s confidence, ecstatic that they were chosen to participate in the process, and eager to consume the bread that was baked. During our afternoon communal snack, the classroom was filled with the pleasant aroma of the baked bread and the unified sound of “mmm delicious.” More importantly, the children were reminiscing on that particular activity that occurred in the morning and their faces beamed with joy.

The Casa student was once a part of our Toddler community and his presence represented a full circle moment — with the outgoing students becoming more excited about being in Casa in the fall and the teachers overwhelmed with a sense of nostalgia and fulfillment.

We are thankful to the Casa student and Ms. Boyle for this experience, and we look forward to these wonderful subtending moments as the year progresses.

Casa:

Casa South:

Grace and courtesy is a foundational element in every Montessori classroom. “Treat others the way you want to be treated” runs deep in Casa South. Please and thank you’s are of course an important factor, but being kind, thoughtful, and empathetic are our goals for creating kinder adults for the future. As guides, we model to one another, to the children, and to any vistors that come into our classroom. We conduct small skits and demonstrations such as how to introduce yourself, how to open a door for yourself and others, and how to navigate yourself out of a conflict, just to name a few. It is so important to remember that our 3-6-year-olds are in the process of learning social etiquette, so consistency is key. If we demonstrate kindness, they will as well!

Casa North:

This week (despite all of the snow and ice days) one of our older Casa children brought the materials from our Baking Bread activity to the Toddler environment to present a demonstration of how we bake bread each day. I was able to sit back and observe and see how the younger children were enthralled by what the Casa student was doing. This is a wonderful example of how the different levels influence one another — the third year Casa child felt leadership and responsibility while the younger children felt guided and inspired. All the while, I got to see his kindness and respect as he thanked the children and teachers for the opportunity, and responded warmly (albeit timidly) to their gratitude. What a wonderful, natural opportunity for grace and courtesy in our environment, as well as theirs.

Elementary:

The class has engaged in a cultural exploration of Chinese New Year this week, exploring the use of myths, the connection to geographic phenomenon, and reflecting on the characteristics represented by the zodiac animals. In addition to “A Legend of the Great Race,” students are learning about solstices, moon phases, and the 12-year revolution of Jupiter, and making art of their own zodiac animal.

Elementary children are always excited to learn about special days and celebrations because they reflect our social values and beliefs and connect them to history. These cultural studies help build the next layer of grace and courtesy for students in developing a general knowledge, respect, and appreciation for different cultures and beliefs.

On Thursday, February 14, from 3:30 – 4:00, in the Sanctuary at the Primary Campus, the Elementary students will be presenting French plays that they have been working on this term. We hope as many of you as possible can make it.

PLEASE NOTE: there is NO pick-up at the Locke St. Elementary campus that day.

Next Week:

A couple of items to keep in mind for the coming week:

• Valentine’s Day: We ask that you do not bring Valentines cards or treats for your child to hand out as we celebrate our love for each other every day here. Below is our Valentine’s Day policy:

Valentine’s Day: We ask that you do not bring in Valentines for your child to hand out as we will be celebrating Valentine’s through out the month of February. We will do this by adding hearts to pasting activities as well as a push pin activity to cut out hearts. This will help to keep the classroom flow and consistency and to model to children that they can make pictures, etc., for their friends instead of buying Valentine’s cards. **Please note that if a child does bring Valentines to school the staff will not permit them to hand them out.**

• PD Day and Family Day: Because we all need a couple more days off after this past week… Friday, Feb. 15, is a PD Day and Monday, Feb. 18, is the Family Day statutory holiday. Lyonsgate is closed both days.

Hello Lyonsgate Montessori Families,

We had a snow day! And a deep freeze…

Just so everyone knows, Lyonsgate takes advantage of the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board’s (HWDSB) process to determine whether or not to close school during inclement weather. Here’s a quick summary from them about how the decision is made:

• When bad weather is expected, Hamilton-Wentworth Student Transportation Services (HWSTS) carriers check weather reports, road conditions and road clearing, starting as early as 4 a.m.
• Based on this information, the Director of Education makes the decision in conjunction with Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board.

• HWDSB will announce the cancellation of school and board operations by 6 a.m. based on the best information at the time. We share this announcement on the HWDSB website, HWDSB’s Twitter account and on the HWSTS website. We also contact local media outlets including CHCH TV, CHML and the Hamilton Spectator.
• A school cancellation is a tough decision – and some families may disagree with HWDSB’s call. Families can always make the choice they feel is best when it comes to sending their child to school.

We will email everyone and post the closure on lyonsgate.ca as soon as the HWDSB posts their notice. To avoid confusion, we will only post closures.

We follow the HWDSB’s lead in these situations because, as a private school without cachement restrictions, Lyonsgate families travel from all areas of Hamilton. Please remember, even if the weather doesn’t look so bad in your neighbourhood, it might be awful elsewhere in Hamilton. The purpose of closing schools is always for safety. Reducing the number of cars on the roads (especially cars with children in them) makes for a safer commute for everybody. We know that snow days can wreak last-minute chaos on morning and work plans, but please trust that the HWDSB only closes after following a thorough process of information gathering and decision-making.

This Week:

Toddler:

The end of our daily work cycle is announced through a request to clean up and an invitation to meet me in our library for Gathering. It has slowly transitioned from a sing-a-long to conversations. It is incredibly rewarding to listen to the children recall what they consumed for dinner the night before or even what they did throughout the course of the weekend — from circus school to scavenger hunts at the park. The children also take turns asking each of the adults in the classroom about our weekends and will chuckle as they listen to our adventures.

Our Gathering encourages the development of self-expression and honours our basic human tendency to communicate. Taking the time to expose the children to a rich vocabulary fosters the ability to share knowledge and ideas precisely and concisely. Abundant oral language experiences inspire the children to become poised and effective communicators through the power of well chosen words.

A couple of reminders this week:

1. Sick Children: We’ve all had that call to come pick up sick children from school. We know that having to take time off work to pick up and care for sick kids can be frustrating, but there are mandated Hamilton Public Health guidelines you have to follow depending on the child’s illness. We’ve put together a little website you can check to see what the public health requirements are for a variety of common childhood illnesses (it’s a good one to bookmark).
2. As always, please remember to label everything! Our lost and found basket found at the entrance can be searched in the event that a clothing item is missing.

Casa:

Casa South:Thank you to all the parents who attended the Show-N-Share on Thursday! It is one of our favourite events in Casa South. It’s so lovely to see the pride and excitement on the children’s faces as they show their parents their most recent presentations.

We’re seeing a lot of lightbulbs going off in Casa South, not literally, of course, but in the minds of the children. The children are doing lots of “big work,” as we say in Montessori, wherein they are using skills gathered from smaller activities and applying them towards larger work; the pouring and snipping and dusting transform into care of plants, for example.

We’ve also seen a lot of projects happening by the third years — making their own maps of the world and labeling them! It’s so exciting to see this transition from primary to elementary happen.

We caught a little video this week of a Casa child mastering one of the jobs that leads to bigger work: braiding involves following specific instructions, sequential order, repeating patterns, motor control, and concentration — all skills that come into play during future work in all areas of the curriculum.

Casa North: Casa North has been abuzz with impassioned, enriched conversations lately. I’ve loved listening to the children discuss anything and everything with one another. The community really thrives when children are free to communicate. The adults are regularly repeating the phrase, “Why don’t you ask a friend?” when we are asked a question. Their ability to understand, to empathize, to articulate, and to listen become infinitely stronger when they are engaged in discussion with their peers. As adults, of course we are able to simply give an answer because we have it. It’s much more rewarding and important for them to talk it out with other children. This week, I heard conversations about family vacations, favourite types of dinosaurs, how a volcano erupts, and how to say, “I love you!” in Spanish — and that was in one lunch period! Socialization is critical and I’m so happy to work in an environment that supports that need.

Thank you so much for attending our Show-N-Share. What a huge success! The children were thrilled to show you what they have been working on. As teachers, we got to watch and feel the swell of pride for them that I’m sure you all feel every day. Thank you for sharing them with us, we are grateful!

Elementary:

Your kids love to read! Although many appreciated the snow day on Tuesday, everyone was excited to start reading in support of the MS Society this week. Students are tracking their individual minutes (and practicing telling time!) with stopwatches and clocks during the work cycles, as well as participating in a 20-minute group reading period each day. The children are proud to colour bands on their hourglasses and excited to share what they are reading, but what stands out most is the generosity of spirit exhibited by them all.

Whether it be mentoring a friend to improve their reading skills or their genuine concern for unknown people living with MS, the students embrace every outreach project with full hearts. Activities like this emphasize for the Second Plane children that although they are young, they can have an impact on real people. They are able to contribute positively through simple actions, empowering each of them to go bravely forward as a complex world unfolds before them. At an age where they become aware of social ills and injustices, it is important to feed their imaginations with ways in which they can make a difference.

Next Week:

A nice quiet week coming up next week, unless the weather has more fun surprises for us.

Do remember that Lyonsgate will be closed on Friday, Feb. 15, and Monday, Feb. 18, for a PD Day and the Family Day stat holiday, respectively.

Hello Lyonsgate Montessori Families,

Well that was fun! Hope everyone survived the up and down winter weather over the last week. Next week’s looking to be another cold one so make sure everyone has all the warm gear.

We have lots of pictures this week to make up for not having any last week, and it was nice to see so many of you at the Parent Education evening on Thursday.

To continue the learning about Montessori, each of your children’s Montessori guides have highlighted a specific Montessori material this week and explained what it is and the role it plays in your children’s education and devlopment. Enjoy!

This Week:

Toddler:

The Montessori classroom provides a prepared, language-enriched environment where the children are able to practice exploration of the world around them, care of self and care of the environment, as well as gross and fine motor development.

Dr. Montessori firmly believed that the child’s cognitive processes are assisted by combining movement with an organized task. One activity that facilitates those needs is Arranging Flowers, which satisfies the child’s innate desire to imitate the skills that they see adults perform around them. The activity follows a prescribed sequence which requires a great deal of attention and mental concentration. It also allows the child to exercise discrimination and judgment and development of their aesthetic sense.

The children often choose to bring their arrangements outside of the classroom. They always look proud of their work and are happy to be able to share it with others.

We thank you all for your weekly contribution of fresh cut flowers for the children to work with!

Reminder: Blankets are sent home every other Friday in order to be washed. Please ensure they are brought back to the school on the following Monday to ensure that your children have a restful sleep.

Don’t forget about the Toddler Show and Share next Thursday, 3:30-4:00, where you may get a chance to see this and other Montessori materials in action.

Casa:

Casa South: The Knobless Cylinders are a material found in the Sensorial Area of the Montessori classroom.

The Knobless Cylinders are an opportunity to grade, explore, and design with a material they’ve already worked with, the Cylinder Blocks. The Cylinders Blocks have a control of error within the material, a specific slot for a specific cylinder so it will end up in the right order. The Knobless Cylinders ask the children to use their internal sense of order and control of error to grade them the way that seems most fitting and satisfying.

After working with the material the children are shown how to design with the material: spirals, towers, and so much more.

This material allows them to use their sense of order, size, shape and colour, explore surface and height, develop their aesthetic sense. One material with so many levels, certainly not just building blocks!

Don’t forget about the Casa Show and Share next Thursday, 3:30-4:30, where you may get a chance to see this and other Montessori materials in action.

Casa North: In the Montessori curriculum, we show the children writing before reading. There can be quite a weight on children to learn to read — they know what it means, and it can seem a little bit daunting. For this reason, we want to make sure that the child is introduced to Sandpaper Letters to gain a solid understanding of the phonetic sounds the symbols represent. Once they demonstrate an ability to recall these symbols, we show them the Large Moveable Alphabet. This is a material that allows them to write words with the sounds they know. We aren’t focused on spelling, grammar, or punctuation at all during the Casa years! We just want to support them as they get out the thoughts they have and represent them in written form.

After much practice with the Large Moveable Alphabet, I will show the child the Phonetic Object Box. Here, I will have a discussion about each individual (very cute) object so the child is sure to know what the objects are called. I then tell the child I’m going to write some labels, and invite them to “help me to place them where they belong,” ensuring I’m not asking them to read. The child will sound out the labels I write, and place the labels with the corresponding objects. This is one of my favourite presentations to give, as it is almost always met with pure joy upon the child realizing they can read! A major purpose of this material is to provide the child with the confidence to take on the reading that will come next.

After the Phonetic Object Box, we introduce the child to the Phonetic Cards — many cards with printed words that allow for much reading practice without the many tricks that the English language contains.

The Language Area is set up to prepare the child to be successful, confident, and independent with his or her learning. This is consistent within the rest of the environment, and yet another reason why I love what I do.

Thank you for attending our Parent Education evening this week — we look forward to seeing even more of you at our next one!

Don’t forget about the Casa Show and Share next Thursday, 3:30-4:30, where you may get a chance to see this and other Montessori materials in action.

Elementary:

One of the students’ most beloved materials in the Elementary classroom is the Montessori Chequerboard. Dr. Montessori imagined a game board for long multiplication in which the squares were colour-coded by their categories (green for units, blue for tens, and red for hundreds), and this pattern would repeat through ascending number families (the simple family, the thousands, and the millions). The first horizontal row would be used to multiply by one digit, the second by two, and so on.

Expanding upon the young child’s prior experience with coloured bead bars for building teen numbers and skip-counting chains, those bead bars could now be placed within a colour-coded square to assign value to any category.

Young students who have gained experience with simple multiplication learn to make and read numbers into the hundred millions on the Chequerboard. The next step is to learn to multiply by a single digit, and then how to represent exchanges between categories when multiplying produces more than 10 in that place. This work may be undertaken for a few weeks or a few months before mastery is attained.

By the age of 9, most students have sufficient imagination and intellect to take on a greater challenge. The fourth step is work with a two-digit multiplier, creating partial products with bead bars, and combining them to find the final product. As students memorize and apply times table facts the process is streamlined, and less beads are used for counting and exchanging. As the child’s facility with both facts and process develop, they are empowered to increase their multiplier into the hundreds or even thousands range. There is no number too large to multiply!

In other news, the Lyonsgate Elementary class will be participating again in the MS Read-a-Thon in support of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada. The Read-a-Thon will run from Monday, January 28, through Thursday, February 14. Pledge sheets are coming home and details about the online component will follow next week.

Don’t forget: on Monday, all Elementary students need to bring a Show-n-Tell item to bring to Aberdeen Gardens next Wednesday. This should be an item they can discuss and demonstrate with/to the residents. Awards and trophies, science-y items, things they have made, or even something to perform — dance, instruments, etc.

Finally, on Thursday, February 14, from 3:30 – 4:00 in the Sanctuary at the Primary Campus, the Elementary students will be presenting French plays that they have been working on this term. We hope as many of you as possible can make it. PLEASE NOTE: there is NO pick-up at the Locke St. Elementary campus that day.

Next Week:

There are things happening at each Montessori level next week:

• Toddler Show and Share will take place from 3:30-4:00 on Thursday, Jan. 31, in the Toddler classroom.

• Casa Show and Share runs a little bit longer, from 3:30-4:30, also on Thursday, Jan. 31, in your child’s Casa classroom. In order to give your child enough time to show and share all the things they want to, please plan to arrive no later than 4:15.

• Elementary parents, your children’s progress reports will be coming home on Thursday, Jan. 31. Check those backpacks ;).

Hello Lyonsgate Montessori Families,

Welcome back to school. We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.

The new term always means a few changes, and we have had some children from the Toddler level reach the point where they are ready for Casa and have made the big move. The newly opened space has allowed us to welcome a few new children into the Toddler environment; be sure to read the Toddler update to hear about how amazing the older Toddler children have been. We have also had a new student join us at our Elementary campus.

New children in the classrooms mean updated Parent Contact Lists will be coming your way via email. Remember, the Parent Contact Lists are for Lyonsgate families to use to arrange playdates, carpools, send out invitations, etc. Please do not use or share other parents’ email addresses or phone numbers for solicitation or other commercial purposes.

Here’s to a great winter term. Stay warm, smile more, make someone’s day, and enjoy your first Lyonsgate update of 2019.

This Week:

Toddler:

Happy New Year! It is wonderful to have the children back in the classroom. It was especially great to hear about their winter break.

We have three new children who are adjusting to their new environment and it’s great to see the older children’s reaction. They are constantly giving them hugs and saying “it’s okay,” and they often give them reminders that they will be seeing their moms and dads soon. It’s great to see their concern in action. Instead of leaving it at them saying this child is crying, we acknowledge what they’ve observed and ask “what can we do about it?” prompting them to act on their concerns.

Reminders:

• Between 8:25-8:45, Mlle. Noordam is in the hall to assist with drop off. Parents are encouraged to say a quick goodbye and Mlle. Noordam will help in preparing them for the classroom. When parents linger, it makes the child even more upset, and the toddlers also feel overwhelmed in their space by multiple adults and the extra children in the cloak room area. If the child feels anxiety coming from mom and dad during drop off they will also be anxious, making drop off difficult for all parties involved. A calm, quick, reassuring, and consistent drop off routine is the best way to help your child adjust to school.
• Parent Communication Book — please use the book to provide any information that we need to know. With Mlle. Noordam helping children through that transition, her focus is on the children to ensure that their needs are met at the moment.
• Upon pickup, we encourage parents to wait at the gate and one of the teachers will guide your child to you.
• Finally, a reminder that Montessori encourages independence in even our youngest students. At the Toddler level, dressing oneself is one of the main roads to developing independence, and the focus is on successes rather than mistakes such as shoes on the wrong feet or mis-aligned buttons

Thank you for understanding, and for helping your child, and their classmates, to realize the full benefits of Montessori.

Casa:

Casa South: The children were enthusiastic to be back and went straight to work — lots of reading and writing each others names, and stories about the break.

A few new activiites have been introduced to the classroom that the children are excited to be shown. (“What’s new in your class?” might be a good way into discussions about school).

Lots of bread was made this first week back, as well as lots of watercolour paintings — great home/weekend activites too.

We also had some observers in the classroom this week and it was lovely to see the way the children confidently introduced themselves.

Casa North: Welcome back and Happy 2019, Casa North families!

I hope you had a restful, fun break. The children are right back into the swing of things in Casa North. The first week back can be tearful for a few, but they quickly remember what a great place their Montessori environment is. I’ve been noticing some wonderful, big changes in the young ones who just came to Casa in September — they are flourishing, and it’s lovely to see. Some of the older students are diving into more advanced language materials, which is an exciting shift for them as well.

We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming parent education evening — make sure you check your school calendar for this term, as we also have another Show and Share at the end of the month (which is always a favourite!).

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to a wonderful term.

Elementary:

Happy New Year! The Elementary class is bursting with energy and new pursuits as students eagerly returned to their work this week.

We very happily returned to the newly renovated Locke Street Library this first week back to find some new fiction to read, and many students have jumped into research for this term’s projects, which they will be presenting to at the beginning of March.

Lyonsgate Elementary students have already had some fun expanding their music knowledge and making some noise by exploring the distance between tones, matching their voices to bell tones, and learning the Curwen hand signs for do, re, and mi.

Most importantly, we have welcomed a new friend, Laila, into our community, and we are thrilled to have another student with whom to work, play, get to know, and learn from.

Elementary Parents: If you haven’t already done so, please complete the online waiver for Gravity Climbing Gym by Tuesday, Jan. 15. We will be rock climbing at Gravity next Wednesday, Jan. 16, and the following, Jan. 23. These are morning outings and we will be leaving the school at 9:30. Please help children remember to wear their red Lyonsgate shirts, and clothing that they can climb/move in; students will also need their water bottles for climbing.

Also to note for parents, Locke St. is undergoing a complete reconstruction this year. There are 3 stages preliminary work being completed that will result in partial and full road closures on Locke from now until sometime in March. Once this preliminary work is completed, full reconstruction of Locke St. is scheduled to start in the spring. Please be aware that it may be difficult to access Lyonsgate at times throughout the roadwork project. Remember, children can be dropped off or picked up at the Primary campus on Aberdeen Ave. Elementary students leave Aberdeen at 8:40 sharp each morning, and return for 3:30.

Next Week(s):

Parent Education Evening:

The winter term Parent Education Evening will take place on Thursday, Jan. 24, at the Lyonsgate Primary campus on Aberdeen Ave., from 4:00-5:00 p.m, in the synagogue’s Sanctuary (where the Holiday Concert was). Please click here to register for childcare (pizza will be available for registered children).

This evening will introduce you to the different “Planes of Development,” as Maria Montessori called them. Montessori environments are prepared to meet the developmental needs of children at different ages and stages of development.

We will discuss each “Plane of Development” and highlight the characteristics of children at each stage. You will learn how Lyonsgate’s prepared Montessori environments meet children’s developmental needs, and understand the relations between the different levels as your children progress from Toddler to Casa to Elementary.

Hello Lyonsgate Montessori Families,

Next week is the last week before the winter holiday break. See below for details of the Winter Concert on our last day — Thursday, Dec. 20 — and we are back for the winter term on Monday, January 7.

Over the break, please take a few moments to complete your registration for the 2019.2020 school year, if you have not done so already. We will be building next year’s class lists and offering spots to people on our wait lists soon.

Please click here to complete and submit your application form, one per child. [Please Note: if you’re using form autofill features, please double-check that the information is correct.]

Fee Schedules and payment information can be found here (scroll down to the 2019.2020 section), or as attachments to your Dec. 3 “2019.2020 Lyonsgate Registration” email.

Thank you for continung to choose Montessori education for your children, and for trusting Lyonsgate to provide an authentic Montessori experience for your children.

In the spirit of the season, our Elementary students want to thank you for all of your generous donations to their Hamilton Out of the Cold charitable ventures. Our small community managed to compile an impressive amount toothbrushes and paste, hot drink mix, and other essential items to help make those in desperate need a little more comfortable.

You will have one more  opportunity to help on Tuesday, Dec. 18. The Elementary students will be holding a “Holiday Art and Decoration” sale at both campuses starting at 3:15. They are working hard on creating an inventory of unique decorations. They will also be accepting donations of toothbrushes, toothpaste, and  hot drink mix (as well as other essentials) that day.

This Week:

Toddler:

In four short months, the Toddlers have proven that they have a constructive power that allows them to develop their unique potential. I am continuously fascinated by their sense of wonder that fosters their engagement and interest in the classroom. They do not seem to be hindered by time, weather, or circumstances — they let their curiosity lead the way.

I have witnessed an explosion of language, and their conversations cover various topics from weekend occurrences to trips to the grocery store. The Toddler’s sense of order is evident by their ability to place materials back on the shelf and tucking chairs away following usage. The beat of a drum, the chime of a xylophone, and the staccato of maracas can often be heard by adults walking in the hall. The practical life activities reinforce that they are contributing members of their community and will rush to mop up a spill, prepare and serve themselves snack, and care for the plants in the classroom. A strong ability to care for themselves is evident through underwear transitions and the sound of “I did it!” that often follows a successful washroom trip. The majority of the Toddlers are able to get themselves ready for recess — involving difficult tasks such as snow pants, zipping up coats, and putting mittens on their hands.

With the end of the first term come changes. We have two wonderful children transitioning to Casa, and three new beautiful children joining us in the New Year. In some ways it will feel like September again, but I will revel in it because I know that their time in the Toddler room is limited.

I want to thank all of you for those memories; your children amaze me every day and they each represent an important puzzle piece to our little community. I am elated to see what the new term will bring — the rise of leaders, Casa-style presentations, challenging materials, and the bittersweet Casa visits. I will be thinking of them and I look forward to hearing highlights from their winter break.

Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and inspiring holiday season and New Year.

Casa:

Casa South: As usual, the first semester has gone by in a flash! It is amazing to see the growth of the children in such a short amount of time — socially, emotionally, physically and academically. Watching children develop their independence and confidence is a true pleasure, and we are so grateful to be a part of these formative years.

Making school a place the children want to be is our main objective — a foundation for enjoyable educational experiences. This semester, we were excited to see children reading books, making snacks for one another, and working with addition equations; we can’t wait to see what is in store in the new year!

We wish everyone a wonderfully relaxing holiday season. We hope you make lots of memories, snowmen, and cookies.

Lots of love from Casa South.

Casa North: I can’t believe our first term is coming to a close. The children in Casa North have been working hard to refine skills, self-regulate, cultivate bonds, and have fun! I’m so proud of their progress. As the classroom settles into its natural routine, I have found more opportunity to sit back, observe, and enjoy the process of being with your children each day. When you really take the time to watch what the children are doing and the problem solving skills that develop when they are learning in a carefully curated environment, the things you see are amazing. Our roles as adults in the classroom are to fade into the background as much as possible to allow the children to take ownership of the space that is theirs. Sometimes, the most important part of my job is to have a meaningful conversation with your child, enjoy sitting with them during their lunch, or simply sit and watch them show me what they can do.

I’m grateful to spend my days with your children, and we thank you so much for your kindness and support. Enjoy the break and have a safe and happy holiday. We can’t wait to greet your children with a handshake and a smile come 2019!

Elementary:

‘Tis the season to be merry! The Elementary class has been joyfully immersed in their outreach activities this week in support of the Hamilton Out of the Cold project! From writing publicity emails requesting donations to a handwritten letter inviting the charity’s founder to visit, creating posters and strategically posting them on Locke Street, as well as crafting goods for the sale next week, all of our students have given generously from their hearts. It has been an empowering process for our young students as they find meaningful ways they can help those who are less fortunate.

An essential part of the Montessori Elementary program is the recognition of each individual having an important role within a community, and the ability of even our youngest students to take positive action. We thank everyone who has supported their endeavour by donating dental hygiene items, food, or drinks to the project.

The classroom has also been bursting with music this week, from carols being picked out on the piano by keen musical ears, to creating notation systems and experimenting with minimalist music with our extraordinary neighbourhood musician, Mr. Ben.

We’ve had a wonderful first term together, and wish you and your families the happiest of holidays together. Best wishes for the new year!

Next Week:

We’ll see you all for the Winter Concert on Thursday, Dec. 20. Please arrive between 2:00-2:25 to chat with fellow parents and find seating. The concert will start at 2:30.

When arriving at the school, please come to the regular school entrance, where children are dropped off each morning, and we will greet you and escort you to the auditorium. Please do not use the main synagogue entrance.

A few families have asked and yes, we do have room for grandparents and other family members.

We are expecting the concert to last approximately one hour — until about 3:30 — after which the winter break begins.

Please remember that there is no after school or extended care after the concert.

We return to school for the winter term on Monday, January 7.

Have a wonderful time with family and friends Lyonsgate community.

Hello Lyonsgate Montessori Families,

Thank you all for making the time come in and meet with your children’s Montessori guides last week, and for taking the time to observe in the Montessori environments throughout the month.

We are back to regular updates from your children’s guides this week with notes about what’s new and exciting in the classrooms, reminders and requests, and what Montessori materials and activities are in heavy rotation.

This Week:

Toddler:

The toddlers have been learning their last names — they’ve even started introducing themselves by their first and last name! The children have also begun to recognize their written names — in the shoe compartments, extra clothing bins, and their name tags (used for setting up for lunch).

With the winter concert approaching, we have been hearing a lot of humming and buzzing. The children have been practicing every day and are excited to perform!

Casa:

Casa South: Casa South has some new food prep materials — slicing an egg and juicing an orange. In the new year, we will be seeking donations of eggs and oranges every two weeks for these new classroom activities. Food preparation, either these specific activities or other Montessori jobs, such as helping to prepare snack or lunch, is a key to unlocking independence for children. They are also a way for children to develop positive relationships with food by preparing it for themselves, helping themselves at lunch, and enjoying the (sometimes literal) fruits of their labour. We are also starting to make cinnamon raisin bread to make the classroom smell more festive.

Helping with food preparation and serving, and cleaning up, are also great activities to include children in at home.

Casa North: Firstly, I want to thank everyone for taking the time to connect with me to discuss your children and their accomplishments. Parent teacher conferences are always so nice because they allow me to reflect on each child’s progress as an individual as well as the community as a whole. I’m grateful to spend my days with your children, and I thank you for your continued support of the Montessori program.

One of the things that I love about the Casa environment is the children’s eagerness to practice grace and courtesy. This week, on one particular day, I invited three children to do some “grace and courtesy skits.” We acted out Greeting and Introducing, Picking Up What Someone Dropped, and Inviting Someone In. In each instance, I would demonstrate how to move, what to say, and how to say it. As this presentation progressed, other children gradually joined and were included seamlessly. In the Montessori Casa environment, we want respect, kindness, and courtesy to be imbued in everything we do, but we also set time aside to practice these things as their own focused presentations. The children absolutely love getting to act out these skits, and I love watching them carry these values forward in the classroom all the time.

Elementary:

This week, our focus in Elementary has shifted to community outreach. This year, we are working to help Hamilton Out Of The Cold . Please read the following message from our Elementary students:

Dear Parents,

Lyonsgate Montessori Elementary is having a fundraiser for Hamilton Out of the Cold. Out of the Cold helps homeless and nearly homeless. We are making decorations and art to sell. You can buy decorations and art or donate hot drink mix (preferably tea), toothbrushes, and toothpaste. There will be donation boxes on the front porch of the Elementary building and in the entrance to the Primary campus each day from Tuesday, Dec. 11, until Friday, Dec. 14. Our sale will be at both Lyonsgate campuses on Tuesday, Dec. 18, at the end of the school day.

Next Week:

Next week is the second-last week of the first term, and the last full week of school.

The Winter Concert will take place on Thursday, Dec. 20. Parents are welcome to arrive starting at 2:00 p.m. in order to chat and be seated for the concert to start at 2:30. We anticipate the concert running until approximately 3:30, after which we will depart for the winter break.

Please Note: there is no after or extended care on Thursday, Dec. 20, after the concert.

We return to school on Monday, January 7, 2019.

Hello Lyonsgate Montessori Families,

It’s been a busy month, and a busy week this past week with observations and parent-teacher conferences taking place. That said, we’re giving your children’s Montessori guides a break from the updates this week as they have been putting in a lot of extra time preparing to meet with you.

We do have photos of your little Montessorians engaged in their Montessori work this week, including an adorable treat for you in the Toddler section.

This Week:

Toddler:

Each day, Ms. Covic, our food and kitchen coordinator, creates a beautiful animal sculpture as part of the snack food that is delivered to the Toddler environment:

Casa:

Elementary:

Next Week:

Looking ahead now that we are entering December, we are only two-and-a-bit weeks away from the winter break. The last day of school is Thursday, December 20. The Winter Concert will take place at 2:30 that day and then we are off until Monday, January 7. (Please note: there is no after or extended care on Thursday, Dec. 20.)