Jason Phillips

Hello Lyonsgate Montessori Families,

Some of your children have just completed their first week of school (ever! for some), and others have two weeks under their belts. It’s been a smooth and comfortable start to the school year. Thank you for helping to make the return to school a great experience for your children.

The Past Week:

Hello Lyonsgate Montessori Families,

Some of your children have just completed their first week of school (ever! for some), and others have two weeks under their belts. It’s been a smooth and comfortable start to the school year. Thank you for helping to make the return to school a great experience for your children.

The Past Week:

Toddler:

Your child’s Toddler Montessori guides report a great start to the school year. Starting or returning to school can be tough for toddler children, but they are adjusting to their new routines, in their own unique ways, very well. The Toddler environment also has a new fish named “Iris.”

A few reminders from the Toddler guides:

• Please remember that drop-off in the morning starts at 8:25, unless you registered your child for before school care, which begins at 8:00.
• Also, please remember to label all of your children’s clothing (and shoes, and hats, and bags, and …).
• Finally, we know that starting or returning to school is difficult for toddler parents too; we do ask that, in order to adhere to Lyonsgate’s high standards in Montessori education, parents say goodbye to children outside the Toddler environment. This helps to establish the Montessori environment as the children’s space and place, and also helps the children learn and get used to a consistent parting routine. Thank you.

Casa:

Casa South found that children entered the first week(s) of school with a good amount of focus and an eagerness  to return to work. A few start-of-the-year reminders from the Casa South guides:

• Please avoid sending children to school in garishly branded clothing or items that have representations of movie or cartoon characters. These items are a significant source of distraction in the Montessori environments. Thank you.
• Also, please remember to check the weather forecast each morning (a great routine children can be included in) and make sure they have weather appropriate clothing for the day, especailly as we move into the autumn months.

Casa North’s first-year children, both new to Lyonsgate and those who are transitioning to Casa from the Toddler enviroment, are doing very well. The older children are also realizing and are excited about their new roles and positions as elder peers, and are helping the new students learn how Casa works. The Casa North Montessori guides have a couple of requests:

• The Flower Arranging job sign up sheet is posted in the hallway outside of Casa North. Please select a date when your child can bring fresh flowers for the class to use.
• Casa North is also putting together a wall of family portrait photographs. Please send along a 4X6 family portrait. Thank you.

Elementary:

The elementary students have been very happy to return to their familiar Locke St. home, and to see their friends again. The new, first-year elementary students have also found comfort with some familiar friends from their Casa days, and are well on their way to learning how the next stage of their Montessori education works, with even more emphasis on independence and personal responsibility to the community. They’ve had some great community outings already: a neighbourhood scavenger hunt, a bus trip to the library, and an adventure to an organic farm. A few elementary notes:

• The lovely ferns on the Elementary front porch are going to need a home for the winter (and the fall). They are looking for good, green-thumbed homes for a few months. Please let us know if your family would like to care for one or more of the ferns. Thank you.
• Curriculum-wise, elementary students are jumping right into geography, the creation of the universe, and volcanos!

Next Week:

Remember, Wednesday, Sept. 19, is field trip day:

• Toddler and Casa children will be heading to Brantwood Farm in Brantford (click for map). Their day will begin and end at Dundas Driving Park.
• Please drop Casa children off at Driving Park no later than 8:50. The school bus is scheduled for 9:00.
  • Toddler children, unfortunately, cannot ride the bus and must be accompanied by a parent throughout the field trip.
  • All children (Casa and Toddler) will require a packed, litterless, nut-free lunch to eat at the farm.
  • The Casa bus will return to Driving Park for an afternoon of fun.
  • We should be back at Driving Park about 1:00 (half day pick up will also be at Driving Park, at 1:00).
  • Pick up will be at 3:30. If you would like to pick your child up from Driving Park earlier, please do not leave without checking out with your child’s Montessori guide.
  • There is no before, after, or extended care available on Wed., Sept. 19.

• Elementary students will be visiting The Donkey Sanctuary. Please drop Elementary students off at Beulah Park no later than 8:50. The school bus is scheduled for 9:00.
  • Elementary children will require a packed, litterless, nut-free lunch to eat on the outing.
  • Students will be returning to the Elementary campus for the afternoon.
  • Pick up will be at the regular time.
  • There is no before, after, or extended care available on Wed., Sept. 19.