Lyonsgate Update Oct. 10, 2023
Happy Monday Tuesday Lyonsgate Families,
Hope everyone had a fantastic long weekend.
- Elementary parents: be sure to check the Elementary section for details of your first Parent Education event of the school year, this Thursday, Oct. 12.
- Toddler Parent Education will take place next Wednesday, Oct. 18, from 3:00-3:30.
- Casa Parent Education will be next Thursday, Oct. 19, from 3:45-4:30.
- The next PD Day of the school year is Friday, Oct. 20. Both Lyonsgate campuses will be closed.
- Please remember to label everything. Thank you.
Happy Thanksgiving Toddler Families,
In the Toddler environment, the children are saying “thank you” in whatever way they can, and in new ways too. Throughout the day, and especially during meals, the toddlers are encouraged to say “please” and “thank you” to the best of their ability. Some young members of our community use sign language and some others are able to say “thank you” and some can now say “merci.”
We are grateful for all of their hard work everyday and we are also grateful for the honour to be able to spend time with them each day and watch them grow into thoughtful, good human beings along the way. The Toddler environment is an excellent place to begin to acquire the skills of grace and courtesy. It certainly makes for a more pleasant and peaceful place to be.
We have been noticing colourful leaves drift into the playground each day. If you find any interesting leaves in your travels with your toddler and they would like to bring them into the classroom we can press them in our leaf/flower press and perhaps use them in an art activity in the future.
I hope that everyone has had a restful and cozy weekend!
Ms. Gervais.
Bonjour Tout le Monde!
Je suis Mme Renée Perazzo, l’assistante française dans Casa South. C’est incroyable, nous voici déjà en mi-octobre.
I hope you all enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving weekend.
It has been wonderful getting to know the new children and welcoming back our returning friends too.
At the beginning of the school year my primary focus is to help the children become comfortable and familiar with the routines and expectations of the classroom. I’m glad to say that the children are adjusting well. I’m looking forward to engaging them with more French lessons, stories, songs, and activities as we continue with our fall session.
Bonne semaine!
Everyone had a fantastic day at the Annual Charity Run at La Salle Park! The students demonstrated excellent sporting conduct in supporting their classmates in their personal goals, as well as celebrating the successes of children from other schools. Some of our students’ goals included the courage to participate, persevering through the whole course — 1.5 km for younger students, 2 km for older students — or improving their ranking from a previous year. The day was so much fun that many children are already training for next year.
All of the children are happily learning new songs to sing, creating impromptu bands with rhythm instruments, and finding friends who can read music on the staff to play a melody. The lower elementary students joyously ended the week with a P.E. class on cooperative games, while the upper elementary students had a lot of fun learning about media literacy and creating collages in their OWL workshop.
Warmly,
Marissa and Michelle.
From the Classroom Historians
“Two kids are sweeping the carpet. One of them is teaching the other one.”
“One girl is playing whiffle ball and the teacher is giving her tips.”
“One little girl is dusting the window and there’s another girl close to her that’s teaching her how to. People made Every Child Matters shirts.”
“There are a bunch of kids who worked on a little sea creature chart and they tried to remember names of echinoderms.”
“A little boy is learning to write in his journal by himself.”
Hannah J. and Caden.
Parent Education
Our first Elementary Parent Education event will be taking place after school on Thursday, October 12th from 3:30 – 4:15. Please join your Montessori guides, Marissa and Michelle, as they discuss the topic of Freedom and Self-Discipline in the Elementary Child.
Please note, all Elementary students will be traveling to the HAAA at 3:20 that day ahead of the parent presentation. Students whose families are attending the parent education event will be included in the aftercare program (with no charge) until the end of the event. These students will return to the Elementary campus at 4:30.
All other students will be dismissed from the HAAA park between 3:30 – 3:45 p.m.
Please email elementary@lyonsgate.ca with how many adults are planning to attend, and whether you require Elementary or Casa child care that day, by Wednesday, October 11.
Lyonsgate Update Oct. 2, 2023
Happy Monday Lyonsgate Families,
Next Monday, Oct. 9, is the Thanksgiving Holiday and both Lyonsgate campuses will be closed.
Please see below for photos and updates from your children’s Montessori environments:
Toddlers are on the move!
Toddlers are naturally inclined to be on the move. Physical movement helps to develop the brain, build strength and coordination, and it encourages an awareness of other people. Movement is a part of every moment of every day in the Toddler Montessori environment. The children work to perfect their movement with a purpose in mind. They enter the school and climb a set of stairs, then they use their fine motor skills to unclip their backpack, reach and hang it up on a hook, after which they find their indoor shoes and switch them for their outdoor shoes. Inside the classroom, the children participate in the daily work of watering the plants, mopping the floor, and moving the furniture when it is time to transform the room for snack time. These movements of practical life and met with enthusiasm and have many benefits. I often find myself moving a table with two or three other children! By performing intelligent work with a purpose behind it children build strength and coordination in their bodies, and develop a strong sense of self by forming a connection to their community.
“All natural work like this has a higher purpose. It develops character. We must understand that if we give children this active life with a great many motives of activity, activities that have a useful purpose, the children perfect their movements… You cannot have effort without interest and purpose. There is no interest if the intelligence does not cooperate. The person must be interested. If the person is not unified he will not be interested. So we must have interest first and then work with an intelligent purpose, work that is freely chosen by the individual.” Movement and Character, Maria Montessori.
Ms. Gervais.
Bonjour,
My name is Fatia Murati and I’m the French language assistant for Casa North. This will be my eleventh year at Lyonsgate.
It has been exciting starting a new school year, getting to see our returning students and how much they have grown over the summer, and also meeting all our amazing new students.
Only a couple of weeks have passed since the start of school and I can confidently say that our students have already made a lot of progress. The first-year students who made those big eyes when I just said “Bonjour” at the beginning now feel much more comfortable hearing French and are all able to answer, “Bonjour, comment ça va?” with “Ça va bien!” They are also really enjoying French songs.
It fills my heart with joy every single day to see the second and third year students helping, encouraging, and translating for the first years. C’est juste formidable! I couldn’t wish for a better crew.
Looking forward to a wonderful school year!
Mme Murati.
Thursday, October 5: Annual Run for Charity
The whole class will be traveling by chartered school bus to La Salle Park in Burlington for an Annual Run for Charity hosted by Fairview Glen Montessori School. This year’s event will be in support of the Red Cross Canadian Wildfire Relief, with Lyonsgate making a donation on behalf of each elementary student. Additional donations are always welcome.
On the day of the event, students will be grouped with others of the same school year and gender from five different Montessori schools to complete a fun trail run through the woods. Staff from each school will be along the well-marked route to guide students and offer encouragement along the way! Following the race, the students will enjoy an outdoor lunch and playtime at the park before a short awards ceremony. Students will return to school for the remainder of the afternoon. Please help your child remember to wear their red Lyonsgate shirt that day, along with packing a healthy litter-less lunch and full water bottle.
Weekly Update
Last week students were busy studying and researching different forms of life. They classified organisms from the five classes of the animal kingdom and compared different types of invertebrates. They learned about the characteristics of different species of humans.
In recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, our younger students heard the Anishinaabe creation story of Turtle Island or explored the meaning of the seven sacred teachings. These stories were the creative inspiration for an art display of paper orange shirts decorated by the children to affirm that every child matters and an appreciation for the traditions, history, and modern experience of Indigenous peoples. Older students worked with the Timeline of Canadian History to explore when Europeans first arrived here, who returned as settlers, and important differences between European and Indigenous cultures. They participated in a discussion of the government’s intended purpose in establishing residential schools, and some of the harms that Indigenous children experienced as a result.
The Upper Elementary students were thrilled to begin navigating the city using public transit, travelling to the Westdale branch of the public library. They were delighted to browse the larger collection, test out the children’s learning software, and even stage a few puppet shows.
Wishing everyone a wonderful week ahead!
Marissa and Michelle.
Lyonsgate Update Sept. 25, 2023
Hello Lyonsgate Families,
This week:
- Casa and Toddler vaccine history forms are due back to Lyonsgate today. Thank you.
- This Friday, Sept. 29, is a PD Day. Both Lyonsgate campuses are closed.
Free Cars!
- Lyonsgate has three of these little cars that are available to good homes on a first-come, first-served basis. Please let us know at admin@lyonsgate.ca if you would like one:
[Please note: back to school germs have hit staff as well as kids; we’ll have more Toddler photos next week]
Greetings Toddler Families,
This week in the Toddler community, we welcomed a new member to our classroom. We invited Kelly the snail to live in our aquarium along with our beta fish, Oscar. She has been delighting us and surprizing us all week. She is very graceful and peaceful. The children in the classroom have been observing as she explores the tank and eats the lettuce floating on the top of the water. “She is moving!” She is a lot more active than we anticipated.
Our small community has begun to feel like home and we are starting to find a nice flow. Many of our new friends are arriving at school with enthusiasm and joyful spirits, ready to explore. We are enjoying all of the helping hands throughout the day. Toddlers are almost always enthusiastic to help with the daily routine. We include them in trips to the kitchen to carry bins of dishes, or select items for our snack, they help to rearrange furniture before lunch and help to lift and stack the beds at the end of the day. All of these tasks help to build their sense of belonging in our small community and also help to build their gross motor strength at the same time. By doing important work in the environment, a small person can begin to build self esteem.
“In reality it is useful to repeat. It is only their bodies that are small, not their minds or ability to do things.” Understanding the Human Being, The Importance of the First Three Years of Life, Silvana Quattrocchi Montanaro, M.D.
Ms. Gervais.
Good Morning Casa Families!
My name is Jessica Dewey and I’m the English Assistant for Casa South. This will be my fourth year at Lyonsgate and my second year in Casa South full time. It has been lovely reconnecting with our returning students and getting to know each new child in the class.
In early education we talk a lot about the developmental phases that children go through: critical learning periods, physical growth and needs, what to expect, and what to watch out for. Each age has its own joys and challenges but I have to say that the three years a child is in Casa are my favorite. Each little person has their own unique interests and abilities, yet they do tend to follow certain patterns which can be especially apparent at the start of the school year.
The oldest children who have usually been in this class for two years exhibit a comfort with the routines and staff, settling into working and learning quickly. Many take to leadership easily and will help and mentor younger students. While they’re often hungry for new, difficult work, it’s not unusual to see them practicing foundational skills from time to time.
The middle group, typically second year students, are also quite comfortable returning but may need reminders about classroom etiquette. This age group is quite focused on their social development. So many of their skills are tied to peer interactions: verbal communication, social problem solving, collaboration, competition, sharing interests. For adults, it’s important to recognize this driving need and guide it appropriately.
Finally, our youngest students, whether new to the school or moving up from the Toddler class, always bring fresh personalities to the classroom. For these children everything is new. They may feel eagerness or trepidation, but I would say their first weeks are most characterized by the wonder of discovery. Many need extra care and patience as they become accustomed to the pace and expectations of the classroom, but they all find a welcome place in our community.
It is a teacher’s privilege to observe these patterns over years and become closely acquainted with each child and family in our care.
Thank you for trusting us and thank you for reading,
Ms. Dewey.
[Casa North Families: please note that there is a cinnamon allergy in Casa North; please ensure if cinnamon is enjoyed for breakfast that hands are washed before arriving at school. Thank you.]
Thursday, September 28 — Upper Elementary Outing
Upper Elementary students will be traveling by city bus to the Westdale branch of the public library. They will have a tour of the library and lessons with the librarians on how to effectively use the catalogue system. Please support your Upper Elementary child in developing a system at home to remember their red Lyonsgate shirt and bus fare or Presto card for Upper Elementary outings.
Thursday, October 5 — Annual Run for Charity
The whole class will be traveling by chartered school bus to La Salle Park in Burlington for an Annual Run for Charity hosted by Fairview Glen Montessori School. This year’s event will be in support of the Red Cross Canadian Wildfire Relief, with Lyonsgate making a donation on behalf of each Elementary student. Additional donations are always welcome.
On the day of the event, students will be grouped with others of the same age and gender from five different Montessori schools to complete a fun trail run through the woods. Staff from each school will be along the well-marked route to guide students and offer encouragement along the way! Following race, the students will enjoy an outdoor lunch and playtime at the park before a short awards ceremony. Students will return to school for the remainder of the afternoon. Please help your child remember to wear their red Lyonsgate shirt that day, along with packing a healthy litter-less lunch and full water bottle.
Weekly Update
From the Guides
Following stories of the creation of the universe and the emergence of life on Earth, the children receive the third Great Lesson: The Coming of Humans. This oral tale emphasizes three distinct gifts possessed by humans that have enabled them to thrive and develop complex cultures: the head, the hand, and the heart. The children are asked to consider the many ways in which they use their mind: to wonder, to imagine, to think. Attention is called to the special role of human hands, freed to work and create, thanks to our ability to walk on two limbs instead of four. Finally, the children honour their heart, not only as an organ to circulate blood, but as a symbol of their great human ability to love. The children were then presented with the Timeline of Early Humans, learning about other members of the genus Homo, and how they met their needs thousands of years ago. We look forward to many more investigations of the diversity of life on Earth.
Marissa and Michelle.
From the Classroom Historians
Some students made a model of Pompeii.
Others use the slappers to slap the word Anne said in French.
This is when a 5th year student is reading to her sister and best friend. They like the pictures.
A reading circle with Danielle sharing the story of The Littles.
“I made a dinosaur and a tree. To make those leaves I usually make a ball and then squish it down and make the shape I want it to be.” – Edmée
Pippa and Edmée.
Lyonsgate Update Sept. 18, 2023
Happy Monday Lyonsgate Families,
The school year is well underway and Lyonsgate students are settling back into the school routine. A couple of reminders:
- Casa and Toddler students’ Public Health vaccine history forms are due back to Lyonsgate on Monday, Sept. 25
- The first PD Day of the school year is on Friday, Sept. 29.
Please check your Lyonsgate calendar regularly for up to date events, details, and information.
Greetings Toddler Parents,
In the Toddler classroom, we have been observing both new and returning toddlers adjust to the routine of coming to school each day and all of their hard work has begun to pay off. Many children are actively taking part in their day by putting their backpack on the hook, placing their outdoor shoes in their cubbies, and retrieving their indoor shoes. They are taking care of themselves and keeping track of their personal items.
Small children feel most comfortable in an environment when they are included in the daily routine. At this point of the year, we are talking a lot about what is coming next in the routine. It is reassuring for our new toddlers to be informed about what is happening.
Thank you to all of the toddlers who are doing the hard work of adapting to a new environment. Thank you to all of the returning toddlers who are helping to take care of the environment and model the routine for their new friends, and thank you to all of the parents and caregivers who continue to trust us. Thank you for believing in your children and their ability to do hard things!
Ms. Gervais.
Hello Casa Families!
We had another busy week in the Casa classrooms. It was a great first week as a full class. Many new friendships have been made in the classroom and on the playground. Our returning students have been great at helping the new children in our class with our daily routine, showing them activities around the classroom, and making sure they feel included and welcome.
We have been practicing a lot of grace and courtesy this week and getting back into our routines of the classroom. We have been working on using our manners, tucking in our chairs, not interrupting others, and covering our mouth when sneezing and coughing.
We had a very successful picture day. It was wonderful to see the children’s beautiful smiles. We are looking forward to continuing getting to know your children and making memories with them this year!
The Casa Team.
The class had a wonderful week making connections between geography and biology. They received the second Great Lesson, which introduces the emergence of unicellular life in the oceans, and the need for balance between the elements. Many students received safety training for the science materials, and were thrilled to be given a lab license for conducting experiments.
Marissa and Michelle.
From the Classroom Historians
Last week we did the second great lesson, and it was on the coming of life. After that lesson we learned about birds and flying. Some other people worked on geometry with angles. The fourth years learned about the story of elements. To end this week we did a huge human knot with everybody.
Beck and Colin.
Lyonsgate Update Sept. 11, 2023
Hello Lyonsgate Families,
We regularly publish general updates from each of our Montessori levels to keep you up to date on what’s going on in the classrooms and the school in general, as well as reminders and other bits of important school info. You will also find a gallery of photos from the previous week so you can see what the students have been up to in all of the classrooms.
What a fantastic week in the Toddler classroom!
It was lovely to welcome our returning students. We are thankful for their help in role-modelling the routine and the materials to our new students.
The half day visits with the new toddlers were a great success.
We look forward to this week when we will all be together in engaging in purposeful work & joyful learning.
Please remember to send indoor shoes,extra clothes (please label everything!), and send us a digital photo of your family for our family album.
Mrs. Elise Gervais.
Greetings Casa Families,
We’re off and running into a new school year with plenty of smiles, a few tears, and no doubt some early nights. It’s been so good to welcome returning faces and greet new ones, to see how much children have grown, and how happy they are to join their classrooms.
The returning children are really stepping up to fulfill their role as mentors and guides for their newer classmates. We have already observed connections in the making, sharing of knowledge, and helping hands in action. Learning to lead and leading to learn are truly processes we witness (and do) on a daily basis.
This week, we will welcome our remaining students to complete our classrooms and form our micro-communities in both classrooms as well as the larger one that includes all our Casa children. The outdoor space is a whirlwind of activity with all those energetic bodies interacting and making up games as they build strong bodies and friendships.
As always, we thank you for all your support, especially at this time of transition, and look forward to getting to know all of you more throughout the year.
See you at the gate,
The Casa Team.
The Elementary class had a wonderful first week of school! They welcomed six children moving up from Casa, conducting small group interviews, drawing life-size posters, and presenting their new friends to the rest of the class. They’ve enjoyed team-building exercises such as relay races and obstacles courses, returned to daily practice in reading and writing, and were eager for new lessons in math and geometry. The whole class came together for the dramatic telling of the first Great Lesson: The Creation of the Universe, sowing the seeds of interest for further study of the laws of physics, the planets, and the composition of our own Earth.
As part of the students’ rotating contributions to their classroom community, our weekly update will sometimes include a description and photographs prepared by our classroom historians. Please continue reading below for your weekly update from Colin and Beck.
Marissa and Michelle.
From the Classroom Historians
This week Danielle taught a couple first years how to use the basketball material in the backyard. Some of the fourth and fifth years made an indigenous village out of plasticine. Danielle gave everyone a physical education lesson. (Everyone agreed it was very fun). The snack that day was very tasty. Kim gave lots of people lessons and everybody loves Kim. Two of the fourth years did a huge math problem on the checkerboard, trust me it was huge, it got up to the trillions. That is the stuff that has been happening this week.
Colin and Beck.
Welcome to the Lyonsgate 2023.2024 School Year
Hello Lyonsgate Montessori Families,
We wish to extend a genuine, warm welcome to all of our new and returning students and families for the 2023.2024 school year. We hope you enjoyed a wonderful summer and are ready to embrace the school year ahead.
We have been excitedly preparing the school and classroom environments to welcome and inspire your children. The staff are now eagerly waiting to greet new students and to see how much the returning students have grown and changed over the last two months. We always marvel at the progress the children have made over the summer holidays!
We know how special a time it is for a child when they start school. New teachers and new faces can be overwhelming at first, but with consistency and patience you will see a transition to comfort, confidence, and joy in learning.
As always, we thank you for entrusting us with your precious children, and we appreciate the opportunity to work alongside them, learn together, and marvel at their progress as they blossom into the special people they are meant to be. We hope you and your children are looking forward to this school year with great eagerness. We certainly are!
Thank you,
Rachel Lyons, principal
Sarah Kennedy, vice-principal
Last Day of School Visitor
We had a beautiful surprise visitor for the last day of school today. A fledgling bird that is also taking its first steps, and flaps, into the wider world came to visit during recess:
Lyonsgate Parent Update June 19, 2023
Dear Lyonsgate Families,
It is hard to believe another school year is almost complete. As Montessorians, we always struggle with the end of the school year approaching. While friends and family kindly offer celebratory congratulations to us on a year almost complete, the truth is, for us, the end of a school year always leaves us feeling more than a little unsettled. Opposed to other learning institutions where there is a set curriculum to complete within the year, we recognize that there is always more learning that can happen, more lessons and presentations to give and build upon, more ways to explore with materials, and more grace and courtesy to practice and refine. For us, a feeling of satisfaction is not felt from completing checklists, it is felt from knowing that we have helped to mold our students into inquisitive, kind, knowledgeable, and community-minded individuals who are excited to explore the world, have a thirst for knowledge, and assist one another in making this world a better place.
Thank you for gifting your children to our care this past year — they never cease to amaze us. To those students and families moving on next year, we thank you for the time you have spent with us and hope you know how dearly you will be missed. To those families returning next year, we are excited to see you in September, and look forward to the learning and growth we will do together in the next school year.
One thing we all look forward to at the end of the school year is the annual Family Picnic at Dundas Driving Park . We are hosting a potluck at pavilion #1. Please feel free to bring a pot luck item to share with the school community, and please include an ingredients list for those with allergies or other restrictions. All items must be nut-free, and we also have students with anaphylactic allergies to eggs and kiwi. Lyonsgate will provide plates, cutlery, and serviettes.
There are always so many fun things to do: run through the splash pad, play ball or frisbee on the grass, splash in the wading pool, play on the playground, and of course, socialize with one another. Items to remember to bring are refillable water bottles, bathing suits and towels for the splash pad, sun protection, a picnic blanket, and any balls, games, or other park activities your family enjoys.
We have the pavilion booked from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm, and we look forward to being able to share food and conversation with one another. We hope to see you and your family there to celebrate the end of a great school year!
We wish you and your family a joy-filled summer, full of laughter, fun, health, happiness, and many great memories!
The Lyonsgate Team.
Lyonsgate Parent Update June 12, 2023
Hello Lyonsgate Families,
As a number of you noted last week, the end of the school year seems to be approaching at a rapid pace. While we don’t make notable mention of it, the students are starting to sense some excitement in the air, as well as some smoke. Thank you all for understanding as we adjusted to another new and not-so-exciting issue to deal with last week.
Parents of New and Returning Elementary Students in September: There are a number of Elementary events in the coming weeks; please check your Lyonsgate calendar for dates, times, and details.
- Please see the Elementary section for an orientation date option survey.
- For new Elementary students and parents next year, please see the Casa section for details of your orientation this Wednesday.
“Years ago, anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilization in a culture. The student expected Mead to talk about fishhooks or clay pots or grinding stones. But no. Mead said that the first sign of civilization in an ancient culture was a femur (thighbone) that had been broken and then healed. Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run from danger, get to the river for a drink or hunt for food. You are meat for prowling beasts. No animal survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal.
A broken femur that has healed is evidence that someone has taken time to stay with the one who fell, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended the person through recovery. Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilization starts.”
In the Toddler community we are observing a strong desire for the children to be helpful. Jobs like washing the table in preparation for a meal, serving snack or water to their fellow classmates, bringing the bin of dishes to the kitchen to be cleaned are all ways for a child to be useful. The act of doing the important work of contributing to a community gives the child a sense of belonging and responsibility. There is so much enthusiasm for these jobs that children will delay their own snack in order to serve someone else. It is within human nature to help each other. We cannot do it alone.
Ms. Gervais.
Good Morning, Lyonsgate Families!
June always seems so far away until it’s here. As staff, we plan, collaborate, and work to meet the goals we’ve set for the children, while the children do what comes naturally: play, practice, learn, and explore. At this time of year we tend to feel a sense of urgency around whether we have done enough. Did we teach enough academic skills? Have we practiced enough grace and courtesy? Did we model kindness and patience? Are they prepared for whatever comes next?
On a personal note, my family is moving to a new home this month so I’m also feeling that added pressure as we pack and purge. I’m excited for summer and a fresh start but I need to remind myself to slow down and appreciate the memories and connections we’ve made. The children in our classes are the same ones we met in September (which wasn’t really so long ago), yet each one has grown so much, inside and out. I feel very fortunate to have gotten to know every one of them.
Thank you for reading,
Jessica Dewey.
Welcome to Elementary — Parent and Child Orientation, Wednesday, June 14
Parents of children who will be moving up from Casa to our Elementary program in September are invited to an orientation session with Michelle, our lead guide for Lower Elementary students, from 3:30 – 4:00 in the Oak Room. Casa students who are moving up to Elementary are welcome to arrive with their parents and join Marissa, our lead guide for Upper Elementary students, for an art activity in the Pine Room.
When you arrive, please go to the north gate marked Learning Starts Here, and go down the stairs to the cloakroom door. Ring the bell, and one of our staff members will greet you.
The class had a wonderful time exploring Crawford Lake, learning about the features of the land and meromictic lake, as well as traditional cultural practices of the Wendat. The students loved exploring the longhouses re-built on the archaeological footprints of a village from more than 500 years ago. They examined different animal pelts, discovered a variety of uses for dried herbs, and saw how to start a fire with flint and milkweed. They even got to practice their lacrosse skills! It was a joyful way to further our understanding of the history of Canada, and develop an appreciation for the ways humans have adapted to this land over time. We look forward to continuing our studies of Canadian history as we celebrate Pride and National Indigenous Peoples Day this month.
Warmly,
Marissa and Michelle.
Open House — TODAY, Monday, June 12
Please join us for our final Open House of the school year! Visit the Elementary campus between 3:15 – 4:15 p.m. to tour exhibits of the children’s recent work. Parents, siblings, and other caregivers are welcome. Please come up to the front porch and enter through the Maple Room door when you arrive. We look forward to seeing you there!
Elementary Photo Day, Part 2 — Thursday, June 15
The Elementary staff will be taking some amateur photos of our graduating students, as well as a whole class picture. Students are welcome to dress their best, or bring a change of clothes for photos. The photos will be shared digitally with Elementary families.
Elementary Graduation — Thursday, June 22
The Elementary class will have a short ceremony on the last day of school to celebrate those students who are moving on from Lyonsgate to middle school this fall. Graduating sixth year students are welcome to invite two adults, as well as their siblings, to attend the celebration. Guests should arrive at 3:00 p.m. to be seated, and the ceremony will begin shortly after.
Elementary Orientation Date Survey
Parents of returning and new Elementary students, please complete the following survey by Friday, June 16, to help us select the best date for the Elementary Orientation at the beginning of the next school year; we would like as many families as possible to be able to attend. Thank you.
Survey link: https://forms.gle/dpW2DNLry9axXQ6x7
Lyonsgate Parent Update June 5, 2023
Hello Lyonsgate Parents,
As always, we will end our school year with an all-school picnic and Casa graduation ceremony at Dundas Driving Park. The picnic will run from 12:00-4:00 p.m. on Friday, June 23. The Casa graduation ceremony will begin at 12:30 p.m.
Please feel free to bring a pot luck item to share with the school community, and please include an ingredients list for those with allergies or other restrictions. All items must be nut-free, and we also have students with anaphylactic allergies to eggs and kiwi. Lyonsgate will provide plates, cutlery, and serviettes.
Other items to remember to bring are refillable water bottles, bathing suits and towels for the splash pad, sun protection, a picnic blanket, and any balls, games, or other park activities your family enjoys.
Elementary Families (and 3rd-year Casa): please be sure to check the Elementary section for updates on summer camp, field trip, photo day pt. 2, and the upcoming open house.
Hello Toddler Families,
As we all know, the past week has been a hot one and we have certainly been taking advantage of being outside as much as possible, which has been so lovely for all of us here at Lyonsgate. There is still a lot of excitement happening around the building as the construction is ongoing and many more machines have been making an appearance in our parking lot; the other morning we decided to take a few eager onlookers out to watch as the workers moved various items back and forth, there were many wide eyed little faces who certainly enjoyed the show!
We have also been been having more opportunities to have our snack outside in the mornings and afternoons, which the children have been loving as well. As some of you may have seen on Seesaw we made fruit ice cream for them on Thursday and it was such a wonderful and tasty experience. Mr. Davis brought in his ice cream maker which allowed each child to hand crank it and watch as it turned and formed the ice cream inside.
As we approach the end of the school year I have been reflecting on how far your children have developed since they first started and I wanted to leave you with a quote I recently read that really resonated with me:
“Childhood is not a race to see how quickly a child can read, write, and count. It is a small window of time to learn and develop at the pace that is right for each individual child. Earlier is not better.” — Magda Gerber.
Mme Craigie.
Hello June!
It’s hard to believe the school year is almost complete. We have seen so much growth physically and academically in all our students. New friends have been made, and old friends will soon say farewell as they move on. All the children have gifted us with fond memories and many funny stories.
On Wednesday, we had an opportunity to make even more memories and share in their laughter and joy. We love seeing opportunities for learning beyond our classroom. A Montessori classroom allows for choice-making in all aspects of the Casa. Choices are essential when working with young children. These choices enable the child to feel empowered and affirmed in their abilities. Our outing to the park allowed this theory to be seen concretely, as the children could explore the park and complete activities they felt secure at, or challenge their skills and confidence. We educators could observe gross motor skills, hopping, climbing, running, etc., and we were privileged to hear their thoughts and plans for their day. The morning was filled with laughter, ear-to-ear smiles, and profound statements of “I did it!”
The temperatures have started climbing and the children love the freedom from snowsuits, and boots. A gentle reminder to please send your child with a hat and a full water bottle. For those wishing sunscreen to be applied, we do it before recess. On those hot days, we encourage water painting and spray bottle play. Please send in extra T-shirts and shorts for the children to change into if they become too wet.
These final weeks of June seem to fly by, and we all would like to wish you lots of family time and fabulous memories.
Great summer wishes,
Casa North Team.
Elementary Weekly Update
This week, our classroom assistant, Caitlin, has an update on the children’s work in the kitchen this year:
The students often have contributions in the kitchen to help our community with snacks each day and community lunches on Fridays. They all seem to enjoy getting food prepared for the classroom and we have worked on many skills throughout the year such as chopping vegetables, cutting fruit, making hummus from scratch, and making muffins, which I think is their favourite! It has been especially fun helping them realize that fractions and math are used in the kitchen! Some distinctions have been made between cooking and baking, and how ingredients can be used as well. For example, we have been working on improvising our amounts in cooking soups and tasting as we go to see what ingredient we might need more of, as well as working on measuring exact amounts for baking muffins.
Sometimes the students also choose to make something in the kitchen for special projects and occasions. The Winn Dixie literature circle made fruit punch for the whole school to try. When learning about the fundamental needs of humans, one group delighted our open house guests with homemade pie. During our recent Phoenicians trading game, students explored using food from our kitchen to prepare trade items such as olive oil, salt, and homemade grape juice.
The children really enjoy working in the kitchen alongside their friends!
All the best,
Caitlin.
Summer Camp is CANCELLED
While we had a wonderful time at our Montessori Summer Camp last year, we unfortunately do not have enough campers to offer the program again this summer. All camp registration fees will be refunded. We know that this will be disappointing to those students who were looking forward to spending a bit more time together on campus, but hope they will find new opportunities for summer adventures!
Crawford Lake
The class will be traveling by chartered bus to Crawford Lake on Tuesday, June 6, as part of their history studies. If your child has a Lyonsgate t-shirt or another red-shirt, they are encouraged to wear it for the trip. Please remember to have your child bring a bag to carry their lunch and water bottle for the day, and they may wish to also bring a hat or sunglasses.
Open House
Please join us next Monday, June 12, for our final open house of the year! Family members are welcome to arrive at the Elementary campus anytime between 3:15 – 4:15 to see displays of the children’s work.
Elementary Photo Day, Part 2
On Thursday, June 15, the Elementary staff will be taking some amateur photos of our graduating students, as well as a whole class picture. Students are welcome to dress their best, or bring a change of clothes for photos. The photos will be shared digitally with Elementary families.
