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.
