Happy Easter Long Weekend Everyone,

This week your children’s English language assistants have updates for you about the spring term and their roles in the classroom. We also have information about an upcoming Elementary Parent Education Event.

Lyonsgate is closed on Good Friday, April 15, and on Easter Monday, April 18. Safe and healthy travels to those who may be visiting family or otherwise adventuring this weekend. Reminder if you travel internationally:

  • For 14 days upon return you must follow federal guidelines, which includes:
    • wearing a mask at all times when in public spaces (including schools and child care)
    • maintaining a list of all close contacts for your first 14 days in Canada, and
    • monitoring yourself for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.

New Hot Lunch Menu

When we return from the Easter weekend a new hot lunch menu will be in effect. Please see:  https://lyonsgate.ca/lyonsgate-lunch-menu/

[NOTE: vegetarian and vegan alternatives have not been shared with us yet; we will update the menu when we receive that information].

CWELCC Update

Their have been a couple of information sessions with the Ministry of Education and a brief note from the City of Hamilton regarding the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care program. There are no firm details on funding or how the program will run so Lyonsgate cannot yet decide if we will be opting in or out. The latest from the City’s Early Years division, who will be administering the program in Hamilton, states the following:

On April 12th the Ministry of Education shared the guidelines and allocations to support the implementation of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Child Care Plan with CMSM’s and DSSAB’s. At this time we are reviewing the guidelines and will determine next steps to support implementation of the plan. We also plan to meet with the Ministry in the coming weeks to better understand what the implications will be for Hamilton.

This is a significant change for our sector and we ask for your patience as we develop the tools, processes and resources to support our local implementation.

Toddler

It is hard to believe that we are already halfway through April! Spring is in the air and our community continues to evolve as the skills and personalities blossom. I personally have been enjoying the increased conversations with many of the students as their verbal skills continue to grow. Our Whimsical Wednesday jam sessions have been a great success and it has been a joy to share some of the fun and interesting instruments from my home and yours.

The longer I work with this age-group, the more I understand why movement is such an important component to the Montessori philosophy. It is great to see dancing, as well as the strumming, shaking, and pounding of percussion instruments, and basketball. As music was one of my first loves, it has been such a privilege to incorporate it in new ways in the classroom.

I hope everyone has a wonderful long weekend!

Mr. Davis.

Casa North

Good afternoon Casa North Families!

It’s been quite a while since I’ve had the privilege of writing to you. Part of my role as assistant has always been to ensure the classroom and all activities are tidy and ready to be used. As an adult, these tasks can feel like the most mundane of chores, but in the Montessori classroom I get a reminder of how the mundane can be joyful. At the end of each day, students come to Madame Murati and I to ask, “How can I help?” They straighten shelves, wipe tables and chalkboards, and ensure activities are stocked for the next day. We have a dedicated crew who enthusiastically offer to assist Mrs. Covic with any kitchen tasks whenever she enters our room. It’s lovely to see the children taking pride in their classroom, and our teaching team is always looking for opportunities to foster that sense of responsibility. My colleagues outside the Montessori community are always impressed by stories of how capable and responsible our Casa students are. A long weekend is a great time to take advantage of those burgeoning housekeeping skills! I hope you all enjoy your time off and look forward to hearing all about it on Tuesday!

Ms. Dewey.

Casa South

Hello Casa South Families! I am happy to personally introduce myself. I am Ms. Jefferies the English Assistant who started in January with your little ones.

Before the pandemic I was working in outdoor education, so any chance we get to be outside is a refreshing treat and so important. It has been such a joy to step into this role with the Lyonsgate community as I have learned so much from your children, Ms. Robinson, Mme Perazzo, and the Montessori teachings. My spring term goals are to continue to help students focus when needed and provide support when asked. I have evolved from the new assistant, who is learning herself, to someone your children now welcome with open arms for help, and it’s been beautiful to see. Phonics Bingo and reading books together have been a class favourite. I look forward to growing my relationship with your little ones and yourselves, as well as my own Montessori knowledge, and Spring is a perfect time to do that!

Have a great long weekend!

Ms. Jefferies

Elementary

This week the Elementary students immersed themselves in the decoration of eggs for Easter! Younger students first experimented with watercolour and wax relief on paper eggs. This involved a masking technique using wax crayon or oil pastel to block an area from watercolour paint. After our experiments on paper, we tried the same technique on hard-boiled eggs. Each student had fun in the kitchen boiling their own egg before applying a design and dyeing their egg!

Older students continued their study of Ukraine, learning about pysanky egg decorating. Using a traditional stylus, or kistka, they applied melted beeswax designs to an egg before dyeing. After the first colour bath the eggs were dried, more wax applied, and the process repeated. After the final colour was applied, students learned to handle a heat gun to remove their beeswax. The result? Beautiful, multi-coloured eggs!

We are excited to welcome parents back to campus for our next Parent Education event! Please join Marissa and Michelle on Thursday, May 12, at 4:00 p.m. for a curriculum workshop showcasing material progressions in math, biology, and geography. Parents who are attending can register their Elementary students for free aftercare with the classroom assistants during the event.

Parents are asked to RSVP to elementary@lyonsgate.ca by Monday, May 9.

Wishing you all a lovely long weekend,

Michelle and Marissa

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