Welcome to the winter term Lyonsgate families. The students returned with a joyful energy, and a bit of holiday fatigue as we all adjusted back to early mornings and full school days. We have a few updates for you:
- CCMA Accreditation: Lyonsgate Montessori has been re-accredited by the Canadian Council of Montessori Administrators. Lyonsgate will always offer authentic Montessori educations for your children.
- New Arrival & Dismissal Policy at Primary Campus: On January 1, a new policy requirement came into effect called “Safe Arrival and Dismissal.” You can view the full policy in your Parent Handbook. What it means for Casa and Toddler parents:
- If your child is absent and we have not heard from you, we are required to contact you to ascertain why the child is absent. We will begin contacting parents at 9:30 each day. If your child will be absent for any reason, please email admin@lyonsgate.ca and your child’s classroom, or leave a message at 905-525-4283.
- We are also required to contact you if your child is not picked up as expected. If you are going to be late picking up, please call 905-525-4283 to let us know, or email admin@lyonsgate.ca if you can do so before 3:15 p.m.
Welcome Back Toddlers,
It was great to see everyone after the holidays and hear some stories about what the children got up to over the break. One child reported with glee, “I did nothing!” We asked, “Did you eat some nice food?” “No!” “Hot chocolate?” “No!” “Did you have any visitors?” “No!”
Another told us an elaborate story of a pet turtle that eats bamboo which we later found out was completely fabricated. Some of our older toddlers are developing a rich imagination.
We are welcoming a few new toddlers to our community over the next few weeks. It is really lovely to see how the more experienced toddlers often become very nurturing towards the new and younger students.
On a practical note, please remember to send plenty of good winter gear. It seems that winter has finally arrived. We could use two pairs of mittens, extra socks, and an extra layer for under the outerwear for comfort during cold and wet weather. Thank you.
Ms. Gervais.
Bonne Année 2024!
It has been nice getting to hear from the children about their holiday break.
In Casa North, the students are working with winter animals and their habitats. For example:
- Le loup vit dans la montagne.
- Le lapin vit dans le terrier.
Students have also been introduced to two different French songs: “Pirouette Cacahuete” and “Un Petit Pouce qui Danse” (which is a finger play).
Now, we are starting to express our feelings/emotions at French circle. I ask them, “Comment te sens-tu aujourd’hui?” (How do you feel today?). No worries, so far! Tout le monde est content(e), excité(e) mais un peu fatigué.
We enjoyed reading a collection of books written by Jeremy Tankard (stories about a little bird and his friends, ie. Gros Grognon, Gros dodo, Gros gâté).
En attendant que la neige tombe …pensons à mettre nos pantalons de neige! Il fait froid!!
Mme Murati.
from the Classroom Guides
We had a wonderful first week back at school following the winter break! The students were thrilled to be back together with their friends and start the second term off with a winter scavenger hunt. There was a lot of enthusiasm for word problems in math this week, racing to build and name different types of angles, and exploring the measurement of time in centuries. In art, Upper Elementary students had a great time experimenting with relief printing by carving image blocks out of potatoes and pressing their designs onto paper. In P.E., the younger students had a fantastic time learning about high blocks, jabs, and knee strikes, with lots of laughter in the dojo, while the older students enjoyed a kick-boxing class complete with rock music to get them energized.
from the Classroom Historians
– Josephine
Friday, January 19 — P.E. Karate and Kick-Boxing
All students will return to the dojo on Friday for another P.E. class in karate or kick-boxing. Please support your child in remembering to wear their red Lyonsgate t-shirts for special P.E. outings such as trips to the dojo, rock-climbing, or indoor sports fields.
Friday, January 19 — O.W.L. # 4, Part 2
Upper Elementary students are kindly encouraged to complete the required reading for this workshop on their own, at school, or with a trusted adult at home, if they have not already done so! The kids are having a lot of fun learning about the changes of puberty to come.
