Good Remembrance Day Morning Lyonsgate Families,
Education for peace is a central tenet of Maria Montessori’s teaching philosophy and method. Thank you for choosing a Montessori education for your children as we look forward today to a more peaceful world.
Show & Share: The Casa and Toddler students are excited to welcome you into their classrooms this week to show you some of their Montessori materials and to share some their favourite work with you. If you still need to sign up for a Show & Share visit at the end of your child’s school day, please click here to do so.
Parent-Teacher Conferences: Following Show & Share for Casa and Toddler students, and observations at the Elementary campus, parents will have a chance to sit down with your children’s Montessori guides at Parent-Teacher conferences. Both Lyonsgate campuses will be closed on Friday, Nov. 22, to accommodate the conferences; childcare will be available at your child’s Lyonsgate campus during your conference timeslot. Please click here to sign up for your 20-minute Parent-Teacher conference.
Casa In-Class Observations: This week, we will be opening up the classrooms for in-class observations for parents of Casa students. Observations are for 20 minutes during the morning Montessori work cycle. Observations will be open for the rest of the school year and sign-up will be emailed separately at the end of this week, along with the “Observation Guidelines” to help you have the best observation experience (guidelines are also attached to the email version of this update). Please feel free to sign up for one observation during each term — the current fall term, the winter term, and the spring term after March Break.
Please click the links below for updates from your children’s Montessori levels, and for a gallery of photos from the last week at Lyonsgate:
Hello Toddler Families,
Ms/Mme.Craigie here to give you a little update about all the beautiful French your children have been working on so far this school year. As some of you may already know, I have been worked in the Toddler room for quite some time and in the last few years have also been helping them with their French language acquisition. With some background in speaking French coming from my time growing up in Ottawa and being immersed in the language, I feel lucky to continue being able to speak it. So far this year our main focus has been singing songs during our group gatherings which take place after lunch and just before nap. Our songs include:
“Frère Jacques” (are you sleeping?)
“Tete Épaules” (head and shoulders)
“Petit Poison” (which the children love saying OH NON!)
And our autumn song sung to the tune of Frère Jacques which is:
Les feuilles tombent
Les feuilles tombent
C’est l’automne!
C’est l’automne!
Rouge, orange et jaune
Rouge. orange et jaune
C’est l’automne
C’est l’automne
I have also recently introduced simple fruits and vegetables, and colours, into our lovely circle time. I sincerely have gotten a great joy getting to know all of your children and I look forward to continuing working with them, en français!
Mme Craigie.
French language teacher and Learning Resource Specialist.
A chill is in the air, and you know what that means — winter is just around the corner! As we welcome the cooler mornings and unpredictable afternoons of this transition month, it’s the perfect time for our little ones to start getting ready for winter gear like hats, mittens, snowsuits, neck warmers, sweatshirts, and those cozy winter boots! In our Casa environment, we love giving kids the chance to practice dressing themselves. Nothing lights up a room quite like a child beaming with pride, declaring, “I did it!” Our first-year kiddos are doing a fantastic job learning how to manage zippers, and they’re even asking for help when they need it — that’s a big step! Meanwhile, our third-years are showing off their grace and courtesy by lending a hand to their younger friends. It’s so heartwarming to see the joy on their faces as they teach others!
These important skills don’t just stay at school; they can easily find their way home, too! When you’re out shopping for winter gear, try picking out boots that your child can slip on by themselves, jackets with nice big zippers that are easy to use, and mittens that keep those little hands warm, dry, and toasty. I personally prefer mittens over gloves because they keep fingers toasty and make it easier for little ones — there’s less fuss with ten fingers to manage!
I really hope your home is filled with cheers of accomplishment and growing confidence as your children become more independent. Remember, Montessori education is about nurturing that independence and helping children become capable, confident, and caring individuals.
Ms. Canessa.
Thursday, November 14 AM: Brott Education Concert
During the morning work cycle, we will have the pleasure of attending the annual Brott Education Concert! All elementary students will travel by chartered school bus to and from the First Ontario Concert Hall to enjoy musical performances from the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra and Hamilton Children’s Choir, along with lots of opportunities for audience participation. All elementary students should arrive wearing their red Lyonsgate shirts to attend the performance.
Thursday, November 14 PM: Elementary Student Charity Bake Sale
On Thursday, November 14, from 3:00–4:00, there will be a bake sale supporting Ronald McDonald House Charity, at Lyonsgate. Ronald McDonald House Charity gives family’s a place to stay when their children are living at Sick Kids Hospital. If your child has ever been sick, you would know that you feel a need to stay right there, next to them. Please come to this bake sale to help support this amazing charity.
– Abby, Lellie, and Pippa.
Friday, November 15: Scholastic Orders Due
Your child recently brought home a Scholastic book flyer, offering discounts on books for families and encouraging a love of reading. To have your books shipped for free to the school, please include the class code RC 144312 (written on the front of each flyer) with your online order. If there are any surprise or gift items in your order you would like to be kept hidden from your child, please let us know and we’ll set it aside for you to pick up. With every order placed using our class code, we earn “bonus bucks” for the classroom!
If you would like to be included in our November shipment, please place your family’s online order by Friday, November 15.
