Good Morning Lyonsgate Families,
Parent-Teacher Conferences take place this week on Friday, Nov. 22 (there are some conference slots available after school earlier in the week for some classes). Both Lyonsgate campuses will be closed to students on Friday to accommodate the conferences. Childcare is available during your conference. If you still need to sign up for a conference: Please click here to sign up for your 20-minute Parent-Teacher conference.
Upcoming Parent Education Events: On Thursday, Nov. 28, there will be two Parent Education events taking place from 3:30-4:15.
- Primary Campus for Casa and Toddler Parents: At the Primary (Aberdeen) campus, Lyonsgate principal, Rachel Lyons, will be presenting “The Beauty of the Three Year Casa Cycle”:
- We invite all Toddler and Casa families to attend a Parent Education event on Thursday, November 28, from 3:30-4:15 p.m. hosted by Lyonsgate principal, Rachel Lyons. We will dive into the importance of a full three (or four, depending on your child’s date of birth)-year term in the Casa classroom, and the advantage of it for your child’s physical, emotional, social, and intellectual growth. Learn how we progress from pouring rice to reading and writing, and from washing a table to multiplication. Learn how the activities are interconnected, and how the child’s process of observation and practice leads to strong self-esteem. The full Casa cycle sets your child up for success in their future learning adventures, and we would love to share how. Please plan to join us! Click to RSVP to The Beauty of the Three Year Casa Cycle
- Elementary Campus for Third-Year Casa Parents: At the Elementary (Locke St.) campus, Montessori guides Marissa and Michelle will present “A Typical Day in Elementary”:
- Parents of graduating third-year Casa students are invited to the Elementary campus after-school for a practical overview of what a typical day looks like for first year students in Elementary, and to answer any questions you may have about our curriculum and Montessori principles in action. Parents of emerging elementary children may wish to attend this event in place of the Casa parent education topic The Three Years of Casa. The Elementary discussion will take place from 3:30-4:15 p.m., with child care available for attending families. Please use the link below to let us know you’re coming! Click to R.S.V.P. to A Typical Day in Elementary
Please click the links below for updates from your children’s Montessori levels, and for photos of the past week at Lyonsgate (Elementary parents, there is a waiver link for rock climbing):
Hey Toddler Families!
The colder weather is coming more and more everyday and we want to thank you for making sure your little ones are bundled up to keep them warm! With this, we also thank you for making sure all of their clothing is labelled so what is theirs goes home with them!
With these extra layers, we have had a great opportunity to work with your children to practice taking off their jackets, boots, hats, and gloves on their own with little support, and they are continuing to be great at it and getting better everyday!
In our classroom, the children are revisiting activities and materials and mastering them as we go along. We are also seeing the children build stronger bonds with each other and we are seeing them communicate with each other, and with us, more and more everyday!
This past week we had our Show and Share on campus and we hope we were able to give you an insight into what your child gets to experience through their day here with us, and we look forward to building relationships, skills, knowledge, and memories along the way!
Mr. Ardrey.
Good Morning Casa Families,
Greetings, I am Ms. Houston, the new English Assistant in Casa South. Over the past month I have enjoyed getting to know the children. They have all been very welcoming and I feel like I learn so much from them everyday. It has been exciting to be in the classroom and watch each of the children discover new and exciting challenges.
Last week was Show and Share and we loved having our parents come and see what the children are learning. They were truly excited to show off all the amazing things they are accomplishing. The children are never more filled with pride and joy than when they can show another person a skill they have learned.
With the weather always changing and the colder days ahead of us, please be sure to send your child with warm clothing such as jackets, hats, and mittens.
As always, thank you for your continued support, we appreciate it very much.
Wishing each family a wonderful week.
Ms. Houston.
The Elementary classroom was alive with the sound of music last week! As the students prepared to attend a performance by the National Academy Orchestra of Canada, they learned about different families of instruments, listened to famous classical pieces, and talked about tempo, key, accents, and even ostinatos.
Of course, another highlight of the week was the bake sale raising funds for Ronald McDonald House. While these events are fun, community-building activities for the children, they also serve a greater purpose in our Montessori environment. They have to recognize a need in their community and find a way to use their skills in service. Students have the opportunity to practice collaborative planning and to solve problems as they arise. When a few members of the outreach team were not able to continue preparing for the bake sale last week, the remaining child persevered with the support of their peers. More than a dozen students eagerly rallied to help their classmate by offering to assist with planning, baking, dishwashing, setting up, serving, and making change. Thanks to the loving support of many, the work was completed and the sale was a great success, raising $114 in support of Ronald McDonald House.
We look forward to sharing more about your children’s work at our conferences this week!
Marissa and Michelle.
(photos by Zalia)
Friday, November 22: P.A. Day/Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parents are reminded to sign up online for your fall parent-teacher conference this week. While it is a P.A. day for students, parents are welcome to bring students along for childcare during their conference. We look forward to seeing you all soon!
Thursday, November 28: Upper Elementary Outing
Students in years 4-6 will practice traveling by public bus into Westdale Village during the afternoon work cycle for a late fall hike at Princess Point. Students should bring their red Lyonsgate t-shirt, their Presto card or bus fare, a water bottle, and are welcome to bring an additional nut-free snack to enjoy along the way. Students should be prepared to hike in any weather!
Monday, December 2: Elementary Open House
Please join us in the classroom on Monday, December 2, for our first 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 from the first term. When arriving, please come to the lower cloakroom door where you can stow your coats and bags before coming up into the classroom. You are also invited to visit the bake sale on the front porch hosted by Josephine and Hannah, who are fundraising for Plan International.
Families of students in their third year of the Casa program are welcome and encouraged to visit during this Elementary Open House event.
Gravity Waiver
Elementary students will be rock climbing weekly at Gravity Climbing Gym starting on Dec. 5. From Gravity: “Each climber will need a completed Gravity Climbing Gym Release Form. For participants under the age of 18, the release must be signed by their own parent or court appointed legal guardian. Participants who have attended events within the last 2 years at Gravity may already have a waiver on file but we recommend they call us to confirm. The form can be completed online at the following address: http://www.gravityclimbinggym.com/release-form
“When completed, parents will receive a pdf copy of the signed form. Please print this pdf and send it in with your child by Monday, Dec. 2.“
