Welcome to the winter term Lyonsgate Community,
This is the shortest term of the year as we work through January and February into the March Break, but it remains busy. We have sibling registrations open now and will be finalizing next year’s registrations at the end of the month with offers to families on our wait lists, there is a Parent Education evening on Jan. 23, Elementary students will be rock climbing and learning gymnastics, Toddler and Casa families have Show and Share on Jan. 30, and there is a PD Day on Friday, February 14 (happy Valentine’s Day), that leads into the Family Day long weekend (Monday, Feb. 17, is the statutory holiday and there is no school). It’s winter, so there might be a snow day or two thrown in there too (but we’re hoping to not break last winter’s snow day record!).
Sibling Registration
Thank you for continuing to entrust your child(ren) to us. We have completed registration of returning students for the 2020/2021 school year and are now opening registration to siblings of those returning students. If you would like to register a sibling at Lyonsgate next year, please submit your registration form and payment by Friday, January 24th. Any spaces left available beyond that date will be offered to families on our wait list. The registration form can be completed at the link below and payment can be submitted via e-transfer or cheque.
Please click here to submit registration for the 2020/2021 school year.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. We look forward to continuing to share in this journey with your children.
Staffing Changes
We want to let you know of some staffing changes that have occurred for this term. Monsieur Bouquin from Casa North has welcomed a baby girl into his family and will be off on parental leave for this second term.
In his place, Mlle Cottone will be stepping in to the Casa North French assistant role. The children are already very familiar with Mlle Cottone as she has been the French assistant for lunch in Casa North, assists with Casa recess, and has been filling in for staff absences since the beginning of the school year. This should be as smooth a transition as possible for all involved.
With Mlle Cottone stepping in to that specific role, we have welcomed a new staff member, Ms. Folland. She is joining us with lots of great experience and brings a special joy and positivity that is sure to be infectious. She will be support staff: covering for staff absences, assisting with lunch in Casa North, helping oversee recess, and assisting with after school care, among other responsibilities. We hope you will join us in welcoming her to our ever-broadening Lyonsgate family!
Summer Camp: The Lyonsgate summer camp will take place during the last two weeks of July and is open to Lyonsgate students ages 4-12 who have completed their second year of Casa and are entering 3rd-year Casa or Elementary. Camp will be held at the Elementary Campus on Locke Street.
Camp staff will be from both the Lyonsgate Elementary and Casa programs.
Each week’s themed activities will include science demonstrations, arts and crafts, music, story-telling, drama, outdoor games, yoga, soccer, water play, and trips to the HAAA park:
- Monday, July 20 – Friday, July 24: Habitat Explorers
- Monday, July 27 – Friday, July 31: World Travelers
Campers are to bring their own water bottle, nut-free snacks, and a packed litterless lunch. Camp kids will also need closed-toe sandals/shoes, a t-shirt to paint in (and get paint on), a towel and splash pad gear, their own sunscreen as desired, and a sun hat.
Cost is $250 per week and payment to Lyonsgate Montessori School, by e-transfer or cheque, is due with registration.
Daily Schedule
- 8:30-9:00 Camper Drop-Off
- 9:00-12:00 Morning Activities and Open Snack
- 12:00-12:30 Lunch
- 12:30-3:30 Afternoon Activities and Open Snack
- 3:30-4:00 Camper Pick-Up
Each week is limited to 20 campers and a minimum registration must be met for each week’s camp to proceed, so register early!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR LYONSGATE SUMMER CAMP
Toddler
Happy New Year! It is wonderful to have the children back in the classroom. It was especially phenomenal to hear about their winter break and to be reminded how much growth can be experienced in two short weeks.
The return from winter break can feel like September as the children are adjusting to the classroom routine once again. It is amazing to see the empathy displayed by the older Toddlers to the few who are sensitive to the abrupt change –- we see a lot of hugs being shared, and frequent reminders that they will see their parents soon. It is great to see the children’s concern in action; instead of simply telling the adult that a child is crying and returning to their work, we acknowledge what they have observed and ask them ‘What can we do about it?’ prompting them to act on their concerns.
The second term focuses heavily on care of self –- self dressing using the many layers of winter gear, toilet learning as some of the children transition to underpants, and brushing teeth, the latter being the most popular task in this classroom. As language exploration continues, additional classified cards have been added to the classroom that pertain to things that interest the children. Our Gathering (circle time) has shifted from sing-alongs to conversations varying from what was eaten for breakfast to what they chose to wear to school, and various other topics that will encourage them to think critically beyond the present moment they are experiencing. We have been delving into “This is how we do it,” a book by Matt Lamothe that gives a glimpse of one day in the lives of seven children from around the world. The Toddlers have been prompt at pointing out commonalities such as food consumed, habitats, and modes of transportation. We have instituted a format (a work in progress) that encourages them to practice waiting for their turns and attentively listening to their peers.
We are of course ecstatic about the continuity of sensorial activities, the incorporation of movement and practical life in our day to day routine. Please ensure the consistency is maintained at home as well –- self dressing, self feeding, self-serving. The consistency will certainly help the children feel empowered as they transition through various phases of life.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Ms. Dee
Casa South
Happy 2020 from everyone in Casa South! We hope your holiday season was joyful and triumphant!
We are thrilled to be back into the routine in Casa South. So many happy faces walked through our doors on Monday morning. We have shared lots of stories of what we did when we were apart. When asked what their favourite memories of the break were many of the children shared small moments, going to show that it doesn’t take a grand gesture to make a memory (it could be as small as a tooth falling out!)
As we embark on our second and shortest semester we have much to look forward to and work towards. An ongoing goal in all Montessori Casa environments is to have a normalized classroom, which is term we want to explain today.
In this sense, the term “normal,” with Montessori Normalization, does not refer to what is considered typical or average. It does not refer to a process of conformity. It refers to a unique process Montessori observed in child development.
Normalization is a state in which the child (and classroom) is characterized by calmness, self-confidence, a thirst for knowledge, a warm response towards others, and joy.
In a normalized classroom you see children choosing work over being aimless. When work is chosen, you see the children focus and concentrate at the task at hand; you see children looking out for one another and choosing to help a friend rather than to compete. They find joy in their world and their environment, and they are at peace.
An old proverb says: “Peace: it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hardwork, it is to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.”
We are so excited to see what the rest of the year has in store for our beautiful children in Casa South. We can hardly wait!
Miss Moffatt
Reminder: Please remember to check the Fresh Cut Flower Sign Up Sheets for the new term. Thank you.
Casa North
Welcome back, Casa North!
Happy 2020 🙂 I hope you all had a restful, safe, fun-filled holiday. We are back and ready to dive into a new year.
One of the primary goals in Montessori is for the environment to reach a point where the children are acting as if we (the adults) do not exist. In preparing an environment that is catered to their developmental, academic, and individual needs we are not only showing them how to become independent in their learning but also in their problem solving, regulation, and socialization. It is an extremely prideful time when I am able to stand back and see the classroom humming and buzzing with purposeful work, leadership, guidance, social interaction, and conversation. As we settle into a new term, I am seeing more and more of these moments (that are increasingly longer in length!). Knowing that a large group of children under the age of 6 is capable of being self-sufficient is remarkable, and never gets old.
We are looking forward to a Show and Share and a Parent Education Evening in the upcoming term. I hope to see you all at both events! They are both favourites for the children and for us.
Thank you for your continued support of the classroom, the school, and the community.
With warmth,
Miss Boyle
Reminder: Please remember to check the Fresh Cut Flower Sign Up Sheets for the new term. Thank you.
Elementary
Happy New Year! Squeezed between the winter holidays and spring break, the short second term is often a period of consolidation for students as they integrate new language and math skills into their cultural studies. Students at each level are invited back to studies of the solar system to expand their understanding of the universe and how the order of the cosmos affects their lives. Wintry days invite cozy days spent reading in the library by the fire and we draw upon that natural instinct with a quiet, independent reading period, oral reading circles, and the beginning of novel studies. This term will also see extensive work in French and the visual and dramatic arts as students prepare for the French Concert in February. Dr. Montessori often made reference in her writing and lectures to the “normalization” of children, by which she meant that they were developing skills of self-regulation and making a choice to follow the rules of their community, as well as demonstrating an ability to independently initiate work and find joy in their accomplishments. Between their individual pursuits and collaborative goals, we look forward to observing each student learn and grow this term.
Coming Up
Don’t forget to check your Lyonsgate calendar regularly.
- Parent Education: Our winter term Parent education event is on Thursday, Jan. 23, from 4:00-5:00 at the Primary (Aberdeen) campus. This event is for all Lyonsgate parents with children at all Montessori levels, and we have a special event planned for you:
A panel of older, high school-aged Montessori students will be discussing their experiences in Montessori and their progression through their years of schooling. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions.
Photos
