Lyonsgate Weekly Update | Friday, Jan. 24, 2020

Happy Friday Lyonsgate Families,

Thank you to those of you who made it to the Parent Education event this week. We host Parent Education events so you can learn a little more about the Montessori education you have chosen for your children, and this one gave you a chance to ask questions of kids who have made their way through full Montessori programs or joined Montessori after some experience in public or other educational systems.

Lyonsgate Elementary guide Marissa has put together a summary of both the presentation and the answers to your posed questions — be sure to take a look.

Just a reminder that the deadline for registering siblings of current Lyonsgate students is today. If you would like to register a sibling, please click here to access the online registration form. Next week, we will begin offering remaining spaces to families on our wait lists. Thank you for continuing to choose Montessori education for your children; we think it’s a great choice.

Casa and Toddler Show and Share is next week on Thursday, Jan. 30.

Toddler: the Toddler Show and Share will take place from 3:30-4:00.
Casa: the Casa Show and Share will take place from 3:30-4:30.

For both Show and Shares, please go directly to your child’s classroom so they can show and share some of their favourite work and activities with you.

Parent Education Summary

Here is your summary of last night’s Parent Education event courtesy of Lyonsgate Elementary guide Marissa:

Parent Education Evening – January 2020

Looking Ahead: A Panel Discussion with the Students of S.i.T.E.

A Montessori-Inspired High School for Grades 10 – 12

Situated in Transformative Environments (S.i.T.E.) is a community-based high school with no single physical location and is part of a family of Montessori schools including Dundas Valley (18 mths – Gr. 6) and Strata (Gr. 7 – 9).
A small cohort of 12 students in grades 10, 11, and 12 work toward the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (O.S.S.D.) under the supervision of a curator, Eric Daigle.
Future expansion will follow the needs of the students to preserve the program and is currently estimated to be capped at 30 students in a group, with the hope of creating groups in different areas of the city.
The school day is scheduled with consideration of the developmental needs of teenagers, beginning at 10:00 a.m. and ending at 4:30 p.m.
Students earn credits on two courses at a time, with subjects thoughtfully paired (e.g. English and History studies are easily connected).
Students can select from the broad range of secondary school credits available at traditional schools and can meet the content requirements in a variety of ways.
Students have partnered with professors and researchers from McMaster University, the Dundas Historical Museum and Archives, the Dundas Valley School of Art, and more.
Students gain practical life and business experience in hosting a monthly market the second Thursday of each month at the SHED Brewing Company in Dundas.
Achievement of the O.S.S.D enables students to choose to apply to college, university, or other post-secondary opportunities the same as a graduate of a traditional high school.
Students have varied educational backgrounds, including traditional pubic/separate schools, traditional private schools, Waldorf, and Montessori.
Students are aware of their socio-economic privilege and the impact this has on the diversity of their cohort but think that the benefits of the program outweigh this concern.
Students who attended a year or more of traditional high school referred to feeling “like a zombie” or “hiding” from mean kids, teachers, questions, work, and mistakes.. Enjoy the
The small cohort does change their experience of traditional high school experiences such as team sports or prom, but students also have rich extra-curricular lives that provide these types of experiences.
The most important aspects to students of this approach to high school:
- Multi-age grouping with ability to learn from other students
- Learning how to use technology for a productive purpose rather than to play or disengage
- Practical life experiences such as learning how to get insurance
- Great deal of respect between students
- Relationship between students and their “teachers” is more like friendship

The Montessori Assistant

We managed to capture this great sequence of Casa North Montessori assistant Ms. Sullivan in action this week. Observe how she takes out a Montessori material, sets it up, and begins working with it. The two children that approach are attracted to the material by her precise, patient work:

Coming Up

Valentine’s PD Day: Friday, Feb. 14, is both Valentine’s Day, and a PD Day. It leads into the statutory Family Day holiday on Monday, Feb. 17. Enjoy the 4-day log weekend everyone.
Summer Camp: We will be offering a summer camp for Lyonsgate students going into their third year of Casa or whom are in Elementary. Please click here for more details and to register.