Newsletter #3 - 2020-2021
Peace • Love • Park Maitland
#Empathy
Dear Parents,


Next week begins Parent Night for many of our grades, and we look forward to this opportunity for our teachers and staff to impress you with their warmth and knowledge of both your child(ren) and their subjects. As a parent myself, I always look forward to Parent Night to learn more about the people who are caring for my children throughout the day, and to find out: are they relatable yet capable of imparting challenging content to my child? I can tell you in all the years my sons attended Park Maitland (both of them K-4-6th), the answer was a resounding yes! Due to COVID-19, this year we will be hosting a live zoom event that will feel in some ways similar to our successful meet and greets. This time, however, it will be full of context when you are reintroduced to our teachers and hear about the successes and triumphs already taking place in the classroom. In addition, the day before their Parent Night, parents will receive the curriculum packet as in past years, packed with valuable information, but this year our teachers are also taking the time to make videos for you giving you important insights into their classes, syllabi, and teaching philosophies that go beyond the allotted zoom time. I have seen quite a few already, and they have all clearly been made with great care. I know you will enjoy getting to know each teacher better through their videos! I highly recommend you bookmark this week’s newsletter as all the zoom links are hyperlinked in the Parent Night section for easy reference. They will also be available in the packet that will be emailed for your convenience. I look forward to seeing everyone on these zooms!

In other news, we have had another happy week of school. Our students are thrilled to be with their whole brick and mortar class and making new friends. Thank you, as always, for your patience during our first “real” full week of carpools. We can’t wait to bring you more exciting updates from our preschool as we get closer to the official opening. All in all, it’s a wonderful time to be part of the Park Maitland Family.


Very Warmly,
Mrs. Spillmann
Interim Head of School


SCHOOL CALENDAR
September 14: Grade 2 Virtual Parent Night
September 15: Grade 6 Virtual Parent Night;
Dot Day
September 16: Grade 1 Virtual Parent Night
September 17: Grade 3 Virtual Parent Night
September 21: K-5 Virtual Parent Night; International Day of Peace
September 22: Grade 4 Virtual Parent Night; Virtual Parent Chat "Navigating Technology"
September 23: K-4 Virtual Parent Night
September 24: Grade 5 Virtual Parent Night; Fall Writing Day
September 25: K-5 Johnny Appleseed Day
October 1: Empathy T-Shirt Day
October 12: Student Holiday, Teacher Workday
October 16: End of 1st Quarter
October 23: 6th Grade Gothic Fiction Night
Mark your calendars for "Parent Night"!

Park Maitland School teachers and administrators have great information to share with you about your child's "home away from home." This fun, informative event will be virtual this year! Detailed grade level information will be emailed to you the day prior to your child's event. Zoom links are below.


Park Maitland Preschool Ribbon Cutting
On Wednesday, September 9th, we celebrated the extraordinary Ribbon Cutting event of Park Maitland Preschool. This campus will serve ages 2, 3 and 4 and we are so excited to share the "wonder" of Park Maitland School with our youngest learners.
Interested in learning more? Contact Director of Admissions, Nicole Roman, at nroman@parkmaitland.org.
GET TO KNOW OUR PARK MAITLAND PRESCHOOL STAFF
Emily Ruiz
Floater Teacher

My name is Emily Ruiz and I am excited to act as the Floater Teacher at Park Maitland Preschool this school year. Prior to Park Maitland, I was an assistant teacher at a private preschool in Tallahassee, FL. During my time there, I not only fell in love with Early Childhood, but the close relationships I developed with both students and their families. I recently graduated from Florida State University (Go Noles!) with my B.S. in Special Education. I loved being a Seminole so much, that I am now pursuing my Master’s of Curriculum and Instruction through FSU virtually. Once all of my education is complete, I hope to transition to a lead early childhood teaching position so
that I may continue to watch young minds grow.
Liesel Reinersmann
K-4 (PreK) Teacher

My name is Liesel Reinersmann and I'm excited to be the teacher for our K-4 (PreK) classroom. I have a B.S. in early childhood
development and an A.S. in special education. I have been teaching ages 0-5 for over ten years. I have worked at private preschools as well as early head start and head start classrooms. Prior to Park Maitland I was employed as an early intervention specialist and I am very excited
to return to the classroom. When not in the classroom, I spend my time reading (mainly sci-fi or fantasy series) or doing something crafty! My main artistic hobbies include
cross stitching, pyrography, and playing ukulele. I love to travel and play board games with friends. I am originally from Philadelphia and moved to Charleston, SC in 2010 where I met my boyfriend. We subsequently moved to Orlando and we’ve been here for six years so far with our two cats, Daisy and Flynn.
Beki Roberts
Beginner (2's) Teacher

I’ve been teaching young children for countless years - really it’s been so long I’ve lost count! I have multiple credentials that qualify me to work with young children. However, the love I receive from the children and families in my care is what
keeps me coming back every day. I love my job and consider it my life’s vocation. When not taking care of your kids, I have three of my own; ages 17, 14, and 11. I’ve been married for 19 years to a man who takes better care of me than I likely deserve. I enjoy going to the springs (but not the
beach), canoeing, streaming TV and YouTube, and I’d read a book but who has the time with all this quality streaming content. I also have 2 cats, a dog, a guinea
pig, and a fish tank that I’ve been in the process of setting up for a year. It’s coming along nicely.
Allie Everett
Intermediate (3's) Teacher

A native Maitlander, I grew up in Dommerich Estates and attended
Dommerich Elementary, Maitland Middle, and Winter Park High, then went onto graduate from the Teaching Academy at UCF! Post college, I taught Kindergarten for Orange County Public Schools just before marrying my high school sweetheart and moving across the country to California, where I lived in the Bay Area for two years. Craving the "big city lifestyle," we took advantage of job opportunities, packed our winter clothes, and relocated to Chicago, IL. In Chicago, I switched gears from Elementary to Early Childhood, teaching a class of 3 year olds at a private preschool in
the heart of the city. Originally imagining myself as a fifth grade teacher, it was here where I unexpectedly found my passion for Early Childhood. In June, after four wonderful years of living and teaching in Chicago, we decided to move home to be near family (and better weather!) My upbringing has had a huge impact on the way that I feel about exposing children to the arts, which is one major reason I found myself at PMPS. I believe that young children thrive when taught through music,
movement, drama, and fine arts, and you will often find me singing and dancing with my students! Most importantly, I enjoy
helping children find their sense of self while supporting their growth as individuals.
Kristen Wells
Classroom Assistant

My name is Kristen Wells and I will be working as a Preschool Assistant Teacher. Prior to coming here, I began working in child care 4 years ago. I started as an Infant and After School care teacher
and after working part-time, I realized how much I enjoyed being in the child care atmosphere and switched to full-time. I am the oldest sibling of 4 brothers and 4 sisters so being around children is everything I know. I will be furthering my education this spring to get my degree in Elementary Education. After that I plan to start my career in being a Kindergarten teacher. I can't wait to begin this year at Park Maitland Preschool and am excited for all the new experiences here!
Samantha Garay
Beginner (2's) Teacher

I have been in the education field for
20 years. I hold my AA in early childhood and I also work as a registered behavior therapist for children with autism. I am an enthusiastic and caring educator that believes all children can learn in an environment that is stimulating and comforting. I love teaching through play and
exploration of the environment. My husband and I have two daughters, one finishing college and the other that started high
school in the fall. As a family we enjoy Taekwondo, going on trips, and we love the outdoors! When I’m not with my family I enjoy gardening and horse riding. We have one dog, a beautiful St. Bernard and one cat! I love the fall and everything pumpkin!
I am passionate about teaching early childhood and love to teach them as much as they teach me. I am so excited for this school year and look forward to
the growth of each student.
GET TO KNOW OUR NEW CLUB EAGLE STAFF
Elisa Perez
Club Eagle Staff

My name is Elisa Perez. I am originally from New Jersey but now reside in Altamonte Springs. I have been teaching early education ages (3 months - school age) for almost 11 years now. Teaching and working with children is my absolute passion! I’m so excited to be a part of the Park Maitland School family as a new Club Eagle after care teacher! I hope to expand my career here and eventually make it back into the classroom! I’m excited to get to know the children and staff and only get better as an educator during my time here.
Gabriel Fredrick
Club Eagle Staff

My name is Gabriel Frederick, also known as "Mr. G" and I am Park Maitland’s newest Club Eagle after care teacher. I am 20 years old and a junior at the University of Central Florida. I love to play all kinds of sports, so if anyone wants to challenge me in basketball, dodgeball, four square... it’s on! I know this year is going to be a good one and we are all going to get along great. So if you see me walking around school, introduce yourselves, because I would love to make more friends. See you guys around!
VIRTUAL PARENT CHAT
"Navigating Technology at Park Maitland School"
with Andres Joubert

Tuesday, September 22nd
12:30 - 1:30 pm

It's a new year with new tech! Join us as we chat about our new tech initiatives on our campus and how you can help support and navigate the technology use with your young Park Maitlanders! We will talk about iPad screen time and maintenance tips, how to update the apps and iOS, using Google G Suite apps, and how the Week at a Glance, SeeSaw, Google Classroom, and Zoom play a vital role in your child's day to day learning experience. We are looking forward to connecting with you all soon on Zoom!

This week's feature from our wonderful School Counselor, Mrs. "J" Jaworski is about building resiliency and grit in our students.
Our Charleston Wrap fundraiser kicks off today! Get ready to get an early start on holiday shopping and share with friends and family.
All proceeds will go to further school wide enhancements.

DOT DAY!
We are excited to announce that Park Maitland will be participating in DOT DAY again this year! Dot Day is based on the book The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. It's a story about a caring teacher who dares a doubting student to trust in her own abilities by being brave enough to “make her mark”. What begins with a small dot on a piece of paper becomes a breakthrough in confidence and courage, igniting a journey of self-discovery and sharing".

Students, please help celebrate this day by wearing "dots" on Tuesday, September 15th.
SUPER SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
Each week Park Maitland School will be featuring two Super Seniors. We hope everyone enjoys this opportunity to get to know our awe-inspiring 6th grade students!
Getting To Know Your
Super Senior:
Lawton Ventura

1. # of Years at Park Maitland: 
  • 3
2. Favorite Activity: 
  • Tennis, chess and lacrosse
3. Favorite Movie: 
  • Karate Kid
4. Favorite Subject: 
  • Math
5. Favorite Thing About Park Maitland: 
  • "All my friends!"

Getting To Know Your
Super Senior:
Emma-Rose Silker

1. # of Years at Park Maitland: 
  • 8 (started in K-4)
2. Favorite Activity: 
  • Volleyball
3. Favorite Movie: 
  • Lilo & Stitch
4. Favorite Subject: 
  • Language Arts
5. Favorite Thing About Park Maitland: 
  • "My friends!"

OFFICE HOURS

The front desk office hours are
7:30-3:30.

If you need to call after 3:30 regarding dismissal or pick up, please call After Care at 407-647-3038, extension 159.

WATER BOTTLES

Please remember to send your child/ren to school each day with a water bottle labeled with their name.

Water fountains on campus are closed until further notice.
*insulated water bottles are preferred.

PICTURE DAY

Picture day has been rescheduled for Monday, November 10th and Tuesday, November 11th. Online Academy students will be invited on-campus after 4:00 pm on Monday if they wish to have their picture taken for the yearbook. Please stay tuned for more details!
EXTRA MASKS

Please be sure to pack extra masks in your child's tote bag or backpack each week, just in case they are misplaced, broken or stinky after a long, hot day. We appreciate your continued support in ensuring our students remain safe and healthy while at school.
First graders learned all about "Super E" in Reading/ESW! Super E can fly over one letter and if he finds a vowel, he can make the vowel say it's name.
Online students even dressed up as their own super heroes - how fun!
After reading about Elmer the Patchwork Elephant, K-4 students learned about being colorfully unique this week and began decorating their own patchwork elephants.
K-5 students learned all about chemical reactions this week using baking soda and vinegar to create their own lava volcanoes!
The fourth graders celebrated Roald Dahl Day, coming to campus (and appearing online) in the guise of Charlie, Willy Wonka, Matilda, the BFG, and many more beloved literary characters. The day was full of Dahl'd Up fun! 
Their whimsy and creativity is also driving them to experiment in their kitchens as they whip up delicious confections for their Willy Wonka Challenge! 
GRADE LEVEL LINKS
(Please note: Teacher pages are not updated for
the following week until Sunday at 4:00 p.m.)
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