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Your Monthly
Guide to OFS:
March Issue
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Education for an Ever-Changing World
By Oneness-Family High School Montessori Curriculum & Pedagogy Coordinator
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What are the fundamental traits of human beings?
This was the question that Dr. Maria Montessori sought to answer throughout her work. She spent hours observing children around the world and across the lifespan to derive a way to support the positive development of young people, at all ages of their lives.
In her observations, Montessori found that adaptation is one of the fundamental traits of humans. She wrote that adaptation is “the ground we stand on” as human beings. This has allowed humans to create cultures and societies in infinite different forms across the globe.
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Andrew Faulstich
Oneness-Family High School
Montessori Curriculum & Pedagogy Coordinator, Humanities Teacher
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This adaptation must be fostered at every stage of life, so that each individual has the inner capacity to adapt to whichever circumstances come their way. This, to me, is one of the truly remarkable aspects of the Montessori Method: we are not preparing our children or adolescents for one particular thing, but rather we are preparing them to adapt to the unknown.
So what does that look like across the planes of development?
Primary Programs: Little Stars & Children's Peace Garden
In the Primary Program classrooms, there is only one of every material. This design is intentional. Children in this stage of development typically want to work independently. However, Montessori also observed that they needed experiences which connected them to their community. Since there is only a single version of each material, young children learn to develop the adaptability to meet their needs, and the needs of their peers, around the availability of materials. They also learn the language required to communicate their needs through grace and courtesy lessons. Young children learn that they can meet their needs in the context of a community, and that these are not mutually exclusive goals.
Elementary School: Arbor & Academy
In the elementary classrooms, student experience of adaptability expands to the world outside the classroom. Elementary children have a strong desire to work in groups and complete “big work,” literally and figuratively. In their quest for collaborative big work, they must develop new skills of adaptability in order to collaborate with others, share their vision, and bring their projects to fruition.
Secondary School: Ambassadors & High School
When children become adolescents they go through what Montessori called a “social and physical rebirth” and seek to find their place in adult society. At this level, students seek adult-like leadership roles in the school and broader community, in order to “try on” the roles they might have as an adult. Adolescents take on internships and job shadowing opportunities as a way to learn about the world through an adult lens, developing the adaptability that comes from engaging in the social world of adults.
When we hear about education in the media, it’s common to hear the idea that we don’t know what the world will be like when our children reach adulthood. Despite developing her method over 100 years ago, Maria Montessori believed the same thing. Her goal was to create prepared environments that would empower young people to thrive no matter the time, place, or context they grew up in.
Rather than preparing our children to live in the world exactly as it is now, we are preparing our children to adapt to any world they find themselves in.
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“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.”
Stephen Hawking
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Here are the upcoming events for March!
Monday, March 3
High School X-Term Begins
Tuesday, March 4
LS Parent-Teacher Conference Sign-Ups Close at 12 PM
Thursday, March 6
Half-Day, LS Parent/Teacher Conferences
Friday, March 7
No School; LS Parent-Teacher Conferences
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Friday, March 21
Lower School Science Fair
Parent Viewing from 12:30-1:30 pm
Monday-Friday, March 24-28
Spring Break
Monday, March 31
Spring Enrichment Classes Begin
High School Trimester 3 Begins
Friday, April 4
Bingo Night
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Lower School Conferences - March 6 & 7 | |
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At OFS, Parent-Teacher Conferences are an opportunity for teachers to share their observations and review their students' educational journeys with parents, who provide their observations as well. Free childcare is offered for the duration of your conference.
As a reminder, we will have a half-day on March 6 and no school on March 7 for all Lower School students. If you have any questions regarding conference sign-ups, please contact the front office.
Note: Conference sign-ups close 3/4 at 12PM
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Half-Day Schedule
Half-day dismissal this Thursday will take place from 11:30 am – 12:00 pm.
Please note the staggered half-day dismissal times for our classes:
- Little Stars at 11:30 am
- CPG at 11:30 am
- Arbor at 11:35 am
- Academy at 11:40 am
- Ambassadors at 11:50 am
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Auction Season Has Begun!
Our annual spring online auction is fast approaching, and we need your help!
We are asking all of our families to help support the auction by donating items to our catalog. From homestays to goodie baskets to gift cards, community donations are a creative and vital part of our auction.
To donate - simply fill out our Online Donation Form. Not sure what you can give? Visit our Auction Item Wishlist for ideas in all sorts of categories! If you have an idea and want to run it by our giving team, please reach out to giving@onenessfamily.org.
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Save the Dates!
May 1: Item Donation Deadline
May 3, 12:00 pm: Bidding Begins
May 11, 9:00 pm: Bidding Ends
| Auction proceeds go towards the Oneness Fund yearly goal of $100,000! | |
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Experimenting By Making Mistakes
By Director of Student Affairs Estefani Rondón
In the Montessori classroom, mistakes are not seen as failures but as valuable learning moments. We encourage children to take ownership of their learning process, celebrate their efforts, and keep trying.
This mindset is incredibly helpful in combating perfectionism, which often paralyzes kids (and adults) with the fear of not achieving flawless results. Instead of seeing failure as something to avoid, children learn to view it as an important part of discovering new things and refining their understanding.
When children are praised for their curiosity, resilience and ability to learn from their mistakes, they develop a healthier self-image and a deeper understanding of the world around them.
Here are a few ways you can foster this attitude at home:
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Workshop Compassionate Self-Talk
Sit with your family to brainstorm a more compassionate inner script for mistakes. Create a list of positive phrases that anyone can use when they slip up, and role-play these scenarios. Examples include:
“It’s okay to make mistakes. I’ll learn from this and try again.”
“I’m proud of myself for trying. Now I know what to do differently next time.”
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Lead By Example
Teach your child that mistakes are okay by leading by example. Share your own mistakes positively, whether in cooking, chores, or work. Explain what went wrong, what you learned, and how you'll try again. This reinforces that mistakes aren’t failures but opportunities to grow.
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Take On A Challenge Together
Take on a challenging project with your child, showing that mistakes are part of learning. Emphasize effort over perfection and encourage patience and self-compassion. This helps them see mistakes as steps toward growth.
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Oneness Fund Update & Read-A-Thon Success! | |
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So far, we've raised $58,556, nearly 59% of our $100,000 goal!
Every gift – no matter the amount – is meaningful to the future of our school. If you would like to make a contribution, please visit www.onenessfamily.org/giving.
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Thank you to all our community members who have already made their gift to the 2024-2025 Oneness Fund! | |
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Nancy Smith
Nayak & Nandita Polissar
Tamara & Marc Moshman
Johannes Traa
Surashri Paradis
Chris & Nela Richardson
Catherine & James Spiller
Ariel Miller
Vijay Balkissoon & Anitha Ibrahim
Priyanka & Ross Cohen
Jacqueline Flanagan
Anil Chandramani
Adhiratha Keefe
Allan & Ania Gold
David Chitwood
Naoya and Yuko Kato
Masashi Saito
Macrina Xavier & Christopher Solomon
Mozella & Adegboyega Ademiluyi
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Emiko Morgenstern
Papaha Gosline
Sharee & Thomas Lawler
Rachel Riedner
Karen Donovan
Carol May
Mark Hillman & Melba Quizon
Fiorenza Castelli
Giacomo Magistretti & Silvia Bonacina
Bei Xiao & Hendrikje Nienborg
Anne & Bertrand Bouhour
Ryoichi & Mizuna Okuma
Virginia Cusack
Gabrielle Espina
Patton Stephens & Raj Chawla
Andrew Faulstich
Chelle Parsky
Hans Gonzalez
Matthew Chappell
Jackie Carvajal
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Ahlam Kays
Alex Fisher
Debra Kahn
Sharla & Upendra Shardanand
Beeny-Medinger Giving Fund
Rupasi Young
Daolot & Stota Fountain
Sara & Peter O'Keefe
Gabriella Goldstein
Elena Bisagni & Stefano Bertuzzi
Ann Chernicoff & Joshua Perles
Benjamin Denckla & Sarah Reber
Anjali Das
Patricia Dubin
James Lapierre
Leily Mozaffarian
Ken Dougherty
Brumberger & Gruber Foundation
Lucila Kanadani & Carlos Goncalves
Emiko Morgenstern
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Read-A-Thon Success
As of Monday, March 3rd, Oneness students have read an incredible 733 books and raised $1,398 for the Oneness Fund!
We are still tallying the final numbers, and there's still time to make your impact! If you have a Read-A-Thon tracker or pledge form at home, please bring it in tomorrow so we can count your reader’s contributions toward our grand total.
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OFS Science Fair - March 21 | |
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Science Fair is an integral part of our STEM curriculum, designed to give students the necessary academic skills to pursue big questions that drive their interest and cultivate awe and appreciation for the natural world around us.
Classes have been studying the components of the Scientific Method, giving them the tools to explore natural phenomena. They have been preparing for this event in their classrooms and at home and are thrilled by the opportunity to share the results of their studies with their parents and the community.
We encourage all to attend our parent viewing from 12:30-1:30 pm on March 21!
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Important Dates: 2025-2026 School Year | |
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As we prepare for the upcoming school year, please take note of the following important dates. Our full school calendar will be shared in early July in your child's Back to School packet on the Parent Portal.
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First Day of School: September 2, 2025
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Thanksgiving Break: November 26-28, 2025
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Winter Break: December 22, 2025 - January 2, 2026
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Spring Break: March 23-27, 2026
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High School Graduation: May 30, 2026
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Lower School Graduation: June 5, 2026
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School Emergency Preparedness Codes
At Oneness-Family School, the safety of our students and staff is our top priority. Staff participate in Code Red and Code Blue drills multiple times a year without students present to ensure preparedness.
During an emergency, communication will be through the OneCall emergency text/email system. Parents will receive real-time text notifications via OneCall.
Emergency Response Codes
🔴 School Code RED (Lockdown)
- Activated for an imminent or unclear threat near the school.
- Full lockdown: doors locked, windows closed, shades drawn.
- No one may enter or leave. Parents cannot pick up children until the lockdown is lifted.
🔵 School Code BLUE (Shelter in Place)
- Activated for potential external threats.
- Instruction continues as normal within the classroom.
- Hall passes limited, students escorted when necessary.
- Doors locked, shades drawn.
- Pick-up allowed only if deemed safe by administration.
🟢 School Code GREEN (All Clear)
- Issued when administration confirms safety.
- Parents notified via OneCall; students released to authorized contacts.
- For detailed procedures, please refer to the Family Handbook or contact the administration.
For full emergency procedures, please refer to the Family Handbook. If you have any questions, please contact the front office.
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