Please read for important information and announcements.
MMS Monthly E-Newsletter | February 2021
Dear MMS families,

It's been wonderful having your children back in school after New Year's break! I've also enjoyed seeing many of you at our Zoom Step Up Nights. Over the next week, I will be sending out the recordings of these meetings to everyone so you can have a chance to watch the video and absorb the information on your own time. We are in the midst of re-enrollment, with our priority deadline for currently families on February 15. If you have any questions at all about your child's class placement or what to expect at the next level, please contact me anytime and I will be happy to talk with you and/or get you in touch with one of our guides.

As I mentioned in our Step Up meetings, we are moving forward with renovation plans at the Staunton Avenue campus. We will be looking for everyone's help with indoor and outdoor projects, and the move itself. As we move into Spring, be on the lookout for weekday and weekend opportunities to help. And don't forget - all our volunteers receive a complimentary special edition M shirt as a thank you!

We plan extensive improvements to the outdoor spaces at Staunton Avenue, including playground and safety enhancements, outdoor classroom environment improvements, the creation of outdoor eating areas, and improvements to the field space and outdoor sports areas. We will launch our Play for the Playground event soon, which will culminate in a weekend of family fun through physical activity (walking, kayaking, bicycling, running - the choice is yours and the sky is the limit!) on March 21-22. Through sponsorships from family members, friends, and local businesses, we hope to raise the funds needed to support out outdoor enhancements.

Look for your child(ren)'s mid-year progress reports soon. You will notice a new format for the reports that is a result of a multi-year, school-wide approach to better measure and report student outcomes and ensure curriculum alignment from classroom to classroom and level to level. This is still a work in progress, but I think you will appreciate the new report format. I welcome your feedback!

As always, thank you for your support in this unique year, and thank you especially for your diligence with our health and safety procedures and protocols. It is so comforting to be part of a community of people who look out for each other's safety daily. We appreciate all you do and we will continue to do our part to provide a safe environment for your children here at school.

Best wishes,
Jennifer
MONTESSORI MOMENTS

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2021-2022 Calendar Highlights

Please make note of our 2021-2022 calendar highlights:


  • August 20: New Student Visits
  • August 23: First Day for Students - Primary Extended Day, Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, and Middle School
  • August 24: First Day for Students - Returning Primary Morning Friends
  • August 25: First Day for Students - New Primary Morning Friends
  • August 26: Ice Cream Social
  • August 31: Back to School Night-Primary and Middle School
  • September 2: Back to School Night - Elementary
  • September 6: School Closed/Labor Day
  • October 11: School Closed/Professional Development Day
  • November 11: School Closed/Professional Development Day
  • November 22-26: School Closed/Thanksgiving Break
  • December 22:  Noon dismissal/Winter Concert
  • December 23-January 2: School Closed/New Year's Break (School resumes January 4.) 
  • January 17School Closed/Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
  • February 21: School Closed/Presidents' Day
  • March 17-18: Parent Conferences/No Classes/Plus Available
  • April 11-15:  School Closed/Spring Break
  • May 16-20: Standardized Testing Week (grades 3-8)
  • May 30: School Closed/Memorial Day
  • June 3: Last Day of School/Early Dismissal/Picnic 

All dates are subject to change.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Note: Parent education events are open to ALL families. If you child is not in the class presenting a certain program, please contact Jennifer to be added to the teacher's email notification list.

Re-enrollment Deadline | Monday, February 15
Families of current MMS families must complete the 2021-22 enrollment process by this date in order to secure their spot in the upcoming school year. New sibling enrollment is also due on February 15.

President's Day | Monday, February 15
School closed

Montessori Education Week | February 21-27
Watch for announcements about special activities to celebrate Montessori education and our school!

Parent Education: A Glimpse into the Lower Elementary Classroom | Thursday, March 4, 5:30-6:30 p.m.; (Tara and Becca will send the Zoom information prior to the meeting)
Parent Conferences | March 8-April 2
Please watch for sign ups

Parent Education: Upper Elementary: Building the Mathematical Mind and Strengthening Spatial Reasoning | Thursday, March 11, 5:30-6:30 p.m.; (Alasha and Emily will send the Zoom information prior to the meeting)

Virtual Race for Education | March 20-March 21
The biennial MMS Race for Education returns this spring in a virtual (and fun!) format. To get involved, please contact Race Chair Katie Clark .

Spring Break | April 5-9
School closed

Standardized Testing Week | May 24-28

MMS Annual Spring Gala | Saturday, June 5
Our popular spring fundraiser/art auction is back! The Gala Committee is exploring outdoor and other venues to present a safe, in-person, celebration of our school community. Please contact Resource Development Chair Mary Claire Davis for more information or to get involved.

Last Day of School | Early Dismissal | Picnic | Friday, June 11
ANNUAL APPEAL: WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW

You did it!

Thank you to all of the families, friends and students who made an investment in the future of our school and community with their donation to the "What the World Needs Now" annual appeal We are thrilled to report that you exceeded the $20,000 goal, raising critical support for facilities and safety enhancements, teacher training and appreciation, and financial aid.

Please join us in thanking our 2020 Annual Appeal Donors:
Alasha Al-Qudwah
Frank & Camilla Baer
Sonji Baldwin
Ellen & Thomas Beal
Emily Beal
Mark Bolton
Isabelle Bournigault
Kimberly Browning
Emily and John Christian
Jennifer and David Carriger
Lee Cassis
Clifton & Katherine Clark
Chad Cordell & Danielle Maness
Joann Cordell
Joanna Corelli
Keri Darlington
Mary Claire Davis
Enybe Diaz
Katrina Dufourny
John Elswick
Brad Foster
Tara Fought
Valerie Frontz
Christopher & Sarah Galaska
Marilee Hanemann
Emily Hanna
Lucas & Carolyn Head
Samantha Hicks
Amber and Brett Hodgdon
Lindy Hoeft
Erica Hoffman
Emily Hopta & Jack Hoblitzell
Hollie Hubbert
Valerie Huddle
Gregory L. & Mary Buffington Jenkins
Tod and Barrie Kaufman
Joseph Jenkins & Susana Duarte
Maria & Sky Kershner
Tiffany Lasky
Margaret Lawrence

Corey Cusick Lewis
Katherine Ludlow
Judith Malone
Blaire Malkin
Aric Margolis & Diana Panucci
Julie Margolis
Rebecca Moore
Karen & Pancho Morris
Matthew Neal
Susan & Eric Newhouse
Daniel Noel
Margie O'Kelly
Jennifer Preston
Christopher Reese
Shannon Reeves
Terry & Ashley Rine
Nicole Riser
David & Gale Rubrecht
Erica Simpson
John T. Slicer
Eric & Stacy Snyder
Ami Smith Spangler
Su Spangler
Stephanie Spradling
Ashley Starcher
Marisa and Jason Staten
Kim Swiger
April Taylor
Thaw Family
Benjamin Thomas
Samantha VanDenBerghe-Lynch
Angela Walker
Louis and Elizabeth Weisberg
Brian West
Shelley Whittington
JoEllen Zacks
MMS students

We gratefully acknowledge our anonymous donors and those whose names may be inadvertently missing from this list.
You can still elevate education and our community with your gift...for the first time or with another donation in the new year... here or by texting mmsworld to 76278. Every gift of every size counts and makes a difference!
Upper Elementary II student Brooklyn Boggs cashes in the proceeds from our coin drive. Thanks to Pioneer WV Federal Credit Union for letting us use their coin counters at no charge!
SPECIALS SPOTLIGHT: LEARNING SERVICES

Did you know that MMS is one of the few independent Montessori schools in the country to offer an in-house professional learning support team?

At MMS, students build a strong foundation in reading through individualized and group language instruction in the classroom, enhanced by our learning support specialists using the Wilson Reading System. Wilson is a multi-sensory, research-based reading and spelling program that supports students and adults with dyslexia and other learning differences.

All elementary participate in twice-yearly academic screenings conducted by MMS specialists. The screenings track progress in language growth and identify opportunities for attention. Children receive additional support, including individual and small group sessions, as needed from a team of professionals led by Jennifer Carriger, WV Learning Disabilities Association Teacher of the Year, with Specialists Darlene Spangler, Samantha Van Den Berghe-Lynch, and Margaret Lawrence.

For more information about our learning support services, please contact Jennifer.
Reading Specialist Darlene Spangler
This year, specialists are working remotely with some students.
MORE MONTESSORI MOMENTS
Mountaineer Montessori School
308 20th Street, Charleston, WV 25304
304.342.7870 | Email | Website