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MMS Monthly E-Newsletter | January 2024

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Dear MMS Families,

I hope you are staying warm during these snowy days of January! It's a busy time of year as we begin preparations for the 2024-2025, Mountaineer Montessori School's 49th year!

Enrollment for 2024-2025 is now open for current MMS families. Families must complete the re-enrollment process each year, and new siblings may be added at this time as well. The priority enrollment period for current MMS families lasts until February 15. At that point, we will open enrollment to new families. We anticipate full classrooms at all levels, so I encourage you to complete re-enrollment during the priority period.

If you have any questions about the re-enrollment/enrollment process, please contact Beth at bgeorge@mountaineermontessori.org She can help walk you through the process.

Please make note of our upcoming events, including the Middle School Pancake Breakfast this Saturday, January 20 and Parent Education events in February. All families will receive mid-year progress reports via email on February 1.

Best wishes,

Jennifer Carriger

Director

UPCOMING EVENTS

January 12 - February 15 | Priority 2024-2025 enrollment period for current MMS families

January 18 | Staff Meeting | No Plus/No Chess Club

January 19 | Ukulele & Guitar registration deadline | Sign up

January 20 | Middle School Pancake Breakfast | 8:00-11:00 .m. | First Presbyterian Church of South Charleston, 518 Second Avenue, SW, South Charleston | Reservations

Plus Session 3 | January 22 - March 22

Guitar and Ukulele Lessons | January 22-March 26

February 1 | Mid-Year Progress Reports sent to families via email

February 1 | 5:30 | Parent Education Upper Elementary

February 6 | 4:00 | Parent Education | Lower Elementary

February 6 | 5:30 | Parent Education | Toddler

February 13 | 5:30 | Parent Education | Primary

February 15 | Staff Meeting | No Plus

Priority enrollment deadline for current families | February 15

Enrollment open for new MMS families | February 16

February 19 | Presidents' Day | No School

Montessori Education Week | February 25-March 2

March 21 | Staff Meeting | No Plus

March 28 | Guitar and Ukulele Concert | 5:00 p.m.

Spring Break | March 29-April 5 | No School

April 25 | Staff Meeting | No Plus

May 20-24 | Standardized Testing Week for grades 3-8

May 23 | Staff Meeting | No Plus

May 27 | Memorial Day | No School

June 5 | Last Day of School/All-School Picinc

June 15 | Hope Scholarship deadline

HOPE SCHOLARSHIP

The West Virginia State Treasurer's Office has released Hope Scholarship information for the 2024-25 school year.

The Hope Scholarship is an Educational Savings Account (ESA) that allows West Virginia families to use the state portion of education funding for certain authorized expenses, including private school tuition. (FYI, the amount available for 2023-24 was $4,488.82/student.)

Current and prospective Hope Scholarship families should pay careful attention to requirements and deadlines to qualify.

MMS students rising to the third year of Primary (kindergarten) next year are eligible to apply for the first time provided they meet age, residency and other requirements.

Please see the WV Treasurer's website (link right) for details and instructions.

WV Hope Scholarship Website

Returning Hope student application window: January 3-June 15, 2024

New Hope student application window opens March 1, 2024

REGISTER FOR PLUS SESSION 3

The second session of the Plus Program ends January 19.

Registration is now open for session three, which runs January 22 - March 22. Registration closes Thursday, January 18.

*There is no after school Plus (2:45-5:30 p.m.) on February 15 and March 21 due to MMS Faculty meetings.

You must register each child separately. If you have more than one child, you will need to go through the registration process more than once.

Primary Plus Session 3 Sign-Up

Elementary Plus Session 3 Sign-Up

MIDDLE SCHOOL PANCAKE BREAKFAST

Middle School students invite you to join them at Cafe 304, their pop-up restaurant. Cafe 304 will be serving breakfast this Saturday, January 20, from 8:00-11:00 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church of South Charleston, 518 Second Avenue SW.

Breakfast will be served buffet-style; reservations are $8/child, $12/age 13 and up.

Space is limited - reserve a table for your family while you still can! Click the link below to RSVP.

Pancake Breakfast Reservations

MONTESSORI MOMENTS

Like these photos? Then you'll love MMS on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Photos, school updates and Montessori news are posted nearly every day!

Middle School students had a blast during a hands-on STEM experience at NASA's IV&V Program in Fairmont! More photos here.

Elementary Plus students had fun with seasonal craft projects!

Donate today

Your gift launches possibility. We budget for 100 percent participation to reach our goal.

No gift is too small to make a difference. It's as easy as texting mmsnolimits to 76278!

MAKE IT A LIMITLESS YEAR

How high will your child take their learning?

At MMS, there are no limits.

"Learning Without Limits," the 2023-24 MMS Annual Appeal, provides essential funding for your child's classroom and school and helps open the door to limitless possibilities. This year's goal is $20,000.

With your tax-deductible donation, you are investing in:

Faculty: teacher appreciation and training funds and ongoing AMS accreditation initiatives, including sponsorship of one guide from each level (Toddler, Primary, Elementary and Middle School) to the 2024 AMS Montessori Event, the largest gathering of Montessori educators in the world.
Families: widening access to our programs by providing $45,000 in financial aid and scholarships to our community.
Facilities: continuing indoor and outdoor learning environment enhancements for all students, including new signage and facade upgrades at Staunton and ongoing updates at 20th Street.

GUITAR AND UKULELE LESSONS

Guitar and ukulele lessons with MMS faculty member Alasha Al-Qudwah will begin January 22!

Classes are held after school on Mondays (Lower Elementary) and Tuesday (Upper Elementary), with separate time slots each instrument and for new and returning musicians. The 2024 session ends March 26. Students must provide their own instrument.

Students will showcase their learning at a final concert on March 28 at 5:00 p.m.

Registration is $280 and will be billed through FAST.

Space is limited. Register today! Deadline is January 19. Register via the link to the right.

Guitar/Ukulele Registration

CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS ARE STILL AVAILABLE

What will you see on your visit to your child's classroom?

Registration is now open for classroom observations. Observations give you a chance to experience a bit of the Montessori magic for yourself and see the classrooms through the eyes of a child.

Observations sign-ups

2024-2025 Beginning of School Year Important Dates

August 15: Back to School Night - all levels (Mandatory)
August 16: New student visits
August 19: First day for students - Primary kindergarten-age ONLY, Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, and Middle School (2:45 p.m. dismissal for LE, UE, MS, 11:45 a.m. dismissal for Primary)
August 20: First day for students - Returning 4-year-olds (2:45 p.m. dismissal for LE, UE, MS, 11:45 a.m. dismissal for Primary)
August 21: First day for students - New Primary Friends (2:45 p.m. dismissal for LE, UE, MS, 11:45 a.m. dismissal for Primary)
August 29: Ice Cream Social @ Kanawha State Forest
September 2: School closed/Labor Day
September 9: Annual Meeting for all families (6:00pm)
October 7-8: Fall Parent Conferences/no school