APRIL 2022

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

After two years, we are thrilled to be coming together again as a community to celebrate Earth Day. Please join us on Saturday, April 23rd as we walk in the Earth Day Parade.

In preparation, our students will be making Seed Balls to give away. We are in need of a volunteer to oversee this project at Bend River Center, and egg carton donations. Please let us know if you are interested in volunteering. We hope to see you all there!

EVENTS

Upcoming Dates:

• 4/6 – Sewing Club 1:30 – 3:00 at OWC

• 4/8 – OWC Seed Ball Making 2:45pm

• 4/11 – BRC Seed Ball Making 3:00pm

• 4/13-15 – Parent Teacher Conferences - No School

• 4/20 – Community Park Meet-Up – Pine Nursery Park

• 4/20 – Board of Directors Monthly Meeting

• 4/20 – Sewing Club 1:30pm – 3:00pm at OWC

• 4/21 – PCA Meeting

• 4/23 – Earth Day Parade

• 4/23 – Enrollment Packet drop-off for new 2022.2023 students

• 4/27 – Sewing Club 1:30pm – 3:00pm at BRC

• 5/2 - 5/6 – Teacher Appreciation Week

NEWS

The DSM School Board has been conducting interviews for the new Head of School position. They have narrowed the search down to two wonderful candidates. They are both Montessorians and have the qualifications that our Board desires to be Desert Sky’s next Head of School. The Board conducted second interviews on April 1st and 4th . Both candidates spent a day visiting our school and getting to know the staff and students. The board will announce the new Head of School on Friday, April 22nd.

MONTHLY HIGHLIGHT

DSM is starting our first sewing club with Ms. Louise! Our goal is to make 300 cloth napkins by the end of this school year to reduce paper napkin use at future events. This is a project funded by The Environmental Center through the “Rethink Waste Grant”. 

Sewing Club will be held every Wednesday from 1:30pm - 3:00pm.  We will alternate between OWC and BRC.  The even numbered Wednesdays will be held at OWC and the odd numbered Wednesdays at BRC. The first one is held this Wednesday, April 6th at OWC. 

Students can register on the sign-up sheets hung at each location.  We are limiting the number of children to 10 for each date, so be sure to have them sign-up early.  We are also looking for 3 adult volunteers for each date. 

If you are unable to make Wednesday Sewing Club, you can help sew at home!  We have "Napkin Kits" which would include 1 yard of fabric cut to napkin size and thread, which will make 8 napkins.  If you would like to volunteer or take home a napkin kit, please email Louise at Louis.Wilson@dsmontessori.org .

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

As I begin to plan the classes for DSM’s next school year and send out letters of offer to new families, it is a great time of reflection. When planning the classes, a lot of time and thought goes into how many children there are from each age/grade, and the social makeup of the group. The Montessori multi-age classroom is incredibly special for many reasons. Some of these are:

· The older students in the class model appropriate behavior and academic skills to the younger students. The incoming children imitate what their older peers are doing both with their work and their social interactions.

· The older students reinforce their knowledge and understanding by teaching their younger peers.

· With peer teaching there develops a real feeling of community. There is less competition and more collaboration. Children love learning from each other.

· With two thirds of the class returning at the beginning of the year already knowing the routine and rules of the class, they can work independently while the teachers settle in the new students.

· There are incredible leadership opportunities that arise when children are in the same class for three years. This promotes positive self-esteem and develops responsibility.

· With many years of materials on the shelves, children can work at their level academically, while still being in the appropriate social groups.

· One of my favorite reasons as a Montessori teacher, is the very special relationship that forms between you and the children.

As our Covid-19 restrictions are easing it is so wonderful to see this peer-teaching back in our classrooms. We are even starting to have children visit different classrooms, so we can have those special moments such as Upper Elementary children reading to Kindergarteners! I really look forward to returning to DSM when the Middle School is up and running. So many more opportunities will present themselves for student-led teaching and learning. It is an exciting time for our school.

 JODIE BORGIA, Head of School