FEBRUARY 2022

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

INTRODUCING OUR NEW LOOK! Since the Summer of ‘21, we have been working to give Desert Sky’s branding a fresh new design. The new logo was inspired by Montessori materials along with our location in beautiful Bend, Oregon. We also are excited to announce a new website to go along with this rebrand. A great big thank you to one of our Otter Class parents, Kyle Thordarson at Ye Olde Design Shoppe for generously donating all new branding to our school.

EVENTS

Our School Calendar is a great resource for families to see current and upcoming events. Make sure to check back regularly for updates and more details.

Upcoming Dates:

• 2/7: First Day of Second Semester

• 2/8: School Merchandise Orders Open

• 2/8: Information Session/Tour (6:00pm – 7:00pm) @ OWC

• 2/9: Community Park Meet-Up (1:30pm – 2:30pm) @ Columbia Park

• 2/10: Information Session / Tour (6:00pm – 7:00pm) @ BRC

• 2/10: Re-enrollment Intentions Due

• 2/17: PCA Meeting (12:00pm – 1:00pm) @ Zoom

• 2/20: School Merchandise Orders Close

• 2/21: No School – Presidents Day

• 2/24: 100th Day of School

• 3/1: Information Session/Tour (6:00pm – 7:00pm) @ BRC

• 3/3: Information Session/Tour (6:00pm – 7:00pm) @ Zoom

NEWS

Our Lottery for the 2022/2023 school year is NOW OPEN! Desert Sky Montessori is a Bend – La Pine School District Charter School for children entering Kindergarten through 6th grade. New rule this year… families can apply to as many choice options that they choose including all district charter and magnet schools. Desert Sky’s lottery is open from January 3rd to March 18th but we accept applications for our waitlist ALL YEAR! Applications received after March 18th will be added to the waitlist in the order they are received. Share this special opportunity with friends, neighbors and family!

MONTHLY HIGHLIGHT

School merchandise orders are NOW OPEN! Along with our new branding, our merchandise has also been revamped.You’ll find things like t-shirts and hats, as well as new items like Silipints and keychains. All orders are now being processed through our online store, electronic payment friendly. Merchandise orders are open until February 20th. Click below to visit our new store.

MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

What a huge month January was for the Desert Sky Montessori community. The announcement of our new site for 2022/2023 has been received with so much excitement and joy. The children are really looking forward to being on one site all together. And of course, so are the staff! I have also received so much support and love from the community with my news of returning to Australia.

A colleague of mine from another school asked me the other day what I was most proud of, apart from the new site, when I look back at the past five years at Desert Sky. The question made me stop and think about all that we have achieved together as a community.

So many things jumped into my mind. The growth of the school to more than 150 children receiving a tuition-free Montessori education. The incredibly dedicated, hardworking, and companionate teaching team we have gathered. The beautiful classrooms full of the most amazing Montessori materials. The loving and supportive community that has been a huge part of developing a compassionate and inclusive culture at our school. I could go on and on about this school I love.

But my answer to my colleague ended up being, the children that I greet every morning as they get out of their cars with a smile on their face. The fact that our children love coming to Desert Sky is everything to me. Knowing each child, helping build a happy and safe space for them to learn, and watching the excitement on their faces when they master a difficult concept, is what I am most proud of!

I look forward to spending as much time as I can with your children over the next semester. And I know our Board will find a wonderful new Head of School to take this very special school into the next five years.

JODIE BORGIA, Head of School