Cowles Montessori School Crier

"Unity, to be real, must sustain the severest strain without breaking." - Unknown

6th-8th Grade: Conditions for Learning Student Survey - April 16th- April 27th
5th Grade: Conditions for Learning Student Survey - April 30th - May 11th
Spring School Pictures! - Thursday, April 19th
Cowles After Dark - Saturday, April 21st - Wicker Park 6:00-11:00 p.m (more info posted below!)
Band Concert - Monday, April 23rd at Roosevelt 7:00 p.m.
Cowles Montessori Material Night - Thursday, April 26th at Cowles 3:30p.m.
Book Fair - April 23rd-April 27th at Cowles
Music Concert - Tuesday, May 1st at Roosevelt
Piano Recitals - May 7th, 17th, and 29th
Orchestra Concert - Thursday, May 10th - 6:30 p.m.
CMPG Meeting - Monday, May 14th - 6:00 p.m. Cowles Library
Field Day - Friday, May 18th
Retirement Party - Wednesday, May 23 4:00-5:30 at WH Community Center (Open to the community to celebrate our retiring faculty and staff)
New-to-Cowles Parent and Community School Tours - Thursday, May 24th 4:30-6:00 p.m.
Montessori Alumni Night - Thursday, May 24th 6:00 p.m. (Open to all past, current, and in-coming students of Cowles Montessori and their families)
Preschool: Last Day of School - Tuesday, May 29th
*Moving Up Ceremony - Thursday, May 31st (*please note this is an update event date)
Kindergarten-8th Grade: Last Day of School - Thursday, May 31st (3 hour early dismissal)

View Maya’s video for a few words of wisdom: https://flipgrid.com/3f4453

Congratulations to our newly elected Cowles Montessori Parent Group (CMPG) Executive Board Members!

President: Betsy Mitchell

Vice President: Allison Peterson

Treasurer: Matthew Wier

Secretary: Jen Speers

Thank you to Nate Reagan for his years of service as Treasurer.

As you know, CMPG provides extensive support to our students, faculty, staff, and community members. Over the years, they have supported Cowles with volunteers, fundraising efforts, and serve as hosts many events that positively impact our school. We look forward to continuing a strong partnership and CMPG presence at Cowles Montessori.

Thanks and congrats again to our CMPG Executive Board Members!

Saturday, April 21- Cowles After Dark Event (Adult social and school fundraiser)
Wicker Park - 6:00-11:00 p.m.

Cowles After Dark is not only a really fun social gathering for Cowles loving adults, but it is an important school fundraiser this year that will raise funds for school needs and projects. Here are some ways Cowles students and teachers have benefited greatly from the funds this event has provided:

• Montessori Professional Development for staff
  
• Montessori materials for students
  
• Project Wisdom
• Shelving
• STEM materials
• Classroom supplies

Volunteers Needed! Opportunities of all sizes are available to volunteer

Are you willing to help with:

• Silent Auction
• Set up
• Check in
• Tear Down
• Bidding Assistant
• Wine Pull
• Raffle Wrangler
  

A few hours of your time can make a huge difference for our school!

For more information, visit the VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES tab on the event website.
https://cowles.ejoinme.org/CowlesAfterDark

We have several retiring staff members that have made a tremendous impact at Cowles.

Andrea Wright is one of our faculty members retiring at the end of this year. We thank her for the many great years of service and wish her the best in retirement!

From Andrea:

I've enjoyed working with the people here at Cowles. The dedication and commitment of this wonderful staff is outstanding. The caring and support shared with the children and each other every day is amazing. We have grown SO much over the years. Their kindness and support has made a difference in my life.

What Andrea will be up to:
I am looking forward to relaxing, spending more time with my family, enjoying a little traveling and downsizing. . . SO MUCH SCHOOL STUFF!!! It's probably going to take a while for me to stop thinking about the classroom when I am shopping. It really is an addiction! LOL

What Andrea will miss:

During the 19 years I have been at Cowles, I have enjoyed getting to know many children and their families. It has been a privilege and a wonderful experience getting to know each and every one. My husband says we don't go anywhere without running into someone from Cowles and it's true. We have touched each other's lives in so many ways. I will miss the children, the staff and the Montessori environment; however, I am ready for this next chapter in my life.

Andrea, our fondest farewell to you!

Please join me in welcoming Jesse Bonnette to the Cowles PrePrimary team! He will take over Andrea Wright's classroom and student roster this coming school year. He comes to Cowles with prior Montessori teaching experience at the Montessori Children’s House. He is a graduate of Grandview University with a BA degree in Elementary Education with a Reading Endorsement. Jesse received his International Diploma in Montessori Pedagogy for Early Childhood from Montessori Centre International in 2016. He demonstrates a terrific balance of knowing the technical aspects of Montessori Education and fostering the love for learning in children. We are excited for him to join the Cowles Staff this coming school year!

From Jesse:

Hi, my name is Jesse Bonnette and I am very excited to be joining the Cowles community. I was born in Waterloo and grew up in West Des Moines. Recently, my wife Shelby, and daughter Noa bought a house in Urbandale. I am really looking forward to the upcoming school year and being part of such an exciting and diverse community.

Hobbies

• Anything to do with Notre Dame

• Watching movies

• Playing with my daughter

• Grilling

Favorite Montessori Materials

• Continent Maps

• Cards and Counters

• Pink Tower

• Sand Paper Letters

• The Importance of the Sun

Education

Montessori Centre International

• International Montessori Diploma

Grand View University

• Elementary Education-Reading Endorsement

DMACC

• Associates Degree

Tune in next week to find out who our new Lower Level Teacher will be!

Read about our "soft launch" from last week:

https://www.dmschools.org/2018/04/kindergartener-drives-cowles-walking-school-bus/

• Promotes healthy lifestyles and active transportation for students, families, and the community
• The Walking School Bus will starts at the Windsor Heights Presbyterian Church and ends at Cowles Montessori

• The walking school bus will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays now through the end of the school year
  
• Student drop off is at 7:45 a.m. at the Windsor Heights Presbyterian Church
  
• Student begin walking to Cowles at 8:00 a.m.
• Participants complete the Consent and Registration form and return to Cowles by Wednesday, April 11th
  
• The Walking School Bus is a collaborative effort between Principal Johnson of Cowles Montessori, Jenny Weber of Wellmark, Matt Wier of CMPG, and Michael Loffredo of the City of Windsor Heights

Walking School Bus FAQs

What is a Walking School Bus (WSB)?

A WSB is a fun way to get to school as a group! Children walk under adult supervision along a recommended route to school. (See the photo attached to this section)

Why Should I Join?

A WSB is an opportunity for children to learn important pedestrian safety skills. WSBs can help reduce the number of parents dropping off children to school, which means reducing traffic congestion and improving air quality around the school. In addition, if your child participates, they will get more physical activity, which will help keep them healthy and prepare them to learn for the day. Finally, it will save you time. Imagine volunteering for WSB just once a week, and having four free days where you do not have to worry about getting your child to school!

What does it cost?

The program is free! It relies on adult volunteers, and the more volunteers, the more days a walking school bus can run.

How do I sign up my child?

It is easy! Just fill out the attached Walking School Bus Consent Form and return it to your school. (Posted below this section)

Who can be a volunteer with the WSB?

All parents, family members, and school staff who have been cleared by [SCHOOL/ SCHOOL DISTRICT] ‘s volunteer screening process. [TAILOR FOR YOUR WSB SITUATION]

We hope that you will join and help volunteer with WSB! It is a great way to spend time with your child before school.

Our priorities during construction are as follows:

- Safety and Communication

- Car Line and Parking Lot

- Playground access

3/1/18 - Portion of the playground was removed and a construction fence is up

3/2/18 - The raised gardens and compost were properly moved and stored for future use

3/3/18 - The construction company is preparing for formwork and will be digging to put in footings
3/26/18 - The construction company has spent a great deal of time digging:) The formwork is underway!
3/30/18 - Formwork continues
4/6/18 - Progress continues with formwork. The DMPS construction oversight personnel and the construction company were intentional about reducing noise associated with construction during our testing window
4/10/18- Brian, the Construction Inspector, will provide the building with a copy of the blueprints for the new addition. They will be a traveling document throughout the building for students to learn from. He will also provide someone on-site to speak to classes.

4/11/18 - The new addition coming along well! It is so much fun to image what our building will be like in a few short months! The timeline is currently “on schedule”. We will begin preparing the building for several projects that will be going on in the building starting Monday, June 2nd:

- Library renovations (We will pack up all Library items and store them in open classrooms)

- Elevator installation

- Cafeteria renovations

- HVAC in all east-wing classrooms

- New Addition

4/12/18 - The new playground equipment has been ordered! See the attached picture. The installation will occur once the equipment has been received.

"Together we celebrate diversity, respect, and the love for learning through the Montessori Method. Our environment nurtures and prepares the child for a global community."

Email: todd.johnson@dmschools.org
Website: cowles.dmschools.org
Location: 6401 College Avenue, Windsor Heights, IA, USA
Phone: 515-242-7818
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CowlesMontessori
Twitter: @CowlesDMPS