Cowles Montessori Crier

Week of February 12th

Cowles Montessori Mission

"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."

Important Dates to Remember

Staff PD Day (No school for students) - Monday, February 19th

All City Jazz Festival - Tuesday, February 20th

Fine Arts Day - Tuesday, February 27th

Poetry Slam - 6th Graders - Tuesday, February 27th - 6:00pm (more info to come!)

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Project Wisdom Announcement

Check out Maverick's video for a few words of wisdom.

https://flipgrid.com/0ddc84

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Fine Arts News

As Cowles Montessori is celebrating its 25th year of Montessori in DMPS the Fine Arts department at Cowles is also celebrating our creativity and work. We will host the 4th Annual Fine Arts Day on February 27th. During our Fine Arts Day we will welcome in over 20 different artists. The performing artists range from playing harmonica, singing and dancing. Visual artists will work with a variety of mediums including tin, clay and string. Our students will spend the day in six different sessions participating in the variety of fine arts.

The Visual Arts students are also working on a collaborative sculpture to commemorate our 25th year. We will be building a 7 foot pink tower filled with photos of Cowles Montessori over the past 25 years. The Pink Tower is iconic to a Montessori classroom and one of the foundational pieces of Montessori Education. We have been collecting photos from the past 25 years. It has been an enlightening to hear the students connect with either activities they were involved in or remember as they see others.

March is Youth Art Month and the Des Moines Public Schools will host their annual Visual Arts Exhibit at Capitol Square March 22-28. Stop by and enjoy art from all over our district.

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Girls on the Run

Girls on the Run is an afterschool program like no other! On Tuesdays and Thursdays starting March 20 to May 24, girls will have fun, make friends, increase their physical activity levels and learn important life skills. Trained and caring coaches lead 3-6 grade girls through interactive lessons and running activities. The season ends with a noncompetitive 5K event. Register at www.dmymca.org/girlsontherun

Kofu Exchange

At the end of this school year, up to twenty-five students will have the opportunity to experience a transformational multi-cultural experience! And here’s why…

THE HISTORY

It all started late summer of 1959. Japan was struck by two typhoons in less than a month, which was devastating to the area including and surrounding Kofu. Master Sergeant Richard Thomas from Iowa wanted to help and organized an effort to have hogs donated and shipped from Des Moines. Thirty-six hogs were taken by plane by the US Air Force, and Iowans also sent thousands of bushels of corn by ship. Thirty-five of the hogs survived and are the lineage of over 500,000 hogs now in Japan.

This began a long friendship between Des Moines and Kofu. Over the years the friendship has grown into a much larger relationship than just agriculture. Des Moines and Kofu also exchange students and teachers each year too.

This will be an exceptionally special year, as it is the 35th anniversary of the Kofu Exchange, and we are excited to take students along on this wonderful experience! And upon our return, we will get the chance to host the Kofu students as they experience life in Iowa.

THE APPLICATION PROCESS

We are still accepting applications from students in grades 6 through 10 who would like to participate. Once we have twenty-five participants, the application site will close. While the trip costs about $3500, scholarship opportunities will be made available.

Student can access the application online by going to kofu.dmschools.org. Or, if students need a paper application, please email amy.abler@dmschools.org.

IMPORTANT DATES

Travel dates will be May 31 – June 11, 2018. The group will meet at a small number of sessions as we make preparations for the trip. Those dates and times will be determined soon.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

If you have questions regarding the trip, check out the website at kofu.dmschools.org, the group’s Facebook page, or contact Amy Abler via email at amy.abler@dmschools.org or by phone at 515-242-8314.