Cowles Montessori Crier

Week of September 11th

Cowles Montessori School 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

*Lower Elementary Parent Information Night - Monday, September 11th from 5:00-6:00pm

*Cowles Montessori Parent Group Meeting - Monday, September 11th from 6:00-7:00pm

*Upper Elementary Parent Information Night - Tuesday, September 12th from 5:30-6:30pm

*Beginning Band Meeting for Upper Elementary - Tuesday, September 12th from 6:30-7:00

Parent-Teacher Conferences - Week of October 2nd

Picture Day – Thursday, October 19th

Helping Hurricane Harvey and Irma Victims

Two unprecedented hurricanes are affecting the Gulf and Caribbean regions. Maria Montessori's wise words remind us what we can do for others: “Pledging to Serve Our Community, Country and World by Reaching Out to Others in Need". This is the time to put our words into action. Students, parents, and staff members can participate by bringing any change or dollar bills they might have and place it in a small pool that was located in the front hallway to support this cause. Money will be collected for several weeks.

A check from Cowles Montessori will be given to the Red Cross and Montessori schools in the Gulf and Caribbean regions.

Thank you for reaching out to others in need.

Health News from Nurse Delury

Welcome back students and staff! I am excited to begin a new and healthy school year.

First, a quick reminder about immunizations. For the safety of all, per Iowa law, all students need to have a recent immunization record or a medical or religious waiver on file. If this is not in place by the first day of school, a provisional certificate will be issued and sent home. This certificate allows 60 days to complete the required immunization(s). After the 60 day period, if I have not received the proper documentation, your student will not be allowed to return to school.

Secondly, a quick review of a few topics in the parent handbook. If your child has an oral temperature of 101 degrees F, unless there is a known non-infectious cause of the fever, they need to be kept at home. I may send your child home at a lower temperature if they also have symptoms of a contagious illness. Your child needs to be fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications (acetaminophen, ibuprofen) before returning to school. Also, with the exception of lip balm and cough drops, all medications given in an elementary school must be prescribed by a physician. 6th grade and up may receive ibuprofen and acetaminophen from the nurse without a prescription, provided there is parental consent.

Finally, September is known as “back to school” time, but it is also National Childhood Obesity Month. Try to offer your children plenty of fruits and vegetables at mealtime as well as snack time. Offer water as an alternative to sugary drinks and sodas. And finally, encourage physical activity! The CDC recommends 60 minutes of physical activity a day for school-age children. To learn more about nutrition and physical activity for kids, visit the CDC website or the American Academy of Pediatrics website.

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Montessori Outcomes

Intrinsic Motivation- Intrinsic motivation is the innate desire that drives the child to engage in an activity for enjoyment and satisfaction.

Creativity and Originality of Thought- Students are confident using the knowledge and skills they acquired to express their own ideas and creativity. They recognize the value of their own ideas, respect the creative process of others and are willing to share regardless of risk. Students find joy and satisfaction in self-expression.

Social Responsibility- Social responsibility requires the awareness that one’s actions impact the welfare of the group and that one cannot attain complete independence and autonomy until one contributes constructively in a group process. Individuals are able to make a positive contribution to their community and groups within that community.

Autonomy- The autonomous child is self-directed, composed and morally independent.

Confidence and Competence- The confident and competent child perceives himself as being successful, has a realistic understanding of accomplishment and has the ability to learn from his/her mistakes. Competence is the capability for success through taking risks, reflection, and self-correction.

Spiritual Awareness- Montessori students are often exceptionally compassionate, empathetic, and sensitive to the natural world and human condition.

Academic Preparation- On an academic level, Montessori provides students with skills that allow them to become independently functioning adults and lifelong learners. As students master one level of academic skills they are able to go further and apply themselves to increasingly challenging materials across various academic disciplines. Students recognize that there is always room to grow in their abilities to read, write, speak, and think clearly and thoughtfully. Children learn how to learn by doing. Students are encouraged to explore materials, integrate new concepts, analyze data, and think critically. Academic skills are essential to learning and knowing, not the aim of learning and knowing.

From the Desk of Mr. Johnson

This year, Cowles Montessori School will be "making STEM connections" with our state grant and partnership with the Science Center of Iowa. STEM stands for: Science, Technology, Engineering, Math. Students will engage in several STEM components including:

Maker's spaces: tinkering, building, experimenting and collaborating to solve problems

Combining Art and Science: creating a mark-making tool using batteries, a DC motor and markers

Producing evidence toward rigorous standards: applying critical thinking and engineering practices in addition to academic knowledge

Read more about "Making STEM Connections" by viewing the following link:
http://www.sciowa.org/makingstemconnections

I am looking forward to conversations with students about their work with STEM!
Sincerely,
Mr. Johnson