Cowles Montessori Crier

“Human flourishing, as Maria Montessori put it, means becoming a person of one’s time and place with the means and wherewithal not only to function within but to shape society (NCMPS, 2019).”

“All humans (CHILDREN and ADULTS) flourish in society (ENVIRONMENT).” - Cowles Montessori Vision

Fully Virtual Learning For All Students

• DMPS is conducting learning virtually through Tuesday, December 22nd
• Stay tuned for more information from DMPS regarding hybrid and virtual instruction in January

CMPG Monthly Meeting

• Monday, December 14th at 6:00 p.m.
• https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5016626370 Meeting ID 501 662 6370

Winter Break

• Wednesday, December 23rd through Sunday, January 3rd
• No school for students

Questions? Contact Cowles Montessori School

• Phone: 515-242-7818
• Email: Shannon Hines shannon.hines@dmschools.org

The year 2020 has been remarkable in many ways, but none so potentially course changing as the local and national debates, rallies and protests around racial injustice.

As events in Des Moines unfolded early in the summer and students and staff made their voices heard among the protestors, Superintendent Tom Ahart issued a challenge to the district’s administration and staff to become actively “anti-racist”, opening the door to a series of Anti-Racist Town Hall gatherings involving hundreds of parents, students, DMPS staff and community members to examine systemic racism within our schools. The district also gathered Black employee experiences and thoughts about what needed to change in the work environment.

The results were a stark reveal of how far the district has yet to go toward racial equity.

Anti-Racist Town Hall results:

• Finding #1: The current approach to teaching, learning and assessment is driven by adults using whitewashed curriculum
• Finding #2: The current approach to recruitment, selection and retainment of staff produces a majority white staffing population
• Finding #3: There is not consistency across all positions within the district to create positive, supportive school experiences for students
• Finding #4: The current school system is perpetuating systemic racism

Peter LeBlanc’s movement from middle school principal to Principal on Special Assignment was one of the first answers to come from the questions raised about the challenges DMPS faces. His position was created late in the summer and he began anti-racist employee trainings this Fall.

“This work has to do with what we believe and how we believe, and it will require us at times to question our beliefs, and question actions that we take or don’t take,” LeBlanc told a group of supervisors gathered for one of his trainings.

It’s a guide for all of the work underway, as curriculum and instruction methods are examined, recruiting and hiring practices are changed, student and staff voices are lifted up in race discussions and transformation in our schools and buildings, and systemic racism is rooted out of Des Moines Public Schools in all of its facets.

“We are taking steps forward that I am very proud of,” LeBlanc said. “There’s a lot of work being done and my hope is that we start to see some improvements as early as next semester.”

But he cautioned that anti-racist work is deeply personal for everyone, at every level of the school district.

“We are not going to train equity into you and we are not going to train bias out of you,” he said. “That is work you’re going to have to own and do yourselves.”

As the school year progresses, we will share more information about the changes underway at DMPS, remaining accountable to the hundreds of people who shared their time and experiences with our Anti-Racist Leadership Team, and to all of our staff, students and families.

Published on Thursday, December 10th, 2020

"When we speak of peace, we do not mean a partial truce between separate nations, but a permanent way of life for all [mankind]." —Maria Montessori

If you were unable to take part in the fall sessions of the Raising Antiracist White Kids program, but would like the chance to participate, you are in luck. Cowles parent, Drake University professor and author, Dr. Jennifer Harvey, has graciously donated free access to her "Raising Antiracist White Kids" on-line course for another Cowles parent education series starting in January. This step-by-step guide will be broken down into 6 week sessions. Each weekly session will be an hour long group virtual discussion that follows "homework" consisting of a 10-20 minute video by Dr. Harvey and reflection work. To learn more about the course, visit Dr. Harvey's website here. Starting on January 11th, we will cover the six sessions weekly as a group. You can view a special message from Dr. Harvey here to kick things off.

Sign up now for a Monday evening or Tuesday morning session by following the link here. If your session is full, please sign up for a waiting list spot. If there are enough people on the waiting list, we will add more time options to accommodate demand. Once you are signed up, more information will be forthcoming regarding links to the virtual meeting, access to the curriculum and other instructions.

The Cowles Montessori Parent Group is also committed to efforts to create a more supportive environment for students of color at Cowles. In exchange for free access to Dr. Harvey's course, which would normally cost $130/person, we are asking participants to donate to a dedicated CMPG fund for anti-racism efforts at Cowles. Staff leading anti-racism efforts in consultation with parents of students of color will direct those funds to training and other materials. Donations can be made to Venmo @CMPG6401 or Paypal @ CMPGDM@gmail.com or by check made out to CMPG.

We are also looking for additional moderators for the discussion sessions should we need to add sessions. If you are interested in volunteering or if you have any questions about this program please contact Allison Petersen at allisonepetersen@gmail.com.

Dear Cowles parents/guardians,

There is so much information out there regarding COVID-19 that it can be overwhelming. I have posted some links below that may be helpful for you. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns, I am always happy to help.

1. Where can I find additional information about the COVID-19 virus? The CDC has a list of frequently asked questions and recommended best practices for staying healthy posted HERE . The Polk County Health Department has important information that can be found HERE .

2. What do I tell my child(ren) about the virus and how can I help them understand what is happening? Here is a great article from the National Association of School Psychologists that offers some great information regarding Helping Children Cope with Changes Resulting from COVID-19 .

3. What are the preventative measures to slow the spread of COVID-19? HERE

4. Did you know that handwashing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs? Please follow the CDC guidelines for Handwashing for best practice.

5. Are you thinking about traveling during the holidays? The CDC is strongly encouraging all people to NOT travel or gather for the holidays. "Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19." If you do decide to travel, they are encouraging you to test both before and after, plus consider reducing non-essential activities for 7-10 days. More suggestions can be found on the CDC website.

6. Will you be getting the COVID-19 vaccine? The news about vaccines for COVID-19 looks very promising. While this is a bright spot, the process of rolling out vaccines to all who want them will take time. Be patient and expect some hiccups along the way. You can learn more about COVID-19 vaccines, the approval process, and frequently asked questions here.

7. Did you get your flu shot? You still have time. PCHD continues to offer drive-up flu shots M-F 9am-4pm at 1906 Carpenter Ave. Most major insurance accepted (bring your card). Without insurance, a flu shot is $25 for regular dose or $50 for high dose (elderly) but no one will be turned away for inability to pay. They will be operating throughout the month of December. Take the whole family and get one today!

OTHER REMINDERS:

A current preschool physical and dental exam are required for preschool enrollment each year for licensure. If you have not turned one into me, please do so ASAP. Both the dental certificate and physical form are attached.

A dental screen/exam is required for all Kindergarteners from age 3-6 years of age. If you have not submitted a completed form to me, please do so by Tuesday, December 15th. Contact me if you have any questions. Thank you. The dental certificate is attached.

FREE MEALS: Cowles will not be a virtual meal site through winter break. Please find a location that is convenient for you for pick up. If you have a special diet, please contact Anita Turczynski, RDN, LD, DMPS Food Service Dietitian at 515-242-7636 and she can help you. Thank you. Remember these are meals for ages 1-18 years of age. No ID required. HERE.

Food Bank of Iowa: I am attaching this great resource for our Cowles Montessori School families. Our pick-up location is Meredith Reformed Church, 5128 Meredith Dr., Wed: 11:30a.m.- 1:00 p.m. Please see attached document for the other 13 locations located throughout the city.

Kindness Challenge: Tell someone how important they are. The Kindness Elves are challenging you to reach out to the people in your lives. Did you know that there is a direct correlation between the people we love and/or the friendships we build and the impact on our health and well-being? I ran across this article that has some really great tips about why Being kind is good for your health: How to practice kindness every day .

Finally, please remember to notify us if anyone in your family tests positive for COVID-19 or is in quarantine. You can reach me by calling the main office at 515-242-7818 and leave a message or you may email me at ann.humphrey@dmschools.org and I will get back to you.

Thank you.

Be well! Stay safe!

Nurse Ann

If parents want to book an appointment time to speak with Nurse Ann, click on the link below:

Nurse Ann's Office Hours

CMPG wants to bring more awareness to businesses that are operated by Cowles Families with the hope that we will support local Cowles industries year round.

Visit SupportCowles.com to view the businesses and what they have to offer. Support these businesses between now and the end of 2020 and they will donate a portion of sales back to Cowles School.

If you'd like to add your business, please email TevaLee@gmail.com.

Early Childhood Department/School Readiness Goals & Learning Targets – 2020-2021

• 85% of 4 year-olds will meet or exceed kindergarten readiness in the Literacy Domain of GOLD including concepts of print, alliteration, letter names and letter sounds.
• 80% of 4 year-olds will meet or exceed kindergarten readiness in the Math Domain of GOLD including counts, quantifies and connects numerals with quantities.
• 90% of 4 year-olds will meet or exceed kindergarten readiness in the Social/Emotional Domain of GOLD, follows limits and expectations.

District Board Goals

LITERACY

• Goal 1: The percent of all third grade students on track in reading will increase from 52% to 72% by June 2023, as measured by FAST.
• Goal 2: The percent of black male third grade students on track in reading will increase from 35% to 72% by June 2023, as measured by FAST.

ALGEBRA

• Goal 3: The percent of black male students earning a ‘B’ or higher in Algebra 1 by the end of 9th grade will increase from 17% to 35% by August 2023.

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING

• Goal 4: A goal will be developed once a baseline measure for social emotional learning is determined.

Cowles Montessori School Improvement Goal

Goal 1: The percent of all third through eighth grade students proficient and/or on track for college and carerr readiness in math will increase from 81% to 85% by Spring of 2023 as measured by state assessments:

• By 2020 - 82%
• By 2021 - 83%
• By 2022 - 84%
• By 2023 - 85%

Email: shannon.hines@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