August 2023

Peek Inside our Children’s House Community

Hello Bobcat families, 

“So, from the age of three till six, being able to now to tackle his environment deliberately and consciously, he begins a period of real constructiveness.” 

Dr. Maria Montessori | The Absorbent Mind, p.  152 

 

Hello my Bobcat families, 

 Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year at Creo School!! August is an exciting month with lots of things happening in the classroom. We would like to welcome our new students Brody, Max, Tessa, and Olivia! This year our recess and lunch time have switched. We are having recess time first at 11:50 A.M. and then lunch at 12:25 P.M.  

As the Bobcat Montessori Guide, I am glad to see familiar faces returning to our environment. Some of our children found out that now they are the leaders in the classroom Incredible!… it seems like if it was yesterday when they began their transition from the toddler classrooms. I am grateful for having the opportunity to see how much they have grown and accomplish during these years. My dear families, thank you for trusting Creo school, trusting Ms. Joselyne and I, and for believing in the Montessori philosophy.  

As every beginning of the year, we are presenting lots of Grace and Courtesy lessons. These lessons are the foundation to have a peaceful and respectful classroom. We are presenting lessons on: 

  • Using walking feet in the classroom. 

  • How to walk around someone’s rug. 

  • How to sit in a group. 

  • Using soft voices. 

  • How to push a chair inside the table as well as how to carry a chair. 

  • How to politely interrupt when needing something.

  • How to observe a peer who is working. 

  • How to knock on the bathroom door 

  • How to clean up

  • etc.

 

These exercises relating to Social Grace and Courtesy, support the children in their daily interactions with fellow peers and adults as well as supporting their independence! At home, please provide opportunities for your child to be independent. Maybe by helping with their laundry, putting away their toys, choosing and/or changing their clothes, helping in the kitchen, gardening, etc.   

 As we get back into the swing of things, please remember that class begins at 8:30 A.M. It is so important to have your child at school on time. When your child is on time, it causes less disruption to the classroom, gives them more time to transition to school, and most importantly allows them to participate in the full work cycle. 

 Also, please, remember to send your child to school wearing Creo Uniform. Please, help us make sure that your child is comfortable and that our classroom is free from distractions by always following the dress code.  

 We have “Show and Share” on Fridays. It is optional. Please remember not to send toys. This is an opportunity for your child to share with their classmates an object that is meaningful for them and ideally something from nature.  

if you have any questions, please feel free to email me.  

Warmly, 

 Ms. Hany and Ms. Joselyne 

 
 
 

CACTUS WREN

Dear Cactus Wren Families,

It has been an amazing start to the new school year, and it’s amazing how quickly the weeks have flown by! We want to send a warm welcome to all our families, returning and new. The have have begun to form a sense of deep community with each other and we are excited for the year ahead!

This past month the children have been learning about seeds and plants. They have been working together in small groups to plant seedling pod for our garden and observing them grow. We recently have several sprouts, and the children were excited for their growth! The children have also been hard at work with their lessons, and it is amazing to see their growth over these past weeks!

Next month the children are looking forward to celebrating Peace Day. During circle times, they have been learning and singing several songs for the celebration. Below are links to the songs, and you may have heard your child singing or humming the tunes at home.

Paz Como un Rio: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JcxInCV8XxI&pp=ygUPcGF6IGNvbW8gdW4gcmlv

Peace Like a River: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=329t5D3ZTaw&pp=ygUScGVhY2UgbGlrZSBhIHJpdmVy

Light a Candle for Peace: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K9M8SmWh2Fo&pp=ygUZbGlnaHQgYSBjYW5kbGUgZm9yIHBlYWNlIA==

Thank you, families, for sharing your children with us and all your support!

We truly appreciate you and feel so humble and privileged to be a part of your child’s Montessori journey!

Warmly,

Ms. Laura

 
 

Hello Gray Fox families, 

Hello Gray Fox Families, 

 Greetings! As we step into a new chapter together, our hearts brim with excitement and warmth. The past month has been a whirlwind of reconnections, introductions, and shared moments that have set the tone for an enriching journey ahead. In these early weeks of the academic year, our focus has embraced two pivotal elements. one is practicing the lessons of Grace and Courtesy, such as 

  • How to greet a teacher  

  • Offering a hug  

  • Carrying a tray  

  • Using the bathroom  

  • Pouring water for drinking  

  • How to ask a friend to walk away  

  • Observing a lesson  

  • How to ask for help  

 The other is we have been practicing a song together, adding a touch of music to our days. The children are enjoying this new experience! 

 

This is the song :  " When you are in heart..You are my family 

                                  When I am in your heart.. I am your family  -- (2 times) 

                                   FAMILY  FAMILY  FAMILY ........FAMILYYY" 

 

Also, let's mix in a bit of fun at home with a simple cream drop biscuit recipe.  They all loved baking biscuits. Here is the recipe: 

 Easy Biscuit Recipe: 

 

Ingredients: 

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour 

  • 1 tablespoon baking powder 

  • pinch of salt 

  • 1 cup of heavy cream 

 

Instructions: 

  • Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). 

  • In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. 

  • Gradually pour in the heavy cream, stirring until a dough forms. 

  • On a floured surface, gently pat the dough until it's about 1/2-inch thick. 

  • Use a cup or biscuit cutter to make rounds. 

  • Place the rounds on a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden. 

  • Let them cool a bit before enjoying your homemade biscuits! 

 

Thank you for your support and positive energy. We're excited for the year ahead and all the wonderful experiences it will bring. 

 Warmly, 

Ms. Rama and Ms. Rocio 

 

 
 

JACKRABBIT

Hello Dear Jackrabbit Families! 

What a wonderful start of the school year! We are so excited to welcome everyone back to the Jackrabbits as well as welcoming our new students and their families. We are looking forward to a year full of growing, learning, and becoming a community. The children have been enjoying their new lessons and adapting to the environment and routine.  

 On our first several weeks of school, we have been working on Grace and Courtesy lessons to support the children daily social interactions, and will continue throughout the year. All these lessons bring peaceful, loving, and trusting relationships with one another. We have noticed an explosion in the Language Area. It is easy to find children working with the moveable alphabets and writing and reading materials. Our younger children are working hard on their sandpaper letter sounds on a daily basis to help them recognize the symbols for the phonemes. The sandpaper letters use three senses to help the children absorb the sound/letter shape; tactile, visual and auditory. If your child comes home with a small booklet of letters, please practice with them the sounds from his booklet asking them “how does this letter sound”. Perhaps you can ask the child after responds the sound of the letter “can you tell me a word that starts with mmmmm?”

The children have also started working on the garden with Ms. Laura, out Creo’s Garden Specialist. She spoke to the children about the process of germinating seeds. For now, the children started germinating cucumbers, snapdragons, xenias and pumpkin seeds. 

It was great seeing you at our first Community Meeting, thank you for attending. We invite you to attend future parent nights as those meetings will give you a better understanding of what happens in our classroom on a daily basis. Our next Community Meeting will be held on September 28, from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. 

 

A couple of reminders: 

 

- Crocs are not allowed to be worn at school. Please refer to Creo’s uniform policy in the handbook.  

-Thank you for cooperating at our drop-off time keeping it “short and sweet”. 

-Apple pouches and yogurt pouches need to be poured into a container at home to encourage independence in the classroom

-Please return your child’s folder the next school day after it goes home once a month

 

Thank you for your trust and support. We feel grateful to be back in the classroom and spend our days with each and one of your children. We are looking forward to a wonderful year filled with new experiences and the beginning of lifetime memories. We appreciate you and what an honor to be part of your child’s Montessori journey. 

Warmly, 

Ms. Yadira and Ms. Karen 

 
 
Jill Rovira