August 2026
Peek Inside Lower Elementary
BLACK BEAR
Our first month of school has been a wonderful time of settling in, building relationships, and becoming comfortable with our classroom routines and guidelines. The children have been learning what it means to be part of our classroom community through songs, game and shared experiences. These activities have helped us create a warm environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging.
We have also begun some exciting lessons across many areas of the curriculum. Our first two lessons, exploring the universe and the timeline of life, have inspired a beautiful sense of awe and wonder as the children begin to discover their place in the larger story of our world. Alongside these lessons, we have been exploring many other areas of learning and laying the foundation for a wonderful year ahead. We are so excited to continue nurturing their curiosity, independence, and love of learning, and we look forward to all that this year will bring!
Ms. Rebeca and Ms. Carmen
COYOTE
It has been so wonderful to welcome the children back into the classroom and see familiar faces after the summer break. It has been equally exciting to welcome our new students as they begin experiencing the Elementary environment for the first time. One of the beautiful parts of a mixed-age Montessori classroom is watching our community come together again each year. Some children are returning to familiar routines with greater confidence and independence, while others are discovering everything for the first time.
Throughout the first month of school, we place a strong emphasis on Grace and Courtesy. These lessons help the children learn how to navigate our classroom community with respect, kindness, and consideration for one another. We have been practicing how to move through the classroom, care for our shared environment and materials, communicate respectfully, solve problems with peers, and recognize when someone else needs space or support. At the same time, we have been establishing the routines and expectations that will help our classroom function smoothly throughout the year.
Our returning students have had a particularly important role during these first few weeks. They have had opportunities to step into leadership positions and help guide children who are new to the Elementary environment. It has been wonderful to see them model classroom routines, answer questions, offer help, and demonstrate how to care for our classroom community. In Montessori, the mixed-age environment allows children to experience both sides of this relationship over time. They begin as younger students learning from those around them and gradually become the leaders and role models themselves.
August is also an exciting time because we begin introducing the Great Lessons, which provide a foundation for much of the work the children will explore throughout Elementary. This month, the children have experienced The Coming of the Universe, The Story of Life, and the Black Strip. Rather than simply giving children facts to memorize, these stories are meant to spark wonder and invite them to ask bigger questions about the world around them. Where did everything come from? How has life changed over time? How long have humans been here compared with the history of the Earth?
The children have been incredibly engaged during these presentations, and it has been exciting to watch their curiosity continue beyond the lessons themselves. The Great Lessons often serve as a doorway into independent research, conversations, experiments, timelines, and other follow-up work. Already, we are seeing children become interested in learning more about the topics and ideas that captured their attention.
Our exploration has extended into art as well. This month, we learned about artist Paul Klee and explored some of his distinctive artwork. The children especially enjoyed creating their own interpretations inspired by Castle and Sun and The Goldfish. These experiences have given them an opportunity to study an artist's work while also experimenting with color, shape, pattern, and their own creativity.
Of course, our shelves and work spaces have also been busy with academics! Throughout August, we have enjoyed introducing new concepts while also revisiting lessons and skills that returning students were practicing at the end of last school year. This balance of review and new challenges allows each child to reconnect with familiar materials, strengthen skills, and begin moving forward at their own pace. As the year continues, we look forward to seeing their individual interests and academic paths unfold.
Most importantly, August has been about building our community. The beginning of a Montessori school year is about much more than beginning academic work. We are learning how to work together, how to care for our environment, how to support one another, and how each person contributes something important to our classroom.
We are so excited for the year ahead and grateful for the opportunity to learn alongside your children. Thank you for your continued partnership and for sharing them with us each day. We cannot wait to see where their curiosity takes us next!
Warmly,
Ms. Samantha and Ms. Maria
Peek Inside Upper Elementary
FALCON
Dear Falcon Families,
A Wonderful Start to the School Year!
We have had a busy and exciting start to the school year! Our classroom community is beginning to come together, and students are learning not only new academic skills, but also the routines, responsibilities, and time-management skills that will help them become more independent learners.
Sixth Grade Capstone Projects Begin
Our sixth graders have officially begun their Capstone Projects! They are learning how to take a large project and break it into manageable steps, organize their time, research effectively, and take responsibility for their own work. We are excited to watch their projects develop throughout the year as they grow as researchers, writers, and presenters.
Writers Workshop for 4th & 5th Grade
Our fourth and fifth graders have begun Writers Workshop, where we are building the foundational skills they will need to become confident writers. We have been practicing important skills such as note-taking, organizing information, and writing strong paragraphs.
Rather than simply focusing on the final product, we are learning that good writing is a process. Students are practicing how to gather ideas, organize their thinking, turn notes into complete sentences, and develop their ideas clearly. These skills will serve as a foundation for the longer research and writing projects they will encounter in the upper elementary years.
A New Year of Reading & History
We have also begun reading Hamlet together! Students are being introduced to Shakespeare and are learning how to approach a challenging text by discussing characters, vocabulary, themes, and ideas together.
At the same time, we have launched our Middle Ages studies. Students are beginning to explore the world of medieval Europe, including the feudal system, castles, knights, and the people who lived during this fascinating period of history. We are excited to continue building our understanding of this time period through literature, history, art, and hands-on activities.
Building Our Classroom Community
One of our biggest priorities at the beginning of the year has been creating a strong classroom community. We have been getting to know one another through songs, games, group activities, and shared experiences. These activities give students opportunities to practice cooperation, communication, problem-solving, and simply having fun together!
Food Safety & Chick-fil-A Fridays
Students have also completed their food safety training as we prepare to begin our Chick-fil-A Friday lunch program. They have been learning about safe food handling, preventing cross-contamination, proper food temperatures, and other important practices.
We are excited about our Friday lunches and are proud of the responsibility students are learning through this classroom job!
Small Group Lessons Begin
Our small group lessons are now underway! These lessons allow us to provide instruction that is more closely matched to individual students' needs and to give students opportunities for additional practice, challenge, and support.
As the year progresses, students will become increasingly comfortable moving between independent work, small group lessons, collaborative work, and classroom presentations.
Small Group Spanish Lessons
We have also begun small group Spanish lessons! Students are building their Spanish vocabulary and conversational skills through interactive, hands-on activities. Working in smaller groups gives students plenty of opportunities to practice speaking, listening, and responding in Spanish while building confidence with the language. We look forward to expanding their vocabulary and communication skills throughout the year!
Routines & Time Management
Finally, a major focus during these first weeks has been learning our classroom routines and time-management skills. Upper elementary students have a great deal of independence and learning how to use that independence responsibly takes time and practice.
We are working on using planners, organizing materials, managing work time, meeting deadlines, transitioning efficiently, and learning how to prioritize tasks. These may seem like small skills, but they are an important part of becoming a successful and independent Montessori learner.
We are off to a wonderful start, and we are looking forward to all that this year will bring! Thank you for partnering with us as we help your children grow academically, socially, and in their independence.
We are excited for a fantastic year in Falcon!
Warmly,
Ms. Emily and Ms. Carla
ROADRUNNER
Dear Roadrunner Families,
We can hardly believe we are already more than a month into the school year! Time has flown by as we have spent our first weeks building a strong classroom community and laying the foundation for a wonderful year of learning together.
We intentionally began the year by strengthening our connections with one another through community-building games, songs, and collaborative activities both inside the classroom and in our shared outdoor spaces. These experiences have helped foster trust, cooperation, and a sense of belonging that will support the children throughout the year.
As our community has grown stronger, we have shifted confidently into our academic work. Students have begun our spelling program and Writer's Workshop, where we are focusing on developing strong note-taking and paraphrasing skills. Learning how to gather information, organize ideas, and transform those ideas into thoughtful academic writing will be an important focus throughout the year.
Our history studies have taken us deep into the Middle Ages. Rather than viewing this period simply as a "dark age," we have explored it as a remarkable example of humanity's ability to rebuild after the fall of Rome. The children have discovered how communities came together to create new systems of government, protection, and cooperation. They have studied the feudal system, explored the incredible engineering behind castle construction, learned about the long and demanding journey to becoming a knight, and discussed the sense of unity that developed during this fascinating period of history.
These studies have connected beautifully with our class reading of Hamlet, which we have been enjoying as an audio performance. Listening to Shakespeare's language come alive has sparked rich classroom discussions about how language has evolved over time, how messages were communicated, and how emotion can be conveyed through voice. Hearing the characters performed has helped the children form meaningful connections with the story while making Shakespeare's language more accessible and engaging.
Beyond our academic work, the children are also beginning community outreach projects with Ms. Catie. They are also learning about and creating artwork inspired by the Middle Ages and the Renaissance with Mr. Jason. Their pieces will be showcased during our Upper Elementary Art Walk this December, and we are excited to watch these projects continue to develop over the coming months.
This month has also included one of the most important Montessori experiences of the year the First Great Lesson. These lessons serve as the launching point for our Cosmic Education curriculum, inviting the children to wonder, ask questions, and begin exploring the interconnected stories of science, history, geography, and humanity. It has been wonderful to see their curiosity grow as they begin making connections across so many areas of learning.
It has been an incredible first month filled with curiosity, collaboration, and growth. We are grateful for your continued support and are excited for all that lies ahead as we continue this remarkable journey together.
With gratitude,
Ms. Lauren and Ms. Juany
