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| April 2009 |
Vol 1, Issue 8 |
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Montessori Matters
Newsletter of the Vincent S Mastro Montessori Academy |
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WELCOME |
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Hello, families, alumni, and friends of the Vincent S. Mastro Montessori Academy,
It's Spring! The season of new beginnings, flowers blooming, Easter and Passover, baseball too.
"In just spring," wrote American poet e.e. cummings, the world is "mudluscious" and "puddlewonderful." * Snoopy does his happy dance. Whoa, where did that come from? When you start one of these streams of consciousness, there's just no telling where you'll end up!
Like these thoughts, this issue of Montessori Matters bounces around a bit. But it never strays far from two subjects that spring also brings to mind: hope for the future and the children who embody it. What a joy it is and how grateful we are to spend our days with yours.
For easy access to the articles that interest you most, click on the links in the "In This Issue" box.
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". . . childhood still seems to me an inexhaustible source of revelations and - let me say - of hope. "
~ Dr. Maria Montessori
These words come from a letter written by Maria Montessori in 1947. Her next lines were:
"Childhood has shown me that all humanity is one. All children talk, no matter what their race or their circumstances or their family, more or less at the same age; they walk, change their teeth, etc. at certain fixed periods of their life. In other aspects also, especially in the physical field, they are just as similar, just as susceptible."
You can read the rest of this still timely Letter to All Governments on the Montessori Model United Nations website. |
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SAVE THE DATE: The Reunion Picnic/Anniversary Celebration is May 30th |
Please plan to join us as we celebrate our 40th anniversary with an event we hope to repeat annually for years to come (maybe even 40 of them).
The First Annual Vincent S Mastro Montessori Academy Reunion Picnic
Saturday, May 30, 2009
11 am to 2 pm,
rain or shine, in our backyard
It's going to be a great outdoor party, complete with:
> Traditional picnic fare catered for us, so we can all just enjoy the day.
> A tent so the fun goes on whatever the weather
> Children's activities
> Vincent S. Mastro Montessori merchandise-including (new!) fleece blankets with our logo on them
> 50-50 raffle drawing*
> Alumni trips down "memory lane" via slide shows and classroom visits
> 40th anniversary commemorative journals for all who attend*
All proceeds from the raffle and commemorative journal ads go to the Mary Mastro Guarriello Scholarship fund
Who can attend: current students and their families - parents, siblings, grandparents, and more; alumni and their families - from as far back in our history as we can find them and as recent as last year; friends of the school; and anyone who's worked for us or with us over the years.
You'll receive your official invitation soon.
Please, spread the word about this special day to friends, family and fellow alumni who may not be on our e-mailing list. Give them a call, drop them a note or send them this newsletter, using the "forward to a friend" link in the righthand column of this issue. For additional information, contact: info@vsmma.org or 732-842-5816. |
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ALUMNI PROFILE: Alan S. Ng, MD |
When Dr. Alan Ng arrived at the March 20th cocktail party for new and prospective Montessori parents, he received an exuberant welcome. Faculty, who were thrilled to see a former student, greeted him warmly. Parents of his former classmates peppered him with questions about his life today. Naturally, he was immediately asked about being profiled in our e-newsletter. Graciously, he agreed.  Alan S. Ng attended the Vincent S. Mastro Montessori Academy until 1983. That's his class photo on the right. He went from our primary class to public school, first in Hazlet, then Holmdel.
After high school, Alan enrolled at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, where he embarked upon a course of study that allowed him to earn both an undergraduate and a medical degree by 2003. Following a residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation - and before returning to New Jersey last summer, he completed a fellowship in interventional pain medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. Currently, Alan - now Alan Ng, MD - is in practice with NJ Spine Group, LLC in Eatontown, where he specializes in interventional spine and pain management and non-operative spinal care. This involves medical procedures - "short of surgery"-- for managing back and neck pain, he explains. His work also helps restore function for patients with spinal cord injuries, brain injuries and strokes. 
Alan's personal interests include the martial arts, which he trained in all through high school and college. According to the NJ Spinal Group website, he'll start teaching tai chi to health professionals soon. Alan is also a classical musician who plays the violin, viola and clarinet. "Mostly the violin," he says.
Montessori Memories
In Alan's recollections, certain words emerge repeatedly: Interesting, for example, and stimulating, and early. "Montessori is unique," he observes, "and beneficial over the long run, because of the degree of independence it gives you and how it motivates you to pursue things that interest you, even at a very early age."
Like many alumni from the early 80's, Alan most vividly recalls the infamous boat in the backyard. He also remembers the "pink tower, counting in French, pouring colored water, blue shapes in a basket, and circle time."
Favorite Activity: "the thousand chain, in part because it was involving, but also because I could do it with a friend."
The Beauty of Montessori: "Getting to choose what to do and who to do it with."
Final Thoughts: "With Montessori, you are exposed to more ideas at an earlier age than you would be somewhere else. You also get a broader view of those things. You see how they fit together, and that leaves you with a better grasp of math, English, or any other subject." | |
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| MARK YOUR CALENDAR |
Thursday, April 9: Spring Recess begins when school closes at 3:30
Monday, April 20: Spring recess ends. School reopens 8:30 am
April 20 - May 1: Classroom observations welcome. Discontinued in May. Friday, May 1, 7 p.m.: Elementary Class' Spring Production
LOOKING AHEAD
Upcoming events you won't want to miss!
Saturday, May 30, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., rain or shine: First Annual Reunion Picnic/40th Anniversary Celebration.
Friday, June 5, 9 - 11 a.m.: End of year ceremony. For the primary class, but everyone's invited. At the First Presbyterian Church in Red Bank.
Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at the school |
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CONGRATULATIONS |
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Great work -
Lily Androsiglio: Academy of Allied Health and Science
Ben Swanson: Marine Academy of Science & Technology (MAST)
Nicki Liang and Evelyn Lumish: High Technology High School
Montessori alumni Danielle Downie, Sara Halloran, and Patrick Thorman participated in the Stars Challenge at Monmouth University, a science enrichment program for top 6th, 7th and 8th graders. Good for you!
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SCHOLARSHIP FUND: 50-50 Raffle |
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In addition to helping us celebrate 40 years of joyful discovery at the Vincent S Mastro Montessori Academy, the reunion picnic will also support our scholarship campaign through a 50-50 raffle drawing.
Tickets for the 50-50 raffle will be sold both in advance and at the picnic. The winning ticket will be drawn towards the end of the event.
Look for additional details in the May issue of Montessori Matters |
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A Play! A Play! |
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You are cordially invited to be entertained, informed & impressed by our elementary class at their:
Spring Production
(a play about Betsy Ross)
Friday, May 1, 2009
7 p.m.
at the school
All families welcome.
We've found that our younger students just love watching their older schoolmates perform. |
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COMMEMORATIVE JOURNAL: Help us Recall 40 Years of Joyful Discovery |
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. . . Thousand chains and the pink tower
. . . the boat in the backyard and slicing bananas
. . . circle time with Mrs. Bradbury
. . . "the limitlessness of exploring"
. . . "I remember more from my two-plus years at Montessori than I do about all of Kindergarten through 8th grade. Every moment was exciting and satisfying."
. . . "Montessori gave me the ability to teach myself and think for myself and the desire to constantly be learning."
We recently got back in touch with former students, including some from our first classes 40 years ago. We were amazed to hear how vividly they recalled their time with us and how important a role they felt their Montessori education played in their lives. You'll find their favorite memories, along with timeless photographs and historical timelines, in the 40th anniversary commemorative journal we're putting together for publication by May 30th - the day of the reunion picnic.
We want the journal to be a reflection of our school and the joyful discoveries children make here. It is currently a work in progress. As we mentioned last month and in a recent mailing, we'd love everyone to participate in making it a truly memorable document. You can do this by purchasing space in it to advertise a business, present a child's artwork, make a special dedication, or sponsor a photograph from the school's archives. It would be a wonderful service to us if you would also ask people or companies with whom you do business to purchase space too.
All proceeds after publishing costs go to the Mary Mastro Guarriello scholarship fund.
Rates are
$40 for a 2" x 3 ½" business card
$60 for a half page (4 ¼" x 5 ½")
$100 for a full page (8 ½" x 5 ½")
$150 for full color 8 ½" x 5 ½" inside covers
$200 for full color 8 ½" x 5 ½" back cover
Journals will be available at the reunion picnic on May 30, 2009. Deadline for submitting materials to be printed (photos, artwork, dedications, etc.) is May 15, 2009. Clearly, earlier would be better! Emailed copy in Microsoft word (.doc) format should be sent to journal@vsmma.org
Many of you will have received printed journal materials, including a Journal Ad form. If you did not and would like to receive them or if you would like additional copies, please contact Kristin at 732-842-5816 or info@vsmma.org. Questions can also be directed to Development Consultant, Jennifer Anderson at JMALLC@comcast.net or 732-870-6085. |
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PHOTO GALLERY: Everyone's an Irish Dancer on St. Patrick's Day |
Perhaps it was spring fever or all that "wearing of the green." But the spirit of a playful leprechaun took hold of our directresses this past St. Patrick's Day and got them to transform the downstairs classroom into a music and laughter-filled "Irish" dance hall. Classroom assistant, Christina Thuman captured every merry moment on her digital camera. Here's a sampling of the photos she took.
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Montessori Children to Model at Monmouth Medical Center Foundation Fashion Show |
Community service is a Montessori tradition. Helping others is a value our Montessori community has put into action time and time again. So it comes as no surprise that several of our families stepped up immediately when the Once Again Thrift Boutique in Eatontown appealed to our school for children to model in a fashion show benefitting the Monmouth Medical Center Foundation.*
The Chic Boutique Luncheon and Fashion Show will take place on Friday, June 12, 2009 from 11 am - 2 pm at Branches in West Long Branch. In addition to lunch and the fashion show, there will be a 50-50 cash raffle, gift auction, and items for purchase from the Once Again Thrift Boutique and other "chic" vendors. Tickets are $45 per person.
Please consider attending the event to see our students' runway debut and support a good cause. It is also a great opportunity to be a Vincent S Mastro Montessori Academy ambassador. We'll have school pamphlets at the registration table and be mentioned in programs and press materials. But nothing beats the personal touch for introducing people to our school and answering their questions about Montessori.
For information, contact Kristin at 732-842-5816 or info@vsmma.org
* A few more child models - 1 or 2 infants (boy or girl) and a young boy (2 - 2 ½) - are still needed. |
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PHOTO GALLERY II: New and prospective Montessori parents welcomed. |
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Montessori parent and board member, James Kennedy (left) and parent, Peter Hurley (right) with hostess Rosanna Fazio at a March 20th party to welcome new families to the Vincent S. Mastro Montessori community.
Elementary class directress, Sasha Cherniavsky (left) and Montessori parent, Kathy Gatti (right) get to know Berney and Shannon Escobar, whose son will be old enough to enter our primary class this September.
Six-year-old Ava Floyd used the "graces and courtesies" she learned in Mrs. Bradbury's classroom to greet guests and serve appetizers at a party for Montessori families hosted by her parents, John Floyd and Rosanna Fazio. She is pictured here with the school's administrative and development assistant, Kristin De Rose.
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Accredited by the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI)
and
Affiliated with North American Montessori Teachers' Association (NAMTA)
The Vincent S. Mastro Montessori Academy is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit, nonsectarian school admitting students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of its admission policies, educational policies, or school- administered programs.
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