Montessori News

"The child is in a continual state of growth and metamorphosis. We are dealing with different types of mind at different periods."

Dr. Maria Montessori

From birth to six, children meet the world as "Sensorial Explorers," taking in the whole of reality through their senses and their absorbent mind.  See below for an opportunity to learn how our young "sensorial explorers" explore the world of mathematics.

From age six to twelve, the "Reasoning Explorer" seeks information and knowledge not in bits and pieces, but in a way that seeks to understand the inter-relatedness of things.  See Amy Scuglik's "Mission Alive" article for a practical application of work for the "reasoning explorer."

Pre-Primary Parent Education Evening

Thursday, September 22, 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Mathematics and the Young Child:

Building Concrete Foundations for Future Abstract Thought

Please join our pre-primary team - Anita Calo, Carrie Bucksath, and Julia Damico - for a view of your child's sensorial exploration of the world of mathematics. Enjoy the 'aha' moments provided by the extraordinary Montessori math materials.

Maria Montessori's genius is apparent in the design of these materials. Imagine introducing children to concrete materials for concepts such as squared and cubed numbers, addition, multiplication, subtraction, and division of numbers up to one thousand. All of this before they leave kindergarten, and all begun in the sensorial area at age three. 

Don't miss this exciting opportunity to learn more about the value of a Montessori education for your child. Hope to see you on the 22^nd!

Mission Alive!

Each week, we share an aspect of our mission as it takes shape in the lives of the children.  This week, Amy Scuglik describes curriculum integration in the lower elementary classroom through biome studies.

Curriculum Integration through Lower El. Biome Study

 By Amy Scuglik, Lower Elementary Teacher

The recent heat wave was a great time to launch our biome study this year.   We started with the desert!  Our biome studies provide a way to integrate curriculum areas and respond to the elementary child's thirst for knowledge and the brain's quest for meaning through work with cohesive and relevant themes.  Each study integrates a variety of activities, such as:

• science experiments
• art projects
• writing activities
• language activities (reading, vocabulary)
• nature observation
• public speaking
• dramatic enactments of animal behavior. 

Furthermore, the biome materials are modified to offer age-appropriate activities in a mixed- age environment, and are  aligned with grade standards.  Here are a few specific activities from our current  Desert  Biome Study:

Group Inquiry:  Small groups of 2^nd and 3^rd year students answer and illustrate inquiry questions using classroom resources and library books. 

1.      What plants live in the desert?  How do they survive without water for long periods of time?

2.     What animals live in the desert?  What do they eat?  How do they find shelter?

3.     What is an arroyo?  Why would it not be a good place to camp?

Writing Skills:  Using outlining and writing skillsfrom our Writing In Excellence Program, older students create key-word outlines and write two paragraphs from their outline.

Vocabulary:  The biome nomenclature material offers a perfect reading and science enrichment work for 1^st year students. 

Art Expression:  Mrs. Treier, our art teacher, will integrate artistic expression by guiding students in work focusing on desert biomes in art class.

Public Speaking:    Younger students will participate in classroom discussions and older students will present their work for their classmates during our "Thursday Theater" and "Friday Forum" presentations. 

Look for your child's completed biome booklets as we progress with our biome work this year!

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Catholic Identity

"From the first moment that a student sets foot in a Catholic school, he or she ought to have the impression of entering a new environment, one illumined by the light of faith."

The Religious Dimensions of a Catholic School (The Vatican)

In addition to Montessori education and the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, the third pillar of our school is our Cat

A child's atrium drawing links the true presence of Jesus to the Eucharist.

holic Identity.  Here is an excerpt from our Catholic Identity Statement, which can be found on our website, www.gscmontessori.org.

"In a Catholic school, everyone should be aware of the living presence of Jesus, in whom all human values find their fullest perfection. The inspiration of Jesus must be translated from the ideal into the real".  It is the task of our Catholic school community - teachers, students, staff, parents - to "always and everywhere" translate the inspiration of Jesus into real terms:  in the classroom, in the church, in the atrium, in the hallway, on the playground, in the meeting room, and in the countless informal gatherings and conversations that make up the life of the community. 

PTO News  

PTO Meet & Greet

The PTO invites you to kickoff off the new school year at the Volunteer Meet & Greet this Thursday, September 15 at 7:00 pm.   Hear about exciting plans for this school year and meet other parents. Enjoy a GSCM Student Fashion Show featuring school uniforms and spirit wear.   Purchase a yearbook. Load up on spirit wear. Talk to GSCM event coordinators. Socialize with the Principal. It is a jam packed evening. We hope to see you on Thursday!

GSCM Directories Ready This Week!

The annual GSCM family/staff directories will be ready for distribution this week! All families find this PTO created directory indispensible for looking up names, addresses, and various contact information for other families and staff. This year, each family will get one copy of the directory. However, we will have extra copies for sale ($5 each.) Many families like to have one at home and one in the car, OR one for each parent, a grandparent copy, etc.  Directories will be made available for pick up at the September 15th PTO meeting, and the remaining directories will be sent home via backpacks, so please keep your eyes open! If you would like extra copies, make your checks payable to GSCM PTO, and direct inquiries to Tom Cavill, tomjencav@earthlink.net.

Once you have received your directory, please check over your information.  If there are any corrections, please contact Nancy in the office as we will be putting together an addendum with corrections and additions. 

GSCM Family Social

This Thursday, September 15th get together with some parents at Graeter's Ice Cream for a free scoop of Elena's Blueberry Pie. Graeter's is running a fundraiser for pediatric cancer and it is a good excuse to get together with friends. If interested, head over to Graeter's in Mariemont Square after class on Thursday. For more information on the free scoop Thursdays go to: http://www.conesforthecure.org/

Other ideas for Family fun? Send them to Shea.Lawrence@gmail.com - hope to see you there!

Walkathon

Walkathon

Grounds Beautification Project

Do you enjoy gardening? Would you like to take an hour or two to help plant perennials around the school to beautify our grounds? Meghan Florkowski, a GSCM parent, is planning and leading a grounds beautification project. Meghan would love help with planting. If you can help, please contact Meghan at 859-342-5389 or mflorkowski@live.com.

If you have connections for wholesale pricing on plants, please let Meghan know as well. Thank you!

School Pictures

This Friday, September 16, weather permitting, Debra Shepard Photography will be taking school pictures. All students may be out of uniform as all students will be photographed. An order form for pictures will be coming home by backpack mail today. The rain date for photos is Friday, September 23.

The New Recycling Bin Is Here!

GSCM has recently received our new single stream recycling bin through Rumpke Recycling. The bin has been paid for through a grant from the Hamilton County Recycling and Solid Waste Management District. This grant was the culmination of a joint project between the HCRSW District and a Miami University researcher involving the GSCM Middle School. The GSCM Middle School identified a need during the project's waste audit for more comprehensive recycling. The single stream recycling bin will fulfill this need. While the new bin does not earn incentives for the school, it does provide an opportunity to recycle much of the school waste.

Families are invited to use the new recycling bin. The bin recycles:

• Newspaper
• All plastic bottles #1-7
• Steel food cans
• Aluminum cans
• Glass bottles and jars
• Residential mixed paper, including: envelopes with and without windows, cereal boxes, construction paper, school papers, office paper, brown paper grocery bags.
• Clean pizza boxes, free of food or grease
• Cardboard boxes (broken down into 3 feet by 3 feet sections)

Pasta Collection Thursday, Sep. 22

Again this year, The Good Shepherd Catholic Montessori is collecting food donations for the food pantry at Inter Parish Ministry in Newtown. IPM serves families in Clermont County and eastern Hamilton County by providing assistance with food and clothing, as well as other services to help families meet crises and improve their lives: for instance, an elder ministry, backpacks and school supplies, and a toy collection for the holidays.

For the past several years, IPM has been seeing an increase in the number of families needing food-272 families in August, 2009; 319 in August, 2010; 445 in August, 2011.

Good Shepherd is one of several Montessori schools participating in monthly collections-just one item a month. This month it's one box of any kind of pasta. It will be collected next Thursday, September 22.

If you're concerned about forgetting it on that date, your donation can be brought in a day or two early.

One box per student adds up to a great deal of help to families in need. Thank you for your support for this project.

Dear Santa, National Money Day Celebrant, and Captain Ahab,

You know who you are. We don't need to know, but we do need to thank you! Your kindness and generosity helps brings God's light into our hearts. We are very grateful for your help.

Anonymous

Volleyball and Basketball Players Needed 

Nothin' But Net Sports Complex located at 4343 Mt. Carmel Tobasco Rd. is looking for a couple more basketball & volleyball players and coaches for this fall's season.  They are looking for:
 
1. 3rd/4th Grade Volleyball Players and Coach - Players can be boys or girls.  We have 4 girls that want to play and need a few more players and a coach.
 
2. Vollebyall Teams for our 3rd/4th Grade, 5th/6th Grade and 7th/Grade Volleyball Leagues - Teams can be boys or girls or a combination of both.

If you are interested contact Dan Albrinck at 528-1000 or danalbrinck@live.com

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A creative dance class for children taught by Jeanne Speier  This fun, basic movement skills class for pre-school aged children (3-5yrs) taps into the flow of nature around us as we dance like the wind, butterflies, galloping ponies and shooting stars. A basic warm up will be repeated each week to develop motor skills and dances from Bali and Haiti will be shared.
(Jeanne Speier has an MA degree in Dance Therapy and currently teaches dance at Villa Madonna, The New School and Doherty. She is happy to share her love for dance with the students at GSCM where she teaches Kindergarten music classes.)

First Choir Meeting Thursday, September 15th 3:00 - 3:30

All fourth - eighth grade students interested in singing in the GSCM choir should come to this meeting in the church with Barb Blasch.  If you have any questions, please contact Barb at at 248-4461 or email  

bblasch@gscmontessori.org

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