Upcoming Dates

May 16-19                      First Communion Retreat

Sat., May 19                  First/Solemn Communion Mass, 10:00 a.m. (St.                                       John Vianney                             

Mon., May 21                Art Installation Opening, 2:15 p.m.

Tue., May 22                 School Mass including Recognition of First    

                                    Communicants, 8:15 a.m.  

Wed., May 23                Staff-Middle School Whiffle Ball Game, 1:00 p.m.

Fri., May 25                   Deadline for Summer Camp Registration

Mon., May 28                Memorial Day, NO SCHOOL

Tues., May 29               Final School Mass with Candle Ceremony, 8:15 am 

Friday, June 1               Field Day, Last Day of School, Early dismissal at  

                                    1:00 p.m. 

                                    Eighth Grade Graduation, 5:00 p.m.

Ongoing                        Enroll in Kroger Community Rewards Program   

                                    (see below) 

 

OAC Arts Residency Sharing Event: Mon., May 21, 2:15 p.m.

Our students have been working with Debbie Brod using 3-D objects, plaster, wood, and paint, to create a collaborative sculpture to install in the front stairwell of our building. The installation will be 'officially' presented on Monday, May 21 at 2:15. Come and hear student descriptions of the piece and the process that went into creating it. Come and celebrate the creativity and joy of the process and the final piece!

 

Summer Camp Registration: May 25 Deadline

Please visit our website www.gscmontessori.org for a current summer camp brochure. Camps are offered the weeks of June 11-14 and 18-21: Registration deadline is Friday, May 25.

 

2012 Graduation: June 1, 5:00 p.m.

The Good Shepherd Catholic Montessori Class of 2012 cordially invites you to its Graduation Mass and Ceremony on Friday, June 1, 2012, at 5:00 p.m. at St. John Vianney Church. A reception hosted by the class of 2013 will follow in the Middle School.

 

Let's Play Ball!: Wed., May 23

Wear red or blue to support your favorite team!

Our annual staff-middle school whiffle ball game is scheduled for Wednesday, May 23 at 1:00 p.m. Our staff is looking to extend a two-year winning streak, while the middle schoolers are hungry to re-gain the trophy.

 

All students are invited to wear non-uniform clothing on May 23. Dress in blue if you are rooting for the middle school; dress in red if you are rooting for the staff. Students are also encouraged to bring a water bottle to quench their thirst during the game.

 

Special Masses

Parents are invited to join us for two special upcoming Masses. Mass starts at 8:15 a.m.

Tuesday, May 22: Mass of Recognition for First Communicants

Fresh from their First Holy Communion, our First Communicants will receive Eucharist with our entire school community for the first time. The children will wear their white garments as a sacramental sign of the link between baptism and Eucharist as sacraments of initiation into the Christian life. This gives the school community an opportunity to recognize those who have made such a special spiritual journey this year.

Tuesday, May 29: Final School Mass with Candle Ceremony

Our final Mass of the year provides an opportunity to express special thanksgiving for the gift of our school and school community. At the end of Mass, a "Candle Ceremony" enables all of our students to recognize the upcoming departure of our 8^th grade class. Our graduates pass lit candles to their 7^th grade peers as a sign of the passing of leadership to next year's oldest students.

 

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Important: Volunteer Sign-Up and Enrollment Forms

Please look for an important email from our school on Monday, May 21 with information concerning class lists, volunteer sign-up, and enrollment forms. We have moved this process from an in-person "Enrollment Day" to an on-line process. You will receive a password to the "Parents" section of our website, plus a personal password to enter in family information.

 

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Middle School News

Peace Trip to Washington D.C.

by John Bennett, Middle School Teacher

 

 

"It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it." - Eleanor Roosevelt

During the last week of April, the middle school went on a trip to Washington D.C., Gettysburg PA, Annapolis MD., and Shanksville PA. The theme of the trip was 'peace education.' Montessori spoke of the importance of peace in a series of lectures during the 1930s. These lectures are captured in her book Education and Peace (available at the GSCM library).

 

Montessori, who lived through two world wars and lived as an exile in India during WWII, was keenly attuned to peace. She wrote, "It is quite strange, in fact, that as yet there is no such thing as a science of peace, since the science of war appears to be highly advanced... As for peace, it has never been the object of an orderly and ongoing process of investigation that goes by the name of a science; on the contrary, a clear concept of peace does not figure among the countless ideas that enrich our human awareness."

The popular sciences are easily applied to weapons and destruction; however, little or no attention is typically given to the science of peace. As Montessori points out, we need to do more then to simply desire peace, we need to be knowledgeable and equipped to understand peace and how it is achieved on small and large scales.

Montessori left Italy in 1932, was later considered an 'enemy alien' of Italy, and for over 10 years lived and worked in India starting in 1939. In India, Montessori and Gandhi were friends with the common interest of peace. The spirit of this work is shown in a speech that Gandhi gave at a Montessori training college in London (to read this speech in full go to: http://www.peace.ca/montessoriandgandhi.htm).

"It makes an impact to fight for what you believe in, but it is even more memorable if you fight for it peacefully. Somehow, whenever someone responds to violence with peace it makes them seem stronger than the violent person." - Hayley Samson

"At this school, my school, we stand up for what we believe and what is right. We stick together and help one another through many things and if someone or something is bringing us down we don't use force or violence to resolve it. I love my school because the Montessori and Catholic teaching show us all about peace and how we can change the world to make it a better place." - Maeve McCloy   

"The life of Jesus was an example of non-violent civil disobedience because though he knew that spreading God's word would lead to death for him, he still did it." - Cynthia Rieke

 

The middle school students and staff are deeply grateful for the opportunity to travel on these fun and enriching school trips. The students showed this gratitude by having wonderful manners and kindness toward each other and everyone we met on our journey.

 

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Staffing: After-School Care Position

GSCM is hiring an after-school care provider for the 2012-13 school year. This person joins Mary Ann Ziemer as a member of our two-person after-care staff to run the after-school care program. Hours are 2:45 p.m. until the last child is picked up, which is no later than 6:00 p.m. To apply, contact Dan Teller, dteller@gscmontessori.org.

 

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