[Each week, our "Mission Alive!" article explores a particular aspect of our school's mission. This week we begin the year with a broad look at our Montessori vision. Next week we will see how religious instruction completes this vision.]

"What is the purpose of Montessori education? According to Montessori trainer Margaret Stephenson, "It is no less than to influence the whole life of the child." Dr. Stephenson challenges educators with this question: "Are we developing human personality or teaching subject matter and a curriculum and then testing it?" Of course we teach and assess subject matter and curriculum, but if that is the extent of our vision as educators, we are offering an impoverished vision to our children.

Maria Montessori left us with a grand vision of education. She wrote, "The reconstruction of a human society is contingent upon the strength of unification of the human personality, the full elaboration of which depends upon a method of education rooted in the laws of development."

The firm foundation that we put under this vision is the Montessori method, which is rooted in an understanding of how children develop.

From birth to six, children meet the world as "Sensorial Explorers," taking in the whole of reality through their senses and their absorbent mind.
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.
In adolescence, the young person explores the world as an emerging "socially conscious individual", keenly interested in the organization of human society and his or her emerging role in it.

These characteristics of each plane of development become the springboard for our work with your children. You will see many examples of it coming from your child's work and classroom experience throughout the year. Our teachers will be sharing examples in our regular newsletter feature, "Mission Alive," which will begin in mid-September.

Since we offer an integrated approach to your child's education, work in the atrium and religion class also stem from our understanding of the human personality. So, the young "Sensorial Explorer" has an altar to set; the "Reasoning Explorer" uses timelines to understand God's action through history; and the "Socially Conscious Explorer" discusses the application of moral truths and principles to society and our personal lives.

We are looking to a rich, active year with your young explorer!

Office News

Updated Information: IMPORTANT!

We are going paperless and we need your help. As you may recall from Parent Orientation, we are asking everyone to log on to the GSCM Portal and confirm/update your family information, emergency contacts, children's allergies, etc. It is critical that we have updated information on your student(s)!

Even if you already updated your portal information, please log on to ensure that all of your changes were indeed saved (it's easy to miss that Save button!).Also remember to update EACH of your children individually - you will need to enter your emergency/pick-up contacts for each sibling.

ALL FAMILIES should "Verify" (date stamp with digital signature) their information BY TOMORROW, AUGUST 29. Please contact Nancy: ntoon@gscmontessori.org if you need the user name and password. We appreciate your patience as we move to our new system. These updates are, of course, for the safety of all of our children here at GSCM.

Family Directory

Also on the GSCM Portal is a draft of this year's Family Directory (go to "Download School Forms"). Please take a moment to check your information and email any corrections to Mary Beth Escamilla at mbviv@hotmail.com by tomorrow, August 29.

If you want to receive the weekly Tuesday newsletter by hard copy each week, please contact Nancy Toon (ntoon@gscmontessori.org) even if you told her last year. Otherwise, we will send it to you by email. This first issue is being sent to every family by both hard-copy and (if possible) email. The newsletter contains important information. Please take time to read it.

Office Hours

Our official office hours are 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Frequently, staff is in the building and the office later than 3:30. However, if you want to be certain of contacting an office staff person, please visit or call before 3:30 p.m.

Transportation Changes

If your child rides the bus, be sure to send in the Transportation Update form to Nancy Toon if you have not done so already.

Anytime your child will have a long-term change in transportation plans, please submit a new "Transportation Update."
For single-day changes in bus transportation, please notify the office by written note or a phone call prior to 2:00 p.m. A Transportation Update form is not necessary for single-day changes.

Call in Absences

Please be sure to notify our office by 8:30 a.m. if your child will be absent. If your child rides the bus to school in the morning, we will call your home if the teacher lists your child as absent but we have not heard from you.

Safety

Children and adults are asked NOT to use the lower entrance doors except for bus arrival/dismissal and preschool recess. The doors remain locked. Parents, if your children remain after school, they must be under your supervision and must not use the lower entrance doors, so that they may remain locked.

Parking, Recess, Driving

We would like to keep the large parking lot (by the modular building) as free of cars as possible, so that the children have room for games during recess. Please try to park in the small lot north of the church. If you do park in the large lot, please park along the perimeter of the lot, so that the center area is free for children's play.
There is no traffic permitted on the large lot between 11:30-1:00 due to student recess.
Please drive carefully on Roe St. Neighbors have asked that we maintain a safe speed. Thank you for your care in this matter.

Program News

Welcome, New Staff Members

We welcome the following new members to our staff this year:

Lindsey Schmitt is a pre-primary (3-6) directress
Nicole Filer is a lower elementary (6-9) directress
Joan Ratajczak is teaching middle school history and literature.
Shannon Lotterer is an assistant teacher in the pre-primary program
Melissa Grantadam is the Montessori extended care directress
Teresa Mejia is the preschool-grade 4 Spanish teacher
Deb Sensel-Davis is our Orton-Gillingham tutor
Renee Mattson and Mary Schultz are intervention specialists for children served by the Ohio Jon Peterson Scholarship Program
Gabrielle Wadell is our intervention specialist from Cincinnati Public Schools

For a biographical sketch on all of our staff members, go to our website, www.gscmontessori.org.

Spanish Subs Wanted

If you are fluent in Spanish and can serve from time to time as a substitute teacher for our Spanish classes, please contact Nancy Toon. Thank you.

Physical Education

Tuesday (kindergarten and lower elementary)

Thursday (upper elementary and middle school)

On phys ed days, children should wear sneakers. Girls should wear either shorts/pants, or sports shorts beneath jumpers or skirts.

Upper El and Middle School Music Field Trip

By Barb Blascy, Music Teacher

Sometimes the best classroom is not a classroom. This week our 9-12 and Middle School students are visiting the Cincinnati Art Museum to tour the Art of Sound Exhibit. The special exhibit showcases approximately 120 musical instruments from four centuries and over 20 countries. More information can be found online at news.cincinnati.com or http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120824/ENT07/308240014/-Art-Sound-offers-rare-look-treasures?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CEntertainment You, too, can see this amazing collection, but hurry because it closes September, 2nd.

Volunteer News

Special Summer Thanks

Buckeye Hardwood Floors

Many thanks to GSCM parent Keith Bressert of Buckeye Hardwood Floors for refinishing the floor in the 'Villa Madonna' (white house). Also, thanks to Melissa Grantadam, our Montessori extended care directress and her husband Mark Metzner, for their substantial work to transform this space into a bright, beautiful environment for the children.

Sign Graphics and Design

Scot Conover, GSCM parent, and his company Sign Graphics and Design planned, designed, fabricated, and installed our new exterior sign a year ago. This summer Scot provided a protective covering for the sign's message board and provided name templates for the names of new staff on our classroom signs. Thank you, Scot and Sign Graphics and Design for your continued support!

Lauri Paniccia

GSCM parent Lauri Paniccia has been hard at work transforming the garden beds in front of the school and by the school sign. Thanks to Lauri's initiative, creativity, and efforts, parents and children were greeted with fresh and beautiful landscaping as school began this year.

GSCM PTO

Our entire staff thanks the PTO for a beautiful start of the year. Thank you for ...

Welcome Back Picnic: What is becoming an annual tradition was a joyful event for many families and students. The clear weather was a balm. Special thanks to Carrie Ellis for coordinating the picnic, and to GSCM Middle School students for offering the games for the younger children.

Welcome Back Breakfast: A delicious spread awaited our entire staff before our staff meeting the day before school. A delicious and great way to re-connect with colleagues. Special thanks to Rhonda Hamall andher children and PTO President Lisa Schmitz!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION for VOLUNTEERING at GSCM

VIRTUS Training Session for New Volunteers

Monday, September 17, 6:30-9:00 p.m. in 9-12/Guadalupe

All people who work or volunteer with children in any of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati parishes, schools, or institutions have until June 30, 2014 to attend a VIRTUS® Child Awareness Session for the Decree on Child Protection in order to be approved to work with children. GSCM follows these guidelines. All volunteers with regular and/or significant (e.g., 3 or more hours per month) contact with GSCM students must attend a child protection class. Overnight chaperones to the 9-12 Camp Kern trip must also attend.

Our staff has already received this training. A course for volunteers will be held at GSCM on Monday, September 17, 6:30 - 9:00 pm.

Those previously trained under the old Awareness Sessions have until June 2014 to take the new Virtus training. New volunteers, those without previous training, must complete VIRTUS training before volunteering with students or chaperoning at Camp Kern.

To register for the September 17 training session at GSCM, go online to www.virtusonline.org. If you cannot attend the September 17 session, you can go to www.virtusonline.org to view other area training sessions.

If you were Virtus trained in another diocese, please provide Jana Widmeyer (GSCM Virtus Coordinator) with a copy of your certificate.

If you have questions, contact Jana Widmeyer at jwidmeyer@gscmontessori.org.

Work Day Thank You

Thank you to the following individuals and families who helped clean, paint, garden and assemble furniture on work day:

Erin Wolfe

Meredith Grimes

Jenny and Megan Griffin

Melissa Grantadam and Mark Metzner and Madison

Michelle Grantadam

Heather Hewitt, Elise and brothers

John, Lisa and Maggie Schmitz

Lindsey and Mike Schmitt family

Rocky, Ava and Dominic Ellis

Annie and Clara King

Mike and Amy Scuglik family

Carrie and Brandon Spiess

Dave and Shannon Lotterer

Jerry Shade and children

Mike and Jana Widmeyer family

Steve Aust

Keith Bressert and Amie Crist

Mary and Ann Rieke

Elisabeth Gottenbusch

Katie Kerrey and children

Amy Mimms and children

Phil and Jenny Dammarell

Lisa and John Hilbert family

Paul and Susan Fisher and girls

Annie Hamiter

JeanaOlszewski

Nicole Filer

Anna Lang

Trish and Wes Underwood and children

Bill and Karryn Stieby

Lauri and Dominic Paniccia

Jeff and Alex Koehn

Alicia and Christian Wilhelmy family

Anna Grace Stephenson

Rick Aronoff

Sorry, if we left anyone out. Please know that your work is appreciated by everyone. The school and grounds look great.

Suzuki Violin and Cello Lessons at GSCM!

Violin and cello lessons will be available after school starting this fall. (Viola and bass are also possible- please ask for details.)

All ages from (4 years old and up) are welcome (parents, you are welcome, too!)
Suzuki method (internationally acclaimed approach to very early childhood instruction) employed for the very young (parental involvement required, initially.)
Music reading included as children grow more experienced;
Irish, fiddle, and many other supplemental musical styles included for those interested;
Group and performance possibilities down the road...

Lessons will be Mondays after school. Parents (or other adult) must be present at all times

Cost of the lessons is $20/half hour. Please contact Gloria Fiore at (513) 731-3920 for information, and to SIGN UP.

[About the instructor-

Gloria Fiore graduated with highest honors from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music with a certificate in Music Education, has done extensive Suzuki training in books I thru X and beyond, has much experience teaching all sorts of string programs in a number of area schools, including Montessori, and has performed in a number of orchestras, most notably the West Virginia Symphony and the Dayton Philharmonic for 30+ years. She resides in Amberley Village and also teaches out of her home.]

Kroger Rewards Program

Please enroll in the Kroger Community Rewards Program and indicate GSCM as the charitable organization of choice. Then, every time your Plus Card is used at a Kroger store, GSCM will receive a percentage of every purchase.   To enroll, go to krogercommunityrewards.com; or, go to our home page at www.gscmontessori.org for a link and a complete set of directions.

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Thank You, Family!

We appreciate your taking the time to read our newsletter.
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Happy Birthday, Mary! Dress in Blue on September 7