News from JMS

Joliet Montessori School Newsletter

September 2, 2010

1600 Root Street
Crest Hill, IL 60403

Office Hours:

8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Attendance and Carpool Line

Administrative Staff

Business Manager Kathy Bertani

Extension 13

Marketing and Development
Sue Bebar

Interim Head of School

Lorraine Seaman

Current Families website page

Parent Handbook

e-mail Communication

All newsletters and news briefs are communicated electronically unless paper copies are requested.

Please add us to your address book so we won't get spammed :)

Have a new email or want to request paper copies? Please submit the enclosed delivery election form.

Calendar Reminders

Welcome Back Picnic

Informational Coffee for prospective parents

JMS Board of Trustees Meeting

Scholastic book orders are due

Preschool screening packets due to office

Garden Club meets 3:30 - 4:30 pm

Parent Ed Night

"Planes of Development"

Nature's Classroom Trip

Wed, Sep 29 and Thu, Sep 30

Preschool Screenings

Looking Ahead

October is Parent Observation Month

Extended Care Monthly Payment
Option Invoices

are included in this month's communication evelope. Due date is indicated on the invoice. Questions can be directed to our Business Manager, Kathy Bertani.

Carpool Reminder

Carpool is a wonderful opportunity to exhibit grace and courtesy to our fellow families.

Please follow established carpool protocol and do not turn directly into the driveway. Drive around the block and line up on Imperial.

Thanks for your cooperation!

Missing forms reminders are included in your communication envelope, if applicable.

JMS Family Directory

Please review your family information and contact the office with any corrections.

Refer to our Parent Handbook for guidelines concerning the use of the family directory.

Garden Club

will be meeting Friday, Sep 17 from

Manna Informational Letter and Order Forms are enclosed.

Orders are due by Monday's 3 pm carpool and are delivered the following Thursday.

Please contact Sue at extension 14 with any questions.

Adolescent Business Ventures

A significant piece
of the adolescent curriculum is designed to teach the children to appreciate the value of hard work and earning, saving and spending their own money. Several times a year, the
adolescents work at a business venture designed to help them meet these goals.

In the past, these ventures have included selling cookies, brownies and rice krispy treats. These kinds of business ventures encourage the children to calculate costs, purchase necessary supplies, maintain inventory, and evaluate profit margins. They have also worked with companies designed to promote fair trade and global sustainability.

Family participation in adolescent business ventures supports the adolescent class and the money they earn belongs to the adolescent program.

This money has been used to schedule going outs, purchase classroom items and charitable giving.

Participation in adolescent business ventures is completely voluntary.

Innisbrook orders are due
Fri, Sep 24

Greetings!

Thanks to everyone who made our Parent Orientation Dinner a resounding success!

It was a truly delightful evening, giving us a chance to meet our new families and greet our returning parents.

We also were able to raise over $10,000 for the JMS Campus Expansion! The date of the 2011 dinner will be announced soon, so everyone can make plans to attend. Please submit your P.O.D. feedback form at your convenience.

Once again, thank you for entrusting the education of your children to Joliet Montessori School. We are grateful for the many ways in which you support our school.

P.O.D. 2010 "Touching Minds, One Hand at a Time"

Thanks to Sue Bebar, Director of Development & Marketing, and our P.O.D. Committee for a wonderful evening!

Heather & Bill Bonacorda, P.O.D. Chair-Couple
Kelli & Paul McDonald

Katherine Petru & Tom Stengele

Meredith & Chris Spesia
Ann & Mark Streitz
Jennie & Mark Villegas

...Words are just not enough to properly thank you for all your time, efforts and energy brought to the planning and putting together of this event!! But since that is all we have... a heartfelt and sincere THANK YOU!!!

Congratulations to Stephanie Morris, who won the "Front of the Carpool" Pass.

Congratulations to all our winners of items available both in the live and silent auctions. Winners of 'Experience' items will be contacted by their directors to schedule their event. You can expect to hear from them by Christmas. If you do not, please contact Sue Bebar at sue@jolietmontessorischool.org.

If you were unable to attend the dinner and have not picked up your child's hand sculpture, please contact the office as we have them available for purchase at $25.00 for the 1st hand and $10 for each one after that. Hands will be available for purchase until Sep 10. If you paid for an item and have not received it, please contact Sue Bebar and it will be delivered to you.

And now a word to our sponsors - "Thanks!": Spesia, & Ayers; Russell I. Khater, Obstetrics; Mark Streitz, D.D.S; First Community Bank; Kidron Cold Storage; Chiro One of Romeoville, Dr. Ryan Foster; Idealease, Inc.; H.C.Schau & Son, Inc.; RAS Process Equipment; McNamara, Phelan, McSteen, LLC; Bill Schuler, State Farm Agent; Express Employment Professionals; Johansen & Anderson, Inc; First Midwest Bank; Filotto Professional Services; G.H. Haws & ABBA Plastics; Turk Furniture; Silicones, Inc.; Osiris, Inc.; Meade Baltz Paints; Fast Printing of Joliet; and Automated Direct Mail Services

Thanks also to our very generous families who provided gifts of time and treasure for the evening: Ron Bebar, Dr. Dough Pizza (Bill Bonacorda), Stephanie Morris and Dawn Polacek. Thanks also to our moms who helped with our hand sculptures: Rebecca Castro-Marquez, Vicki Hartmann, Karen Jankowski, Eileen Kozlowski, & Jeni White. A special thanks to Lauren DeKlerk and Mike Renzi, you both stepped up and helped us move auction items, prepared the coffee station, and much, much more!!

Thanks to our Directors, Assistants and Staff, without whose support this evening would not have been possible.

Thanks to those gracious and generous families who attended this fun social evening and helped raise over $10,000 for the JMS Campus Expansion Campaign.

..because every pea needs a pod.

JMS Parent Satisfaction Survey

An updated parent feedback survey is enclosed in your communication envelope. Please return to Ms. Lorraine by Wed, Sep 15. Your input matters to us. Thank you for your cooperation.

Parent Education Evenings

We encourage all our families to attend any of our Parent Education Evenings.

We find that many of the questions that parents have concerning curriculum, classroom management issues, the Montessori Method and approach to education, and administrative policies and procedures are answered during these interesting and informative evenings.

Historically, we have offered the bulk of our Parent Ed events in Sep and Oct. This year we will be offering Parent Ed evenings throughout the year to - hopefully - better accommodate our families' schedules.

Tue, Sep 28, at 6:30 p.m.
"Exploration of the First and Second Planes of Development in Primary and Elementary Classes" presented by Mrs. Cornstubble and Miss Francis

Please join us as we explore and discuss the continuum from the first plane of development to the second plane of development.

Childcare is provided, free of charge, at all parent education evenings. Please call to reserve your spot.

Outdoor Environment Safety Guidelines

Directors present the safety expectations to the children as part of the outdoor environment grace and courtesy presentation. Please familiarize yourself with the current guidelines in the event your children have any questions.

Home and School Association (HSA)

hsa

The HSA Calendar was included in the summer mailing. Additional copies are available on request.

Please mark your calendars and save the dates so you won't miss an opportunity to get together with other JMS families.

Welcome Back Picnic
Join us Sun, Sep 12, from 2 - 4 p.m. at JMS.

JMS T-Shirts are available for sale! T-shirts are available in child and adult sizes, while supplies last.

Merchant Support

There are many opportunities available to JMS to earn money from your everyday purchases. Throughout the year we will be highlighting the programs we participate in through the newsletters and on the "Parents" tab at our school website. If at any point you have any questions about these programs, please contact Karen Barowsky.

September Merchant Support Spotlight

Campbell's Soup Labels

Participating in the program is easy. Simply save UPC's from Campbell's products and send them back to school in a ziploc baggie. This year many of our points will go to purchasing items for the outdoor environment. See enclosed flier for a complete list of eligible products.

Drama Team now forming

Planning for our Spring Event has begun! Children interested in committing to the Drama Team are invited to attend our informational meeting to be held at the school on Thu, Sep 9, from 3:30 - 4:30 pm.

Interested Writers will be meeting on Thu, Sep 23, for the Writer's Meeting to discuss the choice of play and begin the writing process.

Parents: Volunteer Opportunities will be available for teams for props, costumes, publicity and set design. Watch future newsletters for additional details.

Daisy Scouts

Leaders Lisa Gleason and Lynn Marchio invite all girls in Kindergarten and 1st year to join Daisy Scouts. Our JMS Daisy Troop #22 will be meeting every other Wednesday this year from 3:30 - 4:30 pm. We will have an informational meeting on Wed, Sep 8, for girls, and their parents, who are interested in joining. Questions? Call Lisa at 815-603-4637.

Brownie and Junior Girl Scouts

Brownie and Junior Girl Scouts will be meeting on Fri, Sep 10, from 3:30 until 5:00 at JMS. Any girls, 2nd year through 5th year, who are interested in joining Girl Scouts are welcome. Please call Susan Khater at 815-729-0549 for more information.

Cub Scouts (1st through 3rd year boys) will have their first meeting of the school year at 3:30 - 4:30 pm on Tue, Sep 14, at JMS. Parents are welcome to email Jeni White at malloryjeni11@gmail.com with for additional details.

Webelos Pack 254 (4th and 5th year boys) will have their first meeting of the year on Wed, Sep 15, from 3:30 to 4:30 at JMS. Interested families can contact Cathy Schultz at cschultz@stfrancis.edu.

All Scouts meet every other week at the school. Individual troop meeting dates will be communicated during troop meetings.

Half Day Primary Children

Preschool screenings will be held here at the school on the mornings of Wed, Sep 29 and Thu, Wed Sep 30.

Parent information packets are included in the communication envelope. Please complete and submit no later than Fri, Sep 17.

Preschool Screening Volunteer Opportunity

Are you available to help escort primary children during the morning of either Wed, Sep 29 or Thur, Sep 30 for preschool screenings? Please leave your contact information with the office and someone will get back to you confirming scheduling.

Extra-curricular Activities Guide is enclosed.

Details for additional classes and clubs are being finalized. Watch your newsletters and news briefs for details as they are available.

thank you

To our Outdoor Environment crew for their help maintaining the grounds over the summer, including Jeni White, Kathy Baltz, Eileen Kozlowski and Lauren DeKlerk.

To those generous families who donated their time during the outdoor work day.

Kevin McDonald for the use of his truck, and the manpower, to deliver the new mulch for our playground equipment.

Laura Love-Paramo for being the Scholastic Mom this year.

To the Gonzalez family for donation of the beautiful new children's size wooden table for Mrs. Renzi's classroom.

Sincerely,

The Faculty and Staff of
Joliet Montessori School

Handbook Corner

Joliet Montessori School Mission Statement
Joliet Montessori School inspires students to engage academically and socially every day, developing independence, a love of work, and a respect for all.

Portrait of a JMS Graduate
Our graduates:
Strive to meet their academic potential
Take responsibility for their education
Contribute consciously to their community
Treat others with grace and courtesy
Commit to lifelong learning

Characteristics of Professional Excellence
Our directors:
Dedicate themselves to the Montessori philosophy
Respect children and their natural learning cycles
Provide a loving, caring, nurturing environment
Develop high expectations based on each child's potential
Model sincerity and engage in genuine communication with students

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