Joliet Montessori School News Brief
September 9, 2010
1600 Root Street
Crest Hill, IL 60403

Office Hours:
8:00 am - 4:00 pm 
 
(815) 741-4180
 
Attendance and Carpool Line
Extension 10 
 
fax
(815) 741-9753
 
Current Families website page
 
Calendar Reminders
calendar
 
Sun, Sep 12
Welcome Back Picnic 
 2 - 4 pm
JMS Campus
 
Mon, Sep 13
Informational Coffee for prospective parents
9:30 am
 
JMS Board of Trustees Meeting
7 pm
 
Thu, Sep 16
Scholastic book orders are due
 
Fri, Sep 17
Preschool screening packets due to office
 
Garden Club meets 3:30 - 4:30 pm 
 
Tues, Sep 28
Parent Ed Night
"Planes of Development"
6:30 pm
 
Week of Sep 27 
Adolescent
Nature's Classroom Trip
 
Wed, Sep 29 and Thu, Sep 30 
Preschool Screenings
 
 
Looking Ahead
October is Parent Observation Month
 
Mon, Oct 11
Columbus Day
No School 
Manna
Orders
Manna Informational Letter and Order Forms are available on our website.  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 Corner
 
Innisbrook orders
are due 
Fri, Sep 24
 
Parent Directory Correction

Please update your parent directories to correct the following phone number:  The Szum Family, Ms. Cunningham's class, phone should read (815) 744-1396.
Greetings!
JMS Parent Satisfaction Survey
 
Please return to Ms. Lorraine by Wed, Sep 15.  Your input matters to us.  Thank you for your cooperation.
Parent Orientation Dinner Thank You 
 
The Parent Orientation Dinner committee would like to send out a special thanks to Mark Villegas, JMS parent and owner of Eager Polymers.  Mark donated all the materials for the creation of the hand sculptures.  He also donated his time and his employees time to do the casting of each of the hands.  This made a significant impact to the final product you all saw at our event.  

Thank you, Dr. Dough Pizza for your sponsorship of our Parent Orientation Dinner.  We apologize that we incorrectly listed you under in-kind donations.
Parent Education Evening

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.
Home and School Association (HSA)
 
hsaPlease join us for the back to school picnic this Sunday, September 12, from 2:00 - 4:00 pm, at the school.
 
In an effort to be more environmentally friendly, we are asking everyone to bring their own reusable plates, cups and cutlery.

Please bring a snack or dessert to share. We will have a cooler with water. We will not have grills, so please keep that in mind when planning.
 
We are still in need of volunteers to serve as greeters and for clean up. Please contact Vicki Hartmann at v_hartmann@yahoo.com if you are able to help.
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 today at the school, from 3:30 - 4:30 pm.
 
Interested Writers will be meeting next week, on Thu, Sep 23, for the Writer's Meeting to discuss the choice of play and begin the writing process.
Orchestra and Band Informational Meeting

will be held at the school on Wed, Sep 15, at 6:30 pm.  Questions can be directed to Ms. Paulette Velazquez at (708) 927-2233.

Half Day Primary Children
 
Preschool screenings will be held at the school on the mornings of Wed, Sep 29 and Thu, Wed Sep 30.  Parent information packets are due Fri, Sep 17.   
Montessori Dictionary

Prepared Environment:  The Montessori Environment is the classroom space prepared by the adult for the children.  It contains all the essentials for optimal development but nothing superfluous.  Attributes of a prepared environment include order and reality, beauty and simplicity.  Everything is child-sized to enhance the children's independent functioning.  A trained adult and a large enough group of children of mixed ages (known as a "substantial class size")make up a vital part of the prepared environment.

Thank You!
thank you
 
To the Robinson family for the donation of two guinea pigs as classroom pets for Mrs. Renzi's class.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the "Three Hour Work Cycle?"
 
While observing children in her classroom, Dr. Montessori realized that, when left in freedom, children displayed a very distinct cycle of work.  In AMI Montessori schools, children have three hours of uninterrupted work time.  "Uninterrupted" means that children are not being pulled from their work for other classes or purposes, allowing them to finish their independent work in their own time.  This increases focus and concentration.  They become deeply engaged and finish projects well, resulting in their own feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction.
Sincerely,
 
The Faculty and Staff of
Joliet Montessori School
Handbook Corner
 
Carpool protocol can be found here.   

Please follow the designated carpool route during carpool times.  Do not pull directly into the driveway, even if you do not see any cars.  Cars are almost always en route around the block during carpool times.

Carpool protocol is in effect during these times:  

8:30 - 9:00 am
12:00 - 12:15 pm
3:00 - 3:30 pm

Please limit walk-ups to extenuating circumstances.  Our priority will be to keep the carpool line moving smoothly.

In order to ensure the safety of our children and to facilitate traffic flow, the parking lot is closed during carpool.

If you have an emergency and must walk up, park on the north side of Root Street.  Do not park in front of the school or the house next door.  Because of the location of the Fire Station, these are City of Crest Hill "No Parking" zones and you may be ticketed.

During carpool, the staff is concentrating on the safety of our children.  Please do not give the attendants verbal messages.  Provide written notes which can be forwarded or call the office during the school day.