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date
 March 7, 2015
Inside This Issue
A Montessori Morning - Three Hours Distilled into Five Minutes
A Montessori Morning

After attending your child's parent conference last week you may be thinking how wonderful it would be to observe your child first hand during a regular school day.

Parents are always encouraged to observe their children at work in the Montessori classroom. It is simply amazing to see the process of learning in action. But with our busy schedules, its rarely possible to observe for a whole morning.

Check out this You Tube Video that features a full morning work cycle for a 4 year old. in under 5 minutes.  Prepare to be amazed!

Click on the image below


 

 


Upper El and Middle School Students Participate in Regional B.O.B. Competition
GMS Upper El and Middle School Students Compete in Regional 
Battle of the Books Competition

Erin Carmola
GMS Librarian
by Erin Carmola

This week our Middle School and Upper El Battle of the Books teams (also known as BOB and E-BOB teams) participated in the regional Battle of the Books competitions. Given a list of books at the beginning of the year, our teams have been reading and studying since September and on Wednesday, March 4, proved their knowledge in a 20 round, jeopardy-style quiz competition. Our Upper El team traveled to the competition held at the O'Neal School in Southern Pines and proved themselves the most enthusiastic and excited of all the E-BOB competitors.  The Middle School team achieved their highest standing ever in their competition held at the Durham Public Library! Everyone had a blast and we can't wait for next year! See below for this year's book lists.

Upper El participants share the stage at the end of the EBoB competition in Southern Pines

2014-15 Elementary Battle of the Books List

How Tia Lola Came to Stay
The Penderwicks
Soft Rain
Among the Hidden
Taffy of Torpedo Junction
Extra Credit
Free Baseball
Kenny & The Dragon
A Strong Right Arm
Princess Academy
Turtle in Paradise
Blue
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
Rules
Hatchet
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library
The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912
The Candymakers

The EBoB judge asks the Upper El team a question.




Middle School BOB teammates, Justin, Baxter and Chloe study in between rounds.

2014-15 Middle School Battle of the Books List

Home of the Brave
Tangerine
The Savage Fortress
The Roar
Maze Runner
Flora and Ulysses
Mockingbird
The House of the Scorpion
90 Miles to havana
The Other Half of My Heart
Prisoner B-3087
Road to Tater Hill
The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn
Titanic: Voices from the Disaster
Hero
Good Night: Mr Tom
 A Single Shard
Beneath M Mother's Feet
The Red Pyramid
Bluefish
The Alchemyst: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel
Outcasts United: the Story of a Refugee Soccer Team that Changed a Town*
The Notorious Benedict Arnold
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Chasing Lincoln's Killer
Moon Over Manifest
One Crazy Summer



Earth Education and a Community Garden Workday
Introduction to Earth Education at GMS

by Jenny Kimmel
Jenny Kimmel
Jenny Kimmel
GMS Environmental Education and Gardening Teacher

As children explore in the gardens and in nature, watching the rhythm of life unfold, their innate curiosity is sparked and they are able to tie lessons from the classroom back into the world and vice versa. 

At GMS, we go about Earth education in numerous ways. These include Permaculture gardening, weekly environment education classes for all divisions, and a middle school Farm to Fork and Land program. 

The gardens wrap around the school like a protective oasis and students play and learn in them throughout each school year and summer. They are now in their 18th year. 

Permaculture is a way of designing the landscape to mimic that of nature in the hopes that culture and agriculture can strike a permanent and harmonious balance. Half of all of our garden space is perennial. There are over 30 fruit and nitrogen fixing trees on campus, beneficial herbs, flowers and bush fruits interspersed, in addition to the annual beds that grow an abundance of vegetables. 

There are three main gardens on campus, each corresponding to a particular age level. They were designed this way for a number of reasons. One is proximity. Bill Mollison, who coined the term "Permaculture" explains that one should be able to step outside of one's door and harvest herbs for an omelet without getting their slippers wet from the morning dew. So it follows, we want the students at all times to have direct access to the world of the gardens and to feel a sense of belonging to them. Nature is their classroom. 

Many of the activities that young gardeners will participate in are all part of a great cycle called the "Seed to Table" cycle in which a seed travels from the soil, to the table and back to the soil again. The children will watch this life cycle unfold and actively participate in it. Almost any activity that we engage in - be it watering, cooking, planting, and observing life in the garden - is illustrated in the seed to table cycle. It applies to all grade levels and can range from the simplest activities to the most in depth discussions and practices. 

Curriculum is based on seasonal cycles, the garden enivironment, and the age of the students. We invite spontaneity and often pause to watch and identify insects, marvel at life in the garden, and discuss questions or insights. In all levels we teach about soil, decomposition and compost, pollination and biodiversity. The depth and detail of these lessons varies, but these are core concepts that are important throughout the program. 

Maria Montessori herself said: "How often is the soul of man - especially that of a child - deprived because one does not put him in contact with nature?" To discover one's full potential, one must comprehend themselves as a part of the cosmos. It is difficult to know the richness of your own potential until you reach out and touch the soil that makes it possible. Nature and the gardens enrich lives, and help build whole children, who understand that to nurture the earth, is to nurture themselves, their friends, their neighbors, and the world. 

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to follow Jenny's blog about the GMS Gardens and Environmental Education Programs.

Click here to see her latest post on making Meditation Tea with the children which included lessons on exotic spices, their geographic origins, and their medicinal qualities. 


COMING UP SOON



Come and experience the seasonal rebirth of our gardens by participating in our upcoming Community Garden Workday, on Saturday afternoon, March 28 from 1:30-4:00pm. 


The Great Lessons of the Montessori Elementary Curriculum
Montessori's Great Lessons Form an Amazing Context 
for young children to experience 
the awe of nature, 
the fascination of science, 
and the personal responsibility 
for creating the world of the future.

STAY TUNED NEXT WEEK FOR
The Third Great Lesson: The Coming of Humans
explained by Mary Jacobson (Lower El) & Cathy Moses (Upper El)

FacultyHighlight: Meet Jessica Smith, GMS Toddler Teacher

  

Introducing Jessica Smith, GMS Toddler Teacher

Jessica Smith
Jessica Smith
GMS Toddler Teacher

Jessica Smith joined the GMS faculty in 2010. Like so many Montessori teachers, she first learned of the Montessori method as an interested parent looking for an enlightened educational environment for her own children. She took the plunge into a Montessori Training program for Infant and Toddler Teachers and never looked back. After her first year at GMS helping to lead the Infant care program, she continued her training through the RIE (Resources for Infant Educarers) program with Beverly Kovach, a well known Montessori and RIE trainer, and author of Being with Babies, and Anna Tardos and Agnes Santos, experts in the Pikler method.  Jessica is passionate about helping families integrate the principles of Montessori in their own home environment by making regular family routines more developmentally appropriate for children, like family dinners and getting ready for school . She enjoys sharing ideas and her own experiences as a modern Montessori mom.  

Prior to becoming a Montessori teacher, Jessica trained and worked in the field of textile chemistry. She holds a BS in Textile Chemistry from NC State and a Master's in Textiles  from University of Manchester in England. 

Jessica enjoys traveling and lived oversees for two years but, growing up in Rockingham County, the Triad has always been her home. In her spare time, Jessica likes to squeeze in a tennis match or knit gifts for family and friends. She and her husband, Allen, have 3 children at GMS - Logan (9), Connor (7) and Kieran (5).

  


Spring Art Show Registration Extended to March 10 

  

Calling All GMS Parents, Staff & Alumni Who are Visual Artists!! We want to feature your work in an upcoming art show.
 
"Art in the Montessori Family" Art Exhibit
May 2015


Registration Extended Due to Inclement Weather
Please Register by March 10

  


GMSCA Reschedules International Fair Due to Inclement Weather
NEW DATE  - Friday, March 27
 THE GMS INTERNATIONAL FAIR RESCHEDULED TO
FRIDAY, MARCH 27 @ 9AM-1PM IN THE GMS GYM




All GMS Students and Parents are welcome to tour the International Fair 
from 9am-1pm, stay for the student performances and games from 11am-12pm, and purchase lunch prepared by the Middle School between 12-1pm. 

Country sponsors are assembling beautiful displays. 
Many will have taste samples of foods from their country. 

EVERYONE IS ENCOURAGED TO DRESS IN CLOTHING THAT REPRESENTS YOUR HOMELAND!

Special thanks to the GMSCA team that has been working hard 
to organize this event:
Mitie Ogura-Lundgren (chair), Su-en Lee, Tammy Tao, Maysi Hnin, Dian Rowan, 
 Andi Bogan, Charlene McKee, Erin Quinn-Rundberg
and to GMS staffers Jenny Kimmel, Matt Spencer and Eliza Hudson for coordinating 
the Middle School Culinary Arts program to offer an amazing lunch on Friday. 


Thank you to our local community contributors!!


GMS Summer Fun!!! Announcing Weekly Summer Camp Options

  

Summer Camp 2015 Offers Some Weekly Sessions 



Check out the Weekly Camp Offerings for children ages 3-15

Click Here for info and to access the Registration Form for Weekly Sessions

 

 OR

 

Register for the Montessori Al Fresco Summer Camp (all 9 weeks, except 6/29-7/3)!!

 

Click Here to access the Al Fresco Registration Form

 

Only Limited Spaces Available in Al Fresco Camp!!

 


Raffle Tickets on Sale Now for a Chance to Win 50% Off Next Year's Tuition
Drawing on Saturday, April 25
Tuition Raffle Drawing to be held on Saturday, April 25
Purchase Your Ticket TODAY




 
GMS Green and White Bash
Saturday, April 25

Save the Date
for a fun night out with fellow parents and friends from the GMS community



Photos of the Week
We've got team spirit and it showed during our first home basketball game of the season. The GMS Panthers beat Noble Academy Knights in both the 5th/6th grade game and the 7th/8th grade game!









Upcoming Events
  • Click here to download a printable version of the 2014-15 school year events.
  • Click here to subscribe to the school calendar 
  •  
  • -
  • Basketball Game - Tuesday, March 10 @ 4:15 - GMS @ New Garden Friends School
  • -
  • GMSCA Steering Committee Meeting - Wednesday, Mar 11 @ 8:45-10:45am
  • -
  • Basketball Game - Thursday, March 12 @ 4:15pm - GMS vs. Piedmont School @ GMS
  • -
  • School Closed for Staff Professional Development - Friday, March 13 - CASA Open
  • -
  • Middle School at the Land Campus - March 17-20
  • -
  • Mommy/Daddy & Me Storytime - Friday, March 20 @ 9:30am
  • for prospective and current parents with young children
  • -
  • Upper El Medieval Fare Fare Performance - Wednesday, March 25 @ 7pm 
  • -
  • Lower El Family Potluck Dinner - Wednesday, March 25 @ 6:00pm (setup at 5:30pm) - 
  • please join us for the Potluck and then stay for the Upper El performance in the gym 
  • -
  • GMS International Fair - Friday, March 27 @ 9:00am-1:00pm in the Gym - 
  • ALL PARENTS WELCOME
  • visit cultural displays
  • Middle School multi-cultural lunch served at 12noon (cost $7.00)
  • sponsored by the GMSCA
  • -
  • Community Garden Workday at GMS - Saturday, March 28 @ 1:30-4:00pm
  • supported by the GMSCA
  • -
  • GMS Open House for Prospective Families - Sunday, March 29 @ 1:00-3:00pm
  • -
  • School Closed for Spring Break - Friday, April 3 through Friday, April 10
  • Classes resume -Monday, April 13
  • CASA available for children registered for the All Inclusive CASA Plan - April 6-10
  • Contact Lindsay Jeffrey for details
  • -
  • Grandparents and Special Friends Day - Friday, April 24 @ 8:30-10:30am
  • continental breakfast served, student performances, classroom and garden tours
  • -
  • Montessori Journey of Discovery - NEW DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED
  • -
  • Back to the Top
  • GMSCA Steering Committee Spring Schedule
    GMSCA Steering Committee Sets Spring Schedule

    Wednesday, March 11
    Wednesday, April 1
    Wednesday, May 13

    New Evening Meeting Added to the Spring Schedule
     Thursday, April 16 at 6:30pm at GMS

    ****************************************************************************************

    Monthly Steering Committee Meetings are held in the upstairs conference room 
    8:45am - 10:45am


    GMS Logo Items On Sale and Linked to the Website
    GMS Logo Apparel Available Through an On-Line Store

    Did you know that you can order GMS logo items through an on-line store?
     

     
     
    Or navigate to the link on the Community tab of the GMS website. 
     
     
     

    FUN FACTS & REMINDERS

    Did you know that you could be contributing to GMS by doing next to nothing?In fact there are three ways

      

    1. GMS Harris Teeter VIC Card # is 1849 - the year of the gold rush!

      

    Every time you grocery shop at Harris Teeter, you could be earning rewards for GMS.  Simply check that your VIC card is linked to GMS (#1849) next time you are at check out, or  log in to the Harris Teeter website 
     

      

    2. GMS Collects Box Tops for Education 

     

    Boxtops for Education are found on hundreds of products you buy every day: General Mills, Betty Crocker, Old ElPaso, Green Giant, Ziploc, Scott Tissue, Kleenex, Hanes Apparel...just to name a few.  When you see the Boxtops logo on packages of things you already buy, just clip them and drop them in the treasure chest on the front desk.

     

    Each Boxtop earns GMS 10 cents.

      

    3. Target Red Card - Take Charge of Education program

      

    If you use a Target Red Card (credit or debit), you could be contributing 1% of your purchase to GMS every time you shop!  Simply  go to  http://www.target.com/redcard/main, and click on the "Learn More" tab under "Take Charge of Education."  


     Y
    ou can register your card with our school by name "Greensboro Mont Sch" or number 24312.  So far, only 15 members of the GMS community have linked their cards.  If you shop at Target (who doesn't??)  and you use a Red Card, please take a minute to link to GMS!

      

      

      

    GMS Website School Directory: Find a neighbor or your child's classmates!

    The Community tab of the GMS website hosts the School Directory.  This feature is a password protected school directory.  After you have registered and been approved as an authorized user you can use the sort feature in the directory to find everyone who lives in your zip code or everyone in your child's class.  Simply enter the criteria in the search box on the left side of the directory.  The directory provides address, home and cell phones, as well as email addresses.  It is a simple way to build community by connecting families to the information they need quickly from any electronic device. 

      

     

    Get Fresh Local Produce from Faucette Farms CSA Every Wednesday
    Have you noticed the white delivery truck parked in our grassy lot on Wednesday afternoons? Or perhaps you have seen someone carrying a brown paper bag of produce across the parking lot on Wednesdays during 3:00 pick-up?  They are participating in the Faucette Farms Community Supported Agriculture program. GMS is proud to be a weekly drop site for local growers who partner with Faucette Farms. You can order specific seasonal produce or just get a mixed box of the best produce of the week.  Use the Faucette Farms CSA form to register.  You can use the Fresh Produce Order Form to customize your order. You can feel good about supporting local agriculture and feeding your family the freshest farm to table ingredients. 
     

      



    The Greensboro Montessori School | | [email protected] |