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Online Newsletter Issue No. 17
August 2014

With summer winding down, I imagine many of you planning for final vacations, thinking about (or even purchasing!) back to school supplies, and hopefully finding time to relax a bit before the "back to school" mayhem hits. 

Cincinnati Montessori Society has spent the summer months planning our 2014-15 year. Including plans to design, print, and offer to our member schools a Montessori brochure (details to come soon)! After many conversations and surveys with our Member schools it was decided that the Member School Directory will be available online to download or browse from the CMS website. This change will allow the directory to be
kept consistently up to date. Member schools will receive a few printed copies for their own personal distribution. We want to thank all of you for supporting this green initiative! We're also very excited to announce the details of our 2015 Spring conference: 

"Building Pathways, Growing Partners...
the Montessori Way"
February 21st, 2015
Northern Kentucky Convention Center

Mark your calendars and get ready for our "Call for Presentations" coming soon!

May you enjoy these final days of summer! 
Peace,
Heather Gerker
CMS President
The Last Precious Days of Summer:
A Few Options for Fun!
by Whitney Gleason

There is still a bit of summer left! Here are some fun things to do with your child(ren) to keep them occupied until school begins in the Fall:

Continue reading here >>>


 2015 CMS Conference - Save the Date!
  We are excited to announce our 2015 Spring Conference will be on FEBRUARY 21st at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center. Call for Presentation Proposals will be announced soon!
A Case for Montessori in Upper Elementary
by Sarah Jane Lohrey

To any parent trying to decide the best option for upper elementary:
In some respects, I may not be the best parent to offer an objective view.  My two sisters and I are all Montessori graduates who completed 11 years of Montessori education from preschool through 8th grade. After graduation, I attended a private college preparatory secondary school while my sisters attended a Catholic school and public school. All three of us successfully navigated the secondary and post-secondary environments without any difficulty and all are considered highly effective professionals today. 

The experience for each of us was so positive that we have all made family decisions based on where the best Montessori education is available for our own children.  I knew before my child was born that I would be looking for a Montessori school that is both challenging and nurturing.  I found that at CMA and have never considered leaving.

Continue reading here >>>

Martha McDermott - A Celebration

by Rosemary Quaranta

Xavier University Montessori Lab School celebrated Martha McDermott's 85th Birthday on, Saturday, March 8 at the Conaton Board Room, in Schmidt Hall, on Xavier's Campus.



In the early 1960s, while teaching at Ohio's first Montessori school in Cleveland, Martha was recruited to become one of the first educators of Montessori teachers at Xavier University's newly developed program.  Martha continues to work once a week with Elementary Children inspiring them in math and language.  She also continues to do workshops and inspire parents, students, and teachers throughout Cincinnati.

Many teachers, administrators, principals and friends joined Martha for her special birthday celebration. The event was filled with many memories of Martha at the Lab School and her influence of the Teacher Education Program at Xavier University.
In Memoriam:  Edward J. Theuring
by Kathleen M. Duval

A celebration of the life of Edward Theuring was held on Sunday, May 4, 2014 at Lake Isabella Riverside Lodge. Edward died on April 10th, 2014 after four years of courageously dealing with cancer and 77 years of living a full, active, and giving life. 

Edward and Nancy Theuring (it is hard to say one name without the other) began their Montessori teaching career at Montessori Center Room West from 1968-1970. Edward helped to renovate the old St. Rose School building on the east side into a beautiful Montessori environment for 3 to 6-year-olds 
and Center Room East opened in January of 1970. Edward and Nancy taught at CRE for 5 years and then opened Montessori Open House (MOH) in Walnut Hills in 1975, which has operated for 39 years.

Continue reading here >>>
Link Correction:  River Kids Program  

In our last edition, we placed a call to action through an article about a program called River Kids. This program has been working hard to provide for the needs of under-privileged children in many ways. They are in desperate need of many things, including Montessori materials. The link we included in our last newsletter is not working properly. If you would like to donate, partner, or find out more about this incredible program, please follow this link:

Cincinnati Montessori Society is a non-profit organization whose mission is to bring together parents, teachers and schools in order to promote and support the Montessori philosophy. It is governed by a volunteer board of trustees of Montessori parents, teachers, students, administrators and others interested in supporting Montessori education. If you are interested in serving on the board or have talents to share, please contact us.

Each year, as we vote in new board members, we examine how we are serving our customers and what else we can do to support and promote Montessori Education in Cincinnati. Your feedback is very  important to us - comments, compliments and critiques!
  • What do you like and/or dislike about our service?
  • What ideas do you have to make our organization better?
  • What areas do you think are important for CMS get involved in?
Please send us your thoughts. 
CMS Executive Board Members

President
Heather Gerker, M.Ed.

 

Vice President
Kristen Patterson, M.Ed.

Treasurer
Susan Flaspohler, M.Ed.
 
Membership Secretary
Meri Fox
 
Recording Secretary
Valerie Dyas, M.Ed.

CMS Newsletter Staff

Content Editor: 

Layout Editor:
In this Newsletter
Summer Activity Ideas
CMS Conference - Save the Date
A Case for Montessori in Upper Elementary
Celebrating Martha McDermott
Memoriam for Edward J. Theuring
River Kids Correction
Community Calendar
Job Board
Board Member Highlight
Cincinnati Montessori Society
on Facebook
CMS Facebook Like
Montessori Community Calendar

Professional Development Workshop Opportunities, Montessori School Open Houses, and more!

Job Board

CMS Board Member Highlight 



Name:   Meri Fox                          
Current School/ Occupation:   Maple Knoll Montessori Child Center, Director/Teacher

Years of Teaching:  18
 
Why did you choose Montessori?  About twenty-two years ago I became an aunt.  I was fascinated with watching my niece and nephew grow and learn.  I wanted to know more and my mother handed me a book on Maria Montessori and the phone number of a Teacher Education Program.  After reading the book, I was hooked. I called the Teacher Education Program and the rest, as they say, is history!

Why did you join the CMS board?   About 14 years ago a couple of friends recruited me.  I joined the board and enjoy spreading the word about Montessori in the Cincinnati area.

Favorite teaching moment:  There are so many wonderful moments each day.  My favorite is when the classroom is 'humming' and I can sit back and observe all the amazing work happening in the classroom.  I really love the moment when the children become independent and no longer need the help of an adult.

Interesting personal fact:  Before I found Montessori, I was a ski enthusiast, living and working in the Mountains of Colorado.  I worked in Property and Retail Management.

What do you love most about Montessori?  What's not to love?  What I love most about Montessori-- respect for the child.  I love that every child is treated with a deep respect as a unique individual.
 
Interests and Hobbies:  I am a self-proclaimed "Montessori Geek".  I love getting together with friends over dinner discussing/debating
Montessori philosophy
 
Anything else?   One of my favorite quotes, "We discovered that education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops spontaneously in the human being."  Dr. Maria Montessori
"Creating A Montessori Community for All"

Have you heard about the OMA/NAMTA Fall Conference, "Creating A Montessori Community for All"? Focused on the power of community, this conference seeks to weave together the diverse members of our community.

The OMA's first conference with NAMTA will give participants experience collaborating on state level issues as they are presented models of successful community by local and national experts. 

Regardless of your role, training, setting, or region, if you're interested in deepening community in your home, classroom, or school; value Montessori-relevant professional development credits; eager to network with Montessorians throughout Ohio; and/or care about what's impacting Montessori education and what's being done about it, this is a conference for you!