Monica Ros School

Please make a point of dropping by Meyer Hall this week.   Consistent with our Renaissance theme this year, Monica Ros children have had many an opportunity to “reawaken” their abilities and have created the most beautiful and thought- provoking works of art.   These creations will go home next week, in the mean time come and enjoy the vast collection on display.  Meyer Hall is open Wednesday through  Friday 7:30am – 5pm.

February 19, 2009

Dear Parents,

Enclosed please find your re-enrollment forms.  Next year is calling…

It’s telling the rising third graders to meet Mrs. Buddhu and Mrs. Kirkmire at the 3rd Grade bat cave for flashlights and chapter books. The United States wait to be explored, owl pellets wait to be dissected and mouse skeletons to be reassembled. The publishing wall waits to be filled by third grade poets and essayists. Multi-digit numbers long to be multiplied and divided. The wax museum awaits it exhibitors and the student council its leaders.
 A low rumble is coming from 2nd Grade, it might be an earthquake! New second graders will love exploring both the natural and social world with Mrs. Roe (and all her jokes and giggles). Our world comes first, our valley with our civic infrastructure, our agriculture, and our mountains; then, the small world of a flower and the big world of shifting tectonic plates and exploding volcanoes. Their first grade skills gain strength as they learn to count money, tell time, and recognize spelling patterns. They’ll also spend lots of time in their inner-world.  A well-ordered story packed with details leads to a well-supported essay!
Swish! First graders enjoy the encouraging smiles of Mrs.Ricasata and Mrs. Stovesand as they slide into their first desks for reading, writing, adding, subtracting, word gems, American heroes, poetry, punctuation, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and a myriad of other subjects. Ceremony is a big part of 1st Grade: haircuts hullabalooed; #2 pencils awarded; birthday boys and girls cherished; jobs well-done applauded; kindnesses considered; extra effort recognized; tender care for a hurt friend noticed; parents, friends and teachers honored. Why? Celebrating good work, good deeds, and our affection for one and other develops appreciation and respect for each other and ourselves. Through ceremony, community is enhanced and understood. We are laying the seeds for leadership.
Those students ready for Kindergarten must be hearing the soft cheep of a new born chick. Before they visit the incubator and the chicken coop, Mrs. Fiore and Mrs. Krout take them to the ocean, Antarctica, the chocolate factory, the rain forest, the Museum of 100, the spider web, and other exciting places, both scheduled and serendipitous. Hatching and raising a chicken is the highlight. While the scientific method is introduced, careful and patient observation gives way to gentle handling. Under the sway of the chicken and the egg, scholarly motivation develops! With a language arts, math, and science curriculum explored through fun and wonder, students learn to love learning. Last stop—the opera house! You can’t imagine how those kindergartners can sing.
Next year is calling all preschool students to play! Preschool students in the Blue Room and the Red Room will enjoy lots of creative free play under the knowing eyes of Mrs. Luboff, Mrs. Klimbal, and Mrs. Laszlo. Unstructured play allows the greatest opportunities for the development of creative and verbal skills. Creative play enhances social and academic problem-solving abilities.  There is time for an introduction to academic matters, too, and writing centers get more attention at this age. Colors, shapes, letters, numbers, and new vocabulary help children decipher and identify the world around them.  Empathy is fully explored through the many opportunities that arise!
Trikes whistle, swings sing out inviting the Green Room students to join in. As our three- year-olds begin their early childhood education, they experiment all year with play and, occasionally, its limits!  Mrs. Drury and Mrs. Winbury are there to help.  Exposure to both the natural and academic worlds is plentiful. Their biggest lessons: teachers are wonderful people, classmates have good ideas, too, and school is their place. 
No matter which classroom your child will enjoy next year, it will be full of art, music, dramatic play, and Spanish. Kindergarten and gradeschool students also enjoy PE. Gradeschool students serve on student council on a rotating basis. Everyone is welcome to stay for an afternoon of old-fashion outdoor play or afterschool classes.
Can you hear the papers rustling? We are starting to prepare now. Re-enrollment forms are due March 24th.   Financial aid forms are available in the office and are due April 20th. Join the fun.  It’s the only way to learn. 

Sincerely,

Susan Hardenbergh
Director

Hi Families,  Three things and an extra:

1. A Day in the Life-Thursday, Jan 22, 5:30-6:30, report to your child’s classroom with your child.  At 6:00 you will give up the comfort of the familiar and move into new territory (the next classroom up)—good luck.  I assure you that kind, competent, and polite children will await you there.  This is a great moment to let all our students know how important (and fun) school is to you.
2. Family Hike organized by the Parents’ Club (Thank you, Chairs, Joy_Golbere and Donna_Pope)
Sunday Feb. 8th.  – Save the Date
Meet at MRS parking lot.10:00am.
Carpool to the Gilbreth’s barn.
We will do the Gridley trail hike from there.
It is a moderately strenuous hike.
Hot dogs and drinks will be served after the hike at the barn.
Please bring water on the hike.
Should be lots of fun!
3. CONSTRUCTION ON  GRAND  AVENUE between Gridley and McAndrew,  January 26, 27, 28 (next Mon, Tues and Wed).  They will be recycling and relaying the road surface.  It may take a few more days.  There will be only one lane and we can expect delays up to 20 minutes.  There will be traffic control.
4. Today the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Graders watched the inauguration of our 44th President in the 3rd Grade classroom using an internet connection and a projector.  Everything was life-size, at least, and it felt like we were standing on the dais ourselves.  The children were spellbound through the introductions-Diane Feinstein and Rick Warren were captivating, Aretha Franklin breath-taking-they loved the hat.  You could have heard a pin drop during the quartet.  Joe Biden’s oath went off alright.  When it was time for President Obama-they started off giggling about the step stool.  They recovered however when they were asked to stand during the oath-they shot up.  After about 15 minutes, one second grader claimed in a hushed, but desperate whisper, “This is the longest thing I have ever listened, too!”  Another wanted to know “When are they going to do the “Pledge of Allegiance?”  They had to be satisfied with singing the National Anthem at the end which they all did with confidence and happiness.  Whether their delight was because of the occasion or the end of the occasion, I can’t say.

See you Thursday night!  Susan

Susan_Hardenbergh
Director
Monica Ros School
Ojai, CA 93023

805-646-8184
805-646-2708 (fax)
www.monicaros.org

By the gods, we had quite a day today! (more…)

This is the start of Monica Ros Schools 65th academic year.