Monica Ros School

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

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 25th, 2009 at 12:02 pm and is in the Director's Blog, School News.