Tis the Season for Giving
Around this time every year, our Upper Elementary teachers, students, and parents spend the morning volunteering at the Mission Arlington Christmas Store. While serving as ambassadors for TMA and Montessori, their tasks frequently involve helping adults who are “shopping” for gifts for their children and sorting/stocking gifts within the store. It’s heartwarming to hear comments from Mission Arlington staff, such as, “We always love having your school come volunteer!” When a Mission Arlington staff member needed a Spanish translator to assist one of the families, Eduardo Rodriguez, a 6th grader, overheard and offered to help her. Afterward, she said that he was a “tremendous help.”
I want to extend a special “thank you” to our Upper Elementary community of students, staff, and families for making visible the Portrait of a Graduate attributes of compassionate, socially responsible and caring, community citizen. As TMA children and families give gifts of social responsibility, we not only bless those beyond TMA, we receive personal blessings as we discover that, truly, it is more blessed to give than receive.
I wish for each of us a season filled with blessing others. May your giving this season be extraordinary!
-- Pam
Give Yourself the Gift of Montessori Parenting 101
Are you at the point where you’re using punishment and/or rewards, but they aren’t making a difference? Does your home sometimes feel like a battlefield? Many moms and dads parent in the moment, responding to the immediate situation or behavior, without a master plan. What works best is to follow effective parenting strategies consistently over the long-haul.
The Montessori Family Alliance is having a sale on a 5-week online course where Lorna McGrath, Director of the Montessori Family Alliance and Senior Montessori Consultant, will teach you the essential strategies to meet your children’s emotional needs and minimize misbehavior.
This 5-week online course offers ongoing access. You can save $100 by using code flash-pp at checkout (sale price is $49.95/family; normal cost is $150). Offer ends on New Year's Eve. Sign up now for The Parenting Puzzle - The Basics.
Winter Break
December 24 - January 4
Our Winter Break Holiday is Monday, December 24, through Friday, January 4. The spring session will begin on Monday, January 7.
Spelling Bee
January 16, 2019, 9:00 am
Our Elementary students will participate in the annual Spelling Bee on Wednesday, January 16, at 9:00 am. This is part of the national competition that ultimately leads to the Scripp’s National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. All Elementary students should have received a copy of the words to study. If your child is participating, be sure s/he has a good night’s sleep and eats a healthy breakfast in the morning. Let the spelling begin!
MLK Jr. Day - No Class or Holiday Care
January 21, 2019
School will be closed in observance of MLK Jr. Day on Monday, January 21. No Holiday Care, activities, or after school programs will be held this day.
Elementary STEM Fair
January 24, 2019, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
We are holding an Elementary STEM Fair this year which focuses on the Engineering Method of problem solving. Students find a problem, produce a prototype to solve it, and create a tri-fold board to communicate and present the project. Information for participation has been provided for students. Participation is optional for Lower Elementary. Register by January 11!
A Glimpse of Lower Elementary
January 24, 2019, 5:00-6:00 pm
All parents who have a child progressing to 1st level next year are encouraged to attend our program, A Glimpse of Lower Elementary, on Thursday, January 24, from 5:00-6:00 pm. Please RSVP so we know to expect you.
Math Journey of Discovery
Saturday, January 26, 2019, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Please join us on our journey through the Montessori math curriculum for the Early Childhood through Upper Elementary programs. You will engage with the materials that your children use every day, beginning with concrete exploration and progressing to abstraction. Please join us to learn how the Montessori math materials provide a strong math foundation for your independent and self-motivated learner!
Lunch and childcare for currently enrolled students will be provided free of charge and participants must be able to stay for the entire experience. A free copy of Math Works: Montessori Math and the Developing Brain, by Michael Duffy, will be provided for each participant. Space is limited for this enlightening event, so please RSVP quickly to reserve your space.
Find What You Need at MyTMA!
MyTMA contains much needed information for TMA community members, including links to ParentsWeb and the Parent Portal (password: #TMAparents). On the Parent Portal, you will find:
- Resources - includes forms, calendar, tuition & fee schedule, general contact information, community service opportunities, and links to issues of the TMA Connection
- Classroom Information - includes classroom teacher information, classroom orientation guides, shopping list, healthy lunch guidelines, and other guides
- ParentsWeb - provides the link to log in and directions to update information
Please let us know if you cannot find a piece of information you need and we will add it to the site.
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