I’m happy to share that our second week of school has been wonderful! The children are adjusting beautifully and are quickly learning the routines and rules of the classroom. They are showing great enthusiasm and curiosity, making each day so much fun.

Each morning, we start our day with a few minutes of meditation. Teaching children meditation at a young age has many benefits, such as helping them develop focus, self-awareness, and emotional regulation. It provides a calming start to the day and gives them tools to manage their emotions and practice mindfulness, which can positively impact their learning and social interactions throughout the day.

In our lower elementary classroom, we also have classroom jobs that the children are excited to take part in. These jobs are chosen by the students each week and rotate, so everyone gets a chance to experience different responsibilities. Classroom jobs help foster a sense of community and ownership, and they teach important life skills like responsibility, teamwork, and time management. It’s wonderful to see how proud the children feel when they contribute to keeping our classroom running smoothly!

What a fantastic first week back to school! Lower Elementary has been buzzing with excitement as we welcomed new faces and reconnected with old friends. To help everyone get to know one another, we played fun games like Name Bingo and a Classroom Scavenger Hunt. These activities made learning each other’s names easy and enjoyable, and it set the tone for a positive, team-oriented environment.

We also got creative with crafts, making beautiful Peace Doves to symbolize the harmony we hope to foster in our classroom this year. The children really embraced brainstorming ideas for our classroom rules, and I loved seeing their thoughtful contributions as we worked together to shape the community we want.

As I reflect on this first week, I can already tell that this year is going to be something special. The energy, creativity, and kindness in the room is contagious, and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us. Here’s to a wonderful year ahead, filled with learning, laughter, and growth!

---

Dismissal Reminder
Thank you for adhering to your assigned arrival and dismissal times to help arrival and dismissal run smoothly and to reduce your time waiting in line. 

• Toddler: arrival-8:30, dismissal-2:45
• Primary: arrival-8:20, dismissal-3:00
• Elementary: arrival-8:10, dismissal-3:10
• Middle School: arrival-8:00, dismissal-3:10

Families with children at multiple levels can arrive at the oldest child’s arrival time and dismissal time.

Please form only one line in the morning when dropping off, leaving the left lane open for toddler families to pull through.

In the afternoon, please form only one line on the left before 3:00, leaving the right lane open for toddler families to pull through. Starting at 3:00, form two lines. 

As the school year ends, I reflect on the incredible journey I’ve had with this group of lower elementary students, who have brought so much joy and laughter into my life. It feels like we started the school year just yesterday, full of anticipation and excitement. As we bid farewell to another chapter, we celebrate the wonderful memories we created together and wish each other the best summer ahead!

We asked the children what they were looking forward to about summer!  Enjoy below:

Advay: I’m looking forward to camp!
Angie: I’m looking forward to my birthday, going to Niagara Falls, staying up late and watching movies and eating fun treats!
Carmen: I’m looking forward to Girl Scout camp, hanging out with my cousins and friends, going to Portugal and ballerina class!
Eleanor: I’m looking forward to seeing my grandparents and going to Girl Scout camp!
Greyson: I’m looking forward to reading a lot of books, going to the beach with my sister, and going on a boat!
Landon: I’m looking forward to going to my grandma’s beach house, Paris, Portugal, and summer camp!
Olivia: I’m looking forward to camp!
Rowan: I’m looking forward to going to Delaware and the pool!
Sullivan: I’m looking forward to my brother’s birthday!
Aya: I’m looking forward to ballet camp, swimming, watching TV, playing outside, and going to Rhode Island!
Lily B: I’m looking forward to summer camp!
Malcolm: I’m looking forward to battling my Dad in the pool and going to skating and kung-fu camp!
Nina: I’m looking forward to watching movies during my free time and maybe going to dance camp!
Marin: I’m looking forward to playing with my family and having a water balloon fight with them!
Samuel: I’m looking forward to my birthday, going to camp, and having sleepovers!
Wilder: I’m looking forward to going to the Adventure Park, relaxing in the pool, and going to Boy Scout camp!
Beau: I’m looking forward to having more free time to work on my tumbling and going to the Adventure Park!
Charles: I’m looking forward to going to West Point, swimming, sleepovers, and vacation!
Dante: I’m looking forward to going to Niagara Falls, sleeping in, and water balloon fights!
Gregory: I’m looking forward to playing football and camping with my sister and Dad!
Harper: I’m looking forward to going to the beach, drama camp, and traveling to Acadia, Maine.
Lily L: I’m looking forward to traveling to Washington state and Idaho, camping with my Dad, going to the beach and my first ever concert!
Luke: I’m looking forward to cooking camp and going swimming in my pool!
Mya: I’m looking forward to my birthday, going to Colombia and trying new food there!
Noya: I’m looking forward to going to camp and traveling to new places!

It’s incredible to think that we’re already here in June, with only a week left of school left! Even as the year draws to a close, the children’s enthusiasm for learning remains as strong as ever.

As I reflect on each child’s progress throughout the year, I am filled with pride and joy. They have not only grown physically but have also shown significant academic and social development. Witnessing their curiosity and determination, their laughter and friendships, warms my heart daily.

I am so pleased to see what a compassionate, kind-hearted, and unique group of students we have in the classroom. Each child’s individual journey has contributed to creating a vibrant, supportive community where everyone thrives. Their growth and achievements this year have been truly remarkable, and I am excited to see how they will continue to flourish in the future.

The highlight of this week was an amazing field trip to The Adventure Park, filled with climbing, zip lines, bravery, and trust. Each of us challenged ourselves to try elements of the ropes course that were demanding and, at times, even a little scary. Every student should be proud of their efforts, not only in trying new things but also in helping and encouraging their classmates along the way. They worked together, with more experienced climbers assisting the less experienced ones. Words of motivation were offered when friends were nervous and cheers when their peers completed a course. These students exhibited outstanding teamwork. Bravo, Lower El!

Thank you so much to the wonderful parents who volunteered to chaperone; you were a tremendous help!

This is Lily and Beau! This week, we are writing the blog.

We did this fun activity called the Web of Kindness. The web of kindness works like this: You take a ball of yarn and roll it across the circle to someone and say what you like/appreciate about them. Then, they hold onto a piece of the yarn and roll it to someone else. You keep repeating that until everyone has had a turn. When you finish, there will be a web.

“I thought that it was fun and kind and silly because some people had to go under the yarn.” -Lily

“I thought it was a really good connection activity.”  -Beau

This week, we celebrated Moving Up Day! Our third-year students had the opportunity to experience Upper Elementary, while our Kindergarten students joined us in Lower Elementary.

One of the key advantages of the Montessori classroom is its multi-age groupings. This structure allows children to engage in a cycle of mentorship, where they transition from being mentored to mentoring others. During Moving Up Day, our third-year students embraced their roles as mentees in Upper Elementary, while our second and some first-year students took on the role of mentors to their Kindergarten peers. Witnessing students from different levels fully engaged and joyful while collaborating with their future classmates was truly heartwarming. Additionally, our first and second-year students demonstrated exceptional skills in planning enjoyable and enriching activities for the Kindergartners.

There is such a great sense of community in our school. Within the class, the children love just spending time with one another. Every Thursday, we have community-building time in the outdoor classroom at the end of the day. The children play games, build with sticks, and get creative with friends. Most children play with different classmates each week, and, as a result, many friendships are being cultivated! I think that is part of the beauty of a Montessori classroom; the chance to collaborate with children from different age groups. Children of various ages, working together, will learn from each other, both as students and as teachers. Just as siblings learn and grow together, so do children in a mixed-age classroom environment! Our Lower Elementary classroom is very much a family!

In essence, a lower elementary classroom community is like a microcosm of society, where students learn essential social and emotional skills that will serve them well beyond their academic years. It’s a place where they not only grow academically but also develop into empathetic, responsible, and collaborative individuals.