January 23, 2026

Dear families,

Wednesday was our first Lower School assembly of 2026. Our students led a thoughtful reflection on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, sharing their understanding of his legacy and commitment to equality and justice for all people. We also focused on empathy, our character strength for January, with students demonstrating through role-play how we can show understanding and compassion for others in our daily lives.

The big highlight was Ms. Cristina's dance groups—the students worked so hard and danced with such passion and excitement! It was wonderful to see them perform for their classmates and families.We also welcomed our new students, sang happy birthday to our January birthdays, and recognized our Opal Star Cleaners. These assemblies are a meaningful way to build community, celebrate our diversity, and reinforce the values that make our school special.

Enjoy your weekend,

Ms. Dani

Upcoming Parent Education Sessions

Understanding Inquiry-Based Learning with Tania Lattanzio Tuesday, February 4th from 9:00-10:00 AM on the MS Steps

Join us for an engaging session with education consultant Tania Lattanzio, who is working alongside our Grade 1-5 teachers to develop Units of Inquiry and strengthen our LS curriculum. Tania will share what inquiry-based learning is, why we use this approach, and how it develops critical thinking and deep understanding in your children. This is a wonderful opportunity to see how inquiry unfolds in the classroom and understand the "why" behind what your child is learning.

RSVP here to confirm your attendance. Learn more about Tania here.

Navigating Daily Life with Nonviolent Communication Wednesday, February 11th from 9:00-10:00 AM

Join us for an interactive workshop with Carol Ruiz, an ASM parent, activist, and facilitator of Nonviolent Communication (NVC). Carol's approach aligns closely with ASM's core philosophy, bridging the gap between principles of nonviolence and the practical realities of modern parenting. This introductory session launches her initiative to share simple, effective strategies for navigating challenging moments with children. When traditional instructions or consequences fall short, NVC skills offer a way to strengthen communication, deepen the parent-child connection, teach values authentically, and support families as they navigate the complexities of a changing world.

We encourage all parents to join us for this insightful morning of learning and community growth. Register here

Math League Updates!

We're excited to continue Math League this spring! Both programs are moving to After School Activities (ASAs) to provide more dedicated practice time for our young mathematicians. If your child is unable to join the ASA, they can still participate in the contests—details below.

Grades 2-3: Noetics Learning Math Contest Math League will meet as a Tuesday ASA beginning February 3rd to prepare for the Noetics Learning Math Contest. Students do not need to be enrolled in the ASA to participate in the contest. If your 2nd or 3rd grader would like to participate in the spring Noetics contest but are unable to do the Math League ASA, please complete this form. Students not in the ASA will receive practice materials to use at home in preparation for the contest.

Contest dates: Students will take the contest exam after school on either April 7th or April 14th (exact date by grade to be confirmed soon).

Grades 4-5: Math Olympiad Competitions Math League will meet as a Thursday ASA beginning February 9th. Students enrolled in the Math League ASA will continue to participate in the Math Olympiad competitions.

If your child cannot join the Math League ASA but would like to participate in the final two Math Olympiad competitions, they may do so—but would need to miss their other Thursday commitments on competition days. In this case, students should practice at home and attend the Thursday ASA only for the 30-minute testing window on the scheduled competition day.

Remaining competition dates for G4-5:

• Contest 4: February 12th, 2026 at 4:20 PM

• Contest 5: March 19th, 2026 at 4:20 PM

Please let Arista know if your child would like to continue participating in the competitions without being part of the Math League ASA.

Upcoming Dates:

• After School Music Recitals: 4:00-6:15pm

• Feb 4 - Parent session - Tania Lattanzio

• Feb 9 - Makeup school photos

• Feb 11 - Nonviolent Communication Parent session.

• Feb 16-20 - Semana Blanca (no school)