"The greatest gift we can give our children are roots of responsibility and the wings of independence." Maria Montessori 

August 2025

Current Events

And We’re Off!

📰 Primary Montessori Newsletter – August

👋 Hello Families!
Things are off to a fabulous start this year! We’re so excited to see our returning students and to welcome new friends into our classroom community.

🚗 Drop-Off Reminders
We’ve had a few questions about morning drop-off, so here’s a quick refresher:

• 🕗 Drop-off time: 8:10–8:20 a.m.

• 📍 Location: Door #2 on the west side of the building.

• 👋 Good-byes: Please say your good-byes outside unless you are checking in at the office first.

• ⏰ Late arrival: If you arrive after 8:30 (and door #2 is closed), please check in at the office, ring the doorbell, and a staff member will let you in.

Thank you for helping us start the day smoothly and on time!

📚 First Weeks in the Classroom
In these first weeks, we are:

• 🗣 Learning classroom rules and routines.

• 🤝 Practicing kindness, cooperation, and making new friends.

• 🗂 Discovering the names of different areas in our room.

• 🎯 Learning how to choose work and return it to its proper place.

Our two school rules are simple but powerful:
1️⃣ It is never OK to be disruptive.
2️⃣ It is never OK to be hurtful.

🎨 Upcoming Lessons
This week—and for the next month or so—our focus will be on:

• 🌟 Grace and Courtesy lessons

• 👃 Our Senses

• 🏫 The different areas of our room

📄 Click the Parent Reference tab at the top of the page to find two articles about Grace and Courtesy. For more about the Montessori classroom, visit livingmontessorinow.com.

🌍 In the Cultural area, we will discuss living and non-living things we might find in and around our homes. Please send in a framed family photo (no larger than 5x7) to display all year.

🎨 In Art, we will explore line, shape, and color through the works of Wassily Kandinsky.

📅 Specials Schedule

Kindergarten (KDG)
🏃‍♂️ P.E.: Tuesday & Thursday  (wear your tennis shoes)
🎵 Music: Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday
📚 Library: Friday
💬 Guidance: Wednesday

Preschool (PK)
🎵 Music: Tuesday & Thursday
📚 Library: Friday
💬 Guidance: Wednesday

Younger Preschool Friends
📚 Library: Monday
💬 Guidance: Wednesday

📌 Reminders
Please label your child's backpack, water bottle, lunchbox, and clothing to avoid mix-ups.

Facebook Pages

You might like to follow a couple of Facebook pages for Montclair. You will find out lots of information about our school, see pictures of our students, find ways to be involved and see information about up coming fundraisers. 

Our school page is called Montclair Elementary School. 

Our PTO page is called Montclair Team Wildcats PTO.

💛 We’re looking forward to an amazing year of learning, growing, and creating together!

Try It At Home

I am often asked, "What can we do at home?" 

🌿 Montessori at Home: Supporting Independence & Grace and Courtesy

🏠 Building Independence at Home

Small, everyday opportunities help children grow confident and capable.

✅ Create a child-friendly space

• Low hooks for coats/backpacks

• Cups, plates, and utensils in a low cabinet

✅ Dress themselves

• Let your child choose weather-appropriate clothes

✅ Responsibility for belongings

• Carry their own backpack or lunchbox

✅ Involve them in daily routines

• Pouring drinks

• Washing fruits/vegetables

• Sweeping with a child-sized broom

✅ Give choices

• “Would you like the blue cup or the red cup?”

✅ Allow extra time

• Let them finish tasks at their own pace

🤝 Practicing Grace & Courtesy

Montessori grace and courtesy lessons help children learn kindness, respect, and social awareness.

✅ Practice greetings

• “Good morning!” or “Hello!”

✅ Role-play polite words

• Please, thank you, excuse me, you’re welcome

✅ Model active listening

• Make eye contact and listen fully

✅ Teach introductions

• “This is my friend ___. This is my mom/dad.”

✅ Practice taking turns

• During games or conversations

✅ Offer help

• “Would you like some help?” or “May I show you?”

✅ Use quiet voices

• Practice volume control indoors

✅ Care for others

• Make a card, share snacks, or check on a pet

💡 Parent Tip:
Your child learns best by watching you. Model politeness, patience, and kindness every day — they will mirror what they see.

🌸 “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.” – Maria Montessori

          Cooking With Kids

🍴 August Cooking with Kids Activity: Fruit Salad Creations

Cooking together is a fun, practical way to build independence, practice grace & courtesy, and develop fine motor skills.

What you’ll need:

• Assorted fruits (watermelon, strawberries, grapes, blueberries, bananas, etc.)

• Child-safe knife

• Small cutting board

• Large bowl and spoon

Steps:

1. Wash hands and all fruits together.

2. Invite your child to cut soft fruits (like bananas or strawberries) using a child-safe knife.

3. Practice taking turns adding fruit to the bowl.

4. Stir together and serve in small bowls.

5. Encourage serving others first before taking their own portion.

Skills practiced:

• Independence in food preparation

• Grace and courtesy through sharing and serving

• Practical life skills like washing, cutting, and mixing

Coming UP

School Pictures day

 Aug 29, 2025

No School

 Sep 1, 2025

No School

 Sep 2, 2025

Parent University

 Sep 18, 2025 5:30 PM

Book Fair

 Oct 2, 2025 3:30 PM

REMINDERS:

Backpack Check: Please check your child's backpack every night for papers they made but also clothing that may have been soiled at school.  

Friday Folders and Lunch Menus: Every Friday your child will take home a folder containing the lunch menu as well as other important communications.  Please check this folder every Friday and fill out the Lunch Menu for the next week. 

Clothing Change- Please send a change of clothes for your child in their backpack. Mark all clothing with your child's name (not just the bag).   If your child borrows clothing from school please return it after washing.  If you have some old clothes sized 3T-6x you would like to donate for spare clothing that would be wonderful.  We are in need of elastic waist pants and socks and underwear. 

Library- We have Library on Friday. Please send your child's library book back on or before Friday.

Snack and Wellness- Please refer to our wellness plan when purchasing  snacks for the classroom. Wellness plan  Refrain from sending sweets like cookies and candies. Water bottles need to contain only water. Please do not send juice or additives like flavoring in your child's water bottle.  

Birthdays- Birthday snacks can be different than what is scheduled. It still needs to be a healthy snack but can be a fun festive treat. Please see the birthday section in ABC's of Montessori for more information about birthday celebrations or see the Birthday section below. Wellness Plan 

Our Classroom is a Peanut and Tree Nut Safe Classroom.  Please do not send any snacks that include peanuts or tree nuts. We have child that have allergies to nuts. Any snacks sent to school   that contain nuts will be sent home. 

The ABC's of Montessori is always available to refer to if you find you have a question.   Just click on the Parent Reference page at the top and you can find it there. 

Family Pictures- We like to display a family picture for all our students in our classroom to help remind all of them that we are one big family. Please have your child bring a small framed family picture (no bigger than 5/7) to display in our room. 

The ABC's of Montessori is always available to refer to if you find you have a question. Just click on the Parent Reference page at the top and you can find it there. 

Happy Birthday to our Friends!

August

Abby- 8-4

Steven 8-11

Henry 8-12

Mrs. Niki 8-30

Keyah 8-31 

Please remember birthday invitations should be sent through the mail unless inviting the whole class. 

Birthday Celebrations

Going forward with birthday we would like to instill a sense of giving back to our school or larger community.  Rather than favors or goodie bags we would like to encourage a philanthropic mindset with the children. If you wish to donate a class or community/world gift from the list below, we would be honored and will have your child share their donation with the class.  For every donation given we will add a heart to our classroom giving tree.  

By the end of the year the children will be able to see                 the culmination of all their good will donations.  

Wellness Plan 

Community/ World Gift Ideas

Ocean Conservancy

Donations to the Little Free

 Pantry or books for the Little Free Library in our neighborhood.

Humane society

Nebraska Wildlife Rescue

Scatter Joy Acres

Big Garden

City Sprouts

Heifer International

World Water Council 

Red Cross

Make a Wish

Habitat for Humanity or any other donation to service projects or charity of your choice.

School/ Classroom Donations

Books for the classroom or school library

Art supplies

Playground toys

Montessori Materials (Montessori Services) or Mrs. Boyd’s Amazon Wish List  Amazon Wish List 

Cultural/ Science items

A piece of Nature or Music

Thank you for your support!  We want to make this a more peaceful and loving and empathetic world, one child at a time!