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
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
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 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:
Wash hands and all fruits together.
Invite your child to cut soft fruits (like bananas or strawberries) using a child-safe knife.
Practice taking turns adding fruit to the bowl.
Stir together and serve in small bowls.
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
Aug 29, 2025
Sep 1, 2025
Sep 2, 2025
Sep 18, 2025 5:30 PM
Oct 2, 2025 3:30 PM
(Tuesday- Younger Friends Music
Wednesday- Music & Guidance)
Friday- Library 9:45
Younger Friends Prepare for Rest Time
Older Friends- Tuesday and Thursday Gym
1:00 Monday and Friday Older Friend Lesson
Tuesday and Thursday Older Friend Music
Younger Friend- Rest Time
2:00 - work time
2:30 Bonus Recess Time when needed
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.
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!
I just want to give a heart felt THANK YOU for all the donations that have been made to the classroom. They have been coming in all week and it was such a joy to see the love and caring families are giving to our classroom. They all help our classroom run better and help our children learn. You are all amazing families and can't wait to work with you more this year.