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Community Montessori is excited to announce our new partnership with Katelyn’s Place to provide in-person mental health services right on campus! Watch the video to learn more about these services that will be offered on campus starting August 2024 and meet the professionals from Katelyn's Place: Dr. Chandra Coles, PsyD Licensed BCBA therapist Cay Cruz You can start the process by completing the interest form here: https://form.jotform.com/241833740065151 The intake process will be coordinated by Katelyn’s Place and Community Montessori will provide the space for on campus therapy. Children and teens can receive in person therapy sessions right on campus All insurance providers are accepted! For general questions, contact Aimee Joy ( ajoy@shiningminds.com ) or Barbara Burke Fondren ( bfondren@shiningminds.com ) For Therapy questions, contact Katelyn's Place ( office@katelynsplace.com ) You can also visit their website: https://katelynsplace.com/ These services are in addition to our virtual services with Centerstone!

As Montessori educators, our mission is to cultivate an environment where children and teens can thrive independently, developing the confidence and resilience they need for lifelong success. We are excited to introduce the LetGrow  program as a component of our Wellness Initiative , perfectly aligning with the core principles of Montessori education.  The Montessori Approach to Independence Maria Montessori believed that fostering independence in children is crucial for their development. She famously said, “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.”  This philosophy underpins our educational approach, where we encourage learners to explore, experiment, and learn through their own experiences. By giving children the freedom to solve problems and make decisions, we prepare them to face real-world challenges with confidence.  Introducing LetGrow The LetGrow program champions the idea of stepping back so kids can step up. It emphasizes the importance of allowing children to navigate challenges independently, fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and emotional resilience. A recent story by Lenore Skenazy , shared on the LetGrow website , beautifully illustrates this concept. In the story, an adult’s well-meaning intervention disrupts the natural learning process, highlighting how important it is to let children figure things out on their own. You can read the brief, thought-provoking story here: A Boy Fell, An Adult Hurried Over. Too Bad . Integrating LetGrow into Our Wellness Initiative Starting next school year, we will be encouraging families to incorporate LetGrow activities into their daily routines at home. These activities are designed to help learners take on more responsibilities and face challenges independently, which is a cornerstone of our broader Wellness Initiative. This initiative  aims to support the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of our learners, ensuring they are equipped with the skills they need to thrive.  New Smartphone Protocol In line with our Tier Two wellness goals, we will be implementing a new smartphone protocol as part of our electronics etiquette  policy starting this coming school year. Learners will keep their phones in their Yondr Pouches  during school hours to reduce distractions, promote a focused learning environment, and improve overall health and wellbeing.  On-Site Therapy Services We are also thrilled to announce our partnership with Katelyn’s Place  for in-person mental health services on campus, in addition to our virtual sessions with Centerstone. Starting in August, 2024, these services will be available to support the mental health of our children and teens further enhancing our comprehensive approach to wellness. Teens and able elementary learners will be able to walk to the Courage Cabin for sessions, and younger learners will be accompanied by an adult, or will have sessions in a dedicated space within the main building. Why Community Montessori Stands OUT & and Stands FOR Innovative Education At Community Montessori, we are dedicated to nurturing independent, resilient learners. By integrating the LetGrow program into our Wellness Initiative, we are taking a significant step towards ensuring our children and teens develop the critical life skills they need for future success. We invite you to join us in this journey, supporting our learners as they grow and thrive.

Please see a recording of the meeting that was held on campus on May 17, 2024 where we discussed important updates to our teens program for their mental health.

Understand Emotional dysregulation and it's impact. Explore mental health support strategies. Implement conscious parenting techniques. Establish consistent follow-through for behavioral support. Resources are linked in the order that they were shared during the workshop, so you can follow along. Additional Resources: Genetic Testing to Optimize ADHD Medication Resources to Support Montessori Parenting Eating Disorder Treatment in Jeff Media Plan for Families (page 9 of our Family Handbook) Janet Lansbury - RIE Parenting is Not About Rules Teen Parent Involvement Community Partners for Child Safety

Explore effective strategies for promoting consistency at home. Acquire practical ideas for encouraging developmental independence in your child, such as scheduling their own medical appointments. Learn about defining expectations and parameters for devices like tablets, gaming systems, mobile phones, and vehicles. Download these resources: Communication Hints Resources to Support Montessori Parenting Things Parents Can Do To Help Children Teen Parent Involvement Current Counseling & Therapy Services in Southern Indiana and Louisville

Understand the unique features and offerings of the CM Teen’s Program. Gain insights into effective strategies for supporting teens in their transition to adulthood. Explore at-home ideas that foster independence and growth in teens and pre-teens. Download the slideshow to follow along: Parent Involvement - Teens Transitioning to Adulthood

Learning to read should be a joyful experience for young children! With the current headlines promoting concern about reading development, it is important to make sure interventions are planned carefully so as to not negatively affect the development of each child. On Thursday, January 25th, the CM community gathered, virtually, to learn about how to support that natural acquisition of language and how we can help when it doesn’t happen naturally! Download the slides here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YQ5Jpp_Nw2uhgkKLUf0uDRy5mXC2XaQP/view?usp=drive_link Download the Sound Gestures and Actions Resource here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F_Vu92sI6d2MhYUrGt78aw1UKPX2nBc9/view?usp=drive_link

Woods learners produced some pretty amazing creations for the showcase this past December! We're so grateful for the many families who were able to join us for the event. Get a look at some of these items and check out the 10 Minute Play Cabaret!

CM made the news with our efforts to support Gloria, our awesome exchange teacher! Check out the article and please consider donating to the GoFundMe campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-glory-buy-a-car

Empowering teens Community Montessori programs focus on developmental needs Photos by Brooke McAfee | News and Tribune Teenagers Alex Wheat (left) and Lucy Adams (right) gather Wednesday in an area of Community Montessori meant to provide a peaceful space for teens. BROOKE MCAFEE BROOKE.MCAFEE@NEWSANDTRIBUNE.COM NEW ALBANY — For teenagers at Community Montessori, it’s not the traditional high school experience. The New Albany K-12 school follows a different structure than most schools, including flexible programs tailored to students’ individual developmental needs. Community Montessori Director Barbara Burke Fondren said the charter school continues to adapt its teen program from year to year. The teen staff are the “architects” of the program as they listen to the teens and pay attention to their needs, she said. This includes focusing on the social and emotional well-being of the teens. “We survey the teens every year and say, what are we missing?” Burke Fondren said. “What do we need to do more? We try to create options and choices for them to move into... We think [it] also completely blends together with social and emotional health, which is probably the most needed thing in our teens’ program right now and [for] all teens maybe around the world.” Burke Fondren said the school started creating the teen program around 2004 or 2005, and the school considered ways to focus on the kids’ needs. “We always had the plan to add an age level every year, and we knew we wanted it to be centered around the learner instead of around the adults,” she said. “And oftentimes, a traditional high school can get really focused on the adults, because you’ve got to fill all the class times and there are bells and blocks and so forth.” At Community Montessori, students are instead called learners, and teachers are advisors. Instead of traditional classrooms, the school includes open spaces with different studios. The school focuses on “choice and flexibility.” “Over this last 10, 8 years, we’ve been trying to think about, what do we want each person to have — certain skills and so forth — as they move on, so they can do whatever their life journey is, whether that’s [to] go to a four-year college or go to a two-year college or to get a certification or just go into the workforce or do mission work,” Burke Fondren said. For 17-year-old Seth Couveau, Community Montessori has provided an opportunity to pursue creative projects such as costume design, which is for a capstone project. Couveau has also been involved in projects such as the production of a diorama and a short movie. He started the school in eighth grade after attending public school. Seth Couveau, 17, is creating a costume based on a fictional character in a series called “Warhammer 40,000.” This is among the creative projects he has pursued in Community Montessori’s teen program. “You would not be able to do this in a normal public school,” Couveau said. “It’s definitely factoring stuff that I enjoy doing such as costume design.” The school has a “renewal time” for students that is kind of like recess for teenagers. Danielle Manzo Bair, a teen studio support coordinator, said this was added a couple of years ago based on observations of what the teens needed in school. “They have options to go outside and play—like kids, teens need play,” she said. “They also have the option to stay inside and play games with one another—different types of play or just talking. Teens are hugely social, and actually giving that time to socialize is important.” Community Montessori recently redesigned a common space for the teen program to provide a “collaborative café-like environment” with furniture that students can adjust and rearrange as needed, according to Manzo Bair. This provides “ownership and empowerment” for the teens, Burke Fondren said. In the past few years, the school has started a coffee cart called the “Cosmic Café.” This year, a teen will begin a management position at the café. Students have also taken the initiative to create a “sensory overload” space where they can go “if they’re feeling overwhelmed or if they need a minute to themselves,” Manzo Bair said. In the past couple of years, one of the new additions is “flex time” for teens. “So teens can come in later, they can leave earlier—different ways for them to be a part of a school that doesn’t feel so restrictive,” Burke Fondren said. “They can kind of create their courses sometimes. A lot of them go off campus for courses.” Burke Fondren said Community Montessori’s internship program is an important part of their education. Teens participate in full-day internships one day a week throughout the semester. “We don’t give them a piece of paper and say, this is where you’re going to go,” she said. “We say, who are you, what do you want to do in life?” Abby Kerns, teen transition coordinator at Community Montessori, supports teens as they receive dual credits through Ivy Tech Community College. They can take classes at the Ivy Tech Sellersburg campus. “We have a great partnership with them so that [teens] can have an opportunity to see what that world might be like before they leave our building,” Kerns said. Aimee Joy is an advisor and “courage coordinator” in the teen program. One of her roles is to coordinate mental health services. Burke Fondren noted the importance of Joy’s work in teaching students to be courageous. “That’s one of the biggest things we’re teaching these young people to be is courageous, whether that is self-advocating, whether that is setting personal or professional boundaries or saying I need help,” she said. The school partners with Centerstone for therapy services on campus, and the school is hoping to receive grant funding to expand the services. The staff also focuses on a “holistic role” in meeting the needs of learners, according to Burke Fondren. Joy said that “everybody in the teens’ program is really good at supporting individuals.” This means supporting youth who may need extra support, including LGBTQ teens. Joy supports a student group called the “Queer Collective,” which offers a time for students to connect and “form some community.” “I tried to bring some queer history, and we are able to connect over the things that are traumatizing to us that are happening in the world of families or sometimes even in our friend groups, but I also tried to bring in queer celebration and joy,” she said. Joy said Community Montessori has a “solid history” of supporting transgender youth. “It happened in a lot of really organic ways,” she said. “We never had an issue with bathrooms, because every studio has one unisex bathroom. So when that was a big thing in the news, I don’t think that really affected this school in the same way.” Burke Fondren emphasized the need to support LGBTQ youth. “That is obviously one of the most high-needs groups for mental health needs and suicidal risk, and so really showing a welcoming community for all people regardless is super important to us,” she said. Students Skye Berry, Katie Nash and Angie Ard work together in a common space at Community Montessori in New Albany. Community Montessori advisor Melanie Swihart talks to 17-year-old Nathan Merk at the New Albany school during a weekly advisory meeting. Photos and story by Brooke McAfee | News and Tribune

We are so grateful to our families who were able to attend our first in-person orientation since before the pandemic! For our families who were unable to attend, we look forward to other opportunities to meet with you - hopefully at our upcoming Sub/Volunteer workshop! You can download the slideshow to follow along, as well as access links for materials referenced in this conversation.

What an incredible start to the new school year! We're filled with gratitude as we reflect on the smooth first days and rather seamless car lines. Heartfelt thanks go out to our amazing teachers, devoted families, and enthusiastic learners who made this day (and week) so extraordinary. As we embark on this grand adventure together, we extend our appreciation to our dedicated staff for their hard work and passion for education. To our incredible CM families, your diligence in reading and responding to emails is truly valued. And to our learners, whether returning or joining us for the first time, your presence and partnership are the driving force behind all that we do. Don't miss out on reliving the magic of the first day through the wonderful slideshow crafted by our talented Michael Sylvester! It captures the moments that make our community truly special. Here's to a fantastic year ahead, filled with growth, discovery, and boundless possibilities!