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Community Montessori was in session for Martin Luther King Jr. day on Monday, January 16th, 2023. We believe it is important to be AT school, learning about this day and why we celebrate it. That may number us among the outliers in the educational community, but we are no strangers to paving our own path! Learners spent the day fully immersed in activities, projects, listening to speeches, presenting, and having group discussions about the Civil Rights Movement and Dr. King. “I have a dream” could be heard echoing throughout the building from any direction, at just about any time of the day. Watch the video here or head over to our YouTube and check out the slideshow to see what our learners were up to on this very important day!

Monday, December 12th, 2022 Healthy relationships between young people and caregivers are the most important in your child’s life. With today’s frenetic pace, it’s more important than ever to find ways to stay connected to the humans who mean the most to you. Watch this workshop, hosted by Jana Morgan Herman and Barbara Burke Fondren, to find ways for meaningful connection in your everyday interactions with your child, and learn about the impact of screen use for children and teens. Download the presentation, Giving the Gift of Time, and the supporting materials for your learner's age, to follow along! Supporting Materials Giving the Gift of Time - presentation Ages 3-6 Ages 6-9 Ages 9-12 Ages 12-14 Ages 14-18

Help CM increase teacher salaries - SIGN THE PETITION NOW!! Indiana legislators will be reviewing more equitable funding for charter schools in this upcoming session. Here is why you should sign this petition: HUGE FUNDING GAP - CM currently receives about $11,500 LESS PER LEARNER (equating to almost $6M a year) than our neighboring school district. Community Montessori (CM) became a public charter school so that any family could attend without paying tuition, but we didn’t expect the funding gap to continue to increase and make our teacher pay gap so wide. For Indiana State tuition support - New Albany Floyd County (NAFC) receives about $4000 or more in funding per learner than CM. This also includes funding mechanisms like Capital Project Funds, Transportation Funds, and Debt Service Funds . In 2016, NAFC Schools secured an $87M referendum which equates to about $7500 more per learner than CM. State and Federal funding follows any child/teen who attends a public school, but charter schools are not given a share of local property tax (which we all pay). SIGN NOW WE DO MORE WITH LESS Co-teaching model that puts 2 teachers in each class allowing a more collaborative learning experience. Although our teachers make 30%-50% less than NAFC, 55% of our teaching staff have been employed at CM for 8 years or longer and we have nearly 90% retention each year! Every studio has at least one Montessori Certified (or in progress) teacher and the school is able to pay for the tuition for these certification programs! Without any consistent facility funding, we have created an incredible campus with about $25,000 worth of materials in each studio. We employ 15 additional support staff that work directly supporting teachers and learners daily throughout the building. HELP US, HELP CM TEACHERS - MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD BY SIGNING THIS PETITION TODAY!!! About Indiana Student Funding Alliance (ISFA): The ISFA is an organization created for the purpose of pursuing this important funding. Community Montessori is a member of the Indiana Charter School Network (ICSN) and the ICSN is a member of ISFA.

Following the tragic passing of a Community Montessori teen, Wellstone and Centerstone sent mental health therapists to be present on Monday, November 28th, for teens as they met to be in community with one another and share memories, reflections, and breathing techniques to help support the grieving process. On Friday, December 2nd, Dr Tom Harris - longtime CM parent and Floyd County Health Director - spoke with CM staff and families about ways to help their teens reduce risk of harm from substance use. Here are some resources and examples that were shared during this chat: www.imdb.com/title/tt0080360 - Altered States www.imdb.com/title/tt0099871 - Jacob's Ladder www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in211.communityos.org/ - 211, free and confidential service

On Thursday, September 29th we officially announced the opening of the new Natural Playground with a ribbon cutting ceremony! In attendance were members of One Southern Indiana, local representatives and legislators, AML construction, school staff and families. The ceremony culminated with two of the children releasing dozens of Painted Lady butterflies - an appropriate and environmentally friendly way to celebrate! It means so much to everyone to see this goal accomplished. This playground is so beautifully done and has enhanced the value of our outdoor space for all - be you child, teen, or adult! As a school community, we would like to thank our families for all of their contributions, from donations to time and care. We would also like to thank New Blooms Nursery for donating beautiful redbud trees, local sculptor Joe Autry for his work on the incredible and one-of-a-kind spiral bench, Hanson Aggregates Midwest for their donation of the monumental and nearly 16-ton boulder, and AML Inc. for all of their hard and masterful work! Get a look at the slideshow of the construction from start to finish and witness the inspiring transformation!

The Parenting an Islander Workshop took place on Wednesday, August 24th. This is a great resource to better understand Dr. Montessori's planes of development and where Islands learners fall, what changes to expect, ways to navigate the turbulence that can occur during this age range, and much more!

Having a learner attend a Montessori style school has had numerous benefits for my family - to say the least, chore time (old words we no longer have to use as these tasks become a natural part of life) is more peaceful and successful. Even more beneficial has been the increase in communication and respect for one another. Peace at home has been one of my favorite phrases to promote the positives of embracing Montessori Philosophy. With that said, there is no denying the struggle that still exists: I'm still guilty of the occasional "good job" or of interrupting my child when she is talking - both things I keep at the front of my mind and continue to work on. What I've found most helpful is reading about Dr. Montessori and her approach to education. Reading is always a good choice - who wouldn't want to trade a few hours here and there for decades of knowledge? Here are some great resources for supporting Montessori parenting! Kids Are Worth It - Giving your child the gift of inner discipline This bestselling guide rejects "quick-fix" solutions and focuses on helping kids develop their own self-discipline by owning up to their mistakes, thinking through solutions, and correcting their misdeeds while leaving their dignity intact. How to Raise An Amazing Child the Montessori Way A parent's guide to building independence, creativity, and confidence in their children using Montessori learning techniques, written by Montessori president Tim Seldin. Montessori for Every Family This Montessori book for parents outlines the key principles of this parenting approach and shows you how you can easily apply this at home. It provides a valuable starting point for parents to help them create a family life inspired by the ethos of Montessori. How to Talk So Kids (young kids/teens) Will Listen, and Listen so Kids(young kids/teens) will talk Faber and King, each a parenting expert in her own right, share their wisdom accumulated over years of conducting How To Talk workshops with parents, teachers, and pediatricians. With a lively combination of storytelling, cartoons, and observations from their workshops, they provide concrete tools and tips that will transform your relationship with the children in your life. The Conscious Parent: Transforming ourselves, empowering our children Dr Tsabary inspires parents to get back in touch with their emotions and shed the layers of baggage they have inherited during their own life and are unconsciously heaping on their children. As they become 'conscious' in their parenting, parents can transform their relationship with their offspring and raise happy, well-adjusted children. Children Who Are Not Yet Peaceful Charting the progress of twelve children in a real Texas classroom, educator Donna Goertz shows how positive change can occur given the proper environment. In each case she describes a child's transformation from destructive troublemaker to responsible citizen of the classroom community. Montessori Madness Montessori Madness! explains why the incremental steps politicians and administrators continue to propose are incremental steps in the wrong direction. This book asks parents to take a look at one thirty-minute observation at a Montessori school. Montessori: Science Behind the Genius Lillard presents the research behind nine insights that are foundations of Montessori education, describing how each of these insights is applied in the Montessori classroom. In reading this book, parents and teachers alike will develop a clear understanding of what happens in a Montessori classroom and, more importantly, why it happens and why it works. Positive Discipline: Parenting Tools In this parenting guidebook, you’ll find day-to-day exercises for parents to improve their parenting skills, along with success stories from parents worldwide who have benefited from the Positive Discipline philosophy. Absorbent Mind: A Classic in Education and Child Development for Educators and Parents Written by the woman whose name is synonymous worldwide with child development theory, The Absorbent Mind takes its title from the phrase that the inspired Italian doctor coined to characterize the child's most crucial developmental stage: the first six years. Mindset: Changing the Way you think to Fulfill your Potential World-renowned Stanford University psychologist Carol Dweck explains why it's not just our abilities and talent that bring us success-but whether we approach them with a fixed or growth mindset. She makes clear why praising intelligence and ability doesn't foster self-esteem and lead to accomplishment, but may actually jeopardize success. Punished By Rewards Since its publication in 1993, this groundbreaking book has persuaded countless parents, teachers, and managers that attempts to manipulate people with incentives may seem to work in the short run, but they ultimately fail and even do lasting harm. Drawing from hundreds of studies, Kohn demonstrates that we actually do inferior work when we are enticed with money, grades, or other incentives—and are apt to lose interest in whatever we were bribed to do.

Thank you to all of the families that were able to participate in New Family Orientation! This year's New Family Orientation took place on Tuesday, August 16th. We shared information about our school, general Montessori information, and answered some great questions. If you were unable to attend, here is a recording of the meeting:

We had an incredibly smooth and exciting first day of school. We cannot show enough gratitude to our teachers, families, and learners for making our first day so special! From a truly (and surprisingly) successful morning carline, to community building activities in the studios, to a neatly wrapped up pickup carline and end of day, we were all struck by how pleasantly well things went. It was almost surreal (but only because a little pandemonium is to be expected at the start of any journey). For this, we owe a thanks: to staff - thank you for your efforts, your dedication, and your clear communications; to CM families - thank you for diligently reading the many (and yes, sometimes very lengthy) emails and following the instructions within them; to our learners old and new, young and grown, thank YOU for being the reason we do what we do, and for partnering with us in this grand adventure! Check out the awesome slideshow prepared by our very own Michael Sylvester!

UPDATE: Families interested in subbing for the 2022-2023 school year can watch the video linked below but MUST also participate either in person/watch the video online to be part of the subbing list. The Parent Volunteer and Sub Workshop for the 2022-2023 school year is scheduled for August 30th. More information to follow We LOVE involved parents and we have a great process to get families set up to substitute. Even if you have subbed in the past, please attend this workshop every year for updates and reminders. AND, remember another teacher is also in the studio with you -- so, you will just be assisting them. For those that were unable to attend, please see linked below the video some of the presentation materials that were shared during the workshop, as well as instructions on how to complete the steps to become a sub or volunteer. Powerpoint presentation in PDF Format - to follow along with the video Communications Hints Handout Please view the entire video and complete the questionnaire here (it will submit online). Once we receive the form, the Curved Desk will complete a background check so that you are added to the pool of substitutes that teachers can reach out to. Tracy Pickman-Yates is our staff substitute coordinator and will be reaching out to the parents on the list of approved substitutes. You will be added to this list once you complete all steps in the process. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR SCHOOL!

The Community Montessori Food Pantry has gotten one heck of an upgrade in the form of new, built-in shelving! A CM family noticed that our existing shelves were looking a bit tired and worn down (which, itself, is a testament to how much has been given) and graciously volunteered their time, labor, and materials to construct new, sturdy shelving to hold all the goods our amazing families are constantly contributing. This was unsolicited but so appreciated in these tough times, when prices at the grocery store are hitting the pockets harder than Mike Tyson (and prices at the pump are taking quite a bite out of wallets)! On top of that, with a generous donation from Greenwell Plumbing, they were able to make several trips to restock, and upon completion of their weekend project they freshly stocked those new shelves. This did not last long, however, as I am told the shelves were bare again by the following Monday! It’s clear to me that this effort can make a difference, and that it is very needed. I am ever so impressed by the generosity of our families here at CM. Thank you for all that you do, and give, and please keep up the good work. This effort, this good, that you put out into the community helps to balance out all of the wild, unfortunate, and sometimes awful things that we are seeing happen in our world today. There is an imbalance in our communities, a wise Human once told me, and things like this, efforts like this, I truly believe, can help tip the scales in favor of good. Thanks to the Mascio-Thompsons and Greenwell Plumbing, and to all of our generous families and community members! Together, we can make a difference.

Community Montessori Public Charter School held its graduation ceremony for the class of 2022 on Saturday, May 28th at the New Albany Amphitheater. This was the first year the school had used this location - the first year that the ceremony had not taken place on campus - and the weather could not have been any better! This was also the first graduating class to choose one student to speak on behalf of all - a break from the norm for Community Montessori. As with everything we do at our school, the teens themselves were at the helm in planning this event and deserve as much accolades as can be given for a well-thought-out ceremony (shout out to some very dedicated advisors and staff for necessary assistance). Some of these learners have been at CM their whole lives, and one can only imagine the surreal experience of planning out the end of their journey (or the beginning of the next leg of that journey). After weathering the trials of a pandemic, leaving campus to learn from home, wondering if they would ever even return to the building, and dealing with all of this while riding the mental-and-emotional-rollercoaster that came with it, these young humans reached the finish line with gusto. This class saw amazing successes, including numerous grants, such as a ten thousand dollar grant from Caesars and the top Indiana Bar Association grant in the state! They completed internships and obtained real world experience. Some are graduating with so many dual credits that they will forgo their freshman year of college! These graduates are living proof that we humans are astonishingly resilient in the face of calamity and adversity. They are proof that you cannot define a generation, that each person is an individual, and that every child and teen truly is amazing! Congratulations to the graduating class of 2022, your Community Montessori family is beyond proud, and will always be here for you! If you missed the event, or would like to relive it, get comfortable and check out the video above (Facebook muted some of the audio here and there due to copyright - my apologies for that) but bring a tissue if you’re prone to tearing up. Huzzah!