News

All parents are invited to join George Conway of Independent Educational Services for a Parent Focus Group on February 14, 8:30 - 10:00 a.m., in the Media Center. This is a follow-up to our recent Parent Engagement Survey. Your input will help guide the Board and administration as they create the school’s next Strategic Plan.

No need to RSVP, but we hope to see you there!

Congratulations to Lydia, Thomas and Zoe whose "Terminus" placed third out of 34 entries in Saturday's "Powering Our Future"-themed Future City Competition! Springmont was well represented, sending 5 teams to this statewide middle school STEM event focused on engineering.  

This year's challenge was to design an electrical grid that could withstand and quickly recover from the impact of a natural disaster. Teams were judged by a panel of STEM professionals based on their project plans, scale models built from recycled materials, 1500-word essays, virtual cities and event-day presentations. In addition to 3rd place overall, "Terminus" also received a special award for best fire protection engineering; and "Luzzato," created and presented by Riley, Sanaa and Thierry, received a special award for best use of water resources.  

Thank you to Springmont parent Greg Lamps who served as the teams' mentor and to Thomson Chuites, Springmont's Middle School Science Teacher, for coaching and guiding the students throughout their semester-long preparations. Future City is part of Springmont's Middle School curriculum every other year.

"Terminus" will be on display in the Media Center for the next several weeks. Make sure to stop by to see all the additions and enhancements added since Academic Fair. Look for more pictures on Facebook later today!

Word-of-mouth referrals are the most trusted recommendation for today’s parents and are the #1 way new families learn about Springmont. Please share your family’s Springmont experience with neighbors, friends, colleagues and co-workers whenever you can, but especially this week as we celebrate Share Springmont!

•    Like and follow Springmont on Facebook and share our posts! 
•    Share your positive Springmont experience by reviewing Springmont on Google and Great Schools.org. Look for details in Thursday folders.
•    Refer a family to Springmont, and if they enroll, you will receive a $500 account credit. Simply detach the bottom portion of a referral card and pass it along to a friend, neighbor or co-worker or email Andrea Restifo letting us know you are sending a family our way!  Referral cards will be distributed again Friday and are also available in the Front Office.
 

International Night is a celebration of our school’s diversity and the lives and cultures of people around the world.  This favorite event begins promptly at 4:30 p.m. and is held off campus at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church.

The musical program, Together We Sing, will be followed by a buffet-style, potluck dinner. All families are encouraged to attend! Pans for your family’s entrée, appetizer, side dish or salad along with instructions for filling them will be sent home with your child on Thursday, January 31. 

Volunteers needed!
If you can help with set-up (3:00 - 4:30 pm) or clean-up, 
please email Julie Strickland.
 

•    All Toddler Parents are invited to attend Guidance & Support for your Terrific Toddler on Thursday, January 24, 2019, 4:30 – 5:45 p.m. Childcare is available by request. Kindly R.S.V.P. (including childcare request) by 1 p.m. on January 22.

•    All Primary Parents are invited to attend Playing with Numbers: How Montessori Math Creates Enthusiastic Learners on Thursday, January 24, 2019, 4:15 - 5:45 p.m. Childcare is available. Drop in for a few minutes to see how the golden beads teach math facts, discover equivalence with fraction circles, or turn dots into numbers in the millions! Demonstrations will begin every fifteen minutes and are followed by an opportunity to work with the materials yourself. Kindly R.S.V.P. by 1 p.m. on January 22.

•    Upper Elementary students, accompanied by a parent, are invited to our annual Upper Elementary STEM Experience, Monday, January 28, 4:00-5:30 pm.  Don't miss this afternoon of fun, hands-on learning with Middle School Science Teacher Thomson Chuites and Middle School Math Teacher Marsha Fleming. This is a great opportunity to get to know more about Springmont’s Middle School experience. Spaces are limited. Kindly  R.S.V.P. by 4 p.m. Friday, January 25.  
 

Springmont is committed to making an exceptional education accessible to a diverse community of students. Applications for tuition assistance for the upcoming school year are being accepted through Friday, February 15, 2019, from families who wish to apply.

The information you submit is confidential, and each application we receive will be considered. Please note there is no guarantee of an award. Even if your family received an award this year, you must re-apply for next year.

Applications should be completed and submitted via the FAST, Powered by ISM website. A $45 application fee will apply.

Contact Terry Thompson, Director of Finance, should you have any questions about the process.
 

Springmont has engaged Independent Educational Services (IES) to support our efforts as we create the school's next Strategic Plan. Part of the process involves gathering input from the school’s various stakeholders, including current parents. Be on the lookout for your survey from (IES) tomorrow!  

On January 7th, 1907, Dr. Maria Montessori founded the first Casa dei Bambini, or Children’s House, at a tenement on the outskirts of Rome. Since then, thousands of Montessori schools for children from birth through high school have opened in at least 110 countries worldwide. This begs the question, How can an educational method founded over 100 years ago still be relevant in the 21st century? 

In 2002, The Partnership for 21st Century Learning, or P21, was formed to take a closer look at K-12 education in the United States. Made up of business people, educational leaders and policy makers, the coalition sought to identify the skills necessary for today’s students to be ready for college, career and life in the 21st century. An important outcome of their work was identifying what is referred to as the 4Cs: collaboration, critical thinking, creativity and communication. These skills are crucial to the future success of today’s learners.

The 4Cs are part of everyday life at Springmont – and they have been for the last 55 years. Our children are growing up in a world where teamwork, innovative thinking, interpersonal relationships and flexibility are key indicators of personal and professional success. Collaboration is at the core of the Montessori classroom; children and adults work together, learning to cooperate and problem solve. Hands-on, experiential learning and student-initiated projects hone critical thinking skills. Communication skills are strengthened through active listening, flexible thinking and honoring cultural and social differences. Creativity, one of Springmont’s core values, is seen throughout the school - from our commitment to the fine arts to children’s independent work in classrooms.  

The 4Cs are not just now becoming important in a Montessori education; they always have been. These skills are well integrated into the very fiber of Springmont, and we are proud to know our graduates will be well prepared for their lives in this century and into the next.

The 2019 Springmont Alumni Panel is this Thursday, January 10! Former Springmont students will speak about their Springmont experiences and how they serve them as young adults. All parents, as well as Upper Elementary and Middle School students, are invited to gather at 6:00 p.m. to mingle and enjoy refreshments, and the panel conversation is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m.  We look forward to seeing you there! Kindly RSVP and feel free to submit your questions in advance!