News

Thanks to the creativity of SPA Co-Chair Kristin Maiwand and parent Amy Senna, Springmont is inviting everyone to join in a commUNITY weaving project (see the example pictured) at our commUNITY Dinner on Saturday!  In addition to your pan of food, reusable plates & utensils, and your (optional) flower stems, everyone is encouraged to bring a 3 - 6 foot long strip of fabric or fabric ribbon to add to the wall hanging that will be organically and collaboratively created that evening. Fabrics or ribbons may represent your family in any way – a favorite color, pattern, texture, or another attribute. Be creative! Strips cut from old sheets, drapes, t-shirts, or discarded clothing as well as textiles of any type are welcome!  

Yay Lunch has made it even easier to skip packing lunches! They’re offering 20% off one week of orders when you use the code TAKEABREAK20 at checkout! This offer is valid starting January 30 and expires when the order window closes on Sunday, February 12.

For questions on how to redeem a promo code, check out Yay Lunch’s FAQs or reach out to their Customer Experience team at info@yaylunch.com.

Place your order today!
 

Congrats to Springmont’s Middle School on their success at this past Saturday’s regional Future City Competition! Future City is a fun, innovative, STEM competition that allows middle school students across the US to use math and science concepts to design solutions for real-world problems. This year’s challenge was to design a futuristic city that makes the world a better place by addressing climate change. Springmont students collaborated in teams to imagine, research, design, and build models of cities that showcase their solutions. Elements of the project include a 1,500-word essay, a scale model built from mostly recycled materials, and a 7-minute presentation plus Q&A with the judges, who are STEM professionals.

• Team “Kihoko” (pictured) placed 2nd overall out of 33 teams in the state of Georgia!  
• Team “Tejasvi” won Best Overall Infrastructure Design. 
• Team “Windstone” won Best Project Plan. 
• Team “Lacus” had the highest-scoring presentation. 

A big thank you to Springmont parent Kim Shorter for serving as Springmont’s engineering mentor and to Science Teacher Thomson Chuites for leading the 4 teams!  Look for more photos on Facebook later this week! In addition, each Team’s project will be on display at our upcoming Springmont commUNITY Dinner on February 4!
 

Primary students learned about the Lunar New Year, the Chinese legend of the dragon, and the monoprinting process with Assistant Art Teacher Claire Tadeo. They began by using tempera paint on one side of a large piece of paper which was then folded and pressed so that when opened, a large abstract print was revealed. With the addition of googly eyes and curled strips of paper, these were transformed into colorful dragon heads or full-body dragons, which will be on display in the Front Office for the remainder of the month. Developing an appreciation for art and the creative process are life skills that bring joy and fulfillment, important parts of the Springmont student experience! Click here to see more photos on Facebook!

In addition to all of the initiatives shared in last week's newsletter, more families shared their Martin Luther King, Jr. Day activities with us!

• The Mei/Wang family helped plant daffodils, and Rui donated blood, both at Brook Run Park in Dunwoody. 
• The Cliett family selected an opportunity offered by Pebbletossers and organized the making of care packages for healthcare workers at Northside Hospital, thanking them for their service.  
   

Next Friday’s (Feb 3) Springmont Parent Association (SPA) meeting will be held at the home of Elizabeth Keromytis beginning at 8:45 a.m. Come for coffee, treats, and camaraderie as we discuss next weekend’s Springmont CommUNITY Dinner and other volunteer opportunities! 

Dear Families,

Yesterday, my children and I participated in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day event at the Atlanta History Center.  During our visit, we had the opportunity to listen to a presentation from the last surviving original Freedom Rider, Charles Person, and Freedom Rider, Flonzie Brown-Wright.  Each spoke of their relationship with Dr. King and their role in the Civil Rights movement throughout their lives.  It was inspiring to hear their stories, as well as their call to action for all people to continue Dr. King’s legacy of non-violent social change, to one day achieve The Beloved Community, signified by the end of poverty, racism, and militarism worldwide.  Dr. King believed every person was endowed with a role to play in accomplishing this vision.  For society to reach this goal, Dr. King’s work cannot only be celebrated on one day or during one month of the calendar year.  It is daily work.  It is more than community service.  It is education.  It is service.  It is action.  It requires intentional and thoughtful commitment.  Each of us needs to commit to education, service, and action in order to make progress toward the vision of The Beloved Community.  As January is the month for New Year’s resolutions, perhaps you might consider Martin Luther King Jr. Day as an opportunity to create a resolution for how you and your family will contribute to social change.  I invite you to reflect on where you are currently – how are you continuing to educate yourself and your children; do you make service a priority; are you generous with your resources; do you advocate for the needs and rights of others who are different from you?  On this day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day and leading into Black History Month, I encourage you to make a resolution for yourself and your family regarding how you will educate yourselves, serve others, and take action together in the coming year.  

For more information regarding The Beloved Community and Dr. King’s vision, please click here https://thekingcenter.org/about-tkc/the-king-philosophy/.  For family-friendly service opportunities consider exploring Pebble Tossers https://www.pebbletossers.org.  Explore the Center for Civil and Human Rights for opportunities to take action https://www.civilandhumanrights.org/initiatives/.

Respectfully,
Megan

As a follow-up to last week’s article about opportunities for service and learning in celebration of Dr. King, we wanted to highlight some of the wonderful efforts shared with us by members of our community!  It’s not too late to share your family’s initiative – email photos and info to jstrickland@springmont.com. 

• Toddler parents Yeminjal Nicholas and Thea Patrick and Lower Elementary student London Patrick volunteered with the Westside Future Fund at the Tuskegee Airmen Academy.  
• The Maiwand family organized a neighborhood cleanup! 
• The Sandvi family visited with residents of the Campbell Stone senior home in Buckhead.
• The Simmons family made lunches for the Atlanta Mission shelter! 
• The Sanders family picked up nearly 5 bags of trash, pulled up privet, and cut back other invasive weeds along the Comet Trail Extension in Smyrna.
• The Hakerem family visited the Atlanta History Center.
• The Clark Family continued their tradition of volunteering each MLK Day with Open Hand Atlanta, delivering meals to individuals with nutrition-sensitive chronic diseases.  
 

Nathalie's Upper Elementary Class is busy in the kitchen this week as they prepare to host a Bake Sale this Friday, January 20, beginning at 3:00 p.m. in the Pavilion. They are raising funds for their upcoming trip to Chattanooga, which will include a visit to the Bessie Smith Cultural Center and an overnight at Springmont's Landschool in North Georgia. Customers can look forward to coconut macaroons and pies featuring artisan crusts!  Cash only, please. 

All Toddler Parents are invited to join us for our Toddler Parent Education event, Toddlers…Terrific or Terrible?, on Wednesday, February 1, 4:30-5:30 p.m., in Zaiba’s Classroom.

We’ve all dealt with power struggles and temper tantrums, and the words whiny, defiant, clingy, moody and selfish are sometimes used to describe toddlers but so are eager, affectionate, curious, playful and trusting! Toddlers are rapidly developing skills in so many areas - language, motor, cognitive, and emotional. And while this learning and exploration is an exciting time for your child, coping with the incessant curiosity and its time-consuming nature can be exhausting and sometimes frustrating for parents. Join Toddler Teachers Zaiba Farooqui, Toshia Johnson, and Remzije Shala to talk about why Toddlers are both terrific and terrible and what you can do to support your children and yourselves!

• Due to very limited on-campus parking, we ask that each family bring just one vehicle to campus. 
• Half Day & School Day students should be picked up at their regular dismissal times. All Day students may remain in class until 6:00 p.m.
• Complimentary childcare, including a light snack, is available for pre-registered Toddlers 4:30-5:30 p.m. in Remzije’s classroom.
• Unfortunately, siblings cannot be accommodated in our complimentary care, but Elementary and Middle School students may be enrolled in Extended Day.
 

Kindly click the link in your emailed invitation or Springmont Weekly News to RSVP and reserve childcare by January 30!
 

“Not everybody can be famous, but everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by service.”

As we approach next Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which commemorates and honors his life, legacy, impact, and achievements, we encourage the Springmont community to take time to honor and celebrate Dr. King’s story and legacy with your family and by joining others around the nation for a day of service.  

Acts of service can include the entire family and be as simple as collecting stray trash in your neighborhood or local park or assisting or visiting an elderly neighbor. There are also opportunities to join the efforts of local organizations such as those listed below.  

• Hands on Atlanta - For families who do not yet have plans for the MLK Jr. Day of Service and would like to 'be the change', Hands On Atlanta provides a searchable database for narrowing down volunteer opportunities. You can enter the age of volunteers as well as your chosen project (i.e. environment, food insecurity, senior services, etc.).
  Lower Elementary Teacher, Patricia Jordan, will be participating in the Historic Stone Waterway Uncovering with the Chastain Park Conservancy, a family-oriented opportunity she selected from those listed on Hands on Atlanta because of its relevance to Springmont's core values, Engaged Learning and Stewardship of the Environment.  Patricia invites those interested to join her! 
• Pebbletossers – an organization empowering and equipping youth to lead through service
• The Sandwich Project - a network of volunteers who make and deliver fresh, homemade sandwiches to people experiencing food insecurity
• Solidarity Sandy Springs – a food pantry in Sandy Springs welcomes volunteers. Click here to sign up for opportunities throughout the month of January!
• The Tender Foundation – dedicated to bridging the financial gap and providing a safety net for single moms 
• The Westside Future Fund - offering an MLK Day of Service helping on their farm and an MLK Day of Service Community Clean Up!
  Springmont Parent Thea Patrick will be participating at the Westside Future Fund and invites you to join her and her family.  Please email her at patrickhouseacct@gmail.com for more information

While students will be engaged in learning about Dr. Martin Luther King in class with their teachers, there are also many local opportunities for families to learn about and celebrate his legacy.  Below are links for programs around Atlanta this weekend and Monday, January 16.

• https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/event/martin-luther-king-jr-day-2023/ 
  Head of School, Megan Hakerem, will be participating in events at the Atlanta History Center with her children and would love for you to join her!  If you plan to attend and wish to meet up, please email her directly at mhakerem@springmont.com.
• https://thekingcenter.org/events/
• https://www.civilandhumanrights.org/mlk-day-2023/
• https://childrensmuseumatlanta.org/program-schedule/?date=2023-01-15 

We hope you will take advantage of one of the opportunities listed above and share a photo and brief comment regarding your experience for us to share with our community, along with activities taking place in our classrooms, in next week’s Springmont Weekly News.  Please consider sending a photo along with a few words to jstrickland@springmont.com!

Finally, parents may wish to join Britt Hawthorne, a New York Times best-selling author and Montessorian, who will be discussing her book: Raising AntiRacist Children: A Practical Parenting Guide at a virtual book talk on Tuesday, January 17, at 7 pm. Learn about raising inclusive antiracist children in an informed, actionable, and accountable way. This virtual event is free and open to the public. Click here to register.
 

We are excited to invite all families to attend the Springmont commUNITY Dinner on Saturday, February 4, beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the Peachtree Road United Methodist Church! This is a well-loved Springmont tradition and a unique opportunity for our whole community to gather together to enjoy a short musical program, as well as a potluck-style dinner.

Performance
Music Teacher Dr. Carissa Gibson is coordinating a wonderful program!  
• Due to their age, Toddlers and younger Primary students will remain in the audience with their parents and are encouraged to sing along and observe the program in preparation for future programs!
• Five- and six-year-old Primary students are working with Carissa to learn a song they will perform on stage with Brenda and Livia’s Lower Elementary classes.
• Patricia’s Lower Elementary class will perform a skit based on the book Scribble Stones by Diane Alber.
• Upper Elementary and Middle school students will join together and also perform a song.
• The finale will include Candle for Peace, a song uniting the entire community! Look for the lyrics to be shared in the evening’s program.

Potluck-Style Dinner
• A potluck-style dinner will follow the performance. Families will be asked to bring an entree, appetizer, side dish, or salad that is meaningful to their family, and everyone will be invited to sample the dishes. Foods may be homemade or purchased. Springmont will provide serving utensils, water, and dessert! 
• Families will be provided with 10” x 12” aluminum food pans, which will be sent home with students on Thursday, February 2. If you have more than one enrolled student, you may receive more than one pan, but you only need to fill one pan unless you bring extended family. Please bring your dish at the temperature at which it should be served. 
• Labels that allow families to indicate the contents of their food pan, including alerts for potential allergens and dietary restrictions, will be provided. New this year, we encourage families to share the recipe for their chosen dish and why it is meaningful to their family! Recipes will be gathered for a Springmont commUNITY Cookbook!
• One buffet line will include a greater concentration of vegetarian items. 

What else should my family bring?
• In keeping with Springmont’s core value Stewardship of the Environment, we ask that families consider bringing their own reusable eating utensils, plates, and cups/water bottles. Bringing these items (and taking them home to wash and reuse afterward) is a practical way to reduce the amount of waste provided by a community event of this size. Earth-friendly cups, utensils, plates, and napkins will also be available. 
• This year we will be collaboratively creating floral centerpieces for the dining tables. If you would like to bring your own unique flower stem, please feel free to do so! We will also have a variety of blooms for each attendee to add to their table’s centerpiece. 
• Our cultural diversity is a wonderful gift to our school community. Families are encouraged to come dressed in authentic cultural attire if they wish.

What else do I need to know?
• There is no need to RSVP.
• Please plan to arrive at the Peachtree Road United Methodist Church (3180 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305) no later than 4:15 in order to park in the BLUE or GREEN lots, drop off food with the volunteers, create the commUNITY centerpieces, and be seated for the performance. 
• At arrival (4:15), five- and six-year-old Primary students and all Elementary and Middle School students will join their teachers backstage to prepare for the performance. Younger students will remain with their parents.
• For safety reasons and out of respect for our venue and the other activities taking place simultaneously, we ask your help in ensuring that all students remain in our designated space and under close parental supervision at all times, including in the buffet area, during dinner, and afterward. An activity will be available at the dining tables, and children, supervised by a parent, may use the outdoor playground.
• The event will conclude by 6:30.

Volunteers are still needed! Many hands make light work. If you can help with set-up (3:00 - 4:30 p.m.) or clean-up (6:30 - 7:00 p.m.), please let us know! 

Questions? Email Julie Strickland
 

All Primary Parents are invited to join us for our Primary Parent Education event: Developing a Love for Reading! on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, 4:30-5:30 p.m. in Jeanie’s Classroom

The process of learning to read and the development of a love for reading is extraordinary! Reading informs, entertains, and allows humans to communicate with each other over time and distance. Even the very youngest children can become enchanted with reading as loved ones share first books during cuddles on their laps. These precious moments and the wisdom of the Montessori method of learning to read eventually lead Primary-aged children to be eager to learn and develop a lifelong love for reading! 

Join the Primary Teachers as they share what the process of learning to read looks like in our Montessori classrooms.  Discover how inventive writing leads to decoding words, why learning the sounds rather than the names of letters is so important, and the role games can play in nurturing each child’s love of reading.  

• Due to very limited on-campus parking, we ask that each family bring just one vehicle to campus. 
• Half Day & School Day students should be picked up at their regular dismissal times. All Day students may remain in class until 6:00 p.m.
• Complimentary childcare, including a light snack, is available for pre-registered Primary students 4:30-5:30 p.m.
• Unfortunately, siblings cannot be accommodated in our complimentary care, but Elementary and Middle School students may be enrolled in Extended Day.

Kindly click the link in Springmont Weekly News to RSVP and reserve childcare by January 23!
 

Happy New Year! Co-Chairs Elizabeth Keromytis and Kristin Maiwand will share info about possibilities for Springmont's upcoming Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service as well as how parents can sign up to help with our Springmont commUNITY Dinner!

The meeting will be held in the Pavilion on Friday, January 6, at 8:45 a.m. Can't be on campus? Join via Zoom!