News

Springmont's Spirit Store is the perfect place to shop for a cozy fleece vest or jacket or a new t-shirt to replace one that has been outgrown!

• Orders placed by 8 a.m. on Wednesday, December 1, will be sent home (or ready for pick-up in the Front Office) on Thursday, December 2.
• Orders placed by 8 a.m. on Wednesday, December 8, will be sent home (or ready for pick-up in the Front Office) on Thursday, December 9.
• Orders placed by 8 a.m. on Wednesday, December 15, will be sent home (or ready for pick-up in the Front Office) on Thursday, December 16.

Click here to shop now!

We are pleased to offer the following options for Elementary & Middle School students beginning in January.  See the link in Springmont Weekly News for more information & registration!

Lower Elementary Intramurals: Favorite Games Led by PE Teacher Tiffany Orem, students will have fun while practicing new skills, improving coordination, and being physically active. Games will vary weekly according to student interest, but cooperation and teamwork will be the focus of each class.

Upper Elementary & Middle School Running Club Join Andrea and Tiffany to learn everything from stretching to attire, hydration to racing tips. Each week the group will discuss strategy, set out for a run and stretch. Occasionally, the group will be driven to an off-campus location for a run, and parents will be notified at least two days prior. 

With so many creative and inspired entries, it was a tough choice, but we're happy to announce the following winners of our Yearbook Cover Art Contest! The front cover of Springmont’s 2021-22 Yearbook was drawn by Satti Gray/Luiza Godoi and is pictured here. The back cover is by Juliet Martin, and our two inside signature pages are by Sriram Somasundaram and Amanda Revello/Hannah Garcia - view them on our Facebook post. Congratulations to these artists; and thank you to all who contributed!

Gratitude - the quality of being thankful, with the ability to show appreciation, act with generosity, and return kindness.

Expressing gratitude is an integral part of the Montessori philosophy of living a graceful, purposeful, and peaceful life. Researchers have found that the benefits of practicing gratitude extend far beyond improving interpersonal relationships and increasing feelings of well-being.  

Gratitude:

• Improves our physical health, including strengthening the immune system, improving sleep quality, and boosting energy levels
• Increases our ability to cope with physical pain and handle stress adaptively
• Enhances our mood by increasing serotonin and dopamine, the neurochemicals responsible for generating happiness 

Doctors at UCLA found that regular gratitude practices not only increase the flow of positive brain chemicals in the moment, but that practicing gratitude also alters the neural structures of the brain, leading to long-term emotional health, increased empathy, better ability to solve problems, and alterations to the way we see the world and ourselves.

Ideas for fostering gratitude at home

• Verbalize your appreciation and thanks. For example, when grocery shopping with your children, express your gratitude for the abundance of choices and supply of healthy foods available, express thanks for those whose work brought that food to us.
• Write in a gratitude journal daily.  For optimal benefit, be sure to list at least three things for which you are thankful, including a bit more detail about one of the items. Share your journal with your children and talk about how you feel after journaling regularly for a few weeks. When they see you writing, children may want a gratitude journal to draw or write in as well. 
• Express thanks and compliment your children frequently. Create a family gratitude jar, where notes of thanks written about others can be placed and pulled out at dinner to be read aloud. For example, a parent might write, “I’m thankful that James/dad made breakfast for dinner last night – love his pancakes!” or “I’m grateful that we were able to hike last Sunday – it felt good to get outside.”

Evidence suggests that engaging in gratitude practices at least 5 out of 7 days for 4-6 weeks can decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression, create a more positive outlook, and help us heal in times of grief and stress. 

Please know that the children, teachers, animals, and families of Springmont have been making the list in my gratitude journal. I would love to hear from you about how you and your children are practicing gratitude. 

Wishing you a Thanksgiving of love and reflection as you gather with friends and family.

If Springmont had a gratitude jar, it would be filled to overflowing with notes of thanks to all members of our school community!

• Thank you to our students who arrive on campus each day eager and ready to learn and explore!
• Thank you to our teachers who are ready to guide these curious young minds to discover knowledge and personal passions!
• Thank you to Dr. Montessori who discovered that freedom balanced with responsibility and meaningful work fuels creativity and engaged learning!
• Thank you to our students' parents who believe in mutual respect and recognize the value of a Springmont education!
• Thank you to the Springmont Parent Association for caring and supporting our faculty/staff and mission!
• Thank you to our Board of Trustees whose dedication to our school community is evident in so many ways!
• Thank you to our alumni who go out into the world as informed, resourceful determined, and socially conscious ambassadors!
• Thank you to our entire school community for believing that inclusivity, diversity of thought, and a global perspective are essential to empowering students to become their best selves!

Thank you to all who have made a pledge or gift to the 2021-22 Springmont Fund, benefiting enhancements to our Outdoor Learning Environments!  Our donors, both past and present, are responsible for our enhanced facilities and beautiful and enriching campus.  We are thankful for your support and generosity!

Our goal is 100% parent participation.  A gift or pledge of any size is greatly appreciated. Click here to make your gift or pledge today!

While we look forward to an in-person Book Fair this spring, you can support Springmont's Media Center now by shopping our

LITTLE SHOP OF STORIES ONLINE BOOK FAIR

THROUGH DECEMBER 3

Find the perfect book for everyone on your list! Browse new titles, beloved classics, holiday reads, intriguing non-fiction, and more!

* With each order, please ADD AN ORDER NOTE that includes “Springmont” and your child's name and teacher. Don’t forget to indicate if your order should be delivered to Springmont or if you prefer to pick up your books at Little Shop of Stories.

* Books delivered to Springmont will be sent home with your child the week of December 13.

* Want to make it a holiday gift for your child? You can arrange a SECRET PICK UP by indicating "Secret Pick Up" on your Order Note and emailing Leslie Wachter. You will be notified when your order is ready.

Click the link below to shop now! 

Little Shop of Stories Virtual Book Fair

Eleven Springmont students, Running Club Coach Andrea Restifo, and PE Teacher Tiffany Orem participated in this past Saturday's 38th Chattahoochee 5K Road Race in Sandy Springs!  Despite the chilly weather, all runners did well, with Gabriel Steagall placing 1st in his age group, Alexa Campos placing 2nd in her age group, and Summer Corvin placing 3rd in hers.  Fall Running Club concludes next week but will resume for Upper Elementary & Middle School students in January.  Look for registration info soon!

As you may know, Springmont's tuition funds the routine operating expenses of the school, but as a 501(c)(3), fundraising provides for capital improvements, program enhancements, and other strategic initiatives. This year’s Springmont Fund will benefit enhancements to our Outdoor Learning environments. Teachers and students are excited about the possibilities for classroom garden enhancements and upgraded structures for our barnyard friends! Our goal is 100% parent participation.  A gift or pledge of any size is appreciated and will help provide the "extras" so vital to your child's Montessori education. 

Click here to make your gift or pledge today!

In honor of the home team, Springmont has made tomorrow a campus-wide Atlanta Braves Spirit Day! Students, parents, and faculty/staff are encouraged to wear their Braves gear or colors in support of the Braves as they work toward winning the 2021 World Series!

Fun Facts:

• The Braves are the only existing major league franchise to have played every season since professional baseball came into existence. 
• During the 2021 regular season, the Braves and Astros did not meet and hadn't played each other since a four-game series back in 2017.
• Freddie Freeman, last year's NL MVP is the team's longest-tenured player. This is his first World Series. Several players, including Albies, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Ian Anderson, were not even born when Atlanta last won the series in 1995.
• The Braves have won three World Series titles (1914, 1957, and 1995) and 18 National League pennants.

Maria Montessori recognized how important it is for children to spend time learning outdoors. She wrote, “There must be provision for the child to have contact with nature; to understand and appreciate the order, the harmony and the beauty in Nature….so the children may better understand and participate in the marvelous things which civilization creates.”  

We have incorporated her vision into the daily Springmont student experience through our class and community gardens, appreciation and care of the animals, and thoughtfully designed outdoor playspaces. It is our hope that these Outdoor Learning experiences begin to help students understand their place in the larger world, foster a sense of responsibility for being a good steward of the environment, and create opportunities to build community. This year’s Springmont Fund will benefit enhancements to our Outdoor Learning environments.  A gift or pledge of any size will help support this vital component of your child's Montessori education.  

Please click here to contribute to this year’s Springmont Fund.  Our goal is 100% parent participation.  Please help us reach this goal with a gift or pledge of any size!

Winter Break Care allows Toddler and Primary students to spend the day in safe, familiar environments while parents work or attend to holiday preparations.  Students will enjoy crafts, games, and time outdoors.

Half Day 8 a.m.-12 noon. $45 per half-day  

OR   

Full Day 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. $75 per day

Monday, December 20

Tuesday, December 21

Wednesday, December 22

Monday, December 27

Tuesday, December 28

Wednesday, December 29

Snacks will be provided, but children will need a water bottle and clothing suitable for outdoor play daily. Those that are enrolled in the Full Day option will also need lunch and nap supplies if they regularly rest at school (all Toddlers and younger Primary students).

Please note that classes will co-mingle during Winter Break Care and that Toddler and Primary levels may also be joined based on enrollment.

Spaces are limited and filled on a first-come, first-served basis. We will need a minimum of 6 children per section each day or sections may be canceled. Please complete a separate registration for each child.

Full payment is due with registration, and refunds will not be offered unless Springmont is unable to hold camp on a particular day due to low demand.

See Springmont Weekly News for registration link. Registration will close Dec. 8 at 6 p.m.

Questions? Email Cara Friedline

Middle School student Gabe Wolfersberger is collecting excess Halloween candy for the Sandy Springs Mission, a 501(c)3 organization supporting at-risk students from local public schools by providing after-school academic support. Global Awareness, one of Springmont's Core Values, includes helping students develop an awareness of others and a desire to lead socially useful and purposeful lives.  Authentic outreach efforts like this one let us know that our students are developing this awareness and compassion for others. Candy may be dropped off Tuesday-Friday, November 2-5, in the boxes in the Pavilion or handed to Julie or Andrea as you drive through arrival carpool.