News

As we continue to prepare for the 2023-24 school year, we want to share some exciting news!

We are delighted to let you know that Allwyn Fitzpatrick has accepted the position of Elementary Division Head. Allwyn was herself a Montessori student from infancy through middle school, chose a Montessori education for her now college-aged son, and has been an AMI Montessori educator and administrator for 20 years. She has taught at both the Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary levels and in an adolescent program and has served as an Elementary Coordinator and Parent Education Director. Allwyn is eager to share her extensive experience with our teachers and to help parents feel confident and informed about choosing a Montessori education for their children. Allwyn will begin March 13, spending the remainder of this school year onboarding and becoming familiar with Springmont. She looks forward to assuming the full role of Elementary Division Head in August.  We look forward to introducing you to Allwyn during our spring events.

We are very excited that Isaac Ezemba has accepted the role of Auxiliary Programs Coordinator! Isaac came to Springmont after graduating in May 2022 from Clark Atlanta University with a B.A. in Music. He brings several years of experience working with children at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee, where he oversaw students' social and academic needs, including their daily schedule, field trips, and service projects. While Isaac will continue to focus on Extended Day and supporting classrooms as needed for the remainder of this school year, he will also help to coordinate our Toddler Care & Primary Camps this summer. Beginning in August, his role will expand to include coordinating care during Parent/Teacher Conferences, Parent Education events, and Winter and Summer Camps.
 

The next meeting of the Springmont Parent Association is this Friday, March 3, beginning at 8:45 a.m. in the Pavilion.  Join Kristin, Elizabeth, and fellow parents to discuss spring plans and happenings, including opportunities to volunteer for Field Day!

A Bucket of Questions is a hilarious picture book of curious questions with refreshingly quirky answers perfect for fans of Mac Barnett and Amy Krouse Rosenthal! 

Artist and musician Tim Fite is here to almost-answer all your most important questions—and then some!—in this marvelously wacky, utterly imaginative, and irreverently playful picture book.

Why do kids lose their teeth?
Why do seals clap?
What is at the bottom of the ocean?

Click the link in Springmont Weekly News to order your copy.  20% of sales go to support Springmont's Media Center!

This book & more are available at www.littleshopofstories.com.  Thank you for supporting your local, independent bookstore.
 

As communicated by Board Chair Joe Colonna last week, Springmont is pleased and excited to welcome Elizabeth Lener as our next Head of School.  While Elizabeth's official start date will be July 1, we look forward to sharing additional opportunities to get to know her between now and the end of the school year. 
 

All Springmont parents are invited to join SPA Co-chairs Kristin Maiwand and Elizabeth Keromytis at Tre Vele Ristorante in Sandy Springs Thursday, March 2nd, at 5 PM. This is a “no-host”, informal opportunity to grab a drink and/or an appetizer, catch up with other parents, and meet some new ones, all without children in tow.  Hope you can make it!  (Depending on participation, this could become a monthly or bimonthly series.)

Our annual spring fundraiser is the last of our community events to return following COVID. While fundraising has remained a priority at Springmont, health and safety protocols and economic uncertainty led us to take a more conservative and passive approach during the past three years. Fundraising is a critical component of our ability to grow our program and facilities; however, we have been balancing that priority with the need to reinvigorate our strong sense of community. In the absence of the annual spring fundraiser, the Springmont Parent Association is exploring the possibility of offering a selection of smaller community gatherings, Parties with a Purpose, this spring and summer. These would continue to build community in fun and engaging ways while raising money to support Springmont. Parties with a Purpose are intended to be welcoming and inclusive events, consistent with Springmont’s Core Values. Springmont parent Wendy Sandvi is spearheading this initiative. If you are interested in learning more about Parties with a Purpose or hosting a party, please contact Wendy directly at wmusicer@yahoo.com. 

Did you know that every time you buy Annie’s mac n’ cheese, Cheerios, Yoplait yogurt, or even Lysol wipes — or virtually anything at Publix — you can support Springmont? When you join Club Publix, Springmont receives 0.7% of every purchase. 

Visit https://www.publix.com/myaccount/register, select Springmont as your school, and then enter your phone number whenever you check out. Please spread the word to grandparents and anyone else who would like to support Springmont when they shop at Publix!  

Box Tops for Education offers another way to support Springmont at no cost. Simply download the Box Tops app and scan your receipts; the app will detect all participating products and donate at least 10 cents (often more) per product. 
 
These simple and cost-free ways to support Springmont have already raised thousand of dollars for our school. Start contributing today and help us raise even more!

Questions? Email Springmont parent Maryam Sanders at maryamsanders@gmail.com or the Springmont Development Office at development@springmont.com. 
 

Thank you to all who shared recipes for their family's dishes at our commUNITY Dinner! We look forward to gathering them into a Springmont commUNITY Cookbook. If you didn't have a chance to share your recipe, please feel free to submit it to jstrickland@springmont.com by Friday, February 17, so that your family's dish can be included!

We are eager to complete our commUNITY Weaving project!  If you haven't yet had a chance and would like to contribute a 3-6 foot long strip of fabric or fabric ribbon, just bring it to the Front Office by Thursday, February 16, and we will happily add it to the wall hanging in progress!  Fabrics or ribbons may represent your family in any way – a favorite color, pattern, texture, or another attribute. Be creative! 
 

We are excited to invite parents to observe in their child(ren)'s current classrooms! Parent observations provide an authentic glimpse of your child’s day – his/her friends, teacher, environment, and learning – both academic and social/emotional. Observations are also a great way for parents to learn more about Montessori. 

• Toddler parents will be able to observe virtually on the dates listed below.  Zoom links will be shared via email as the dates approach.
  • Remzije's Class - March 2 at 9:30 am and March 21 at 9:30 am
  • Toshia's Class - February 28 at 9:30 am and March 15 at 9:30 am
  • Zaiba's Class - March 1 at 9:30 am and March 16 at 9:30 am
• Primary & Elementary Spring Observations will be independent (unguided), but parents may email Cara Friedline or their child's Teacher with any questions. Teachers and Assistants will remain focused on the students and will likely not engage in conversation with parents during this time. Likewise, students will be encouraged to continue their normal routines.
  • Please see the link in Springmont Weekly News to select your preferred timeslot. Times and dates vary by class. 
  • Please select a time and date to observe in your child's current classroom.  If you would like to observe at another academic level, please email Andrea Restifo.
  • In order to make sure all families have an opportunity to observe, each child's parents are asked to select and share ONE timeslot per classroom.  
  • As parking is very limited, we ask that parents make every effort to bring just one vehicle to campus. 
  • Parents are asked to arrive promptly.  We will not be able to extend your 30-minute timeslot for late arrival. 
  • Upon arrival on campus, please park in a space across from the Pavilion and come to the Front Office to check in.
• Middle School parents who wish to observe should email Marsha Fleming.
   

It was wonderful to see so many families at our Springmont commUNITY Dinner on Saturday!  We are thankful to Carissa, Isaac, Patricia, and our Teachers for an amazing performance and to all of the families who attended, bringing delicious foods to share! The event would not have been possible without the help of many parent volunteers and faculty/staff members who planned, set up, and cleaned up. Special thanks to Kristin Maiwand and Amy Senna for the commUNITY weaving project, Hamilton Williams and John Mansour for taking the leftover foods to Clifton Sanctuary Ministries, Ann Colonna and Dara Smith for decorating the vases, Marie-Laure Dujols for donating many of the flowers, and to the Sandvi family for helping to transport items to and from the event site. 

Look for more photos to be shared on Facebook later today!

We are happy to offer current Toddler & Primary students an opportunity to continue their Springmont experience this summer! Springmont Assistants and staff will guide the Toddler Summer Program & Primary Summer Camp, allowing children to spend the day in their familiar Montessori environments with additional summer fun and activities, including arts & crafts, outdoor adventures, and water play!  

(6) one-week sessions:  

• June 5-9
• June 12-16
• June 20-23
• June 26-30
• July 10-14
• July 17-21

Daily Schedule Options: 

• Half Day: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. $225 per week (except June 2-23: $180)
• School Day: 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.  $315 per week (except June 2-23: $252)
• Full Day: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.  $375 per week (except June 2-23: $300)

Registration: 

• Weekly sessions are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Enrollment will be capped at 15 Toddlers and 30 Primary students per week, and we must have a minimum number of children per week or program/camp may be cancelled. 
• Registration, including a $75 per week non-refundable deposit, is done online and reserves your child’s space. Registration closes May 5. Balances, billed via FACTS, are due May 19 and are non-refundable after May 19.
• Please use the link in Springmont Weekly News for online registration and more information. Spaces will fill quickly, so register soon to reserve your child’s spot!

Questions? Email Cara Friedline cfriedline@springmont.com or Isaac Ezemba iezemba@springmont.com.

While Isaac Ezemba's name may be new to our Toddler & Primary families, Isaac has become an invaluable member of Springmont's staff, serving as our Elementary Extended Day Coordinator and as a substitute in classrooms across all academic levels. Isaac came to Springmont after graduating in May 2022 from Clark Atlanta University with a B.A. in Music. He brings several years of experience working with children at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee, where he oversaw students' social and academic needs, including their daily schedule, field trips, and service projects. Isaac shared his passion and gift for music, helping the children experience the joy of music and to see it as a means of self-expression.
 

We are excited that Isaac will work with Cara to coordinate and manage our Toddler Summer Program & Primary Summer Camp this year! 
 

While supporting students in their social and emotional learning (SEL) is critical, research shows that supporting teachers and parents yields even more robust results when it comes to bolstering positive well-being. School Counselors Dr. Ann Van Buskirk and Dr. Kimberly Robinson invite parents to join them for a Q&A session, How to Talk with Your Children about Race, Culture, and Identity.  This event will be held via Zoom on Thursday, February 16, beginning at 6 p.m. and will focus on celebrating authenticity, one of Springmont’s core values and our SEL theme for February.
Dr. Kim is a licensed psychologist who teaches at Georgia State, has a private practice in Snellville, and consults at Springmont weekly. Dr. Ann is a licensed psychologist and an adjunct faculty member at Emory. Please see the Zoom link in Springmont Weekly News.