News

DADS! It's your turn! Come start your morning with donuts, coffee & conversation. Mix and mingle...hear from Head of School Jon Alden and get to know some fellow dads. Then, get a guided glimpse inside your child's classroom* before you start your workday! This will be an observation only, and you will be on your way to work no later than 9:30!
^{*Toddler dads, you will be shown a video in the Media Center rather than going into classrooms.}
Elementary & Middle School: Tuesday, October 15, 8:30 a.m. 
Toddler & Primary: Wednesday, October 16, 8:30 a.m.

Kindly click here to RSVP by Oct. 11. If you have children spanning levels (on both days), feel free to come to both, or choose a day!
 

You won't want to miss all the activities on campus this Saturday, October 5!  Please note ALL parking is off campus at the Sandy Springs United Methodist Church's Hitson Activity Center. Shuttles run continuously 7:15 - 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.  Please help us be a good neighbor by not parking on Mitchell Rd. or in adjacent neighborhoods!

Race Registration has been extended through tomorrow, October 1, at 8 am!  Click here to register for the Adult Mile (15 yrs. and over) and Children’s Mile (6-14 yr. olds) on Long Island Drive and/or the Dashes (6 and under) and Diaper Derby (2 and under) on the Field.  Each race registration is $18 and includes a long-sleeved commemorative t-shirt! After tomorrow at 8 am, runners may do Race Day Registration for $25, and preferred t-shirt sizes are not guaranteed. Questions? Email Tiffany Orem.  

NEW! Springmont Fund Kickoff Party.  Make plans to stay on campus for a cookout, pumpkin-decorating, games on the lawn and raffles. Kindly click here to pre-register for lunch which allows us to plan for adequate quantities of food and drink!

Click here for the Schedule of Events!

For parents unable to attend last Friday morning, I wanted to share a recap of the information and conversation!

As many of you know, last year the Board of Trustees embarked on an update of the school's Strategic Plan, resulting in the development of a five-year plan focused on four main pillars - Faculty, Families, Format and Facilities.  

•    Facilities improvements including the new playground, Landschool renovations, new science and technology equipment in Elementary classrooms, Toddler and Primary kitchen enhancements, new presentation technology in Middle School and security improvements to entry doors are either complete or underway.  In addition, the new activity bus has already made additional Field Trips and outings easier and less expensive.
•    This year's Springmont Fund will focus on Faculty, aiming to increase funds available for faculty professional development and allowing for the creation of a dedicated faculty workspace.  Investing in those who invest in our students is a valuable and meaningful use of our fundraising dollars. Additional resources will be focused on developing a more substantive and standardized faculty evaluation system, and over the next five years, Springmont aims to increase faculty compensation to 85% of Fulton County public school salaries. 
•    This year's Families initiatives include bolstering the role IMPACT, Springmont's parent organization, plays in school events and the addition of parent ambassadors to the admission process.  Parental help in increasing the school's visibility via organic marketing is invaluable.  All parents can help by sharing our social media content and posting reviews online!
•    Format is really about curriculum.  Montessori is often misunderstood and not everyone understands the difference between an AMI Montessori experience and the various for-profit options popping up all over the metro area. Documentation and marketing of the scope and sequence of our curriculum will distill and display these significant distinctions.

Parents in attendance were kind enough to share their stories of how they found Springmont and why they stayed.  It seems that in addition to loving our faculty, parents choose Springmont's unique and individualized approach to learning because it balances academics with freedom, broad exploration and opportunities to be self-directed, build confidence, hone creativity and find one's voice. It was fantastic to hear about so many thriving students who love our school! 
 

Don’t believe the old idiom it’s too good to be true.  When it comes to Apogee and the Georgia Tax Credit Scholarship program it’s good and true! Through the Georgia Tax Credit Scholarship program, you have the opportunity to boost Tuition Assistance at Springmont while receiving a dollar-for-dollar Georgia state tax credit for your contribution.

The process is fast and easy and starts with a pre-application you can access here. Apply today and help support Tuition Assistance at Springmont at no cost to you!

To learn more, check out this 100-second video or feel free to email Lauren Stevenson with any questions!
 

The great, annual PRIMARY & LOWER ELEMENTARY CAMP ON CAMPUS is Saturday, October 19 beginning at 5:00 p.m. 

Bring your tent and a picnic dinner and plan to roast s’mores, play games and sleep under the stars! Weather permitting, we will have an astronomer! A light breakfast will be provided.

Open to Primary and Lower Elementary students and their parents only – no younger or older siblings, please.

Tent spaces are limited and filled on a first-come, first-served basis.  Click here to reserve a space for your family's tent.

Questions?  Email Outdoor Science Education Teacher Michelle Wolfersberger
 

After graduating from Springmont's Middle School in 2014, Owen attended The Paideia School for high school and is now a sophomore in Georgia Tech's Industrial Design program. Recently he returned to campus to talk to Primary students as part of his research for designing a teaching toy for 4-5-year-olds. Owen says, 

"If I had to attribute my entire personality and life philosophy to any three things they would be as follows: the love and affection of my parents, my time at Springmont, and my brother destroying every LEGO I owned when I was five. Keep an eye out for my biography to really learn the effect of each of these, but suffice it to say that Springmont instilled, or at the very least made very strong, within me a love of learning, an ability to think creatively, and a strong sense of self-discipline, which often goes overlooked as part of a Montessori education." 

We look forward to seeing many of our alumni on campus at the Alumni Brunch after the Montessori Mile!  Interested in attending?  Email Lauren Stevenson!
 

If you’re ever looking for me, chances are you’ll find me in one of our two greenhouses with some students deciding which vegetables and herbs to grow for the upcoming season!  While you have probably seen the greenhouse outside the Fine Arts Cottage, we also have one inside our basement, and it’s a great place to start seeds, both winter and summer.  During the summer, the basement’s cooler temperatures result in less-stressed seedlings that don’t require as much attention as they would in the outdoor greenhouse where they dry out faster than we can water them!   In the winter, the grow lights, fans and heat mats keep seedlings warm and cozy until it’s time to put them outside in the gardens. Right now, we are starting our seeds in the indoor greenhouse largely because air and soil temperatures are still too high to sow seeds directly in the soil.  

In addition to meteorology, there’s also some math involved in seed starting! Beginning with Atlanta’s first predicted frost date (which averages November 13), we work backward using the number of days-to-harvest for a particular vegetable to select the best planting date. Sow too early, and seedlings won’t survive the heat. Plant too late, and tender plants will be killed off by frost, excepting those like kale that do better with a touch of frost which makes its leaves a little sweeter. Of course, there’s no way to know the exact date of our first frost – our earliest was October 25th and our latest was December 6th, so we just cross our fingers!

What’s growing right now?   We have already started some herbs (basil, marjoram, parsley and oregano) that we hope to sell at our Plant Sale at the Springmont Festival & Montessori Mile on October 5th!  Students will also start radishes, cabbages, kale, cauliflower, broccoli and Brussel sprouts in the next week, transplanting them into the main vegetable garden and class gardens as well as pots for the Plant Sale. Elementary children who come to Open Studio and Middle School students will also help to clean out the vegetable garden, amend the soil with our home-grown compost and either transplant or direct-sow seeds for the new season.

Once our fall and winter veggies are underway, we start our planning in January and sowing in February for spring and summer crops.  It’s always time to grow something!

See you outside!
 

MOMS! Come start your morning with muffins, coffee & conversation. Hear from Jon Alden, Head of School, about updates at the school and get to know some fellow moms. Then, get a guided glimpse inside your child's classroom* before you start your workday! This will be an observation only, and you will be on your way to work no later than 9:30!

*Toddler moms, you will be shown a video in the Media Center rather than going into classrooms.

Elementary & Middle School: Tuesday, September 24, 8:30 a.m.
Toddler & Primary: Wednesday, September 25, 8:30 a.m.

If you have children spanning levels (on both days), feel free to come to both, or choose a day! Click here to RSVP!

As promised in last week's news, here are the last two stages of the "W Curve of School Adjustment." Understanding what to expect as your preschool or young elementary child transitions to a school setting helps parents be effective resources for their children. Click here to read Part 1 which discussed the first three stages: Honeymoon, Culture Shock and Initial Adjustment.  Can you identify your child's current stage?

The Holiday Blues can happen after any break from the school routine. If your child is home due to illness or a family vacation, the return to school can be bumpy.  The blues can also occur after school breaks such as Labor Day weekend or Thanksgiving Break. The longer the break or the more exciting the reason, the more likely your child will experience the Holiday Blues.  You can compare this to how you may feel about Monday morning after a relaxing weekend. Parents may worry that their child has regressed or question whether he/she likes school anymore.  Because changes in routine, diet and sleep patterns play a major role in your child’s temperament and contribute to the holiday blues, please plan vacations during scheduled school breaks.  

• Your child feels withdrawn, tired or sluggish, and clingy.
• You feel bewildered and ask yourself Could there be something wrong or did something happen at school? Is Montessori right for my child?
• Your child says: I want to stay home with you. I am too tired to go to school. Don’t you want to spend time with me? When is the weekend, Daddy? 
• You can help by reminding your child that vacations are special times that we all enjoy, but we still need to go to school to learn and grow and by keeping the routine as normal as possible when on vacation and when you return to school. Comfort and reassure your child but don’t give in to your child’s just-this-once requests; your child will learn that your word does not count and that you can be manipulated. Keep in contact with your child’s Teacher so you know the difference between the Holiday Blues and something more to your child’s reluctance to return to school.

 
Acceptance & Integration The last and most desirable stage is characterized by joy and happy anticipation of school on a daily basis.  When your child reaches this stage, parents often feel validated and elated knowing they have found the right fit for their child. The child often shares their daily experiences with his/her parents and likes to explain new concepts he/she is learning.          

• Your child feels self-confident, joyful, cheerful and contented.    
• You feel self-assured, relieved and at home in the community.
• Your child says: I’m going to learn a new math work today. I can’t wait to see my friends. My teacher is the best.
• You can help by supporting your child as he/she builds on classroom learning; you may want to visit a nature center or museum during your weekends. Find ways to connect with your child’s friends outside of school. Make sure your child has responsibilities at home – this sends the message that he/she is capable both in and outside of school. Involve your child in the everyday activities of the home, like cooking, cleaning and gardening. Pat yourself on the back for weathering the stages of your child’s adjustment to school!

Culture shock is a phase children experience as they adjust to a school setting. While each child’s transition to school is a bit different, there are a few common stages parents and educators can expect – Honeymoon, Culture Shock, Initial Adjustment, Holiday Blues, and Acceptance & Integration. While the “W Curve of School Adjustment”¹ (see graphic) was developed from research done at the college level, preschool and young elementary-aged children follow the same general path.  

As you read the information below, think about what your child is currently experiencing and see if you can identify his/her current stage. Be aware that your child may move quickly from one stage to the next and many children experience the Holiday Blues stage several times before remaining in the last stage, Acceptance & Integration. (The Holiday Blues and Acceptance & Integration will be detailed in next week's news.)

Honeymoon is the happiest stage. As a parent, you have done all the research and chosen the school environment that most closely matches your family values and educational hopes and dreams. You expect your child’s experience to be as joyful as your own school experience or have chosen a program you envision will be vastly different from any negative experience you recall from childhood.  You can picture your child in the classroom, and you are invested in the idea of a Montessori education creating a self-starter with a natural love of learning. Parents and their children experience positive anticipation, and children are excited by the way their parents speak of the experience.

• Your child feels excited, curious, and maybe a little apprehensive.
• You feel the relief of making a choice, excited for what your child will learn, and happy anticipation of being a part of a new community.
• Your child asks: What will it be like at my school? Will you be with me? Will I know anyone there?
• You can help by talking to your child about all the things they will do - baking, learning letters or seeing the animals. Reassure your child that you will pick them up after playground time. Encourage them to make new friends.

Culture Shock begins about 2-3 weeks after school starts. Your child has begun to acclimate to a new routine and is making new friends. He/she discovers that school happens every day and that school routines and guidelines are somewhat different than those at home; being part of a community means they must share items and the adults’ attention. These realizations can sometimes lead to tears and protests about going to school which come as quite a shock to parents who recently saw their child doing fine.  Your child may also notice that their classmates’ food is different and that they have different rules or traditions in their homes. Seeing the world through someone else’s eyes aids children in decision-making and the development of empathy and understanding.  

• Your child feels surprised and inquisitive and is full of questions, especially Why?   
• You feel amazed at the depth of questions and observations, unsure how to explain some differences, and thrilled that your child is learning about differences in the world at such a young age.
• Your child says: My teacher makes me clean my plate after snack. I have to put my work away before I choose another item. At home, I can use all the markers and I don’t have to share. My friend celebrates Hanukah and I don’t.  Why can’t my friend eat meat?
• You can help by aligning expectations of independence at home with those in your child’s classroom, reading to your child about different cultures and countries, and learning as much about Montessori as possible through Parent Education evenings, class letters and books from Springmont’s Parent Library. Be open to answering your child’s Why? or How come? questions.

Initial Adjustment Once you and your child settle into a routine, you will both experience a calm and predictable separation. Your child knows what to expect at school and can count on your daily good-bye procedure. You know your child is safe and happy while you conduct the tasks of your day. Your child might even be providing some information about what he/she did all day, likely using some names of work that sound odd. 

• Your child feels confident, content and reliant on routine.
• You feel self-assured of your school decision, happy that your child is comfortable outside home, and interested in what your child is learning each day.
• Your child says: I had fun with my new friend today. I had a lesson with my teacher on letters. Did you know that window is a rectangle? Mommy begins with “mmm”. 
• You can help by asking lots of open-ended questions about school, looking for clues about what your child is learning such as new vocabulary, songs or poems. When your child asks to help, make sure they have the tools he/she needs to do the task successfully (i.e. a small broom, mop and sponge.) Look for opportunities, like park play dates, to connect with new friends outside of school.

This is a great time to learn more about Montessori - the more you know, the more conversations you can have with your child.  Make sure to RSVP for next week's Parent Education Evening!

¹Zeller, W. J. and Mosier, R. (1993). Culture shock and the first-year experience Journal of College and University Student Housing 23(2).

Look for Part 2 - The Holiday Blues and Acceptance & Integration in next week's news. 

Springmont would like to thank Novelis for their generous sponsorship of the Springmont Springbots!  Novelis partners with FIRST LEGO League to inspire student interest in science, technology, engineering and math. With their support, Springmont has a new robot, a new game board and will have their registration with FLL covered for the 2019-20 season. Thanks to their sponsorship, enrolled families will receive a $100 account credit on their enrichment fee!