News

Partnering with Andrew Mack from Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, Andrea has been working with a committee of other Atlanta-area admission officers to create a toolkit schools can use to ensure a more equitable experience in independent school admissions and re-enrollment. After discussing existing processes and challenges, they identified flaws in current policies and procedures and began identifying possible corrections. Surprisingly, the challenges were shared by all the schools involved in the group, which included K-8, K-12, faith-based, pedagogy-specific, traditional, and more. While this work will continue throughout the 2023-24 school year, they have already made great progress. Currently, the toolkit includes anti-bias training links, suggestions regarding the interview process, and links to videos and articles. The final piece will be a rubric designed to avoid barriers in the admissions process. The committee looks forward to sharing their final toolkit at the spring AAAIS (Atlanta Area Association of Independent Schools) Admissions meeting!

Did you know that September 15 – October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month? Rather than selecting a calendar month, the dates encompass the anniversaries of national independence for several Latin American countries, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua that all recognize September 15 as the date of their independence, while Mexico and Chile’s independence days are celebrated September 16 and September 18 respectively. Started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson, the observation was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988.

Because food is a common language that brings us together, Middle School students led by Spanish Teacher Anabel Brcek cooked and enjoyed tacos, flan, and pay de limón con galletas María as part of their research and learning about the many Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society. 

Click here to learn more about National Hispanic Heritage Month. Click here for more photos!
 

We are excited to invite all parents/guardians to the second edition of our Elementary Parent Education Series: Technology & Your Household on Tuesday, September 26, beginning at 4:30. (Although this program is being hosted by our Elementary division, all parents are welcome to attend!)
Parenting in the digital age isn't easy, and we're here to help offer guidelines and suggestions for families as well as our entire school community. What are the effects of technology on a child's brain? Please join us as we host an event designed to help you think about best practices for you and your family.

• Light refreshments will be served.
• Complimentary childcare is available 4:30-5:30 for currently enrolled, preregistered students.
• Due to limited on-campus parking, we ask that each family bring just one vehicle to campus.

Kindly RSVP using the link in Springmont Weekly News!
 

Toddler Parents - Parent observations provide an authentic glimpse of your children’s day – their friends, teacher, environment, and learning – and are a great way for parents to prepare for Parent/Teacher Conferences and to learn more about Montessori. Because Toddlers are less able to maintain concentration when parents visit their classroom in person and may feel distressed when parents depart, observations for our youngest students are done via Zoom. (Links will be shared with parents the day before each event.)

Remzije’s Class
• Tuesday, October 3, 9:00 am
• Wednesday, October 4, 9:30 am

Toshia’s Class
• Tuesday, October 3, 9:30 am
• Thursday, October 5, 9:00 am

Zaiba’s Class
• Wednesday, October 4, 9:00 am
• Thursday, October 5, 9:30 am

Middle School parents who wish to observe may contact Marsha Fleming. 
 

Springmont parent and AKT trainer Veronica Koons invites parents/guardians to join her for a special TONE class exclusively for the Springmont community on Tuesday, October 24, beginning at 10:30 a.m. It's free and suitable for all fitness levels. If time permits, meet us at Just Love Cafe, conveniently located next to AKT Studios Perimeter for a pre-workout chat. Parking is free of charge in the garage of the apartment complex. Don't miss this opportunity to connect, get fit, and have a great time! RSVP to Kristin Maiwand. 

AKT Studios Perimeter: 1110 Hammond Dr., Suite 5, Sandy Springs, GA 30328
 

Dear Parents,

Recently, our employees sat together to continue our training around dignity. Dignity is the inherent value and worth of every person. Harvard researcher Donna Hicks describes 10 elements of dignity in her work. As we proceed with these sometimes difficult conversations around dignity, I have been reflecting on the extent to which this work is at the heart of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts that this community has been engaged with for many years. Some quick online research shows I’m not alone in this thinking. In Stanford’s Social Innovation Review, I read about a global DEI consulting firm that has been shifting its focus towards dignity after realizing that acknowledging the value of every person must be firmly in place before inclusion and belonging can occur. Other consulting firms seem to be doing the same. Increasingly, organizations, including non-profits and schools, are recognizing dignity’s role in creating inclusive workplaces by recentering their DEI work around dignity. We’re in good company!

For individuals and groups that have suffered from oppression, there has been an ongoing denial of value and worth, a denial of human dignity. In addition, dignity violations can happen to people not in those categories, and in fact, they are experienced to some degree by all of us. It comes from each of us being a human who has vulnerabilities and the ability to make mistakes interacting with other humans with their own vulnerabilities and mistake making. For healing and the building of true community, however, the elements of dignity must be recognized and valued. And when a dignity violation occurs, we need the language and the mechanisms to improve ourselves and our relationships. 

We take a portion of every weekly administrator meeting to work on our dignity skills and are meeting in employee groups at least monthly, with journaling and “homework” assignments in between. We are learning how to resist the temptation to complain about a dignity violation and instead build the tools to talk about it with the person responsible. We recognize that this can be more difficult for some people than others and are working to support those who may feel less safe to build toward dignity conversations. 

Having a common language and set of strategies is step one, but the next steps are all about our continued commitment to this work and our trust in each other to learn and grow in ways that preserve and promote dignity. Along with dignity conversations, it also requires us to look at policies and practices within our community that promote the value of every member, from student to employee to parent. Dignity work does not take the place of other DEI initiatives; rather, it serves as a foundation for us to continue our exploration and growth around these topics.

I invite you to join us in the work by educating yourself about dignity through reading either of Donna Hicks’ books, Dignity and Leading with Dignity. 

Thank you to alumnae Layla Ritterskamp for preparing the 10 Essential Elements document.

With respect and gratitude,
Elizabeth Lener
Head of School
 

The 28th annual Springmont Festival & Montessori Mile will be on Saturday, October 14!! 

Even if you aren’t a runner, all families are invited to join us on campus for the fun! The day begins with a warm-up in the Pavilion at 8:30, followed by one-mile fun runs on Long Island Drive for adults and children 6-14 years and then dashes for younger students (6 and under) on the Field. 

SPONSORSHIP DEADLINE EXTENDED THROUGH SEPTEMBER 19!!

Would your company or family like to sponsor this event? This is a great way to increase awareness of your business within the Springmont community, show support for our school, and have fun!  To put your company’s (or your family’s) name on the fun and obtain sponsorship benefits, please click here to complete the online Sponsorship form! Sponsorships are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. 

• Gold sponsorships are limited to FOUR and include (4) race registrations and t-shirts, your logo/family name on the back of the race t-shirts in a top position, your logo/family name on the sponsor banner in a top position and large size, a coupon/flyer in race packets (if desired), and mention in our Annual Report.
• Silver sponsorships are limited to SIX and include (2) race registrations and t-shirts, your logo/family name on the back of the race t-shirts, your logo/family name on the sponsor banner, a coupon/flyer in race packets (if desired), and mention in our Annual Report.
• Bronze sponsorships are limited to TEN and include (1) race registration and t-shirt, your logo/family name on the back of the race t-shirts, your logo/family name on the sponsor banner, and mention in our Annual Report.

Early Bird Race Registration EXTENDED THROUGH SEPTEMBER 19!

All fun run and dash participants, and anyone who wants one of the long-sleeved commemorative t-shirts, are encouraged to register! Early Bird Race Registrations are $22 each and are due Tuesday, September 19.  After this date, we cannot ensure your preferred t-shirt size, and each registration increases to $25.  Click here for Early Bird Race Registration! 

Enter the Chili Cook-Off!
Do you have a great chili recipe? Enter Springmont’s 11th annual Chili Cook-Off for a chance to prove your recipe is Golden Ladle-worthy.  You could win a fabulous prize basket!  Chili of all varieties—black bean, red bean, spicy, mild, chicken, beef, vegetarian, and others are welcome. Email Tiffany Orem to enter!

What else will be happening on campus? 
Don't miss the Spirit Store, Class Markets, and Middle School Festival!

• Ellen's Class will have homemade granola for sale!
• Livia's Class is selling their famous pesto!  
• Springmont's Middle School will be running a fall festival offering smoothies (dairy and non-dairy options), craft making, pumpkin decorating, face painting, and more! 
• Nathalie's Class will sell gourmet caramel apples, pumpkins made from vintage books, handmade jewelry, and homemade pumpkin butter!
• Patricia & Brenda's Class will offer handmade bookmarks for just $1 each!

Want to help out? Have questions? Email Tiffany Orem
 

Classroom Observations offer Elementary parents/guardians an opportunity to see their children's classrooms in action! All parents are encouraged to observe in their children's classrooms before Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences, which occur on October 27 and November 3. Observations provide parents a glimpse of their children's day as well as an overall picture of how a Montessori classroom allows children opportunities for creativity, engaged learning, authentic social interactions, and more.

Elementary Observations will begin on September 26 and continue on designated days through October 25. Sessions are available 9:00-10:00 or 9:30-10:30. Parents will gather in the Pavilion for a brief introduction with Elementary Division Head Allwyn Fitzpatrick before spending approximately 30 minutes observing in the classroom. Allwyn will also offer a short debrief and opportunity to ask questions afterward.

Springmont uses Sign-Up, an online reservation system that allows parents to select preferred dates and times. To allow each family an opportunity to observe, we ask that parents select just one date and time for each of their children's classes and make every effort to bring just one vehicle to campus. Kindly use the link in Springmont Weekly News or the emailed invitation to select your preferred date and time.
 

On Wednesday, September 27, 4:30-5:30, Toddler Teachers Remzije Shala, Toshia Johnson, and Zaiba Farooqui will lead a discussion and Q&A about how Toddlers construct themselves by using their hands. One of the things that distinguishes Montessori from traditional education is that children are encouraged to learn by touching, feeling, and doing rather than sitting and only listening. Toddlers move about the classroom and explore the materials with their hands, making discoveries for themselves. When children work with their hands, they gain long-term, concrete understanding and many more neural connections. This understanding and those connections sow the seeds for abstract learning as they progress to the next academic levels.

The hands are the instruments of man’s intelligence. – Dr. Maria Montessori 

• Light refreshments will be served.
• Complimentary childcare is available 4:30-5:30 for currently enrolled Toddler students via the RSVP form linked below.   
  • Elementary & Middle School students may be registered for our fee-based Extended Day program by clicking here. 
  • Unfortunately, Primary students and non-enrolled siblings cannot be accommodated.
• Due to limited on-campus parking, we ask that each family bring just one vehicle to campus.

Kindly RSVP and reserve Toddler childcare by 3 p.m. Monday, September 25, using the link in Springmont Weekly News or the emailed invitation.
 

On this 22nd anniversary, many of us will pause today to remember the 2,977 who perished in the terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001. While Teachers may acknowledge this day in an age-appropriate way with older students, families of younger students may choose to share the meaning of this day with their children at home. Springmont School Counselor Ann Van Buskirk notes that when talking with young children about tragic events, it is always good to focus on the helpers - brave EMTs, firefighters, doctors, and rescuers. Here are some resources for families:

Websites:

• Talking to Children About Terrorism from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum
• 9/11 Anniversary Teaching Guide lessons designed for educators from the Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility

Books:

• There's a Big Beautiful World Out There by Nancy Carlson. This book, written in response to September 11, doesn't mention September 11 but describes many typical fears children experience. It's a good book for opening up a conversation with children about things they may be afraid of. The message is that although we all have fears, we mustn't hide under the covers because "there's a big beautiful world out there" we don't want to miss.
• The Man Who Walked Between the Towers by Mordicai Gerstein. This book tells the story of Philippe Petit, the aerialist who walked between the Twin Towers on a tightrope. It ends by saying that the Twin Towers are no more.
• Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures of the John J. Harvey by Maira Kalman. This book tells the exciting story of how a New York City fireboat, originally slated to be retired and scrapped, plays a crucial role in putting out fires after the September 11 disaster.

Parents/guardians are invited to join Springmont Parent Association (SPA) Co-Chairs Kristin Maiwand and Elizebeth Keromytis for a "no-host", adults-only social at Superica Dunwoody (1220 Ashford Crossing, Dunwoody, GA 30346) on Friday, September 22, 5:00-8:00 p.m.  This is a great opportunity to get to know fellow Springmont parents without an agenda or having to keep a watchful eye on your children!  Connecting with the parents of your children's classmates is a great way to meet adults with shared goals and values and to feel supported in your parenting journey.  Alumni parents tell us that the friends they made at Springmont are still some of their closest!

We are excited to offer Primary parents/guardians two ways to see their children's classrooms in action! All parents are encouraged to observe in their children's classrooms before Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences, which occur on October 27 and November 3. Observations provide parents a glimpse of their children's day as well as an overall picture of how a Montessori classroom allows children opportunities for creativity, engaged learning, authentic social interactions, and more.

Zoom Observations: So that parents/guardians may see the classroom without their child being aware and possibly upset when they must depart, we are offering one Zoom Observation opportunity for each Primary classroom. The class will proceed with their usual morning routines while Toddler/Primary Division Head Cara Friedline treats parents to a 20 to 30-minute peek at the lessons and activities happening during a typical morning work cycle. There is no need to RSVP; just join the Zoom for your child's class using the links in Springmont Weekly News or the emailed invitation. Reminders, including the Zoom link, will be sent the day before each event!

Rebecca's Class Zoom Observation 
Sept 26, 2023, 9:00 AM

Destiny/Dajar's Class Zoom Observation 
Sept 27, 2023, 9:00 AM

Jeanie's Class Zoom Observation (note new date) 
Sept 28, 2023, 9:00 AM

Rinku's Class Zoom Observation (note new date) 
Time: Sept 29, 2023, 9:00 AM

On Campus Observations: In addition, Primary parents/guardians are invited to sign up to observe their children's classrooms in person. Observations will begin on October 2 and continue on designated days through October 26. Sessions are available 8:45-9:30 or 9:15-10:00. Parents will gather in the Media Center for a brief introduction led by Toddler/Primary Division Head Cara Friedline, followed by time to observe in the classroom. 

Springmont uses Sign-Up, an online reservation system that allows parents to select preferred dates and times. To allow each family an opportunity to observe, we ask that parents select just one date and time for each of their child(ren) 's Primary classes and make every effort to bring just one vehicle to campus. Kindly use the link in Springmont Weekly News or the emailed invitation to select your preferred date and time.

Questions? Email Toddler/Primary Division Head Cara Friedline

Toddler and Elementary Parents - Look for Observation information to be shared this week! Middle School parents who wish to observe may contact Marsha Fleming at mfleming@springmont.com. 

All Primary parents are invited to join the Primary Teachers on Wednesday, September 20, 4:30-5:30 p.m., for Ages & Stages: How Do Multiage Primary Classrooms Meet Each Age's Unique Needs? The Teachers will showcase the Montessori lessons and materials that meet the unique developmental needs of 3, 4, and 5-6-year-olds! Parents will be grouped according to their child's age, and sessions will focus on a particular age and stage. Time will also be reserved to discuss how Montessori lessons are interwoven and enhanced as children progress to the next stage. Hear about your child's current learning stage and how to guide your child through each stage of development.   

• Light refreshments will be served.
• Complimentary childcare is available 4:30-5:30 for currently enrolled Primary students via the RSVP form linked below.   
  • Elementary & Middle School students may be registered for our fee-based Extended Day program by clicking here.
  • Unfortunately, Toddlers and non-enrolled siblings cannot be accommodated.
• Due to limited on-campus parking, we ask that each family bring just one vehicle to campus.

Kindly RSVP and reserve Primary childcare by 3 p.m. Monday, September 18, using the link in Springmont Weekly News or the emailed invitation.
 

The first meeting of the Springmont Parent Association (SPA) is this Friday, September 8, beginning at 8:45 a.m. in the Pavilion. All families are automatically members of SPA and, as such are invited to attend! On this month’s agenda:

• Springmont Festival & Montessori Mile (Oct 14) planning
• 60th Anniversary Auction (Apr 13) planning
• Update regarding class gifts to Teachers and Assistants
• Other volunteer opportunities!

Don’t miss this opportunity to meet up with some other parents and hear about these events and how to get involved!
 

Parents/guardians are invited to join Head of School Elizabeth Lener for coffee and conversation!  This is a great opportunity to connect with other parents, hear more about what's in store for the 2023-24 school year, and get to know Elizabeth better. Even if you can only stay for a few minutes, we hope you will attend. There's no need to RSVP. 

Toddler & Primary: Thursday, September 14, 8:45 a.m.
Elementary & Middle School: Tuesday, September 19, 8:45 a.m. 

Elementary and Middle School students began this year's art curriculum by creating a collaborative, Kolam-inspired artwork now on display in the Front Office! Kolam is an Indian art form that uses a grid of dots to guide a design. Traditionally created using rice flour at entryways to welcome guests, students decorated post-it notes with pens and markers. Be sure to stop by to take a closer look at each of the 154 individual designs!