April Newsletter

Denver, Colorado was the setting for this year’s Montessori Event, hosted by the American Montessori Society. Nine members of our teaching team and three members of our admin team attended three days of inspiring and informative workshops, each geared to specific facets of the Montessori curriculum or Montessori leadership. The keynote speakers each came from diverse backgrounds and different career paths, and each one brought the crowd to their feet in standing ovations. Attendees were treated to a talk on creativity as a path to flourishing by renowned artist, author, and motivational speaker, Erik Wahl. In the middle of the weekend, the first African American gymnast to earn a gold medal, Dominique Dawes, spoke to the crowd on leading without ego, and the conference ended on a high note as Alexis Nikole Nelson closed the conference with her story of growing up Montessori from her early childhood years through elementary school, and how it led her to a unique and successful career path.

The teachers and administrators would like to extend a special thanks to Lisl. Lisl is the type of leader who doesn’t just encourage lifelong learning and professional development, she participates in it. Although she couldn’t attend in person this year, she ensured that our attending guides had everything they needed to enjoy the trip to Denver and soak up all the learning the conference had to offer.

Thank you, Lisl! Your team and the school benefited greatly from this event, and thus, so did the children. All that was learned goes right into the classrooms!

We can't thank our generous donors and volunteers enough for their never-ending support--it's what makes Casino Night possible. And to everyone who attended the event, thank you for your participation—your presence is what makes our school community stronger, and we’re so grateful for each and every one of you. Your ongoing support means the world to us!

The Gates of Life dates are here! If you haven’t been to a Gates of Life ceremony at Athena, you are in for a treat! Gates of Life is our graduation ceremony. We honor each transition a child makes, whether it be from our Movers and Shakers program into the Tots program, Tots into Primary, or moving on from Primary to what is next for your child. We honor the work and growth each child has done, along with their special relationships with their classmates and guides. We love to have families (and extended family members) attend these joyful (and sometimes teary) celebrations.

Following are the dates and times for each ceremony:

Movers and Shakers: Friday, May 23 2:30pm

T1: Friday, May 30th 11am

T2: Friday, May 23rd 11am

T3: Friday, May 30th 11am

T4: Friday, May 30th 11am

P1 Wednesday, May 28th 10am

P2 Friday, May 30th 10am

P3 Friday, May May 30th 9:15am

P4. Wednesday, May 28th 2:15pm

P5 Friday, May 30th 9:30am

Holi- March 14, 2024

Known as the festival of colors, Holi is celebrated on the last full moon in the lunar month of Phalguna. This ancient tradition marks the end of winter and honors the triumph of good over evil. Celebrants light bonfires, throw colorful powder called gulal, eat sweets, and dance to traditional folk music.

Two of our Primary classes celebrated together on out lawn on Friday March 28th. Enjoy the photos! BIG thanks to Sabina Bharwani and Priti Joshi again this year for helping put the celebration together!

Eid al-Fitr- March 29-30
Eid Mubarak to all our families and broader Austin communities who celebrate! Athena hopes you all had a fruitful month of Ramadan and a festive Eid.

César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Day-March 31st

“When the man who feeds the world by toiling in the fields is himself deprived of the basic rights of feeding, sheltering, and caring for his own family, the whole community of man is sick.” -César Chávez

“Giving kids clothes and food is one thing, but it’s much more important to teach them that other people besides themselves are important and that the best thing they can do with their lives is to use them in the service of other people. -Dolores Huerta

Core to our values at Athena Montessori Academy is the practice of fostering a deep appreciation for all the beautiful differences that make us who we are. Sometimes, though, beautiful differences are turned into marginalized identities. We live in a society where certain ways of being are exalted. We call this ‘being in the center’ or ‘being centered’. Another way of saying this is that certain identities are normalized, or considered ‘normal’.

Lives that fall outside the center are marginalized or ‘othered’. We are aware that systems in our country are built to exclude certain groups from what we know as basic human rights: housing, health care, education, nutritious foods, and the agency to build a life.

Yesterday, March 31, was a celebration of marginalized identities very near and dear to our hearts here at Athena. César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Day calls us to be aware of human rights as they pertain to laborers, and the essential, but sometimes invisible, work they contribute to the world.

Click HERE to learn more about César Chavez

Click HERE to learn more about Dolores Huerta

Transgender Visibility Day- March 31

What does it mean to be visible? What does it mean to be seen for who we are? What does it mean to feel safe and comfortable, to be accepted? Are these questions ones we have to ponder as we move about the world? If not, then we have the agency to step up to the plate and go to bat for those who must hide, who cannot be seen for who they truly are for fear of repercussion.

Passover- April 12-20
Passover begins this year with the 1st Seder on April 12th and concludes at nightfall on April 20th. Chag Sameach to all our families who participate in this Jewish celebration of freedom! To our non-jewish families, if you get invited to a Seder- GO! You'll be glad you did.

Easter- April 20
This Easter, we’re taking a moment to celebrate renewal, hope, and the joy of spring. Whether you’re spending time with loved ones, enjoying a quiet moment, or simply appreciating the beauty of the season, we wish you peace and happiness. Happy Easter from all of us!

Earth Day- April 22nd
Earth Day is just around the corner, and we’re excited to celebrate with our students! Keep an eye out for updates from your child’s classroom guide on how they’ll be marking this special day. From eco-friendly activities to nature-focused projects, each class has something fun planned to inspire environmental awareness. Stay tuned for more details!

Don't miss out on our first annual yearbook! It's a wonderful way to capture and cherish all the memories from this school year. We are trying something new this year, and with the help of parent volunteers, we were able to create something for your children to cherish beyond their years at Athena! To place your order, simply fill out the form below. Be sure to reserve your copy before it’s too late! Last day to order: April 30th.

Current Families
Sibling enrollment for next year is complete. If you have a child you're hoping to enroll and didn't hear from Joy, please reach out to her.

If you know any families that would be a good addition to the Athena community, now is the time to connect them with Joy! Waiting pool enrollment is in full swing. Please direct them to Admissions@AthenaMontessoriAcademy.com.

Waiting Pool Families
2024-25 School Year: We are fully enrolled for the current school year. Our Admissions Director will be in touch with you should a spot become available for your child.

2025-26 School Year: We are still enrolling for the 2025-26 school year! You will hear from Joy if she is able to offer your child a spot, as well as with any specific updates as to where we are in the process. Our goal is to complete enrollment as soon as possible, but it is not uncommon for rolling admissions to occur up to August. Please reach out to Admissions@AthenaMontessoriAcademy.com if you have a child that will be between ~3-5 years old in August and would like an update on where we are in the process.

Our continued goal in the admissions process is to be as transparent as possible, and we strive to give you the most accurate information we can during each step of the deliberate process of enrollment. We respect that decisions related to your child's education are important and timely ones, and we will continue to send you general enrollment updates via this monthly newsletter. Thank you for your continued interest, and we encourage you to reach out with specific questions related to your child's enrollment at any time.

Please direct admissions & enrollment questions to our Admissions Director, Joy Jacobson. You can email her directly at Admissions@AthenaMontessoriAcademy.com.

Students:

4/1- Luca E. 4/2- Athena R. 4/4- Marlo D. 4/5- Bowie H. 4/6- Ahren P.

4/7- Rose G., Rory M. 4/8- Birdie M., Jake C. 4/11- Bruno A. 4/13- Teo G.

4/15- Casey W. 4/21- Augie M. 4/22- Brooks M., Malaya D., Nikhil C. 4/23- Hudson B.

4/9- Mandy W. (Admin)

4/11- Anna W. (T2)

4/12- Kimberly L. (Admin)

4/18- Meghna G. (T4)