Maria Montessori Academy

Education for a Better World

Mission

The mission of Maria Montessori Academy is to provide an individualized education that promotes academic excellence founded on the authentic philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori.

Maria Montessori Academy will craft each child’s education in partnership with educators and parents to achieve higher levels of academic, personal and social achievement, thereby preparing students to become constructive contributors to their community.

August 9, 2024 Parent Newsletter

Dear Families,

It was wonderful to see so many of you at Back to School Night last night! Here is a link to the Back to School Night Presentation. The Montessori approach has a rich history, beginning with the opening of the first Casa Dei Bambini in Rome, Italy, in 1907. This innovative educational model was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, a trailblazer in science, medicine, and education. Over the past 117 years, her methods have continued to influence educational practices worldwide.

Montessori education is both a philosophy (a way of being) and a curriculum (learning plan), grounded in scientific principles. Education researchers consistently find that engaging children in problem-solving, providing hands-on experiences at their academic level, involving them in setting goals, and prioritizing social and emotional well-being contribute to improved academic outcomes and the development of essential life skills.

At our school, we are dedicated to preparing students for a dynamic future. We encourage curiosity and collaboration, setting up our classrooms to foster a love of learning. Our goal is to instill such enthusiasm in your children that they are eager to share their discoveries with you, eliminating the need to ask, "Did you do your homework?" We deeply value family involvement and welcome volunteers both in the classroom and as collaborators in our community.

Please consider joining the FTA (Family Teacher Association).

Please see the list below for details and contact information for our leadership team.

Kacee Weaver - Director Kacee Weaver

Program alignment, board communication, licensing, staffing,

Candice Cipullo - Teaching and Learning Specialist Candice Cipullo

Instructional coach, technology, assessment

Nicoletta Householder - Student Success Specialist Nicoletta Householder

Montessori mentor, social-emotional Learning, field experiences

Diane Arrington- SpEd Director Diane Arrington

Students with disabilities, Special education law and licensing

Sara Dunn - Office Manager Sara Dunn

Enrollment, registration

Deia Clary - Facilities Manager Deia Clary

Building maintenance & rentals, payroll

Nekane Welch - Attendance Secretary Nekane Welch

Attendance, Athletics & Activities

We are welcoming several new staff members to our building this year!
Teachers -

Kindergarten- Jamie Wilson
Lower Elementary- Lauren Abdul and Katie Eborn
Upper Elementary- Ezzy Servin
Junior High -

Camie Walker - ELA
Nathan Soules - Social Studies
Heather Straw - 6 & 7 Science & Junior High Coordinator
Giuseppe Paucarpura - 8 & 9 Science

Staff Assistants -

Jessica Stegen
Pamela Womack
Sara Baird - Johansen
Allison Hoyt
Mechelle Thomas
Ashleigh Petersen
Samantha Busby

School Nurse -

Mikala Lockwood mgrill@mmautah.org

I am excited for you to get to know them and I know they will enjoy working with your children/adolescents.

Normalization

Students will spend the first 6 weeks of school building and strengthening relationships with their teachers and classmates. Students will learn to become independent in their work in order for teachers to conduct lessons in small groups and individually. Students will learn to work collaboratively so that their strengths may be increased and their confidence enhanced. Students will increase their working stamina through meaningful and challenging activities. Students will also practice the routines/expectations of the Montessori environment. Attendance should be a priority during this time and disruptions should be avoided. Please schedule appointments for after school hours. Observations and volunteers will be scheduled after September 20th.

Attendance

School begins at 8:30. Please help your child prioritize a routine that involves being in their classrooms and ready to learn at 8:30am. Students who arrive after 8:35 will need a parent/guardian to sign them in. School is out at 3:15 (1:45 on Wednesdays). Supervision is not provided before or after school. Doors open at 8:15am and students should be picked up no later than 3:30 (2:00 on Wednesday). Please make every effort to protect the school day by scheduling appointments for after school hours. The complete attendance policy can be found here. Students should miss no more than 4 days per term (18 days a year). If your child is absent, please call the office and inform their teacher.

At Maria Montessori Academy students bring their own lunch and have a 30 minute lunch period. We do not allow candy, energy drinks, or fast food. Microwaves are provided. Please keep cooking time to 2 minutes or less. Healthy snacks are allowed during the school day at the teacher’s discretion.

Please review our dress code and support your child in following all school policies. Dress code violations will be handled in the following way:

1st offense - verbal reminder & borrow dress code attire

2nd offense - written warning home & borrow dress code attire

3rd offense - call home for change of clothes

4th offense - family meeting

Student cell phones and smart watches are not allowed to be used during the school day. Violations will be handled in the following way:

1st offense - verbal reminder to put phone/watch away

2nd offense - written warning home & phone/watch taken to the office

3rd offense - call home to parent & phone/watch taken to the office

4th offense - family meeting & phone/watch taken to the office

Please do not allow your child to bring toys to school. Pokemon cards, action figures, or similar items are not appropriate for school.

Pick up and Drop Off

Our #1 priority is to keep you and your child/ren safe. Parking in North Shore’s parking lot and walking across the road is always an option. Please support our teachers and crossing guards as they enforce these drop off and pick up procedures:

Pick up and Drop Offs
Carpool Do’s and Dont’s

Cross only in the crosswalk.
Wait for the crossing guard to signal before crossing.
Be courteous to others in the carpool line.
Pull all the way forward.
Use your turn signal.
Do not park in the carpool lane.
Do not exit your vehicle in the carpool lane. If you need to enter the building, please park your vehicle.
Students enter vehicles at the curb only.
Follow all traffic patterns/rules.
Demonstrate patience.
End all cell phone calls prior to entering the parking lot.
Report safety concerns to the front office immediately.

Additional information can be found on our website and in our handbooks.