TCAPS Montessori Weekly Reader:
HOWL Everyday with Harmony, Optimism, Wisdom & Leadership!
October 4, 2024 Head of School News & Notes
Dear Montessori Timberwolves Families and Friends,
This week, we welcomed October and all the beautiful colors it will bring to Traverse City! It came to us with more seasonable weather. Please keep this in mind when kids are coming dressed for school. We play outdoors for recess every day. We play in light rain, so we highly recommend rain jackets, rain boots, umbrellas, etc.
Our PTO will sponsor two parent education nights for the next two Wednesday evenings.
Wednesday, October 9 from 5:30 - 6:30: “Values and Tech: Fostering a Positive Digital Culture in your Home. Presented by TCAPS EdTech Coach Danelle Brostrom. Our tech habits impact our well-being in all sorts of ways. Some habits are helpful, but others can make things harder. How do we talk about them with our kids, while supporting their need for agency (their independence and ability to make choices)? (Note: this work is necessary for grown ups too!)
This is a conversation you won't want to miss! We will share practical strategies to navigate tech use with your kids, empowering them to make healthy choices.
- 60 minutes - Interactive Presentation/Workshop
The second will be on Wednesday, October 16, from 5:30 to 6:30. The topic is Montessori 101, and Lisa Thauvette from Tilt Think will present it (click the link for more information).
NHS students will provide child care in the Maker’s Space. The sessions will take place in our Timberwolves Cafe, where light refreshments will be provided. Please complete this registration form if you plan to attend: Parent Registration Form. We hope you can join us in these most informative sessions.
Shout outs to our PTO, parent, student volunteers, & Mr. Riechenbach this week for hosting a fabulous Move-a-Thon/Field Day! See photos below from this successful event—we appreciate your support of our school!
Tracy Rucker
Head of School
Mrs. Rucker gave the Large Hexagon Box lesson to the
Cherry Tree Room.
This student gave it a try after the lesson.
Stoneage Art from the Beech and Blue Spruce Rooms
A Montessori Minute
This week, take a moment to read two aspects of our school’s Parents Stream for our school-wide vision. As parents/guardians, you have the most important role in your child’s life. You are their haven and their greatest role model. As we all know, this is no easy task. Our school intends to work with you to help provide the best education and learning experience for your children.
Your first role is to provide Basic and Social/Emotional Needs. Parents model a calm, regulated environment and establish structured routines that take care of basic needs, such as bedtime routines, screen time expectations, healthy eating, and meal-sharing routines. Additionally, they support their child’s social and emotional needs through conversations about emotions. Parents provide ample opportunities for children to have physical exercise and connect with nature and the community.
Natural Consequences and Consistent Boundaries: Natural consequences are natural outcomes of a child’s actions and happen without parental involvement. Example: Your child forgets her/his water bottle; you don’t bring it to school. The natural consequence is that your child will use the drinking fountain. Natural consequences help your child learn real cause and effect from negative behaviors. It helps your child take responsibility for her/himself because they know you won’t be there to rescue them. Natural consequences are used for minor behaviors as a learning experience, when safety is not an issue.
Boundaries are consistent, reasonable and enforceable. They are well-aligned with a child’s developmental phase. Example: “If you do not get off the computer game in the next 5 minutes, you will lose screen time tomorrow.” It is important to follow through with the consequence if a child does not comply with the expectation. Boundaries and routines create predictability and reduce insecurity and anxiety in your child’s life. When boundaries are unclear, children have control over decisions in the home and the balance of power shifts from the adult to the child, which is harmful to the child.
Considering the care of children’s basic needs and consistent boundaries can greatly impact a child's daily life.
Updates & Reminders
- Chess Class registration for 1st–8th graders is open! Classes start October 10th and run Thursdays from 3:15 PM to 4:30 PM. This updated class now gives students the chance to earn medals each session, with a special trophy awarded to those completing all three sessions. Registration closes October 24th. Sign up today! Montessori Chess Club Registration Link
- TCAPS attended a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) seminar last week and is moving forward with the grant process. Due to grant parameters, this request will be written on behalf of West Middle School, and if approved, will benefit all students and the community as a whole. Over the next several months, the SRTS committee members will seek to develop engineering plans, a financial plan, and formulate and disseminate required surveys as part of the next stage in planning. Anyone interested in volunteering for data compiling is encouraged to email smithgi@tcaps.net. This experience will be outdoors and requires a camera phone.
- After-school Playground Use: We welcome outdoor community time on our playground after school; however, please be sure your children are abiding by these expectations:
Clean up all trash - Use trash cans
Please do not allow BIG children to play in the toddler playground - the toys and sandbox in this area are for children aged 18 to 36 months.
Children should use the equipment the same way they do during the school day.
All balls should be returned to the ball racks on the side of the building.
Cones are not to be moved or touched.
Thank you for your help in taking care of our awesome playground equipment.
UPCOMING CALENDAR EVENTS
- October 9 & 16 - Parent Education Nights, 5:30-6:30
- October 14, Half Day, Dismissal at 11:22
- October 18, Interlochen Arts Academy Presents "The Snow Queen" assembly
- October 21 - Picture Day
- October 22, TBA Student Run Credit Union Deposit Day
- October 22, PTO Meeting
- October 31, Literacy Celebrations
Lunch Menu
Notes From the Cafe:
1. Ala Cart items are available for UE & AC (grades 4-8 students) to purchase daily. These items will be an extra main entree option. The prices are as follows: Additional First Choice Entree $2.85 - Soy Milk $2.50 - Dairy Milk - $0.50 - Extra Bosco Sticks (2 sticks w/ sauce) $3.00 - Extra Slice of Pizza $2.50
2. If students with packed lunch would like to purchase milk, they must have money on their account. Dairy milk is $0.50.
3. To put money on a students account you may send cash or check (made payable to TCAPS) in a marked envelope - LUNCH MONEY - in your child's folder.
PTO News
Highlights:
-Thank you, families & Move-a-thon volunteers, for doing your part to make it fabulous!
Prize winners will be announced in the coming week. Please email any photos to tcapsmo.pto@gmail.com, and send in pledges & donations before Oct 18th.Next week is the
-Walk to School Day celebration on Wednesday, Oct 9th. If you haven't yet, plan for a happy, healthy morning and meet the Colantha statue (Botanic Gardens) at 7:45 am.
SAVE THE DATE:
-October 22nd: PTO Meeting @ TCAPS Montessori from 3:30-4:30
-October 27th: TCAPS Montessori Fall Harvest Festival @ Myrtle & Maudes in Williamsburg from 12-2 pm (more information to come!)
Read the PTO Newsletter for more information! Please Click HERE for the
District News
- Dr. John VanWagoner's monthly open office hours for community members will be held in person on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 5:00 pm at Horizon Books, 243 E. Front Street, Traverse City, MI 49684. The meeting will be located on the mezzanine level (second floor) of the bookstore.
- The Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) Board of Education will host its next monthly “office hours” in person on Thursday, October 24, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Horizon Books, 243 E. Front Street, Traverse City, MI 49684. The meeting will be located on the mezzanine level (second floor) of the bookstore. TCAPS Board office hours provide community members with the opportunity to talk to a school board trustee. This month, Trustee Newman-Bale is scheduled to attend.
TCAPS Montessori Adolescent Community Student News
Dear AC Families,
Please use this link to access news and events from the AC community. The drive will be updated on a monthly basis.
La Clase de Espanol
Community Resources & Important Links
School Hours
CASA - 8th Grade:
Start Time: 8:15
End Time: 3:12
Half-Day Dismissal: 11:22
Early Release Dismissal: 1:12
Toddler Program:
Start Time: 7:50-8:30
End Time: 2:30-3:00
Morning Session End Time: 11:00
Afternoon Session Start Time: 12:00
Half-Day Dismissal: 11:00
Early Release Dismissal: 1:00
TCAPS Montessori School
Email: ruckertr@tcaps.net
Website: https://www.tcaps.net/schools/elementary-schools/montessori/
Location: TCAPS Montessori School, Franke Road, Traverse City, MI, USA
Phone: 231-933-6420
Facebook: facebook.com/TCAPSMontessori
YouTube: TCAPS Montessori YouTube Channel
X: @TRuckerTCAPSmo