TCAPS Montessori Weekly Reader:
HOWL Everyday with Harmony, Optimism, Wisdom & Leadership!
September 27, 2024 Head of School News & Notes
Dear Montessori Timberwolves Families and Friends,
Next week, we will have our annual Move-a-Thon/Field Day at the West Middle School field. This is also the state count day for pupil accounting. It is not only a fun day to attend school, but it also helps us with our state funding allocations as a school district. We are grateful to our PTO and Mr. Reichenbach for helping us put this event together for our school community.
On Thursday, October 3, we will have our first early release day of this school year. Dismissal time will be 1:12. Please follow your same end-of-day procedures—just two hours earlier!
Enjoy this last weekend in September,
Tracy Rucker
Head of School
A Montessori Minute
Why Mixed Age Groups?
There are many advantages to mixed age classrooms. To begin with they encourage the collaboration between older students with younger students. This creates multiple benefits. Older students have a chance to see themselves in the mentor role, no matter what their “status” might be relative to their own peers. Also, younger students are often more motivated to learn from older students than they are from adults.
Multiage classrooms also provide the opportunity for students to experience the same environment for multiple years (in the case of Montessori this is typically three years). This allows for a closer relationship between the student and his or her teachers. It can be easier to create a positive classroom culture when there are returning students who are able to “show the ropes” to the incoming students.
Updates & Reminders
UPCOMING CALENDAR EVENTS
- Volunteering in our School: We invite community members to share their time and talents with our students by becoming volunteers in our schools, on field trips, etc. Your child’s lead guide, or our PTO, will be reaching out in the next couple of weeks to begin opportunities for volunteering. All adult (over 18 years of age) volunteers must go through a background check for the safety of all students.
- Volunteers are asked to review the Volunteer page on the district's website and read the Volunteer Standards of Conduct.
- Volunteers are asked to complete the online volunteer application form.
- Once the form has been completed, volunteers can expect to hear back in 1-2 business days, after submission, from TCAPS Human Resources Department.
- If there are any questions about the volunteer approval process, please contact Luke VanHouten at 231-933-1710 or vanhoutelu@tcaps.net.
- From the AC Community: Last Friday your student received a free sample of popcorn from the Adolescent Community’s Red Cedar Popcorn Co. This business endeavor is a key component of Dr. Montessori’s adolescent plan: “In order for the adolescents to acquire social experience, society must build the right sort of environment...where he can have effective experience of every aspect of social life.” Dr. Montessori recognized that young adults are learning their place in society and part of that is learning how to earn and spend money responsibly.
- Beginning today, popcorn is $1 per bag. You may choose to send money each week for your student to purchase popcorn from our pop-up stand, or prepay and join our subscription service to guarantee that your child never misses out on a Friday. Subscriptions will be delivered to your student's class and you will get several free bonus bags!
- Red Cedar Popcorn Co. will donate 10% of their gross weekly sales to a classroom in our school community beginning with Mrs. Hall’s class (9/27/24). Additionally, 10% of net sales each semester will be donated to a community non-profit selected by the adolescents.
- September 16 - October 4, NWEA Fall Assessment Window
- October 2, Count Day & Move-a-Thon/Field Day
- October 3, Early Release Day (1 of 7) Dismissal at 1:12 pm
- 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 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:
Move-a-Thon 2024 is fast approaching! The school-wide goal this year is to raise at least $10,000 – which helps pay for field trips, student enrichment activities, and classroom needs for the year. If every student raises just $30 we will meet the goal. Thanks in advance for helping out.
Instructions and pledge forms were already sent home. The PTO asks that you consider inviting friends, family, or businesses to sponsor your child’s Move-a-thon. Please return your child’s pledge form -- with or without pledges -- by Monday, September 30th. (The form says by Sept 27th, but you get an extra weekend because the forms went out later than planned). Classes will spend 20 minutes racking up laps on the move-a-thon track, then we’ll head over to Mr. Reichenbach’s Field Day stations for even more fun!
Families are encouraged to come cheer us on from the stands; or to sign up for a volunteer spot down on the field.
Read the PTO Newsletter for more information! Please Click HERE for the
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