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Dear Sterling Montessori School Parents,
First of all, I would like to congratulate our Middle School
Choir and Sue Anne Wright, their Director. The choir participated in a
competition in Washington D.C. called America Sings. They practiced many hours
and sponsored various fundraising activities to fund this trip. I had the
privilege of hearing them prior to their departure and they were great. My
congratulations to the Middle School Choir, Sue Ann Wright, and their families
for this fine achievement.
Once again, many thanks to the Parent Faculty Association
(PFA) and all the parents that have donated time and participated in
fundraising to fund the cultural arts presentations this year. The final event
was today. A concert was held at the East Triangle Church, with the North
Carolina Symphony's, woodwind quintet, "Symphony Winds". The students very much
enjoyed them and the music was beautiful. A special thanks to Janet Littlejohn
for planning these wonderful activities.
The LHU Foundation Board of Directors, in the Spring of
2008, began an enthusiastic process to develop a strategic plan that would
guide our school to ensure its future success. Last year extensive meetings
were held to obtain input from all our constituencies: school board, staff, parents,
students and administration. The Sterling Montessori Academy and Charter School
Mission Statement and Guiding Principles have been approved by the LHU
Foundation Board of Directors.
The Mission Statement ad Guiding Principles were presented
to the staff at a meeting in April. Two meetings will be held this month to
present them to our parents. A morning coffee will take place on Thursday, May 14,
2009 at 9:00 A.M. in room A-10. An evening meeting on May 13th from
6:30-7:30 P.M. in C16 will also be held
to present these documents to parents as well as a question and answer session.
Please plan to attend one of these informative sessions.
This month is the final installment of tips for child
development for parents. These suggestions apply to children ages 1 year to 3
years of age- the first half of the First Plane of Development- The Period if
the Absorbent Mind. I hope these ideas have been helpful to parents.
Sincerely,
Bill Zajic
Executive Director
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Developmental Planes
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 Twelve to Eighteen
Months
Avoid interrupting
your child when he/she is focused. Interruptions teach a child to be distracted. Your child's
internal thoughts will cultivate self-discipline, creativity, and positive
perceptions about self and work. During these periods, your child is beginning
to develop knowledge about himself/herself.
Create a new level of
independence in the home when your child begins to walk. Enable your child to care for his/her own needs by showing
him/her in detail how to dress himself, brush his/her teeth, comb his/her hair, bath
himself/herself and set the table. This aids in the development of the will (later resulting
in passion and compassion), self-esteem, and confidence. When learned, these
skills also relieve the parent of a bigger workload. It is important that
certain aspects of the following rooms be accessible to the child: bedroom,
kitchen, play area, and bathroom.
a.)
In the bedroom,
keep clothes in a small armoire or cabinet with easy to open doors. Separate
clothes by dividers or shoeboxes labeled with pictures. Include only a few
seasonal selections in every category of clothing (e.g., pants, shirts, sweaters,
underwear, and socks) so that your child is not inundated with too many
choices. Try to have clothes that are easy to put on, such as pants with
elastic waistbands (zippers require more advanced skill), tops without buttons,
and shoes with large Velcro straps. When making purchases, see if your child
can manipulate the item on his own and test the item to assure that is does not
resist mobility. Hang coat hooks at the child's level. Tie a loop of ribbon
around the labels of your child's sweaters and coats so he/she can hang items on
his/her own. Also, teach your child to put on his/her own jacket by the "tags to toes"
technique- lay the coat on the floor in front of the child with his toes next
to the tag/label of the jacket and show your child how to bend over and slide
his arms into sleeves then swing the jacket over his head. Your child may enjoy
having a mirror to see his outfit. A small hamper is helpful for dirty clothes.
b.)
In the kitchen,
have a low drawer where your child may keep his child sized cutlery, plates,
bowls, cups, pitcher, and placemats that show placement of objects. Try to avoid
plastic items. Put stools by all sinks. One way to help teach your child cold
from hot is to place blue and red rubber bands on faucet handles.
c.)
Be cautious about the number of toys in the play area. Organize items where they
are visible and accessible. Refrain from using toy boxes because external order
will lead to your child's internal order. A low bookshelf is a good way to
display toys in small baskets or trays. At this age, your child will habituate
quickly to toys, so rotate the toys every few weeks to keep your child
interested and engaged. Try to use your child's interest in novelty to teach
him/her about objects and the world around him/her.
d.)
In the bathrooms,
place stools by the sinks and again use rubber bands to signify water temperatures.
Have a child-sized potty. It will also be helpful to make toilet accessible to
your child by putting a stool in front of the toilet and having a potty ring on
the toilet seat to narrow its opening. Have small towels for bathing on hooks
at your child's height,. A small bowl, cup, or basket near the sink is a good
way to store the toothbrush and toothpaste.
Offer your child a potty
when he starts walking. Keeping detailed notes of urination times may help
you guide your child to the potty when needed. Other than in the bathroom, you
may want to have a potty in a central location where your child spends the most
time (e.g., the family room). Be aware that is may be easier for your child to
pull down cotton underwear than a diaper when attempting to use the potty.
Diapers also whisk away moisture so your child may not be aware when he is wet.
Avoid rewards (e.g., gold stars, candy, etc.) and punishments when potty
training. Your child will use the potty when he is ready if it is easily
accessible. This independence will add to his growing self-confidence.
Stop your child's
disorderly behavior and redirect his energy whenever it arises. It is
important that this be handled firmly, but kindly. Does not shame or humiliate
your child. At this age, this can often be done by distracting the child and
diverting his attention to other matters. When your child is having a conflict
with another child, verbalize the issue in a simple, short, non-judgmental
fashion to help resolve it.
Eighteen Months to
Three Years
Understand that your
child may prefer to play alone or parallel play (I.e. play in the same area
with another child but not directly interface). Your child may prefer to
interact with an adult instead of other children. Be aware that older
siblings/children may be frustrated by this orientation.
Provide limits and
structure for your child. For your child to feel secure, he must experience
clear, consistent and appropriate expectations, guidelines, feedback and
enforcement/follow-through. It is important that parents agree on these and the
rules that they establish. In addition, the rules should be consistent with the
parents' values so the enforcement of the rules will not be problematic. A child
should be presented with advanced warning of changes, either to limits or
circumstances, which may lead to an act of parental enforcement. When not
adhering to established limits, a child should be given choices regarding how
to proceed and a firm but kind stance in the enforcement procedure.
Limit television
watching, even in the background. The American Academy of Pediatrics
recommends that children two and under should not be exposed to television.
Television viewing may be harmful to language development, motor development
(because of lack of physical exercise), nutrition (due to advertisements that
promote food without nutritional value), focus/concentration (due to the
fast-paced nature of the programming), social intelligence, creativity, and
internal motivation. Recent research has
indicated that young brains have "mirror neurons" which cause a child to "experience"
actions and emotions that are witnessed. In the instance of TV viewing, a
child's brain may be literally experiencing the situations and emotions conveyed
(e.g., violence and aggression). When exposed, this experience is being
absorbed during your child's most vulnerable period of development. Television
programs and commercials may also create a sense of envy for status and
material possessions. Television may cause difficulty for your child to discern
the difference between his wants and his needs.
Honor your child's work, ability to focus on details, and
growing concentration by not correcting or interrupting him. Doing otherwise
creates a dependence on adults and a loss of confidence in his abilities. For
instance, refrain from commenting on unmatched clothes, inside out shirts,
shoes on wrong feet, and the like. Instead, ask if your child is comfortable,
and offer help if necessary.
Have your child share
in the household work. This may include activities such as washing dishes,
cooking, dusting, sweeping the floor, folding clothes, and watering plants.
Showing your child how to participate as a productive member of the family and
community sends an important message about his value and the importance of his
contributions. Make sure cleaning supplies are non-toxic (e.g., vinegar and
water for washing windows). Use child sized items when possible including
brooms, mops, whisk brooms, watering cans, buckets, sponges, and towels. In the
kitchen make available a cutting board, knife (use only under adult
supervision), colander, vegetable peeler, mini grater, juicer etc.
Have a designated
place for everything used by the child and teach your child to return items
when his tasks are completed.
Remember, external order promotes internal order. Have small baskets and trays to display toys,
tools, and work with just a few small items per basket. Simplify and store extra
toys in the closet to be rotated every two weeks.
Promote language and
emotional development by engaging in meaningful conversation using specific,
accurate speech and precise vocabulary.
Be sure to listen and elaborate on
what your child is saying. Other important ways to promote language
development are through eating meals together and exploring nature
together.
Set up a reading area.
Have 4 or 5 nicely illustrated, well-written, non-fiction books displayed
with covers facing your child (children have a hard time recognizing books by
their spines). Incorporate reading time into everyday routine. Let everyone
have a chance to read. If your child is not reading, ask him if he wants to
tell a story from a book he knows.
Have an arts and
crafts area where there is a low table and accessible art supplies. Art
activities promote creativity as well as the development of fine motor skills, perceptual
organization, sequencing, and analytic thinking. Organize the art area with
only a few choices per medium (e.g., paper sorted by color, colored pencils,
clay, glue, scissors, collage materials, beads with big holes, etc.). An outside art easel may be used for painting with
fingers or brushes. Have your child get into the habit of wearing an apron.
This is not only protects the clothes, but signifies the importance of the
activity and denotes a start and a finish to it.
Have an area for
developing large motor skills. You may want to consider the following:
obstacle courses, balance beams, tricycles, scooters, small trampolines with
handles etc. Outdoor play structures are also good.
Dedicate an area to
music. Your child will love to make his own music and listen and dance to
CD's. It would be best if the CD player was operable by your child.
Enjoy nature
together. At this age, your child can walk up to two miles (usually a child
can walk his age in miles). Spend time outdoors exploring plants, insects, and
rocks. Your child will be fascinated by what the world has to offer. Please
follow your child's pace.
Do not explain things
in too much detail. Your child is in the sensorial period of learning is optimized
by hands on experiences.
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End of Grade/End of Course Testing (EOG/EOC)
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EOG/EOC testing is almost
here. All students in grade 3-8 will
take EOG tests in math and reading. This
will be done June 2,3, and 4th.
Students in grades 5 and 8 will also take a science EOG. This will be done on Friday, June 5. Middle School students that are taking
Algebra or Geometry with Mr. Bert will also be taking an end-of-course test on
Tuesday, June 9. All makeups and retests
will be done the last 2 weeks of school.
NEW
RETESTING POLICY: All students in grades 3-8 who score Achievement Level II
on the first administration of the end-of-grade reading and mathematics
assessments must be administered Retest 1.
All students at grades 5 and 8 who score Achievement Level II on the
first administration of the end-of-grade science must be administered Retest
1. Students in grades 7 or 8 who score
Achievement Level II on the first administration of their end-of-course exam
(i.e. algebra, geometry) will not have to retest. Parents are NOT allowed to opt out of Retest
1 for Level II students. Parents of
students who score Achievement Level I MAY REQUEST that their children
participate in Retest 1. If your child
scores a Level I, we will send you a letter informing you of this information
and allowing you the option of having them retake the test.
Please contact Carrie Smith, 462-8889
x318, if you have any questions in regards to these tests or the new retesting
policy.
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Grant Reviews
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The 2009 Sterling Montessori
Continuous Improvement Performance Plan update and the IDEA (Individual's
Disabilities Education Act), VIB & Sliver
Grants, are available for review. If interested, please contact Nevine
Elshiekh at extension 459 or email nevineelshiekh@sterlingmontessori.org
to schedule an appointment.
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Summer Camps
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 Due to the lack of participation
for summer camps, we are sad to announce that we are forced to cancel all the
summer camps with the exception of the Academic Enrichment Camp which still
requires an additional 4 students, or it too shall be cancelled. We have extended
the Academic Enrichment Enrollment until Friday, May 8, 2009 to recruit
additional students. This camp is designed for rising Kindergarten and 1st
grade students only. For additional information, or to register for this camp,
contact Ms Marie Molin or Ms. Ursula Thompson. Refunds for deposits paid will
be mailed to those who previously registered. Again, we are sorry for the
cancellation. Contact Gena Jallad for a listing of people who are willing to
provide babysitting services throughout the summer.
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Next Semester
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 It has been an exciting month for
the members of the Middle School Chorus. They gave an outstanding performance
of American music in Washington, DC at the America Sings Festival. In addition to giving their own performance, the chours joined 2300 other singers to perform four pieces in a mass concert. The festival was held on the National
Mall, facing the Washington monument. The entire event was
outstanding. Thank you to all who bought popsicles and Singing Valentine
Grams. A special thank you to the PFA for funding the van for the
trip.
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From the LHU Board
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I hope all of you have had a chance to review the
2008-2012 Strategic Plan that has been adopted. If not, I encourage you to
review the Plan on our website and share in the excitement around our direction
in the months and years ahead. On April 21st, the LHU Board presented the
Strategic Plan to the staff and discussed its integration into the life of the
school. The Mission Statement and Guiding Principles will be posted in each
classroom and in public spaces around campus next week. Each teacher will be
reviewing the Plan with their students. On May 13th and 14th, staff and parents
will be invited to Community Sessions during which members of the Board will
present the Strategic Plan and encourage discussion about plans for the future.
Finally, all members of the Sterling community
will be encouraged to attend the End of Year Picnic where we will celebrate our
accomplishments as a community, and review the proposed Master Plan and
timeline for campus-wide improvements.
At the regular session of the LHU
Board on April 21st, Lilly Skok Bunch, our partner who led Sterling
through the Strategic Planning process, presented a report on a benchmark study
that summarized strategies that other Charter Schools use to fund their capital
expansions. Lilly is now working on establishing a constituent management
system for Sterling which captures contact
information for all families who have been involved with Sterling over the last nine years. This system is an integral step in expanding
our development efforts to include all Sterling
families, past and present, and to create a way to communicate with them.
I'm thrilled to announce that the
Board has unanimously voted to appoint Terri Hegeman as a Director on the LHU
Board. Terri is a Major Gifts Officer at the Office of University Development
at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Terri will chair the Development Committee that will be responsible for raising private philanthropic support to ensure
continued growth and development of the school without impact to the
operational budget. Please join me in welcoming Terri!
Regards,
Sharmila Bristol
President, LHU Board
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Outstanding Student Acheivement
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Two of our students, Emily Fennell
and Sara Littlejohn have completed their Girl Scout Silver Award as of April 30th,
2009. This is the highest award bestowed
up the Cadette Girl Scout, and they will be presented their awards at a
banquet on May 19th, 2009. Each scout contributed more than 40 hours of service
to a specific segment of the community.
Emily's project included speaking
engagements to talk about domestic violence with peers and adults (covering the
warning signs, where to go to help, and what you can do to help others); and
involving others through a call for jewelry donations for Interact and making jewelry
to sale at the Interact store and making hemp bracelet kits for donation to the
women and teens at Interact.
Sara's project also focused on
helping people that have been victims of domestic violence. Her project
included helping the children at Interact by involving her peers in making bead
animal jewelry kit donations, where she created detailed instructions for the
kits. Sara also made a call for jewelry donations to Interact, and spoke
with her friends about the impact that domestic violence has on children.
Congratulations Emily and Sara.
Sterling is very proud to have students such as yourselves as a part of our
school and community!
Interact of Wake County is a private, non-profit, United Way agency that
provides safety, support, and awareness to victims and survivors of domestic
violence and rape/sexual assault. Interact fulfills this mission through the
support of its volunteers and community.
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Sterling's Film Festival
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Sterling's Film Festival
10th annual Sterling Film Fest 2009
When: June 18th
Time: 6:30 PM
Where: East Triangle
Church, 1000 Perimeter Park.
Needs: For a movie scene I am looking for any braces, crutches, wheelchairs or
anything else that a person would use who is injured.
Contact : Mr. Russ in
C7 or email questions to HolySmokes1988@aol.com.
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