Brickton's Holiday Cookie Exchange! Moms and Dads, please join us in ROOM 106 for an Old Fashioned Cookie Exchange! Bring 3 to 4 dozen of your favorite homemade cookies, exchange them with friends, and leave with a fantastic cookie jar to enjoy!
Please bring a container to carry your cookies home. Tuesday, December 20th, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Please RSVP to sara.gregory@brickton.org Geography Bee Monday is our annual Geography Bee for Upper Elementary and Middle School. The winner will take a qualifying test to participate at the state level. We wish all of Upper Elementary and Middle School students good luck! Spirit Day The 25th Anniversary Spirit Wear has arrived. To celebrate, Tuesday, December 20th, will be Spirit Day at Brickton. Wear your favorite Brickton gear (old and new). Winter Break Brickton’s Winter Break begins Wednesday, December 21st. School starts back Thursday, January 5th. Enjoy your time off! Brickton’s Annual Alumni Event Brickton’s Annual Alumni Event will be Friday, January 6th, from 7 – 9 PM at Whirlyball Chicago (1880 W. Fullerton). All former students (ages 12 and up) and current 7th and 8th grade students are invited to attend. Please pass this message along to any Brickton alumni you know!
RSVP to Sara Gregory at 773-714-0646 or sara.gregory@brickton.org. Winter Extracurricular Classes Check out our new and returning classes for this Winter’s Extracurricular Classes. Download the form here.
Featured Blog Each month we will feature a couple of blogs so that you can see what’s going on in other parts of the school. This week, we are featuring the Middle School Blog, which is written by the students! middleschoolprogram.posterous.com (password: brickton) Breakfast with Santa Breakfast with Santa was a success! We would like to thank all the crafters and bakers who donated to the event, Meredith Gregory (a Brickton alumnus!) who took photos, Joe Somers (Brickton parent) for his special lighting, and Christina Calderon and Sydney Delin (Brickton alumni!) for helping Santa. A VERY SPECIAL thank you to Santa for stopping by and taking pictures with all our Brickton students. Some photos from the event are displayed on the bulletin board and the slide show below, but if you would like to download a picture from the event, go to http://tinyurl.com/breakfastwithsanta2011 (you will need to use the password: brickton).
Did you miss a book at the Scholastic Book Fair? Didn't get enough books at the Scholastic Book Fair? Forgot to pick up that one favorite book for your student? Rushed to school only to realize the fair had already closed for the day? No worries! We have a great new solution this year--The Scholastic Online Book Fair Extension Sale. Visit www.scholastic.com/schoolbookfairs/2913433 between December 9th, through December 20th, to purchase additional books and items from our book fair. Books will be delivered to the school after the Winter Break. A percentage of these sales, as well as the in-school book fair sales, fund Upper Elementary field trips and materials. And we love to encourage reading by bringing so many different kinds of books to your families! Don’t forget to check out the Classroom Wish Lists on the middle doors of the Great Room! Order these books online and donate them to your child’s classroom library. Manna Orders Due Friday Manna orders are due Friday, December 9, with card pick up next week. Manna cards make holiday gift giving easy, and offer something for every age and interest. Let your shopping benefit the Middle School and your tuition bill, and never pay a fee!
Order online or with hard copy at the business office. Please contact kathleen.kasser@brickton.org with any questions, and thanks for your support. Brickton's Holiday Cookie Exchange! Moms and Dads, please join us in the Great Room for an Old Fashioned Cookie Exchange! Bring 3 to 4 dozen of your favorite homemade cookies, exchange them with friends, and leave with a fantastic cookie variety to enjoy!
Please bring a container to carry your cookies home. Tuesday, December 20th, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Please RSVP to sara.gregory@brickton.org Upcoming Dates: Friday, December 9th: Club Day/Conferences
Wednesday, December 21st: First Day of Winter Break
Thursday, January 5th: First Day back after Winter Break Save the Date! Brickton’s Annual Alumni Event will be Friday, January 6th, from 7 – 9 PM at Whirlyball Chicago (1880 W. Fullerton). All former students (ages 12 and up) and current 7th and 8th grade students are invited to attend. Please pass this message along to any Brickton alumni you know!
RSVP to Sara Gregory at 773-714-0646 or sara.gregory@brickton.org.
An Interview with one of Brickton’s Founding Members 25 years ago, when Brickton first opened its doors, it did so with the help and guidance of some very important people, the Founding Members. Each month, we highlight a Founding Member as someone who made a significant impact on our school. To them, we say thank you with appreciation for their courage and spirit.
Brickton's Holiday Cookie Exchange! Moms and Dads, please join us in the Great Room for an Old Fashioned Cookie Exchange! Bring 3 to 4 dozen of your favorite homemade cookies, exchange them with friends, and leave with a fantastic cookie variety to enjoy!
Please bring a container to carry your cookies home in. Tuesday, December 20th, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Please RSVP to sara.gregory@brickton.org
Scholastic Book Fair Our Scholastic Book Fair is this Monday, December 5, through Thursday, December 8. In preparation for this Book Fair, we are asking for volunteers to help set up on Saturday, December 3, at 1:00 PM. It is not a huge job but requires as much help as possible. With enough help, the work is over in about 45 minutes. This is such a successful fund raiser for our Upper Elementary students, and it all begins with an inviting set up. (Those of you who attend Breakfast With Santa are welcome to join us afterwards.) If you would like to volunteer, please email Erica (erica.lane@brickton.org) or John (john.huber@brickton.org) in the 9-12 classroom.
Off to Nature’s Classroom The Middle School students are headed off to Nature’s Classroom for a week. Nature’s Classroom Institute is a residential environmental education facility where students participate in a variety of activities along with students from other Montessori schools across the Midwest. It is an exciting opportunity for Brickton Montessori School students who attend Nature’s Classroom for one week each year in the 9-12 program and 2 weeks each year in the Middle School program.
Spanish Hannah Birdsall, our Children's House and Lower Elementary Spanish teacher, has resigned with her last day on Monday, November 28. We are currently in the process of securing a replacement with a goal to hire someone to start when we return from Winter Break. In the interim, we shall continue to expose the children to Spanish culture in our classroom environments.
Manna Orders Due Friday Manna orders are due this Friday, December 2, with card pick up Wednesday, December 6. Ordering is easy, online or through the business office, with the added benefit of a tuition credit on every card you purchase. We'll have a final Manna order for 2011 next Friday, December 9, with card pickup the following Wednesday, December 13. Thanks for your support of this important fundraiser!
Midwest Academic Talent Search Congratulations to Brickton Students!
Each year, the Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS) conducts an annual search for current fifth through eighth grade students who scored at or above the 90th percentile in specific math and/or verbal areas of a nationally normed achievement test. The Brickton Montessori School students who are eligible to participate this year, based on tests administered in January, 2011 or past participation, are: Class of 2015: Julia Deane, Simone Leinenweber Class of 2014: Alex Contursi, Tayler Sain, Morgan Wolfe Class of 2013: Sean Arnoldt, Kira Barrett, Joseph Ergastolo, Tyler Flechs Class of 2012: Max Balster, Camden Cortes, Patrick Criel, Isabelle Rowland Weiss Class of 2011: Mary Clare Frawley, Lily Goodman, Aidan Hardy, Susanne Wiecek
These students can elect to take an out-of-level test designed to provide more information about their math and/or verbal abilities. They will receive certificates of recognition and a listing of summer and academic year programs designed especially for students with high verbal and/or math scores. Further information about this program can be found at www.ctd.northwestern.edu.
Pool Noodles Needed! Kerry Santefort, our gym teacher, will be running a fun new extracurricular class and needs pool noodles! Do you have any left over from your summer vacation lying around? We need 8 more. Please bring in any pool noodles you have!
A Special Message from Debbie Kelley Each year I’m asked to write something special for the Thanksgiving Edition of the Brickton Weekly and each year I feel pressured to write a poignant and evocative piece. This year, I found inspiration in a Google search. I typed in thanksgiving, gratitude, funny, video and, thinking of this year’s special anniversary, headed to the 25th page of search results. I landed upon an article from last year’s Huffington Post, which compiled “prayers of thanks and gratitude from theologians and philosophers, poets and playwrights, East and West, religious and secular.”
These words stood out to me:
In the spirit of humility we give thanks for all that is. We thank the great spiritual beings who have shared their wisdom. We thank our ancestors who brought us to where we are now. We are grateful for the opportunity to walk this planet, to breathe the air, to taste the food, to experience sensations of a human body/mind, to share in this wonder that is life. We are grateful for the natural world that supports us, for the community of humankind that enables us to do many wondrous things. We are grateful that we are conscious, that as intelligent beings we can reflect upon the many gifts we have been given.
--Unknown
This is one of over 20 expressions of gratitude included in this article. Check it out and find one that speaks to you.
Happy Thanksgiving! Debbie Kelley
Thank you, Brickton! Brickton has its share of visitors. Alumni stop in from time to time to visit the school and their teachers and rekindle fond memories of the past. Meghan, a student who was here for only a short time, came to Brickton for an observation. She is currently working on her Montessori certification and thought of us when she needed to observe at a school.
Featured Blog Each month we will feature a couple of blogs so that you can see what’s going on in other parts of the school. This week, we are featuring the Children’s House Room 103 blog.
childrenshouse103.posterous.com (password: brickton) Spirit Wear Due TODAY Turn in your Spirit Wear orders TODAY! We will not be accepting any orders after the Thanksgiving Break.
Breakfast with Santa Join us for our Annual Breakfast with Santa! Tickets are on sale now and available in the Main Office. When: Saturday, December 3, 2011, from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm Where: Hanging Gardens Banquet Hall 8301 W. Belmont River Grove, IL BAKERS AND CRAFTERS NEEDED: The Breakfast with Santa celebration features a Craft and Bake Sale Table. Please help us by donating homemade treats and crafts. Please contact Jackie Toro with any questions (jackie.toro@brickton.org).
Middle School Transition Breakfast Parents of 5th and 6th year Upper Elementary students are cordially invited to attend Brickton’s Transition to Middle School Breakfast. An invitation was sent to your home address.
When: Thursday, December 1, 2011, from 8:30 – 10:30 AM Where: Great Room Who: Parents of 5th and 6th year Upper Elementary students (or any parent who is interested in learning about what we have to offer!) Light breakfast and beverages will be provided.
Alumni News Three of Brickton’s Alumni just made First Block Honor Roll at Trinity High School. These outstanding girls earned First Honors, which means they each have a GPA of 3.75/4 or above. Congratulations! Ruby Daly (Brickton Class of 2008) Monica Garcia (Brickton Class of 2008) Claire McDonald (Brickton Class of 2009)
An Interview with one of Brickton’s Founding Members 25 years ago, when Brickton first opened its doors, it did so with the help and guidance of some very important people, the Founding Members. Each month, we’d like to highlight a Founding Member as someone who made a significant impact on our school. To them, we say thank you with appreciation for their courage and spirit.
Breakfast with Santa Join us for our Annual Breakfast with Santa! Tickets go on sale Monday, November 14th, and are available in the Main Office. When: Saturday, December 3, 2011, from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm Where: Hanging Gardens Banquet Hall 8301 W. Belmont River Grove, IL BAKERS AND CRAFTERS NEEDED: The Breakfast with Santa celebration features a Craft and Bake Sale Table. Please help us by donating homemade treats and crafts. Please contact Jackie Toro with any questions (jackie.toro@brickton.org).
Spirit Wear Orders Don’t miss out on your Anniversary Spirit Wear! Turn in your order forms and payment by Tuesday, November 22. That’s next Tuesday!
Affy Tapples are Coming The Middle School is selling TAFFY APPLES! Special orders are due by Friday November 18, at 5pm. There are order forms outside of each classroom and on the bulletin boards. Special orders will be available for pick up after 12pm on Monday, November 21. TAFFY APPLES will also be available, in the main lobby, on Monday and Tuesday.
Free Money for Brickton There are two large green paper recycling bins in Brickton’s parking lot (one in the west lot and one in the east lot). Each month, the paper in these bins is picked up and processed, and Brickton receives a check. Free money! This month, we received a check for $18.42 and saved 4.96 cubic yards of landfill space. Thank you to everyone who has dropped off paper.
Extracurricular Classes Students are having a blast in our Fall Extracurricular Classes! Thank you parent volunteers for Lego Club and Running Club for your hard work. Stay tuned for details on Art Club and Sports Club which will be offered in the Spring Session.
Alumni News – Lily at Roycemore JST (January Short Term) is a unique course Roycemore offers: Each student submits a proposal for an independent project and presents it to the JST board (made up of some students and teachers and the headmaster at Roycemore) for approval. Then for the month of January, instead of going to class everyday, students work on their thesis. They then come back at the end of the month and “defend” their work through a presentation to the same JST board members. Lily (Class of 2011) has put together a proposal with a friend on photography.
Lily’s proposal is going to many of the different Chicago neighborhoods and doing a portrait of a person from each neighborhood by “interviewing” with a short series of questions. She intends to show that although people come from different ethnicities and different economic circumstances, we are all basically the same in terms of our hopes and dreams for ourselves/family.
We look forward to hearing more about your project, Lily!
Featured Blog Each month we will feature a couple of blogs so that you can see what’s going on in other parts of the school. This week, we are featuring the Lower Elementary Program Blog.
Upper Elementary Transition Breakfast Parents of 2nd and 3rd year Lower Elementary students are cordially invited to attend Brickton’s Transition to Upper Elementary Breakfast. An invitation was sent to your home address.
When: Thursday, November 17, 2011, from 8:30 – 10:30 AM Where: Great Room Who: Parents of 2nd and 3rd year Lower Elementary students (or any parent who is interested in learning about what we have to offer!) Light breakfast and beverages will be provided.
Spirit Wear Orders Don’t miss out on your Anniversary Spirit Wear! Turn in your order forms and payment by Tuesday, November 22.
Breakfast with Santa Join us for our Annual Breakfast with Santa! Tickets go on sale Monday, November 14th, and are available in the Main Office.
When: Saturday, December 3, 2011, from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm Where: Hanging Gardens Banquet Hall 8301 W. Belmont River Grove, IL
The Breakfast with Santa celebration features a Craft and Bake Sale Table. Please help us by donating homemade treats and crafts. Please contact Jackie Toro with any questions (jackie.toro@brickton.org).
Salvation Army Food Drive Please help us donate a bountiful amount of food to needy families this Thanksgiving. Drop your non-perishable food items in the box outside your child’s classroom. In celebration of our 25th Anniversary, our goal is to get at least 25 items per classroom. Most needed items are:
instant mashed potatoes canned veggies canned ham cereal peanut butter pasta pasta sauce
A Message from the Business Office Did you know that you can select the payment date when you pay your invoices online? It’s fast, free, and easy! Save time and paper by paying online – When you get your next invoice, follow the link to make a payment.
25 People Answer 1 Important Question Each month, Brickton will ask 25 people the same question and show you their answers here in the Weekly. It’s one of the great ways we are celebrating our 25th school year. This month’s question to parents:
What is your favorite thing about Brickton?
Halloween Celebrations Thank you to all the volunteers who participated in Trunker Treating and the parents who helped out in the classrooms after the parade. We also want to thank the staff of Red Mane who dress up every year and pass out candy as our students parade through their office.
Below is a slide show of pictures from our Halloween Celebrations!
Spirit Wear Orders! Don’t miss our on your Anniversary Spirit Wear! Turn in your order forms and payment by Tuesday, November 22.
Alumni News Clare and Lily (Class of 2011) are excelling at Roycemore School. We just got word that both girls made the honor roll and Lily was awarded the highest honors. Congratulations, girls! Keep it up!
Know any Brickton Alumni? We want to expand out Alumni Community and we need your help. If you are in contact with any of Brickton’s alumni, please let Sara Gregory (sara.gregory@brickton.org) or Deb DeYoung (debdy1256@sbcglobal.net) know. We would like to collect contact information so that we can include our Alumni in what’s going on at Brickton.
Move-a-Thon It’s never too late to turn in your Move-a-Thon money! Just drop it off in the Main Office. Thank you to all who have participated so far. We’ve raised over $4,000!
LOST Red Mane reports that after our Trick or Treaters left on Monday, they found a key ring with one single key and a 4 GB thumb drive. If it is yours, please see Margaret at Red Mane.
Featured BlogEach month we will feature a couple of blogs so that you can see what’s going on in other parts of the school. This week, we are featuring the Children’s House Room 101 Blog. childrenshouse101.posterous.com (password: brickton) A Special Message from Brickton’s Board of Directors
Drop off a Quarter!This year’s Annual Fund is extra special because we’re celebrating our 25th school year. The theme is 25 More for Brickton. We’re getting the students involved with a “Quarter Drive.” Donate your quarters to celebrate Brickton’s quarter of century! The quarter deposit jar will be in the lobby. 25 cents for Brickton makes good sense! Sign our Annual Fund BoardWe want you to tell the Brickton Community why YOU give to Brickton’s Annual Fund. Please stop by and leave us a short note on Brickton’s bulletin board to let us know why you think it is important to give to the school. Trunker Treating!Do you want to participate in Brickton’s Annual Halloween Parade? You can! Decorate your trunk and pass out (nut-free) candy to the goblins and ghouls just like you would at home. It’s a lot of fun! Trunker Treating begins immediately after the parade, so if you plan to participate, please have your trunk and treats ready to go shortly after 9:00 AM. All parents NOT Trunker Treating should clear the parking lot by 8:30 AM. If you would like to participate in Trunker Treating, please call the main office (773-714-0646) and let Sara Gregory know. Lower Elementary Transition BreakfastParents of 2nd and 3rd year Children’s House students are cordially invited to attend Brickton’s Transition to Lower Elementary Breakfast. An invitation was sent to your home address. When: Thursday, November 3, 2011 from 8:30 – 10:30 AMWhere: Great Room
Who: Parents of 2nd and 3rd year Children’s House students (or any parent who is interested in learning about what we have to offer!) Light breakfast and beverages will be provided. Interviewed Our principal, Debbie Kelley, was interviewed by Ben Calhoun, a producer of This American Life on NPR. The story highlights the Middle School experience and Debbie gave the Montessori perspective. Stay tuned for the full story! Move-a-Thon Wrap UpThe Move-a-Thon has officially come to a close. Please continue to turn in your pledge money to the main office. Thank you to all who participated! Scholastic Book OrdersThe deadline for November Scholastic Book Club orders is here! Online orders must be placed today, Thursday, October 27th, by midnight. Paper orders can be be returned to Sara in the office by Friday at 3:00. Flyers can be found in your parent folders. Teachers will earn a free book pick for every order placed online plus bonus points to order classroom materials.
Scholastic Book Clubs are a convenient and affordable way to strengthen your child’s love for reading while supporting Brickton. Every catalog has an exciting $1 book pick along with numerous books priced under $3. For September, Brickton received 125 new books as a result of parent ordering!
Thank you for your support! Manna Orders Due TomorrowYour chance to place a Manna order is tomorrow, Friday, October 27. Order online at mannaorders.net or get a paper form from the business office and order through Dotty.
Cards will be delivered next Wednesday, November 2. Remember, Manna supports Middle School away trips, and Manna helps pay your tuition.
An Interview with one of Brickton’s Founding Members 25 years ago, when Brickton first opened its doors, it did so with the help and guidance of some very important people, the Founding Members. Each month, we’d like to highlight a Founding Member as someone who made a significant impact on our school. To them, we say thank you with appreciation for their courage and spirit.
Halloween Celebrations – All you need to know! Halloween celebrations at Brickton will be held on Halloween: Monday, October 31st. All children in Children’s House and up are invited to dress up, but no masks are allowed!
Parade: The children and teachers participate in a Halloween parade through the school and then through the neighboring Red Mane office. The parade starts promptly at 9:00 AM.
6-9 and 9-12 students should wear their costumes to school and bring a change of clothes for recess and lunch. The Lower Elementary party will be held in the afternoon, along with the Upper Elementary haunted house.
Children’s House students should wear their costumes over their clothes. Their party will be held immediately following the parade. They will wear their regular clothes for the remainder of the day.
More information will be coming to you from your child’s directress.
Trunker Treating: Trunker Treating is a great way for parents to get involved! You will park in the main parking lot, decorate your trunk for Halloween fun, and pass out candy like you would at home. It’s a lot of fun! Trunker Treating begins immediately after the parade, so if you plan to participate, please have your trunk and treats ready to go shortly after 9:00 AM. All parents NOT Trunker Treating should clear the parking lot by 8:30 AM.
If you would like to participate in Trunker Treating, please call the main office (773-714-0646) and let Sara Gregory know.
Birth Announcement! We missed Kerry, our gym teacher, while she was on maternity leave and we are so pleased to have her back! Her son, Jake Tyler Santefort, was born July 18, 2011. He weighed in at 7 lbs., 14oz., and was 20 inches long. Congratulations to the Santefort family: Mark, Kerry, Kayla, and Isabella.
Featured Blog Each month we will feature a couple of blogs so that you can see what’s going on in other parts of the school. This week, we are featuring the Upper Elementary Program Blog.
Save the Date for Brickton’s Annual Benefit Join us for Brickton’s 25th anniversary Annual Benefit. There will be dinner, dancing, and a silent and live auction.
When: Satuday, March 3rd, evening Where: Victoria Rosemont
Check your parent folder for your official Save the Date Keepsake.
9-12 Students Headed to Nature’s Classroom 9-12 students will be gone next week. They are off to Mukwonago, WI, for a week at Nature’s Classroom Institute, a residential environmental education facility. Students participate in a variety of activities along with students from other Montessori schools across the Midwest. It is a an exciting opportunity for Brickton Montessori School students who attend Nature’s Classroom for one week each year in the 9-12 program and 2 weeks each year in the Middle School Program.
Middle School Students Headed to Sue’s Farm The school is going to be pretty empty with both the 9-12 and Middle School students away for the week. Middle School students are participating in their annual trip to Bob and Sue Volenec’s Dairy Farm in Wisconsin. Sue Volenec, a former Brickton teacher, runs a dairy farm with her husband, which Brickton students have been visiting every year since 1997. She has a wall of fame along her steps to the basement with a “class photo” of each group of Brickton visitors. This experience is unique to Brickton. Students work on the farm, helping to milk cows and feed the calves while 8th grade students participate in “internships” at local farms for part of the day and all students enjoy daily field trips to various sites where they learn more about the farming lifestyle in Wisconsin.
IT’S THE 25TH DAY OF SCHOOL! We’re celebrating with a spirit day. Did you wear your Brickton gear? 25 People Answer 1 Important Question Each month, Brickton will ask 25 people the same question and show you their answers here in the Weekly. It’s one of the great ways we are celebrating our 25th school year. This month’s question:
What is something people should know about Brickton? Move-a-Thon Thank you to everyone who participated in the Move-a-Thon! Pledges are due this Tuesday, October 11th, but you’re welcome to turn them in early and get your family’s name on the participation board! Please turn in your pledge sheets and donations to the main office.
Snack Attack is back! Starting Tuesday, October 11, the Middle School Program will be selling snacks that include chips, animal crackers, string cheese, pretzels, fruit snacks, and more! They will also have beverages, like juice boxes, vitamin water, chocolate milk, and many others! All profits go toward the Middle School Program for overnight trips. So, buy a snack for lunch or after a long day of school! Days: Monday through Friday Times: 8-8:30 am, 11:45 am – 12:00 pm, 3-4pm
Interested in using your artistic skills? Do you have a special skill or interest in art? Would you like to work with Elementary through Middle School students (6-14 years old) on specific art projects? Take this survey to let us know how you’d like to get involved!
Information Coffee Alert your interested friends, neighbors, and family members of our upcoming Information Coffee Thursday, October 13th, from 9-10:30 am. This is a great opportunity for prospective families to learn more about the Montessori philosophy, tour the school, and get answers to their questions. RSVP to molly.arnoldt@brickton.org
Featured Blog Each month we will feature a couple of blogs so that you can see what’s going on in other parts of the school. This week, we are featuring Debbie Kelley’s blog, Revisiting Montessori Education.
Happy Anniversary from AMS The American Montessori Society (AMS) sends out a quarterly magazine with information for Montessori professionals. This month, they highlighted AMS-member schools achieving “significant anniversary milestone[s].” Check out our spot on this list! Thank you, AMS!
Manna Orders Due Friday, September 30 Manna Gift Cards are a great opportunity to support Middle School overnight trips and to help pay your Brickton tuition. Easy ordering is available online or with Dotty in the business office (dotty.schweitzer@brickton.org). The next order is due this Friday, September 30, and cards will be distributed next Wednesday, October 5.
Spirit Day! Next Thursday, October 6th, is Brickton’s first spirit day of the 2011-2012 school year and it’s also the 25th day of school! Please join us in wearing your favorite Brickton gear and showing off your pride for Brickton.
Information Coffee Tell your friends, neighbors, and family: Brickton is hosting an Information Coffee Thursday, October 13, from 9-10:30 am. This is an opportunity for prospective parents to tour the school, get answers to their questions, and meet Debbie Kelley. Please invite new families to join our school. RSVP to molly.arnoldt@brickton.org
Middle School Math Middle School directress Judy Beyer often writes up her observations of the classroom in a way that brings the Montessori experience all together. This week, she wrote an article about Middle School Math. An excerpt is below and the full version of the article is here (you will have to sign into the family site).
“That’s the way learning happens in the Montessori environment, all the way back to the toddler classroom. There, in the beginning, the children choose work and receive presentations to ensure they understand the rules of how to do an activity. Over and over, they revisit materials, constructing a framework of understanding of concepts through the protocol of the prescribed process. Continually, the directress guides each child to new challenges, opening up new territory for discovery. Always, the experience belongs exclusively to the child, for it is during that time of doing by yourself or with a friend that real learning and understanding takes root.”
An Interview with one of Brickton’s Founding Members 25 years ago, when Brickton first opened its doors, it did so with the help and guidance of some very important people, the Founding Members. Each month, we’d like to highlight a Founding Member as someone who made a significant impact on our school. To them, we say thank you with appreciation for their courage and spirit. This month, you may recognize our interviewee, Karen Glab. You have probably seen her around the school as a classroom assistant, but did you know that she was one of the founding members who helped open the school?
Spirit Day Show your Brickton spirit on the 25th day of school, October 6, 2011, by wearing your favorite Brickton gear. Treasure Hunt! Have you been moving? The Move-a-Thon is in full swing and we’d like to invite you to a Move-a-Thon adventure in Catherine Chevalier Forest Preserve this Friday, September 23, at 3:15 PM. This isn’t an ordinary walk through the woods. You will be on the look out for 25 hidden ”treasures” placed along the trail. The event is for all ages. Join us! A New Look You may have noticed a change when you walk in the main entrance. Our front garden has been upgraded with donated plants from parent LaDonna Taylor’s yard. She was changing her landscape and thought these plants would look great in front of Brickton. (We agree!) Thank you to the Duffy/Taylor family for their beautifying contribution. Free Money for Brickton There are two large green paper recycling bins in Brickton’s parking lot (one in the west lot and one in the east lot). Each month, the paper in these bins is picked up and processed, and Brickton receives a check. Free money! This month, we received a check for $18.13 and saved 6.71 cubic yards of landfill space. Thank you to everyone who has dropped off paper.
Featured Blog Each month we will feature a couple of blogs so that you can see what’s going on in other parts of the school. This week, we are featuring the Toddler Program Blog.
The Winner of Who’s Who! Last week we revealed the answers to the Who’s Who game and that afternoon we drew a winner. Three entries got every single answer correct, so we drew from those and the winner was: Heather B. in Children’s House! She gets her pick of a $25 gift card to Starbucks, iTunes, or Toys R Us (although we’re pretty sure she doesn’t drink coffee). Congratulations, Heather!
Block Party The Block Party was great this year despite the intermittent rain. We had two bouncy castles for all of our students, a ton of food, great activities in the Great Room, and, most importantly, a birthday celebration for Brickton complete with birthday cakes frosted and decorated by our students. We are so glad you could attend and join in on the fun. Thank you to our sponsors for their donations of food and the parent volunteers for their hard work putting together this event. A special thanks goes out to Georgia Ferguson for organizing and planning the event.
More pictures are coming!
Great Move-a-Thon Kick Off Thanks to everyone who helped get the Move-a-thon off to a fantastic start! We hope you have been logging your miles and getting lots of sponsors. Please save the date for our next group walk – The Treasure Hunt! – on Friday, September 23, at 3:15 pm. Take a walk with us in the Forest Preserve and find 25 hidden treasures.
The official end date of the Move-a-Thon is Monday, October 3. Get moving!
Spirit Day Show your Brickton spirit on the 25th day of school! Brickton is having a Spirit Day Thursday, October 6th. Wear your Brickton sweatshirts, t-shirts, shorts, or pants to show your Brickton pride!
Calendar Changes We have made a few changes to the calendar. The new dates are listed below:
Friday, May 11 Grandparents Day Band and Chorus (pm)
Saturday, May 12 Art Expo
Thursday, May 17 Middle School Mid-Cycle Meeting- Independent Projects
Friday, May 18th 9-12 Cultural Fair
A New Face Hannah Birdsall is Brickton’s new Spanish teacher for the Children’s House and Lower Elementary. She earned her degree in Childhood Education, Special Education, and Spanish from SUNY Geneseo in New York. She has worked as a teacher at a Saturday School in Rochester, NY for students with emotional and behavioral disabilities and at a private school teaching English in Costa Rica. Most recently, she was a Fulbright Scholar to Madrid, Spain, where she taught English and conducted personal research on Flamenco.
Peace Day Events Wednesday, September 21, 2011, is international Peace Day. Chicago celebrates throughout the month of September with events all over the city. Please view this Peace Day Flyer to find out what’s going on and attend an upcoming event!
Karen Brenner’s Article When Karen Brenner is not developing Montessori experiences for people living with Alzheimer’s, writing, or reading her work on NPR, she taught creative writing to the Upper Elementary and Middle School students and this year will be teaching a writing elective in the Middle School. Over the summer, she and her husband Tom wrote an article published in The Public Montessorian about their work with Alzheimer’s patients. Click here to read more.
Brickton's Holiday Cookie Exchange!
