The Brickton Weekly, May 31, 2012

Reflecting on the Year at Brickton Montessori School
Each month, Brickton has asked 25 people the same question and shown you their answers here in the Weekly. This month, students were asked, “What is your favorite thing you did this year?” Students who can look back and reflect on their learning are better able to make connections with their new learning. What have you learned this year?

Bring your picnic dinner!
This Friday, the Brickton Community will be celebrating its annual end of year Peace Picnic at the Catherine Chevalier Forest Preserve on Bryn Mawr. Please join us and bring the whole family! We will have jump houses, cotton candy, and popcorn for all. Please pack a picnic dinner for your family and join us for the party. (Consider bringing some picnic chairs, a picnic blanket, or something which you can sit on and eat.)

Pajama Day (with a Sparkly Twist)!
as decreed by Tayler and Alex, Co-Principals for a Day
On Wednesday, June 6th, come to school in your comfiest pajamas and your most sparkly bling! That means necklaces, bracelets, rings, pins, you name it. If it’s sparkly, it makes the cut! We will be awarding a prize to 1 boy and 1 girl with the most bling. Who will be Bling King and Sparkle Queen? Only time (and lots of bling) will tell.

Co-Principals for a Day Tayler and Alex will be judging and awarding prizes. They will be searching for the best overall look, which means super comfy pjs and lots of bling. See ya there!

Graduation and Promotion Ceremony
Next week marks the end of the 2011-2012 school year at Brickton Montessori School. Many of our students will be moving up to the next level or graduating and beginning their high school adventures. All will be honored at the Graduation and Promotion Ceremony Thursday evening. Please attend and support the accomplishments of these students.

When: Thursday, June 7, from 7 – 8 pm
Where: The Irish American Heritage Center (Erin Room, Third Floor)
             4626 N. Knox, Chicago, IL 60630

School closes early at 5 pm. Please make arrangements to pick up your
child(ren) at that time.

Summertime Wonder Camp!
Sign your children up for summer camp at Brickton! We have programs for ages 2 through 8th grade, and we are excited to enjoy the summer with your child. Go to www.brickton.org/summer to learn about our awesome summer camp, download enrollment forms, and learn about the great things our students get to do. Don’t forget! You can sign up by the week and choose partial week options for Children’s House and Toddlers!

THANK YOU!
We want to give a BIG BIG thank you to our extracurricular volunteers. The students had a wonderful time in these classes, and we could not have done it without you:

Lego Club: Kristin Mull and Isabelle Rowland Weisz
Running Club: Diane Grassi, Kelly McDermott, and Molly Arnoldt
Art Club: Joe Somers, Jessie Casteel, and Cheryl LaCost

The Brickton Weekly, May 24, 2012

Featured Blog
Each month we will feature a couple of blogs so that you can see Montessori education in action at Brickton. Discover all the opportunities our students have to develop independence and self-confidence. At our school, students take ownership of their learning with joy. This week, we are featuring the Children’s House Blog, Room 101.

childrenshouse101.posterous.com (password: brickton)

 

Chess Winners
The Chess Club at Brickton is one of our most popular extracurricular activities. The room hums with excited students battling it out on the chess board. Each year, they are awarded tournament prizes. This year’s tournament ended in a tie between two second year students, Luka and Mattew. Luka said his favorite part of Chess Club was playing the game and getting awards. Matthew said he likes that chess helps you get smarter and he loves the pizza party!

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
Brickton’s Graduation and Promotion Ceremony will be held on Thursday, June 7th, from 7 – 8PM. The school will close early at 5:00PM. Please make arrangements to pick up your child(ren) by that time.

Where: Irish American Heritage Center (4626 N. Knox)

More details on the Graduation and Promotion Ceremony to follow.

Final Manna Order of the Year
This year's final Manna orders are due this Friday, May 25.  Now is the time to get presents for Father's Day, graduations, and weddings, as well as bowling and movie gift cards, Dick's and Claire's, iTunes and Game Stop cards, Home Depot, Menards, or Sears. Gas and hotel cards make travel plans a breeze!  Manna cards can simplify your summer fun. Card pick up will be Wednesday, May 30. Thanks for your participation in this great fund raiser!

Summertime Wonder Camp!
Sign your children up for summer camp at Brickton! We have programs for ages 2 through 8th grade, and we are excited to enjoy the summer with your child. Go to www.brickton.org/summer to learn about our awesome summer camp, download enrollment forms, and learn about the great things our students get to do. Don’t forget! You can sign up by the week and choose partial week options for Children’s House and Toddlers!

The Brickton Weekly, May 17th, 2012

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 has had a significant impact on our school. To that person, we say thank you with appreciation for your courage and spirit.

Thank you!
Dear Parents and Volunteers,

Thank you so much for the lovely breakfast spread for Staff Appreciation Day. It was delicious. Your support is what keeps the school going, so thank you not only for today’s breakfast but also for all that you do, the time that you sacrifice, and the work you put into making this a great place to work and learn.

Thank you!
The Staff of Brickton Montessori School

Summertime Wonder Camp!
Sign your children up for summer camp at Brickton! We have programs for ages 2 through 8th grade, and we are excited to enjoy the summer with your child. Go to www.brickton.org/summer to learn about our awesome summer camp, download enrollment forms, and discover the great things our students get to do.

Club Day Coming Up
Friday, May 25th, is a Club Day. If you plan on sending your child to school that day, please pre-register with Sara Gregory in the main office at sara.gregory@brickton.org or 773-714-0646, so we can plan accordingly.
Thank you!

Year End Peace Picnic
Please join us for our Annual Year-End Peace Picnic Celebration!

When: Friday, June 1st, from 5:30 – 7:30 pm
Where: Catherine Chevalier Woods (East River Rd. and Bryn Mawr)

Bring a picnic dinner and chairs – we provide the fun! We will have bounce houses, games, special treats, and more! We can’t wait to see you there.

Please take the Year-End Survey
A few days ago we sent you an email requesting your assistance as an important part of our school community assessment. Our request involved completing a survey about the school. If you have completed the survey, thank you! Your views and opinions will greatly help direct the future of the school. If you have not had time to complete the survey, we would encourage you to click on the link below to provide us with your views. The survey will take approximately ten minutes to complete. Please note the following.

• Please review the school's mission statement prior to completing the survey.
  MISSION: We are a community of learners working together to provide a Montessori educational experience that engages and inspires student to become life-long learners and responsible participants in our diverse global community.
  
• Your answers are anonymous and confidential, so please provide your honest opinion. We are using a third party (ISACS survey team) to process the survey and we will not know the identity of any survey participant.
• Please fill out one survey per household.
• You will be able to provide written or narrative comments about your views of our school along with answers to specific questions.
• Please complete the survey as soon as possible. The deadline for completing the survey is Wednesday, May 23rd. (We have extended the deadline.)
• Please contact Erika Bolte (erika.bolte@brickton.org) if you have technical difficulties with the survey.
• Click here to access the online survey.

Thank you for your time and effort with this important initiative. We look forward to learning more about how our constituents view our school community. Your responses will help to enhance the school and plan for the future of the school. Thank you.

Postponed
The playground project originally scheduled for this Saturday has been postponed to the end of the summer.  Please check your email for details and a new date!

The Brickton Weekly, May 10th, 2012

Featured Blog
Each month we will feature a couple of blogs so that you can see Montessori education in action at Brickton. Discover all the opportunities our students have to develop independence and self-confidence. At our school, students take ownership of their learning with joy. This week, we are featuring Head of School Debbie Kelley’s blog, Revisiting Montessori Education. She features articles and links to interesting educational topics related to the growth and efficacy of Montessori education.

revisitingmontessorieducation.posterous.com

End of Year Survey
A few days ago we sent you an email requesting your assistance as an important part of our school community assessment. Our request involved completing a survey about the school. If you have completed the survey, thank you! Your reviews and opinions will greatly help direct the future of the school. If you have not had time to complete the survey, we would encourage you to click on the link below to provide us with your views. The survey will take approximately ten minutes to complete.  Please note the following:

• Please review the school’s mission statement prior to completing the survey. MISSION: We are a community of learners working together to provide a Montessori educational experience that engages and inspires students to become life-long learners and responsible participants in our diverse global community.
• Your answers are anonymous and confidential, so please provide your honest opinion. We are using a third party (ISACS survey team) to process the survey and we will not know the identity of any survey participant.
• You will be able to provide written or narrative comments about your views of our school along with answers to specific questions.
• Please contact Erika Bolte (erika.bolte@brickton.org)
• Click on the link provided to access the online survey

Thank you for your time and effort with this important initiative.

Regards,
 
Debbie Kelley
Head of School

Summertime Wonder Camp!
Sign your children up for summer camp at Brickton! We have programs for ages 2 through 8th grade, and we are excited to enjoy the summer with your child. Go to www.brickton.org/summer to learn about our awesome summer camp, download enrollment forms, and learn about the great things our students get to do.

Spring Clean Up, Volunteers Needed
Many hands are needed to distribute new wood chips on the playground. If you can give an hour or two, it would be most appreciated!

When: Saturday, May 19th, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Who: Adults and children are welcome
What to bring: Wheelbarrows and shovels

Questions? Email Jackie Toro at jackie.toro@brickton.org

Manna Order
This Friday, May 11th, is the next to last Manna order date! Plan to pick up cards Wednesday, May 16th. The final Manna order date this year will be in two weeks, May 25th. Thank you for your continuing support of this Middle School fundraiser.

9-12 Cultural Fair
Here at Brickton, it’s obvious when the 9-12 Cultural Fair is coming up. 4th through 6th year students are in the halls practicing their presentations, timing themselves, and working out the best way to present their information. Students are exploring a wide range of topics to present: mythical creatures, Irish dance, Egypt, dogs at work, and Inca defense. The students have been researching, writing, editing, and practicing for weeks. Join us on Friday, May 18th, for a day full of learning.

The Brickton Weekly, May 3, 2012

Featured Blog
Each month we will feature a couple of blogs so that you can see Montessori education in action at Brickton. Discover all the opportunities our students have to develop independence and self-confidence. At our school, students take ownership of their learning with joy. This week, we are featuring the Children’s House Room 103 Blog.

childrenshouse103.posterous.com (password: brickton)

Invite Your Friends to Brickton
Grandparents and Special Friends Weekend is coming up quickly! Last week you should have received two invitations (per family) in your parent folder to invite some special friends or grandparents to the school. In fact, we have a whole weekend of activities planned.
Thursday, May 10th, Band and Choir Concert, 7:00 – 8:30 pm (at the Salvation Army Building on Cumberland and Foster)
Friday, May 11th, Grandparents and Special Friends Day
Saturday, May 12th, Art Expo, 10:00 – 12:00 pm

9-12 Cultural Fair
Here at Brickton, it’s obvious when the 9-12 Cultural Fair is coming up. 4th through 6th year students are in the halls practicing their presentations, timing themselves, and working out the best way to present their information. Students are exploring a wide range of topics to present: mythical creatures, Irish dance, Egypt, dogs at work, and Inca defense. The students have been researching, writing, editing, and practicing for weeks. Join us on Friday, May 18th, for a day full of learning.

Summertime Wonder Camp!
Sign your kids up for summer camp at Brickton! We have programs for ages 2 through 8th grade, and we are excited to enjoy the summer with your child. Go to www.brickton.org/summer to learn about our awesome summer camp, download enrollment forms, and learn about the great things our kids get to do.

Upcoming Open House
Tell your friends, family, and neighbors. Brickton will be hosting an Information Coffee for prospective families Thursday, May 10th, from 9:00 to 10:30 am. It’s a chance to tour the school, talk with the principal, and learn more about the Montessori philosophy and our school.

It’s a Boy!
Congratulations to the McMahon family! Colin Gerald was born May 3rd. He weighed 8 lbs, 6 oz. His brother, PJ, is a student in the toddler classroom. Congratulations and best wishes to all!