The Brickton Weekly, April 26, 2013

We would like to extend a big Thank You to the entire Brickton community for the patienceand flexibility shown in response to the flooding last week.  Thank you for your many kind offers to help.  

Getting to Know You: Each week this section will highlight one staff member and what inspired them to pursue working in a Montessori environment.

Melonie Arroyo, Toddler Assistant

I walked into Brickton for the first time 12 years ago.  At the time the Montessori theory was unfamiliar territory to me, but it did not take long to figure out the outstanding educational experience it delivers.  Now 12 years later, I have had the pleasure of receiving my Montessori birth to three training, and am currently directing the Parent-Infant course.  As a part of the Brickton staff I feel I am part of a greater purpose.  Personally, the most important part of our purpose is to help the children find their love for learning.  I look forward to seeing what the years ahead of us will bring.

After School Cooking! (A Special Post From Upper Elementary Students Mica Barrett and Lucas Hansen)

In afterschool, once a month, we do food preparation. Food prep is when we all come together, and, as a group, we make one big meal or dish.  We vote on what food to make, and then we decide what ingredients we need.  We have a sign-up sheet to figure out who will bring them in. Last time we had tacos, but this week we had breakfast.  We made omelets, French toast and pancakes.  Each person chose two things to make.  We chopped, mixed, measured, and cooked all on our own.  We had chocolate chips for the pancakes.  There was bacon, sausage, and cheese for the omelets.  We had two kinds of bread for the French toast.  Then, we made them and ate them.  It was a lot of fun and we like doing it! Thanks to Megan for directing us while we cooked.  Also, thanks to our parents for helping us get the ingredients.

Totally Revamped Brickton Summer Camp!  Check out our new and improved Enrichment Program with expert instructors. You can register by-the-week, or for the whole summer.  Some of our highlights for the elementary program include:

The RunawayCircus

Mad Science

Clowning with Oliver!

Click here for a description of classes by week for Children’s House and Elementary.

Middle School and alums can join us for DiscoverChicago and the Junior Counselor program. 

Volunteer Spotlight

Lisa Spragia, mother of Middle School student Celeste Wrezel, does a great service for our community every week by providing the classroom animals with the yummy bugs and worms they need.  Thank you, Lisa, for your care of our special friends.

Thanks to Joe Somers, who valiantly tried to fix the pencil sharpener in Lower Elementary and Mike Messina who installed the replacement sharpener.   

The morning of our flooding, Phil Moran and John Barrett were able to spare a couple hours and provided manpower and wet/dry vacs to help with the clean-up.  Many thanks for your  help getting the school cleaned up..

Upcoming Events

Manna Orders Due, Friday, May 3^rd

Pizza Lunch, Friday, May 3^rd

Parent Alliance Meeting, Monday, May 6^th, 5:45 pm – 7:00 pm; Care and dinner provided

Board Meeting, Wednesday, May 8^th, 7:00 pm

Oberweiss, Thursday, May 9^th, 101 S. Northwest Hwy., Park Ridge, IL 60068.  Here’s the coupon.

Band/Choral Concert, Thursday, May 9^th, Salvation Army Headquarters, 8354 W. Foster Ave

Friends of Brickton Day, Friday, May 10^th

Art Expo, Saturday, May 11^th, 10:00 – 12:00.

Celebration Honoring Debbie Kelley & Judy Beyer, Saturday, May 11^th, 11:00 am

Staff Appreciation Day, Thursday, May 16^th

Cultural Fair, Friday, May 17^th

Club Day, Friday, May 24^th

Memorial Day, School Closed, Monday, May 27^th

Peace Picnic, Friday, May 31^st

Last Day of School, Thursday, June 6^th

Graduation and Promotion Ceremony, Thursday, June 6^th, 7:00 – 8:30 pm, Irish American Heritage Center, Erin Room 

The Brickton Weekly, April 19, 2013

Flood Update:

As you know, the heavy rains cause flooding at Brickton.  Four classrooms, the main office and business office were affected.  The staff here at Brickton has been working very hard to make sure that things get cleaned up while still providing care to the students that need to be at school.  The building management has brought in cleaning crews and contractors to us and our goal is to reopen for a regular school day on Monday.  Thanks to everyone for your understanding and patience while we get things back in order.  We will send out a school wide email regarding Monday’s schedule as soon as possible.

Hot Dog Lunch – Rescheduled  Today would have been Hot Dog Lunch.  We know how much the students enjoy it, and have tentatively rescheduled  for Monday, April 22^nd. 

Getting to Know You: Each week this section will highlight one staff member and what inspired them to pursue working in a Montessori environment.

Shobhana Kamani, Children’s House Volunteer

Shobhana Kumani, a former parent, has volunteered at Brickton over the last few months.  She has lived in the neighborhood around Brickton for over 30 years and felt it was time to give something back.  She works with the Children’s House on special projects and material making. Her daughter, who attended Children’s House, is now a Montessori teacher in Texas! Shobhana is very happy to be here.  Please help us welcome her to  our community.

New Blog Site

You may notice that our blog looks different.  We have switched to a new blog platform, posthaven.com, as our previous blog platform, posterous.com, is shutting down the end of the month.  Thank you for following the classroom blog.  We enjoy sharing our experiences with you. 

Friends of Brickton Day, Friday, May 10^th at 8:00 a.m.

Please have your child invite a "Special Friend" to visit Brickton - Grandparent, Aunt or Uncle, Neighbor, etc.  Your guest will enjoy breakfast in the Great Room and then time in the classroom with your child.  Please check your Parent Folder for an invitation that you can mail to your guest.

Please join us in honoring Debbie Kelley and Judy Beyer

For a lifetime of dedicated service to the students and families of Brickton Montessori School

Saturday, May 11^th, 2013

11:00 pm - The Great Room

The ceremony will be led by students and will coincide with the Art Expo.

Upcoming Events

Middle School to Nature’s Classroom, April 15^th – 19^th

Information Coffee, Thursday, April 18^th, 9:00 – 10:00 am – For families interested in Brickton

Hot Dog Lunch, Tentatively rescheduled to Monday, April, 22^nd

Pizza Lunch, Friday, May 5^th

Manna Orders Due, Friday, May 3^rd

Parent Alliance Meeting, Monday, May 6^th, 5:45 pm – 7:00 pm; Care and dinner provided

Board Meeting, Wednesday, May 8^th, 7:00 pm

Band/Choral Concert, Thursday, May 9^th, Salvation Army Headquarters, 8354 W. Foster Ave

Friends of Brickton Day, Friday, May 10^th

Art Expo, Saturday, May 11^th, 10:00 – 12:00.

Celebration Honoring Debbie Kelley & Judy Beyer, Saturday, May 11^th, 11:00 am

The Brickton Weekly, April 13, 2013

Getting to Know You: Each week this section will highlight one staff member and what inspired them to pursue working in a Montessori environment.

Jacqueline Toro, After School Coordinator

I came to Brickton in August1999 as a Floating Assistant.  I had heard about Montessori from friends.  I came to my interview and was awed with all I saw and heard. Having a daughter myself, I was not just interested in working here, but also having her come to school here.

I started in Kathleen Kasser's room and floated to other classrooms after awhile.  Just like the kids, I enjoyed every work I saw the teachers present.  Two and a half months later, and after lots of research, I decided to have my daughter attend Brickton.

I've gotten to know all the teachers along the way and have enjoyed working with them in their classroom.  Thirteen years later, my child that has gone through the Brickton program graduated. I am beyond grateful and happy that I chose many years ago to come work here and grow with the children and the families.

New Blog Site

You may notice that our blog looks different this week.  We have switched to a new blog platform, posthaven.com, as our previous blog platform, posterous.com, is shutting down the end of the month.  Thank you for following the classroom blog.  We enjoy sharing our experiences with you. 

Brickton's Annual Bowling Bash – Tomorrow!

Join the Brickton community for a fun-filled afternoon of Cosmic Bowling!

Brunswick Zone - 7333 Milwaukee Avenue in Niles

Saturday, April 13^th, 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

$15 per person - includes bowling, shoe rental and lunch.  Tickets can be purchased in the main office.

Friends of Brickton Day, Friday, May 10^th at 8:00 a.m.

Please have your child invite a "Special Friend" to visit Brickton - Grandparent, Aunt or Uncle, Neighbor, etc.  Your guest will enjoy breakfast in the Great Room and then time in the classroom with your child.  Please check your Parent Folder for an invitation that you can mail to your guest.

Please join us in honoring Debbie Kelley and Judy Beyer

For a lifetime of dedicated service to the students and families of Brickton Montessori School

Saturday, May 11^th, 2013

11:00 pm - The Great Room

The ceremony will be led by students and will coincide with the Art Expo.

Upcoming Events

Bowling Bash, Saturday, April 13^th 11:30am – 2:00 p.m., Brunswick Zone, 7333 Milwaukee Ave, Niles

Middle School to Nature’s Classroom, April 15^th – 19^th

Information Coffee, Thursday, April 18^th, 9:00 – 10:00 am – For families interested in Brickton

Hot Dog Lunch, Friday, April 19^th

Manna Orders Due, Friday, April 19^th

Open House, Sunday, April 21^st, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm - For families interested in Brickton

Pizza Lunch, Friday, May 5^th

Manna Orders Due, Friday, May 3^rd

Parent Alliance Meeting, Monday, May 6^th, 5:45 pm – 7:00 pm; Care and dinner provided

Band/Choral Concert, Thursday, May 10^th, Salvation Army Headquarters, 8354 W. Foster Ave

Friends of Brickton Day, Friday, May 11^th

Art Expo, Saturday, May 11^th, 10:00 – 12:00.

Celebration Honoring Debbie Kelley & Judy Beyer, Saturday, May 11^th, 11:00 am

The Brickton Weekly, April 5, 2013

Getting to Know You: Each week this section will highlight one staff member and what inspired them to pursue working in a Montessori environment.

Kelly McDermott, Full-Day Montessori Coordinator   

Growing up I always knew I wanted to be a teacher and focused on child development classes in High School and College. When looking for a summer job, I came across an ad for a Montessori School. I went in for an interview and realized that I wanted to be part of this type of education.  I enrolled in the Midwest Montessori Teacher Training Center, became certified and began working at Brickton in August of 1990.  I have three children, two daughters who attended Brickton and my son, Declan, is currently enrolled in the 9-12 program. I feel very lucky to be a part of the Brickton Community.

Four Brickton Students Nominated For Publication

The Elementary and Middle School students have all participated in the Adventures in Creative Writing field trips this year at Open Books.  Four students from Brickton who attended the Adventures in Creative Writing field trip at Open Books have been nominated for inclusion in Open Books' first-ever published anthology of field trip pieces from the 2012-2013 school year. Of the thousands of students who attended this year, only a handful has been selected for publication!Open Books nominated the following students: Amelia Dolly, Josh Plier, Niamh Duffy, and Tyler Flechs   

Congratulations to the students selected for nomination!

Oberweis Fundraiser, April 9^th

Louise Borre has shared a great fundraising opportunity for Brickton.  On Tuesday, April 9^th, print out and take this coupon to the Oberweis Ice Cream and Dairy Store location 101 S. Northwest Hwy., Park Ridge, IL 60068, and Brickton will get up to 30% back on everything you buy!  Copies of the coupon will be available in the office or just click the link to download and print the coupon.

In-School Celebration

Friday, April 9^th, Room 103 will host an In-School Celebration.  We hope parents of students in Room 103 can join us in the Great Room at 8:30 am for 15 minutes of skits and an all school sing-along accompanied by John Huber on guitar and Beth Peachey on piano.    

Brickton's Annual Bowling Bash

Join the Brickton community for a fun-filled afternoon of Cosmic Bowling!

Brunswick Zone - 7333 Milwaukee Avenue in Niles

Saturday, April 13^th, 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

$15 per person - includes bowling, shoe rental and lunch.  Tickets can be purchased in the main office.

Summer Camp...

is just around the corner!  Brickton offers exciting summer camp programs for children from 2 years old to 8th grade.  Click here to find out more and to access registration forms. 

Check out what fun our Children's House students will be having!

Let’s Move! 6/10-6/14

Drawing inspiration from Michelle Obama, we'll build courses and mazes, move with long jump ropes and develop beginning ball skills.

Fun with Science 6/17-6/21

Budding scientists will work with gravity, color and chemistry experiments and begin working with the scientific method: observing, wondering what might happen, wondering why and replicating results.

Games Galore 6/24-6/28

We will discover activities for individuals and groups, having fun both indoors and outdoors. The emphasis will be on cooperation and team building, rather than competition.

America through the Ages 7/1-7/5 (No camp on July 4th)

Let's celebrate America's birthday by commemorating everything 4th of July!  Activities will include an apple pie bake, fireworks painting and field games.

Art Exploration - Inspired by the Sun 7/8-7/12

Art challenges us to look at what is in front of us and use our hands to create what we have seen.  This week will include developing skills in drawing, painting, sculpting and sewing while manipulating different materials.

Sports O-Rama 7/15-7/19

This week will focus on building developmentally appropriate sports skills, teamwork, sportsmanship and having FUN! If you are a sports fan, you don't want to miss this one!

Runaway Circus 7/22-7/26

The circus is coming to Brickton! While the Elementary campers are honing their circus skills, the Children’s House campers will be learning about circus animals, practicing basic acrobatics like rolling and balancing, and working on a circus themed mural. 

My Healthy Body 7/29-8/2

This week we will be learning about the human body.  The children will create life-size pictures of their bodies and conduct experiments that illustrate how our bodies work.  We will spend time learning about how to keep our bodies healthy and at the end of the week the children will participate in a fitness challenge.

Space Explorers 8/5-8/9

We will launch ourselves into space this week and explore our solar system.  Lessons on the planets, the moon, the sun and other stars will ignite our imaginations.  The children will learn a song called the Family of the Sun and work together to create a life size model of an astronaut.

Celebrating the Arts 8/11-8/19

The children will explore the visual and performing arts this week.  Stories will come alive as we act out classic fairy tales such as The Three Little Pigs.  We will dance to music from around the world, create collages, and form a marching band. 

Upcoming Events

Pizza Lunch, Friday, April 5^th

Oberweis Fundraiser, April 9^th

Board Meeting, Wednesday April 10^th, 7:00 pm

In-School Celebration, Room 103, April 12^th, 8:30 am

Bowling Bash, Saturday, April 13^th 11:30am – 2:00 p.m., Brunswick Zone, 7333 Milwaukee Ave, Niles

Middle School to Nature’s Classroom, April 15^th – 19^th

Information Coffee, Thursday, April 18^th, 9:00 – 10:00 am 

Hot Dog Lunch, Friday, April 19^th

Open House, Sunday, April 21^st, 10:00 am – 12:30 pm.