Friday, June 5, 2015

The Brickton Weekly, June 5, 2015

Thank You Corner
Thank you, Heinz and Theresa Weiland, parents of Kaylee Ann in Room 105, for talking with the Lower Elementary students about having a fun and safe summer. Heinz’s summer safety presentation was enhanced by McGruff, the Crime Dog (Theresa!) Students brainstormed and discussed how to be safe this summer while biking, walking and swimming with their families and friends. The stress fidgets were appreciated!

Thank you, Dave Degand, father of James in Room 105 and Sarah in Room 100, for providing a presentation on Fire Safety for the Children’s House and Lower Elementary programs. The protective gear and equipment were very impressive to our students.  The information brochures, fire hats and coloring activity books are sure to be used over summer break!

Thank you, Shashana Chau, mother of Hanna in Room 100, for guiding the volunteer opportunity to pack meals to help fight hunger and give back to other communities at Feed My Starving Children. We are grateful for all the families who chose to celebrate the first day of summer vacation helping others!

Thank you to ALL the marvelous Brickton families for making the 2014-2015 a fabulous year! Your contributions of time, treasure and support are affirmations of the trust and belief you have in providing a Montessori education for your family. Enjoy your summer break and we’ll welcome you back September 2! 
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See you Monday, campers!
Welcome letters, supply lists, and field trip permission forms were all emailed to Brickton Summer Camp families. Monday, June 8 is the first day of Brickton ‘s summer camp. Printed copies of the welcome letter, supply lists, and field trip permission forms are available upon request from the office.  
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Congratulations!

Yesterday, we celebrated the Graduation and Promotion Ceremony at the Irish American Heritage Center. We proudly promoted students completing the Children’s House, Lower Elementary and Upper Elementary three year cycles.

The graduates invited two guest speakers, former graduates Sean Arnoldt and Kira Barrett, to share their reflections and advice as the 8th graders head to high school. Our Middle School graduates shared their heartfelt speeches with us and Charles Martin, their Director had thoughts to share with them as well.   Copies of speeches are provided through the links below.

Sean Arnoldt, guest speaker, Class of 2013
Kira Barrett, guest speaker, Class of 2013
Mica Barrett, graduate
Julia Deane, graduate
Joshua Plier, graduate
Aisuram Romero, graduate
Diego Sanchez, graduate
Charles Martin, Middle School Director

To complete the ceremonies, our graduates were awarded their Middle School diplomas! We wish for them that their high school experiences continue to engage them, inspire them towards their goals as life-long learners, and support their desires to be responsible global citizens.  Bravo and come visit us soon and often!
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Volunteers Needed!
Each year during the spring and summer, Brickton completes several beautification projects from planting to painting with the help of volunteers. Anyone with the desire to improve the school environment is welcome to volunteer. The time you give to Brickton, whether one or ten hours, will be a rewarding experience.  Please contact Kelly McDermott through the office or email at kelly.mcdermott@brickton.org with your availability.  Thank you.

Parent Alliance is looking for someone to help co-chair the Back To School Block Party wih Ivana Drazic-Cunningham (mother of Luca in Room 102). Planning begins at the end of June. Contact Kelly at kelly.mcdermott@brickton.org for more information.
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Brickton Reads: A Fresh Look at Your Home Library
Reading Rockets provides ideas for taking a fresh look at your home library. Having interesting things to read at home is a great way to keep kids motivated.
Below are a few questions to ask. Simple changes can create an amazing home library and help your young reader get motivated for summer reading. 
Does your home library offer…?
  • A variety of books? Kids love to read all sorts of materials, including books, magazines, newspapers, and poems. Consider including travel brochures, street maps. Kids LOVE looking at Brickton Yearbooks!
  • Books written at a variety of reading levels? It’s important to have some books that are easy for your child to read, but it’s also good to have some that can be read most successfully with an adult or older reader.  Book Buddies are everywhere!  This balance enables your child to feel confident with some books and grow as a reader with others.
  • Some method of organization? Sometimes grouping books by topic or series helps your child find other books they might like to read. Grouping books using book baskets may help them find a book more easily than a crowded shelf.  At Brickton, students act as classroom librarians and organizers.
  • Lots of nonfiction material? Even the youngest readers love to read about real places and things: include photographs, maps and charts full of interesting information.
  • Lots of choice? Find creative ways to add books to your library. Playgroup book swaps, yard sales, and used book stores all offer affordable ways to add to your collection.
For a quick guide to choosing good informational books for young kids, see this article: www.ReadingRockets.org/article/26050

And for more information on creating a literacy-rich home, visit:www.ReadingRockets.org/article/c435
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Looking Ahead…
Summer Camp! Camps run from June 8 through August 21
2015-2016 School year begins: September 2

Monday, June 1, 2015

The Brickton Weekly, June 1, 2015

Thank You Corner
Thank you Janet Contursi, mother of Zach in Room 106, for teaching our Kindergarten students about dog safety.  The students learned invaluable lessons, and the Brickton community is very grateful.

Thank you Lillian Degand, grandmother of James in Room 105 and Sarah in Room 100, for providing your science expertise for our students. In Lower Elementary students used hand magnifying glasses to observe red wiggler worms, and creating aworm compostingbin. In the Upper Elementary class Lillian discussed the science of observation. The discussion was further connected to the observation of flowering plants, analyzing them for their shape and form. Finally, the students used their artistic skills to document their plant observations using watercolor pencils.
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5K Shirts Available
A limited quantity of 2014 and 2015 Brickton 5K Run/Walk t-shirts in various sizes are available for $10. Stop by the office and see Kelly to get your Brickton t-shirt today and support Brickton at the gym or on your run!
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Mark Your CalendarsGraduation and Promotion Ceremony

On Thursday, June 4, we will celebrate the Graduation and Promotion Ceremony at 7:00 at the Irish American Heritage Center, located at 4626 North Knox Avenue, Chicago. Kindergarten, third and sixth grade students will be promoted to the next program level, and eighth grade students will graduate.
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Beyond Brickton: A Service Opportunity
Join us for this volunteer opportunity as we pack meals to help fight hunger and give back to other communities.  We will be participating in a food packing session at: Feed My Starving Children at 1071 National Parkway, Schaumburg from 12 pm – 2 pm on Friday, June 5th. Participation is free, but registration on your own is required.  Recommended for ages 5 and up.
REGISTER: Follow this link
GROUP NAME: Brickton Montessori School – Beyond Brickton
JOIN CODE: 644138
QUESTIONS?: Please contact our Parent Alliance Co-chair,  ShashonaChau, at writesc@yahoo.com
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Volunteers Needed!
Each year during the spring and summer, Brickton completes several beautification projects from planting to painting with the help of volunteers. Anyone with the desire to improve the school environment is welcome to volunteer. The time you give to Brickton, whether one or ten hours, will be a rewarding experience.  Please contact Kelly McDermott through the office or email at kelly.mcdermott@brickton.org with your availability.  Thank you.
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Brickton Reads: A Fresh Look at Your Home Library
Reading Rockets provides ideas for taking a fresh look at your home library. Having interesting things to read at home is a great way to keep kids motivated.
Below are a few questions to ask. Simple changes can create an amazing home library and help your young reader get motivated for summer reading. 
Does your home library offer…?
·  A variety of books? Kids love to read all sorts of materials, including books, magazines, newspapers, and poems. Consider including travel brochures, street maps. Kids LOVE looking at Brickton Yearbooks!
·  Books written at a variety of reading levels? It’s important to have some books that are easy for your child to read, but it’s also good to have some that can be read most successfully with an adult or older reader.  Book Buddies are everywhere!  This balance enables your child to feel confident with some books, and grow as a reader with others.
·  Some method of organization? Sometimes grouping books by topic or series helps your child find other books they might like to read. Grouping books using book baskets also help kids find a book more easily than a crowded shelf.  At Brickton, kids act as classroom librarians and organizers.
·  Lots of nonfiction material? Even the youngest readers love to read about real places and things: include photographs, maps and charts full of interesting information.
·  Lots of choice? Find creative ways to add books to your library. Playgroup book swaps, yard sales, and used book stores all offer affordable ways to add to your collection.
For a quick guide to choosing good informational books for young kids, see this article: www.ReadingRockets.org/article/26050

And for more information on creating a literacy-rich home, visit:www.ReadingRockets.org/article/c435
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Looking Ahead…
Last Day of School, Thursday, June 4
Graduation/Promotion Ceremony, Thursday, June 4, 7:00pm
Summer Camp! Camps run from June 8 through August 21