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!

The Brickton Weekly, April 26, 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 a significant impact on our school. To them, we say thank you with appreciation for their courage and spirit.

Please join us…
You are invited to participate in a roundtable discussion with Principal Debbie Kelley and Dr. Sharon Damore, Montessori Educator and Curriculum & Instructional Specialist. You will gain a better understanding of:

• the student assessments we use and what the scores mean.

• how we, as a school, look at tests and what are we doing with the information.

• how we are working to improve the educational experience for your child and for our programs overall.

• Standardized Test Scores - - what does it all mean? Learn how to decipher your child's scores.

• how adults in the community can work together on behalf of your child.

When: Wednesday, May 2nd, 4:30-5:45 p.m.
Care will be available at no charge .

Please RSVP to sara.gregory@brickton.org

Do you have related questions that you would like addressed at this meeting? Please send them to molly.arnoldt@brickton.org

We hope to see you there!

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

Free Money for Brickton
Have you been depositing your recyclable paper in the big green bins outside the school? If so, thank you! If not, please do! Brickton receives a check each month after the Abitibi Corporation picks up and recycles our bins. This month, we received a check for $61.55 and saved 12.79 cubic yards of landfill space. Thank you for your contributions earning money for Brickton and going green.

Scholastic Book Club
Kick off your child’s summer reading with a Scholastic Book Club order! Scholastic Books help foster your child’s love of reading while benefitting Brickton. May Scholastic Book Club orders are due on Monday, April 30th. Thank you for your support.

Parent Alliance Meeting Date Change
Please note that the final Parent Alliance meeting of the year has been rescheduled to Tuesday, May 15th. It will be held at the school, starting at 5:45 pm. Pizza and care will be provided. More details to follow.

The Brickton Weekly, April 19, 2012

Creating a Culture of Curiosity 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, we switched it up and decided to highlight some of the amazing questions our students ask. Curious children are learners. They explore their environment and are motivated to discover new information. What questions does your child ask?

Upcoming Open House
Tell your friends, family, and neighbors. Brickton will be hosting an Open House for prospective families Sunday, April 22nd, from 12:30 – 3:00 pm. It’s a chance to tour the school, talk with directresses, and learn more about the Montessori philosophy and our school.

Please join us…
You are invited to participate in a roundtable discussion with Principal Debbie Kelley and Dr. Sharon Damore, Montessori Educator and Curriculum & Instructional Specialist. You will gain a better understanding of:

• the student assessments we use and what the scores mean.

• how we, as a school, look at tests and what are we doing with the information.

• how we are working to improve the educational experience for your child and for our programs overall.

• Standardized Test Scores - - what does it all mean? Learn how to decipher your child's scores.

• how adults in the community can work together on behalf of your child.

When: Wednesday, May 2nd, 4:30-5:45 p.m. 
Care will be available at no charge .

Please RSVP to sara.gregory@brickton.org

Do you have related questions that you would like addressed at this meeting? Please send them to molly.arnoldt@brickton.org

We hope to see you there!

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)
Friday, May 11th, Grandparents and Special Friends Day
Saturday, May 12th, Art Expo, 10:00 – 12:00 pm

Reading for Information
The students in Lower Elementary are doing some exciting things with the books they are reading. Reading a book is more than just saying the words on the page. Sometimes we read to explore new worlds, sometimes we read to meet new kinds of people, and sometimes we read to learn new information. Some students in Lower Elementary have been reading for information and organizing what they learn in various ways. When students are asked to compare and contrast information, they are using higher level thinking skills and make connections between the information they are learning and their everyday lives. Here are two examples of superior student thinking:

After reading the first chapter of Fantastic Mr. Fox and filling out a Venn Diagram about the three mean farmers (Boggis, Bunce, and Bean), Jolena, Frankie, and Cian decided to create their own Venn Diagram about themselves, filling in what they had in common and what was unique to each student.

Owen and Emmett read a book called Bizarre Dinosaurs and decided to organize some of the facts they learned about each one. They created a timeline from 161 million to 50 million years ago, drew pictures of some of the dinosaurs highlighting their unique features, and measured out the height of each dinosaur. The information was put together on the long paper you see here and is displayed on the wall outside Room 102. Check it out!

Brickton’s Authors
First graders Jackie, Charlie, and Gillian wrote and illustrated their very own story and published it this week. They have given the book to the Lower Elementary Classroom for the students to enjoy, but YOU can read it online here. (You will have to sign in to the family site.) Enjoy!

The Brickton Weekly, April 12, 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 Middle School Program Blog.

middleschoolprogram.posterous.com (password: brickton)

 

Club Day
Tomorrow, Friday, April 13th, is a Club Day at Brickton due to parent conferences. Please make sure you have signed up for a conference time with  your child’s directress and let us know if your child will be attending the Club Day by sending an email to sara.gregory@brickton.org. Care will be provided for children of parents during their conference time at no extra charge.

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.

A Special Project
Some students in the Lower Elementary program recently put pen to paper to write a story. They were inspired by the book Freefall by David Weisner, which is full of beautiful pictures, but has no words. They decided to write their own! Below is a special Voicethread presentation of the story with its pictures and original words written by Cian, Frankie, and Jolena. (If the video below doesn’t work, click here.)

 

 Upcoming Open House
Tell your friends, family, and neighbors. Brickton will be hosting an Open House for prospective families Sunday, April 22nd, from 12:30 – 3:00 pm. It’s a chance to tour the school, talk with directresses, and learn more about the Montessori philosophy and our school.

Will You Make a Pledge?
Earth Day is April 20th, and Brickton is celebrating with 25 ways to reduce your carbon footprint, featured on a bulletin board in the lobby. Please swing by and check out easy things you can do to make a difference. While you’re there, make a pledge. What will you do to help Brickton become a “greener” community?
 

Invite Your Friends to Brickton
Grandparents and Special Friends weekend is coming up quickly! This week you should receive 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
Friday,May 11th, Grandparents and Special Friends Day
Saturday, May 12th, Art Expo, 10:00 – 12:00 pm

Manna Orders
Manna orders are due this Friday, April 13th, with card pick up next Wednesday, April 18th. The next Manna order due date will be Friday, April 27th, with card pick up on Wednesday, May 2. Thanks for your support!

The Brickton Weekly, April 5, 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 Toddler Program Blog.

toddlerprogram.posterous.com (password: brickton)

Debbie Kelley receives Brickton’s Lifetime Achievement Award
  Debbie Kelley has been the Head of School at Brickton Montessori School for 25 years. During that time, Brickton has grown from a school of just 65 students to a current enrollment of 130. In the early 1990’s, Debbie led Brickton through the process of American Montessori Society (AMS) Accreditation. Brickton became the fourteenth school in the United States to achieve full AMS accreditation. Debbie served as the AMS School Accreditation Commissioner from 2001-2006, instrumental in helping to build a strong local and national presence of Montessori Education. She has always been committed to promoting the highest standard of Montessori pedagogy and philosophy.
Congratulations, Debbie!

Doodle 4 Google
If you’ve ever “Googled” something, then you’ve seen a Google Doodle. You can check out a museum of the doodles here. Each year, Google hosts a contest for kindergarten through 12th grade students to create their own Google Doodles. This year’s theme was, “If I could travel in time, I’d visit…” The winner of the contest not only gets his or her drawing on Google’s homepage as the Doodle for the day, the school wins $50,000! Students from Brickton were excited to participate. We sent off their drawings last week and here are some examples:

Save the Date
Grandparents and Special Friends Weekend
Thursday, May 10th, 7:00 – 8:30pm Band and Choir Concert
-- Please join us at the Salvation Army Headquarters for our annual Band and Choir concert.

Friday, May 11th, Grandparents & Special Friends Day
-- Invite grandparents, neighbors, or family friends to come and spend some time in the classroom with your child at Brickton. We will provide breakfast treats for your guests.

Saturday, May 12th, 10:00 – 12:00pm Art Expo  
-- Every student will have artwork on display. Join us for our Gallery in the Great Room.

Brickton’s Bowling Bash
Brickton’s Annual Bowling Bash is a fantastic family event you won’t want to miss.

When: Saturday, April 14th, from 11:30 – 2:00pm
Where: Niles Brunswick Bowling Alley
             7333 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Cost: $15 per person, which includes shoe rental, pizza, and drinks!

See you there!

The Brickton Weekly, March 22, 2012

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 students is What is your favorite work in the classroom?

Register now for Brickton Summertime Wonder Camp!
Programs for ages 2-14
Register by the week or for the whole summer

Field trips galore! Children ages 4 and up will visit water parks, museums, zoos and more! Children ages 3 and under will enjoy “swimming” in our playground splash pools and exciting in-school field trips.

Every week has a theme, including gardening, food preparation, music, and sports.

Click here for more details.

Thank You for Your Support
Many thanks to those of you who made the commitment to a greener energy supply by choosing Viridian! Brickton received its first fundraising check in the amount of $250 for the first 25 who enrolled – we will now receive funds on a  monthly basis from Viridian. If you have yet to enroll, please do so. With another 25 members, we will double the money Brickton receives.

Residual Fundraising Program saves YOU 27% on the cost of electricity supply to-date in ComEd market. Learn more here.

Become a customer at www.Viridian.com/Brickton (We recommend the 20% Everyday Green plan for the greatest savings!)

Questions? Call Mike (Brickton Lower Elementary Parent) at 773-458-8223 or email Molly in the Advancement Office at molly.arnoldt@brickton.org.

Save Money – Go Green – Support Brickton!