The Brickton Weekly, January 27, 2011

A Peek Into the Upper Elementary Classroom (Room 105)
Each month, we are going to give parents a peek into one of our amazing classrooms with a slideshow of pictures and short videos.  It’s a chance for you to see what’s going on around Brickton.

 

 

Brickton Hosts Screening of Race to Nowhere
Brickton will be hosting a screening of the documentary RACE TO NOWHERE: The Dark Side of America's Achievement Culture.

Please join us:

Wednesday, February 23rd at 7:00 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m.

At The Irish American Heritage Center (parking available)

      Erin Room - 3rd Floor

      4626 N. Knox

      Chicago, IL 60630

A concerned mother turned filmmaker aims her camera at the high-stakes, high-pressure culture that has invaded our schools and our children's lives, creating unhealthy, disengaged, un-prepared and stressed-out youth.

RACE TO NOWHERE is a call to action to challenge current assumptions on how best to prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens.  After seeing the film, your views on education and childhood will be changed forever.

To purchase tickets online go to: www.racetonowhere.com

$10 + processing fees

$15 at the door the night of the event

Hope to see you there!

 

Brickton’s Bob Kelley Memorial Fund for Technology
Technology is thriving at Brickton! 

Brickton Montessori School has recently become a Google Apps for Education school, and we are working with our Middle School students to use the Google Apps (including email, Google Docs, and Sites) to enhance their learning. Online tools that allow students a chance to work on projects together without having to be in the same room are especially helpful in an age where students have many extracurricular activities and responsibilities. We are still experimenting, but we are pleased with the type of interaction now available to students and teachers.

We want our students to have access to digital tools and that means we allow them to explore the internet for new and interesting information. We want them to be safe, however, so we begin the year with a formal lesson on critical thinking when online. Included in this conversation is a discussion of social networking sites – what is appropriate, what the consequences are, that information posted never really goes away. Throughout the year, we make a point to have frequent, less formal discussions with students about their digital “footprint.” We feel that, as educators, we are helping our students think about what they are doing before they do it as opposed to simply cutting them off to protect them. We want our students to be educated digital citizens who are able to problem solve and navigate their changing world. The students are required to develop, finalize, and have approved a Technology Contract before they are allowed to use the computers in the classroom (whether it’s their personal computer or the school computer). We want to make sure that students are well aware of their own responsibility before they jump in.

Here's how you can help....

Three years ago, after the death of her husband, Brickton's Principal, Debbie Kelley, founded The Bob Kelley Memorial Fund for Technology.  Bob had a passion for computers and technology before it was "the in thing.”  Debbie started this fund in order to honor Bob's passion and to further the technology curriculum at Brickton.

To date, the fund has raised over $8,000, enabling the school to purchase:

An iMac computer for the Middle School room

2 Flip Video cameras - being utilized by the Upper Elementary and Middle School students learning movie making.

2 Still cameras - Used by students and staff

2 Flip Video Camera Tripods

If you would like to donate to the fund, please stop by the main office.

 

The Pen is Mightier than the Sword:
Thoughts about peace and violence from the Upper Elementary and Middle School

During Karen Brenner’s Creative Writing classes, the students in Upper Elementary and Middle School were asked to write their thoughts about Edward Lytton’s famous quotation, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” They were also encouraged to write down any ideas they might have to promote peace and civility in the world and in their school.  Here are some of their thoughts:

“Writing has a point, and war doesn’t.” Morgan

“What I think we as a class can do is start small with making our classroom peaceful.”  Tayler

“What you write can stay forever.” Jac

“What I can do to help our school in particular would be to be as nice and respectful to everyone as I can to create a more peaceful environment.”    Mary Clare

Read more here.

The Brickton Weekly, January 20, 2011

Sign up for Spring Extracurricular Classes
The Spring Extracurricular Class List is available now.  Please fill out the registration form and return it to school by Friday, January 28th.  Classes begin the first week in February.
Extracurricular Form (you will need to sign in to the family site)
Teacher of the Month – Marie Rodriguez
Each month, we will highlight a different teacher at Brickton.  It’s a chance for you to get to know the teachers better.  At Brickton, we pride ourselves on building the relationship between teacher, student, and parent.  We feel this is important to the strength of our community.
We hope you enjoy getting to know Marie!


Turn in your Manna Orders!
Manna orders are due this Friday, January 21.  The cards will be available for pick up on Wednesday, Janaury 26.  The following Manna order is due Friday, February 4.  Take advantage of easy online ordering or pick up an order form outside of the business office.  Drop off your check in the yellow box in the main office..
Brickton's profits from Manna sales help fund the Middle School's overnight trips, and your profits help pay your tuition.  We really appreciate your support of this easy fundraiser. 
New Tax Law Includes Key Education Provisions
The tax-cut measure that President Obama has signed preserves for another two years the historic Coverdell Education Savings Accounts. The accounts allow families to earn tax-exempt interest on up to $2,000 in annual savings for specified expenses, including tuition, associated with elementary, secondary, or post-secondary education in a public or private school. The new law also extends for two years the above-the-line deduction for certain expenses incurred by elementary and secondary school teachers. Classroom teachers and certain other personnel in public and private schools may continue to deduct up to $250 for their out-of-pocket expenditures for books, computer equipment and software, and other materials and supplies used in the classroom.

The Brickton Weekly, January 13, 2011

The Big Leap is on its way
Happy New Year!  The Big Leap is our annual dinner dance and fundraiser with a silent and live auction, raffles, and lots of fun.  Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 5, 2011.

Where:  Victoria Rosemont (located in the penthouse of the Rosemont Holiday Inn Express)  6600 Mannheim Road, Rosemont, IL, 60018
When:  Saturday, March 5, 2011 beginning at 6:30 PM
Who: Adults Only

The Holiday Inn Express has offered a special room rate of $79 for a king or $89 for a double room.  Use the code BMS when making your reservation.  (Front Desk: 847-544-7500)

NEW THIS YEAR: Express Checkout… no lines, no waiting!
No more waiting in line at the end of the evening.  Prior to the event, you’ll have the opportunity to provide the Brickton Business Office with your credit card information for a one time authorization of the evening’s charges. 

Moving Up!  Move Up Visits Begin at Brickton
January is reserved for a very special kind of experience for all of the third year students in Children’s House, Lower and Upper Elementary. This is the month in which they each get to spend a day in the next level program in anticipation of moving up the following year. Naturally, every day, all of the students intermingle with each other. That is the way we do things at Brickton, and we know each other well.

Yet, as much as the students are familiar with one another, the third year move-up visit is different. Even though it may mean spending the day with friends who just happened to move up a year ahead, this visit is still primarily about living a typical day, engaging in work, trying out material, feeling the rhythm and flow of activity at a brand new level. It can be intimidating and exhilarating at the same time, just the way it should be. After all, the invitation would not be extended unless there was every expectation of success and a good time. Even for the sixth year visiting the Middle School, who have been through a move-up visit multiple times, there is a sense of excitement, for at any age, there is nothing quite like the feeling of having grown up in some way. The move-up visit is a welcome challenge.

The beginning of a new school year in August 2011 may seem a long way off on a cold snowy day in January, but this is just the right time to begin thinking ahead, contemplating a new frontier and the joy of coming to a point of readiness to enter a new plane of development and learning. Already, among themselves, third year are beginning to talk about next year and what it will be like and what they will get to do that they had not been able to do before.

Ellie, Molly’s daughter, a third grader, will be visiting Upper Elementary next week. “Well, I won’t be there,” Sean, her brother, a sixth year, told her, standing tall and confident. “I’ll be in the Middle School that day, all day.” There was no turning back; he was out the door.

Following the student visits, parents then participate in their version of a move-up visit, observing in classrooms and learning about their child’s new program. If you are the parent of a third year student, make sure to check in with your child’s directress as to the date of the move-up visit and be sure to talk with your child about it. Directresses, too, will be calling you as well to share your child’s day.

Please Note: Toddlers have their own version of move-up visits, which occur when they turn three and demonstrate readiness to move-up. They, too, spend time in the receiving classroom over several sessions until one day, they simply move up and slip into a new routine easily and seamlessly.

Manna Pays Your Tuition!
We had a record number of families participate in the Manna fundraiser in December.  A big THANK YOU to all!  Did you know that when you buy gift cards through Manna for stores that you already shop in, you get 50% of the profit towards your tuition bill for the following school year?  You already shop at Jewel and Dominicks - why not buy gift cards from Brickton and everyone benefits?

Thank you for your ongoing support of Brickton fundraisers.

Scholastic Book Club
Orders for the January Book Clubs are due on Friday, January 14, 2011, and fliers can be found in your parent folders. Teachers will earn a free book pick for every order placed online, free money to spend, 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.  Books will arrive in plenty of time for Valentine’s Day!

Thank you for your support!

Thank You from Salvation Army
Pamela Church-Pryor of the Salvation Army sent Brickton a note of appreciation for our contributions to this year’s toy drive.  Thanks to the donations from Brickton families and others in the community, the Salvation Army was able to provide toys for 408 children this holiday season.

Health Report
It's been a healthy start to the new year for the students and staff of Brickton Montessori  School. Since returning to school on January 4, there have been very few absences due to illness and nothing of a serious nature has been reported.  We will continue to keep you posted.

The Brickton Weekly, January 6, 2011

NAIS Global Challenge 20/20
This year, the 9-12 and Middle School students are participating in a global initiative, the NAIS Challenge 20/20.  The National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) began an internet-based international education program six years ago.  They partner schools from the United States with schools from other countries, and together, the partnered schools work to find local solutions to global problems.

The 9-12 students are partnered with Al Hekma International School in Sanad, Bahrain.  They will be working on the global problem Education for All.  The Middle School students are partnered with Pretty River Academy in Collingwood, Ontario, Canada, and The Congressional School of Virginia in Falls Church, Virginia.  They will be working on the global problem Global Infectious Diseases.  The students will communicate electronically via Skype, blogging, and email to produce a final report due in May. 

NAIS Challenge 20/20 website
NAIS Challenge 20/20 brochure

Montessori High School for 2013?
A group of Montessori schools in the Chicagoland area are exploring the feasibility of a Montessori High School. A survey will be emailed to all parents later this month to gauge interest and support for such an endeavor. Your participation in the survey is greatly appreciated. Please email Debbie Kelley with any questions at debbie.kelley@brickton.org.

Manna Order
Our next Manna order date is this Friday, January 7.  Order online or pick up an order form outside of the business office.  Drop your check in the yellow box in the main office or pay by credit card in the business office.  If you have any questions, please contact Lily, Susanne, or Isabelle in the Middle School, Room 106.  Remember, in addition to supporting Middle School overnight trips, Manna helps pay your tuition!  The next Manna order date will be Friday, January 21.

The Brickton Weekly, December 16, 2010

Breakfast with Santa Pictures
Check out our Breakfast with Santa pictures here.  (You will need to sign in to the Family Site to view the pictures.)  There is a link to Photobucket with ALL the pictures.  That site gives you the option to download your favorites!

No Big Deal
Judy Beyer wrote a short article about one alum’s experience in high school and her connection to Brickton Montessori School.  (Claudia is the student on the left in the photo.) An excerpt is below:

“Council was a process Claudia had learned at Brickton, and she explained to her teammates how it worked, describing how they could create a sacred space in a sacred time where they could speak their truths spontaneously and from the heart, listening devoutly to one another. Gladly, they gathered into a circle and redirected their energy inward. One by one, they began to affirm one another, the external voice of recrimination by their coach succumbing slowly but surely to the assertion of their internal voice of self assurance and belief. They emerged re-centered, forward looking, closer together than ever before, their bonds of support and belief in one another strong and unyielding. The coach could say whatever he wanted; they could accept that maybe it was a bad day, but they could not and would accept that their performance was somehow a reflection of their character. That, they understood, belonged to them alone.

When Claudia arrived home, she told her mother what had happened and how they had used council to work their way back to what they knew to be true about themselves. Curious, her mother asked if the other girls were familiar with council, and Claudia replied, “No. I showed them how to do it.”

“You should tell Judy,” her mother urged her. “She would be happy to hear how you did council.”

“Why? It was no big deal,” Claudia answered.

To her mother, though, it was a big deal.”

To read the full story, click here.

Cleaning House
Winter break is right around the corner!  Please take home and launder all of your child's winter gear, nap things, and items in the supply box.

When you return from winter break on Tuesday, January 4th, please stock the supply boxes with warm winter clothes (extra mittens, socks, etc.).

Thank you and stay warm!

A Note from Spanish Teacher Natalia San Jose
This week in Spanish we learned about Cuba and then sampled some Cuban cuisine: black beans and rice, as well as fried plantains (maduros). It is wonderful to see so many children both try and like the new foods that we prepare together.

As you may recall (unless new to Brickton), last year the students sampled quesadillas, tortilla chips, taco sauce and horchata (rice milk), for our two lessons on Mexico. Based on this week’s and last year’s food lessons, several students have asked me where their parents can purchase the items I brought in. (I, of course, had a few students ask me if they needed to go to Mexico for horchata or Cuba for the beans. Wouldn’t that be a nice ‘warm’ grocery shopping trip?)

Therefore, please note that in addition to visiting a good Mexican or Cuban restaurant, to try the foods listed above and/or new dishes, most Latino grocery stores carry the items I brought in: Carnicerias Jimenez or El Guerro (both have several locations city-wide), and Tony’s Finer Foods or Super Tony’s (same owner) are great places to start.

The horchata tastes best ready-made in a plastic boxed container versus purchasing the powder version. In addition, I recommend the Goya black bean soup versus plain black beans – just add some garlic powder, onion powder, a small jar of pre-sliced pimientos and a little olive oil; heat, and it’s ready to pour over rice. Lastly, if you do not have the time or the inclination to cook maduros from scratch, Goya has excellent frozen maduros (fried plantains). Three minutes in the microwave and they taste delicious.

It is a pleasure working with your children!

Happy holidays,
Natalia San Jose

Holiday Cards for Soldiers
Over the past few days, the Children's House classrooms have been creating beautiful holiday cards for service members who are recovering patients or medical personnel working at Lundstahl Regional Medical Center, about a five-hour medevac flight from Iraq.  This is part of a program sponsored by Governor Quinn's office called "Holiday Cards for the Troops".  If you would like more information on the program, please visit www.operationhomefront.org.

Children’s Book Sale
The Park Ridge Public Library is hosting a Children’s Book Sale, Sunday, February 6thm 2011, from noon to 3 p.m.  Browse thousands of gently-used children’s books, from board books to young adult novels.  The event is sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

The Brickton Weekly, December 9, 2010

Brickton Thanks its Leadership Donors
Brickton graciously acknowledges the members of its Leadership Circle. The following donors have given $1,000 or more to the 2011 Annual Fund.  These donations have a great impact on the overall success of the Annual Fund campaign.  THANK YOU!  We couldn’t do it without you.

Scott and Maria Adleman - Current Parents
David Anthony and Mariann Lemke - Current Parents
Sari and Telly Anthony – Grandparents
John Barrett and Cheryl LaCost - Staff and Current Parents
Graziano Berto and Robyn Wall Berto  - Alumni
Steve and Judy Beyer – Staff
Jeff Braun and Sue Holt - Alumni Family
Michael and Linda Caprile - Current Parents
Joe and Susan Tamborini Czolgosz - Current Parents
David Duffy and LaDonna Taylor - Current Parents
Phil and Suzanne Ergastolo - Current Parents
Debbie Kelley – Staff
Dan and Heidi Natura - Current Parents
The Family of Isabelle Rowland Weisz - Current Parents
Paul Wrezel and Lisa Spragia - Current Parents

Our New Website is HERE!
Brickton has redesigned its website.  Go to www.brickton.org to view the changes.  Please log on to our Family Website by clicking the green Sign In button on the top right corner of the screen.  The username and password is the same as our old site, but if you forgot, check your email – log in information was sent Wednesday, December 8th.

A Peek Into a Children’s House Classroom (Room 100)
Each month, we are going to give parents a peek into one of our amazing classrooms with a slideshow of pictures and short videos.  It’s a chance for you to see what’s going on around Brickton!  Enjoy.

Salvation Army Toy and Clothing Drive
This year, the Salvation Army received grant money to purchase food for their clients, so they are looking for donations of toys and cold weather clothes.  Please donate new, unwrapped toys and warm hats and mittens for children of all ages.  You can drop your donations off in the Salvation Army boxes located in the hallway and outside each classroom.  The donation drive will continue until Tuesday, December 14.

Thank you to everyone who has already participated – it’s great to see the boxes filling up!

Manna Orders Due Friday, December 10th
The Manna order deadline is tomorrow, Friday, December 10th.  Order online and leave your payment in the main office, or you can pay with a credit card in the business office.  Receive your gift cards Wednesday, December 15th, in plenty of time for holiday gifting!  Manna helps pay your tuition and supports Middle School field trips. 

Questions?  Just check with the Middle School students, or Kathleen Kasser at kathleen.kasser@brickton.org.

Brickton’s Health Report
Recently, the Chicago Department of Public Health sent Brickton information about viral gastroenteritis.  Typical symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting.  Anyone exhibiting these symptoms (both children and adults) should stay home from school for at least 24 hours after the symptoms have stopped. It is important to wash hands thoroughly to minimize the spread of the disease.

There is no sign of an outbreak of viral gastroenteritis at Brickton.  Very few of our students and staff have been out due to illness in the past week.  If the situation changes, we will be sure to keep you informed.  We will continue to keep the community updated on a regular basis.

If you have any questions or information you would like to share, please contact the school at 773-714-0646 or email Sara at sara.gregory@brickton.org.  Thank you!

The Brickton Weekly, December 2, 2010

Bakers Needed for Breakfast with Santa
We need volunteers to donate homemade goodies for the Bake Sale at Breakfast with Santa.  If you are in the holiday mood and would like to bake something yummy, we would really appreciate it!

All baked goods should be dropped off at school on Friday morning.  If the item contains nuts, please make sure you mark it as such. We can’t wait to see all the delightful dishes we have for the bake sale.

See You in a Week!
The Middle School students are headed to Nature’s Classroom in Mukwanago, Wisconsin, next week.  Nature's Classroom is a “unique educational program in that it teaches students the utilization of science, math, social science, and language arts skills within a natural environment.”  Students have a great opportunity to learn more about themselves and meet new people while learning in an outdoor environment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teacher of the Month – Kathleen Kasser
Each month, we will highlight a different teacher at Brickton.  It’s a chance for you to get to know the teachers better.  At Brickton, we pride ourselves on building the relationship between teacher, student, and parent.  We feel this is important to the strength of our community.

We hope you enjoy getting to know Kathleen!

RPMS Alum Found!
Earlier in the week, we sent out a notice about a missing 15 year old girl who is a Rogers Park Montessori School alum, Darya Lending.  Thankfully, she was found Tuesday afternoon, unharmed.  Your concern and help were greatly appreciated!

 

Annual Fund Update
We are so close to reaching our goal!  Thank you to all of the generous people who have  already donated to the 2011 Annual Fund Campaign.  We need your help for the final push to reach our goal.  Please stop by the office and make your donation today.

SOME REASONS WHY OUR PARENTS GIVE:

"I believe that my child's education is important and contributing and being involved is part of my child's success.”

"The need is real.”

"The Directress' are top notch people - warm, caring, trusting and dependable.”

“I believe my child will receive a quality education in Brickton and will be given opportunities not available at other schools.”

Manna!
Don’t forget Manna this holiday season.  Shopping couldn’t be easier. 
Due dates:  12/3 and 12/10