This past week has been very busy with Holiday Events at Maple Tree Montessori. Our school Drama class had a wonderful performance on Tuesday, December 14th at the Hartland Music Hall. Cara and The Dreamtime Tapestry was written and directed by Aric Liljegren, our Drama teacher. The show was wonderful!!! We also enjoyed performances by our Suzuki Violin students. They were awesome!! We will have DVD’s of the show available soon. Thanks to Anthony and Meghan for making the DVD’s possible.

The Maple Tree Montessori Elementary students held a Winter Breakfast on Friday, December 17th for their parents. The students made and served a delicious breakfast and performed music and dancing. Everyone had a great time. The Elementary students also invited the Pre School, Kindergarten students and staff to their encore performance and breakfast.

Pictures of these and other events are available on our facebook page.

We are very excited to announce that parenting author, Chick Moorman will be speaking at Maple Tree Montessori on Saturday, March 12th 2011. Chick is an amazing speaker, funny and heart warming; with all kinds of wonderful and practical advice for parents, teachers and caregivers. This year, Chick will be presenting ” The 10 Commitments: Parenting with Purpose” from 1:00 -3:30. The cost is $20.00 per person or $30.00 per couple. The public is invited to attend; reservations are accepted and recommended. Please call 810 225-8321 for more information. This workshop is right in the middle of our busiest Fall Enrollment time and will also provide interested parents with a great opportunity to visit our school, to see our Pre school, Kindergarten and Elementary classrooms and to meet our staff. We hope you can all attend this inspiring event!

We are happy to announce that our Upper Elementary students made wonderful Pumpkin Chili on Wednesday, October 27th. Our elementary class then entered that chili in a Chili Cook Off to benefit Legacy High School in Hartland, Michigan. The competition was very tough. At first there was a 3 way tie for 1st place. They had to bring in another judge to break the tie. Maple Tree Montessori Upper Elementary Class’s Pumpkin Chili came in 2nd place. Our students won $10.00 which will be added to our Pizza Fund. Our first purchase with this money will be a new cage for Jasper, the bunny. Thanks to all of our parents for their support!!

Maple Tree Montessori is happy to donate a 1/2 day Montessori primary class (3 – 6 years old) tuition to benefit the Child Abuse Prevention Council of Livingston County. We have donated this tuition for the past several years and are happy to support this wonderful cause. The tuition applies only to brand new families enrolling for the 2010 /2011 school year and does not include the enrollment and application fees ($235.00). Currently enrolled families are encouraged to spread the word to families that would appreciate this opportunity to send a child to Maple Tree while benefiting such a worthy cause. The value of the tuition is $4587.00 and this amount can also be applied to a full day primary class enrollment. A “buy it now”  option is available for $3,000.00. The deadline for bidding is Friday, August 13th. If you would like to bid, please contact Deanna at cap@wrc-livingston.org .Your subject line should read Maple Tree Tuition. If you would like information about our Montessori programs, please contact us at info@mapletreemontessori.com .Thanks and good luck bidding!!!

This summer, Maple Tree Montessori Academy is happy to host Julie Harrison teaching “Project Read”. Julie will be offering a 1 and 1/2 hour class, Monday through Friday for Preschool – Elementary students. The classes are held in 2 week sessions begining on Monday, June 21st. Project Read is designed to use a multi – sensory approach to strengthen reading skills at all levels. Students do not need to be enrolled in our Summer Camp to take the Project Read Sessions. For more information please email us info@mapletreemontessori.com.

Maple Tree Montessori Academy will be hosting a series of parenting classes facilitated by the Women’s Resource Center. These classes, Capable Kids,  will be held on 3 Tuesday’s in April. April 213th, 20th and 27th from 7:00 until 8:30. These classes will explore the work of Bruce Perry and Stanley Greenspan as well as other child development professionals. The fee is $25.00 per person for the series and there will be no childcare provided. Please call the Women’s Resource Center at 517-548-2200 to register.

Maple Tree Montessori Academy will be hosting an Open House for prospective parents on Saturday April 3rd from 11:00 – 1:00. We welcome all parents and children to come visit our classrooms, meet our teachers and ask questions about our programs.
We are currently enrolling students for Pre school thru 6th grade. (Yes, Maple Tree Montessori is a fully liscened private Elementary School) If you would like an information packet before Saturday, please email us at info@mapletreemontessori.com and we will send one out by email. We look forward to your visit!

Are you considering a private elementary school for your kindergarten student? Are you curious about Montessori Elementary education?Do you have questions about the Montessori Elementary curriculum and how it is different from other private, charter and public school programs? Maple Tree Montessori is pleased to invite all parents who would like to learn about Montessori Elementary and about our Lower and Upper Elementary programs to attend our “Moving Up” night on Tuesday, January 18th at 6:30. Parents of current Montessori students, all kindergarten students and possible future students will be able to visit the classrooms, meet the teachers, see our “hands on” materials  and ask questions about Montessori philosophy and curriculum.  Our enrollment for Fall 2010 has begun and we are accepting new students for programs serving preschool through 6th grade. Email info@mapletreemontessori.com for more information.

On Saturday, January 16th from 1:00 to 4:00 Maple Tree Montessori is pleased to kick off our Early Enrollment for current parents with a interactive diversity workshop. “Embracing Humankind” hosted by Julie Harrison of “One World Mind” is an engaging experience in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We invite all interested parents, teachers and community members to attend. There is no charge for this event.

Dr. Maria Montessori, over 100 years ago, opened a Children’s House in a poverty stricken area of Rome. In this lab school, she observed children and documented their developmental needs. Dr. Montessori was a biologist and so she saw children as the young of our species, she later expanded on her discoveries toward a lofty purpose, Peace through Education. She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize after addressing the world in the late 1930′s. This was a time of turmoil and pending disaster, she was pleading for a new perception, a shift of purpose. Maria Montessori’s hope was that we could experience a new perception of children, of the world and even of the concept of Peace. We are proud to continue her work and to carry Dr. Montessori’s message of hope to a tired world, a world in need of Peace. And so, we wish, hope and work toward a Peace filled Holiday Season for all, a season that extends into a true shift of perception, bright and shining into the New Year and far beyond. Happy Holidays.