Maple Tree Montessori’s 2nd annual Celebration of the Performing Arts was a wonderful event. The Violin students are doing very well and their performance was very inspiring. The Drama class was great!! Funny and entertaining. Thank you to Ms. Sherri Magno and Mr. Aric Liljegren for all their hard work. We also had many parent volunteers, Cassandra, Mindi, Jennifer, Natalie, and Shari. Our “film crew” also deserves a thank you, Rick, Josh, Tim and Anthony. Thanks to all the parents that came, brought cookies and supported our studnets in this wonderful experience.

We would like to thank all the parents who have been so supportive and helpful in getting our school year off to a great start! Our Habitat work day was very productive, thanks to our volunteers. Rick (who is a great leader), Vivian, Malcom, Kimmer, Sandi, Josh, Jake, Joel, Cassandra, Dean, Helena,  Claudia, Aaron, Joey, Maya, Julia and Deb all contributed lots manpower, time and effort to restore the use of our trails, gardens, temperate forest and prairie. Thank you!!

We also have volunteers helping with our Suzuki Violin program…our thanks to you, Mindi and Nadia for helping us keep the flow of our classrooms intact during violin lessons. Thank you again, Cassandra…this time for offering to assist Aric with the Drama Program.  Danielle, thank you for offering to help with the distribution of our Equal Exchange Fundraiser and thanks to all of the parents and grandparents who supported our fundraising effort with your orders. Robin, how can we ever thank you for all of your support…we can’t even list all the ways you give to our community.It really does take a group effort to maintain a consistently excellent and cosmic curriculum for our students…we all appreciate your support and we will continue to provide opportunities for everyone to participate and to share in this experience, our school.

Just a reminder, tonight is our annual Parent Orientation Night starting at 7:00 pm. This is a great chance to meet the teachers, parents, review and see what’s new! This evening is appropriate for all parents from preschool through elementary. We are excited to start our 2009/ 2010 school year and hope to see all of you tonight!

The Upper Elementary “Save the Gorillas Gang” is proud to say that we have finished our mountain gorilla project and it was a big success. Through all of our efforts (and with your support) we were able to raise $1,051.88 for the mountain gorillas. All of the funds raised will go to the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International (www.gorillafund.org)

We have received such a good response to the shirts we have put them up for sale online on t-shirts as well as other products like coffe mugs, a water bottle, tote bag, and a poster. A portion of the sale price will be donated to the DFGFI. We encourage you to check out our offerings online at www.cafepress.com/jivotica and share them with friends, family and anyone else who cares about animals.

On behalf of the entire Save the Gorillas Gang, thank you so much for helping us help the gorillas. Each of us in our own way has made a big difference.

Peace,

Julia Liljegren

Nature Education Instructor

     Friday May 29th was our last “Pizza Friday.” This upper elementary fundraiser was a great success. We are able to purchase all items on our technical wish list.

  Thank you for all your support,

  Upper El Class

Deciding whether to enroll or continue enrollment in a private Kindergarten and Elementary school is a difficult decision many parents are facing under the added weight of uncertain economic times.

Public school systems and charter schools offer tuition free programs, but because they rely on state funding, many are struggling to maintain current levels of quality programs for students. Some schools are facing drastic deficits and unknown budget cuts are imminent, important factors for parents to consider.

Private parochial schools are subsidized by sponsoring churches, reducing tuition expenses and are often excellent choices for families seeking private school quality in combination with and under the guiding hand of religious education.

Maple Tree Montessori Academy as a private, non parochial school offers Pre school, Kindergarten and Elementary programs. We stand proudly as Brighton’s…in fact, Livingston County’s only private, non parochial elementary school. Maple Tree Montessori is a Michigan State registered private school, meeting all of the state requirements for a private school, as well as being licensed by the Michigan Department of Child and Daycare Licensing.

As you consider your child’s future, consider this…

Recent studies have shown Montessori educated elementary students were much more likely :

1. to show intrinsic motivation.

2. to engage in periods of deep concentration.

3. to identify their teachers as supportive, fair and interested in them as people.

4. to identify their classmates as friends.

In addition to being academically advanced, Montessori adolescents reported a deep and satisfying community life that increases as they get older. They feel a strong sense of community that begins in the classroom, the school and then extends outward in an inclusive and enriching manner. They also felt safe, emotionally as well as physically and this stability allows for expansive development in many other areas.

Montessori, long thought of as a private education that results in academically advanced students, is finally being understood and appreciated for the depth of nurturing it provides, the social foundation that is crucially necessary in the world today. Dr. Maria Montessori was a visionary, she saw children as the hope for the future. Dr. Montessori’s vision earned her several Nobel Peace Prize nominations, not for education…but for Peace and Education. She saw that the holistic development of the child was of primary importance to our world and that this child, the hope for the future, is worth our investment.

We invite inquires, visits and hope to educate parents about the importance of Montessori. Maple Tree Montessori proudly offers this option to parents and children of Brighton, Hartland, Howell, Livingston County and surrounding areas. Our programs include an amazing, private and authentic Montessori Pre school, Kindergarten and Elementary curriculum that embraces the challenge of Dr. Maria Montessori…”to educate the human potential.”

Helpful links:

http://www.montessoritraining.blogspot.com/2007/07/why-montessori-part-iii-educating-human.html

http://www.montessori-science.org/

Summer is right around the corner and we still have openings in our Montessori Summer Camp. This year we have decided to offer two week sessions of camp throughout the summer as well as an alacarte selection of one week Enrichment Camps. Parents may choose any or all of the options, as suits their needs and the interests of their child.

Our basic Summer Camp offers a full Montessori classroom experience in the morning, with a focus on the Earth and the various Biomes such as, Desert, Wetlands, Temperate Forests, Grasslands and Ocean. We do have several of these Biomes available outside in our Children’s Habitat for exploration. We will offer study of plants, animals and the cooperative nature of each Biome. This can be followed by lunch, outdoor and water play as well as the Enrichment Classes, including a great Drumming class June 15th – June 19th.

More information can be found on this website. Look under Programs…Summer Camp. You can print out an Enrollment form and send it to Maple Tree Montessori, 2944 S. Old U.S. Highway 23, Brighton MI, 48114. Pleas call with any questions (810) 225-8321.

     Our gorilla walk at the Old Hartland High School was a success. We had many people there. We sold snacks, beverages, pizza, 50-50 raffle tickets and t-shirts.

      We are very close to our goal which is $1000, we are less than $40 away. We now are doing a bottle drive for the gorillas too and are also selling bracelets and necklaces and you or your child can also have a hair wrap.

     Thank you to all the parents and students who came to the walk and all who bought t-shirts and have supported us. You have helped us a lot.

Gorilla Gang member, Brook 4th grade

We are happy to invite all of our families and friends to our Earth Day Celebration on Tuesday, April 21st from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm. Our Nature Education Instructor, Julia Liljegren and our students have put together some fun and informative activities and displays for all to enjoy. We will learn about the history of Earth Day and the projects our elementary students have been working on this past year. We are also going to play a family game of Environmental Jeopardy. Everyone is encouraged to dress in recycled clothing made from used clothes and you can sign up at the school to bring a snack to share. We hope that all our families can attend this celebration of our Earth.

A little history, Maria Montessori first opened her Children’s House in the slums of Rome to serve impoverished children who had been left wandering the streets while their parents worked. Montessori schools have been held in churches, villages and even refugee camps. Dr. Montessori has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and the Montessori Philosophy has been embraced by world leaders, teachers and parents who are dedicated to bringing a holistic approach to children’s well being for over 100 years.

In many western countries Montessori education has become an option only for those who can afford tuition prices that even exceed $15,000.00 per year (in Michigan alone). It is usually held in a “private school” context and rarely has the opportunity to serve the purpose of serving an economically diverse community, such as the world itself provides. This diversity has both a far reaching effect within our culture and our own individual experiences, shaping our perceptions and our ability to empathize with others.

We at Maple Tree Montessori are fully dedicated to Maria Montessori’s belief in “Education and Peace”. When you look at our enrollment, you can see that we attempt as a part of our sincere dedication to the philosophy, community and to the individual child, to reach beyond the limitations of the current concept of Private Montessori education and toward the goal of peace and inclusion.

It is toward this end, that we decide our tuition base. For example, there are currently no other fully Montessori elementary programs within Livingston County and the other private elementary school options are associated with parochial subsidizing so we must go to nearby counties to compare tuition rates. If you go to Washtenaw or Oakland Counties you will find rates that are almost double our tuition for Primary, Full Day, and Elementary Programs. Although these schools may have more “extras”, we would happily and effectively compare our Montessori Program to theirs and in fact, we believe that often these “extras” take away from their ability to implement Maria Montessori’s Philosophy…educationally as well as socially.

Our dedication to the continuation of Dr. Maria Montessori’s work also includes the development of a sense of community, within our classrooms, our school and our families. Montessori students are known for their appreciation of culture, ability to be socially responsible and for their compassion. Their parents are the first and most important teachers of a child’s sense of empathy, responsibility and all other social characteristics that contribute to a strong, peaceful and nurturing community.

We have several families in our school who, understanding the importance of supporting our work, our classrooms, their own child’s academic and social development have made fundraising for our school a part of their commitment and we thank them whole heartily. They contribute time for our Habitat Work Days and cleaning days; they laminate, make and organize materials. These parents are the ones that put together fundraisers that enable all families to join together, raising much needed funds to purchase materials and equipment, complete outdoor projects and expand our programs without increasing our tuition during these difficult economic times. With their hard work and dedication, they lead us by example to a stronger and more fruitful school community. We cannot thank them enough for their constant support and dedication. Though they ask for no recognition, you know who you are, Thank You!

Maple Tree Montessori Academy is a young school, full of heart and vision. Many schools are not enduring these tough economic times; schools are losing students, closing programs and closing their doors. We are struggling and growing…a challenging position at best and we appreciate all of the support and consideration you have given to us during our infancy stage. As we grow into our collective future, we are striving to carry on Dr. Montessori’s work to the best of our ability, to continue the development of our academic programs, to include all students and families in our community, to provide all children entrusted to us with an excellent education that ensures growth in all area’s of the child’s transition from toddler to adolescent, providing a peaceful, responsible, self motivated foundation for the emerging adult, our future.