It has been an incredibly busy few weeks here at Midtown – reflected in the fact that this is a ‘Spring Newsletter’ rather than a ‘Monthly Newsletter’! And it’s appropriate because we have celebrated Spring in so many ways. Here’s just a snapshot of some of the things that have been happening over at 987 Bostwick Lane…..

In March we learned about Women’s History Month with a slideshow showcasing different women from modern and ancient history. Of course Maria Montessori was mentioned as we are lucky enough to learn using her pioneering education method everyday at Midtown.

We went on a wonderfully adventurous field trip to the Watsonville Wetlands which was a great way to make our in-class learning come to life. In preparation for the field trip Teacher Cynthia talked about the importance of wetlands and, using a sponge and water, demonstrated the capacity of wetlands to absorb water. Teacher Kalai talked about the water cycle and we learned terms like evaporation and precipitation. The children also learned about the Spring Equinox and changes in the season. All subjects are introduced to children at their level and the beauty of a mixed age classroom is that each age gets something different out of our group learning.

At the field trip we learned about the animals that live in the wetlands and got to hold a live gopher snake. Field trips are exhausting but so worth it to see the look of pride, achievement and wonder, when children experience something new (like holding a snake!)

We held two lovely community events over the past month – the Spring Celebration and Mother’s Day Tea. Both involved the children baking fresh food to share with their families. Teacher Kalai also hosted a Parent Education night themed around introducing Montessori into the home. It was really well attended and we are thankful that we have such knowledgeable and experienced staff who are willing to share their expertise with our community.

At our daily morning gatherings we learned a bingo game in Spanish, sang the Little White Duck and Oats, Beans, and Barley to celebrate our garden and the planting we have done.

This Spring we had some help from a parent in our garden – he came in and planted tomatoes, peas, carrots, and lemon cucumbers with us. We added compost and fertilizer to our garden and watered our new plants. We are so grateful when any parent wants to share their interests with the children.

Speaking of parents, in April we held one of our tri-monthly Open Houses. It is always wonderful to see grandparents, parents, friends, and siblings have a window into some of the children’s learning and the fun they have at school each day.

As we moved into May we celebrated Earth Day by talking about various ways we take care of the Earth. At a circle gathering last week, Teacher Vanessa discussed how various recycled materials, like metal, old car parts and wood, are used to create art all around the world. The class enjoyed looking at photos of examples and then made their own caterpillars out of reused materials.

With Mother’s Day a prominent feature in the May calendar, the class has been thinking about different types of families and at circle gatherings we discussed our own familial arrangements of siblings, parents, grandparents, whether we live in one house or several homes, have pets, or friends within our own family units. We looked at the book Love Makes a Family and talked about the ways we show each other love.

It has been a wonderful few months and we are looking forward to enjoying a fun summer, appreciating that this is a time of change for each of our older children as they start to move on to Kindergarten.

Sarah

Ps. You are receiving this newsletter because you scheduled a tour or contacted us through our website. It is a snapshot of the weekly emails that our headteacher Joe sends out to all parents at school, keeping them updated on life in the classroom. Previous month’s newsletters can be found on our website. To unsubscribe please click the link at the bottom of this email.​
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sarah@midtownmontessori.com

A: 987 Bostwick Lane, Santa Cruz, CA

P: (831) 423 2273

C: (858) 226 3107

CCL #444417036

Our website now has a booking form to enable you to book tours directly. We are accepting applications for the school year 2024/25.