Tamworth Montessori Newsletter

25.02.15
A warm welcome to new families and great to
see all our families.
Children are still joining the program so dont
be afraid to introduce yourself to new faces.
Separation at drop off time: see stress free
separation dot points later in this Newsletter.
Drop off and departure: the children learn to
shake hands, make good eye contact and to
use appropriate words of greeting and
farewell on arrival and departure. This is part
of the purposeful, real-life atmosphere at a
Montessori Centre. For more on Practical Life
(short version of Fionas recent Presentation)
see attachment.
You will also find attached, short versions of
* Wendys Presentation, `Skills for the Real
World: Skills for Life.
* Chris Presentation: Fact Sheet from Chris Screen time: the recommendations/
suggestions.
* Ros presentation (some photos from) re
Sensory Learning.
Karli Scott also offers a great article. An aspect
of living sustainably, it challenges us re waste.
See attached.
Parent Meetings
Quality drivers of our Preschool:
The quality of the program
Driven by well-trained Staff
the quality of care
the value placed on the individual
opportunity for each child
These points were expressed by our
parents at the 2nd last Parent Meeting.
At the last Parent Meeting, Staff highlighted
the first of these bullet points Curriculum.

Feed-back confirmed Parent belief in the

quality of the program, Staff commitment and
enthusiasm. I want to again thank Fiona,
Wendy and Chris for their Presentations.
Short points from the night are attached. The
best way to co-support your child is to attend
Parent Meetings and to take part in
discussion/ questioning/sharing of
information/community.
Our Children
The children are experiencing continuity in
routines and transitions, interpretation of
`freedom within limits, observations and
follow-up. Chris, Wendy, Fiona and Ros are
working together. The children have quickly
settled. Continue to send news items from
nature
craft or
a photo of interest.
This provides a link for your child into the new
Class group. It opens the possibility of
discussion/follow-up. It drives learning. No
toys please. The time is prioritized in
science/nature/culture/geography/community
A trailer full of sand tells of industrious shovel
work by the children. In the next couple of
weeks, new sand will arrive and the workers
will again get busy. This process is the learning
of the life-skill, delay of gratification. The
project is purposeful to the children and they
are engaged in a change process, happening
over time.
Montessori taught that ideally the children
would be involved in changes to the
environment. This way they have ownership
and understand process. Delay of gratification
is a necessary discipline for a successful life.
Remember this is program is holistic.
Discussions such as these are as important as
`didactic Curriculum (Montessoris term).
Chris is dedicated in planning, growing and
adapting the daily gymnastic routine. The
process is developmental and creative.
Cultural Presentation: Rainbow Eagle Thursday
26.02.15. All welcome. Keen to hear your feedback.
Parents helping: If you were one of the parents
helping at the Bunnings bbq last week-end, a
big thankyou. We were hard-pushed to have
all the helpers needed at this early time of the
year. Monique Monk has immense capability.
It speaks volumes for Monique that she hardly

had a foot in the door with her newly enrolling

child when she took this job on again. Many
thanks Monique. Thanks also to Fiona. $691 is
a great profit result and will help the Preschool
to support Fiona and Chris in their current
studies.
Healthy Eating/ Vegetables: success already,
children and Staff alike! (feel free to bring a
capsicum or a tiny green leaf for Chris!) Join us
in celebrating vegetables and send a vegetable.
Check out `Vegies serve em up on the website
http://www.goodforkids.nsw.gov.au/Parents or
follow the links through our website.

http://www.tamworthmontessori.nsw.edu.au
Zamela is again posting articles and links on
the website. It is an important link to wide
information! Thanks Zamela.
From the Office: Jo reminds us to be prompt
with Fee payments. This allows us to run
efficiently. Invoices out next week.
Hepatitis A:
Government requests that we inform our
parents as per the details of Hepatitis A. On
Friday of last week we forwarded our Parents
a Fact Sheet on Hepatitis A. Part of it reads:
What is hepatitis A?
'Hepatitis' means inflammation or swelling of
the liver. It can be caused by chemicals or
drugs, or by different kinds of viral infections.
One common cause of infectious hepatitis is
hepatitis A virus. Infection with one type of
hepatitis virus does NOT give protection
against infection with other hepatitis viruses.
Symptoms include feeling unwell, aches and
pains, fever, nausea, lack of appetite,
abdominal discomfort, followed by dark urine,
pale stools and jaundice (yellowing of the
eyeballs and skin). Illness usually lasts one to
three weeks (although some symptoms can
last longer) and is almost always followed by
complete recovery.
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/Hep
atitis_A.aspx

Last day of Term 1: Thursday 2nd April

Next Professional Development Day:
Wednesday 22nd April (we alternate these so the
same families are not always impacted)
Next Parent Meeting Monday 4th May 7.00pm

Tamworth Montessori Preschool Newsletter 25.02.15