November 2006
GENERAL NOTES:
NO NUT POLICY: Please be aware that we have several children with severe allergies at school. Nuts are highly allergenic. To protect these children, please note that IMS has a NO NUT POLICY. This means that individual snacks, group snacks, lunches and any other food item brought into the school should not contain nuts or nut oils.
For further Please refer to the list of approved foods for snacks in the Parent Handbook - Snack Policy.
MOBILE PHONES: Please turn MOBILE PHONES TO “SILENT” IN SCHOOL.
PLASTIC FOLDERS: Please note the plastic folders are communication envelopes for you to communicate with school and for school to send home important information for you regarding your child. Please check these daily for any information we may be sending you. Please empty the folder daily as we also need to check them to see if you have any notes for us and it is difficult to do so when they are full.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
OCTOBER
PARENT COFFEES (Thursday, October 5th &19th) You are invited to join other parents for a casual coffee every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month at Pacific Coffee right after drop off.
IN CLASS OPEN HOUSES:
Thursday, October 26th (Elementary - IMS SA) and Friday October 27th (Casa dei Bambini - IMS QRE) This is an opportunity for you to watch your child in action in the classroom. Please remember to switch off you mobile phones before coming into the class. Time is by invitation.
WINTER UNIFORM SALE: Friday October 28th 11am till 3pm Aston Wilson will be here selling the winter uniforms Oct 27th from 11am till 3pm. We encourage families to purchase uniforms during the uniform sales days here at IMS. If you wish to purchase additional items, you can now purchased new uniforms (payment by credit card) on www.themontessorishop.com. You can also purchase used uniforms through the PTA by contacting Sita Kozel at pta@montessori.edu.hk. You may have your child try on samples in the parent room as well, but please return the samples to the cupboard for the next person.
MID TERM BREAK: There will be no school from Monday October 30 through to Friday November 3.
Please note that school ends at 12 pm on October 27th.
NOVEMBER
MID TERM BREAK: Classes resume on Monday November 6th.
SPORTS DAY (Friday, November 10th): All IMS children will participate in this morning event at the Sports Ground in Causeway Bay. Afternoon Casa children are invited to join us in the morning.
PARENT COFFEES (Thursday, November 16th) You are invited to join other parents for a casual coffee at Pacific Coffee near IMS QRE right after drop off.
PTA SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING (Monday Nov 13th) the PTA Subcommittee meets each month to discuss PTA business. We are looking for new class parents for most Casa dei Bambini classes to assist the existing class parent and library volunteers as well. Please contact the PTA at pta@montessori.edu.hk if you would like to volunteer or have items which you would like to bring up.
For more on the PTA, click here.
PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES: Monday November 13th There is no school for children.
Parent Teacher Conferences are also held after school on Tuesday, November 14th or by arrangement with your child's classroom teacher.
HELPER SEMINAR: November 21st & November 22nd Each year we offer a Helpers Seminar given by Miss Anne of the Asia Class. Please review the handouts with your helper, and ensure that s/he has your full support to help your child help him/herself.
THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION (Thursday, November 23rd): All the children will be preparing a Thanksgiving dinner, which is celebrated in the classrooms. North American parents are usually asked to help with the cooking and preparations by Class Parents. The children husk corn, chop broccoli and make corn muffins. The elementary classes usually contribute pies, and will be making no-bake cheese cake this year. Each classroom will hold its own Thanksgiving celebration in the classroom.
PTA FAMILY PICNIC: Saturday, November 25th. Details to follow - please be on the look out for a PTA communication in your child's folder. This has been a resounding success over the past three years, and should be a wonderful, fun event for IMS families!
Please contact the PTA to help out!
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PARENT WELCOME COFFEE (Thursday, October 5th &19th) It is always nice to see so many parents at the PTA welcome coffee! FYI, parents have casual coffees every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month at Pacific Coffee right after drop off. Come with questions or suggestions or just to socialize!
For more about the PTA, click here.
LANTERN FESTIVAL (Friday, October 6th) Mark Mulkerin took some WONDERFUL photos of the Casa children in their Chinese Dress! Thanks, Mark!
STANDARDIZED TESTING (October 12th): the Elementary children took the practice test for the Stanford 9 (US standardized tests). This practice test is roughly 1 hour in length for each grade level. If you are interested in more information on this subject, contact Anne Sawyer.
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NOVEMBER HOLIDAYS
Each month we introduce holidays from different cultures to the children to help them understand their meanings and how they are celebrated. At school we have many opportunities to provide meaningful holiday experiences by incorporating them in the daily classroom work of music, literature, history, language and art. This is the perfect way to increase the children’s appreciation of other cultures as well as their own.
Click here for more on November holidays.
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