October 2007
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.
SNACKS: Snack time is fun for the children and part of their learning experience.
For Casa dei Bambini children, we provide a nutritious snack and use the occasion as part of our practical life and daily living segments of the day. Parents are encouraged to bring special snacks or food, which we will use in that day's lesson. This would include fresh fruit, vegetables, popcorn, crackers, etc. (Fresh flowers are great, too, but we don't eat them – the children arrange them!) Each classroom asks for parents to bring in a special snack on occasion.
Montessori Primary Years children bring their own snack, which should be nutritious. Please do not allow your child to bring in soda or candy.
LUNCH: Children that stay for lunch should bring food and drink that are nutritious. You may send warm lunches in an insulated container, but we do not have facilities to heat or cook anyone's lunch. Please do not send soda or candy. We will encourage your child to finish what you send with them and return anything uneaten at the end of the day. In order for parents to have some idea of what your child is actually eating, and to avoid allergy issues, the children will not be sharing lunches.
SCHOOL HOURS: The a.m., Extended Day and Full Day sessions all begin at 8:30 a.m. Please ensure that your child is in the classroom prior to this time in order to allow your child the opportunity to greet the teachers and the other children. When a child is late, this not only reduces the amount of time your child gets to spend in the class but it is also very disruptive for the other children who are already working.
PLAY DATES: If your child is having a play date with another child from the school and it affects the way they go home i.e. need to change buses or not take the bus… Please ensure that the school is informed at least one hour before the end of the end of school. We will not be able to entertain changes in their arrangements after this time. Thank you.
LABELING: Please label all of your child’s belongings including: cups, caps, aprons, socks (amazing how many of these go astray), clothes, school bags and even shoes. Umbrellas and rain gear are also difficult to track without labels. Things get mislaid, borrowed, and even lost and it is impossible for us to find the rightful owner if there is no name on an object.
LOST AND FOUND: We have a lost and found box in the parent room, which is brimming with various items. If your child has been missing something for a while please come in and take a look. We clear this out periodically and things do get thrown away.
SCHOOL KITCHENS: The School Kitchens are for the use of the Children and Staff of IMS School only. Please prepare your child’s lunch at home.
LUNCH-TIME ARRANGEMENTS (for children accompanied by parent/helper): we ask that children eat only in the parent room or tables in the work area near the library. The play area should not be used for lunches at school.
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
PTA SUB-COMMITTEE MEETING (Monday Oct 9th) 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.
SCHOOL PHOTOS:
Montessori Primary Years - Thursday October 4th (Please note date change for Montessori Primary Years) Please have your child come to school in the normal school uniform (polo shirt and tan shorts/skirt and black shoes).
Siblings photos Thursday October 4th (3-6 pm) Please schedule these at the Montessori Primary Years Campus.
Casa dei Bambini - Friday October 5th. Please have your child come to school in the normal school uniform (polo shirt and tan shorts/skirt and black shoes). There is no P.E. on this day.
PTA FAMILY PICNIC: Saturday, October 6th. 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!
HELPER SEMINAR: October 10th & 11th 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.
MID TERM BREAK: There will be no school from Monday October 14 through to Friday October 19.
TERM HOLIDAY ENDS: Monday October 22nd. Normal school begins again for children.
IN CLASS OPEN HOUSE: Thursday October 25th (Montessori Primary Years) and Friday October 26th (Casa dei Bambini - IMS SH) 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: Thursday October 25th (Montessori Primary Years campus) and Friday October 26th Casa dei Bambini - IMS SH) 11am till 3pm Aston Wilson will be here selling the winter uniforms. We encourage families to purchase uniforms during the uniform sales days here at IMS. If you wish to purchase additional items, visit the website www.themontessorishop.com. You can also purchase used uniforms through the PTA by contacting Sita Kozel at pta@motnessori.edu.hk.
If you cannot come to the Uniform sale, and wish to change the size please visit the Aston Wilson shop in Jordan. Aston Wilson will prepare your order upon receipt of your order and payment. If the order and payment is received by Tuesday, the delivery can be usually made to school that Thursday.
MONTESSORI PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME OPEN DAY: Saturday October 27th - DATE CHANGED TO November 24th
NOVEMBER
SPORTS DAY (Friday, November 2nd): all IMS children (Casa dei Bambini and Montessori Primary Years) will participate in a Sports Day at the Hong Kong University Stanley Ho Sports Ground in Pokfulam.
We will be looking for chaperones to help guide the children around the stations.
PLEASE NOTE: School ends at 12:00 for all children - teachers have In-Service Training.
STANDARDIZED TESTING: the Montessori Primary Years children will be taking the practice test for the Stanford 9 (US standardized tests). This practice test is roughly 1 hour in length for each grade level.
PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES: Monday November 12th There is no school for children.
Parent Teacher Conferences are also held after school on Tuesday, November 13th or by arrangement with your child's classroom teacher.
THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION (Thursday, November 22nd): 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 desserts this year. Each classroom will hold its own Thanksgiving celebration in the classroom.
MONTESSORI PRIMARY YEARS PROGRAMME OPEN DAY: Saturday November 24th 9:30 to 11:30am: We will be holding an Open House for parents of IMS' rising Primary Years students and for parents outside the present IMS Primary Years Programme school community.
IMS' Primary children from the Oceania and Europe classes will be acting as ambassadors for IMS, leading parents and children through the through the Montessori materials during the Open House.
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OCTOBER 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 October holidays.
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LIBRARY VOLUNTEERS ORIENTATION Thanks to all the volunteers for coming to this orientation. This is a wonderful place for parents to get involved and help at school - and see your children. If you would like to volunteer to work in the library, please contact Carolyn Champion through info@montessori.edu.hk.
PARENT WELCOME COFFEE (Friday, September 8th) It was wonderful to see so many parents at the PTA welcome coffee at our new play area! FYI, there is now a Starbucks near our South Horizons Campus!
For more about the PTA, click here.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE PTA More details of the meeting will be posted shortly by the PTA. Thanks to so many parents for volunteering!
If you have questions or comments for the PTA, please contact one of the PTA subcommittee members or send an e-mail to pta@montessori.edu.hk.
MONTESSORI EVENING. This opportunity to learn more about the Montessori curriculum and philosophy was very well attended. Miss Dilini and Xie Lao Shi (of the South America class) and Miss Anne and Wang Lao Shi (of the Asia class) presented the Language materials to all new parents. In the Montessori Primary Years seminar, Jim Park, Mr. B and Ms. Teresa went through the Montessori Primary Years Curriculum Summary, tracking children's progress, homework and Standardised Testing with parents in small groups.
In order to support your child’s learning process:
We also encourage you to read more about the Montessori method and philosophy, and use the opportunities in the classroom to connect what you are reading with what is happening in your child’s individual development. Ask your classroom teacher for a recommended title – we have most in the library, and parents can check out these books.
COMMUNITY CHEST DRESS CASUAL DAY Thanks to everyone who participated in this event to help the less fortunate in Hong Kong. we raised HKD 12,345 for the "Community Chest".