Our Natural Playground is Almost Here!

Last week, we gathered around the good folks from The Natural Playground Company and CMA parent and volunteer Eric Hynes to thank them for all of their good work. on our new playground. The thank you and send off for the men all the way from New Hampshire was fun and exciting for all of us. Following the thank-yous and the send off, the gentlemen told us that in all the schools they have been to they have never been thanked! They were touched by the children's heartfelt messages. One of those big burly guys actually had a tear welling up in one of his eyes.

The playground is now ready for hydro-seeding and due to the rainy weather will that seeding will not be able to be done until Monday. Following the seeding, we will have to wait 6-8 weeks and wait for the the new grass to be strong enough to handle the traffic of our student body.

Thanks to all of those who have made this project possible. This started off as a dream several years ago and it is so exciting to see it becoming a reality.

Our First Day of School

The first day of school is certainly one of the best days of the year. The excitement that surrounds a new chapter in life seems to be felt by everyone in our learning community. From a child's perspective there are discoveries ahead and friendships to be nurtured. From the adult perspective we watch with awe as our children pass another milestone. Our hearts fill with pride as they rise to the occasions ahead of them. At the same time there can be a piece of our hearts that aches as we let our children go on to new and exciting experiences and challenges. Today the children began the work of forming their new learning communities, reviewing our routines, and making new discoveries. Thanks for a wonderful first day. Here is to a wonderful and new school year!

New Playground Groundbreaking

The Natural Playground will soon be a reality! Earlier this evening we held our ceremonial groundbreaking for our new playground. The ceremonial ribbon cutting is pictured above. Our ribbon cutters were Rich Bohon (CMA Board Treasurer), Mason Dubay (CMA student), Anneliese Clear (CMA Board President), Gillian Clear (CMA student). Gwen McFarlin (Springfield Township Trustee) and Laura Saylor (CMA Principal). The evenings events included a few words from CMA leadership, our distinguished guest Gwen McFarlin, a ceremonial fist dig by Gillian Clear and some light refreshments. For more information on Natural playgrounds click here. To view additional photos, please click on photos below.

Mr. C's BIG Surprise

On Friday, June 3rd, the CMA community surprised Cesar with a retirement party. The venture was organized by both the Arellano family and the CMA family. When he and his family drove up the school driveway to stop and play on our playground, they were greeted by dozens of current and former CMA community members! Throughout the evening over 200 guests stopped in to wish Cesar the happiest of retirements! The evening inlcuded a tree dedication and a wonderful speech by our Mr. C.To see more photos from the evening, please click here.

The Kids' Flying Pig

CMA’s Runners Shine!

CMA students and friends ran for the 3^rd consecutive year in The Flying Pig Kids’ Marathon. In being a part of this event they were exposed to experiences in choosing fitness, fun, and healthy habits.

Our Marathoners were a part of the real Flying Pig Marathon by finishing their 26th marathon mile on Saturday, May 5, 2012 during the Flying Pig Kids' Marathon Final Mile event at Cincinnati’s Riverfront. After logging 25 miles during the past several months, they covered their last mile on the actual Flying Pig Marathon course and cross the real “Finish Swine.” They received a finisher’s shirt, a marathon medal and all the goodies of the finish celebration.

We are proud of our CMA runners and thank Miss Kristin for all of her hard wok in leading the organization of the events! They all have shown us how to live out the motto of The Kids' Flying Pig Marathon: Be Smart, Eat Well and Move More!

You and you child can visit The Nutrition Council’s website www.nutritioncouncil.org to learn more about healthy choices in eating.

CMA’s Toddlers Graduate!

At first, having a graduation ceremony for toddlers might seem a little odd.

But then again, the earliest years of life are when most important development and growth occurs. Thinking of the capabilities of our graduating toddlers, reminds me of the accomplishments they have made since their earliest days. While, their “education” has not yet been that of a highly aware learner, it has been more important than any other part of their development.

Here is a run down of their most amazing achievements:

· They can walk, run, climb and jump.

· They take things apart and put them back together.

· They can and want to do many things independently.

· They have begun to learn to share.

· They can now wait for their turn.

· They have developed a great sense of humor.

· They can sing and dance and even talk in sentences.

· They can “read” a book and “tell” a “story” based on the images inside.

· They have acquired a vocabulary of over 1,000 words.

· They can share affection and kindness with others.

The toddler’s graduation is a celebration of all these children have accomplished in their first few years. This celebration is as much for them as it is for the adults who have played a role in their development: the teachers, parents, extended family and caregivers. Supporting a young child’s growth during these busy and demanding years is an important achievement for them too. CONGRATULATIONS to our graduating toddlers as well as to their teachers, parents and grandparents!

A busy time of year!

You might say it all started with the Open House. This spring season has brought so much energy, change and renewal; that we are just now catching up with ourselves! In March, we had the Cincinnati Montessori Society Conference . This regional conference featured more than CMA's share of educators as presenters and organizers. Our CMA staff attended the event with a dozen teachers attending the Alfi Kohn keynote and a variety of the breakout workshop sessions. Laura and Mark Presented on Education for a New World and created a blog as a resource tool for its participants, which is now a suggested resource to some of Xavier University's intern classes. The following weekend brought the CMA book fair at Barnes & Noble. The photo above shows a very spec ail story being read by Cara Dubay, with her daughter Maryn assisting and Mason charming the listeners. The next photo is of the Simapreet, Rohanjit and mom as they listen closely to the story. After our spring break, we had the annual CMA sleepover with a record 50+ participants. Many thanks to the staff members who worked so hard and long to make this event a success for the kids. And now we find ourselves in the middle of April with the many springtime activities, events and rituals. Be sure to follow the Upcoming Events on the left side of the blog for the latest and greatest on theses events.

CMA's Open House

Our annual Open House was one of the most successful Open Houses we have had in the past few years. Prospective families began arriving at our school at 12:45, fifteen minutes before we were scheduled to start! The constant flow of newcomers to our school did not relent until 3:45. Many of the families remarked about finding out about us via our recent marketing efforts with Cincinnati Family Magazine (Special thanks to Anneliese Clear for heading up this effort!) and some direct mail pieces we recently sent out while others heard from us by word of mouth. Regardless of how they heard of us or the age of their children, they had one thing in common. They were each searching for a learning environment that would provide an educational experience for their child that would work with how their child learns best. They were looking for a school and for teachers that would inspire in their child the desire to learn and to discover, the development of their child's creative thought processes, and the self-discipline to approach life's challenges and opportunities. Our visitors were able to meet many current CMA parents and learn from them why they have chosen CMA for their children. Our CMA students modeled their wonderful work habits and their joyful scholarship. And of course, our amazing faculty and staff shared their knowledge and warmly opened their doors to the visiting children and families. Thanks to all those who helped make this Open House one to remember!

Presenting at CMA

On Monday, our Upper Elementary students presented their work and research on the United States of America. At first glance this might seem to be a mere sharing of projects they have worked on. In reality though it is a long worked on and practiced skill as well as a valuable assessment tool. Even our young children present to us every day. Often times you will hear a Montessori teacher say to a child, "Tell me about"... or "Show me..." or even "Can you create...?" In a child's response to these questions a secret power is revealed. When a child presents to us they are owning their own learning and solidifying what they know both in depth and in scope. It is true for us as adults also. When we present something, we become more expert at it. The same is true for kids. Presenting also serves as an assessment tool. Through observing and evaluating the children's presentations we are able to discover not only what they know, but also if they can apply their knowledge, draw conclusions from it and connect it to other learning they have acquired. With this in mind, I invite you all to have your child (young or old) present something to you.

Spelling Bee at CMA

We had our first school-wide Spelling Bee earlier this month! Tracie Gooley, the 9-12 teacher, organized and conducted the championship bee. The two winning class representatives from each of the elementary class rooms competed in the school bee. Those representative are pictured above. (Kennedy, Zoe, Miles, Peter, Emma and Maya) We are proud of how everyone did! The champion word was "uncouth" spelled by fifth grader Emma Hynes. The next step is for Emma to take an online test to quality for the local city Spelling Bee. We'll keep you up to date on her progress! Way to go, CMA kids!

Working Together

As you may have noticed, the Montessori learning environment is very different than the traditional classroom setting. This is true not just in the physical environment but also in how the children engage in learning with their teachers and with each other. Students are encouraged to work together. Unlike a more traditional teaching approach, the teacher does not provide every answer the child is looking for. Children are encouraged to discover answers for themselves. They often find a peer to guide them on their search. This collaboration teaches children how to cooperate with their classmates and builds a bond of inter-dependence not typically seen in more traditional classrooms. Our students become skilled in working independently and in collaborating with others. These types of skills will help them succeed not only in their education but also in their lives!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone! We hope you had a wonderful winter break with your children. We are so happy to have them back with us. As I walked through the classrooms today I was astounded with the kids focus and enthusiasm. It seems that they were ready to get back to work and back to their routines and friends. Thanks again for sharing them with us. Stay tuned to this blog for 2011 upcoming events and pictures of your children.