the RIVER CURRENTthe RIVER CURRENT

Message from our Executive Director

Parent UNIVERSITY

CoMMUN I T YEducation Night

2013 AUGUST ISSUE A MoNTHLY PUBLICATIoN FRoM RIVER MoNTESSoRI CHARTER SCHooL

Dear River Montessori Families,Oh, how lovely it is to see you this new

school year! It is always so uplifting to

see the children so very enthusiastic and

“open” as they welcome and embrace all the

newness and possibilities of a new year. We

are inspired by their curiosities, interests,

and adaptability and look forward to another

year of supporting your children in their

growth and contagious love of learning!

It is common in Montessori circles to start meetings with acknowledgements and appreciations. So I will begin this letter with sincerest appreciation and gratitude to you, our dedicated families. The community spirit in our school is unparalleled. In addition to donations of time, supplies, and monthly sustaining support via the River Bridge the Gap campaign to help with state funding cutbacks and deferrals, our families volunteer on a regular basis in and out of classrooms, from home and on campus over the week-ends, and are unprecedented in kind words, encouragement, and support to each other in our special community of peace. This sets a beautiful example for our children and we can take pride in demonstrating what a thoughtful, nurturing, and supportive community looks and feels like. With such an experience, the children will easily be able to assume their roles as caring adults in the world in a familiar, reflective, and self-reliant way!

Don’t miss Jonathan Wolff as he returns to RMCS for another highly revered workshop on parenting thoughtfully!

River Crew will be open for this special event. Please RSVP.

For details call707.778.6414

I invite you to learn more about our Montessori program to support your child, classroom, and school. Plan to observe this year to see the classrooms in action; nothing speaks to the potential of education better than a Montessori work period! Be sure to take time for the information available for you on the web, from guides, in newsletters, emails from administration, the occasional Friday form or packet. The River Flow provides helpful guidance regarding where to go with a question. Community Conversations are monthly meetings with our highly experienced Montessorians to answer questions about Montessori philosophy, school, and parenting. We hope to see you at

a Board of Directors’ meeting and all the fun events with our River Montessori Foundation – we all benefit from the collaboration in our community!

So here’s to beginning anew. Let’s allow the children to set the example for us this time as we welcome and embrace all the potential and possibilities of another school year!

Peace, peace, Kelly

“The last, if not the greatest, of the human freedoms: to choose their own attitude in any given circumstance.” Bruno Bettleheim, child psychologist

AUGUST 29, 20135:45 - 7:45

2 “...weaving together social mores, cultural practices and multiple ways of understanding to create a tapestry that tells our story.”

3 Don’t miss this year’s back to school BBQ hosted by RMF and YOUR River Guides.

RiverWear is back!

4 The importance of attendance and of punctuality.

5 Just what exactly does the Board do anyway? It’s not all manis and pedis!

When we speak of the fabric of our society, no one besides a child’s family has the power and potential to transform a child’s life like a teacher does. Teachers perform the essential role of weaving together social mores, cultural practices and multiple ways of understanding to create a tapestry that tells our story. This work is an ever- expanding creation, made newly rich and complex as each one of us - students all - contributes our experiences and perspectives.

Montessori teachers are artists. They express their love for life and living through the content that they teach – in both the method and materials they share. In an ever increasing search to meet the needs of each child, they transform the classroom environment and the content they study so that everyone might have a personal and meaningful relationship with learning.

Montessori teachers are alchemists.

They constantly balance the needs of one child with the needs of another; they cater to each individual, in service of all. Throughout the day, opportunities are made available, and prescriptions are given. In each action resides the scaffolding for more and more complex educational options. Their compass is the warmth and growing light of excitement which we all feel when working with passion and delight.

Montessori teachers are advocates.

They greet children with their hearts before they do so with their minds. To move too quickly, to rush head-long into the delivery of content, is to create a space where the teacher is merely performing - dispensing information, regardless of its relevance to or resonance with the children. They work to know both the head and heart of each child. This connection allows for the deep and purposeful exploration of our universe, powered by a trust and faith in each other.

A Montessori teacher’s work, and the work of their students, is not static or passive. Rather, theirs is a rich and vibrant world, one where originality and creativity put young thinkers on the edge of new under-standings. They are champions of joy and engagement.

The Pace Family for cleaning

the campus driveways and parking

areas. Brian holiday for repairs,

maintenance, and general facilities

he lp! river monTessori

FoundaTion for a great new look

and logo that so speaks to our

Montessori philosophy & community!

sTacey Byrne for lending her

nursing expertise for training and

health requirements. Ginny hauTau

for our beautiful newsletter

template. aBBy calverT, nancy

FeldsTein, maria rodriGuez,

elizaBeTh BerkowiTz, Jen

oryn, GreTchen marTinez,

maricela Gamez, anne

kirven, and Ginny hauTau for

all your help in the classrooms in

preparation for the new school year.

olivia PoTTer volunteering high

school service hours to the office.

olivia zimmerman, JusTin su,

larissa kieFer, alexandra

osBorne volunteering for their

alma mater in various capacities!

“THEY ARE CHAMPIONS OF JOY AND ENGAGEMENT.”

GRATITUDEMany thanks to:

MoNTESSoRI

MattersMontessoriMadmen.com 28 July 2013

IN PRAISE oF MoNTESSoRI TEACHERS:

Artists, Alchemists, & Advocates

Patio umbrellas

Patio furniture

Picnic tables

Tree stumps

Area rugs

Carpet samples

Roomba vacuum

Wish ListTHANK YoU!

2

MoNTESSoRI

MattersMontessoriMadmen.com 28 July 2013

As we start our fifth year, there’s so much to be proud of at RMCS: We are blessed with amazing guides and assistants who provide our children with a Montessori education that will be the foundation of the amazing people into which they are evolving, the RMCS family community

is growing stronger each year, evidenced by the growing

support, volunteerism and fundraising successes we’ve seen in the past few years. To reflect this River spirit and community, the River Montessori Foundation

has launched its “I am River” campaign for the 2013-2014

school year.

You’ve probably noticed the large “I am River” signs in the arrival and dismissal car line, or maybe you saw it on the Welcome Packets (seriously – how cute were those?) … well, you can plan to see it on a bunch of other “swag”, including buttons, stickers, RiverWear shirts and bags. The RMCS community is incredibly vibrant and supportive of our school and of each other,

Join the fun in River Crew as we host some of the best play dates in Petaluma! In the Montessori spirit, children are given their choice of activities within a peaceful, joyful, and inspiring environment. At any given time you’ll find an individual child or a small group of friends playing games, cooking, playing outside, conducting science experiments, building structures and engineering, or simply enjoying a good read. REGULAR HoURS:

7:00a.m. - 8:00 a.m. Monday - Friday 3:15p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Monday - Thursday 12:15 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. Friday

and it’s this collective spirit that makes it so unique and special. So when you put a “I am River” sticker on your car, when you wear your new River Wear t-shirt, you’re not only taking part in a celebration of our community, you’ll expose RMCS to a broader audience who may very well be looking for the same education experience for their child. Thanks in advance for everything you do to support RMCS and all that you will do in this new school year. Together, we can do great things. Together, we can make a difference. Together, we are River.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Matt Hautau has been chair of the Foundation for just 32 days. Be nice to him.

FALL BREAK: Fall Break River Crew to explore Famous Inventors with special guest speaker, Local Inventor, Susan Ross who inventor of the board game Quirkle.

THANKSGIVING BREAK: Join the River Crew Rock Hounds as we go on mineral and rock quests and learn about gems and crystals over the Thanksgiving Break.

Back to School

BBQHosted by RMF with

YoUR River Guides

Meeting Dates

RMF

RIVER MoNTESSoRI FoUNDATIoNRiver has Heart

RoWING WITH RIVER CREWFall Break and Thanksgiving

SATURDAY, August 10, 20134pm to 7pm @ RMCS

Don’t miss this great opportunity to catch up with the River community, and meet new families - especially those of our new students! Enjoy a free and delicious barbecue dinner, bid on something delicious at the Dessert Auction and find out more about how you can contribute to our incredible school!

Committee Chair: Erik ott

erik@rainmakercap.com

NEXT MEETING: Thursday, August 15, 2013 from 7-8pm

meetings are typically held on the

3rd Thursday of each month, but

please check the rmF web site

for any changes or additions.

3

We’ve made it through the first days! Much like the classroom, it takes a few days for everyone to get into the swing of things. Thank you for keeping all of our children safe with:

• Speedlimitedto5mphoncampus

• Taking advantage of the car-line and practicing grace and courtesy with the children • Using inner curb lane for car-line & outer laneformovingtraffic

• Exitingandenteringontothelanding strip inthecar-line(driver’ssideonly)

• Crossingoncrosswalksonly

• Stayingwithyourchildrenwhenthey are inthedrivewayandparkinglot

Do you like to paint, talk, meet new friends, or just work quickly to see a job finished beautifully?

Then Painting Day is for you! On August 24, 2013, we will finish all the unfinished walls, touch up the bumps and bruises

in our current paint jobs, and generally freshen the aesthetics of our school campus. If you can’t make it, we’d love some paint or gift certificates to Petersen’s Paint. Kelly, a few guides, board members and others will be on hand to chat as we work- come enjoy the fun as we make a difference for the children’s environment!

PLEASE RSVP admin@rivermontessoricharter.org

• using the Tributary entrance and crosswalks when walking in/out of school (parking in back of campus freesupthetrafficupfrontforcar-line andneighboringcars)

• Leavingaspaceforparkingcarstopull through if you are waiting to pull into car-lineoncampus

• Informing school in writing of authorized persons to pick up your child well in advance. Same day additions must occur before 2:00 p.m. sowecanensurethatallstaffisnotified.

FRoM THE CALIFoRNIADepartment of Education

School attendance and timeliness is mandatory and all public schools are required to ensure compliance.

What is important for the children

Presence, punctuality, consistency, and responsibility are integral for individual success during the elementary plane of development. Your children receive lessons at school and when they miss them, they are at a disadvantage.

Consistency and routine is very important to children. They may roll easily with changes and aberrations but consistency, routine, familiarity, and ritual calms and gives room for big thinking and great work.

Children develop character traits and skills at a personal level and then achieve abstraction by understanding and mastering their own needs balanced with needs of the group and a larger community.

Timely presence is required for such development.

WHISTLE WHILE YOU WORK.... WHISTLE WHILE YOU P L AY...

AttendanceAwareness SHIP

ShapeHousekeeping, Reminders, Community Work Days

Arrival, Dismissal, & Traffic

rmcs families outdo themselves every year.Thanks for all of your time in helping River Montessori provide a beautiful experiencefor the children.

If you have the time, here are the latest needs…

1. Picnic table repair

2. Getting tree stumps

@ Sonoma Compost

VolunteeroPPoRTUNITY CoMMUNITY WoRK DAY

Calling all Painters

4

SHIPShapeHousekeeping, Reminders, Community Work Days

For many people the Board may seem like an elusive entity, when in reality it is an accessible and transparent governing body. One of our goals this year is to reach out to the parent community about the role of the Board. A school board’s primary responsibilities are the governance of the school, oversight of fiscal viability, and, in the case of RMCS, charter compliance. School boards are tasked by the state to create and implement various policy – from fees to required State curriculum directives.

The RMCS Board is comprised of seven members, four community members (elected by the Board), and three parent representatives who are elected by the RMCS community, of which I am one.

Being a parent Board member has given me a deeper understanding of the business of public education. Our school being not only a charter school, but also a school dedi-cated to the Montessori pedagogy creates a unique set of challenges and opportunities. The work of the Board is always interesting.

In the two years I have served, I have watched the Board go from an organization in its infancy to a sustainable body which has developed appropriate policies vetted by legal and state compliance. As

We would like to extend our deepest condolences to Alexander and the entire Sigworth Family in the passing of Alexander’s father, Bruce Sigworth. The Sigworth family has been a supportive member of our school community since the founding and we are saddened by the news.

A service is being held at Unity of Marin on Saturday, August 3 at 11:00 a.m. It is the request of the Sigworth family that the service remain lighthearted and casual in both atmosphere and attire. To support Alexander and our fellow RMCS family, contributions may be made to the Alex Sigworth Education Fund.

the long, long hours and not-so-glamorous work has mostly subsided, it is exciting to look forward to the future of RMCS. In an effort to recharter this year, we are currently leading the work of the long-term strategic plan for the school, including facilities, growth and state responsibilities.

This has naturally allowed for the creation of a stronger body of committees, such as Fund Development, Facilities, Finance and of course, Board Development. Which brings me to... this October when the term of Parent Board Member and Secretary, Beth Laurence will expire. Beth has graciously stepped up for the role of Treasurer for RMF, where she will undoubtedly be an asset over the next year. We will have our annual opening for a parent member to serve a new three-year term.

The board is always looking for expertise in finance and for local leaders in the Petaluma civic scene. I would encourange anyone, whether interested in joining the board or not, to attend a Board meeting. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Ginny Hautau has been a fan of River from the beginning, volunteering to serve in ANY capacity. Someday she will learn the word, “no.” Clearly,

today is not that day.

Donations may be sent to:Hamilton Federal Credit Union

11 Digital Dr., Suite DNovato, CA 94949

2013 •2014

BoD

Meeting Dates

BoD

RMCS Board of Directors Just what does the Board do, anyway?

our River Heart:In memory of our friend

PRESIDENT & INTERIM TREASURER

Julie Parnow, Community

SECRETARY

Beth Laurence, Parent

MEMBER

Norman Lorenz, M.Ed., Community

MEMBER

Julie Peterson, Community

MEMBER

Ginny Hautau, Parent

MEMBER

Milagros Ott, Parent

CoMMUNITY MEMBER

Know a good fit?

NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, August 20, 2013 at 6:30pm

meetings are typically held on the

2nd wednesday of each month,

but please check the rmcs web

site for any changes or additions.

September 10

october 22

November 12

December 10

January 16

February 11

March 4

April 8

May 13

June 17 5

RIVERM o n t e s s o r iCHARTER SCHooL

In the next River Current:

• Alumni Spotlight• Guide Interview• Out of the Mouth of Babes• Class Favorite Recipe• River Critter Corner

AUGUST 5 Board of Directors Finance Committee Meeting 7:00 p.m.

AUGUST 6 Pasta Tuesday

AUGUST 8 Parent orientation Night 5:15 p.m. - 6:15 p.m. Lower El 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Upper El

Burrito Thursday

AUGUST 10 RMF Back to School BBQ 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

AUGUST 13 Pasta Tuesday

AUGUST 15 Community Conversation 6:00 p.m. River Montessori Foundation Meeting 7:00 p.m.

Burrito Thursday

AUGUST 19 Pizza Monday

AUGUST 20 Board of Directors Meeting 6:30 p.m.

Pasta Tuesday

AUGUST 22 Burrito Thursday

AUGUST 24 Painting Day 9:00 a.m.

AUGUST 26 Pizza Monday

AUGUST 27 Pasta Tuesday

AUGUST 29 Parent University Night: Jonathan Wolff 5:45 - 7:45 p.m.

Burrito Thursday

3880 Cypress Street

Petaluma, CA 94954

www.rivermontessoricharter.org

RIVER MoNTESSoRI CHARTER SCHooL

August Calendar

“ It is necessary to give children the possibility of developing according to the laws of their nature, so that they can become strong, and, having become strong can do even more than we dared hope for them.”

- Dr. Maria Montessori

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ADDRESS LABEL HERE