Director's Desk 5/28/2009
Our End of the Year Picnic is on Tuesday, June 16. We sent the flyer home this week. You can download it here. We are so excited to prepare for our school's very first Kindergarten Graduation Ceremony.
Yoga update
In
our Yoga class this week (on Wednesday afternoon) we started preparing
for summer. We went to the beach, since summer vacation is upon us.
We explored our senses as we "heard," "smelled," and "tasted" the
ocean while we literally played in the sand. Our sunglasses protected
our eyes from the bright sun. We had fun trying new yoga poses such as
Spouting Dolphin, Sea Sponge, Stork, and Waves while we surfed the huge
waves. All the children were so quiet in "Savasana" ( the resting
pose) while they listened to a guided visualization about the ocean.
I'm sure they were worn out from our beach adventures!
Namaste!
Yogi Lisa
Summer Parent Course
For those that might be interested, on our handouts page
is a flyer and application for a 7-session course taught by Daniel G.
Shapiro, M.D. on Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics: Raising
Your Challenging Child: Parenting Program
Ayelet 'Ellie' Lichtash
Director's Desk 5/21/2009
We
have lots to celebrate in the upcoming days. On Friday we marked
Jerusalem Day by singing songs and dancing. Monday is Memorial Day and
the school will be closed. Shavuot (the receiving of the Torah Holiday)
begins Thursday evening. We will have a noon dismissal on Thursday and
will be closed on Friday.
Replenish the Mulch on our Playground
The
mulch on the playground was replenished Friday morning and it was ready
for the children to enjoy when they went out to play for recess. They
were very happy and said it was "really soft."
Stay In-Touch with the Jewish Community
As
our academic year is nearing its end, we want to make sure you stay
connected to the Jewish Community, through the Greater Washington
area. JIFFY is a publication that helps families to learn about some
of the events going on around town through JIFFY (Jewish Information For Family and You). Click here, to receive the JIFFY e-newsletter in your inbox.
Support Group for Parents of the Jewish Community
The post below is on behalf of Jaime Selvin:
If
you have a child diagnosed with Anxiety, ADHD, Sensory Processing, or
other types of related issues OR you have concerns about your child but
are confused because they don’t necessarily fall into a "list of
criteria", you are invited to join a new community Parent Support
group, For Our Kids, For Ourselves.
As parents of children who have inherited these neurological disorders,
we may find ourselves frustrated, sad, embarrassed and angry at them
and towards ourselves. The group serves as a community resource - a
support system in which we can vent and be heard, exchange information,
and feel that we are not alone in our quest for raising an emotionally
healthy child.
Our next Meeting will be held on Sunday, May 31 from 7:30-9:00 pm, in the home of Lea Mendelsohn (please email me for location address and directions).
Thanks you,
Jaime SelvinImportant Dates in May and June
- May 25: Memorial Day, School Closed
- May 28: Shavuot Eve, Noon Dismissal
- May 29: Shavuot - School Closed.
- June 16: School's Picnic, last day of school - noon dismissal.
Ayelet 'Ellie' Lichtash
Director's Desk 5/7/2009
Dear Parents,
Extended Day Option
We
are considering extending our daily program for next year to 5:30 p.m
(Monday through Thursday) to help working parents. Unfortunately, we
have to close at 3 p.m. on Fridays, but we can try to find a solution
for that specific day. Drop off can be as early as 8:30 a.m. If you
have an interest to sign up for extended day, please let me know. The
price will range from $170 - $260 per month (depending on the age of
the child and the number of hour/days).See Price Chart Below.
The
afternoon activities will include games, arts, resting time, snack,
soccer and yoga. There will be Extended Day option for the days that
the school closes at noon time for noon dismissal (such as
Parent-Teacher Conferences and so forth) except for Fridays and Holiday
Eves.
18 months – 3 years old : $240 per month (Monday to Thursday)
3 – 6 year old : $200 per month (Monday to Thursday)
Any age part of the Extended Day option: $170.
Camp Registration is Continuing
Take advantage of the Sibling Discount. Click here.
Staff Phone-a-Thone
This
week the staff will continue their calls for our Annual Giving
Campaign. Thank you in advance for the positive feedback and your
generous responses.
In
comparison to other area Montessori schools (see table below) our
school's tuition rates are very reasonable. However, while the Alef Bet
tuition provides a sufficient budget to maintain our school, we do not
have the funds for extra resources without your help.
Tuition for Primary program full day 9 - 3 p.m.
| Alef Bet Montessori | $8,300 |
| Aidan Montessori, DC | $18,301 + $1,800 Initial fees + 500 enrollment fees |
| Butlers Montessori, Darnstown | $11,900 |
| Lone Oak, Bethesda | $10,700 + $1000 initiation fees; |
| Manor Montessori, Bethesda | $10,600 |
Thank you for helping us reaching our goals, and adhering a great level of education.
Lag B'Omer Bonfire
Please
join us this coming Tuesday, May 12 at 5:30 p.m. at Cabin John
Campground on Tuckerman Lane. Bring your family and grandparents, too,
and enjoy a Bonfire, Treasure Hunt, Songs, Food and time to schmooze.
Cost is $5 per person. We booked campground number #2. The entrance is
off of Tuckerman Lane, across from Cabin John Park. Go through the
gated entrance of the campground to a parking lot inside the
campground. Do not park in the lots on Tuckerman. We ask you to be on
time, as a staff member will be stationed at the gate to let you
through. Lastly, please let us know if you are vegetarian.
Late Pick Up
We've
had a few recent incidents of late pick up, including two children
being picked up at 3:30 p.m. Pick up time for full-day children is
from 2:45p.m. - 3 p.m. We ask you to be respectful of our staff and
their hard work and not force them to stay longer than their scheduled
day. Our Parents Guide states
on Page 2 our late-fee policy of $1 per minute past the pick-up window,
which we intend to fully enforce starting Monday May 11.