February 2011 Newsletter

SPRING OPEN HOUSE

An “Open House Night” is scheduled at all classroom locations on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. All are invited to attend. The evening is especially informative for parents of current OMS students who will be “moving up” to the next level.

The infant class is located only at our Carmel site (4 Glenna Drive). Angela Carr is the teacher and can be found by going to the left all the way to the end of the hallway and through the doorway on the right. Infant parents, or anyone else interested in our toddler program may visit the Stepping Stones classes. There are three of them. In Carmel, Maggie Monahan’s Stepping Stones classes (a.m. S3 and p.m. S6) are on the left. In Yorktown, Stepping Stones classes are housed at the Church of the Nazarene (1243 White Hill Road). Vincenza (Enza) Moschetta-Marricco’s morning class (S1) and afternoon class (S4) are upstairs to the left, and are the two rooms on the right side. Alice Lee’s classes (S2 & S5) are downstairs and to the left.

There are a total of four nursery/kindergarten classes for our Stepping Stones parents to explore. In Yorktown at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church (2405 Crompond Road), in the main building, the large room down the hall to the left houses Linda Teach’s a.m. class 1 and p.m. class 5 (in front of the partition), as well as Rose Whitters’ a.m. class 2 and Alex Rundle’s p.m. class 6. At the Methodist Church (2300 Crompond Road), Tamiko O’Reilly’s nursery/kindergarten a.m. class 3 and p.m. class 7 occupy Room 8 and Room 15. In Carmel, at 4 Glenna Drive, Marge Palombo’s nursery/kindergarten classes (a.m. class 4 and p.m. class 8) are on the right as you enter the building.

Parents of our kindergarten children, including the ones in Carmel, are invited to visit our two junior classes in Yorktown. Randa Dobrayel’s junior class occupies the main floor of the white house on the grounds of St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church (2405 Crompond Road) and Susan Grasso’s junior class is held in Room 6 and Room 7 at the Methodist Church site (2300 Crompond Road). Junior class parents or anyone else who would like to check out what our oldest students are up to should be sure to visit Cheri Baron’s senior class held in Room 13 also at the Methodist Church site.

We encourage you to visit as many classes as you wish. We can’t guarantee to accommodate your every choice but the earlier you let us know your wishes the better.


CLASS HAPPENINGS

Cheri Baron’s Senior Class

The seniors sent individual holiday cards (along with a giant “Twas the Night Before Christmas”- type card) to the troops in Iraq via junior class teacher Athina Schwartz’s brother-in-law Shawn, and were very pleasantly surprised when they each received a thank-you note in return.

The class also spent a day on their “passion projects.” This was an opportunity for the kids to share what they are truly passionate about. This all stemmed from their study on the Founding Fathers—how they worked so hard not for pay or fame but because they were passionate and believed in a new nation. The children did oral reports on everything from Legos and baseball to movie making and photography. The photos give you a small peek into what an amazing day it was and why the kids loved it so much.

Dylan Tolbert is passionate about hockey



Sydney Schwartz is passionate about gymnastics



Sue Grasso’s Junior Class

The class went on a trip to the Beczak Center in Yonkers and did a lot of work concerning the Hudson River Estuary, learning among other things about salinity and the animals that live in the Hudson River. This is a continuation of their Hudson River studies earlier this year. The activities were even more hands-on. They learned how the tides come in and out and how the tides affect the Hudson River. They also discussed pollution. There was an estuary model and the children were able to flood it and see how salt water floats into the Hudson and becomes brackish. They learned that the source of the Hudson River, called Lake Tear of the Clouds, is completely fresh water. Using a sponge the children also had a chance to see how they are trying to clean the river and how they are putting plant life back in as a barrier.

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day the class did an acrostic on “Freedom” and talked about what freedom means to them. The children were very interested in who killed MLK and in further discussions about the issues he stood for and how others participated. They asked how Rosa Parks died and how old she was.

As they do every year, the class prepared valentines and sent them to the Veterans at the VA Hospital in Montrose.

Randa Dobrayel’s Junior Class

In the midst of our freezing cold winter weather, the class vicariously enjoyed the “warm-weather” presentation by Kami Lim and her mother, Nadine. Their family vacationed in Hawaii in November and they brought back tons of pictures to share with the class. Kami talked about the volcanoes and the native plants and flowers that they saw. She especially enjoyed all the animals—the turtles, the goats and the whale-watching. Kami shared some of what she learned about the culture in Hawaii, e.g. instead of the typical Thanksgiving dinner, they attended a luau feast and enjoyed the traditional dance that originally came from Tahiti. The class all agreed that the pictures were exceptionally beautiful and they are now adorning one of the walls in the classroom. Seeing the pictures on the beach and talking about the warm weather there warmed up the class in the middle of a very cold day!

In recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. the class read a biography about his life and then the children wrote about their dreams for the United States. Included among their dreams were: let everyone be nice to each other; have more money for charities; make the world a better place to live; even though it may be difficult at first, follow in the steps of MLK; never give up; end pollution and poverty; and care about the homeless. Let’s all try to make these dreams come true!

Marge Palombo’s N/K class

As part of the parents’ week project, Ellie Cassidy’s mom, Jennifer, and Alyssa Hubbs’ mom, Valerie, worked jointly with the children on a Ronald McDonald House project. Each child received a card with a picture of a duck on it that they each colored. The children then assisted Jennifer and Valerie in putting together little “care packages” that included items such as soap, shampoo, a comb, toothbrush and toothpaste, etc. that are to be given to families that are using the Ronald McDonald House facilities when their children are in nearby treatment centers. The back of each card noted “These packages have been provided by the children of Our Montessori School in Carmel, New York.”

Tomoya Inumiya and Cassandra Pelosi assemble their care packages



Mrs. Hubbs read a special book, “I Can Help,” to the children (the author, David Costello, is a friend of hers), which dovetailed quite nicely with what they were doing. The book was then donated to the class library. Each child received a “Little Helper Award.” The enthusiasm of the children for all they did was heartwarming.

Marge Palombo’s N/K students say “I Can Help” the Ronald McDonald house families



Alice Lee’s Stepping Stones Class

The children have been having loads of fun. They made gingerbread men and decorated them. During the whole process they also had taste tests. The teachers identified several of the ingredients (cinnamon, ginger, etc.) and had the children smell them. Then the children were blindfolded and tried to identify the same ingredients by smell only. The best part was taking their gingerbread men home. In honor of February being National Wildlife/Bird Feeding Month, they also designed their own bird feeders made with pine cones covered with Crisco, then rolled in bird seed and having a string attached so they could hang it on a tree at home. Just after the first big snowfall, buckets of snow were brought in and the children experienced making their own snowmen on the class table. They made snowballs also and thought it was all great fun.

Enza Moschetta-Marricco’s Stepping Stones Class

The classroom layout and exposure to some trees right outside and close to their window allowed all the children to especially enjoy watching the birds eat and feast from the personally prepared “pine-cone meal” that they had hung on a tree. Additionally each student got one to take home, so they are making a lot of birds very happy!

Amaya Velez-Benenson, a student in Enza Moschetta's Stepping Stones class shows off the bird feeder she made.



GETTING TO KNOW OUR STAFF—DAMARYS HANCE

When she was very young, she thought she wanted to work in a hospital. When she was only 15 years old, she went to work part-time in a dentist’s office. Then in high school, she decided that she wanted to work with children in a teaching capacity. (She enjoyed comforting and nurturing the children in the dentist’s office so this was a natural progression.)

Damarys was born in Puerto Rico. After high school, continuing her part-time work at the dentist’s office, she attended the University of Puerto Rico studying education with a major in biology. After graduation she worked at a Catholic school teaching math and science in second, fifth and seventh grades. But shortly thereafter, her life took a major detour. A young man from the United States was visiting some relatives and friends in Puerto Rico and happened to visit her home. There was a mutual attraction and after a few dates together he returned to the U.S. But they continued corresponding with one another, and when Damarys visited her aunt in New York a year later, they got in touch and had a whirlwind courtship that culminated in his asking her to marry him. Damarys says she would not advocate such a courtship for her daughter or any other young lady, but in her case, it worked, and she and her husband have been married now for 27 years!

Damarys and Harvey were married in Puerto Rico and stayed there for only three days after the wedding before they moved to the Riverdale section of the Bronx in New York. At the time, Damarys took advantage of an opportunity to work in a dentist’s office once again, but when her son Jason was born in 1988, she decided to stay at home with him. Her husband owned his own model motor pump company and this enabled her to do so. Her daughter, Kimberly, was born four years later. Damarys had lived in a house in Puerto Rico, but her husband had only lived in apartments here in New York and was very enthusiastic about relocating his family to their own home. That’s when they made their move to Yorktown Heights in 1999.

When her children were in fifth grade and kindergarten, Damarys mentioned to a neighbor that she was interested in getting a part-time job to fill her empty days. That neighbor, along with another one, worked at Our Montessori School and told Damarys that she should apply there for a part-time position. She started with OMS working as an extended day teacher from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Jewish Center for Rosie Scholl’s N/K class. It was only a few months later that she was asked to additionally fill an opening for an assistant teacher in Alice Lee’s Stepping Stones class, a position she still holds today.

Damarys’ face lights up when she talks about all the children with whom she has worked. She says that when she first started in the early morning extended day hours, it was so important to welcome the children in a warm and nurturing way (since many of them were only three years old or so) and make the transition from mommy and daddy to school an easy one. “Love, kindness, nurturing, caring, comforting—just like mommy’s—is what they most need, and it’s what I most want to give them,” she gently says. She notes the importance of when they are crying, you need to distract them and make them happy. If they’re starting to get sick, you need to comfort them the same as their mother would, until a family member arrives to take them home. Damarys adds that one of the most important aspects of her job, especially with the even younger children in Alice’s class, is the concern for their safety. These little ones are just learning about so many different things and running here and there (as they are directed to “walk, not run when you’re inside”). You have to have eyes in the back of your head and prioritize their safe being. This is, of course, in addition to the practical, hands-on and even basic academic activities that are done with the children throughout the day. Damarys says that she loves these children from the bottom of her heart and has no desire to be anywhere else.

Damarys’ son Jason graduated from Yorktown High School and is attending Westchester Community College where he is studying recreational therapy and transferring this year to a four-year college to complete his degree. He has been simultaneously working at “My Gym” and is in charge of all the classes there. On the weekends he oversees the children’s birthday parties. Her daughter Kimberly attends Concordia College in Bronxville. She is in her first year and wants to be a teacher. She is in an early childhood education program and her heart’s desire is to work with very young children.

Well, the apples don’t fall far from the tree in this house! When asked if they ever accompanied Damarys to OMS for any of her time there, she replied that they hadn’t, but they were always listening to the stories she brought home about the children and got such joy and pleasure out of them. It’s not surprising that they would gravitate towards like-minded roles in life with their mother as such a shining example.

Damarys is also a snow angel and this is her third year doing that. Of course she brings all that love and consideration noted above and it’s no wonder that the children are so happy to spend those days with her! She notes that there is a wide span of ages on those days—so you need to be creative and involved in order to keep everyone active, happily engaged and not bored with the day. And we particularly enjoy the enthusiasm, warmth and love that she brings to the children and to OMS in general. Thanks, Damarys!

ALUMNI NEWS

Laura McDaid, a former student who graduated from Our Montessori School’s elementary school last year after attending OMS for 13 years (starting in our infant program), has been named Putnam Valley Middle School’s ELA Student of the Month for January 2011. Kudos to you, Laura!

Aly Baron, another former student, visited the Senior class recently and gave a writing lesson to them (a school assignment for which she received an A+). She also shared with the class her recently mailed manuscript of her novel, “OMS, Our Mutant School.” Aly wrote this novel with the idea that there are kids that are reluctant readers. They do not feel confident in their reading skills, but there aren’t a lot of choices in exciting books to read for the fourth to sixth grades if you are not up to the Harry Potter books yet but are too old to read “Magic Tree House.” “OMS, Our Mutant School” is about a group of kids who have special powers but they don’t know it, and their teacher helps them to discover them so they can become heroes of sorts. The kids loved it! Aly has previously written several short stories, but this is her first novel. She also does all the illustrations for her works. We’ll keep you posted on her future endeavors and publishing history. Good luck, Aly!

Clara Marullo, a former head teacher in our Senior class and drama class, and also mother of two of our former students, Callum and Noah, updated us during the past holidays on the family’s activities since their return to London a few years ago. Clara started a drama school in London that is doing wonderful things for her students. She reports that The Actor’s Workshop had a record year, producing their best ever showcase, and getting 14 out of 18 students into top drama colleges—at a time when securing a place at a drama conservatoire is harder than getting into Oxbridge! In addition, Clara is doing modeling jobs and voiceovers and continues to teach singing to her musical theatre students. Her son, Callum, now 14 years old, sings in a metal band and has become so good at his X-box that he has been asked to review games by the manufacturers! Her son, Noah, now 11 years old, for the second time spent four months in Newcastle filming Tracy Beaker Returns, the BBC’s flagship children’s show. The show just won a BAFTA for best children’s series and Noah is being recognized all over the place. The BBC has asked him back again next summer for Series 3.



THANK YOU

Alex Rundle’s N/K class wishes to thank Eve Caron, mother of Jett and Django, for the generous art supplies she gave to the class. They are greatly appreciated by the children and teachers alike!

Marge Palombo’s N/K class in Carmel shouts out a very big “thank you” to Tyler Mook and his parents Kim and Jeffrey. When Mr. Mook saw that the class was unable to get outdoors due to the quantity of snow outside the building, he returned on the weekend and he and his wife and Tyler totally cleared the small deck outside the classroom door. And it was just in time as the temperatures got a bit milder to allow some outdoor play! Thanks again.

NOTES FROM OUR PARENTS

It warmed our hearts to see what Mike Langkafel, father of Maia in Angela Carr’s Infant class wrote on the Parent Survey requesting information about where someone heard of OMS (a neighbor, school referral, website, newspaper or radio ad, etc.). Under “any other source” he wrote: “Almost all of the above—but mostly word of mouth from all walks of life.”

January 2011 Newsletter

We had a very good turnout for parents’ week November 1 through November 5, 2010. Some parents visited the classes during that week, a few stopped by in the weeks afterward, and some have notified us that they will be able to participate in a visit to their child’s classroom at a later date. It all works! We would like to share with everyone some of the memorable visits. You can see from the variety of activities that it doesn’t matter how long or short or simple or complicated the activity is, it is enjoyed by all (and particularly the children whose parents or grandparents they get to proudly share with their class).

Amy Palmieri, mother of Hanna in Alex Rundle’s N/K class, came and read a storybook, “Big and Little,” and then played a game with the children with printed visuals where they indicated the various sizes of different objects. Being a teacher herself, she certainly captured their attention and they loved their time with her.

In Rose Whitter’s N/K class, Maya Sunshine’s mother, Jennie, came to class and sang the national anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner.” Then she gave a lesson about the national anthem and how it came to be. It will be more than just a song to the children from now on.

In Alice Lee’s Stepping Stones class, Talia Roth’s mom, Jessica Forman, a nurse, visited the class and talked to the children about hygiene—washing their hands, coughing into their sleeves and using tissues to blow their noses. She talked about not putting any toys in their mouth and how germs are spread. Then she talked about going to the potty and read a Miss Piggy potty book. Gymnastics City came to the class when Christian’s father, Vincent Savastano, its proprietor, visited the class for parent’s week. He started with warm-up exercises with the children and then did tumbling blocks, walking on a balance beam, crawling through colorful tunnels and walking through a maze of bowling pins. Vincent also played games with the children with a huge parachute with colorful balls and everyone had a great time running under the parachute and back out. Giovanni’s father, Bruno Abbondanza, came in to show the children how to draw faces of people and also a teddy bear. Each child went home with a personalized teddy bear picture.

Vincent Savastano, father of Christian and of former OMS student, Vincent, spots for Talia Roth as she tries tumbling while Nolan Lee hops through the rings.



Separately, on two different days, children in Enza Moschetta’s Stepping Stones class were treated to the artistic talents of two of the fathers in the class.

First, Kerry Meehan, father of Siena, came in with materials where he was able to show the children how a “moving” picture is put together when you have several pictures (he used post-it type stickers) differing only slightly put together and then you flip through them and the picture appears to be moving. The children were fascinated. And then Amaya Velez-Benenson’s father, Sergio Benenson, visited the class and drew whatever the children requested. He also gave each child a turn next to him and as he drew, they tried to copy it. The children were so proud of themselves.

Kerry Meehan, father of Siena in front of him, demonstrates "moving pictures" to the students in Enza Moschetta's Stepping Stones class.




On another day, the class was treated to a visit from Zachary Hirsch’s grandparents who brought a variety of balloons in all sizes, shapes and colors. The children were amazed as they used the balloons to make a variety of animals (elephants, dogs, giraffes, etc.) Each child was able to take a balloon animal home with them! Jonathan Gallino’s mom, Rosalind, a physical education teacher who is currently home with her younger baby, visited the class and had them all doing different cheerleading activities. Using the old “Give me an A, give me a B,” she then proceeded to have them use their bodies to make the specific letters as they lay on the floor. They also made different shapes (square, triangle, etc.). (Is this called “laying down on the job”?) Jill Csordas, Jake’s mom, as a baker shared her culinary talents with the class and on one visit made pumpkin muffins and popcorn with kernels from her own garden! Then during the December holidays, she made the forms for individual gingerbread houses for all the children (including those in Alice Lee’s class as well). The children completed them with their own individual decorations. It was a sweet, tasty time!

Submarines, knots, magic and book publishing! That was the varied line-up of topics for Randa Dobrayel’s Junior class. Joseph Diaz’ father, Rick, a retired Naval Lieutenant Commander gave the class a lesson about what submarines do, including how you are able to see above and under water. He brought both pictures and models of submarines, and even had a power point computer program that he was able to run for the children. Each child was given a packet of information concerning most of the information he shared with the class about submarines. Spencer Allen’s dad, Larry, has a hobby of knot-tying and he delighted the class in showing them many different kinds of knots (including a slip knot and life-saving knot) while advising them how to tie the knots and the purposes for which they are used. The children were all enthralled!

And then there was the visit from Kyra Santhana’s dad, Prakash, who, in addition to being a business executive, is also a magician. The children were mesmerized as he made quarters disappear, did several other coin tricks and a rope trick and even magically transported a penny from one hand to the other hand. After the show, the children applauded enthusiastically.

Owen Pietsch’s dad, Michael, brought a book to class entitled “Children Make Terrible Pets” to help explain his job as an editor. He advised them that first he reads the book to decide if it is good enough to be published. Then he presents it to his team at the publishing house, and if they concur, they contract with the author and pay him for the right to publish his book. Mr. Pietsch then works with the author to make recommendations to further improve the book. The art director helps also in the design of the book and any illustrations it needs, along with designing the cover and the jacket for the book. When everything is ready, the book is sent to the printing press where thousands of copies are printed, boxed and sent to bookstores all over the world. Mr. Pietsch asked the children if they knew what two kinds of books are published. “Fiction and non-fiction,” they quickly replied. He then showed some samples of those kinds of books including a biography of Duke Ellington, an autobiography of Keith Richards, and a history book about Martin Luther King (all of which were published by his publishing house). He also mentioned that in today’s modern world, not all books are written on paper, and he brought in samples of an iPad, a Kindle, a Sony recorder and an iPhone. The children were all thrilled when they each received their own copy of “Children make Terrible Pets” as a gift!

Larry Allen (right), father of Spencer (center) lets Owen Pietsch (left) try his hand at knot-tying.



Michael Pietsch (left) father of Owen (center) reads a book while Christian Mango (bottom right) looks on.



CLASS HAPPENINGS

Sue Grasso’s Junior Class

In addition to their participation in our events for Veteran’s Day back in November, Sue’s class created and designed cards that were sent to assistant classroom teacher Athina’s brother-in-law who is stationed in Iraq. He was also sent a copy of the beautiful photo noted herein and we’re sure he shared their happy, smiling and caring faces with his buddies.

Sue Grasso’s Junior Class with their cards for Athina’s brother-in-law stationed in Iraq.



The class particularly enjoyed their Thanksgiving celebration because it tied in with their studies of native North American Indian cultures. The children made paint with berries, studied the special sand paintings of the Indians (considered so sacred that they are never duplicated without a purposeful error in one done for commercial sale), and designed their own (purposely non-symmetrical out of respect for the sacred traditions) to take home. They wove bracelets on a loom and wore them and also did their own “winter counts” drawings similar to the pictures left in Indian caves to historically relate special events, e.g. a very bad winter. (Remember they had no written language so they used pictorials.) The class also drew turtles symbolic of North American Indian culture as the Indians believed that the earth was carried on the back of a turtle.

Alice Lee’s Stepping Stones Class

In November the class made pumpkin bread with Natalie Porter’s mom, Nicole, and they loved it.

Talia Roth's mother, Jessica Forman explains the menorah to Grace Dempsey and the rest of the children in Alice Lee's Stepping Stones class.



Talia Roth’s mom, Jessica Forman, came to class to celebrate Chanukah with the children. She presented Alice with a 31-piece Chanukah holiday set that
included a beautiful wooden menorah, a dreidel, directions for potato latkes, and gelt (special chocolates). She had prepared special snacks for the children, including jelly donuts. The children took turns playing the dreidel game while Jessica sang several songs to them.

A special guest for the event was former student, Shira Yahav, at that time a student in Linda Teach’s N/K class. Shira came with her mom, Michal, to not only celebrate Chanukah with the class but also to say goodbye because as of December 20, the family moved to Israel. All agreed that it was a wonderful celebration.



How surprised the children were when they heard a noise outside their windows. They could hear bells and the stamping of hooves! And then, much to their delight, they saw Santa Claus peeking in the window. Alice ran out to invite him to come in and he had a bundle of presents for the children. What a wonderful introduction it was for these little ones to meet Santa, sit on his lap, have their picture taken and receive their present from him. After he departed, the children enjoyed special holiday snacks. Special thanks goes to Natalie Porter’s godfather, Dan Parchen, who confirmed Santa’s appointment for us that day! Special thanks also goes to Christian Savastano’s mother, Monique, who came and read the traditional holiday favorite, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

Natalie Porter in Alice Lee’s Stepping Stones class and her mother, Nicole, have a visit with Santa.




Enza Moschetta’s Stepping Stones class

It was a special treat having Sydney Levitan’s grandmother, Leslie Martin, come in to explain and celebrate Chanukah with the children. Talia Pierson’s grandmother, Nomi Cohen, also participated. Sydney’s grandmother brought a menorah to show and explain to the children and also read a book about the holiday. Each child was given a dreidel to take home with them.

Leslie Martin, grandmother of Sydney Levitan in Enza’s class reads a Chanukah story to Sydney, Ryvaan Das, Silvia Steffen, and Siena Meehan.
children in Alice Lee's Stepping Stones class.



The children enjoyed their holiday party with a visit from Santa Claus who passed out presents to each child. (Thank you to Siena Meehan’s grandfather, John Luukkonen, for coordinating the date with Santa.) They all sang Christmas songs together and after Santa departed, the children enjoyed all the wonderful special snacks provided by the parents.

Randa Dobrayel’s Junior class

In addition to all their academic activities, the children particularly enjoyed their preparation for their holiday show. At the show they performed songs in French, Arabic and English. They prepared special dances with the help of Deniz and Luisa. They even wrote individual poems in various styles (acrostic, haiku, couplet, etc.) that they read at the show. Additional musical entertainment was provided when they played their recorders.



THANK YOU

Linda Teach’s N/K class wants to thank Anna Kumanan, mother of Krishna, for sharing with the children the Diwali holiday. She brought some of the Indian food that is partaken on that day, outfits for the boys and bindis for the girls and also henna to decorate the girls’ hands. It was a truly joyful celebration.

Left to right, Joseph Summa, Evan Proscia-Blake, Krishna Kumanan and Jason Gonzalez.



Isabella Diaz (l) and Olivia Petruzzo (r) show off their bindis while the boys below model Indian outfits.



Marge Palombo’s N/K class sends out a big “thank you” to Alexis Dempsey, a former student in the class, and her mother Pamela Justic, for the wonderful books they brought in for the class library.



LETTERS FROM OUR PARENTS

Recently received from Timothy J. Siglock, M.D. “Dear Mrs. Willis, I forgot to tell you how grateful Marcy and I are for Blake’s Montessori training. I think it really made a difference in his life!” [Editor’s Note: Blake was in Linda Teach’s class more than 25 years ago! It’s so good to hear these things about our grown-up, former students. Additionally may I share a story I’ve been meaning to tell for a long time? The first year I was with OMS back in 1999, I had a punctured ear drum. I went to Dr. Siglock for treatment and upon learning that I was employed at OMS, he asked if Linda Teach was still there and raved about his son’s time in her class. He told me at that time what a wonderful effect Linda and OMS had on his son and how truly grateful he was. It seems that truly good things can last forever!



OMS WEB SITE
If you haven’t seen our website lately, go to www.ourmontessorischool.com. Linked to that is our blogspot, which contains ideas on family activities, child behavior, recipes for children and past newsletters.

October 2010 Newsletter

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE HUSDON RIVER

The Senior class of Cheri Baron and the Junior classes of Sue Grasso and Randa Dobrayel participated in the annual program sponsored by the State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Estuary Program, the “Day in the Life” event in its eighth year. Environmental education centers and school classes all along the Hudson River estuary collected scientific information to share and create a picture of “A Day in the Life of the Hudson River.” The annual program helps participants understand how their piece of the river fits into the larger Hudson estuary ecosystem. Sue Grasso attended a pre-event workshop to learn how to advise the children beforehand, choose individual teachers to staff various workstations, and learn the hands-on techniques to describe their sites, seine for fish, collect water and invertebrate samples, and examine water chemistry parameters. As part of her science project with the children, Cheri Baron worked with the children beforehand explaining the experiments they would be doing.

The children, teachers, and chaperones packed their lunches and spent almost the whole day along the river. The weather gave them a marvelous opportunity for even more observations as it was calm and sunny in the morning and then turned cloudy and windy in the afternoon so they could see variations due to the weather change. One child noted that they threw an orange into the water to see which way the water was flowing, “but it was very windy and it just came back to shore.” The children weren’t able to catch any fish, but they did get crabs and shrimps! At the various stations the children studied and recorded in their journals their field observations regarding their physical surroundings (on a pier, grassy, forested, parking lot, shoreline conditions, plants observed, any commercial traffic on the river, e.g. tugboats,) and then their exact location, tides, currents, weather conditions, etc. physical setting data (including tides and currents, and weather conditions). They also did tests for sedimentation, salinity, pH, water temperature and turbidity. The best part of the day was that they were getting to do in person and on site what they would otherwise be studying in the classroom and they thoroughly enjoyed the venture. Getting to see some of the teachers out in the river in waders was also a favorite sight of the day!

We want to thank all the parents who did double duty as chaperones that day as the teachers were occupied at the various workstations. We were also pleased to hear from others overseeing the entire project of how well informed and well behaved our children were. A surprise maybe to them, but not to us! It was a great day!



Above: Holly Bauschard, mother of Ryan in Susan Grasso's junior class and Brendan in Tamiko O'Reilly's n/k class, helps Tom O’Dowd, a volunteer for the “Day in the Life of the Hudson River” project with seining.




Senior class student Bryce Edwards gets the “thumbs up” for his hypothesis on the pH testing results.

Below: Senior class teacher, Cheri Baron, holds the hydrometer while J2 class student, Owen Pietsch, interprets the results.



Tom O’Dowd explains seining to J2 class student, Joseph Diaz, and seniors, Sydney Schwartz and Jack McDaid, as they collect data.



WE JUST CAN’T GET ENOUGH

We just can’t get enough—of the Hudson River, that is! Not only did the Seniors and Juniors have their two field trips on and near the Hudson River, but they also studied and emulated the Hudson River School of Art. Students created their own individual pieces of art and also collaborated as a class on a very large representative painting. All of this artwork was put on display for parents to view and a special presentation was given on Monday evening, November 8. Along with the artwork the parents perused poetry and essays about the Hudson River and were also able to view photos of the two recent field trips. The artistic talent and accomplishments of our students drew awe and admiration. The artwork along the hallway, some of which was unrelated to this specific topic, also drew admiring nods and reflected the eager work of our students on a daily basis. We thank all those parents who were able to come out and support the children’s efforts and know that your reward in return was a delightful, fulfilling and maybe surprising evening.




Sydney Schwartz



Sanath Kumar and James McDaid.

Right: Susie Martin & Natalie Hromulak.



REFLECTIONS ON SEPTEMBER IN THE INFANT ROOM

by Angela Carr

For most teachers at OMS, September marks the beginning of a new year with all its hopes and aspirations. There is excitement in the air! At this time in the Infant Program, these feelings are usually accompanied by an overwhelming sense of loss as our little ones are just moving up. We didn’t have the summer to soften, manage, regroup and settle our feelings. It is a “here today, gone tomorrow” situation, predictable and necessary but still emotional. Our little ones, who spent half their lives riding on our hip, must now attach to someone else. And it is cold turkey! We spend the next few months trying to function in our room while being invisible to “our” babies who are thriving in the next one. Quite a feat!

These babies started in the Infant Program as tiny bundles to be fed, burped, napped and snuggled on a schedule that was absolutely non-negotiable. We were lucky enough to celebrate all the milestones with their parents: reaching for objects, turning over and back over again, sitting up, pulling up, getting up on all fours, crawling backwards and then forwards, standing, taking steps and eventually doing that ever-popular “monster walk”—and all this while simultaneously trying to master a language—huge goings-on in the Infant Room where we see the most growth of all the classrooms at OMS. The metamorphosis is astounding. Here personalities emerge that become even more evident as they move on. We have the explorer, the nurturer, the scientist, the negotiator, the musician, the architect, the dancer and the artist to name a few. We have to chuckle when we see them later on and realize how true to themselves they have remained.

Our little ones leave and are aware of being part of a very special community: they offer each other comfort when there is distress, share their favorite objects, make sure no one is forgotten and put things back where they belong. The pleasure they get when they first see one another is priceless and just when you can understand them, it’s time to let go. It gives us such pride to see them navigate the next program with such confidence and ease. It is obvious that they trust the adults in their lives to take care of them. New worlds open up and they are more than ready for the challenges even if they don’t quite understand them yet.

Before we know it, they have graduated again and by the time they are ready to leave nursery/kindergarten, the tables have been turned. They now read a story to us, remind us to put things in order, acknowledge accomplishments, negotiate disagreements, offer encouragement and consolation and have mastered all manner of complicated tasks and assignments. In short, they have turned into people you take pleasure in being with and of whom you are so proud.

If asked if they remember the Infant Room, they will have a far-away look, as if they do remember something, and that’s okay. We know we have had a hand in setting them on this path of self-discovery. Who knows what steps they will take and where it will lead them? It has already been an incredible journey and this is just the beginning. By their parents’ choosing OMS, they have been given such a wonderful start!

FIRST AND FOREMOST—HALLOWEEN SAFETY

We were privileged to have a visit from Yorktown Youth Officer Richard Finn on Thursday, October 28. He visited both the Methodist and Lutheran Church locations and spoke to all the classes about many safety issues related to Halloween. He told them the importance of staying on the side of the road, not running across the street to meet a group of friends, staying close to parents or guardians, having well-identified costumes (using reflective tape or stickers along with flashlights or glow sticks), not eating anything you collect until you get home and you check it out with your parents, throwing away anything that is already open or in the least bit ripped, and knowing that the local police will be out patrolling to make sure that everyone is as safe as possible. Every child received a special AAA bookmark with reminders of costume tips and road rules. Officer Finn asked the children what characters they were dressing up as for Halloween, and when he asked them what they thought he would be, one child replied, “A donut.”

Former OMS students Joseph and Marc DeSanctis are companionable hobos at the Halloween Costume Ball.



Yorktown Youth Officer Richard Finn explains Halloween Safety to Tamiko O'Reilly's n/k students at the United Methodist Church site.




GETTING TO KNOW OUR STAFF—ROBYN MABUS

She comes bounding into a room with a limitless energy normally reserved only for the very young. She is a breath of fresh air, exuberant, excited, happy, tall, fit, slim and beautiful. She is our “phys ed” (gym) teacher, Robyn Mabus. BUT, she is quick to say that she wasn’t always as fit as she is now. As a child she was quite overweight and had a lot of headaches and nausea. She also had a hard time focusing in school. She remembers eating a lot of TV dinners and processed foods. Living in a house of smokers was also a big disadvantage. One saving grace was that she loved to read and she discovered, through magazines and newspapers, the importance of sound nutrition and the realization that poor nutrition was a contributor to her health problems. On her own, at the age of 12, she became a vegetarian and even shopped for the foods that were more nutritionally sound. And so, her journey to fitness and good health began.

Robyn grew up in California. She started swimming in high school (over two hours a day which helped her to lose most of her excess weight) and at the age of 15 even started working in a gym and fitness facility. She got so involved in it that she became a co-owner in a similar establishment when she was only 18! She made sure that in addition to racketball courts and the usual exercise equipment, it also included a wellness clinic where good nutrition was taught. Robyn believes that nutrition affects everything in your body and people who are striving to be their best eventually realize that good nutrition is not just a question of “Should I?” but a necessary requirement on their journey. Robyn says that when someone feels better (which is a result of good nutrition) they are better able to handle stress, solve problems more easily, and have a much better quality of life overall.

At the same time she was signing people up for her health club, Robyn attended Mesa College in San Diego and earned a degree in nutrition. She loved all the nutrition courses and exercise science classes involved in that program. She said that she also continued to do as much research and study as she could to better and further educate herself regarding diet, fitness, exercise and good health. While in college, she had continued swimming and was actually training for the Olympic swim team but was sidelined by illness and had to drop out of that program. Robyn said she had the privilege and good fortune to work with Arthur Jones, the owner and designer of Nautilus equipment. She even got to do exercise shows in Las Vegas and demonstrate the Nautilus equipment.

Along with her love of nutrition and fitness, Robyn also had a strong desire to travel. At one time she thought she would never leave the west coast, when an opportunity to work for Midway Airlines out of Chicago presented itself, she found herself moving to the midwest. Midway was just starting up and they interviewed 2000 people for only 50 jobs, and Robyn was one of the 50! She had six roommates, was adjusting to the culture changes in the midwest, and was enjoying life. Not only was she traveling as a flight attendant, she was also teaching aerobics classes at John Daley Jr. College and this continued for a few years. Midway was a domestic airline, so when the opportunity to work for an international one came her way, she made another move to the opposite coast from where she had been raised and worked for Global Airlines, a charter airline, in New York, and got to travel all around the world.

If the culture shock from the west coast to the midwest was somewhat daunting, the culture shock when she got to New York on the east coast was “another whole thing.” Robyn likes to say that what differentiates the east coast from the west coast is “tradition.” The change of seasons also makes a huge difference. The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are that much different and better and have so much more meaning. She is truly happy that she has raised her children here and feels that with all its culture and tradition, New York “makes your life move that much faster and better.”

After working for Global for a few years, Robyn met her husband, Steve. She says, “it was love at first sight and he became my best friend.” After her first child, Rich, was born, she knew that she didn’t want to leave him and felt that she had had her share of travel and seeing the world. At one time they lived in the Hastings area, then Peekskill, and now Yorktown. During a lot of that time, she did various babysitting jobs. And then one day Robyn saw an advertisement in the Pennysaver asking, “Do you want to work? Do you want to work with your kids?” It was for an extended day position with Our Montessori School. Robyn’s answer to both questions was a resounding “yes” and she says that she always knew she definitely wanted to work with children and help children and families that might have problems similar to some of her own in her past. That was back in 1986 or so. She worked for OMS for a few years right up through her pregnancy with her second child, Brittney. Her son Rich had entered Tamiko O’Reilly’s N/K class by then. Shortly thereafter her third child, Justin, was born. During these years, even while working at OMS in the extended day program (from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m.), Robyn was also holding several other part-time jobs. She took one position as an au pair that allowed her to bring her own children as well, and it included a little housekeeping and sometimes preparing dinner (healthy ones of course). She then worked for another woman in Chappaqua taking care of her child from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. And then, when her son Rich started two full days at OMS, on those days she worked in a restaurant during the lunch shift so she could pick him up by 3:30 p.m. She also worked for several years at Camp Kiwi and additionally gave children’s swimming lessons on the side.

So, her own children were just the beginning, and Robyn has been
surrounded by children ever since. At OMS, in addition to the PE classes she conducts for all the N/K, Junior and Senior classes (at three locations—two in Yorktown and one in Carmel) and the traveling in between locations (hah! She still gets to travel!), Robyn is also a teaching assistant in Tamiko’s N/K classroom. She also helps with lunch and extended day. In previous years she has also worked as an assistant teacher with the Juniors.

But, remember all that energy noted above in the opening paragraph? Robyn is also certified for SPIN classes. Per Robyn, it’s a very heavy cardio workout but great if you have ACL repairs or meniscus problems (and is doctor recommended). It burns a lot of calories, and is easy on your joints. In addition to all her time with the children at OMS, for the last seven years she has been working at two different gyms teaching SPIN classes (Club Fit and Solaris). To her it’s not that much—only four mornings a week and Thursday evening! Robyn says that one of her greatest pleasures is getting to see young adults whom she taught as children show up in her exercise classes. “You don’t always get to see how the children you’ve worked with turn out and how what you’ve taught them applies to their lives, but when you run into some of them and see the results, it’s gratifying. If I have added anything to their lives, I have to say that they have added so much to mine. How blessed am I that I get to travel, work with children, teach nutrition, diet and exercise—everything I love—AND, get paid for it!”

Robyn says that what she is most grateful for in her life is her family and close friends. She and her husband spoke early on about how they wanted to raise their children and they gave them that united front and have been blessed with a strong family bond. Her husband Steve is the General Manager at the Doral Arrowwood Conference Center in Rye. Her son Rich (with an undergraduate degree from SUNY at Cortland and his Ph.D. in Physical Therapy from Nazareth College in Rochester) has recently moved to Colorado Springs with a great job in a great area—he loves to hike, bike and climb and has climbed Pike’s Peak and about 15 other mountains in North America so far. Robyn’s daughter Brittney is in her second year at Iona College and is interested in early childhood development education. She enjoys playing lacrosse at Iona. And her son Justin is in his senior year at Yorktown High School where he too plays lacrosse and is also a quarterback on the football team (which has just won its first ever playoff game in the AA division). Justin has just been accepted to Townsend University in Maryland where he will continue playing lacrosse.

Robyn says that in her lifetime she has moved about 14 different times and she credits her faith in God that got her to where she is today, for which she is very grateful. Towards the end of the interview for this profile, Robyn said that she also loves to garden, plant and read. When the interviewer told her, in jest, “You’ve obviously found the fountain of youth with all you do and you’re not sharing it with anybody,” Robyn quickly and excitedly replied, “Oh, but I am—I’m sharing it with everybody.”

And there are many of us that can attest to that. From watching her discussions with the children at the lunch tables, seeing the children’s responses to her great PE classes, and just enjoying time in her company, OMS is blessed to have her and we’re happy to be a part of her journey which she so gladly shares.

HISTORY AND A BOAT RIDE

On September 22, an exceptionally hot and humid day, the Senior and Junior classes boarded a ferry in Garrison and journeyed up the Hudson River to Constitution Island located near West Point. When they disembarked, they were met by a volunteer, Yankee Doodle, who gave them a tour of the island and spoke to them about the War of Independence and the importance of this small island in controlling access to the Hudson River all during the Revolutionary War. They learned about the cannons that were once there and fired to warn others of approaching ships. A video detailing the history of the island was shown. The children also enjoyed seeing the original house still on the island. Yankee Doodle, at the end of the day, said he was “blown away” by how well-behaved the children were (especially on that very hot, uncomfortable day).

CLASS HAPPENINGS

The Senior and Junior classes had a ball at their October 23 Halloween dance. Children arrived at 6:30 in full costume regalia (and some costumed parents also) with snacks to share and danced the night away until 8 p.m. “Best” costumes were voted on in several categories and everyone had a ghoulishly good time.

Randa Dobrayel’s Junior class has a new assistant teacher this year, Deniz Soyeur (formerly in Rosie Scholl’s N/K class). Deniz was our featured staff member in the February 2010 newsletter, so most of you know that she is a native of Turkey. To better introduce herself to her new class, Deniz prepared several board presentations of her native country and instructed the children regarding its history (the different Turkish empires—Ottoman, Hittite, Byzantine, etc.), its culture (architecture, foods, clothing, jewelry, Turkish carpets, etc.) and its geography (did you know that Istanbul is the only city in the world that resides on two continents?). She brought in several books on Turkey including two children’s books, “The Hungry Goat” and “Goha, the Wise Fool.” Additionally, the class did some special Turkish art projects with Joan Meagle and enjoyed some Turkish music with Krystyna Seweryn. It was a great beginning of a new school year. Randa’s class also wants to thank Owen Pietsch’s mom, Janet, for the science and geography books she gave to OMS (these being Owen’s favorite subjects). Thanks go out also to Chris Graco, caregiver for Alex Kowel, not only for the large box of books she gave to the class, but for all the help she gives whenever chaperones are needed for class field trips.

The children in Enza Moschetta’s Stepping Stones class are enjoying the fall. Everyone loved a beautiful autumn day outside, gathering different color leaves and then later gluing them onto a paper tree. The class would like to thank Jill Csordas, mother of Jake and a culinary professor at BOCES, for coming in and teaching the children how to bake apple pies. Surprisingly, even with a lot of new young students in the class, their little hands did very well helping to make apple pies. They especially loved cutting the apples and learning all about the different parts.

Enza Moschetta helps Jake Csordas (left) and Jonathan Gallino (right) get apple slices ready for making apple pies.



Alice Lee’s Stepping Stones class sends out a big “thank you” to all who attended the Open House. New parents enjoyed meeting parents of children returning to the class and it made the evening that much more interesting and enjoyable. One of the children’s favorite fall activities was baking apple pies. Sophia Ramoino’s mom, Emelyn (Missy) came in and helped the children make their own individual apple pies in a muffin pan. They also learned the different colors of apples (red, green and yellow) and their various tastes (sweet, tart, etc.) and noted that when you cut them open, they are white inside with seeds. Thanks go to Natalie Porter’s mom, Nicole, for supplying the apples. The next day the children again made apple pies but this time they were square-shaped. The children even had their own plastic knives to help cut up the apple slices prepared for them by the teachers. They did quite well! The children had a great time and they really enjoy it so much when a special mom comes in to help. On another day, with the wind blowing in their face, the children went outside to collect leaves that they placed in colorful little baskets while they sang a special song about leaves falling down. When they came in they glued the leaves onto paper and noted the various colors and the names of trees from which the leaves came, e.g. birch, oak and maple. They also used tracing paper to make leaf impressions and learned about the letter “L” for leaves.

Mr. Allan Simmons, father of Andrew (Jake) in Linda Teach's N/K class demonstrates firefighting gear for the students and teachers at the Lutheran Church site.



Linda Teach’s N/K class wants to thank Jake Simmons’ dad and mom, Allan and Lorraine, for visiting them at the Lutheran Church with equipment from the Garrison Fire Dept. Capt. Wendy brought into the building “Freddie the Fire Engine” whose eyes lit up and who sprayed water out of his nose and talked to the children and answered their questions. The children were shown all the fire gear and how it is put on and also taught the importance of listening to the firemen. Seeing them in their gear firsthand showed them there is nothing to be fearful about should they ever encounter them in an emergency situation. When they went outdoors, they saw the Garrison Fire Rescue truck and were shown all its compartments and equipment. All the classes at the Lutheran church were invited to attend this special presentation.



A HEARTFELT THANKYOU

Dear Parents, Teachers and Administrative Staff of OMS,

Thank you so much for all of your generous gifts and thoughts. Everyone has and still is helping me through this rough time in my life. Thank you so much for always asking and offering to help, and thank you for being there for my family and me. It means a lot to know that you all care and are there for support.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Krystyna, Patryk and Karolina Seweryn

TRULY REMEMBERING OUR VETERANS

A group of teachers at Our Montessori School of Yorktown and Carmel was sitting together and discussing the upcoming Veterans’ Day holiday. One of them mentioned that as a child she was always saddened by the fact that while she had the day off, her father, a veteran of World War II, had to go to work. That seemed so contradictory to the purpose of the day. In an ideal world, all veterans would be given the day off with pay, but most likely that fact would not change.

But what could they do, if even in some small way, to recognize all the veterans of our country? They decided to work with the children in their school in age appropriate class lessons. They spoke about who and what veterans are, the different branches of all the services in which they participate, their duties in peacetime and periods of war, their benefits (and sometimes lack thereof), and the respect, honor, praise and thanks that should be given to them.

So, in addition to the classroom discussions, each class (covering ages 3 through 12 in pre-K through sixth grades) put together their own small tokens of thanks. Some wrote individual thank-you letters, some made posters, others drew individual pictures of their perceptions of veterans, and one class (since Halloween was so close to Veterans’ Day) decorated bags red, white and blue with a big “Thank You” written on it and filled them with hard candies to share with the veterans.

And how could they reach the most veterans to let them know they were not forgotten and still appreciated? They called the Veterans’ Administration Hospital in Montrose, New York and arranged to have someone come to the school and receive the efforts of the children which included a large poster board of several selections from the children, a folder of individual letters and pictures, and of course, the goodie bags prepared by the class mentioned above. These would be brought back to the hospital, displayed in the most appropriate place (and routed around where possible), and be seen by the greatest number of veterans that could be found in one place.

Recently, Ms. Yvette Rodriguez, Director of Voluntary Services at the FDR VA Hospital Campus in Montrose and Mr. Sheldon Rector, one of the hospital volunteers, visited Our Montessori School. Mr. Rector, a Vietnam Veteran who served in the U.S. Air Force, spoke briefly to the children about his time in the service, his various duties and how wonderful it feels to be recognized and appreciated at this time. He advised them that this was not the case for returning veterans from Vietnam at that time, but his happy smile and gentle demeanor spoke more than a thousand words could about how he now felt. He assured the children that all the veterans appreciate anyone reaching out to them and every letter and card is read and enjoyed, especially since many residents at the hospital are from all over the country and some are far from home. The children posed some very insightful questions that he was happy to answer. When asked how old he was when he went in to military service he said that he was 18 and was there until he was 23, almost five years. When asked how his family felt about his serving and going overseas, he reminisced that they were very proud, especially his father, a military man himself. When asked what it was like being in a war, he replied, “That’s still an experience I am dealing with now.” He smiled when replying affirmatively to the question, “Do they still celebrate your birthday when you’re over there?” It was a truly beautiful experience watching the interaction between the children and this generous veteran willing to share his time and his story.

It is our greatest hope that everyone will recognize the veterans around them, whether they are members of your immediate family, a neighbor, an out-of-work veteran standing on a street corner, those in the VA hospitals near you (the Montrose location has a marvelous volunteer program in which people as young as 13 can participate), and especially those actively serving our country today. Happy Veterans’ Day and may that happiness be applied to those that deserve it the most—OUR VETERANS!

Ms. Yvette Rodriguez, Director of Voluntary Services at the FDR VA Hospital Campus in Montrose and Mr. Sheldon Rector, one of the hospital volunteers, visited the junior and senior classes at the Methodist Church site.

July 2010 Newsletter

SUMMER CAMP ACTIVITIES

Yorktown campers march to the beat of John Philip Sousa as part of USA week.



Yorktown OMS camper Jason Gonzalez examines Buzz, a sugar glider, who came to visit during Australia week at our Yorktown summer camp.



OMS Carmel campers frolic under the tower sprinkler.



Children at our Carmel camp explore Mexico through food, song, costume and dance.
Some other stops are Germany, India, Italy, and Poland.



IT’S NOT BROADWAY…YET!

As some of you know (and many others may not), our very own Kelsey Baron, from the Senior class, appeared in the production of CATS this past May at the Paramount Theatre. Kelsey first learned about the tryouts from teachers and friends at the Antonia Arts Studio in Peekskill that she had previously attended (and that was presenting the production). Kelsey says that she has always liked to sing and that her cheerleading activities prompted her to add dance to her schedule also. That easily led into tying the two together and expanding her artistic endeavors by adding drama/acting to the mix as well. Kelsey said her work with former OMS drama teacher, Kacey, gave her a good idea of what she could do dramatically (and it didn’t hurt that her favorite classes were music, dance and drama!). While she initially tried out for one of the bigger singing parts, she was totally delighted when she got a callback for one of the dancing parts, Rumpleteaser, which she ultimately secured and which featured a solo duet dance with Rumpleteaser and Mongo Jerry while two other performers sang about their two specific characters. Kelsey and her friend, Gianna, (who got the part of Mongo Jerry) were also appreciative of the fact that they were two of the younger people who secured “named” cats in the production with most of the “named” cats going to adult actors. (CATS has no speaking parts.)

Most of the rehearsals were at the studio and they rehearsed almost every day. Then they moved to the Paramount Theatre itself so they could finalize actual placements, entrances and exits. Kelsey said that it was a lot of fun, and while the adult cats were a bit more staid and moved around a bit less, the “kittens” in the show were all over the place and up and down on boxes, etc. so it was a lot of work. Kelsey said she had the normal stage fright (a bit shaky and butterflies in her stomach) that most actors admit to, but “that’s normal.” While on stage (she was actively involved in five scenes and on the sidelines for most of the others), Kelsey could see the faces of people in the first few rows but none after that, but her character was also among those who went up and down the aisles so she was able to see more people then. By the last performance on the Monday following the weekend premiere of the show, Kelsey said she wasn’t nervous at all.

The only drawback to this wonderful experience—Kelsey says that when the show ended, she felt a let-down without constant rehearsals and she couldn’t lose the feeling that there was something more that she should be doing. Kelsey will be attending a summer camp and hopes to continue her singing, acting and dancing. She is also doing some hip-hop now but wants to add jazz to her resume. She hopes one day to appear on Broadway and we won’t be surprised to be sitting in the audience, watching her dreams come true!


CLASS HAPPENINGS

Alice Lee’s Stepping Stones class had some great last days of school. Paola DeBitetto, mother of Luke, spent time with the class when she came to read “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.” After reading the book, she had a special arts and crafts project to do with the children. She cut egg cartons in half to simulate a caterpillar. Then the children glued on the “google” eyes (little, movable, black and white orbits) and antennas (black pipe cleaners). The children also decorated their caterpillars with different sized and colored pompoms. They loved doing that, and to top if off, to carry out the whole transformation/metamorphosis, Paola gave each child a butterfly tattoo on the hand (their own choice of color, of course). On another day, Alice’s class invited Enza Moschetta’s class to join them as Gregory Brown’s mother, Kelly, came to the school with one of the puppies from the Guiding Eyes for the Blind program at which she works. It was an adorable, fluffy, little white/gray Labrador. Kelly also had her own, much older, dog with her so the children could see the difference between the puppy and its older mentor. The children all sat on the front steps of their school so they could enjoy watching the dogs run around together and also see how very gentle they were. Gregory truly loved showing his dogs to his friends!

Marge Palombo’s N/K class in Carmel had their end-of-year recital on Thursday, June 10, 2010. The children’s performance exceeded all expectations (but, of course, we as teachers and parents are not biased!). A reception afterwards allowed the children and parents to say goodbye to each other as they enjoyed all the treats brought in by the various families. The artwork displayed around the classroom was most enjoyed and appreciated and you could see how excited the children were about so many people viewing their efforts.


INTERNATIONAL LUNCHEONS A HUGE HIT

The Senior and Junior classes of Cheri Baron and Sue Grasso respectively impressed all with their “International Day” event. There were foods, songs and dances from all over the world. The Senior class presented the play, The Midas Touch, while the Junior class entertained all with Dr. Seuss’ Starbelly Sneeches on Beaches. We want to thank Trish Sullivan, our drama teacher, for all the wonderful work she has done with our students. The results tell it all! The artwork drew more oooh’s and aaah’s than a fireworks display with many parents so amazed that they were already planning the frames for the artwork that would soon be coming home. (And, we must advise you, this was all NEW art—watercolor paintings of landscapes from around the world—produced in addition to all the wonderful viewings at the recent art show!) As if that is not enough, the backdrop scenery for the plays was also created by the children. What the children have artistically accomplished is partly the result of the extraordinary influence and guidance they have received from our art teacher, Joan Meagle. As part of this special day, the six departing seniors, Kelsey Baron, Jared Finkel, Ryan Gillis, Laura McDaid, Samantha Rudy and Melinda Sattler, all received a special award from the New York State Comptroller for academic excellence and civic duty. We are so proud of all of them. As part of their farewell, the departing seniors sang a song (composed by Kelsey Baron) entitled “Goodbye OMS.” It was received so well that Kelsey has promised to come back and sing it with the graduates each year.

Randa Dobrayel’s Junior class on their International Luncheon day, in addition to their song, dance and play performances, had a special treat in store for the four students who would be moving up from the class (Abigail Bloomgarden, James and Jack McDaid and Clara McGuire). Unbeknownst to them (can you imagine the rest of the class keeping such a secret for so long), other members of the class wrote about each student—special remembrances and anecdotes and what they would miss most about them. It was an extremely touching thought and action and really highlighted what a Montessori classroom is all about. It was a wonderful way to end our school year!


STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN MUSIC FESTIVAL

We want to congratulate two students in Susan Grasso’s Junior class. Sanath Kumar and Stefanie Gschwind both participated in this past spring’s New York State School Music Association Spring Evaluation Festival. This was Sanath’s second year in the program while Stefanie followed in the footsteps of her oldersister Katharina, a former OMS student. Both Sanath and Stefanie scored in the outstanding category in their Level 1 auditions, with laudatory comments on their evaluation sheets. They are already practicing diligently for next year’s event. Good luck!


SPECIAL THANKS

In addition to the teachers mentioned for each event, here are several others who have contributed to so many of our activities. Special thanks go to our dance teacher, Denise Tillman for all the wonderful ballet recitals we have enjoyed. Thanks also to Krystyna Seweryn our music teacher for her efforts and musical accompaniment at the various concerts and events throughout the year. And thank you also goes to Adrianna Sarova, our French and Latin teacher, for her contributions to the annual French show.


SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER

The first day of school will be Wednesday, September 15. New students can visit their classrooms on Tuesday, September 14. You may still register for next September in some of our classes. If you haven’t made those arrangements yet, please do so soon. The first tuition payment was due in April. The second payment is due on September 1 for elementary and nursery/kindergarten students and October 1 for Stepping Stones students. Look for the big Back-to-School newsletter to arrive mid to late August.


HAVING A PARTY?

One of our parents tells us that the private Quarry Acres Clubhouse is available to rent for a very modest fee (and special summer price cuts). It comfortably seats up to 100 (tables and chairs are included), has a stage and dance area as well as a bar and kitchen, has hardwood flooring throughout, and opens to a deck overlooking a large usable great lawn. You may also inquire about discounts on catering and linen rentals for an additional cost. To book the clubhouse please call: 914-739-0656 or 914-739-5517.


AN INTERNATIONAL VISITOR

Priya Agit, her husband Matthew and her five-year old son Abhinau, are from southern India. Matthew was a Captain in the Merchant Navy and his family was allowed to travel with him on his merchant ship. They had wonderful years together traveling around the world. And then, several months ago, the whole family was involved in a fatal car crash that took the life of Matthew and caused severe leg damage to their son who has had several surgeries already with some more to come. Priya felt it was important for her and her son to get away from the scene of their loss and grief and decided to visit some relatives here in the United States.

Priya had been near the completion of her first year teaching a kindergarten class in India (into which she tried to weave a bit of the Montessori philosophy). Previously, she had home schooled her son. She said that when she was initially completing her B.A., part of her study program included learning about Maria Montessori. While visiting her brother in Carmel, Priya visited Marge Palombo’s Nursery/Kindergarten class in Carmel.

One of Priya’s first thoughts was that the nursery/kindergaten ratio (1 to 8) provided a much greater advantage to both the children and the teachers as opposed to 1-25 in her classroom in India. “Here you can give so much more individual attention to a child and you see the results!” Priya said she loved seeing the Montessori philosophy applied in person. “There’s a huge difference seeing it in action rather than just reading about it. You see the child doing it and you see the child’s response to his own work. It’s really great!” Priya said the OMS children appeared very confident, seemed sure of what they were doing, and didn’t look “lost” as she’s observed in her own class as well as others. “In India, we teach a very strict and basic reading and writing program, but here the children are able to not only express themselves better and more creatively, but they can tell you exactly what they are doing and you know they are “teaching you back” what they have been taught and are happy to be doing it.” One of Priya’s favorite things observed in the classroom was the journaling that the children do. She hopes to take that idea back with her (along with having the children trace their own names even before they start formally writing). She also loved seeing the children work with the globe, the landforms, and the “object” boxes (which are then matched with the word the object identifies). Priya said she was thrilled with so many observable ideas and applications that she could take back with her. (And it was our pleasure to see her face light up with such anticipation, knowing that we had helped, if only in a very small way, to bring some additional joy to her life.) While still in Carmel, Marge invited Priya’s son to visit the class and on their last day in town, they did just that. Her son enjoyed all the elements of the classroom, but what he particularly loved that day was the Lego table! Any surprise there? A picture says a thousand words and you can see for yourselves how he enjoyed his time with the children.

Priya soon moved on to visit her sister-in-law in Houston, Texas but she said she would always remember her visit to OMS. We will remember too, Priya. We thank you for your excitement, your enthusiasm, your encouragement and your personal bravery! Maybe we can get an exchange going between our two classes, if not letter pen pals, maybe trading pictures?



Priya and her son, Abhinau (hand is visible in lower left) join Jason Jain to construct at the lego table in Marge Palombo’s Nursery/Kindergarten class in Carmel; Abhinau’s favorite part of his visit.

Priya with Alison and Marge in Carmel.




NOTES FROM OUR PARENTS

Grace Finkel, mother of Jared in the Senior class, at the last event of the school year, addressed this beautiful speech to the Senior and Junior teachers: Cheri, Joan, Susan and Athina: “To quote the American scholar, author and educator, William Arthur Ward: ‘The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.’ Thank you, Cheri and Susan, for inspiring our graduates to aim higher, to try even though they might fail. Thank you for helping them to realize their potential and for preparing them for the exciting challenges that await them in Middle School. But most important of all, thank you for making us the envy of our peers…our children actually looked forward to coming to school! And finally, to all the graduates: Kelsey, Melinda, Ryan, Samantha, Laura and Jared aka Bug-boy…We are so proud of you and what you have achieved. When you began your journey here you started out as fuzzy little caterpillars devouring knowledge like leaves. Your classroom became your chrysalis, a safe and nurturing environment where you could grow and transform. And now the metamorphosis is complete! The time has come for you to emerge and spread your wings. You are ready to soar to new heights. So treasure your memories of your time here at OMS. Try to smile even though your hearts are breaking. Squeeze your eyes shut to keep the tears from falling. Your hearts will soon mend; your eyes will soon dry. Your future beckons. Always remember to shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you are sure to land among the stars.”

Alison Schair Trigona, mother of Emma in Angela Carr’s Infant Class, sent us an e-mail: “My mother (a very involved grandmother) and I have been thrilled with Emma’s progress and her teachers—they are truly fantastic. Emma is so happy there. Thank you again for everything.”

While she now, of course, is the head teacher of the Senior class, Cheri Baron’s first contact with OMS was as a parent, and as such, Cheri wrote the following note to OMS: “This is a letter of thanks. For the last seven years, my daughter Kelsey has been a student in OMS. She began in Tamiko’s room tracing insets and completing her number roll with our beloved Nancy. As a mom, leaving her for the first time, Debi’s smile was as comforting for me as it was for Kelsey. When Robyn suggested the book “The Kissing Hand,” Kelsey and I began a new tradition making the separation easier. Soon Kelsey was ready for the Junior class. As I had become a teacher at OMS, seeing Kelsey off to her teachers down the hall was fun. Susan, Adrianna and Athina showered Kelsey with love. Their warm hugs and willing laps helped Kelsey get through some very sad and difficult times in our family. Learning in the Junior class is not limited to math and reading but it extends to learning kindness, feelings, friendship and love—life lessons that will always be with Kelsey. As a parent, I watched Kelsey as she sang the first song she ever wrote in the spring concert, hugged her friends when they were sad and grew. She grew tall and walked down the hall to the Senior class. Here it has been my pleasure to teach, hug and watch as my little girl grew into a lovely pre-teen ready for Middle School. I love the person she has blossomed into, and I have all of you to thank. Every moment she has been at OMS has been part of her journey. Thank you for being a positive, loving part of her life filled with teachable moments.”

From the Jean-Baptiste Family (daughter Abigail in Marge Palombo’s N/K class and son Anthony in Maggie Monahan’s Stepping Stones class in Carmel): “Dear Parents and Staff of Our Montessori School: Thank you for contributing to the relief efforts in Haiti. As you know, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. It killed nearly 300,000 people and left more than a million homeless. The epicenter of the earthquake was in the southwest of Haiti. Four major provinces were severely damaged and they included Port-au-Prince, Leogane, Petit-Goave and Grand Goave. The destruction caused by the earthquake is expressed in more ways than one. Nearly 80 percent of the hospitals, schools and public or government offices no longer exist. To that end, my wife and I embarked on a journey to collect whatever we could as donations for Haiti. Our Montessori School contributed $700 in cash and more than 500 pieces of children’s clothing. I started to plan a trip to Haiti the evening I heard about the earthquake. Initially, I joined a group of health-care professionals with the Gaskov Clerge Foundation, a non-profit group involved with health care and education in Haiti many years prior to the earthquake. The rescission of a promise to fly in a military plane and personal child-care issues forced me to postpone my initial trip. Coincidentally, this inconvenience granted my wife and me the opportunity to carry on with a fundraising drive and manage the delivery of the products to Haiti. By the completion of our drive, we collected over 25,000 items of medical supplies, 700 pieces of clothing and $2,768 in cash. I visited Haiti from March 29 through April 1. I carried 600 pounds of supplies at a cost of $800. The children’s clothing items were equally distributed to two orphanages, Kids Vision and Enfant Haitien, Mon Frere (Haitian Child, My Brother) and Chesnel Sajouste, our contact at Saint-Marc, a northwest town of Port-au-Prince, who distributed clothing to displaced children due to the earthquake. A total of $900 was spent between the orphanages; $500 was donated to Ecole Mixte Notre-Dame du Sacre-Coeur (Co-ed School of the Sacred Heart), a local kindergarten and junior high school in Port-au-Prince; $500 was donated to Dr. Josette Bijou, my aunt and former Minister of Health who is still working through her retirement to serve the poor and feed the hungry; blood pressure and diabetic medications, as well as pain reliever and other medical supplies, were donated or delivered to a diabetic center, Hopital Saint-Esprit (Holy Spirit Hospital) a local hospital, and a dispensary in the mountains of Grand-Goave. I also took part in food distribution programs organized by Dr. Bijou. Additional costs of the trip, shared by my wife and me, added up to more than $1000. It would take multiple pages to lay out the details of my trip and/or the extent of the work that needs to be done in Haiti. But the purpose of this snapshot is to thank you and have you experience, to some extent, your donation to the work. Many blessings will be bestowed upon you and yours. The children of Haiti will remember you for this effort, maybe not by name, but because you added meaning to their lives. Again, thank you for your commitment and action to uplift humanity.”


BACK-TO-SCHOOL PICNIC

Mark your calendars! Save the date!
Our second annual Pre-Back-to-School, Get Acquainted
picnic is scheduled for Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at Croton Point Park in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, just off Route 9 (same exit as the train station), from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. As the children play in the wonderful playground, have their faces painted, enjoy a variety of ball games, and meet old and new friends, and even some animals, (everything visible from whichever picnic table your family chooses), you can get reacquainted with old friends, meet and welcome new ones, and enjoy the lovely view of the river (at a very safe distance away). Bring your own picnic fare and something for the dessert table that will be shared by all.
This event was initiated last year as a response to a parent who had enrolled her child in the school and had been invited to the end-of-year school picnic even though the child had not yet attended the school. She so enjoyed meeting everyone and the helpful conversations that she had with so many other parents, that she suggested a back-to-school picnic. Last year was our first one and was enjoyed immensely by all who attended. We hope to see many of you there—feel free to bring any friends who may want to attend.

Dylan and Lucas Hohwald and their grandmother, Sally Stevens, choosing goodies from the communal dessert table.



OMS students and their families enjoy the day at Croton Point Park.