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Welcome back to those who are returning to the school, and a warm welcome to those who are new to our school. Hopefully, everyone had a wonderful summer. All of the staff have been busy for the past week preparing the classrooms and materials for the children. We are very excited about the new year, and hope all of the children and their parents are as well.
We have had a few personnel changes and we would like to introduce the staff at this time. Starting with the Pre-school, Dharmeeka and Emily will be teaching the 5-day extended and
5-day/3-day AM classes. Sindhu will be doing the afternoon daycare. At Riverside, Ranji and Mary will have the Kindergarten/first grade class in the front building. At Freeport, Anastasia and Jacquelin, Heidi and Colin and Anne will be holding down the fort. Jacquelin will be doing the morning daycare and Janey will handle the afternoon daycare.
Over the years, different people have asked about our staff's qualifications. Here is this year's line up.
FREEPORT CAMPUS
Steve Hempel Steve is the Office Manager and a Registered Civil Engineer. After serving as an Infantry Squad leader in the Republic of Viet Nam, in 1969, Steve graduated at the top of his class from California State University, Sacramento (back when it was called Sac State) with a BS in Civil Engineering, in 1972. He then received a Certificate of Construction Management from the University of California at Davis. In 1984, he quit working in the construction management field and went to work for the school full time. Subsequently, he has become an expert in Mortensen Math and conducts teacher training and workshops across the United States, and is developing a Trigonometry curriculum, using the Montessori method, for the 9-14 age group.
Anne Hempel Anne received her Lifetime California Secondary Teaching Credential in 1969, after graduating from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, with a Major in Biology and a Minor in German. After several years in the Medical field as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist, she gave up her career to become a Montessori Teacher. She received her Masters in Education from CSUS in 1984, in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis on Montessori Education. Anne obtained her 3-6 Montessori training from NCME in 1981, her AMS 6-9 and 9-12 training from the Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies in Silver Spring, Maryland, under Harvey and Nancy Hallenberg, in 1987. She has also taught History and Geography for the Montessori Teacher Education Center (MTEC) in San Leandro for 9-12 teachers for 5 years, and has taught all levels at South Land Park Montessori School from pre-school through 8th grade for 17 years. She also holds a Lifetime Junior College Teaching Credential, and has taught Montessori Education at Sacramento City College. For the past 9 years Anne has been instrumental in pioneering a Montessori Adolescent Program, one of the very few on the West Coast.
Heidi Hempel Heidi was the first student at South Land Park Montessori School to start at 2 1/2 years old and potty trained and go through the eighth grade. In December '96, one month before her 21st birthday, she graduated from Wagner College, in Staten Island New York, Magna Cum Laude in the Honors program, with a major in Theatre/Speech and minors in French and Biology. Heidi developed the curriculum for the summer Computer Camp and taught it for several summers. Over vacations, she substitutes at Kona Montessori School in the Pre-school and Toddler classrooms. With 19 years Montessori experience, she is uniquely qualified to teach in any position in the school.
Anastasia Fotis Anastasia came to South Land Park Montessori School in 1987, as an extended care teacher. Over the years, she has worked at all levels at South Land Park Montessori School, either part or full time. During that time, she attended college and completed her AA degree from Sacramento City College in 1990, and her BA in Liberal Studies from CSUS in 1992. In 1993, she completed her 6-9 AMS training at MTEC in San Leandro and has been teaching a Kindergarten/6-9 class for five years. During the Summer of 1994, she took additional Montessori training at the Princeton Center for Teacher Education in the areas of Botany, Zoology, and History of the Universe using the Strip method.
Colin Fraser Colin received his Honours Bachelor of Science from Trent University while studying Anthropology and Biology. He then took a year to complete a Post-Diploma programme in Museum Studies, including a course in education. During this time he assisted in the development and implementation of an educational program and the development and construction of an educational display for the North Humberland Clarington Board of Education's outdoor education program. Colin has just completed a 15 week summer internship with the education department of the Metropolitan Toronto Zoo, the 4th largest Zoo in the World.
Jacquelin Anaya Jacquelin Graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Spanish and a Practice of Art Minor. Prior to that she has worked with children in Mexico, Guatemala and Pohnpei (Micronesia) coordinating children's artwork for murals, canvases and sculptures.
Janey Buechel Janey has been working for South Land Park Montessori School as a substitute and after school extended care teacher since 1989. She also works at William Daylor School in the Infant & Toddler program where she has been since 1979.
RIVERSIDE CAMPUS
Ranji DeSoyza Ranji received her AA in Sri Lanka. She then completed her AMI Preprimary training at the Good Shepherd Maria Montessori Training Centre in Sri Lanka, in 1979. After working at a Montessori school in California for 2 years, she returned to Sri Lanka where she operated her own school for 4 years. In 1986, Ranji came to work at South Land Park Montessori School, where she taught a Kindergarten/1st grade class for 4 years. In 1990, she was offered her own school in the North Area that she operated and taught until returning to South Land Park Montessori School in 1994.
Mary Katsikakis Mary has come to us from Greece. Mary graduated from the American University with certificates of proficiency in English from both the University of Cambridge and University of Michigan. This will be Mary's 2nd year at the Riverside Campus.
PRE-SCHOOL CAMPUS
Dharmeeka Chang Dharmeeka completed her Advanced Level education in Sri Lanka, which is equivalent to an AA degree. She then attended the Good Shepherd Maria Montessori Training Center, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and received her AMI Pre-primary certificate in 1980. She has been teaching the Montessori Method for 17 years. Dharmeeka came to South Land Park Montessori School in 1986, and taught Kindergarten and 1st grade for one year. Her husband was then transferred to Texas, so she had to leave. In 1988, Dharmeeka returned to South Land Park Montessori School and has been here ever since teaching the full day extended class.
Emily Astle Emily received her Associates degree in Liberal Arts from Sierra College. Along with a 17 month old son at home, Emily has several years experience working with children.
Sindu Lal Sindu migrated to Sacramento from Fiji after teaching High School for 11 years. She received her BA in English from the University of the South Pacific in 1977. Sindu speaks both Hindi and Fijian. Sindu has been working for South Land Park Montessori School since 1991.
We are proud of the staff and we hope you will appreciate all of the years of experience and training that goes into your child's education.
We would like to thank all of the elementary parents who came to the question and answer meeting last Wednesday night. The entire staff felt that the meeting was very productive and helpful. We hope that everyone will feel free to ask questions either in anonymous "Suggestion box" form, or through the subsequent meetings we will be having. Our number one concern is for the education of your children, and we can best achieve this by knowing and responding to your requests and concerns. We have scheduled another open forum meeting on Tuesday, January 13th. At the open house meetings tomorrow night, we will have a list for parents to indicate evenings and topics for Let's Talk Workshops for the upcoming year.
It was also wonderful seeing all of the pre-school students and their parents at the open house last Thursday evening. It is always nice to see so many of the young children eager to start school. Hopefully, this will carry through for many years to come.
We have many dates to give you in this newsletter. The first and most important date for the elementary parents, (K-5), is the open house Wednesday, September 3, from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. Daycare will be provided at the Freeport Campus. This mandatory meeting is only for the parents. You will be receiving information about homework, field trips, and other important dates. Your school year calendar will be handed out at the meeting. The meeting for Riverside Blvd. students will be at Riverside Blvd., and the meeting for Freeport Blvd. students will be at Freeport Blvd. The adolescent class does not have this meeting since they have had individual meetings during August.
In the first monthly newsletter, we usually discuss book orders, drop off and pick up, healthy snacks, phone calls, big bang and creation story presentations, birthday celebrations, and cooking. Since we have a Parent Handbook, all of these topics are covered in there in detail. Please read these sections of the handbook as soon as possible. If you have not received your Parent Handbook, please see Steve in the office.
Book orders are attached to this newsletter. Book orders will be due by Friday, September 5. Please make an individual check for each order.
This year the date for the Star Party/Picnic is Friday, September 5. The picnic will begin at 6:00 PM, with the star party 8:00 PM+/-, so that by the time it is dark around 8:15 PM, we will be set up and ready to go. Joe always likes to talk to everyone and discuss what will be seen first. This should be a great evening to see planets. There will be a crescent moon with Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and maybe Venus out. We hope to see everyone here. Please remember that there will be cords running outside for the tracking telescopes, so you must keep track of your children and not allow them to run in the yard. If it clouds over, we still can enjoy the picnic. School T-shirts and sweatshirts will be available to purchase.
The picture days have been scheduled for Wednesday, September 24, and Thursday, September 25. All Pre-school students will be photographed on Wednesday, and all Elementary students will be photographed on Thursday.
There will be a Mortensen Math Workshop presented on Saturday, September 20, at the Freeport campus from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Any parents interested in attending should notify Steve at the office. Steve will be presenting some of the materials which your children will be using in the classroom this year. The workshop will be free to parents.
This month, the pre-school classes will be focusing on welcoming the children to school and building friendships. They will be learning the school ground rules, be introduced to the classroom jobs, and be practicing grace and courtesy skills.
We will be continuing the program where the upper elementary students answer the phones and take messages, so please do not be alarmed if you get a child when you call. They are very capable young adults, and this is part of their practical life experiences. Be patient with them, and speak clearly. We have had wonderful responses from most of the callers over the past several years, and the students have learned a great deal. When you call for a teacher, unless it is an emergency, we will take a message and you will be called back when they are out of class.
Please turn in all of the immunization and emergency forms this week if you have not already done so. Also, please keep us informed of your changes in phone numbers and addresses. It is important that we always have a way to reach you while your children are in our care.
All children under the age of 4 and/or under 40 pounds must use an approved car seat that can be seat belted into the vans for field trips. If this applies to your child, you will need to furnish a car seat for each field trip. If we do not have your child's seat on the field trip day, he/she will not be able to go on the trip with us.
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Teacher |
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Anne |
Friday, September 26 |
9:00 AM |
Sac State Team Experience |
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Anne & Heidi |
Wednesday, September 24 |
9:00 AM |
Belle Cooledge Library |
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Anastasia |
Friday, September 19 |
9:15 AM |
Belle Cooledge Library |
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Ranji |
Thursday, September 11 |
9:30 AM |
Belle Cooledge Library |
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Dharmeeka |
Wednesday, September 17 |
10:00 AM |
Vic's Supermarket |
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September 3 |
Elementary Parent Meeting |
Orientatiion and Calendar |
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September 5 |
Picnic/Star Party |
Welcome back party |
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September 5 |
Book Orders Due |
One check per order form, please! |
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September 16 |
Start Sports Term |
Day extends on Tuesday and Thursday |
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September 17 |
Start Handbell Choir |
Adolescent class day extendeds |
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September 20 |
Mortensen Math Workshop |
6 hours, bring the excedrin |
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September 24 |
Pre-school Picture Day |
Are you ready for cute? |
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September 25 |
Elementary Picture Day |
These pictures go in the year book |
Again, welcome back. We look forward to a great year. We hope to see all of the parents at their respective open houses and information nights!