August 18, 2008
Important Dates for starting the school year:
Aug. 20 - Mandatory Corporation Meeting and new family orientation, 5:30 - 7 pm
Aug. 21 - First Day of School for all students that are RETURNING TO THEIR SAME CLASS in the Children's House, AND FOR ALL STUDENTS IN THE 6-9 AND 9-12 CLASSES
Aug. 21 - NEW Student Phase-in begins, contact your teacher for exact schedule
Sept. 1 - Labor Day, No School. Sept. tuition notice emailed ($550/$500-sibling)
Year opening meeting schedule and agenda
On Wed., Aug. 20 please meet in your child's classroom at 5:30.
--Teachers will be available to discuss classroom issues, questions and policies from 5:30 - 6:15 in the classroom. Please park tightly in the parking lot and we will all leave together promptly at 7. If the lots are full, park on the road in front of the Norwood House (get completely off the road or you'll get a ticket). Light snacks will be available in your classroom. Everyone will go from the classrooms to a meeting on the playground. Childcare will be available. The following is some of what will be covered:
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Required forms (we have the following from returning parents and some new parents: medical, immunization or immuniz. exemption, discipline policy, handbook/NC law acknowledgement slip. Everyone has to have a new Emergency Contact Info sheet)
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Sunscreen permission forms (please sunscreen children in the morning and fill out a medical permission form that we will keep with your child's sunscreen if we will be keeping it here for them to reapply)
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Before and After School registration (14 total spots available. Before School starts at 8 a.m., afterschool ends at 5:30)
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On payment checks, please write child's name and what check is paying for (tuition, snack fee, donation, etc.) on the memo line
Handbook Highlights (READ the handbook)
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Lunch-packing expectations
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Ride change and drop-off/pick-up policies
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Attendance expectations, 10 a.m. drop-off limit, no parents in classrooms after 9:15, etc.
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6-12 year olds need sneakers for PE (and inside shoes, and water shoes for creek)
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Health Policy (REALLY! READ THE HANDBOOK!)
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Weather and cancellation policies (email, school phone voicemail, internet, NO RADIO) .
--We will also be asking for volunteers and/or nominations for the new Board of Trustees. Please email if you are interested in serving. If you are not an actual Board member, at least one parent needs to serve on one of the committees.
- Strategic Planning Committee (2 members needed)
- Marketing and Advertising Committee (4 members and a chair needed)
- Development Committee for Grants and Gifts (3 members needed)
- A Parent-Teacher Organization Chair to oversee the festival committees (this is a single board position)
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AutumnFest Subcommittee (chair plus seven members, ideally from families with 3-6 year old children)
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WinterFest Subcommittee (chair plus four members, ideally from families with toddler children)
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Mountain Valleyfest Subcommittee (chair plus ten members, ideally from families with Norwood House children)
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Building and Grounds Committee (10 members that would be available for the director to call in case of a pressing construction or repair need. Obviously, it would be helpful if this person has construction experience)
Community Workday leftovers...
This stuff did not get done on the workday if you would like to put in some volunteer hours. (Be sure to email mpathways@gmail.com if you put in hours, that's how you get credit toward your 30 hour commitment as of this year!):
Parting Shots...
-Financial Aid/Scholarships: Some financial aid funds are still available for students in the Norwood House. Priority will be given to siblings of current students. (Financial aid is available for younger children through DSS). This money will be awarded as both scholarships and need-based aid. If you would like to apply, forms are available for download: Click here to download application for Financial Aid.
-Mountain Valleyfest: Next year's Mountain Valleyfest will be on May 16, 2009. The final totals are not in, but we are expecting our share of this year's festival to approach $5,000! This is our primary fundraiser, so put it on your schedule NOW for next year, and plan on being there.
- Book Donations: We will be accepting your used books throughout the summer in the front hallway at school. We take all kinds, (no romance novels or purely adult content please, Clancy, Grisham, King, etc. are fine) but we would LOVE to get more children's books. Don't bring them unless someone would actually want to buy them. These books will make up a central facet of the business conducted by the middle schoolers next fall.
-You Tubin': Check out the Mountain Pathways You Tube channel. We have a link on our homepage. In addition to the homemade school videos, you can also see AMS videos about each of our classroom programs to get you better acquainted with Montessori philosophy.
Trading Post
Place your classifieds here for $5/month.
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