Millhopper Montessori School May Newsletter

Milhopper Montessori School Celebrating 31 Years of Academic Excellence 32

Yankee Doodle Dandy, Friday June 5th @ 5:30pm at the PK Yonge Performing Arts Center

is produced by

the Editorial Staff at

Millhopper Montessori School

8505 NW 39th Avenue

Gainesville, Fl 32606

(352) 375-6773

Email: [email protected]

Publisher

Sylvia Alfonso Aslanian

Contributing Writers

Christina Miller

Carol Fogleman

Crystal Sorrow

Christina Eckstein

Renee Brohamer

Jacqueline Johnson

Elizabeth Falls

Jeanne-Marie Clune-Hrivnak

Anita Bender

Richard Aslanian

Susan Salvatore

Martha Horter

Erin Sorel

Susan Hansen

Erin Jazczczk

Sherilyn Farris

Cam Parker

Sylvia Aslanian

Montessori Monitor

Join us for:Join us for:Join us for:Join us for:

CalendarCalendarCalendarCalendar

MAY 2009MAY 2009MAY 2009MAY 2009

Monday, May 18- Preschool/Kindergarten Spirit WeekFriday, May 22

Monday, May 25 HOLIDAY – Memorial Day

Tuesday, May 26 - Safety Patrol Appreciation WeekFriday, May 29

Wednesday, May 27 8th Grade Graduation – 6:00 PM at the Unity Church

Thursday, May 28- Middle School End of Year TripFriday, May 29

JUNE� 2009JUNE� 2009JUNE� 2009JUNE� 2009

Thursday, June 4 Kindergarten Graduation – 1:30 PM at the Unity Church

Friday, June 5 Elementary/Middle School End of Year Show at PK Yonge

Friday, June 5 Last Day of School: Preschool through Kindergarten – regular hours and After School Program available

Tuesday, June 9 Trip to Blue Springs for Mr. Richard Aslanian’s, Ms. Christina Miller’s & Ms. Sherilyn Farris’ Classes

Wednesday, June 10 Last Day of School: Elementary through Middle School - regular hours and After School Program available

Monday, June 15 Early Childhood & Elementary/Middle School Summer Camp Begins

May 2009

Millhopper Montessori School Celebrating 31 Years of Academic Excelle

nce

Issue: May 2009 Issue: May 2009 Issue: May 2009 Issue: May 2009

Cover Story Inside: The History of the End of the Year ShowsCover Story Inside: The History of the End of the Year ShowsCover Story Inside: The History of the End of the Year ShowsCover Story Inside: The History of the End of the Year Shows

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Inside this Issue

The History of theEnd of Year Show .... 2

Yankee Doodle Dandy ............. 2

Beginner’s ...................... 3

Preschool ....................... 4 - 5

Preschool/Kindergarten ....... 6 - 7

Spanish with -Ms. Jeanne-Marie ........... 8

Spanish withMs. Erin Sorle 9

First/Second Grade ......... 10

Second/Third/Fourth ...... 11

Fourth/Fifth ..................... 12

Middle School ................ 13 - 14

Video Production .............. 15

Science .............................. 16

P.E. .............................. 17

Promethean Boards ........... 18

Creating a State of the ArtClassroom ............................ 19

Father’s Day Field Day .......... 20 - 21

March of Dimes .................... 22 - 23

Mother’s Day Teas ................ 24 - 25

You Know You’re a Mom ...... 26

Student Showcase ................... 27

Thomas Center ................... 28

Barnes and Noble Book Fair .... 29

PTO News ............................. 30

News from the Office .............. 31

I have always placed a lot of emphasis on the fine arts within the curriculum. To perform on stage develops poise and confidence. Because this doesn't always come easily and the fear of public speaking can be carried into adulthood, I feel it is necessary to overcome any apprehension during childhood. A child is uninhibited by nature and therefore the opportunities for self expression should be abundant.

Our first performances thirty years ago consisted of ages two through third grade singing before a parent audience, much like our present Winter programs. We quickly evolved to staging, performing, dancing, blocking, and of course, singing, on stage. We even had the students sign all of their lines. We had ages two through lower elementary all on stage at some point during the performance.

The material used for the productions also evolved from a simple

variety show to well known stories such as The Wizard of Oz, Annie, Peter Pan, etc to original plays which I wrote along with our music teacher such as Whale of a Tale,and Touch The Sky.

Now we are fortunate to have a MMS team of teachers including: Sylvia Alsanian, Martha Horter, Richard Aslanian, Sherilyn Farris, Anita Bender, and Susan Salvatore all taking part in bringing about a phenomenal production.

Millhopper Montessori School has become well known in the community for its year-end productions as well as providing a quality performing arts experience for the students. Don’t miss our latest production, “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” on Friday, June 5th at 5:30pm at the PK Yonge Performing Arts Center.

by: Christina Miller

The Wizard of OzThe Smurfs Variety Show

This year Millhopper Montessori Elementary/Middle School celebrates the historic election year with one of Broadway’s greatest performers. The stage lights up with, angel “cowpokes”, civil war soldiers, a dazzling Broadway chorus and swinging rag-time rock band. “Yankee Doodle Dandy”, is the story centered around the fictional town of Snookersville, Colorado’s Centennial Pageant. Old-time Broadway performers: George Cohan, Sam Harris and Fred Niblo reappear on

earth to help stage a Broadway spectacular. Cohan and pals go against grumpy old Emily Snooker, great granddaughter of the founder of Snookersville. Ms. Snooker tries to force the students and faculty of the elementary/middle school to stage a dull and phony historical play. She is outmaneuvered by the talents of Cohan, Harris and Niblo. There are many surprises in store and with the help of two celestial reporters, Twinkle and Celeste the audience is swept into the magic created by Cohan, Harris and Niblo.

This one-act comedy musical written by Arthur Zapel is a tribute to George Cohan and and the “rhythm, timing, and pizzaz” of theater. It is adapted by Sylvia Aslanian and Martha Horter with the help of the teachers and students. You’ll enjoy new songs written and composed by Bill Francoer. Sing along to old favorites like, “You’re a Grand Ole Flag”, “Give My Regards to Broadway”, “Harrigan”, and many others. Mark the date, Friday June 5th at 5:30pm at the PK Yonge Performing Arts Center.

Thank you to our “Yankee Doodle Dandy” Sponsors:

Pinch-A-Penny, Scott Niehaus AC & Heating, Akey Family,

Trunnell Construction, Hale Family, Botha Family, Pernice Family



Millhopper Montessori students in grades kindergarten through third grade competed in the 15th Annual Reading Rainbow Young Writers & Illustrators Contest. Students wrote, illustrated, and submitted their own stories to be judged by a distinguished panel of judges chosen by WUFT, the PBS station that hosted the contest.

In all, 490 entries were received from 17 counties in North Central Florida. For each grade level, eight winners were chosen; 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, as well as five honorable mentions. Of the thirty-two winners, Millhopper Montessori swept the board, winning thirteen of the awards, including two first place wins! These first place winners will have their stories sent to compete in the National Reading Rainbow Contest! Best of luck to them and a big congratulations to the following winners:

KindergartenAnu - Honorable MentionAkhila - Honorable Mention

1st GradeCaroline - 2nd PlaceAidan Bender - 3rd Place

2nd GradeSumin - 1st PlaceAva B. - 2nd PlaceShreya - 3rd PlaceAnna - Honorable MentionKyleigh - Honorable Mention

3rd GradeMary Kai - 1st PlaceBrian - 3rd PlaceLexi - Honorable Mention

Student Cornor

MMS

MMS

From start

to finish

Walking to the classroom

on my very first day of school

Doing all the fun work

and learning my a,b,c’s

then moving into preschool

and learning how to read and write

Kindergarten

Kindergarten

Multiplication

and division

Tons of fun arts and crafts

Those good times with lots of laughs

First grade

at last

planting a garden,

with flowers and vegetables

second grade was much the same,

but still a lot of fun

Now in third grade and having such

a great time

in Mr. Richard’s science class learning a lot of new things

Sr. Elementary was the next thing to pass

we finally won the spirit stick

A fifth grade safety patroller

Saving people’s lives

My sixth grade year

The start of M3S

The start of M3S

which, of course, was the best

Going to ROPES

and on the end of the year trip

7th grade

was our first Shakespeare festival,

And now we are here

at 8th grade graduation

having the time of our lives

but saying goodbye

to friends and teachers

and heading into

a successful future

a successful future

MMS From Start to Finish MMS From Start to Finish MMS From Start to Finish MMS From Start to Finish by: Ashley and Courtney, sixth graders



It is hard to believe the year is about over. How the time flies when you're having fun. That is exactly what the MMS PTO has been doing- Having Fun! We had a great first year. I would like to thank Jennine, Constance and Betsy for serving on the Executive Board this year as well as next year. I would also like to thank everyone who volunteered to serve as a committee chair or on a committee. We really accomplished a lot this year. Almost $14,000 has been raised towards our playground, much of it through fundraisers organized by Niya Dix, Fundraising Chair. Thank you Niya! We had two fun Mom's Night Out Scrapbooking events. Thank you Jennine! We have served our fellow families with meals and our community with March for Babies. Thank you Jean Marie! We honored the wonderful teachers and staff of MMS

with a fabulous teacher appreciation week. What a tremendous outpouring of appreciation- and food. Thank you Angelica for organizing this special week. And we are showed our appreciation for our super safety patrol as well. This is just the beginning! Under Jennine Brandt's leadership, we will accomplish many more great things and have many more good times next year. We will kick off the year with our International Family Fun Night and begin selling bricks for our Legacy Walk. If you did not have the chance to get involved this year, we hope you will consider signing up for a committee next year. Thank you all and have a safe and fabulous summer!"

by: PTO President, Erin Jaszczak

MMS Garage Sale

Moms’ Night out: Scrapbooking



Ms. Crystal Sorrow Ms. Crystal Sorrow Ms. Crystal Sorrow Ms. Crystal Sorrow Ms. Elizabeth Sheehan Ms. Jeanne-Marie Clune-Hrivnak Ms. Elizabeth Sheehan Ms. Jeanne-Marie Clune-Hrivnak Ms. Elizabeth Sheehan Ms. Jeanne-Marie Clune-Hrivnak Ms. Elizabeth Sheehan Ms. Jeanne-Marie Clune-Hrivnak

Parent Appreciation Picnic (above)

Easter Celebration (left)

Concentrating on work.Chinese New Year



In April the children learned about the importance of taking care of the Earth. They discovered ways to conserve water and energy. Their favorite topic was recycling. It’s great to hear them say “this has to be recycled” when they see something that is recyclable. You can see the girls doing the recycling work that was in our classroom as they sort various paper, metal, plastic, glass, and cardboard items into orange and blue containers.

Ms. Christina Eckstein Ms. Christina Eckstein Ms. Christina Eckstein Ms. Christina Eckstein Ms. Beth Lawton Ms. Beth Lawton Ms. Beth Lawton Ms. Beth Lawton

The students made African baskets at the conclusion of our Africa unit. They loved learning about the customs, rituals, and way of life of the African people, as well as the animals of Africa.

The children learned to identify various types of birds during our bird unit. They also push pinned the parts of the bird and make a parts of the bird book.

We had a ball performing the Three Piggy Opera on Tuesday, May 5th. The children worked so hard and did an outstanding job. Bravo!!!

Our Favorite Work This Our Favorite Work This Our Favorite Work This Our Favorite Work This Year Was . . Year Was . . Year Was . . Year Was . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Analia - (insert)Anjana – constructing the triangle box out of construction paperAvery – puzzles

Bekah – water worksDelena – continent map puzzleEduardo - the chalkboard and the pickle fork workHiroto – exchange gameIsabelle – pink towerJena – penny polishingKarson – triangle boxLiam – matching works

Maddie – ribbon matchingMadison – readingMaui – push pinningMax – letter matchingNicolas – pink towerRasa – feather workSienna – parent night



Fun was had by teachers and students at

Barnes and Noble.

On Thursday, April 23 - Friday, April 24th, students, family and friends enjoyed stories read by Millhopper Montessori teachers. Thank you all for joining us and participating in the book fair. We earned $700.00, thanks to all your purchases.



Twenty-nine spectacular photographs were displayed at the Thomas Center from April 4th - May 17th. A reception honoring the works of art was held on April 23rd. Seventh grade student, Laura is pictured above with Ms. Sylvia as she beams at her works on display. Laura had four photographs exhibited.

The photographs were taken by students from the Photography Summer Camp last summer taught by Mr. Richard and Ms. Sylvia.

The works will be exhibited in the Big Room for a limited time. Please stop by and take a look. You may purchase one of the photographs and all proceeds will benefit the Elementary/Middle School Playground Fundraiser.

MMS Summer Photography Camp Images of the Thomas Center Exhibit



Ms. Renee’ Brohamer Ms. Renee’ Brohamer Ms. Renee’ Brohamer Ms. Renee’ Brohamer Ms. Katy West Ms. Katy West Ms. Katy West Ms. Katy West

Working on

Mother’s Day gifts

Classroom

Work

In the Garden

What a wonderful year it’s been. The children have grown and learned so much this year. We have covered many topics and explored many subject areas. Our experiences have built the foundation for further studies and will foster the desire to

continue learning and growing. We have had a taste of what there is to know about in the great big universe and the children are well prepared to move forward in their quest for knowledge.



Ms. Jackie Johnson Ms. Jackie Johnson Ms. Jackie Johnson Ms. Jackie Johnson Ms. Kathleen BastienMs. Kathleen BastienMs. Kathleen BastienMs. Kathleen Bastien

Our final months of the year are always busy. We spent a lot of time practicing and preparing for our Parent Appreciation Performance. The performance weaved together songs, dance, and poetry of the ocean. The children were fantastic. Each one participated in reading a poem in front of the microphone; parents and teachers alike were very proud.

For the last three months we have had an in-depth study of sharks and whales. Both of these topics fascinate the children and are so much fun to teach. It is particularly fun doing experiments with the children, and graphically showing the size of various species by walking them out on the playground.

Kindergarten graduation looms around the corner. It will be tough saying good-bye to such a terrific group of students.

Ms. Kathleen and I would like to thank our classroom parents for another excellent year and for the privilege of teaching their children. Please have a wonderful and safe summer!

Students decide to measure the

size of a number roll.Kindergarteners with their

Reading Rainbow Entries.

Spring Egg Hunt.

Hula Hooping at March of

Dimes celebration.

Four letter spelling. Concentrated work with the

division board.

Spelling Work.

Congratulations to our graduating Kindergarteners!Congratulations to our graduating Kindergarteners!Congratulations to our graduating Kindergarteners!Congratulations to our graduating Kindergarteners!Milhopper Montessori School Celebrating 31 Years of Academic Excellence 27


An amazing amount of work and projects were displayed and presented at the third annual Student Showcase on March 26th. Art work and projects that the students created throughout the year were prepared for viewing. The event showcased the high level of achievement that the students have attained. Projects included posters, display boards, movie-maker projects, films, science fair projects, internships , writings and many others. This event allowed the students and parents of various grades to see what the other classes have been involved in throughout the year. Both vocal ensembles also performed.



ou know you’re a mom when…

You consider it a major triumph if you shower by noon

You have considered trading your whole life savings for just one good night of sleep.

You look through family pictures, and realize there aren’t very many of you, because you are always behind the camera yourself.

You hire a sitter because you haven't been out with your husband in ages, then spend half the night talking about and checking on the kids.

You stop criticizing the way your mother raised you

Your kids' clothes are better than your own

Your pants are higher than your belly button

You want to swear, but can't, so you only pronounce the first letter then stop yourself like, "What the Heck…!!" "Oh Shoot..!!!" "Son of a hamster…… that hurt!!"

You eat the left-over pizza crust off of your childs plate instead of just eating a whole piece yourself

You walk into Publix and greet workers by name because you only go there every other day

Your children threaten to nominate you for the show “What not to Wear”

You think the appropriate answer to the question “how was your day?” is “fine.”

You spend more time driving than at home

The kitchen is your domain and you are the only one that knows where stuff goes and sometimes use that to your advantage

You started thinking about colleges when your kid was still in diapers

The only books you buy are all found in the Sunshine State Reader section

The last movie you saw with actual people in it was in college

The most recent exercise you’ve had was pushing a stroller through the neighborhood

You get mad at your child for making you wash a perfectly clean shirt

The last time you had a full breakfast was at a family brunch in 2001

You can make coffee with your eyes closed

You can’t count the number of glasses you’ve lost within the past year

by: Eighth grade students, Missy and Marguerite

presented at the M3S Mother’s Day Tea



Science Buddies with Mr. Richard’s Second Graders.

Easter Egg Hunt.

Classroom Work.

Ms. Elizabeth Falls Ms. Elizabeth Falls Ms. Elizabeth Falls Ms. Elizabeth Falls Ms. Widline SenecharlesMs. Widline SenecharlesMs. Widline SenecharlesMs. Widline Senecharles

Congratulations to our graduating Kindergarteners!Congratulations to our graduating Kindergarteners!Congratulations to our graduating Kindergarteners!Congratulations to our graduating Kindergarteners!



Fun with stories in Spanish at the MMS Book Fair…Fun with stories in Spanish at the MMS Book Fair…Fun with stories in Spanish at the MMS Book Fair…Fun with stories in Spanish at the MMS Book Fair…

Singing and dancing in Spanish is fun, whether we’re learning the “Cha Cha”, Singing and dancing in Spanish is fun, whether we’re learning the “Cha Cha”, Singing and dancing in Spanish is fun, whether we’re learning the “Cha Cha”, Singing and dancing in Spanish is fun, whether we’re learning the “Cha Cha”, “The Mexican Hat Dance”, or hopping to “Mi Conejito”.“The Mexican Hat Dance”, or hopping to “Mi Conejito”.“The Mexican Hat Dance”, or hopping to “Mi Conejito”.“The Mexican Hat Dance”, or hopping to “Mi Conejito”.

SSSSppppaaaannnniiiisssshhhh with Ms. Jeanne-Marie Clune-Hrivnak



“The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness.” ... Honore de Balzac

Ms. Tina’s Class

Ms. Tina’s Class

Ms. Tina’s Class

Ms. Tina’s Class

Ms. Sherilyn’s Class






Ms. Anita’s Class

Ms. Anita’s Class

Ms. Anita’s Class

Ms. Anita’s Class

Mr. Richard’s Class




“Being a full-time mother is one of the highest salaried jobs... since the payment is pure love.” ~Mildred B. Vermont

The last week in April was a special day for all first- eighth grade students and their mother’s or grandmothers. The students spent several weeks preparing a wonderful tea party to show their love and appreciation for the special women in their lives. Tea sandwiches, salads, fruit, desserts and other delectables were enjoyed in beautifully decorated rooms. The special talents of the

children shined through as they danced, sang, performed magic, recited poems and played various instruments to entertain the participants. Each mother received a special, hand-made gift and card to remember the occasion. This is a yearly MMS tradition to which everyone looks forward.



Ms. Anita’s class learned

vocabulary for different people and

places around town. We had fun

making up cities and describing the

people who would live there. The

children enjoyed speaking in Spanish

about what kind of jobs they might

like to have when they grow up. We

also had an introduction to many

Spanish verbs through charades

activities and games. The end of the

year will include units on body parts

and health, family, and summer

vocabulary.

Mr. Richard’s class completed our unit on the house.

Students did an amazing job

presenting their “houses” completely

in Spanish. Students have been

participating in various conversational

activities in Spanish in order to gather

specific information. We also

performed a short play in celebration

of Cinco de Mayo.

Ms. Tina’s class worked

on several Spanish projects during the

third quarter to reinforce our studies

of the house, describing people, and

talking about our hobbies and

pastimes. Activities included writing

about our héroes, creating casas out

of paper and describing them, and

making plans with friends over the

phone.

Middle School Spanish classes are reaching the ends of our

textbooks, having had a general

introduction to basic Spanish

vocabulary and grammar.

Spanish I students got the

chance to work on their country

studies and present in Spanish about

the animals that live there. We also

learned a bit about the Mexican

holiday Cinco de Mayo and performed

the play “The Cinco de Mayo story”.

These students are currently working

on speaking about actions that are in

progress in the current moment,

using the Spanish equivalent of the

–ing ending.

Spanish II students

recently completed our unit on

clothing. Students created ads for

their own clothing stores, and

“shopped” their classmates’ ads to

find gifts for friends. Our new chapter

focuses on vocabulary and grammar

related to celebrations and holidays.

As we close out this year, we will

reserve some time for writing

assignments, play acting, and

improvisation activities which will

sharpen students’ ability to recall all

the Spanish they know.

SSSSppppaaaannnniiiisssshhhh with Ms. Erin Sorel

8th graders browse through each others clothing ads to "purchase" gifts.

4th graders presented their casa projects.

Ms. Tina's class practiced making plans over the phone in Spanish.

5th graders present their heroes using Spanish adjectives.



As we wrap up the end of the year we will be concentrating on our feature event, The “Yankee Doodle Dandy” 1st – 8th grade performance. Every year we produce a play. No small-scale stuff here. This is the MAIN EVENT! Everyone in the Elementary building is busy blocking, rehearsing, singing, sewing, practicing dances and memorizing lines. Ms. Sylvia and Ms. Martha go zipping by this way and that way as they make the final preparations. Our lessons in Geography and in History have been about the concept of time. The children studied timelines. We discussed BC/AD or BCE/ACE and what things took place on the timeline before and after this time period. A Montessori Great Lesson was presented; The History of Writing and the children studied the way communication has changed from caveman, Greek, Roman to the Illuminated Texts and into the age of the moveable press and all the way up to modern day technology. In Mathematics, the children learned concepts in fractions and meas-urement. Also, how to use different meas-uring tools to measure pounds and ounces, inches and feet and so forth. The children’s estimation skills are getting more accurate each week when they par-ticipate in our “Estimation Station”. They also studied types of lines in Geometry in-cluding parallel, convergent, divergent, vertical and horizontal. They looked at how a plumb-bob is used as a vertical ref-erence line and then looked at different horizons as the line at which the sky and the earth's surface appear to meet. Also, the children have begun using triangle work to classify triangles by angle and shape. They played a game called the “Detective Adjective” where three color groups are represented and these three groups match up many triangle defini-tions to triangles as they sort them by small, medium, large, acute, obtuse, equi-lateral, right angle, scalene and isosceles. This language has become part of their regular conversations during Geometry time. It has been a great team building exercise as well. We have many great activities at our school. Another one to mention is the Mother’s Tea. It is a very special event to honor Moms. In April, the children put on their Sunday best, practice their talents and become young ladies and gentlemen to make this a day to remember. Prior to this special event the children planted, harvested and prepared herbs

and flowers to arrange and use for mom’s special day. On the day of the event mothers ate and enjoyed the fruits of their children’s labor from the classroom garden. The garden is a never-ending source of cultural entertainment, learning and food! We wouldn’t have this wonderful garden without the outstanding service of Deeta & Bobby Adkins for faithfully showing up every Thursday morning from 8:30 am – 11:00 am to garden with our children. - "He plants to benefit another generation." -Caccilius Stativs With such a prolific harvest this year the fruits and vegetables of the children’s’ labor inspired our Classroom Quilt. It is a wonderful piece of artwork and beautiful craftsmanship made by the children. Each child designed, cut and sewed a square. It is breathtaking! The highest bidder will take this beauty home and the proceeds will go back into the classroom. Volunteers truly make it happen, as we would also like to thank Barbara Mills, Erin Jasczak, Deeta Adkins and Marla Feinstein for assisting Ms. Elaine with Reading folders. We want to thank Caitlin Trunnell for her help with the “BOOK IT!” program and Anna Olcese for helping out in Ms. Elaine’s classroom and other classroom events. We also want to thank the many other parent helpers for their service throughout the year. If you are coming into the next year with a child in first or second grade please fill out the volunteer page that will be sent home with your orientation packet over the summer. We will be excited to fill these volunteer opportunities for the next school year. What you do with your child this summer will make all the difference next year. Keep your upcoming first or second graders up to speed with addition and subtraction skills. There are many good websites for timed math dashes that I recommend you do each week. Try, oswego.com/mathmagician, http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/units120.html, and superkids.com. First and Second grade welcomes those who are coming into the next school year and say a fond farewell and good luck to others who are moving on. For returning students and newcomers, please look for the orientation packet. In the packet will be the Summer Reading List. It is extensive and is meant

to be a guide. Please read with your child 20 minutes every day. There are some great reading programs to check out this summer, visit your public library and Barnes and Noble for these local programs. There are wonderful choices at the Scholastic Books website. Please order from these because it allows you a discount on current books and they are usually the first in offering a paperback edition. By ordering from Scholastic Books.com it adds book to our classroom library. You can login online:

* Parent Web Site: www.scholastic.com/parentordering* Your Class Code: 123O2

Don’t forget to sign up for summer camp!We look forward to seeing you all this Fall 2009-2010!

Ms. Anita and Ms. Susie

Ms. Anita Bender Ms. Susie Long

Picking strawberries

Sewing the quilt.



Thank you to the March of Dimes for coming to Millhopper Montessori Thank you to the March of Dimes for coming to Millhopper Montessori Thank you to the March of Dimes for coming to Millhopper Montessori Thank you to the March of Dimes for coming to Millhopper Montessori and letting us be a part of raising funds. We had a great time walking around and letting us be a part of raising funds. We had a great time walking around and letting us be a part of raising funds. We had a great time walking around and letting us be a part of raising funds. We had a great time walking around campus and playing games.campus and playing games.campus and playing games.campus and playing games.



The March of Dimes would like to thank the children, parents and staff of the Millhopper Montessori School for all of their hard work!!! With your help we raised over $4,009.00 to help save babies!

Thank you for your generous donations and efforts to raise money for the March of Dimes. Thank you also to all the wonderful parents who helped at our WalkMania event. We had a blast raising money for a great cause.

The final results for the individual and class donations are not yet in, since we are still accepting funds. If you didn't get a chance to make a donation and would like to, please see Ms. Jeanne-Marie for an envelope. She would be happy to bring it to the March of Dimes office for you.

So far, we have raised about $ 1,000 from the donations sent in in the envelopes and $1,530.78 from the "Penny Games". The results from that event are as follows:

Winners from 1st-8th - M3S (Ms. Sherilyn's Class) $356.43

Winners from Beginner's - Kindergarten - Ms. Christina's Class - $69.22

Thank you volunteers!



Wow, how time has flown by this year. We have been really busy over the last few months with so many things. We would like to thank Dr. Ana Moros-Hanely for coming into our class on Thursdays to teach us about the human body. We have enjoyed using the stethoscope, having our blood pressure checked and making models of the lungs. These practical exercises were wonderful additions to our discussions. We were very excited to host our moms for the annual Mother’s Day Tea on May 1. The students put together a very entertaining show and moms were treated like Greek Goddesses. To prepare ourselves for this we spent some time learning about some of the Greek heroes, gods and mythology. We are happy to announce that seven of our classmates were selected as finalists for the 15th Annual

Reading Rainbow Young Writer’s and Illustrator’s Contest sponsored by WUFT. We anxiously await the results at the May 16th Awards Ceremony. Congratulations to 2nd grade finalists Anna, Sumin, and Ava and 3rd grade finalists Lexi, Hunter, Mary Kai and Brian. Our annual Spelling Bee was held on April 24. Congratulations to Shreya and Becca for placing 1st and 2nd for Second Grade and to Dillon and Zach for 1st and 2nd in the 3rd/4th Grade. All students participated and did a super job! Make sure to get your Summer Reading Lists from your teacher and get started soon on Summer Reading!!

Mr. Richard Aslanian Ms. Suzi Rumsey

Third Grade

Second Grade

SSSSppppeeeelllllllliiiinnnngggg BBBBeeeeeeee WWWWiiiinnnnnnnneeeerrrrssss

Students present “Bill of Rights” Skits to Ms. Anita’s Class.

Working in Father’s Day Cards



Ms. Christina Miller Ms. Susan Salvatore Ms. Susan Salvatore Ms. Susan Salvatore Ms. Susan Salvatore

Ms. Martha Horter Ms. Erin Sorel Ms. Martha Horter Ms. Erin Sorel Ms. Martha Horter Ms. Erin Sorel Ms. Martha Horter Ms. Erin Sorel

It’s amazing how fast the

second half of the year slips away! As

a special treat before Spring Break,

Ms. Tina’s class held our own mini

indoor egg hunt which proved much

more challenging than we had

anticipated! From Spring to St.

Patrick’s Day to Earth Day, we have

had plenty of reasons to celebrate.

After the hard work of IOWA

testing week, we set to work

preparing for our Mother’s Day Tea.

To complement our Asian theme,

students folded origami water lilies,

made Chinese paper lanterns, and

learned to paint the word “Mom” in

various Asian languages. They

worked hard preparing their

entertainment acts for the tea and

sewing pillows as gifts with the help

of Ms. Susie Long.

In fourth grade Florida

History, students have been

practicing reading road maps by

creating their own 5-day road trip

through Florida. Students are getting

to know our state even better by

discovering all sorts of new

destinations along the road and

figuring out exactly how to get there.

Students read about Florida’s “land

boom” in the 1920s, and

contemplated ways in which growth

affects our state by enacting a small

debate over whether or not we

should allow development of a small

island off Florida’s coast.

A sure sign that the end is

nearing is the beginning of Safety

Patrol training. We are proud of all of

our fourth graders for being so eager

to take on this additional

responsibility in keeping younger

children safe and serving as role-

models for good behavior.

Congratulations to Ms. Tina’s class

fourth grade spelling bee winners:

1st place: Jasun

2nd place: Tiffany

3rd place: Chelsea

Ms. Tina's class celebrated St. Patrick's Day in style.

The weather was perfect for enjoying a game of four square at recess.

We can't let the younger kids have all the fun!� Ms. Tina's class Spring "egg hunt".

Fourth grade girls exploring plant characteristics during our native plant unit.

Working on our Florida History Trips.



Father’s Day

Field Day is an annual

treat for Elementary/

Middle School dads. It

is a day filled with

laughter, competition

and fun!

Each year the

students look forward to

enjoying field games

and pizza with their

dads.

Another reason

Millhopper Montessori

School is so unique.

“I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection.” ...- Sigmund Freud



“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.” .... - Jim Valvano

On March 20, the first-eighth grade students and fathers (some mothers too) enjoyed a

day of games, fun, pizza and sunshine. Each father was presented with a special coffee mug

decorated with their child’s art work. Traditional games such as pop the balloon relay, toss

the water balloon and tug-of-war were played by the spirited group of fathers and students. It

was great exercise and fun at the same time. Thanks for coming out to play with us, dads!



Ms. Sherilyn Farris Ms. Susan Hansen Ms. Sylvia Aslanian Ms. Susan Hansen Ms. Sylvia Aslanian Ms. Susan Hansen Ms. Sylvia Aslanian Ms. Susan Hansen Ms. Sylvia Aslanian

The students have been preparing for the Eighth grade graduation as well as “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” the annual End of the Year Show.

Aside from these preparations the classes have been working hard in Math, Vocabulary, History, and Literature.

Equations, Equations, Equations! Ms. Susan’s Geometry students are winding up the school

year with an in depth study of circles. We are having fun & learning about tangents, angle measures and secants. These students have worked hard all year and have actually completed the entire textbook. Way to go Missy, Manny & Akshaya!" Below seventh and eighth grade students simulated a trench war during World War I. The tables were turned upside down and the war started.

MMMM3333SSSS MMMMaaaatttthhhh



Good-Bye from the Eighth Class of 2009 Good-Bye from the Eighth Class of 2009 Good-Bye from the Eighth Class of 2009 Good-Bye from the Eighth Class of 2009

Ms. Sherilyn Farris Ms. Susan Hansen Ms. Sylvia Aslanian Ms. Susan Hansen Ms. Sylvia Aslanian Ms. Susan Hansen Ms. Sylvia Aslanian Ms. Susan Hansen Ms. Sylvia Aslanian

Manny: “Do your work! Don’t slack!”

Lauren: “Do your homework and pay attention in class. Always be yourself, no matter what happens. Above all, stay organized so you know where everything is.”

Akshaya: “Don’t worry – you’ll make it through! Just work, stay focused, and do your best. Try not to have too many panic attacks, and remember, power breaks are good!”

Sean: “Make sure you stay sane throughout your remaining years. Right now, you’re in the clear.”

Austin: “A word of advice to the 6th and 7th graders is al-ways be yourself and do your best. You will do well.”

Connor: “If you have a problem, make a joke out OF IT!!!!”

Kathryn: “Middle school is a lot of fun, and enjoy M3S. There is a good amount of work, but it is all tons of fun. Remember to stay on top of your work, and stay positive. I will miss you all next year! Good luck!”

Noah: “Though the end of middle school may seem far away, it isn’t. Savor every second you have of your life, and make the most of them.”

Missy: “Stay organized and HAVE FUN! This is middle school; don’t kill yourself over homework notifications. You guys will do great.”

Trey: “Hang in there, only a few more years before the end of the school. Many of the things will be challenging but it helps you in the end.”

Ashton: “DO YOUR HOMEWORK, be good and NEVER hang out in the hall too long…Have fun and enjoy the school year; you only have one chance, so make it right.”

Shereen: “Do your homework ahead of time; never wait until the last day. Be yourself, don’t be a follower. Make your last years at MMS the most exciting.”

Marguerite: “Enjoy MMS! No matter where you go, it won’t be the same as here. Don’t rush your years here, en-joy them!”

Aimee: “It has been a privilege and an adventure having been in the same class with you this year, including with the past. I will miss you next year, but I know you’ll do great. Remember to be yourself and always believe in your-self. Everyone I’ve known for the past years has a special talent and a factor to them that I will miss. Good luck next year, and never be afraid to be who you really are. Shoot for the stars!”

by: Eighth Grade student, Akshaya


Millhopper Montessori School Celebrating 31 Years of Academic Excellence 19

One of the challenges facing schools today is being state-of-the-art. It is a big challenge to design and build something that retains integrity for future use that is yet unknown. The first thing to keep in mind is to understand present use. I have observed time and again how innovative architecture can often be ineffective when not in accord with either the curriculum or the teaching method. This can happen when the architectural design isn’t conducive to teaching or learning. This can also happen when the teachers’ ideas of educational delivery are either too traditional for them to appreciate, be comfortable with, or even use the new design. Years ago when one of Gainesville’s public elementary schools was being constructed, I eagerly went to observe the state-of-the-art building design. I was shown movable walls on tracks that allowed classrooms to be open to each other. This, I was told, was designed at great expense to create a learning community. After the new teachers and students moved in, the teachers decided to permanently close the movable walls, block them off with filing cabinets and shelving, and then complained that the

acoustics were awful due to the walls not being as soundproof as they would like. It turned out, single doors between large open classrooms would have been better, double doors even better, and maybe even pocket-doors.The acoustics would not be an issue and this type of door would support subjects between classrooms that compliment each other, such as ability level math groups or elective subjects. The large rooms would allow for more in-class groupings to occur. The second thing to consider is versatility. If the shelving were to be put on wheels, for example, the layout of the room could be changed. Have some or all of the tables light and portable. Floor space is also wonderful with lapboards and wireless laptops. Science carts, music and art carts are ideal to travel from room to room, keeping entire rooms from being limited to one subject area of learning. This opens possibilities for scheduling, hands-on and integrated learning, fluctuating enrollment, as well as being a whole lot more cost effective. When I designed and built Millhopper Montessori School I worked to bring about a design that supported the curriculum and the style of

teaching/learning. It was helpful that the Montessori curriculum has always been authentic. In other words, project based and experiential, allowing for varied student group sizes, and multiple simultaneous student activities. It is important to know that there are many exciting classroom designs coming out at this time, and the ideal classroom design, implemented today, needs to be flexible enough to meet the needs of tomorrow. Lastly and most importantly, present teaching styles and the visions that teachers have of the future should be a main consideration in planning because they are the core.

by: Christina Miller

Creating a State of the Art Classroom

The Promethean Board comes with instructional lessons all ready to use.


Millhopper Montessori School Celebrating 31 Years of Academic Excellence 18

The Promethean boards are up! Representatives from Promethean trained the teachers on the interactive white boards on Tuesday, May 19, 2009. They are excited to add this new tool to their daily curriculum. MMS has just installed three Promethean AC-TIVboards. There are 78 in. boards in the senior elemen-tary and middle school classrooms and a 64 in. board in the media center. These boards are top of the line "smart" board technology. The boards are giant, interactive, com-puter desktops. During lessons teachers and students can ma-nipulate digital objects like never before! Teachers can still write notes and examples on the board like always (without the marker mess!), but Promethean software is capable of so much more. Interactive slide shows, inno-vative games and built in assessments. The middle school also has a class set of ACTIVexpression devices. These devices allow every student the opportunity to answer questions, not just one. Teachers are able to see immediately if students understand a concept or if they need spend more time on it. Students are enthusiastic about the boards, too. Everyone wants an opportunity to go to the board and answer a question. Using the stylus, students can work out math problems, draw pictures or just answer questions. Everyone is more engaged in the lesson! While the teachers and students learn how to use this technology, lessons are becoming more innovative and exciting. Thrilling things are happening at MMS!

Working out Math Equations.

“This is cool!”



with Ms. Sylvia Aslanianwith Ms. Sylvia Aslanianwith Ms. Sylvia Aslanianwith Ms. Sylvia Aslanian

Using Sony Vegas, Sean edits the “Megatech Video”

Ilie gathers props. (right)

Sony -Technology in Motio

n Film Contest

Ms. Martha, (left) helps out and becomes “technology in motion.”

Seventh and Eighth graders entered a contest sponsored by Sony. The task: Create a five minute video showing their vision of how technology would shape their community in the future. They submitted a call to entry on December 15th and I am happy to announce it was accepted. We received a package consisting of Sony Vegas Pro and Cinescore to help the students create their own music and edit the film.

The idea submitted by Missy and Sean: A community run by corporations with people becoming walking advertisements selling a popular product. Each corporation advertised a product on a person. From a monitor on a person’s stomach to a keyboard on their arm. This was appealing because people bought into the illusion of looking cool and making money. They sold their soul to become the next “Technology in Motion.” Little did they know what life would become!

It was decided that the film would be done in a documentary style with images and a voice over from the perspective of one of the corporations’ (Megatech) technobots. Most of the scenes were filmed at MMS. One of the scenes was filmed at the Mall inside Belk Lindsey on the escalator.

The students started working on the video in late March. The teams consisted of script writing, props, sets, costuming, acting and editing, and film crew under the guidance of a a student director (Missy). The students quickly figured out that setting up a shot took longer than actually filming it. After filming, the editing process proved to be an even longer task.

I am very proud to say the video qualified into the judging category. We did not place. We did receive a copy of Sony Vegas Pro and Cinescore for our efforts. You can view the video at M3Sroxx.com. Let us know what you think.

Scene I ... Have you ever made a big decision? One that could change your life? Have you ever done something you regretted? I have, and there’s not a day when I don’t think about how things could have been, not how they are now. It wasn’t always like this. There was a time when people used to smile, and laugh. When they could think for themselves, without needing society’s approval. But things have changed. A LOT. Since the early 21st century, the world has become dependent on technology. For EVERYTHING. You can hardly have a conversation anymore, without the annoying “beeps” and “boops” of contemporary technology.

Scene II ...When the corporations took control, everything and everyone changed. We became walking advertisements, with portable televisions on the abdomen, circuit boards and hard drives attached to our brain, advertising our assigned corporations’ newest product. We left our domestic lives, trading them for the life of a business chip. “What a concept,” I thought. “Technology in Motion.” We live work. We eat work. We think work. Work, work, work. Scene III In this society we have routines repeated every day. They are done the same way at the same time in the same place. Nothing ever changes. I turn on at 3:30am and check for updates. I then check my e-mail looking for the day’s assignment; it is usually traveling to a rural town to attract customers to the city. I receive an e-mail from the MegaTech Enterprises laptop receptionist, which programs me with thorough instructions on my duty for the day.

Excerpts from the script

....Soon, we might not even have the option to volunteer for opportunities like this; it might become mandatory. What will life be like then? Who’s to say…

.....We were branded like cattle, barcoded like product. I was issued barcode, #1590.

written by Akshaya and Gini

Writing the script. (right)

Thank you, Ms. Martha, Mr. Richard, Ms. Tina, Ms. Amilda, Ms. Donna, Mr. MichaelMs. Susan H., and Ms. Sherilyn.

Watch out for the Megatech employees. (below)



Fourth grade / Fifth gradeFourth grade / Fifth gradeFourth grade / Fifth gradeFourth grade / Fifth grade We have had a fun year learning about physical science and the world around us! This year welearned about the laws of physics with an egg drop contest, made an electromagnet in class and witnessed the power of radiatiant energy with our solar oven. This last quarterwe tested the air quality around the school and learned about different forms of pollution. We learned about the processes that create this unique planet and how we can protect it. Our fifth graders learned more about the scientific method with their amazing “green” inventions. I have enjoyed working with and getting to

know our fun group of fourth and fth graders and look forward to exploring life science with themnext year!

Sixth gradeSixth gradeSixth gradeSixth grade This year has been a busy one for the sixth grade class! We learned about chemistry, physics, and earth science. We created roller coasters, experimented with light and sound, and even created our own device for monitoring weather. Between debate

and science we have also learned a lot about our environment and what it means to be a wise steward of our planet. A summary of our sixth grade class wouldn’t be completewithout mentioning some impressive inventions this year. Their ideas ranged from using recycled materials to make rope, pillows and organizers to inventions meant to encourage environmental awareness by making recycling easier and monitoring water use. It has been a wonderful year!

Seventh and Eighth gradeSeventh and Eighth gradeSeventh and Eighth gradeSeventh and Eighth grade Our seventh and eighth grade class spent a lot of time in labs this year. We got a lot of use out of our new lab station while we explored chemistry and physics. We learned a lot about howthings don’t always go as planned in a lab, too! Soap making, we found, is an art! We got to see what happens to marshmallows in a vacuum and made our own stinky pH indicator. Recently, we learned about buoyancy as we participated in a boat contest. The only material allowed was tin foil. All our groups came up with working designs and no two were alike. We did several fun projects this year to further our understanding of scientific method. We

talked a lot about how science is about looking at the world from every angle. For the final project this year the students are creating contraptions in the likeness of Rube Goldberg, to assist in our studies of simple machines. Best known for his “inventions”, Rube Goldberg’s experience as an engineer helped him create his most acclaimed work. A Rube Goldberg contraption – an elaborate set of arms, wheels, gears, handles, cups, and rods, put in motion by balls, canary cages, pails, boots, bathtubs, paddles, and live animals. He takes a simple task and makes it extraordinarily complicated. He had solutions for How To Get The Cotton Out Of An Aspirin Bottle, imagined a Self-Operating Napkin, and created a Simple Alarm Clock – to name just a few.

I will miss our eighth graders and wish them the best as they move on to high school. Thank you all for making my first year at MMS incredible and memorable!

with Carol Fogleman

Rube Goldberg’s Works



with Coach Cam Parker

M3S Flag FootballM3S Flag FootballM3S Flag FootballM3S Flag Football

Congratulations to the Middle School Flag Football Team for a super season thus far. With two games remaining our record is 3-3. We have shown improvement every week and have a lot of great teamwork. We hope our success continues for the

remainder of the schedule. Team members are Trey, Austin, Missy, Connor, Ashton, Dominick, Ilie and CJ.

Thank you to our parent volunteers!

Education

Millhopper Montessori School May Newsletter