Lovely thank you message from RAM staff at Graden City

A thank you from our RAM Staff at Garden City:

Hello all,

First, let me say thank you on behalf of all attending teachers, today was truly a gift. The financial support from RAM was the keystone in making this happen – without the funds to cover our classrooms and free us to meet this planning and team building would not have been possible.

We opened our day with a talking circle that encouraged each teacher to share their thoughts about their history in the Montessori program, their current Montessori practice, and their hopes for the future of their practice.

For the next 4 hours we created flow charts in the areas of:
​Cultural Arts (Science, Social Studies, History, Geography, Botany, and Zoology)
Language Arts (Reading, writing, listening, speaking)
Mathematics
Social Responsibility and Citizenship

It was equally energizing and exhausting! We accomplished much in a short, intense period of time.

Ending the day we discussed the dream of a long-range inquiry-based project which is an exciting project we’d like to undertake. We plan to start a long-range journal that would begin in kindergarten and follow kids up through grade seven. A handful of questions (that remain the same) asked and answered each year… demonstrating change over time….emotional and social growth…as an amazing snapshot of the children at each stage of their growth while they were in our classrooms. The questions can be spread throughout the school year – except the finale question will be the conclusion of each school year.
At the start of each new year the journals would follow the children to their new classrooms and be ready for a fresh entry.

Proposed questions —
Easily accessible questions (i.e. lower level thinking)
How would you describe yourself?
What are you really good at?
What are your favourite things to do? (or a break down: your favourite songs, books, movies)
What makes you smile/happy?
What scares you?

Deeply thoughtful (i.e. higher level of thought, analysis)
What is your place in the world?
What do you think you will be doing ten years from now?
What are you doing now that makes you happy?
What advice would you like to give to your older self – your younger self?

Finale question:
What was your proudest moment this year? (or for younger kids What did you feel good about this year?)

Thank you again for this opportunity. Our Montessori practice is stronger for it,

K. Johnson
C. Sakai
T. Serrano
A. Samra
M. Gold

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING & CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: 2016-2017 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Dear Parents/Guardians:
You are invited to join us at our Annual General Meeting on Thursday May 26th, 7p.m. at James McKinney Elementary School. 

RAM needs your help! Without parents who volunteer their time RAM cannot actively support the continuation of the Montessori program for our children. Becoming active in RAM is an important way to become involved in your child’s education.  It directly helps your children’s education and keeps you informed about school issues, programs and events, and Montessori in the public education system.

As children get older and families move on, a number of Executive positions will be vacant for next year. Without a full executive, including a Chair (or co-chairs), and others, RAM cannot function. We have the ability to support new executive members by partnering with current and former Executive members, but we need your help!  As parents, we are all busy, but we all want the best for our children. Without your help, your children’s Montessori program will suffer.

Positions are open for nominations for the June 2016 – June 2017 term that need to be filled are: (duties listed on Page 2 of the nomination form):

· Chairperson
· Vice-Chairperson
· Secretary
· Treasurer
· Volunteer Coordinator		 · Fundraisers
· RAM/PAC Liaison (one from each school)
· Members-at-large
· Webmaster

To volunteer or nominate another individual, please complete this form and return it to the school office by May 7, 2016 or bring it with you to the RAM Annual General Meeting.  Election of Executive Committee positions will take place at the RAM Annual General Meeting on Thursday, May 26, 2016 at 7:00 PM at James McKinney Elementary School.
Have questions, or looking for more information? Please email to: info@richmondmontessori.ca

nomination form