Week of February 28th – March 4th Summary

March 4, 2011

Important Upcoming Dates:

• Winter Break starts Monday, March 7th and continues through Friday, March 11th. Classes resume for all students on Monday, March 14th.

• On Friday, March 11th (during Winter Break), Suzuki piano teacher Katherine DeFreitas invites all students and parents to campus for a Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra piano recital at 10 am. Please RSVP to Katherine.

• On Friday, March 11th from 10:30 to 11 am (during Winter Break) there will be choir practice for students who will be singing on the St. Patrick’s Day float. Please contact Mr. Dean St. Hillaire with questions.

• On Saturday, March 12th SPMA students will be participating in the Youth Arts Festival at the Art Center of Coastal Carolina. SPMA students perform at 3:15 pm. Your support would be appreciated!

• On Sunday, March 13th SPMA will participate in the St. Patrick’s Day parade. Details here.

• Save the Date! There will be a Parent Appreciation Dinner on Thursday, March 17th at 6 pm on campus. Details forthcoming.

• Re-enrollment forms for the 2011-12 school year are due in the front office with a $500 family deposit no later than the end of the day Friday, April 1st. If you have not received your form in the postal mail, please click here for an online form. Enrollment for new applicants will begin April 2nd.

• More calendar events here.

Board of Trustees Note:

• Campus Naming Opportunities coming soon!

School Notes:

• SPMA Shutterfly photos: Garden Work Party and more!

• Your child’s Gullah artwork is now on Artsonia.com! When visiting the site, search for “Sea Pines Montessori Academy” in the “Find School” box. Parents should receive an email from Artsonia.com to activate the account associated with your child’s artwork. Students artwork is arranged by the highest grade in their classroom (eg: 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade will be filed under 3rd grade.) Fun product with your child’s artwork can be ordered through Artsonia.com and SPMA will receive 15% of your purchase. Please email Carla Golden with questions.

• We have a long list of Lost and Found items belonging to children and adults. Please check this list to see if any items are yours. Items not claimed will be donated to charity.

• Watch WHHI/Lowcountry Child SPMA videos here.

• Order forms for Bess’ lunch are due each Friday by 10 am for the following week. Lunches can be ordered for 1 to 5 days per week. Call Bess at 785-2377 with questions and for full menu options.

• Every Friday is Spirit Day! Go to ShopSPMA to click into Land’s End school uniform shop.

Ask Maria:

Q: What does it mean when a child is “normalized?”

A: “Normalization” is a technical word borrowed from the field of anthropology that means “becoming a contributing member of society.” Dr. Montessori used the term “normalization” to distinguish one of the processes that she saw in her work with the children at San Lorenzo in Rome. This process, the process of normalization, occurs when development is proceeding normally. She used the word “normalization” so that people would think that these qualities belonged to all children and were not something special just for a few.

There are many personality types, of course, however, when children enter the process of normalization the same characteristics appear. There are four characteristics that are a signal that the process of normalization is happening: (1) Love of work, (2) Concentration, (3) Self-discipline, and (4) Sociability. Your child’s teachers make daily observations to note your child’s progress toward normalization.

Do you have a Montessori Method question? Please email it to “Dr. Maria Montessori” and we’ll get it answered. Your question will be posted anonymously.

SPMA Booster Club Notes:

• The St. Patrick’s Day parade is right around the corner on Sunday, March 13th at 3 pm! Parade details here!! A BIG THANKS to everyone who came out to pre-decorate the float – it looks great!

• The April 18th – 24th Heritage Golf Tournament is just weeks away! Concession Booth sign-up forms have been sent home. There will also be a shift sign-up board in the lobby. Birdies for Charity form and more details are here. Please get involved as this has been traditionally our largest yielding fundraiser of the year and we couldn’t do it without volunteer support. Thank you!

• Planning has begin for the inaugural SPMA Fishing Tournament to benefit the 2011-12 Scholarship Fund. Mark your calendars for Monday, May 30th at the Shelter Cove Marina! Anyone interested in helping, please email the Booster Club. Informational and volunteer meetings will begin after Winter Break.

• Box Tops, Harris Teeter (relink card with SPMA 2563-VIC PIN) Publix Partner Cards (if you need one email the Booster Club and we will send one home with student). Details here.