Dear Madrona Families,
While the transition from Winter into Spring can feel long, we have enjoyed warm weather and activities to propel us fully into the next season. It’s now that the learners who arrived in September seem all of a sudden more mature, noticeably taller, confident and self-assured.
When we returned from Mid-Winter Break, we celebrated the children’s Lit Circle Final Projects and Family Narratives. Both provided the opportunity to express themselves in writing and in creative visual representations.
Many were excited to welcome Echo, our new class Leopard gecko. He has green, orange and light purple coloring and is very sweet.
This month, a variety of units of study began: squaring sums (binomials and polynomials), decimal checkerboard, operations with fractions, comparative style, sun and earth (seasons, temperature zones), tectonic plates, botany (parts and functions of plants), and Native American/Indigenous Peoples of North America. As part of our critical history studies, we will take a special look at the Japanese-American history on the island, and make a guided visit to the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial.
The 6th years made their way to New York City for their capstone experience with the Montessori Model United Nations. They met and collaborated with other Montessori students from around the world: from the Philippines, the Cayman Islands, Peru, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Canada, to states all across the US. They delivered their speeches with confidence and worked together with peers to craft resolutions. Their conference culminated at the UN’s General Assembly. With generous community support through fundraising the children were also able to sightsee and take in New York City through the visiting American Museum of Natural History, ice skating at Rockefeller Center, Little Island, enjoying a variety of food (especially Senegalese in Harlem), and seeing Hamilton. We are deeply grateful for the opportunity and cannot wait to share more about it in the coming month.
Looking ahead to our school year after Spring Break, we aim to make the most of the last months together. The progress made academically, as well as socially and emotionally, is profound. Here’s to packed spring to come!
Warmly,
Jaclyn and Zach
