Fall is Here...

​It’s a crisp fall day in October and on Friday we began our morning making cards for Color Give Smile, a non-profit organization that provides artwork to senior citizens. The cards usually accompany a meal that is being delivered.  I love these events because it really gets the children asking questions about the world outside of their home, their beloved school and classrooms.  I had beautiful and meaningful conversations with the children as we sat together making cards and I know that this event will continue to support the ideas that we work on every day in the classroom.
 
The Montessori philosophy is based on respect: of self, for others, the environment, and for the world.  At Alcuin, everything we do as a school community focuses on these values. From the moment the children come through our doors we welcome them and greet them like a member of our family because they are truly part of the Alcuin family.  What does that mean and why is it so special or different?  It means that we accept each individual child for who they are and we work together as a team to help them grow and develop into the person they are striving to become.  There are a million lovely moments along that journey and there are bumps along the road -- but that’s just it, it is the journey that is most important to us.  It’s about the partnership with the families, and sharing in the joys and ah-ha moments that happen for each child.  It’s about meeting and talking, problem solving and trusting in the partnership of home and school, and above all knowing that the child will not only get through the challenging moments but will come out on the other side a much stronger, peaceful and independent person.
What makes Alcuin so different is its people.  I know you’ve heard me say this many times before, but we truly have an exceptional staff.  They love and respect each and every child in this community, and spend their days and nights thinking, planning and preparing for the children.  They appreciate the partnership they have with the families and know that together they can support and guide the students in a meaningful way.
 
As you know we are beginning the writing portion of our self-study with ISACS.  We officially kicked off this process with the faculty, staff, and board last week.  What this ultimately means for the children and the community is an even stronger set of guiding principles; every aspect of Alcuin will be peeled apart, examined and evaluated.  You may be wondering what your role will be in this process or how you can best support our community.  Montessori is based on observation, feedback, collaboration, evaluation, and flexibility.  My door is always open to the community and I am constantly engaged with teachers and children about ways to improve and how to solve problems.  Montessori is about working together for the common good.  Shortly you will be receiving a survey from ISACS as part of the accreditation process.  Your honest and thoughtful feedback is critical for the self-evaluation of our school. Together we can ensure that our children, parents, faculty and staff are part of a community that believes in the support and development of each individual child, while truly creating a community based on respect for each individual, the environment, and the world.  Together we can create the change we dream of.  Together we can see the joy in the eyes of our children as they discover the never ending curriculum the world has to offer.  And together we can prepare the children of our community to be the adults that we dream they will become.

Gina Gleason
Executive Director