October 25, 2015
Hope everyone had a great long weekend! Can you believe we are already entering the last week of October?!? The Holidays- All Holidays are quickly approaching and we will be in the season of school vacations. Please stay posted so that everyone is aware of what is coming. Don't forget to join the text messaging group (instructions later in the newsletter) or check us out on facebook to stay informed!
Advocacy Needed for Montessori Secondary Program. ACTION IS NEEDED!
It is time for us to make our HMM voices heard! We all believe in Montessori and the benefits of a Montessori education. It is now time to let CMS know just THAT. Our children need us to step up and speak out in a big way! I know we can do this. The future of Montessori and our children depend on us. Let’s show them that the sacrifices to attend a magnet school, like HMM, are not in vain. We have their backs.
I’m counting on you to let CMS know this is important! Not just me… More importantly, all the students at HMM are counting on you!
Stephanie Roberson
HMM PTA President
At last weeks’ School Board meeting, the CMS Administration made note of plans to expand the Montessori Secondary Program, but it remains on the “TBD” list. That means a fiscal year has a not been associated with the expansion. We know our voices were heard because the School Board pushed back with questions about the need for this expansion with a Montessori program that works! Board members stated that they have heard from parents so they want this expansion set in stone. Yay!
So, MORE THAN EVER, we need all parents, teachers and staff to write/email/call School Board Members and CMS Executive Staff. If we want this, WE HAVE TO ACT NOW! This is our chance to make this happen!! Also, at the next open School Board meeting onTuesday, Oct 27th, 7pm, at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church – 3400 Beatties Ford Road the Board will discuss programs that they will vote on in November, including the Montessori expansion. Highland Mill Montessori families need to SHOW UP and make sure our voice is heard! Show your HMM Spirit – wear your t-shirts, bring your children, make positive-message posters! We must show our unwavering commitment to the expansion of the Montessori Secondary Program!
CMS School Board members will vote on whether to approve the expansion of the Montessori Secondary Program at their Nov. 10th meeting.
ACTION ITEMS:
1. Cut and paste the following School Board email addresses and send an email supporting the expansion of secondary Montessori in 2016. Speak from your heart and let them know how a Montessori education has impacted your child(ren) in a meaningful way. Let them know how important continuing on to a Montessori secondary school is so important to the children in the CMS Montessori community. This is your opportunity to voice your support and let the School Board know that the expansion of secondary Montessori it what our children NEED! maryt.mccray@cms.k12.nc.us;tim.morgan@cms.k12.nc.us; ericka.ellis-stewart@cms.k12.nc.us;rhonda.lennon@cms.k12.nc.us; thelmab.bailey@cms.k12.nc.us;rubym.jones@cms.k12.nc.us; tom.tate@cms.k12.nc.us; ericc.davis@cms.k12.nc.us;paul1.bailey@cms.k12.nc.us
Monday: "Sock It To Drugs"- everyone wears mismatched socks!
Tuesday: Pledge to be Drug Free- National Family Drug Free Pledge Day!
Wednesday: Team Up Against Drugs- Everyone wear a favorite team jersey
Thursday: Red Ribbon Day- Each class will hang a red ribbon on their classroom door
Friday: HMM is a drug free school- everyone wear red shirts!
SLT (Student Leadership Team) Meetings
Join the SLT at their monthly meetings every 3rd Thursday at 8am. The group gets together and discusses student/school decisions that are important to not only the school but our students as well. All parents are welcome! The next meeting is Thursday November 19th! Hope to see you there!
GREAT FUNDRAISER NEWS!
Great job to all HMM students and families for their participation in the annual fundraiser! Because we have exceeded our goal, all students will be able to enjoy a school wide pajama day on November 24th! GREAT JOB!!!!
Spirit Rocks: BIRTHDAYS, SPECIAL EVENTS, OR SHOW HMM PRIDE!
HMM has two Spirit Rocks available for painting! If you'd like to paint the Spirit Rock, you must first check to see if the date is available on the Spirit Rock calendar here. If your date is available, then please fill out this form and send in $10 to HMM PTA. Once the money is received, the PTA will reserve the date on the calendar. Can’t wait to see all your beautiful Spirit Rock creations!
Text Reminding from the PTA
Do you feel like you are forgetting important dates for HMM and the PTA? Days off? Deadlines? Events? YES???? Then join the HMM Text reminding! Just text 81010 with the message @hmmpta. or click this link! Just another way to join the HMM Community!
Join the HMM Community
If you are interested in joining the PTA and helping support HMM please contact the PTA directly at Highlandmillmontessoripta@gmail.com. If you have already expressed this interest, your committee chair should have contacted you-if they have not, please email us so that we can make sure the information we have is correct. REMEMBER- you do not have to be at the school to help! There is a role for everyone!. We look forward to growing the PTA family so that our children can have the best year yet!
Parent Education
Check out this Facebook Group where HMM parents are sharing Montessori information and resources. Also, take a look at and follow the parent-created HMM Pinterest Boardfor Montessori activities you can do at home!
Support our school by shopping on Amazon
Now you can support our school by shopping on Amazon! Make your purchases through this link: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/56-2052326 and our school will get back a percentage. You can use your existing Amazon username and password. It's super easy and just in time for the holiday shopping!!
Give Back to HMM by Shopping
There are several ways you can support our school, just by shopping. Link your Target REDcard, VIC Card (you can do this online if you have your card with you-it's easy!) or BiLo Bonus Card to our school and automatically donate a percentage of your purchases. Also, visit www.Shoparoo.com for another way to support our school each time you shop.
How Do I Keep in Touch with the PTA?
o Bookmark our website: www.highlandmillmontessoripta.weebly.com
o Friend us on Facebook: Highland Mill Montessori PTA
o Join Remind: Text 424.203.0478 with the message @hmmpta
Save the Date
October 26-30- Red Ribbon Week
November 7- FALL FESTIVAL/SILENT AUCTION/ANNUAL BBQ: 11am-3pm at HMM
November 11-NO SCHOOL
November 14- Parents' Night Out at Free Range Brewery
November 20- Donuts w/Dads: 8am-9am at HMM
November 24- JumpJam Spirit Night at Defy Gravity
November 24-PJ Day!
November 25-27- NO SCHOOL
Hope everyone had a great long weekend! Can you believe we are already entering the last week of October?!? The Holidays- All Holidays are quickly approaching and we will be in the season of school vacations. Please stay posted so that everyone is aware of what is coming. Don't forget to join the text messaging group (instructions later in the newsletter) or check us out on facebook to stay informed!
Advocacy Needed for Montessori Secondary Program. ACTION IS NEEDED!
It is time for us to make our HMM voices heard! We all believe in Montessori and the benefits of a Montessori education. It is now time to let CMS know just THAT. Our children need us to step up and speak out in a big way! I know we can do this. The future of Montessori and our children depend on us. Let’s show them that the sacrifices to attend a magnet school, like HMM, are not in vain. We have their backs.
I’m counting on you to let CMS know this is important! Not just me… More importantly, all the students at HMM are counting on you!
Stephanie Roberson
HMM PTA President
At last weeks’ School Board meeting, the CMS Administration made note of plans to expand the Montessori Secondary Program, but it remains on the “TBD” list. That means a fiscal year has a not been associated with the expansion. We know our voices were heard because the School Board pushed back with questions about the need for this expansion with a Montessori program that works! Board members stated that they have heard from parents so they want this expansion set in stone. Yay!
So, MORE THAN EVER, we need all parents, teachers and staff to write/email/call School Board Members and CMS Executive Staff. If we want this, WE HAVE TO ACT NOW! This is our chance to make this happen!! Also, at the next open School Board meeting onTuesday, Oct 27th, 7pm, at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church – 3400 Beatties Ford Road the Board will discuss programs that they will vote on in November, including the Montessori expansion. Highland Mill Montessori families need to SHOW UP and make sure our voice is heard! Show your HMM Spirit – wear your t-shirts, bring your children, make positive-message posters! We must show our unwavering commitment to the expansion of the Montessori Secondary Program!
CMS School Board members will vote on whether to approve the expansion of the Montessori Secondary Program at their Nov. 10th meeting.
ACTION ITEMS:
1. Cut and paste the following School Board email addresses and send an email supporting the expansion of secondary Montessori in 2016. Speak from your heart and let them know how a Montessori education has impacted your child(ren) in a meaningful way. Let them know how important continuing on to a Montessori secondary school is so important to the children in the CMS Montessori community. This is your opportunity to voice your support and let the School Board know that the expansion of secondary Montessori it what our children NEED! maryt.mccray@cms.k12.nc.us;tim.morgan@cms.k12.nc.us; ericka.ellis-stewart@cms.k12.nc.us;rhonda.lennon@cms.k12.nc.us; thelmab.bailey@cms.k12.nc.us;rubym.jones@cms.k12.nc.us; tom.tate@cms.k12.nc.us; ericc.davis@cms.k12.nc.us;paul1.bailey@cms.k12.nc.us
- Schedule a face-to-face meeting or phone call with your representative. Full contact information for each Board member is included below. Use this guide to find your school board rep to express your support.
- For more information about the program, please read the attached document - Introduction to the Secondary Montessori Program. Also check out this great article about the need for the expansion here.
- To get more information, THIS IS A MUST READ!:http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/education/your-schools-blog/article41205684.html
- If you have other questions or ideas contact your Montessori Parent Advisory Group member Rachel Rodden.
Monday: "Sock It To Drugs"- everyone wears mismatched socks!
Tuesday: Pledge to be Drug Free- National Family Drug Free Pledge Day!
Wednesday: Team Up Against Drugs- Everyone wear a favorite team jersey
Thursday: Red Ribbon Day- Each class will hang a red ribbon on their classroom door
Friday: HMM is a drug free school- everyone wear red shirts!
SLT (Student Leadership Team) Meetings
Join the SLT at their monthly meetings every 3rd Thursday at 8am. The group gets together and discusses student/school decisions that are important to not only the school but our students as well. All parents are welcome! The next meeting is Thursday November 19th! Hope to see you there!
GREAT FUNDRAISER NEWS!
Great job to all HMM students and families for their participation in the annual fundraiser! Because we have exceeded our goal, all students will be able to enjoy a school wide pajama day on November 24th! GREAT JOB!!!!
Spirit Rocks: BIRTHDAYS, SPECIAL EVENTS, OR SHOW HMM PRIDE!
HMM has two Spirit Rocks available for painting! If you'd like to paint the Spirit Rock, you must first check to see if the date is available on the Spirit Rock calendar here. If your date is available, then please fill out this form and send in $10 to HMM PTA. Once the money is received, the PTA will reserve the date on the calendar. Can’t wait to see all your beautiful Spirit Rock creations!
Text Reminding from the PTA
Do you feel like you are forgetting important dates for HMM and the PTA? Days off? Deadlines? Events? YES???? Then join the HMM Text reminding! Just text 81010 with the message @hmmpta. or click this link! Just another way to join the HMM Community!
Join the HMM Community
If you are interested in joining the PTA and helping support HMM please contact the PTA directly at Highlandmillmontessoripta@gmail.com. If you have already expressed this interest, your committee chair should have contacted you-if they have not, please email us so that we can make sure the information we have is correct. REMEMBER- you do not have to be at the school to help! There is a role for everyone!. We look forward to growing the PTA family so that our children can have the best year yet!
Parent Education
Check out this Facebook Group where HMM parents are sharing Montessori information and resources. Also, take a look at and follow the parent-created HMM Pinterest Boardfor Montessori activities you can do at home!
Support our school by shopping on Amazon
Now you can support our school by shopping on Amazon! Make your purchases through this link: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/56-2052326 and our school will get back a percentage. You can use your existing Amazon username and password. It's super easy and just in time for the holiday shopping!!
Give Back to HMM by Shopping
There are several ways you can support our school, just by shopping. Link your Target REDcard, VIC Card (you can do this online if you have your card with you-it's easy!) or BiLo Bonus Card to our school and automatically donate a percentage of your purchases. Also, visit www.Shoparoo.com for another way to support our school each time you shop.
How Do I Keep in Touch with the PTA?
o Bookmark our website: www.highlandmillmontessoripta.weebly.com
o Friend us on Facebook: Highland Mill Montessori PTA
o Join Remind: Text 424.203.0478 with the message @hmmpta
Save the Date
October 26-30- Red Ribbon Week
November 7- FALL FESTIVAL/SILENT AUCTION/ANNUAL BBQ: 11am-3pm at HMM
November 11-NO SCHOOL
November 14- Parents' Night Out at Free Range Brewery
November 20- Donuts w/Dads: 8am-9am at HMM
November 24- JumpJam Spirit Night at Defy Gravity
November 24-PJ Day!
November 25-27- NO SCHOOL
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