Mountain Village School News

Reminder: We are closed on Monday, September 7th in observance of Labor Day. We look forward to seeing you and the children on Tuesday when we reopen. The Magic of Music It's a Monday morning...did you wake up a little groggy? Were you perhaps thinking of the seemingly endless to-do list that can kick off a week? If you were lucky enough to get in some early morning exercise, or moment of solitude during your commute, did you pop in the earbuds, or turn the up the volume when a familiar tune came on? There are plenty of reasons we reach for music: to zone out, to escape, to concentrate, to meditate, to motivate, we all have our personal reasons why.  Perhaps you don't think all too much about music in your life; it's more of a soundtrack happening in the background. Or, maybe music plays a more central role, and you've stopped strumming your guitar long enough to read this. Wherever you fall on this spectrum, music is something worth thinking about in the lives of y

A midweek newsletter! After the hustle and bustle of last week, we are squeezing in a midweek update. Next week Sam will be heading out on vacation, so we will be back in action for regularly scheduled newsletter programming on August 28th/29th. It's been a busy week here at school as students transition into new classrooms and teachers become more and more familiar with new students. Monday's in service was a time for staff to handle the logistics of a classroom move and meet to complete valuable training and philosophy discussions. In short, lots accomplished and time well spent.  Now, the children are getting their footing and becoming acclimated to new classroom spaces, teachers and classmates. The children are adjusting well and certainly showing how respectful, kind and capable they are. A commonly heard phrase in the new Pre-K room has been: "Where does this belong? Where can I put this?" We will keep you updated as the children continue along in their new

Hello again! Whether you've been eyeing some classic cars this weekend, enjoying lots of music outdoors, or spending time taking in the beautiful Vermont landscape, we hope you've had some great summer moments out there! Here's the news from our neighborhood.  Nature Corner Activity: Take paper and crayons when we go outdoors. Have me make rubbings of different textures such as tree bark, leaves, shells, pine needles, and rocks. Help me to hold the paper on the object while I rub the paper with a side of a crayon. Why?: Vision alone does not provide the best learning. Using many senses gives my brain the chance to make the best possible connections.  Classroom Happenings Infant I: With three children transitioning to Infant II in a few weeks, we have been working on mirroring our routines to help get them adjusted. This week those children spent time visiting their new classroom. For the crawlers in the room, we continue to provide verbal and visual cues when it i

August, how did you get here so fast? A note worth sharing from our local paper: Summer Questions Does it seem as if summer just started? Can it be possible July is over? Can it be true that Stowe schools start classes 8/31? Wait...isn't that only a month away? Have I been to an outdoor concert yet? Ridden a mountain bike trail? Finished a novel at the Waterbury Reservoir?  What am I waiting for? - Stowe Reporter , 7/30/15, page 5. Nature Corner  Activity: When we find a natural object outdoors, encourage me to think of words to describe it. A leaf, for example, may be green, soft, thin and light. Why?: The opportunity to explore outdoors stimulates my curiosity about the world. Using words to describe all that I am learning with my senses leads to strong language connections in my brain. Classroom Happenings Infant I: The babies seemed unphased by the heat; all of the children enjoyed long stretches of outdoor time and lots of splashing in the wading pool.