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We are going with the flow! In December (remember way back then??) we cruised along with lessons, projects, learning, and joy as we slid into the Winter Break. Some students finished a year+ long project in which they created a banner of illuminated manuscript (i.e., elaborate lettering like you’d find in a medieval book), which now hangs in our classroom. We worked on procedural writing and persuasive writing. We tackled decimals and playwriting and dioramas and research and lowest common denominators. One child also began a fundraiser for the Mobile Loaves and Fishes community; students are creating handwork projects to be sold so the revenue can be donated to homeless people in these cold winter months. Then on our last day together the kids had a blast dressing up as old people! One even bragged, “Back in my day, the dictionary only had three words in it!” We returned in January with a New Year’s party! Pajamas, board games, and having fun were a lovely way to come together again. Since then, students have explored some geometric proofs, finding the square root of any number, calligraphy, map making, weaving on a loom, and building a large scale model of the Roman Colosseum, among many, many other adventures. We also started a daily mindfulness practice as an act of radical self-care. The children are learning that there are numerous ways to interpret ‘self-care,’ and we’re learning a myriad of ways to practice it, now and lifelong. And yesterday brought big news! We had a surprise appearance of a new baby snail in our betta’s tank! The snails Poseidon and Peppermint are the proud parents of a tiny, tiny baby that brought up all kinds of cool questions about invertebrates! Reminders and Sign-Ups On February 18 and 21 there is no school for all children. Upcoming Do you have questions about elementary and how we do things in Rockwood? The Benefits of Elementary Coffee Talk (Part 2 of the “Understanding Elementary” series) is coming up. It’s for all parents with any questions about Montessori Elementary–from how and why we do things, what to expect from your child or our school, anything! Come even if you didn’t attend Part 1 in December! Suggestion Box Playdates, playdates, playdates! Keep current about our Covid Stage and the CDC guidelines for your vaccination status, and then do all you can within your comfort level to get children connected in some free play. I know families are tired and fatigued; I know many adults want to just curl up at home. But kids really need to connect and play. Nationally, children’s mental health is taking a hit, and one solution is playdates. Consider meeting another family at a park or the Wildflower Center if you don’t want to be indoors. It’s been lovely outside–take advantage of the weather and connect, even briefly. Thank you for your support through all of these changes and challenges. The children are doing well, and we’re learning a lot. More importantly, we’re healthy and together. With love and winter warmth, Paige and Teri    
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