Summer Newsletter

Athena's Summer Newsletter
Athena Logo
"The child has a different relation to his environment from ours...the child absorbs it. The things he sees are not just remembered; they form part of his soul. He incarnates in himself all in the world about him that his eyes see and his ears hear."
-Maria Montessori

Sync your calendars with our Google Calendar for Parents and stay tuned to important school events!

CLICK HERE
View the 2021-2022 School Calendar
IMPORTANT DATES

Monday, July 5th
School Closed - Independence Day Observed

Friday, July 9th
Dress Like an Animal Day

Friday, July 16th
Tie Die Day

Friday, July 16th
Last Day Athena Summer Camp

Sunday, August 1st
2nd Tuition Payment Due

Monday, August 3rd
Staff Returns for Classroom Prep & Development

Wednesday, August 11th-Friday, August 13th
Back to School Events/Soft Starts for New Students

Monday, August 16th
First Day School for Returning Students

Tuesday, August 17th-Thursday, August 19th
Staggered Starts for New Students

Tuesday, August 31st
Maria Montessori's Birthday
Student Birthdays
June:
Georgia B. 6/8
Nico Q. 6/9
Sadie M. 6/11
Milam M. 6/13
Dillon G. 6/13
Bear Z. 6/16
Isabella E. 6/18
Luca G. 6/21
Adeline B. 6/25
Billie D. 6/26
Gus C. 6/27
Iris. J. 6/28

July:
Knox B.H. 7/6
Miles M. 7/16
Henley K. 7/16
Ian P. 7/16
Sway K. 7/16
Brooks L. 7/17
Arlo B. 7/18
Sophia S. 7/19
Rowan S. 7/20
Adelaide F. 7/21
Thomas P. 7/21
Jameson S. 7/25

August:
Harper S. 8/3
Grady B. 8/4
Sophia B. 8/4
Gigi F. 8/5
Ethan G. 8/13
Henry K. 8/13
Easton M. 8/14
Willa T. 8/17
Booker B. 8/21
Oliver B. 8/22
Stefano F. 8/23
 
Staff Birthdays
LB F. 6/3
Jenn B. 7/1
Alex K. 7/3
Heather S. 7/21
Hilary M. 7/24
Morgan H. 8/5
Nicole H. 8/10
Brianna C. 8/12
Janey L. 8/13
Nichole G. 8/18


Athena Summer Camp Palindrome Contest!


"Go hang a salami I'm a lasagna hog"

Want to have a little fun with words with your family this summer? Submit the longest palindrome you can come up with to
Lisl@AthenaMontessoriAcademy.com. Whoever comes up with the longest palindrome will win a prize!


Ode to Our Garden Fairy
 
Typically in our monthly newsletter you get to hear some thoughts from Janey Lake, our intrepid, dynamic, and insightful garden fairy. We are all graced with her kind and vivacious spirit and her beautiful wisdom on campus every day. We are truly lucky to call her our colleague and friend. She brings a certain kind of magic to our community that is hard to come by. We do not take it for granted. The children think she is an absolute celebrity, calling out to her from across the lawn any glimpse they get of her. They flock to her like moths to a light and we are not surprised. She teaches them how to plant seeds, to water the plants, how to compost and take care of our Earth. But she also teaches them so much more. How to be kind humans living in community with one another. How to be little activists for themselves and one another. She truly is the embodiment of our Mission, changing the world one child at a time. 

Here are some special sentiments and memories from the grown ups that get to work with her every day:
“Whenever my 3 year old disagrees with me I say, ‘Let’s ask Ms. Janey about that. I bet she knows about (how tight a car seat should be, how caterpillars turn into butterflies, how to cross the street safely, etc.)’ This seems to satisfy her every time. Just knowing that someone as wise as Ms. Janey is there to solve life’s biggest 3-year-old dilemmas is enough to ease all of our minds!” -Brianna Cazares
"I’m so lucky to be spending time in the company of Ms. Janey. I am learning so much! You are one of a kind. When you tell stories about your life I sit transfixed drinking in every word. You are a rare gem." - Carole
"Ms. Janey, my hero! Wow, I know I’m not alone when I say I’m very grateful to know you. I don’t know if you notice, but I loooove to scoot really close to you when you’re giving anyone a message. Your messages are always gems, I just really need to keep a notepad on me :). You teach me all of the time. I really love you dearly." - Ryann
"I've learned so much this last year watching Ms. Janey on our P4 garden weeks...like taking time for that one single child who has a question or a comment. Wow.. and no matter where she goes, I see kiddos running to her with Earthy questions. I love seeing all of those special moments with all them. Oh my Goodness… and the Super Interesting stories she tells from her childhood are magical. Kids can barely stand to leave at pickup if she's in the middle of one… Fascinating!
It's an honor and a privilege to work with her during summer camp. Couldn't have done it without Our Garden Fairy." - Lynda

"Janey, you are fine as frog’s hair! I feel honored you chose to land at Athena. Our community is so blessed that you grace us with your wisdom, joie de vivre, storytelling, and environmental stewardship. You sparkle, Ms. Janey. “Onward!” - Lisl 
"I feel so lucky to have you in our community, Ms. Janey! I learn something from you every day and without you the office plants would surely all be long dead. Hardly a child walks by without wanting to stop and talk to you and it is so beautiful to watch you share your incredible wisdom with our little ones!" - Ani
"It is such a gift to know you, Janey Lake! Every time I get the chance to connect with you, I walk away with more knowledge and peace than I had before. Thank you for sharing your magic with Athena." - Joy
"Janey, you are my favorite bicycle-riding, plant-growing, story-telling, puppeteer who is also a feminist, activist, master teacher and lifelong student. Laughing with you puts the light in my stars and the spring in my step!"
- Kimberly
"Janey— You were one of the first people I really got to know at Athena and you made me feel like a welcome member of the community right away. Thank you for sharing your abundant earth-wisdom and your creative spirit with us each and every day."
- Sahara


Happy Birthday Ms. Janey! Here's to another trip around the sun!

 

 
Here we are more than halfway through Camp Athena 2021! In these precious six weeks we see the children experience joy in play, growth, and learning. They splash in sprinklers, create art, bound across the playgrounds, and build new bonds with friends. We are tickled to watch these Athena Campers experience the raw fun of summertime!
 
In a year that has been filled with so much uncertainty we feel grounded in the fact that we get to partake in the age old tradition of children enjoying summer fun. It fills up our spirits in a much needed way. We are grateful to our entire community who has taken on every challenge, every difficult ask, every new transition with grace and a commitment that kept us all safe. It kept this beloved community humming; the solid force that has kept so many of us just on this side of sanity!

For those of you returning to Athena, your guides are eagerly anticipating your arrival and are preparing a beautiful environment for you. And for those who are off to different schools and new adventures, remember that you are always welcome to come back and visit your friends here at Athena at community festivals and summer camp.
 
Thank you to our wonderful summer staff who show up every day committed to giving each child the best camp experience. They hit the ground running even after enduring the emotional weight of caring for children during a pandemic. We appreciate your hard work and we’re so grateful to have you all as part of our Athena community.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

 


Do you know the story of Juneteenth?  Why is it so important? What is the special significance in Texas on June 19th? As Texans, if we can understand our state’s racial history, we can be better prepared to teach the truth and build a better world. 


So, what is the story? Juneteenth is now a national federal holiday, but it all started in Texas. Texas Confederates were unwilling to cease slavery, even though the Emancipation Proclamation became national law in January, 1863. Texas enslavers kept the news from the people they were unlawfully enslaving for two and a half years after the enslaved were made free in the rest of the country. On June 19, 1865 General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, TX with 2000 troops and proclaimed the enslaved free. June 19 is a day of joy and celebration for Black people in America. 

How should White folks honor Juneteenth? Here at Athena Montessori, we believe in redistributing funds as a form of reparations. We support Black owned businesses, we donate directly to organizations that promote racial equity, and we ask that our staff use the day to do some learning and reflection. The Black History Bike Ride is an informative and eye-opening experience for everyone! 


Looking for Inspiration for Your Youngest Family Members?

We are so excited about this new book, The Montessori Baby, co-written by Simone Davies and Jennifer Uzodike! It is full of advice that can be directly applied to your home. This book is from the same author who wrote the popular best seller The Montessori Toddler. It will help you in creating your spaces, set clear and kind boundaries, and create a secure sense of attachment. 

 

ENROLLMENT NOTICES for ALL FAMILIES 

 

Current & Newly Enrolled Athena Families:

Enrollment for the 2021-2022 school year is complete. Enrollment Contracts were due June 15. If you have not completed yours, please login to Brightwheel ASAP to do so.  If you have questions or updates related to your child's enrollment for the upcoming school year, please contact Admissions@AthenaMontessoriAcademy.com. We look forward to seeing you all in August!

Waiting Pool Families:
At this time, we are connecting with families in smaller groups as we see openings become available for the upcoming school year. While it's a good idea to move forward with your back-up plan, keep in mind that natural attrition is common, and it is possible that additional spots will become available between now and the start of the school year, and even throughout the school year itself. We will contact you if a spot becomes available for which your child is eligible, and ask that you keep us informed of any changes in your contact information and enrollment preferences. If you are no longer interested in being considered for enrollment, kindly let us know that you would like to be removed from the waiting pool.
If we are unable to enroll your child this school year, your child will automatically be considered for enrollment for the 2022-2023 school year. Similarly, if we offer your child a spot and you choose to decline the spot, your child will retain their standing in the pool and will automatically be considered for any future enrollment possibilities.

Our continued goal in the admissions process is to be as transparent as possible, and we strive to give you the most accurate information we can during each step of the deliberate process of enrollment. We respect that decisions related to your child's education are important and timely ones, and we will continue to send you general enrollment updates via our monthly newsletter. Thank you for your continued interest, and we encourage you to reach out with specific questions related to your child's enrollment at any time during this process.

Please direct admissions & enrollment questions to Joy Jacobson.
You can email her directly 
Admissions@AthenaMontessoriAcademy.com

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Need labels? Oliver's Labels has labels for backpacks, shoes, clothes, lunch boxes, and water bottles!  Click on the image above to purchase customized labels and Athena will receive 20% of your purchase!


For Small Hands carries a wide variety of items for children, all child-sized, fun and developmentally-appropriate!  Use our code below, and Athena will get a percentage of the sale to apply towards materials for school.
CODE 165595
Facebook
Website
Email
Instagram
Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved.
*|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|*

Our mailing address is:
*|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|*

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

*|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|*
Back