Fernwood Family Newsletter #32, 4/18/23

~Tuesday, April 18th, Fernwood Fund Meeting, Library and email benjaminmstocks@gmail.com for the link

~Wednesday, April 19th, 5:45pm, PTO Meeting, Library and https://meet.google.com/rii-woty-gwk?pli=1

~Thursday, April 20th, 5:30-7pm, Spring Open House, Fernwood Classrooms

~Monday, April 24th, 5:30pm, SEC Meeting, https://meet.google.com/srb-wjae-xko?hs=122&authuser=0 

~Friday, April 28th, 8:45am-10am, Special Friends’ Day, Fernwood Classroom

~Monday, May 1st, 5pm, Music Parents Meeting, Library & virtual

~Sunday, May 7th, 10am-4pm, Fernwood Arts Fest, Fernwood Montessori

~Wednesday, May 10th, 6pm, Nikki Martin Memorial Event, Fernwood Gym

Thank You Volunteers!

Fernwood Montessori would like to take the time to thank our amazing volunteers during this week of volunteer appreciation.  Volunteers are truly the heart and soul of our school.  The number of hours given to our school through volunteering on committees, coaching, leading scout groups, working in our library, reading in classrooms, field trip volunteering, and helping out at events are innumerable.  We are so fortunate to have so many family and community members who are willing to share their time and talents with our school.  

I truly believe that this sense of volunteerism within our school community is what makes our school strong, successful, and magical. 

Please stop by the office this week to pick up a Spring plant as a small token of our thanks.  If you are unable to stop by, please send your student down to pick up a plant for you. Thank you Fernwood

Special Friends’ Day

April 28th is Special Friends’ Day at Fernwood Montessori.  This is a wonderful opportunity for students to invite guests to visit their classrooms during one of two morning sessions, 8:45-9:15am or 9:30-10:00am.  Students will be able to share work that they are proud of and demonstrate some of their lessons. 

We ask that all guests enter through the glass doors on Falling Heath Place.  Please send in an RSVP form to your student’s teacher by April 24th if your student has a guest that will be attending.  RSVP forms will be sent home this week and are linked below.

We will be looking for volunteers to help make this fun day a success. We will have lots of guests and will need some help directing them to classrooms.    

Volunteer                                             RSVP form

Medication Reminders

Does your child need an inhaler, an epi pen or other prescription or non-prescription medication at school?

Please be aware that specific forms are required if your child will need any type of medication administered during the school day. School staff cannot administer any medication unless the appropriate paperwork is completed. Prescription medications require a physicians and parent/guardian signature. Over the counter medication requires only a parent/guardian signature. Please do not send your child to school with any medication (prescription or over the counter) unless the necessary forms are complete.

Medication permission forms are available by using the link below and clicking to download the forms listed on the lower half of the page under “Medication Forms/Policies and Procedures”. Hard copies can be sent home with your child upon request. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions or need assistance accessing the forms.

http://mps.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/en/Families/Family-Services/Nursing–Health-Services.htm

Thank you for your cooperation.

Gretchen Kuhnen R.N.

414-294-1388, kuhnenga@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

Save the date for the return of this fun event.  This event is a great opportunity to support local artists, our classrooms, the Fernwood PTO and Fernwood Music Parents.  See you there!     

We are looking for volunteers to make this day a success.  Please click on the link to volunteer. 

Nikki Martin Memorial

Fernwood Parents Activity Council (PAC) is proud to announce the dedication of the Nikki Martin Memorial.

Nikki Martin, a dedicated mother, long standing PAC member, and volleyball coach at Fernwood Montessori, passed away from breast cancer in January of 2021.  The Fernwood PAC would like to recognize and thank Nikki for her service and dedication to the student athletes at Fernwood Montessori. The PAC is proud to honor her memory with a beautiful art installation, created by Fernwood parent Jennifer Espenschield, and donation of volleyball equipment the students can use during recess.  Please join us on Wednesday, May 10th from 6-6:30 PM for a short program to unveil the memorial, and play a game of volleyball in Nikki’s honor.  

Spring Concert

The concert will be held in the Fernwood auditorium on May 18th. Students should arrive at 4:30pm and the concert will start at 5pm. Our 2023 spring concert will include the following groups: lower elementary choir (after-school with Ms. Molly), upper elementary choir, adolescent rock bands, and the 3rd grade recorder group. We will not have all the lower elementary classes performing like we did for the winter concert. In the future, we hope to incorporate more upper elementary and adolescent classes and eventually the entire school. But we will work up to that.

For the concert, we are looking for parent volunteers to help monitor students and usher them onto the stage. If this sounds like something you are interested in please sign up here.

Brandon Miller, millerbm@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

Molly Pufall-Brown, mpufall@gmail.com 

Summer Academy at Fernwood

Fernwood Montessori will be hosting a Montessori Summer Academy.  Summer Academy is open Monday-Friday, June 26-July 28 from 8am-12pm.  (Closed July 3 and 4) Students will be able to connect with their Montessori learning in new ways while engaging in this fun program. Summer Academy is free.  Students who have completed K5 through 8th grade are eligible to attend. Register by June 5th.  For more information and to register, visit mpsmke.com/summeracademy 

MPS invites residents to attend community feedback sessions in April

MPS families, staff, and community members are invited to attend public meetings to learn about the results of the MPS strategic planning survey that was conducted earlier in 2023. The district is using survey information as we draft our strategic plan for the 2023-2028 school years.

Attendees will have an opportunity to weigh in and provide feedback prior to finalization of the plan. We look forward to your participation! 

• Tuesday, April 18: District 7 — 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Hamilton High School, 6215 W. Warnimont Avenue 
• Thursday, April 27: Districts 6 and 8 — 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Manitoba School, 4040 W. Forest Home Avenue 
• Saturday, April 29: District 4 and Member at Large — 9 to 11 a.m. in the Central Services Auditorium, 5225 W. Vliet Street 

Feedback from the meetings will help inform the new MPS Strategic Plan, which will include annual performance targets after launching in July.    

Survey data will be posted on the Strategic Planning web page as soon as it is available at mpsmke.com/strategicplan.

Fernwood Flights

Save the date! June 11th from 11 to 3 at The Sugar Maple.

Fernwood Flights is the primary fundraiser for the Fernwood Fund which provides financial support for programs with the Urban Ecology Center and Schlitz Audubon, the outdoor grounds at Fernwood including the greenhouse and surrounding garden beds, the music program, supporting trips to Camp Edwards and many more. Spend an afternoon with fellow parents and support Fernwood at the same time!

Spring Student Count Day

Friday, May 5th is the statewide Spring student count day.  Student attendance that day has a great impact on funding throughout MPS and at Fernwood.  Please make every effort to make sure your student is in attendance that day. 

BRING YOUR FAMILY TO A FREE NATIONAL TENNIS MONTH EVENT

The South Suburban Community Tennis Association (SSMCTA) is partnering with USTA Wisconsin to host a FREE family tennis event (click on link for flyer).  Whether you are a new player, current player or new to the game, there will be on court tennis fun for you!  

The event is Sunday, May 7th from 1-3pm. This event is rain or shine.  If the courts are wet, we will move into the gym @ So Milw High School, 901 15th Ave, South Milwaukee, WI 53172-1521.  

The tennis courts are across the street from the high school.  Equipment provided.

Need more information?   Contact SSMCTA:  ssmctatennis@gmail.com

SSMCTA Tennis Camp/Beginner Tennis Program

Monday & Wednesdays: July 10-31, 2023

South Milwaukee High School Tennis Courts, 801 15th Ave, So. Milw, WI  53172

Ages 5-8: 5:45 – 6:45pm

Ages 9-14: 7:00 – 8:00 pm

Cost: $65 per player

Registration closes JUNE 19th!  Register Today by visiting midwestteamtennis.com or use the QR code on the flyer.

Any questions, please email ssmctatennis@gmail.com  Facebook: SSMCTA Tennis

Thank you PTO

“Thank you PTO for the funds to help get new math materials for my students to use.  They will have fun solving math problems on the math specific dry erase boards.  The kids love to use them and with a permanent template on the whiteboard will help increase their understanding of the math concepts and help with fluency.  I appreciate all that you do for our students.”  Mrs. O’Brien, Special Education Teacher

“Some students are building a small “backyard size” greenhouse as one of our many electives. Students compared different gothic arc designs and calculated the precise measurements and bent the wood to make the trusses. We plan to include the finished project in the Fernwood Flights auction in June. The PTO dollars went to purchase some of the materials needed to build our mini greenhouse. Thank you PTO.” Mr. Matt Ray, Secondary Teacher

Montessori Advisory Council Meeting

With 8 public Montessori schools, MPS has one of the largest footprints in public Montessori education in the United States.  MPS has a Montessori Advisory Council (MAC) representing all 8 schools to continue to grow and support Montessori education in MPS.  This group meets monthly.  The next meeting will be on May 8th at 5:30pm in MPS Central Office in Room 206.   All are welcome to attend to learn more about and support Montessori education in MPS.  

Summer Camp Enrollment

Summer Camp Enrollment Packets will be available starting Monday, April 24th. Packets can be picked up at the front desk or the main office. These will not be sent home in classroom packets. Packets can be turned in starting May 1st.

Summer Camp will be held be from June 16th until July 28 from 8am-5pm.  

Things to keep in mind:

-Enrollment Packets will only be accepted if they are completed in full. 

– Packets turned in earlier than May 1st, 2023, or incomplete packets, will be returned. 

– Each individual child will be required to turn in a new packet, including if they are already enrolled in Camp Fernwood. 

– Enrollment will be first come first serve with full time registration needs taken into consideration.

– Enrollment numbers will be based on staff that is hired. Please share the word that we are still hiring for Summer positions. We are looking for full and part time staff.  Pass the word along to anyone who may be interested.  

Please return packets to the Main Office or to the Front Desk. Questions can be directed to Michelle Stehlik at stehlim@milwaukee.k12.wi.us.