Fernwood Family Newsletter #35, 5/7/24 

~CORRECTION Tuesday, May 7th, 2024, Fernwood Fund Meeting, Fernwood Library and Virtual-email benjaminmstocks@gmail.com for meeting link

~Wednesday, May 8th, 2024, 7:00-7:25am, Bike Walk and Roll to School Day, Fernwood East Playground and Falling Heath Doors

~Thursday, May 9th, 2024, 6:30pm, Music Parents Meeting, Virtual https://meet.google.com/fpf-rvca-uuk

~Tuesday, May 14th, 2024, 5:30pm, Spring Concert, Bayview High School Auditorium

~Monday, May 20th, 2024, 5:30pm, SEC Meeting, Virtual https://meet.google.com/hnp-uhmu-wpr

~Tuesday, May 21th, 2024, 6:00pm, PTO Meeting, Fernwood Library and Virtual http://meet.google.com/isc-jfjq-zow

~Thursday, May 23rd, 2024, Experience Day, Fernwood Montessori Classrooms

~Monday, May 29th, 2024, 9:00am, Parent Orientation for NEW K3/K4/K5 Students, Fernwood Auditorium

Link to Fernwood Family-School Manual 2023-2024: Family-School Manual 2023 2024 SY.docx

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Art Fair Joy Hangover!!!!

Thanks to all the families, community members, teachers, volunteers, and students who made the 2024 ArtFair a huge success!  We sang songs, we made music, we created art, we bought art, and we ate meatball subs!  It was such a fun day and was a true celebration of our community and the Arts (and also meatballs?)!  Over $12,000 (this is not a typo) was made to support our Fernwood PTO, our Music Parents group, and the classroom accounts.  Thank you again for all who contributed time, money, and energy to this event! Fernwood makes it happen, again! 

Another thank you to the generous businesses who made our concessions such a success!  Donations were from Groppi’s Market, StoneCreek Coffee, Tenuta’s Italian Restaurant, Beans and Barley, and Breadsmith.

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SPRING CONCERT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!  FOR REAL!  

The Spring Concert will be held on May 14th at 5:30pm (performers and volunteers arrive at 5:00pm, spectators will be seated at 5:25pm) in the Bayview High School Auditorium (2151 S Lennox St).  Performers include Adolescent Guitar, Percussion, and Rock Band; Upper Elementary Percussion and Choir, the Lower El Choir that is run by Ms. Molly, Harp Students, and 3rd Grade Recorders.  The Lower Elementary choir that is run by Mr. Miller will not perform.  Please consider taking a volunteer shift to help make this event happen!  Volunteers will still be able to watch the show.  There are also some shifts to help Mr. Miller move equipment if that works with your schedule.  

Spring Concert Volunteers  (Use the Spring Concert tab at the bottom of the spreadsheet)

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Transition Information for Students Moving to a New Level Next Year

Fernwood put together some helpful videos for families to understand what the transition looks like from the previous to the next level.  These videos will be helpful for families of current K5, 3rd, and 6th grade students:

Primary to Lower Elementary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsKy3LFFunw

Lower Elementary to Upper Elementary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUui5YVG6D0

Upper Elementary to Secondary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnpNOxfOKsM (please note that all of our secondary classrooms are combinations of 7th and 8th graders with the exception of math)

Fernwood students in grades K5, 3rd and 6th grade will have the opportunity to participate on May 23rd in our experience day.  Families can expect to receive supply lists and class placements/homerooms (for 7th and 8th grade) on the last day of school sent home with report cards.  At the end of August when teachers return, families should expect to hear from the new teachers about procedures, communication, expectations, etc.

If you have any questions about your child moving to the next level and what this may look like, please contact their current teacher.

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End of Year Medication Pickup

Please read the attached document about end of year medication pick up from Nurse Gretchen.

end of year med pick up 22-23.docx

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Safe Haven Resolution

All MPS schools are safe havens for undocumented students and families.  Please read more on the resource page from the district. 

https://mps.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/en/Families/Family-Services/Safe-Haven.htm

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Fernwood Summer Camp Enrollment Extended

Fernwood Summer Camp will be extending their enrollment deadline to Friday May 17th at 3PM. If you missed the initial enrollment period or were unsure, feel free to pick up a packet in the main office, complete it for each child, and return to the main office.

Reminders: 

Every student enrolled must attend at least 3 days a week and cannot be absent more than 2 consecutive weeks. Camp will cost $150 per week. There is a misprint in the packet. Please disregard this. There is no payment due at this time. 

Camp will have a Theater club featuring Character Kids, Futura Spanish club, book club through the Milwaukee Public Library, and new field trips this year! Some include: A trip to Madison’s capitol building, Kids in motion, Manfred Olson Planetarium and a lot more!

Please email Michelle Stehlik with any questions: stehlim@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

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Tick Season Reminders from Nurse Gretchen

Warm weather season is upon us. Unfortunately, this means that we are seeing an increase in ticks. Ticks typically dwell in grassy, bushy and wooded areas. It is not uncommon to find ticks in urban parks and backyards. Please check your child’s hair and body for ticks on a regular basis and see the attached CDC guidelines regarding managing a tick bite.

Tick CDC.pdf

Nurse Gretchen

414-294-1388

kuhnenga@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

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Thank you PTO!

The PTO offers classroom teachers and a few other staff the opportunity to get reimbursed for classroom supplies.  Please read on for some information on how they are spending their money!

“Room 25 appreciates everything the PTO does for our school community! With the funds generously donated by the PTO this year, we were able to buy garbage grab sticks to help the larger community stay clean and healthy. We also purchased a few items to keep our little Prepared Environment clean and organized. When our Montessori students feel a sense of stewardship in the classroom and beyond, that sense of responsibility trickles into their work and how they move through the world. Thank you, thank you for supporting that intention!” Ms. Jean 

“Thank you so much for supporting our school needs.  With your support, I was able to purchase materials for science experiments and dissection, workbooks for tutoring, binders for student work, rubber bands for demonstrations in math, and Gift envelopes to store materials in the classroom.  Thank you!  Ms. Elaina”

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Chrome Book Collection Dates

We will be collecting Chrome Books and chargers from our students before the end of the school year.  Please ensure Chrome Books and chargers are sent to school with your child on the below date:  

Lower Elementary Students (1st-3rd)- May 29th

Upper Elementary Students (4th-6th)- May 30th

Primary Students (K3-K5)- May 31st

Additional collection date: June 3rd

Secondary Students (7th and 8th)- June 11th

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Bake Sale-May 6th and 7th

*****Fun Fact: The calories from bake sale items don’t count because you are consuming them for a fundraiser and not because they taste good.*****  

Room 37 will  be hosting a bake sale at afternoon dismissal on the East Playground.  Monies raised will go to Field Trips for Room 37.  Items will be $1 and cash only. 

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Bike Walk Roll to School Day*

Please stop by the West Playground on the morning of May 8th for Bike Walk and Roll to School day!  A table with small tokens will be set up from 7am until the bell rings!  You can also help create a banner that celebrates all the fun ways there are to get to school!

*Beyonce and Taylor will not be attending.

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ATTENTION ALL PARENTS OF RUNNERS and incoming 6/7/8th GRADE ATHLETES

Pirates like to run…for their lives!?!  Please see the attached letter for information on Fall and Summer Cross Country opportunities!   There are going to be some big changes to the program going forward and there are lots of important details in the letter!

Summer and Fall Cross Country -2024

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Fernwood Experience Day, May 23rd

On May 23, 2024 Fernwood Montessori will be holding an Experience Day.  We kindly ask that all students bring a cold lunch to school this day, since there will be many moving pieces during lunch (we will of course have hot lunches available if students need to order one, as always).

During Experience Day, students in K5, 3rd grade and 6th grade will have the opportunity to visit a classroom for a few hours (in the morning) at the next level to gain understanding about what their next classroom may look like and feel like,and will be welcomed by a student ambassador well established within that classroom community.  Please note that we have paired teachers up for Experience Day, and the classrooms that students will visit have no bearing on their classroom placement for the fall.  The purpose of this day is to help students feel comfortable and safe in their transition to the next level, while also building leadership skills in students who will be remaining in their classrooms next year.  If a student is out sick that day, teachers will do their best to coordinate a make up day.

Students in K4 will be invited by their primary teacher to attend school for a full-day.  Teachers will communicate with parents about a schedule.

Please reach out to your child’s teacher with any questions.

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Requests for Donations to Fight Poverty

Girl Scout Troop 10153 is helping to fight poverty in our neighborhood. We are looking to gather donations to assemble Move in Baskets to donate to Hope House. Donations of the following items can be dropped off anytime until May 17th to Michelle Stehlik in the Main Office. Items must be new and unused.

Laundry Baskets,Blankets, Pillows, Cleaning Supplies, Paper towels, Toilet Paper, Childrens Socks, Canned goods, Towels, School Supplies, Kitchen Utensils, Bedsheets of any size, Pillows, Pack and Plays, Acrylic paints and other art supplies

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SAVE THE DATE – FERNWOOD FLIGHTS END OF YEAR CELEBRATION

Mark your calendars and start arranging your childcare for this year’s Fernwood Flights on Sunday, June 9th (11am-3pm) at The Sugar Maple.  Fernwood Flights is the annual end-of-year celebration where Fernwood parents and community members gather to meet new people, laugh with old friends, enjoy some good food and beverages, win some great auctions, and have fun raising money to enhance the learning experience and environment at Fernwood Montessori.  Tickets are on sale now at https://events.readysetauction.com/mpsfdn/beerscheers24. 

P.S. If you would like to learn more about donating auction items, being a corporate level sponsor, or getting involved as a parent volunteer with the Fernwood Fund, please send an email to Brett at brett.mytys@gmail.com.

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Our School is Cool!

There’s always something cool going on at Fernwood!  In honor of teacher appreciation week, we are highlighting our COOL teachers and paras who have hobbies outside of school (shocking) and who had lives before they started teaching Montessori (honest to God).  Here are some cool facts about your favorite educators….

Mr. Nikolai plays the fiddle in a bluegrass band.

Ms. Andi is a retired derby girl (derby name: Andicedent Proposal)

The following teachers are from Illinois: Mr. XXXXX, Ms XXXXX. and Ms. XXXXX (names redacted to protect their identities).

Ms. Zimmers plays on a women’s ice hockey team (adolescent teaching and ice hockey have many overlapping skills).

Mr. J taught in a bush school in Alaska.

Ms. Lisa Mclure used to work at a record label.

Ms. Sangita has two dogs and they are litter mates.

Ms. Jeanette toured with the Dead for a Spring and didn’t wear shoes for 3 years!

Ms. Natasha used to be a ballerina and she wears tap shoes on the last day of class!

Ms. Angela used to run a supper club, hotel and golf course in the North Woods.

Don’t forget to give these peeps a high five this week!

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Music Information from Mr. Miller

There is LOTS of information from Mr. Miller about Choir and MANY other music opportunities for our students.  Please see the link for his update which includes ways to sign up to help.

Fernwood Music 2023-24 _________________________________________________________________________________________