BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Black History Month was established by way of a weekly celebration in February known as “Negro History Week” by historian Carter G. Woodson. But just as Black history is more than a month it is a way to embrace and acknowledge the important on-going contributions of African-Americans. Here are a few resources for your family:

http://www.pbs.org/black-culture/explore/10-black-history-little-known-facts/#.Wnc-76inHIU

http://www.thekingcenter.org/meaning-king-holiday

Additionally, at Garden Oaks, we are continually striving to create a Montessori learning environment embedded with anti-bias, anti-racist

Louise Derman-Sparks’Anti-Bias Curriculum: Tools for Empowering Young Children

·  Nurture each child’s construction of a knowledgeable, confident self-concept and group identity;

·  Promote each child’s comfortable, empathic interaction with people from diverse backgrounds;

·  Foster each child’s critical thinking about bias; and

·  Cultivate each child’s ability to stand up for themselves and for others in the face of bias.

“Anti-Bias, anti-racist (ABAR) education supports all children’s full development in our multiracial, multilingual, multicultural world and gives them the tools to stand-up to prejudice, stereotyping, bias, and eventually to institutional “-isms/” (An excerpt fromAnti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves, Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards).

Weekly Montessori Moment

An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking; it involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the times in which they live. ---Dr. Maria Montessori

Pancake Breakfast and Silent Auction

Thank you to our Pancake Breakfast Chairs Mandy and Maryl and all the Committee Chairs for an incredible event! THANK YOU to all of the teachers, staff and volunteers who worked so hard to provide experiences, class projects and other silent auction items. Over $36,000 was raised in just 2.5 hours! Your efforts go to support arts enrichment, field experiences, Montessori supplies, teacher professional development/certification and so much more!

Our very special dignitaries included ourArea 1 HISD Trustee Elizabeth Santos, Mayor Sylvester Turner, Rep Jarvis Johnson, Councilwoman Ellen Cohen, Sheriff Gonzales and Super Neighborhood Representative Mark Klein!Program overviews were provided by Children's House teachers in room 11, Lower Elementary Guide Ms. Kestenbaum in T-5 and Upper Elementary Guide Ms. Lubel in rm 5. Thanks to Ms. Lezaun who translated during our parent orientation! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for supporting our very special school! Be sure to check out our Garden Oaks Facebook page for all the photos! https://www.facebook.com/GardenOaksMontessori/

Peace Education

Peace education is a cornerstone of Montessori education. www.Stopbullying.com is a great resource for parents and teachers to learn more about supporting ALL students in strategies to combat bullying. Bullying behavior is never tolerated at Garden Oaks. Remind your scholar to use words to resolve conflict and to be kind!

February: Strength 4 KINDNESS

February is BLACK HISTORY MONTH!

5-9 High Frequency Word Exam 1st/2nd gr

6 SDMC Meeting 8:15am

8 HISD School Board Meeting 5pm

14 Happy Valentine’s Day!

16 Lunar New Year

22 Montessori Curriculum Night

26 Black History Program! 9a, 1p, 2p

From the desk of Dr. Lindsey Pollock, Principal

February 5, 2018 Volume 10, Issue 23