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Welcome (Back) to School! As the Montessori Children's House community comes to life once again, we extend a heartfelt welcome to our returning families and an enthusiastic greeting to those joining us for the first time. For those of you who are receiving this monthly newsletter for the first time, we wanted to take a minute to introduce the Parent Association. We are a group of parent volunteers dedicated to building community at MCH, supporting the staff and enriching the student experience through supplementary programming. We operate independently from, but in support of, MCH as an exclusively community funded 501c3 non-profit organization. Our current board is made up of 12 passionate parents (and grandparent!), with diverse backgrounds and experiences. You can read more about us here, and you will have a chance to meet us at many upcoming school events including the Back to School Picnic, Parent Nights, and HarvestFest. The Parent Association eagerly looks forward to fostering connections and shared experiences through engaging events. Just to give you a taste of what’s to come, we’ve already reserved the campsite at Tolt-MacDonald Park for June 21-23, 2024 – so save the date! Let's embrace this enriching adventure of education and community, united in our commitment to our children's development. Warmly, The MCH Parent Association  MCH PA Walk & Talk at Farrel-McWhirter Park You are invited to join us for a family walk and sack lunch at Farrel-McWhirter Park on Saturday, September 9th from 10:30am to 1:30pm. There are family friendly trails, farm animals, and space to run and roam. Feel free to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the fields after the walk (please note there is very limited seating so be prepared to sit on the ground). This is a chance for new and returning families to meet while enjoying simple outdoor activities accessible to all of us in the Redmond area. Please meet us at the red barn. (Google Maps)  2023 MCH PA Parent Survey - We Want to Hear From You! It's time for the annual MCH PA Parent Survey and we're excited to hear what you're looking forward to this year! Every parent is part of the MCH PA and as such, we would like to encourage your involvement with the Parent Association and the community. We are thrilled to get back to school, meet new families and see old friends, and have a number of activities planned - though your input is crucial in directing where our attention and funding goes. Please take a minute or two and let us know what kind of community programs and events you'd like us to offer. We appreciate your feedback! CLICK HERE to take the 2023 Parents Survey  The 2023 SEED Fundraiser Campaign is Coming Soon! Every fall, we run a fundraiser to raise the money we need to operate. The funds raised by our community will determine what events we can organize and how much we can support various MCH projects. The SEED campaign (Sponsorship, Extracurricular, Enrichment, and Development) entirely funds our activities throughout the year, and we have many great ideas that this PA Board is eager to run with! So, please be on the lookout for the kickoff of our fundraising campaign this fall and consider supporting our mission to enrich the MCH community in service to you as parents and our children. We look forward to seeing everyone on campus!
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 Thank You For A Great Year! Time flies when you’re having fun! It’s crazy how quickly the school year has gone by and now the last day of school is just around the corner. For us on the board, it also means we’re wrapping up for the year with the current board. Thank you to all the current board members for always bringing so much heart and enthusiasm to the board. Coming out of the pandemic, the reason I joined the board was to make more connections with people in the community, and you all have been such fun and spectacular people to work with. I’ve truly been in awe of all the different talents and ideas everyone brought to the table, and how hardworking and responsible of a board this has been. Thank you Taryn Rathbone-Daub, Amy Stojsavljevic, Tiff Stoner, Heather Sabotta, Julie Miller, Daniel Steinberg, John Cramer, Jonathan Ng, and Sulafa Talha for your service on the board this year. Amy, Tiff, and Jonathan, we will miss you and wish you all the best of luck. Julie and Sulafa, we hope to see you both around the campus and at events next year. And of course, thank you to all the members of the Parent Association (that’s you!) for supporting us by participating in events, engaging with us, reading our newsletters, and providing financial support for our initiatives. Your support was deeply felt and appreciated, and encouraged us to want to do more for the community. The PA newsletter will be taking a summer break, and we will be back in September with a new slate of board members and fun plans for next year! Hope you all have an amazing summer! With love, Jessica Lin President, MCH Parent Association  Elections Are Happening Now! Elections for the new board are happening now! If you have not already voted, please make sure you do so. Our bylaws dictate that we need at least 25% member participation for the elections to be valid, so please vote! Please note that this is by member and not by family. That is, if you have two parents/guardians for a child at the school, please ensure that both of you vote. As of Wednesday, June 7th, we are at 21%. That means we need 4% more of the community to vote to make the election valid! Voting is very quick and non-competitive. We recommend you vote for all the members on the ballot. Please check your email inbox for a link to participate in our online election. If you have not yet seen an email from the pa@mch-pa.org or invitations@mail.electionbuddy.com, please check your spam folder. If you haven't received the email, please reach out to john@mch-pa.org for a ballot.  Epilogue: In-Person Book Club! This month we are gathering to celebrate a wonderful year of reading, reflecting, and laughing. There isn’t an official June book to read, we’ll just be sharing titles for potential summer reading. Bring a suggestion, or just bring yourself! No prior participation required. Date: June 16th Time: 6:30pm-8:30 pm Please RSVP to receive the gathering address prior to the event. We hope to see you there! Tolt McDonald Camping Trip Schedule and FAQ The PA is excited to sponsor our annual camping event from Saturday June 24 to Sunday June 25. If you’re not camping but are interested in joining us during the day to hang out, we’d be happy to see you! The tentative itinerary is listed below. We also have a FAQ with more information about the event. Saturday, June 24:
  A Flurry of Spring Activities It’s May and that means the end of the school year is right around the corner. If you’re like me, this year has absolutely flown by, especially for the board! In just the past few weeks, the board sponsored Robotics Week, Book Club, a SAW fundraiser, Spring Swap, Family Game Day Round Two, Staff Appreciation Week, and we've been recruiting for next year’s board. I'd like to give a huge shoutout to all the board members for working on and organizing a string of back to back events despite everything else that’s happening in their lives. And of course, a huge thank you to the broader community in all the ways you support us either by volunteering, bringing in your swap items, donating over $4,800 for SAW, bringing something for the SAW potluck, and just showing up. We see you and we appreciate you! It has been so rewarding to see both the entire parent community come together to show appreciation to the staff, and then to see the joy and smiles emanating from staff all week for their appreciation for the parent community. It felt extra special this year as we eased out of a pandemic and got to connect face to face again. Read below to see all of the things the PA did for SAW, as well as some love letters we received back from staff. We have an exciting group of board applicants for next year and we hope everyone votes in the coming elections. The election is not competitive (please vote for everyone suggested), and we need at least 25% of the community to vote for it to be valid. Wishing all the mothers out there a very Happy Mother’s Day! With love, Jessica Lin President, MCH Parent Association  MCH Parent Association Special Meeting June 12 Each year the MCH Parent Association holds an election for our Board of Directors. Our bylaws dictate that 25% of our MCH Parent Community must participate in the election to be valid. Please watch your email the week of May 31st for information on how to vote. On Monday, June 12th, at 7:30pm on Zoom, we'll be holding a special meeting to certify and announce the election results. This meeting usually takes about five minutes and we encourage you to join us and meet the new board of the MCH Parent Association. Email us for the Zoom meeting link.  Staff Appreciation Week is a Wrap! Last week, the PA organized quite a celebration for teachers and staff! It was thrilling to be back on campus with in-person events. Here’s the run down on everything we were able to do thanks to your generous donations and potluck contributions. “Thank you so much to all the parents! This week has made me feel the love that parents have for the staff at MCH! I especially want to thank all the parents who worked so hard to contribute to the potluck lunch. It was so heartwarming to see. And also huge thanks to the parents who were restocking the snack cart in the staff lounge so frequently! Such thoughtful snacks and small gifts there - it was really kind and made my day! The coffee cart was also a great idea and it was nice to see parents there interacting with staff as well. Thank you parents!” Monday and Friday mornings, the teachers visited the coffee cart on the Foxglove patio for (unlimited) tasty drinks and breakfast treats. This has been a staff favorite in the past and we were excited to double up on this particular item this year. Tuesday was a hot taco bar with all the fixings. On Thursday, we brought back the uber popular, parent-cooked potluck lunch with lovely dishes from many different cuisines. The onsite Ooni pizza oven with made-to-order pizzas was very popular (shoutout to the two families from Horsetail)! For both lunches, takeout containers were provided so the leftovers could be taken home and shared, ensuring very little if any food was wasted. “Dear parents, thank you so much for the lovely lunches! The tacos were just delicious and so perfect, and then the potluck just topped the tacos! A pizza oven? Pulled pork? Coleslaw? Cookies, crepes, cake, salad?! A true smorgasbord! So delicious! I loved all the various dishes - so multi-cultural and all filled with flavor!” On Wednesday, the PA delivered beautiful Gratitude Trees with handwritten notes from families for our teachers and staff. In the staff lounge, we set up a Staff Appreciation Station stocked with snacks and small non-food items (enamel pins, plant seeds, iron-on patches, chapstick, gum and notes of affirmation). The cart was refilled twice-a-day throughout the week and was a huge hit! We originally planned to stock it on Monday and refill it once on Wednesday, but it was so popular that we dedicated more time and funding to keeping it well stocked all week. Finally, staff were able to select a $50 gift card from one of five local/mission-driven businesses: The Recology Store, Frankie & Jo's Ice Cream, 21 Acres Farm Market, Ben Franklin Crafts, and Metier Brewing Company. “Thank you for everything that you do! The MCH community wouldn't be the same without the amazing parents. You have all gone above and beyond to show your appreciation for the MCH staff and we felt it all week. Thank you for raising money to treat us and take time out of your day to share your homecooked meals with us. The potluck was full of such amazing food that had something for everyone. We are so grateful to have such a supportive, uplifting community surrounding us.” Finally, on Sunday morning, parents and staff teamed up for the Adopt-a-Highway roadside cleanup. Working side-by-side (with almost double the usual turnout), we collected 40 garbage bags full of trash along two miles of State Route 202. Even a black bear and a dozen snakes couldn’t stop us from cleaning up tons of plastic, bottles, tires, an iPhone, fast food and snack wrappers, a ladder, and plenty of other non-biodegradable items. All of this would not have been possible without the generous gifts from you – we raised nearly $5,000 and had over 30 families contribute to the potluck lunch! We truly do have an amazing community here at MCH, and the PA is grateful to you!  Spring Swap and Family Game Day Round 2 On Sunday, April 23, we held our Spring Swap and Family Game Day joint event at the Sammamish Boys and Girls Club. Families came to enjoy board games and pick out clothing and books from within the community. We filled up many bins of items that families dropped off, and ultimately were also able to donate a large amount of clothing and books to KidVantage (formerly Eastside Baby Center). Thank you to all the families that participated in the swap! And if you missed out this year, don’t worry – we plan to have another Spring Swap next year! Alongside Spring Swap, we hosted Round Two of Family Game Day. This time, it was a bring-your-own-games affair and folks delivered. From giant jenga, to a variety of card and board games, plus a balloon pit and a snacks table – the kiddos and their families had plenty of fun. Look out for Family Game Day Round Three (outdoor games) at the MCH PA Camping event in late June!  Robotics Week Follow Up The event was in the first week of April. Many thanks to the volunteers, staff members, PA members and to the school for making this event possible. We worked on a Musical project, and we did robots race, the faster you clap your hands the faster your robot will go! We used block programming as an educational programming language to learn programming basics. We also used the Ed mat, which is a smart robotics mat with barcodes to activate the robot to perform different tasks, like sumo wrestling. Our music specialist, Ms. Becky, showed us the musical notes of the “Twinkle Twinkle little star” song, and students showed her how to download that note to the robot and hear the robot singing it. Some students programmed their robots to sing different songs, like the “Jingle Bells.” One student was concerned the robots would be scary, but after he was done with the first project, he said he had fun with the hand-sized orange robot and was even thinking of adding new ideas to the project! Experiences like this event help children to expand their perspective on the world around them. If your child is interested in robotics and you would like to help them with self-learning at home, an Edison Robot kit is available to borrowing from the school, complete with clear instructions so to help your child get started. Students already learned the complete programming cycle during Robotics Week. Interested students can submit their work by visiting National Robotics Week, clicking "Get Involved" and then "Submit Your Event or Activity." Please email Sulafa Talha for any questions or assistance.  Upcoming Book Clubs New participants are always welcome! Even if you have not read the book, come visit us on Zoom each month to explore great reads and get to know your fellow MCH parents. We’re a very casual bunch who always enjoy laughter and camaraderie. For our May gathering, we are reading Horse by Geraldine Brooks, a novel rooted in actual events. The author's website describes the novel as “[a] discarded painting in a junk pile, a skeleton in an attic, and the greatest racehorse in American history: from these strands, a Pulitzer Prize winner braids a sweeping story of spirit, obsession, and injustice across American history." “Horse isn’t just an animal story—it’s a moving narrative about race and art.” —TIME Check out this Q&A with the author to hear her compelling reasons for writing this novel. We hope you'll join us on Zoom, May 18th at 7:30 pm. We will be gathering in-person on the evening of June 16th to celebrate another year of great reads. Join us (newcomers welcome!) to chat about our summer reading lists and adventures. No official book to read this month, just bring a title or two share. Details to follow in the June newsletter.  Camping Trip Update!
The camping trip is fully booked and with a waitlist! We will be corresponding directly with families who have signed up. For those of you not wanting to camp, but interested in stopping by to say hi, we will share our planned itinerary in the June newsletter.  Spring has Sprung! Spring is such a vibrant and colorful time of year, with cherry blossoms and tulips coming into full bloom. The Parent Association is also hitting one of our busiest times of the year, running multiple programs and events. In particular, I'd like to thank those who volunteered to help make Robotics week a success in the upper school this week! Staff Appreciation Week is right around the corner. It always amazes me to see what my kids learn from school, and I’m so appreciative of the teachers and staff who patiently educate and nurture my kids. Considering that teachers are often underpaid compared to other professions, the SAW fundraiser is my go-to way to thank the staff for the hard work they do every day. If you’re looking for more ways to show gratitude to the staff or your enthusiasm for our community, consider joining the Parent Association board. We are actively recruiting new members to join the board for a two year term, which starts in the fall. Get ahead of the mail heading to your inbox soon, and submit your application to john@mch-pa.org. We want to add your creativity and energy to our great community of parents and guardians who support the mission of MCH. I hope you all enjoy your spring break and don’t forget to collect your items for the Spring Swap, which kicks off the week we return to school! Warm Regards, Jessica Lin President, MCH Parent Association  Show Your Love and Appreciation for MCH Staff! We've learned a lot over the last few years living through a pandemic. For parents, it's never been more clear how incredibly important our teachers and schools are, and how hard these folks work, day in and day out. Thanks to your generous donations, we have some great things planned this year for Staff Appreciation Week happening May 1--5. The PA will treat teachers and staff to two catered lunches, one potluck-style lunch provided by families (more to come on how to participate!), two days each of snack and coffee carts, and gratitude trees for each classroom and the front office. Any additional funds raised before April 30th will go toward self-selected gift cards from local businesses for each teacher and staff member. Help us show MCH teachers and staff extraordinary recognition by making a gift now! Truly, gifts small and large will go a long way.  Spring Cleaning? Our First Annual Spring Swap is Right Around the Corner! Save the Date: Sunday April 23, 1-3 pm, Boys & Girls Club, Sammamish. The Parent Association is excited to host a Spring Swap this year! This event is an opportunity to “swap” out your lightly used children’s clothing and books with new to you items from within the MCH Community. Item collection will happen April 17--21 during drop off and pick-up. Simply pass your bag of goods (see instructions below) to staff and students who will be there to collect them. All items must be collected at school prior to the event. Items that will be accepted for this year’s swap:
Gently used, recently washed, great condition items for infants through teens are welcome. Items don't need to be folded, but should be in a paper bag (preferred over plastic) and labeled with the age or age range on the outside. Please be sure to pair any socks and ensure there are no holes, and please secure pairs of shoes together either with zip ties or the shoelaces. Then join us on Sunday April 23, from 1:00 - 3:00 PM at the Sammamish Boys and Girls Club (825 228th Ave NE, Sammamish, WA 98074) to pick out items that may be of use to your family. The Spring Swap will be jointly held with our second family game night, so play games while you pick out new items to take home! Any items that are left over will be donated to local organizations (feel free to send us recommendations!).  Family Game Day Round Two! Between rounds of Ticket to Ride, Jenga, and many plates of fries, we had a great time at Mox Boarding House for the first Family Game Day last week. Thanks to everyone who came out! Now it’s time for Family Game Day: Round Two. We’re partnering with Spring Swap and taking over the Sammamish Girls and Boys Club for the afternoon. This time around, it’s a bring-your-own-games affair. Everyone has their go-to board and card games, and we’d love for you to have a chance to share yours with the community. Stop by and pick up some new-to-you items at the Swap for the kiddo(s) and sit down for a few games with your child’s classmates and their families. We’ll have snacks and beverages and it’s sure to be a good time. And don’t forget to bring a few of your family’s favorite board and card games. Family Game Day will take place on Sunday, April 23rd from 1:00 - 3:00 PM at the Sammamish Boys and Girls Club (825 228th Ave NE, Sammamish, WA 98074). If you have any questions about the event, feel free to email daniel@mch-pa.org. We hope to see you there!  Upcoming Book Clubs New participants are always welcome! Even if you have not read the book, come visit us on Zoom each month to explore great reads and get to know your fellow MCH parents. We’re a very casual bunch who always enjoy laughter and camaraderie. This month we'll be discussing Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist. April will take us in an even lighter direction with Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist. Synopsis (from Goodreads): Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results. But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo. Check out this interview with the author (who has lived in Seattle) on NW New Day. We hope you'll join us on Zoom April 20th at 7:30 pm.  For our May gathering, we are reading Horse by Geraldine Brooks, a novel rooted in actual events. The author's website describes the novel as “[a] discarded painting in a junk pile, a skeleton in an attic, and the greatest racehorse in American history: from these strands, a Pulitzer Prize winner braids a sweeping story of spirit, obsession, and injustice across American history." “Horse isn’t just an animal story—it’s a moving narrative about race and art.” —TIME Check out this Q&A with the author to hear her compelling reasons for writing this novel. We hope you'll join us on Zoom, May 18th at 7:30 pm. Special Announcement! Our June Book Club will be held in person. Details coming soon!  Join the Parent Association Board Do you want to see more smiling faces? What about building and supporting the community? Do you want to get to know more parents from the community and love video conferences? We are now recruiting for new members to join the MCH Parent Association board. If you are staying for another year, two, or more, please consider joining us. Check out our FAQ on board membership and to download an application. Also take a look at our recruiting page for more information on the recruitment process and timeline. Please reach out to John for more information and keep an eye on your in-box for recruiting letters soon.  Tolt MacDonald Camping in June! We are almost at full capacity for the Tolt MacDonald Park camping trip at the end of June. Yurts are no longer available to reserve, though you can join the waiting list in case other families withdraw their reservation. For the families who have already signed up, we will be sending you separate communications directly within the next few weeks to provide more details about the trip. We currently have room for about three more families, so if you’re interested in camping, sign up here ASAP to reserve your spot! We also keep a waiting list in case families need to cancel their reservation. If you'd like to join us, but sign up too late, please note that Tolt MacDonald still has some campsites available for families to book on their own. And finally, if you don't want to camp but would like to come hang out with us, we'd be happy to see you! A more detailed itinerary will be sent out at a later date.  Buzzing with Activity! It has been really great connecting with the community recently, both at the Positive Discipline workshop as well as the lower school coffee chat. Positive Discipline was particularly enlightening, hearing about all the struggles parents are going through and knowing that we are not alone on our journey to raise these wonderful humans that keep us on our toes. For me, the passion that emanates from the parents and staff of this community only reinforces my family’s decision to send our kids to MCH. We are certainly buzzing with a lot of activity here at the PA, and here’s a summary of upcoming events we have planned. Read below for more details and please email us if you have any questions.
Jessica Lin President, MCH Parent Association  Family Game Day Soon! The Parent Association is excited to bring the community the first in a series of Family Game Days. March's family gaming get together will take place at Mox Boarding House in Bellevue on March 26th. We have reserved a private set of rooms and will have access to Mox's huge library of games for all ages. Though if you have a family favorite, feel free to bring it - we'd love for you to share it! And if you're hungry or thirsty, food and drinks will be available for purchase from their restaurant. We have the rooms reserved from 12:30-3:30pm. You're welcome to stay the full time or to stop by for a few games when you're available. Mox Boarding House is located at 13310 Bel-Red Rd, Bellevue, WA 98005. Please email Daniel with any questions, and be sure to RSVP!  Robotics Week Coming to the Upper School The Parent Association is happy to announce that, in conjunction with MCH administration and faculty, we are preparing a Robotics Week for our upper school students beginning Monday, March 27th. The event is inspired by National Robotics Week. Robotics is an important aspect of the future of technology. Our goal is to introduce our children to robotics as a tool for creativity and innovation. Students will attend a robotics session held by PA members, volunteer parents, and staff members. Interested students can submit a brief of their work to the National Robotics Week’s event as a way of being part of the National celebration. We're finalizing details now and will be sending more information soon! If you are interested in volunteer opportunities, please contact us.  Upcoming Book Clubs All are welcome, and while reading the book is encouraged, it is certainly not required. Come and meet MCH parents, engage in conversation, and have some casual fun. Last month, we took a deep cerebral dive with Batja Mesquita’s Between Us: How Cultures Create Emotions. Each participant stretched their thinking in new ways and appreciated both the perspectives and challenges. This month, we’ll take on a less intense yet meaningful read with Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships by Nina Totenberg. Here are a few videos to watch to enhance (or replace) your reading as desired: We hope you'll join us on Zoom, March 23rd at 7:30pm.  April will take us in an even lighter direction with Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist. Synopsis (from Goodreads): Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results. But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo. We hope you'll join us on Zoom April 20th at 7:30pm.  For our May gathering, we are reading Horse by Geraldine Brooks, a novel rooted in actual events. The author's website describes the novel as “[a] discarded painting in a junk pile, a skeleton in an attic, and the greatest racehorse in American history: from these strands, a Pulitzer Prize winner braids a sweeping story of spirit, obsession, and injustice across American history." “Horse isn’t just an animal story—it’s a moving narrative about race and art.” —TIME Check out this Q&A with the author to hear her compelling reasons for writing this novel. Date and time TBD! Join the Parent Association Board We are close to completing our first year of reduced restrictions! It is exciting to see faces and smiles. Do you want to see more smiling faces? What about building and supporting the community? Do you want to get to know more parents from the community and love video conferences? We are gearing up to recruit new MCH Parent Association board members, and if you are staying for another year, two, or more, we would enjoy seeing your smile every month. Check out our FAQ on board membership and to download an application. Also take a look at our recruiting page for more information on the recruitment process and timeline. Please reach out to John for more information and keep an eye on your in-box for recruiting letters soon.  Coming Soon - Spring Swap! Do you have lightly used baby and kids clothing or books that no longer spark joy for your children or because they’ve outgrown them? Then plan to participate in our Spring Swap in April! We will collect items during drop-off that your family has outgrown in early to mid April (dates TBA). Then on Sunday April 23, all families are invited to the Sammamish Boys and Girls club to select and pick out any available items to bring home. Anything that’s left over will be donated to local organizations. We will send out more details later, but wanted to get this message out early so you can start putting aside things that may no longer be a good fit for your family. Items included in the swap: lightly used children’s clothing (clothes, outerwear, boots, shoes) and books. Please note that we are excluding the following items from this year’s swap: toys and kids' furniture.  Kicking Off May with Staff Appreciation Week The MCH Parent Association is excited to invite the community to participate in a weeklong celebration of our amazing teachers and staff during Staff Appreciation Week (SAW). Throughout the first week of May, we will be putting together a series of activities that allow us all to shower the teachers and staff at MCH with extraordinary recognition. Through a fundraiser specifically for SAW and non-financial activity contributions, we're looking forward to showing our teachers and staff lots of love. There's no action to take now but be on the lookout in April for details about SAW!  From Our Hearts to Yours It’s hard to believe the school year is halfway over! It feels like the holidays just barely passed and now we’re already planning for summer activities as well as the next school year. The Parent Association has a bunch of activities planned for this second half of the school year, including a parenting workshop (tonight!), family game night, book clubs, hikes, staff appreciation week, camping, and a couple of enrichment activities for the kids. If you’ve been reading this newsletter (and thank you for doing so), and have been thinking it might be fun to get more involved, we wanted to let you know that board recruiting season is right around the corner. More information will be coming in March/April, so stay tuned! February is the month of love. While you’re busy showing others around you how much you care about them, don’t forget to take care of yourself and show yourself some love and compassion. You deserve it! With love, Jessica Lin President, MCH Parent Association  Positive Discipline Workshop Tonight! You may have noticed that 'Positive Discipline' (PD) is often referenced in the MCH community as a model for connecting with children in both education and parenting, but... What is Positive Discipline? Join us at tonight's discussion as we ponder and practice the work of PD. We'll discuss how this model inspires educators in the classroom and caregivers in the home, as well as opportunities for inclusivity and expansion. This gathering brings together our community including caregivers, Parent Association volunteers, and Administration members. We look forward to learning in person with you! We'll be gathering tonight from 6:30-8:30 pm at Lily Pad, near MCH. Additional location details will be provided to those who RSVP. To register for the event please click here.  Upcoming Book Clubs
We've got two great book club virtual meetups coming up! All are welcome, and while reading the book is encouraged, it is certainly not required. Come and meet MCH parents, engage in conversation, and have some casual fun. February In February, we'll be discussing Between Us: How Cultures Create Emotions by Batja Mesquita. Brilliantly synthesizing original psychological studies and stories from people across time and geography, Between Us skillfully argues that acknowledging differences in emotions allows us to find common ground, humanizing and humbling us all for the better. Preview the topic in this excerpt that highlights the authors’ craft and groundbreaking insights. Mark your calendar and join us on Zoom, February 28th at 7:30 pm. March In March we'll be reading Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships by Nina Totenberg. Check out this article to whet your appetite for reading the book! We hope you'll join us on Zoom, March 23rd at 7:30pm. Happy New Year! Welcome back to school and to the new year! I hope everyone had fun with family and friends, and didn’t have too many travel woes despite the cold and crazy weather. If you’re like most people, January is a great time to set new goals or resolutions. The problem is that most of them fizzle out by mid-February. Despite the odds, I’d like to share one of my goals for the year: I'd like to have one new experience every quarter for myself, and one with my family. This doesn’t have to be anything crazy or extravagant, but encourages me to go do something I would not normally do if I didn’t go seek it out. For example, having a picnic in the backyard, signing up for a fun run, taking a new class, or visiting a new place. Shameless plug: for you, it might be participating in one of the walks, book clubs, game night, or the camping event put on by the Parent Association. Whatever it may be, I encourage you to explore and build upon your life experiences and give yourself the opportunity to appreciate things outside of your normal routine. You might discover a new passion that brings you joy. And if there’s something you’re really good at and want to share with or teach others, let the PA know and we’ll see if we can help showcase it at a future event together. Warmly, Jessica Lin President, MCH Parent Association  Positive Discipline in the MCH Community You may have noticed that 'Positive Discipline' (PD) is often referenced in the MCH community as a model for connecting with children in both education and parenting. But, what is Positive Discipline? Join us at an upcoming discussion as we ponder and practice the work of PD. We'll discuss how this model inspires educators in the classroom and caregivers in the home, as well as opportunities for inclusivity and expansion. This gathering brings together our community including caregivers, Parent Association volunteers, and Administration members. We look forward to learning in person with you! We'll be gathering Thursday, February 9th from 6:30-8:30 pm near MCH. Additional location details will be provided to those who RSVP. Please RSVP HERE. NOTE: This event is for adults only. Childcare will NOT be provided.  Upcoming Book Clubs
Join us on Zoom in 2023 for a variety of book club reads! All are welcome, and while reading the book is encouraged, it is certainly not required. Come and meet MCH parents, engage in conversation, and have some casual fun. January To kick off the new year, we are reading The Mysterious Benedict Society (#1) by Trenton Lee Stewart. We chose this creative book as a delightful read over the holidays, perhaps one that can be read aloud and enjoyed by caregivers and children alike (book age recommendation is 9+). Learn more about the story and author HERE (also a great listen if you don’t have time to read the book). This story has been made into a TV series, as well! Join us on Zoom January 19th at 7:30 pm to chat about this clever and quirky book! See you there! Summary: "Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" When this peculiar ad appears in the newspaper, dozens of children enroll to take a series of mysterious, mind-bending tests. (And you, dear reader, can test your wits right alongside them.) But in the end just four very special children will succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and resourceful children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. As our heroes face physical and mental trials beyond their wildest imaginations, they have no choice but to turn to each other for support. But with their newfound friendship at stake, will they be able to pass the most important test of all? February In February, we'll be discussing Between Us: How Cultures Create Emotions by Batja Mesquita. Brilliantly synthesizing original psychological studies and stories from people across time and geography, Between Us skillfully argues that acknowledging differences in emotions allows us to find common ground, humanizing and humbling us all for the better. Preview the topic in this excerpt that highlights the authors’ craft and groundbreaking insights. Mark your calendar and join us on Zoom, February 28th at 7:30 pm. March In March we'll be reading Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships by Nina Totenberg. Check out this article to whet your appetite for reading the book! Date and time TBD. Enjoy the Holidays! We love the teachers and staff here at MCH, so for the holidays, a bunch of us on the PA got together to write holiday cards for every staff member. Thanks to your contributions during the SEED campaign, we were also able to include a gift certificate with each card, as well as sponsor part of the staff holiday dinner. Like me, many of you may be deciding how much tax-deductible money you can give to worthy causes before the end of the year. Whether it's $5, $50 or $100, whatever you're able to contribute, the Parent Association would be most grateful to be included in your end-of-year giving plan. And of course, don't forget to check if your employer does matching contributions for a larger impact (see more below). It’s the holiday season and everyone has a lot going on with family, travel, shopping, and work. Remember to take some time off for yourself to recharge. Whatever your plans, stay safe, warm, and healthy! We hope to see you at one of our meetups in the new year! Warmly, Jessica Lin President, MCH Parent Association  Showing Our Appreciation for MCH Staff We so look forward to the holidays every year, as we get to take a moment to show MCH teachers and staff our deep appreciation and gratitude for all that they do for our kiddos. Thanks to donations from the recent SEED fundraising campaign, the Parent Association delivered hand-written thank you notes and personalized gift cards to all of the teachers and staff this week. We feel it's important that all of the folks who teach and look after our children know that they're treasured. We're grateful for the parent community's generosity that allowed us to deliver our collective thanks. December SEED Campaign It’s not too late to make a gift to the 2022 SEED campaign! Does your company run an employee giving campaign during the month of December? Payroll deduction makes giving easy! Please consider adding the MCH PA SEED Fund to your list of non-profit organizations receiving tax-deductible donations directly out of your paycheck. You can usually find us by our EIN or Tax ID number: 91-1960800. So, if you can give, please do! We appreciate everything you do to make this a great community!  We Want to Hear from You! Did you decide not to give to the SEED campaign this year? We’d love to know why! We were further off our goal than we expected, so we’d sincerely appreciate your anonymous feedback via this survey so we may improve our communication in future campaigns. Positive Discipline Workshop Coming Soon   Save the Date for Our Next Walk & Talk! Please join us December 17th for a get-together at Evans Creek Preserve. All family members are welcome! We will meet approximately 9-11 am. Register HERE by Tuesday, December 13th, so we know how many people are coming. Note: We will gather at the main trailhead off Highway 202, just east of MCH. See you on the trail!  Upcoming Book Club Meetups
Join us on Zoom in 2023 for a variety of book club reads! All are welcome, and while reading the book is encouraged, it is certainly not required. Come and meet MCH parents, engage in conversation, and have some casual fun. January To kick off the new year, we are reading The Mysterious Benedict Society (#1) by Trenton Lee Stewart. We chose this creative book as a delightful read over the holidays, perhaps one that can be read aloud and enjoyed by caregivers and children alike (book age recommendation is 9+). Learn more about the story and author HERE (also a great listen if you don’t have time to read the book). This story has been made in to a TV Series, as well! Join us January 19th at 7:30 pm to chat about this clever and quirky book! Contact us for Zoom login details. Summary: "Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" When this peculiar ad appears in the newspaper, dozens of children enroll to take a series of mysterious, mind-bending tests. (And you, dear reader, can test your wits right alongside them.) But in the end just four very special children will succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and resourceful children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. As our heroes face physical and mental trials beyond their wildest imaginations, they have no choice but to turn to each other for support. But with their newfound friendship at stake, will they be able to pass the most important test of all? February In February, we'll be discussing Between Us: How Cultures Create Emotions by Batja Mesquita. Brilliantly synthesizing original psychological studies and stories from people across time and geography, Between Us skillfully argues that acknowledging differences in emotions allows us to find common ground, humanizing and humbling us all for the better. Preview the topic in this excerpt that highlights the authors’ craft and groundbreaking insights. Date and time TBD. March In March we'll be reading Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships by Nina Totenberg. Check out this article to whet your appetite for reading the book! Date and time TBD. Giving Thanks With Thanksgiving around the corner, it’s a great time to stop and express gratitude for all we have around us. For me, I’m always grateful for the basics - having food and a safe and warm place to call home, as well as the health of my family and friends. I’m also very grateful for this community: to all the staff and teachers for keeping the school running, teaching my kids so much, and of course putting on another awesome Harvest Fest! I'd also like to say thank you to all the parents of this community, especially all the board members who volunteer their time to show up and create programs for all of us to enjoy, despite whatever crazy things are happening in their personal lives. And of course, a BIG thank you to all the families that have contributed to the SEED campaign! We know that it’s been a tough year with record high inflation and economic uncertainty, so we definitely appreciate anything that families were able to give! The PA board is as invigorated as ever to support our community. With the parent survey and SEED campaign now complete (see below for results), we’re focusing our efforts on the most popular programs. And if you missed the survey or ever have any suggestions for the board, feel free to let any board member know or contact us at any time. We love hearing new ideas or feedback for improvement. Wishing everyone a safe and happy season of thanks! With gratitude, Jessica Lin President, MCH Parent Association Reminder! Parent Association Annual Meeting You (yes, you!) are a member of the MCH Parent Association and you are welcome and encouraged to join us for our annual meeting. This short get together will provide members of the Parent Association an opportunity to review the previous year’s financial report and learn about the current year’s budget and board priorities. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 14th, from 7:30 PM to 7:45 PM. Contact us for Zoom details. We hope you can join us! 2022 SEED Fundraiser Results Thank you to all who donated to the 2022 SEED fundraising campaign. Together, we raised $24,825! While we did not meet our goal, every gift helps us continue our mission of supporting the MCH community. And even though the campaign is over, it’s never too late to donate! We know a lot of companies run giving campaigns in November and December, so please consider the PA if this is available to you. Your gift helps fund special events, extracurricular activities, professional development of our teachers and staff, classroom enrichment materials, and tuition assistance. Did you decide not to give this year? We’d love to know why! We were further off our goal mark than we expected, so we’d love your anonymous feedback via this survey so that we may improve our communication in future campaigns. 2022 Parent Survey Results Many thanks to everyone who completed this year's Parent Survey! We received great feedback, ideas, and even heard from folks looking to get involved with the Parent Association. We have already begun putting this data to work, guiding the direction of both our programming and spending this academic year. Here's a brief summary of the results. The MCH community:
Harvest Fest Wrap-Up Thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hello at our Harvest Fest pumpkin patch! We certainly enjoyed seeing all of the smiles and costumes and hearing the conversations around pumpkin decorating. A thank you as well to our community partners, Muddy Boots Farm, Sinnema Farm, and Metropolitan Market Sammamish for helping make the pumpkin patch a huge success. Still have uncarved pumpkins at home? Here are some warming recipes for these breezy, cool Autumn Days: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (for children over 3 years old) and Pumpkin Soup (for the whole family). Save the Date for the Next Book Club
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our first book club of the year this week! Our next online gathering will be January 19, 2023 @ 7:30 pm via Zoom. Mark your calendar now and watch for details in our December newsletter! Fall is In the Air  The school year has been off to a bustling start! It has been a busy time with parent nights, classroom community gatherings, and curriculum nights, but it has also been such an enjoyable time meeting new friends and connecting with old ones. I definitely sense a lot of excitement in the air and am looking forward to all the experiences and connections that lie ahead! On the Parent Association Board, there is also a lot of enthusiasm in supporting the school and building the community and events that our families would like. Be sure to fill out the parent survey if you haven’t already (more details below). We had our first PA meetup event at Perrigo Park last month. The weather was beautiful and it was great to have a casual walk and talk with other parents about a variety of topics. Want to join us at future events? Our newsletter is a great place to get a pulse on upcoming events, as well as our new Parent Association Calendar of Events. Click the +Google Calendar button in the bottom right of the screen to add our events to your calendar. On Monday, we will kick off our 2022 SEED Fundraising Campaign! SEED funds the PA's Sponsorship, Extracurricular, Enrichment, and Development activities during the year. The campaign will run from October 17th through November 4th. Throughout the next three weeks, we will share more information about what we are planning for the year, but the net of it is that every family will benefit from these programs! We hope that you will give as you are able. We look forward to seeing you at Harvest Fest! The PA will once again host a table, so please stop by and say hello. Sincerely, Jessica Lin President, MCH Parent Association Parent Association Annual Meeting Please join the MCH Parent Association for our annual meeting. This short get together will provide members of the Parent Association an opportunity to review the previous year’s financial report and learn about the current year’s budget and board priorities. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, November 14th, from 7:30 PM to 7:45 PM via Zoom. Please contact us for Zoom login details. We hope you can join us!  Last Call for the 2022 Parent Survey - We'd Love to Hear From You! We've received some great feedback so far from the 2022 Parents Survey. Thank you for your input! If you've not yet had a chance to reply, don't delay! We will be closing the survey on October 21st. It just takes a minute or two to let us know where you would like to see the Parent Association focus its efforts, including what kind of community events you might be interested in. We appreciate your feedback! Click HERE to take the 2022 Parents Survey.  Presenting our New FAQ Moving forward, each month our newsletter will feature a Frequently Asked Questions section highlighting a question or two we often get asked by the community. Curious about something we do? Chances are someone else is too, so drop us a line! If you have a question you’d like to see featured in the next newsletter, email us here! We are also working to get all of the FAQs compiled on our website in the near future. Stay tuned for more information on where you'll be able to access the full list moving forward. Q: What is the MCH PA Board and what do we do? A: As a caregiver of a child enrolled at Montessori Children’s House, you are a member of the Parent Association (PA). The PA Board is a group of volunteers whose mission is to provide our children and community with the highest quality educational experience through fundraising, and coordination with the school administration by supporting the following programs:
Q: What are some of the events the PA hosts and where can I find a calendar of events or stay aware? Great news! We now have a live calendar so that you can check out our upcoming events in real time. We will update this calendar as new events come to fruition, so be sure to check back often. The PA hosts events such as game nights, walking/hiking meetups, book club, casual coffee gatherings and community learning for caregivers. Events take place approximately twice per month and are held either in-person or on Zoom. The PA also hosts fundraising events, including our annual SEED campaign and Staff Appreciation Week support.  Upcoming Meetups October Stop by the Parent Association table at Harvest Fest to say hello and pick up a little gift. And, be sure to stop by the PA-sponsored pumpkin patch where your child can choose a pumpkin to decorate and take home. See you October 29th! November Please join us on November 5th for a get-together & family friendly walk around the picturesque Gold Creek Pond Trail. All ages and abilities are welcome. We will meet from approximately 9-11 am. Please register here by Thursday, November 3rd so we know how many people are coming. We will meet rain or shine and additional details will be sent by November 4th to those who are registered. See you on the trail! PLEASE NOTE: Parking at Gold Creek Pond requires a Northwest Forest Pass (single day pass available for $5 here).  Book Club is Back! Join us on Zoom Tuesday, November 8th from 1:00--2:00pm to discuss our first book of the school year: Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang. “Qian Julie Wang’s memoir about her life growing up as an undocumented child in New York in the 1990s is humbling, eye-opening, and beautifully rendered. Experiencing the confusion, hardships, and racism through the eyes of a child is especially heart-breaking. Beautiful Country (which translates to Mei Guo, America in Chinese) perfectly captures the enduring hope and courage of an immigrant’s struggle to obtain the very basic needs every human deserves.” – ARC Review We are a very casual crowd and, while reading the book is encouraged, it is also optional. Perhaps check out this 8 minute chat with the author or this Today Show interview and join us for the conversation. Contact us for Zoom login details. We hope to see you there! Wanna Lend a Hand?
Interested in volunteering with the MCH Parent Association? Not able to commit to a board position but still want to contribute in meaningful ways? Please send an email to Julie to be added to our list of volunteers for upcoming events. All community members on the list will be emailed with opportunities as they arise. Thank you for your willingness and interest! |
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Montessori Children's House Parent Association
5003 218th Ave NE
Redmond, WA 98053
425-868-7805
EIN# 91-1960800
5003 218th Ave NE
Redmond, WA 98053
425-868-7805
EIN# 91-1960800