Happy Friday MCS Community!

Introducing the Montessori Children’s School of Key West & The Key West Candle Company Fundraising Partnership!

Did you know the creator and operator of The Key West Candle Company, Deejay Peak, is a parent here at our school?  She graciously offered to spearhead a new fundraising effort we are rolling out TODAY!  She has created a custom Montessori Key West holiday “Merry Keysmas” candle that we are selling as a beautiful holiday gift item.  Each limited-edition candle is $40.  We are asking every family to consider purchasing & selling these candles as holiday gifts for friends & family, near & far.  Get a jump on your holiday shopping and help us fundraise for our school in the process!

Attached are the order forms, and you can find the sample candle in the front office (it’s DELISH!) 

Candle order forms are due November 12, and the candles will be delivered for distribution with plenty of time before the holidays.  Submission of a candle order form with 5 or more candles counts as a fundraising work/pay hour (2 hours for 10 candles!)  

candlefundraiser MONTESSORI final

Community News

Please consider supporting a wonderful member of our community, Maria Castillo, who organizes a Bocce Tournament and other fundraising events for her local nonprofit organization, Key West Sunsets Basketball, supporting youth sports leagues and offering cost assistance for young athletes to participate in sports when cost would be a prohibitive factor.  The next event is Saturday, November 2nd and the flyer is below!

This Week @ MCS

Pictured:  

  1. Gumbo Limbo friends learning about the parts of a plant…
  2. Spanish Lime friends at recess…
  3. CocoPlum (Upper Elementary) friends on this week’s weekly Learning Expedition to Truman Waterfront park learning about the sculpture…

Upcoming Events (more info on each below)…

PRO TIP:  Click the date to save the event to your personal calendar on your phone!

Monday & Tuesday, October 21st & 22nd:  Children’s Costume Consignment @ 2:30PM, On Campus

Thursday & Friday, October 24th & 25th:  NO SCHOOL – CAMP AVAILABLE

Saturday, November 2nd:  Follow the Child @ 9AM (Primary Only), On Campus (More info to be sent from Lead Guides next week)

Wednesday, November 6th:  Elementary Student-Led Conferences (2-4pm), On Campus (More info to be sent from Lead Guides next week)

Thursday, November 7th:  iGuardian Cyber Security for Parents @ 4:00PM, On Campus

Monday, November 11th:  NO SCHOOL – Parent/Teacher Conferences

Tuesday, November 12th-Friday, November 15th:  School Picture Week

Children’s Costume Consignment Shop 

We are hosting a Children’s Costume Consignment Shop next Monday & Tuesday.  We are accepting gently used children’s costume donations in the front office until Monday at noon.  Ditch the Amazon cart and come shop from a treasure box of children’s costumes to enjoy over the holiday or throughout the year playing dress up.  Shop will be open Monday 10/21 & Tuesday 10/22 from 2:30-4 on the Front Lawn.  All proceeds support our staff continuing education trip to Atlanta.

Camp Over Professional Days October 24 & 25

A group of our core staff is traveling to Atlanta for the International Montessori Council Conference to continue our staff’s education and Montessori offerings.  During these two days we will not have school, but will offer camp for those who would need it.  Camp is available for Toddler, Primary, and Lower Elementary programs (no camp for Upper Elementary or Middle this time.)  Camp will be 8AM-3:30PM and the cost is $65/day.  Registration is first come first serve and space is limited in our Toddler program specifically, so please sign up quickly to secure your space.  Registration form is attached.

2024 October Prof Day Camp Sign Ups.docx

iGuardian Cyber Security for Parents Presentation

Do your children have access to screens in your home, or any homes of friends/family they visit?  For all of us, the answer is probably YES.  In that case, you need the information presented in this session.  Please join us on November 7th at 4:30PM (NEW TIME) here on campus for our second offering of this absolutely invaluable information provided by HSI and a couple of members of their team who also happen to be parents at our school!  Learn about the risks we face online as parents and how we can protect our children from this growing threat with crucial information straight from the group tasked with protecting us.  Please let us know if you will be attending and if you will need childcare so we can coordinate to make this accessible for you – aftercare will be available for all students with parents in attendance.  Flyer attached.

iGuardian Promotional Flyer – Color (1)

Weekly Miracle Makers

Oftentimes it feels like our school is powered by Miracles.  Miracles large and small happen each week to pull off all that we do here.  Those miracles appear in acts of love and kindness and service by parents, children, staff, alumni, community members, and more, and each week we highlight a special one here.

This week’s Miracle Maker is Ms. Sally!  If you don’t have the pleasure of already knowing Ms. Sally, she is a staple of our school for the better part of the last decade.  She has served in several capacities from Assistant to Lead Guide for several programs, and currently is both our Elementary Reading Specialist/Middle School Facilitator as well as a Parent of a Primary student!  Ms. Sally just returned to us after a break, and it feels like a miracle has returned to our campus.  We are so grateful for Ms. Sally’s knowledge, talents, and energy – she is an important part of what we do here and we are lucky to have her.  If you see Ms. Sally and have not met her before, please introduce yourself!  You’ll be glad you did.