Heifer Project: Change for Change, 2012

Watch the herd grow!

Every year since 1998, our school has participated in The Heifer Project. That first year, one classroom collected donations enough to buy a flock of ducks and a hive of bees. Since then, the effort has been school-wide and WSMS has provided funding for the beginnings of many flocks and herds. The last two years, our Heifer fundraising has been set aside to aid victims of both the Haitian and Japanese earthquakes. This year, we return to Heifer.

For those of you who are not familiar with he Heifer Project,  Heifer International works to promote peace through ending world hunger. For over 65 years, Heifer has helped more than 8.5 million impoverished families in 128 countries lift themselves out of poverty and achieve self-reliance. Maria Montessori was passionate about a global vision, self-reliance, and peace. Heifer is a perfect philosophical fit.

The idea is simple and it works.  Instead of providing hungry families with a non-renewable source of food, Heifer International provides a “living loan “ of an animal.  The family’s health and standard of living is greatly improved by what that animal can provide.  This might be milk from a cow or goat, eggs from poultry, meat from rabbits, draft power from water buffalo, or wool from Ilamas. Heifer also provides trees that reforest farms and provide fodder and firewood.

Key to success of the program is that Heifer provides extensive training in animal care, ecologically sound agricultural practices and community development.  The result is to transform not just families, but the environment and community.

Another cornerstone of Heifer International is “passing on the gift.”  Families who receive an animal repay the loan by passing on one or more of the animals’ offspring to other needy families.  That family passes on their gift to another family and so on, one gift multiplying through the community.

For more information about the organization, please visit:
https://secure1.heifer.org/gift-catalog?msource=kwga5&gclid=CLbz_PbH660CFWQ0QgodPHnx5Q

Beginning Monday, January 30th, for one week every classroom will be collecting change (and folding money, too!). Each classroom will add to the Heifer Herd in the entry hallway as they receive donations.  Please help our herd grow, and give your children the opportunity to make a change in their world.

MAKE-UP Hot Dog Friday, February 3

We will be having a MAKE-UP Hot Dog Friday the first Friday in
February (Friday, February 3) for those children who signed up for Hot
Dog Friday on January 20 (Snow Day).

If your child was not signed up for January 20, but you would like to
sign her/him up for a hot dog lunch on February 3, please contact the
Main Office at 206-935-0427.

WSMS & WSA Open House

Saturday, January 21

11215 15th Ave SW

Seattle, WA 98146

206.935.0427 Main Office

Friday, January 20: SCHOOL IS CLOSED

Thursday, January 19: SCHOOL IS CLOSED

Wednesday, January 18: SCHOOL IS CLOSED

POMS Bulletin:  Tonight’s Meeting Cancelled

Upcoming Events:

• POMS annual fundraiser featuring the spring auction, TWIG.
• This fun event is set for Thursday, March 22, 2012 (invitations to be sent). We’ll be raising money for a wonderful revision of our playground area to create a more inviting, engaging and joyful space for students of all ages.  Anyone interested in volunteering please contact Melissa Overdorf at wimsikl@yahoo.com or 206-853-5490

Through Wisdom Ideas Grow: TWIG

• Friends of the Greenhouse are gearing up for spring!   We know there are lots of green-thumbs out there that want to get involved and share their knowledge and skill.  Our very own Clary Lucero, teacher of the Snowy Owls, has offered up her services to help get the greenhouse up and running this year.  She can’t do it alone and is looking for some team-mates!  Please contact Clary at 425-829-5473, stop by the Snowy Owl classroom or contact her through by email at askclary@gmail.com.

• January’s community outreach will include Heifer International and Chinese New Year.

• Enrollment Packets went home last week.  Those that plan to re-enroll, for another great year, must have the enrollment forms and $500 deposit (per student) in by February 15th.

• Open House:  Saturday, January 21st, 1-3pm

• Open House:  Thursday, February 2nd, 6:30-8pm

Our next POMS Meeting will be February 28th, 6:30-7:30pm!

School is in session. Open regular hours.

January 17, 2012

Your SAFETY is our main priority.  If you do not feel it is safe to leave your home, please stay home.  Your children will never be penalized for coming in late or not coming to school due to snow.

West Seattle Montessori School & West Seattle Academy

SNOW DAY PROTOCOL & REMINDERS

If you haven’t been notified by 7am via email and/or you do not see any closures or delays, then our doors are open and school is in session.  We do not follow any specific school district and will have our own closure information under West Seattle Montessori School.  A “No Report” update means we will be having school.  Please note, when viewing King 5 online (www.king5.com), one must click on our school link under the heading “Closings” for our school report.  (We have contacted them to let them know this is confusing.)

If a snow day has been called, you will receive an email from your classroom teacher by 7am.  You can also tune-in to KIRO 7, KOMO 4, or KING 5, or check our school website at westseattlemontessori.com for updates.  In order to see all of the updates on our website, please click on the “BLOG” link on our homepage.

LATE START: If a Late Start is called, families will be informed the night before via email from their classroom teacher.  Please check your email or tune-in to KIRO 7, KOMO 4, or KING 5.  You can also check our school website at westseattlemontessori.com for more information.  It is very unlikely we will have a Late Start.

EARLY DISMISSALS: If an Early Dismissal is called, preschool thru fifth grade students will be dismissed at 12pm.  Middle school students will be dismissed at 11:30am to help with the flow of traffic.   In the case that an Early Dismissal is called while we are at school, families will be contacted individually.  There will be NO After School Care if an Early Dismissal is called due to snow.

TRANSPORTATION SERVICE: Families of transportation students will receive an email from one of the drivers if there is no van service. There will be NO Transportation Service if a an Early Dismissal is called due to snow.

Your SAFETY is our main priority.  If you do not feel it is safe to leave your home, please stay home.  Your children will never be penalized for coming in late or not coming to school due to snow.

A field trip form for this Thursdays field trip is coming home today.

We would like them back signed off tomorrow.

We also need two parent volunteers who can meet us at Wing Luke museum at 12:00.

If you are able to meet us please let us know ASAP.