Summer Learning Program

The Summer Arts and Sciences Workshop offers fun and inspiring projects to create and construct. While extending a base of knowledge, children explore and make discoveries while reinforcing important skills. Last year children planted succulent gardens, made paper, learned to sew, gardened, sculpted weed pots and worked on our mosaic. They also read biographies of scientists, worked with patterns of numbers and geometric shapes and wrote in journals. There are field trips to nearby sites of interest. Sign up now for a memorable month!

Scientific Learning - "Fast ForWord"

"Helping your child put the pieces together" - Michael M. Merzenich, University of California at San Francisco Medical Center, working along with many neuroscientists have created in individualized interactive program that helps a child to process information better. Based on over 30 years of scientific research, Fast ForWord can improve overall literacy and specific gains of one to two years in 4 to 12 weeks.

These cognitive skills are enduring and last forever. Fast ForWord strengthens: Memory, Attention, Processing and Sequencing (MAPS). These essential skills are necessary for learning. Strengthening MAPS, as they are called, results in improved critical language skills.

It is believed that this program can benefit everyone. Montessori Arts and Sciences School is now a site where your child can be successful in completing the program under the guidance of qualified educators who will support your child's progress and development. Children will be able to process better, quicker, with more focus and with better attention.

Progress is monitored and adapted daily by Scientific Learning of the University of California. Daily the program is customized to adjust to your child's specific needs.

This program is available now and also during the summer. Children will work on the program for approximately 45 minutes per day.

If you are interested in registering your child, or would like more informaiton, please contact us at montessoriarts-scs@sbcglobal.net or call our office at 760-434-6440.

April 23 - 1st Annual Green Festival

We are proud to announce a celebration of the creative energy of our students and friends with the first Annual Green Festival. We are planning a special day where students will present a project that they can feel is important to sustain and promote quality of life on earth.

The Montessori curriculum guides the child’s imagination to appreciate the work of natural forces and natural resources.  The Geography Impressionistic Charts develop the interest and the images of “the work of the sun” and “the work of water.”  The images are shown along with a dramatic story so the imaged are retained.  Children are encouraged to learn science terms and participate in hands-on demonstrations and experiments.  Ongoing research and observation build understanding.         
         
A theme for this year has been how we can become good stewards of the earth so that we, humans, can contribute to supporting quality of air, water, soil and life. 

Students have attended award-winning exhibits at the SD Natural History Museum and Stephen Birch Aquarium at UCSD to experience trends in modern scientific thinking.  Everyday basic conservation is practiced with recycling, gardening, water usage and electricity. 

Now we want to put our hearts, minds and bodies into action to take on a project that will require use of math, geometry and language skills to address ways to support the environment.  It is hoped that some of these projects continue and build for the long term.  Who knows many of our leaders got their inspiration as children and worked their entire lives to develop these ideas?

Students are interested in fuel efficient vehicles; wind power; vermiculture; bat habitats, irrigation and water conservation; trees to help cool cities and provides oxygen, habitats and recreation; keeping oceans clean; reusing products; solar energy; organic gardening; and many, many others!

We would love to partner local experts with the students to build on the concept of “Life-long love of learning.” Please contact us at montessoriarts-scs@sbcglobal.net if you have ideas that will help.  We would love to collaborate to develop stronger learning opportunities and help be part of the solution to protect the beauty and quality we have and perhaps make a difference improving it.  We will, definitely, learn to respect and develop leadership, communication and team skills. 

Certified National Wildlife Habitat

Our Montessori Arts and Sciences School has been awarded a National Wildlife designation that announces to all who visit that the grounds meet the criteria of having a water source, natural vegetation to create habitat, food sources for birds, nesting places to raise young, and composting to sustain healthy soil.

In May, each of the children worked under the instruction of Mr. Phil Buccola to construct a nesting box for the Western Bluebird.  Each used hammer, nails, screws and sandpaper to finesse the house for the endangered bird.  We hope that all the birdhouses were placed on poles away from fences so predators could be deterred.

It is a thrill to be in the Elementary One classroom and see out the windows wrens, sparrows, and crows chattering and feasting at the bird feeders near the tortoise enclosure, the birdhouse and birdbath. 

We are lucky to also have butterfly plants which attract several species and we participate in celebrating the life cycle of monarchs, painted ladies and frilleries.

You may wish to enroll your own yard for the National Wildlife registry.  The cause is worthy to help protect habitat and bird life. www.nwf.org/schoolyard/certify.cfm

Field Trips

Field trips provide the opportunity to enjoy hands-on learning experiences that coordinate with the Montessori curriculum and materials used at school. Preparing for the trip requires research by the students and inspire in-depth development of topics after the trips.

Field Trip Schedule 2008-2009

President's Fitness Challenge

Montessori Arts and Sciences School supports the principle of healthy body, healthy minds.  It is healthy to lead an active, disciplined life style.  Physical activity promotes the happier emotions and triggers neurological activity in the brain.  Our students do a rotation of learning skills for soccer, basketball, softball, volleyball and track and field. 

Every year, the students train for the Presidents’ Physical Fitness Challenge at school, but is good to be practive to take interest in the training as it is fun to watch and track progress.

Our President’s Physical Fitness will be evaluated May 4-8.  We like to do the half-mile and mile runs on the Carlsbad Sea Wall.  Family and friends are invited to cheer for a healthy, happy, strong American youth taking on the President’s Physical Fitness Challenge.  To pump up your training, you can get insight from President's challenge

Garden Grow

Through the integrated study of botany and history, students have experienced learning that foxgloves are the source of digitalis used as a remedy for heart disease. This spring we watched the artichokes grow and produce. We steamed and served them, discovering the fun of gardening and learning that it is the flower of that plant which is edible. They also learn terms to identify plants, care for the plants and how the parts of the plants function.

Guided Discoveries

Confidence, teamwork, self reliance and exploration are strong aspects that attracts Montessori Arts and Sciences School to participate and engage with excellent equipment, facilities and instructors who help us to extend our studies for marine biology, astronomy, electricity, physics, ropes courses, snorkeling, kayaking and more!  Our Upper Elementary class alternates between Catalina Island Marine Institute and Astrocamp at ldyllwild.  This program is optional for students. 

Our trip in 2009 will be to Astrocamp. Check it out at Astrocamp in 2009.

Tribute to That Which Came Before Us

Students were invited to create a commemorative design for the wall that surrounds the sports field. After researching walls around the world and evaluating the space for the mosaic, we concluded that the animals and plants of our environment would be beautiful, educational and fit with our historical building nicely.

The students' drawings and research was compiled into a coordinating overall plan and glass tiles made of recycled bottles were contributed by Oceanside Glasstile.

Local artists and friends of the school have created fused glass and ceramic artwork to provide educational public art.

During the 2007-2008 school year sections of the mosaic wall were added to complete the eastern wall of the Sports Field. In November the Tribute to the Wetlands was dedicated and celebrated. On June 4, the installation of the Tribute to the Luiseno Indians was presented and blessed by Al Cerda and the Luiseno elders.

For the 2008-2009 school year, we will mosaic the prehistoric plants and animals that existed in the Carlsbad Tri-City area on the southern fence of the Sports Field. Student research and inspiration from “Fossil Mysteries” at the San Diego Natural History Museum Will be the ‘bones’ of what is to come!

If you would like to work together with community to create a magnificent piece of the wall, contact the office at 760-434-6440.

Carlsbad Music Festival Outreach

Matthew McBane, a former student of Montessori Arts and Sciences School, has gone on to graduate as BA, Music and MFA in Music Composition from USC.  In order to give back to North County and share his love of music, he founded the Carlsbad Music Festival with the Calder Quartet.  

Each year there is a world wide composition competition to show tribute to new classical music. Fabian Svensson, was this year’s winner. From Stockholm,Sweden he writes music in a variety of music genres, focusing on unusual combinations of instruments.   Our students were privileged to experience a concert in which Svensson played the melodica, an instrument which is blown and uses a keyboard. His compositions and playing delighted our students! 

Check out this amazing event at Carlsbad Music Festival.

City Stuff

Susan Rodak was the parent volunteer that coordinated City Stuff, a program designed to build relationships with City Planners, business development and law enforcement. Everyone had a marvelous time in City Hall debating whether a 100 old tree should be removed to avoid injury due to root damage to a curb and sidewalk. Each student received a certificate from the Police Chief and had a tour of the city offices

The Great Bee Rescue

Albert Einstein said, “So go the bees, so go the human race.”

Recently, Paul Maschka of La Milpa Organica visited our school to relocate some bees found in our sprinkler control covers.  All the students saw a honeycomb, taste the nectar before the cells were capped and they also saw a film about the colony. 

It is important to preserve bee colonies so they can continue to pollinate our plants for food production. Also, if a hive is left too long it has a likelihood of becoming Africanized. 

It is our hope that this real life lesson educated our children about the importance of sustaining nature and the importance of bees in our world.