Stoneridge Children's Montesori School

Music in May!

by Hannah Mell, Music Director

May is an exciting month for music!

Toddlers are venturing into the music room on Wednesdays starting this month, and Children's House students are preparing for their Spring Teas on May 16, 17, and 18.

Important dates to watch for:

April 30, Musical Monday: Jade, Kathie, Margaret & Gina play flute music

May 7, Musical Monday: Zehava & Ben perform Elton John, Adele & more

May 10: Spring Concert at Endicott College (6:30 p.m.; stay tuned for e-mail reminders)

May 14, Musical Monday: Juliette sings and plays the drums

May 14: LE-MS performs for the Beverly Council on Aging (10:45 a.m.)

May 21, Musical Monday: Instrumentalists of UE

As always, e-mail Hannah at hmell@stoneridgecms.org if you have any questions!

 

Celebrating Spring!

by Linda Seeley, Children's House Head Teacher

A spring flower popped up here, a spring flower popped up there,
Next thing we knew, not one but two, spring flowers were everywhere! 

Spring has brought not only the blossoming of trees and flowers on our grounds and in our gardens but also the blossoming of so many accomplishments of and skills within the children. The skills that were planted through lessons and experiences throughout the year are now coming to fruition.

The children are enthusiastically involved in many activities revolving around our studies of the plant and animal kingdoms.  In the remaining weeks of school, we will further investigate flowers, mammals, insects, and other springtime wonders.

As always, our Special Guest Night was fun and exciting for the children.  They take such pride and ownership in their work and in their classrooms.  Now the children are beginning their preparations for our annual Spring Teas. Moms, or designated special guests, will soon receive their invitations!  The tea is a culmination of many of the children's skills.  They busily plan and bake the refreshments, make the gifts and cards, arrange and decorate the tearooms, and practice grace and courtesy lessons.

So many of these skills come from the Practical Life area of the classroom.  Practical Life is the foundation that helps the child to construct him/her self on so many levels.  To begin with, these activities allow the children to contribute to their community. Beautifying the classroom, making snack to share, watering the plants, etc. These are the things that help a child build a sense of place and her importance in the community and also a sense of social responsibility.  Many of the practical life activities are about care of self, but others, of course, are about working on things that help those around you.

The Spring Tea provides an opportunity for the guests (usually parents) to make time for the children and to remind the children of the important place they hold in the guests' hearts. The classroom tea truly belongs to the children.  They plan it, they create it, and they carry it out.  Children who learn practical life skills and practice kindness and gratitude will find social situations elsewhere instinctively easier.  As classroom teachers, we get to experience the community of the classroom and to celebrate the growth of the children.  It is a joyous occasion for all who attend.

April was national poetry month and we celebrated it by sharing Poem in your Pocket Day at a recent assembly.  Poetry has always been an important part of our curriculum as it strengthens skills in reading, speaking, and listening.  

Recently poet Jonathan Bennett (Mikaila and Solomon's dad) spent an afternoon with the kindergarteners helping them to develop their own poems based on Emily Dickinson's poem, Letter To Bee.  The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience and readily shared their poems and illustrations with one another.  Reading and developing poetry with children is but another gift we as adults can give them.  Many thanks to Jonathan!

The K's have also begun their semester of swimming instruction.  It is hard to tell which is more exciting for them, riding the school bus or learning water safety and swimming!  We are all singing, It's fun to swim at the YMCA! You may see more swimming photos on our online photo album. 

The kindergarteners are also excited about their play, The Dance of the Cosmos, which they will present to family and friends on Thursday, June 7th.  Currently they are researching and writing their parts, designing their sets and costumes and generating tremendous enthusiasm for all aspects of this project!  This musical never fails to delight all who attend!

Finally, if you are looking for a lovely springtime adventure consider a trip to Mackworth Island in Falmouth Maine.  Only about two hours away, Mackworth Island offers a beautiful and easy walk for both children and adults with views of Casco Bay and an outstanding collection of fairy houses!  Of course children can add to the collection with their own creations.

"In nature, a child finds freedom, fantasy, and privacy...a separate peace."  
Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

Enjoy the miracle of spring once again!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring Comes to Life for CH

by Linda Seeley, Thora Press and Sandra Lee, Children's House Head Teachers

March is an in between month,
When wintry winds are high.
But milder days remind us all,
Spring's coming by and by.

The happy news is passed along, “We don’t have to wear our jackets – it’s warm outside!” Many weeks before we mark the spring equinox on our calendars, the children have been finding signs that spring is in a hurry this year. Bulbs blooming inside; pussy willows and forsythia brought in for show and tell; sprouted grass seeds bringing bright green splashes to the hallway; classroom gardens offer earthworms and new green shoots; spring bulbs are buried; a toad enjoys the Spring warmth; and we set up our picnic tables for lunch under the trees. The children are noticing the increasing activity around our bird feeders and as we open windows and doors, we can hear the birds again. Soon they will be learning to identify our birdfeeder visitors and to recognize their calls.

 

We’ve enjoyed many cultural activities this month. Our Middle School shared their Spanish exchange students with us at a welcoming assembly and two Spanish students visited each of our classrooms to tell us about themselves, their families, their pets, their interests, and their school on the outskirts of Barcelona. They taught us some Spanish words and told us that Spring had not yet come to Barcelona. They used our globes and world maps to show us their journey and picked out Spain on the map of Europe. 

Ireland was another European country that came into focus this month as the children learned about the symbols, legends, and celebrations associated with St. Patrick’s Day.

 

The New England Brass Ensemble entertained us with music, skits, and information. We learned the history and traditions of their instruments and how the notes are produced. They played solos and demonstrated how their different instruments sound in varying combinations. The children were caught up in the enthusiasm and good humor of these impassioned musicians and were thrilled to be able to identify the brass instruments they frequently hear in popular movie music. 

Music, fun and story telling is a fixture in March with the much anticipated Pyjama Night. Hannah and professional story teller and musician, Peter Stewart, engage their pyjama-clad audience in story, songs, and movement, making this one of the most popular events for Children’s House families.

Our Kindergartners are fortunate to spend time together as a group in the afternoons. The Kindergarten program offers enriching activities and an expanded curriculum that gives an added dimension to their morning activities. They may spend time exploring geometrical figures, learning about volcanoes, sharing their creative writing, or learning to tell the time.

In Kindergarten art, they can explore different techniques and engage in activities that complement their academic work. This month, they have been working on collage self-portraits with acronym poems as part of their studies of the human body.

Artist and poet from Lexington, Pamela Bailey Power, shared her original drawings and explored the creative process when she came to talk to the Kindergartners about her book “Zach’s Maple Sugaring Book, which is based on her work at Massachusetts Audubon Society.  She encouraged the children to express their own creativity by reenacting the story, after which they made Zach’s flapjacks--with maple syrup, of course!

In their music classes, the Kindergartners are learning more complex dances, beginning to play musical instruments and learning to sing solo and to use a microphone.

In gym, they are participating in a total health and fitness program based on movement and non-competitive games that have more complex rules and help them develop strategies. As the weather improves, they are able to have classes outside, taking the short walk through the woods to the Endicott soccer field. They are benefiting from the school-wide program ‘Building Our Kids Success’ (BOKS), which is based on the book “Spark” by Harvard professor, John Ratey. This is a structured fitness program that teaches specific exercise skills and includes nutrition.  Look for a bulletin board in the lobby for more information. The final semester of the Kindergarten physical education program will be swimming at the YMCA, a much-looked-forward to primer for summer time water fun. Swim classes begin on Tuesday April 24.

Happy Spring, Everyone!

 

 

 

 

 

BOKS ROCKS!

by Gretchen Putnam, LE parent

BOKS, Building Our Kids’ Success, is a before-school physical activity program that sparks a child’s mind and body for better learning during the school day. The program is filled with team-oriented games (relay races and obstacle courses), running, a skill-of-the-week, and nutrition information. 

We are excited to announce that Stoneridge is offering a seven-week parent-run spring session on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 7:30–8:15 a.m. The session begins on April 23 running through June 6 and will be held in the Multi-Purpose Room or outside as the weather warms up. 

Parent volunteers Gretchen Putnam, Sarah Parker, Tracy Chait, and Betsy Shields are gearing up to run, jump, and play their way through the early mornings with your child.

The cost is $25 per child and any child in Kindergarten through 4th grade is welcome to participate. Space is limited to a maximum of 20 children. Registration forms are available on on the BOKS Bulletin Board in the lobby, or contact Gretchen by phone at 978-335-3458 or via email at kivaspirit.moon@gmail.com.

You can learn more information about BOKS at their website www.bokskids.org.

Come jump in on the fun!

 

 

 

April Vacation Remedy: Spring Camp!

April vacation is just around the corner. If you're trying to figure out how to make that week interesting for your child/ren and easy for you, consider Spring Camp at Stoneridge!

Led by our own wonderful Director of After Care, Ellen Sears, with the help of equally wonderful Toddler House teacher, Paulette Dettorre, your child will enjoy four days of fun, friends, and exercise.

The cost is $150 per child for four full days (Tues. 4/17-Fri. 4/20). Camp starts daily at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 3:00 p.m. Children from CH through LE are welcome.

Space is limited, so please respond to Rebecca McGrail by Tuesday, April 3 if you're interested. More details will follow for those who sign up.

 

More Than Coffee at the April 4 Coffee House!

If you haven't attended a Stoneridge Coffee House, now's the time! There's no event quite like it--you'll get to see performers of all ages share their talents in a relaxed, festive atmosphere. Join us in the multi-purpose room from 5:00-6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 4. (Students K-MS, please arrive at 4:45 for a warm-up.)

If you'd like to perform, be sure to e-mail Hannah at hmell@stoneridgecms.org with the title and length of your piece. Coffee House ends right at 6:30 p.m. so there will be a cut-off once we have enough acts. 

Pizza, snacks, and drinks will be available for a low cost; all proceeds benefit the music program. Donations of nut-free treats are much appreciated! If you'd like to help out, get in touch with Hannah.

The Immense Benefit of the Three Year CH Cycle

by Sandra Lee, CH III Teacher

The “three year cycle” is an essential element in the Montessori educational philosophy and curriculum.  It follows the natural development of children. It lays the critical foundations in children’s physical, intellectual, social, emotional, and moral learning.

Dr. Montessori identified four “planes of development,” with each plane having its own developmental characteristics.  The Early Childhood stage, the years from 3-6, is characterized by two developmental traits: “the absorbent mind” and “sensitive periods.”  The absorbent mind equips a child to spontaneously absorb his environment, like a sponge, while the sensitive periods help a child learn critical knowledge effortlessly.  Together, these traits lead children to enter the elementary years with the concrete foundation for learning abstract concepts.

The absorbent mind and sensitive periods in the Early Childhood stage are enhanced in the stable and consistent community of the full three-year cycle.  In this environment, children can concentrate on the learning process sequentially with a teacher who knows the developmental traits of each child intimately.  A sequential curriculum ensures that learning is continuous and meaningful, while the strong connections between students and teachers help learning becoming effective and purposeful.

The three-year cycle also relates to Montessori’s mixed-age classes.  In a multi-aged classroom, the younger children observe, listen, and learn from older ones, and the older ones become leaders academically, socially, and emotionally.  In these classrooms, children learn according to their levels, not by their biological ages.  A 4-year-old is able to work on advanced materials and also be comfortable socializing with peers of the same age.  

During these three years, children gradually experience different roles, share diverse responsibilities, and meet developmental expectations.  The goals for the first year children  focus on gaining the skills of coordination, concentration, order, and independence (CCOI).  Those four working habits or skills are the most important foundation for higher learning in later years.  All the work in the areas of Practical Life, Sensorial, Language, Mathematic, and Culture prepares the first year children for gaining CCOI.  

 

Based on the learned CCOI skills, the second-year children work on refining their gross and fine motor skills through all the activities in the classroom.  They are interested in everything in the classroom: how language works, what numbers refer to, the names of natural phenomena…. They nurture their capacity for caring by starting to take care of younger children and at the same time, they gain knowledge by learning from the kindergartners.

 

Our oldest students -- the third-year children -- are the role models and community leaders.  Their academic skills are enriched through systematic and advanced materials, their social skills are strengthened by interacting and working with all the kindergartners in the program, their moral awareness is enhanced through respecting others and building community spirit, and they gain confidence through practicing and sharing with younger students.

Children who are able to experience the three-year cycle gain the full benefit of our program.

 

 

 

 

Music Discovery Spring Session

by Hannah Mell, Music Director

What better way to welcome a child into the world than with song and dance? Each Tuesday morning, we welcome Stoneridge families (and those from anywhere on the North Shore) into our music room for a class that helps parents bond with their children through music. Children develop musical aptitude--as well as language, spatial awareness, social skills, and emotional expression--through songs and games.

Music Discovery is open to infants through pre-schoolers and their parents. We have space for a few more children in our new session! We meet from 9:30 a.m. to 10:05 a.m. in the music room. If you know someone who might be interested, take a brochure from the Community bulletin board in the lobby, or send Hannah an e-mail at hmell@stoneridgecms.org.

 

 

Pajama Night Returns!

Join us on Tuesday, March 20, for Pajama Night! Bring a parent and your jammies for a memorable evening of songs, stories and dance with Hannah and our special guest, Peter Stewart. The fun begins at 5:30 in the music room.

Please be sure to wait peacefully in the lobby if you arrive early. For more information on performer and children's entertainer, Peter Stewart, go to http://www.peter-stewart.com

Winter in Children's House

by Linda Seeley, Children's House 1 Head Teacher

Mr. Groundhog, give us a sign
Will it be winter or will the sun shine?
Will we be inside with fireplace glowing?
Will we be outside with the flowers growing?
Mr. Groundhog, give us a sign!

January did not prove to be a true winter month this year, but we still carried out our winter activities (sometimes using our imaginations).  We have been discussing the animals who hibernate, those who "deep sleep," and those who stay active.  Of course, many may be confused by the warm temperatures.  Classrooms are also decorated with a variety of handmade snowflakes.

 

 

Our focus on amphibians is now over and your child can tell you many facts about this family of animals, as well as show you the frog yoga-pose.We now move on to learning about reptiles.  February also brings a continuation of our study of Asia and the Chinese New Year. We have all enjoyed learning about how the year of the dragon is celebrated in China and the kindergarten children continue to learn Chinese words, phrases, and songs as well as the dragon and lion dances.  At the end of the New Year they will share traditional foods and crafts.  A great cultural event!

 

February also brings Valentine's Day activities.  If your child wants to give cards at school, we ask that you ensure that every child in the classroom receives one.  If your child prefers to give cards to only a few friends, please be sure to send them through the mail to their home addresses.  This is a consideration to the children and helps to avoid hurt feelings.

It is a good idea to encourage children to get an early start.  They can do a few cards each day.  If children want to pass out valentines and are not yet reading, we ask they they simply sign their names on the cards but do not address the envelopes.  The children will make mailbags at school and bring their cards home at the end of the day.

February is also the month when kindergartners have their first visit to Lower Elementary as part of "Step Up Day".  During their morning visit, they get their first look at the exciting work they will be doing next year and the community they will join.  They come back eager and excited for the next step of their school experiences where they will begin a new three-year cycle in the fall.

The three-year developmental cycle is at the very heart of the Montessori educational experience.  Given the opportunity to explore, cooperate, and learn in the Montessori environment creates secure, confident children.  Much of the materials and exercises in the first two years help the child achieve direct, immediate goals and also serve an indirect purpose of laying the foundation for future work and learning.  The lessons build upon themselves, adding layers of abstractness and an increasing understanding.  The full benefit of the educational program accrues in the third year.  The younger students benefit from the gift of the leadership, mentoring, and instruction from the older children.  Mixed ages and the three-year cycle give depth to the program and to each child.

There is also a social component.  In the mixed-age grouping, each child benefits from being exposed to those who are older, and younger, than they are.  The younger children have role models to look up to.  They also see the older children working on the more advanced material, which piques their interest and curiosity.  The older children, in turn, benefit from being mentors.  One of the best ways to internalize knowledge is to explain it to others, and often an older child will help teach certain concepts to a younger child.

Imagine the comfort of a 3-year old surrounded by older friends, the pride of a 4-year old celebrated by peers, and the confidence of a 5-year old who, with peers, leads the young while repeating and strengthening important skills.

We hope you will consider these benefits as you make your school enrollment plans for next year.

In closing we are hoping that the groundhog sees his shadow and predicts more winter weather, or at least some significant snow.  We still have snowmen to build, snow sculptures to create and animal tracks to follow.  Winter is a magical time for children! 

 

The more we get together, the happier we’ll be…

by Thora Press, Children's House 2 Head Teacher
 

The more we get together, together, together
The more we get together, the happier we’ll be…

As we watch the trees outside our classrooms prepare for the approaching winter and the squirrels intensify their pre-winter activities, the children have been celebrating the changing of the seasons. They're focused on art activities, harvesting, preparing and savoring, and learning about parts of plants, leaves, and trees.

Recently, the kindergartners enjoyed a Science Discoveries presentation titled “The Reasons for the Seasons.” They learned why the seasons change and how different plants and animals have adapted to survive the winter. From depositing winter-hardy seeds and eggs to hibernation and migration, children compared and contrasted with the help of visuals, preserved specimens, and live insects. They thoroughly enjoyed this interactive learning experience and each had a chance to decide how they would like to survive. Hibernation was the most popular choice: fattening up, hoarding food, and changing heart rates and body temperature sounded exciting.

Sharing, helping, and learning together is a common theme in all our classrooms. At this  time of the year, we can look outside of our classroom and experience the meaning of community with children in other Stoneridge classrooms and with the greater community.

Stoneridge offers so many opportunities for our children to share experiences and discover common learning themes. They're always excited to relate their work to the work of others. Walking down the hallway, younger children can appreciate the elementary students' illustrations of the leaves, trees, and animals that they are learning about in their own classrooms.

Our students see land, air and water maps, along with the detailed maps of continents and countries made by the older children. They can find drawings of the pink tower used to make math calculations. They can make associations--connecting their favorite apple graphs with graphs made in Lower Elementary or the graph the Upper Elementary students are using to track food donations to Beverly Bootstraps.

The younger children eagerly welcome older friends into the classroom whenever the opportunity arises. It is wonderful to see a three-year-old, a kindergartner, and a Middle School student working together on a baking project. We delight to see the enthusiasm with which an elementary student reads his favorite picture book to a captive audience at lunch time.

Preparing Thanksgiving baskets for families in need embodies the spirit of working together towards a common goal. As each child brings in a contribution, he or she can see the gift containers outside all the classrooms filling up.

To ensure that every container will also include a turkey, requires the collaborative effort of each classroom, First, the Children’s House children will earn the money by doing chores at home. They love to read their Turkey Chore booklets, share their chores, and hear about how their classmates have earned their quarters. This practical life activity becomes a math exercise when the sixth graders collect the Turkey Chore booklets and count the quarters. It is back to practical life when the Upper Elementary children take the money to the store to buy the turkeys. The turkeys are delivered to the Middle School children, who are responsible for putting together complete Thanksgiving Feast gift containers and delivering them to Beverly Head Start on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

 

We are truly privileged to be part of a close community that has the means to share what we have, work together towards a common goal, learn together and help others celebrate being together.  

 

 

 

 

 

Building Connections

by Sandra Lee, CH 3 Head Teacher

During the month of October in Children’s House, we have been building connections and nourishing the awareness of Montessori education. One special event after another has encouraged every individual in Stoneridge  to connect with self, each other, family members, the school and nature.  These connections not only make us feel we are an important part of the community, but also lead us to perceive the ultimate goals of Montessori education. We are what we feel and perceive!

There were several important events during October that emphasized this idea of connections. On October 15th , twenty-four parents joined together for the Montessori Journey to nourish their awareness by immersing themselves in the full spectrum of learning the Montessori way. From 8:30 am to 12:30 pm, they traveled from Toddler House to Middle School,  experiencing how a child learns, from a 2-year-old to a 14-year-old. Through working with the materials in each classroom, parents were able to grasp the mindfulness of Montessori materials and the thoughtfulness of the Montessori environment. Mindfulness and thoughtfulness in the Montessori Early Childhood curriculum cultivate the connections between every area of a child’s development and builds connections between a child and his/her sense of the universe.

 

On October 21st , Stoneridge hosted grandparents and friends.  After watching the kindergarten concert, guests were welcomed in the Children’s House classroom where eager children presented their favorite work to their special guests and talked about what they do in their classroom. It was a joy to see the warmth, tenderness and pride expressed by the guests and to feel their love for all the children. Connections among generations were nourished and common goals between school and home were established.

 

October 24th was a beautiful, sunny afternoon; just the day for the kindergartners to visit the “Fairy House” site located in the woods.  Following their own interest, instinct, understanding and imagination, they grouped themselves into different working teams and built their own fairy houses.  Through planning, executing, modifying, negotiating and talking about the distinct features of each house, their sense of community was built and the beauty of their connectedness was strengthened.  

 

We invite you to  join with us, to look deeply into what your child is learning, to experience how a Montessori education connects you to your child, to your community and to the universe.

Welcome Brent and Jaylee

We welcomed Jaylee Conway into Children's House 3, this past month; she fell right into the pace of the classroom and seems to be quite at home. Please welcome her and her father, Brent.    

 

Welcoming Autumn in Children's House

by Linda Seeley, Children's House I Head Teacher

Autumn hello, Autumn hello,
Autumn is here to stay,
Summer has gone on its way,
Autumn hello.

Autumn is always a wonder-filled season for children. A time of visual delight both inside and out! Leaves turning colors and falling to earth, pumpkins peeking out from everywhere, and acorns, and seedpods all add to the magic of this glorious season. The fall provides children with countless opportunities for natural learning.

It has been a few short weeks since school began and already the children are taking ownership of their classrooms and are learning to work and play harmoniously to build a caring and peace-filled community. Thank you all for your cooperation during the phase-in program.  This time is carefully designed and implemented to serve as a stabilizing period in which the children and teachers get to know one another. In smaller groups, the teachers can begin to build a relationship with each child by moving slowly, and creating an atmosphere of security and emotional comfort. The gradual phase-in allows the child to absorb and digest new concepts and ideas without becoming confused from too much information. In many ways this period helps to set the tone for the whole year!

Through the beginning weeks of school children are particularly drawn to the Practical Life and Sensorial areas of the classroom. Practical Life activities offer the opportunity to participate in real-life activities such as caring for the environment and learning grace and courtesy skills. The Sensorial materials satisfy the child's natural need to explore, compare, observe and create, and are the building blocks needed for math, science, language, music, art.

The Montessori Kindergarten program is the anchor year of the Children's House cycle. It provides a foundation of sensory and motor skill training with an emphasis on individual growth.  During Kindergarten, children assume leadership roles in the classroom. Critical learning habits such as concentration, self discipline, a sense of order, persistence in completing a task, creative self-expression and a love for learning are reinforced in a supportive and rich environment. Our K's are definitely growing into their roles as leaders and classroom models. It is very touching to see how kind and nurturing they are to the younger children and how quickly offer assistance. They are also able to give lessons to their younger friends which, of course, solidifies their own skills.

We are excited to have a kindergarten class of 20 this year!  We begin each afternoon in circle to get to know one another better (social skills) and to plan our day. We then divide into two groups which we have named Trees and Leaves. Each group works on alternating days in Sandra's or Linda's room. With Sandra, the children are focusing on basic skills and with Linda on cultural studies. On Tuesdays, the children have Kindergarten Chorus and Gym and on Fridays, a special art class. We close our week with a Peace Circle involving stories, songs, and poems about peacemaking and peacemakers.

 

September was the month to learn about Maria Montessori through a hands-on time line and about John Chapman which included cooking Johnny Appleseed toast! The entire school recognized the International Day of Peace with a moment of silence. The conclusion of our Peace Circle is a candle walk where the light and love of each child is recognized through the giving and receiving of the peace candle.

 

Our curriculum topics for October are Life in the Sea (excluding fish), Leaves and Trees, Fruit and Vegetables, and Map and Globe Studies. A globe and a picture of the earth along with a world map or a U.S. map are great additions to a child's room and offer a vehicle for conversations and learning opportunities.

We welcome all contributions to the above topics. To help with other classroom projects you can donate baby food jars and seasonal items such as Indian corn. Please let us know if you have other ideas that would afford us creative learning experiences.

Dr Montessori said, "The secret of all naure is to be found in the soul of a child". The natural sense of wonder that encompasses children's minds and hearts draws them to question and explore the world around them. Each new season offers us opportunities for growth, learning, pleasure, discovery, and the chance once again to appreciate the wonder of Autumn!

Enjoy the magic of this glorious season!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Music Discovery: Sign Up Now!

by Hannah Mell, Music Director

What better way to welcome a child into the world than with song and dance? On Tuesday mornings, we welcome Stoneridge families (and those from anywhere on the North Shore) into our music room for a class that helps parents bond with their children through music. Children develop musical aptitude through songs and games--as well as  language, spatial awareness, social skills, and emotional expression.

Music Discovery is open to infants through pre-schoolers and their parents. The fall session began two weeks ago, but we have space for a few more children! We meet from 9:30 a.m. to 10:05 a.m. in the music room. If you know someone who might be interested, take a brochure from the Community bulletin board in the lobby, or send Hannah an e-mail at hmell@stoneridgecms.org.