NOTABLE
DATES
December 20 🎉
PJ Day
December 20
Half-Day – 12pm pick up – No PM Child Care
December 23 – January 3 🚫🏫
Winter Break – No School – No Child Care
January 6🏫
Back to School
January 9⌛
Deadline to Order Lunches
January 14🥪🍕
Pre-Ordered Lunches Start
Please see the updates to Father’s Night and Mother’s Night (Early Childhood)
“We see the figure of the child who stands before us with his arms held open, beckoning humanity to follow.”
– Dr. Maria Montessori
SCHOOL UPDATES
Pajama Day & Half Day – December 20
Pajama Day! Please have your student join in on the fun and send them to school wearing their favorite jammies! Our teachers and staff will be in their PJ’s too!
Friday is also a half-day for all students. Dismissals for all students will be at 12:00.
Child Care is not available in the afternoon.
All elementary students 2-5 will be dismissed curbside
All early childhood and first level students will be dismissed in the parking lot
Winter Break Holiday!
CMS will be closed from December 23 – January 3rd. Returning to school on Monday, January 6th.
New Lunch Offerings
We are excited to announce that we have two new lunch vendors for 2025 and a new way of signing up for lunches!
Tuesday – Submarina
Thursday – Chick-fil-A
Friday – Pizza Hut
Please click on the link below to a google form to see all options. Please note that you are signing up for January – June! You will only need to order lunch one time! Billing will be done in Renweb.
Deadline to order lunches: Thursday January 9th.
January – June Lunch Options
Staff Updates at CMS – Effective January 6, 2025
We are writing to share some heartfelt goodbyes and exciting welcomes within our Country Montessori School community.
Farewells
Ana Cristina (Ms. C.), our beloved teacher from the Dragonfly classroom, will be retiring as she and her family relocate from San Diego. Her remarkable tenure at CMS has left an indelible mark on our community, and she will be missed tremendously.
Genesis Wasson, our energetic and cheerful computer and childcare teacher, is embarking on a new journey into the tech world. His dedication and enthusiasm have been inspiring, and we wish him all the best as he pursues this exciting new chapter in his career.
Kimberly Solorio, the Bumblebee classroom assistant, is setting off on a traveling adventure. While we will miss her greatly, we are thrilled for the exciting experiences ahead of her.
Welcomes
We are pleased to announce that Mando Gomez, who has been with CMS since October, will be joining the Bumblebee classroom team. Mando’s experience and positive spirit make him a wonderful addition to the faculty.
Additionally, we are delighted to welcome Cortney Mahoney to our staff as a support and child care teacher. Her enthusiasm for child development will undoubtedly enrich our school community.
While it is always difficult to say goodbye, we are grateful for the opportunity to celebrate the contributions of those leaving and to welcome new members to our school family.
After School Classes
Just a reminder that there are after school classes here at CMS. You can always find the most up-to-date flyers on Renweb under School > “Resource Documents”. Please contact the teacher directly for availability – some could be at compacity. Each class has it’s own schedule and start dates. If you would like more information – please contact each teacher.
There is a new Early Childhood class (ages 3-6) that has been added! Taught by: Ms. Rendon & Ms. Salas!
NEW: Move it, Move it! (Wednesday’s)
Early Childhood Classes (ages 3-6):
Science Class – Ms. Salas & Ms. Rendon (Monday’s)
Cooking with Katie – Ms. Marr & Ms. Estrada (Tuesday’s)
NEW: Move it, Move it! (Wednesday’s)
Yoga – Ms. West (Friday’s)
Elementary Classes:
Chess & Rescue Rangers – rotates each month – Mr. Rehkopf (Tuesday’s)
Garden Club – Ms. Stanphill & Ms. Patel (Wednesday’s)
Film Club – Mr. Cortez & Ms. Patel (Thursday’s)
Yoga- Ms. West (Friday’s)
Cooler Weather
Just a reminder, if you are sending your child(ren) to school with jackets, sweaters or sweatshirts, please make sure you have labeled them so they can make it home!
The Importance of Punctuality in Early Childhood Program
Punctual arrival at school is essential, particularly at Country Montessori School (CMS), where we emphasize that CMS is a school, not a drop-in daycare facility. In Early Childhood, establishing a routine, greeting peers, and engaging with the morning schedule are developmentally crucial practices. These foundational elements help young children build social skills, independence, and familiarity with structure, all of which contribute to a successful academic experience. Furthermore, arriving on time minimizes disruptions, fosters responsibility, promotes a strong work ethic, and ensures that students receive essential information at the beginning of the day. In the long term, punctuality instills respect for teachers and peers and prepares students for future professional expectations where timeliness is paramount.
Class begins promptly at 8:30 AM, with arrivals scheduled between 8:15 and 8:30 AM. To ensure a smooth start, please make sure students are in their classrooms by 8:30; we want to avoid arriving in the parking lot at that time. If you arrive after 8:30 AM, we ask that you kindly park and wait with your child; a staff member will escort late students to class. We appreciate your support and cooperation in helping us create a productive beginning to each day! Thank you!
Signing Your Early Childhood Student In and Out – MANDATORY
As a reminder, please sign your student(s) in and out when dropping off and picking them up each day. This can be done directly through your CMS app and is a requirement under California State Child Care Licensing regulations. Your cooperation is essential to ensure we remain compliant with state requirements. We appreciate your support and assistance in maintaining these standards. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Click here for the CMS App
Ladybug, Bumblebee and Dragonfly Student Arrival Time
Class begins promptly at 8:30 and morning arrivals are from 8:15 – 8:30. Please pull through the driveway and a staff member will greet your student. Arrivals end at 8:30. Dismissals for full day students are from 2:30-2:45. Please pull through the parking lot and a staff member will put your student in your car. When leaving the parking lot please exit right. We appreciate your support of having your student in their classroom on time and your cooperation.
Elementary Arrivals and Dismissals
Class begins promptly at 8:30 and morning arrivals are from 8:15-8:30. All elementary students should be dropped off curbside. If the curb is full please come through the parking lot. This will assist with blocking the driveway as well as traffic on Monte Vista Road. Dismissals are from 3:00-3:15. Eagle students dismiss from the parking lot and Owl students from curbside. If the curb or parking lot is full, use the alternative. We appreciate your cooperation.
CMS Apparel Available
We are excited to offer some CMS Apparel options for both students and families. We are offering: CMS shirts, hats, and hoodies for kids, and polo, shirts, hats, and hoodies for Adults. Please fill out 1 form per order. Items will be billed in Renweb. Please note that you will be able to submit another order right after you hit “submit”.
NEW CMS Referral Incentive Program
We are excited to announce a new opportunity for some family incentives for sharing your CMS experience with other families and friends. Starting this school year, when a CMS family refers a new family who enrolls, they will have the opportunity to have their service hours met. You can also earn a $300 tuition credit for the second referral and a $100 tuition credit for all subsequent enrollment referrals.