January 2018 News

TAX ID-  #39-17-534172

If you do need a year end receipt, please email Debby.
Receipts are generally sent 3-7 days from request.

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CAMP Countryside

Our Camp sign up will begin at the end of this month/beginning of February. Please note that spaces are limited, and we encourage families to sign up as soon as possible. There are 3 sessions available for the summer, and an activity fee for each one.  Please submit the activity fee for each session when turning in registration.  First enrollment is given to current enrolled children, then opens to past students.

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Did You Know…

Montessori is an amazing education philosophy that began over 100 years ago, and is credited for so much advancement and nurturing of the minds of many leaders and inventors. Did you know your preschooler is learning Geography?  Not only do we teach that we are a community member in our classroom, but in the larger world as well.  That is a responsibility of taking peace forward – teaching children to respect the world and truly “own” it through information and care.  We start at concepts such as land, air, and water, landmarks, bags full of small cherished items from lands near and far (always taking donations for that, by the way…:)), and Maps – a treasure our older students beam with pride as they are challenged and complete the beautiful work of map making.

For more about these lessons, and others, we as a CMP Staff, want to offer you one more way into your child’s classroom life.  We will be displaying a lesson in the coatrooms that you can see and look at in awe, at what these small, but mighty minds are doing each day.  See your child’s classroom teacher with questions on what is put out.  As always, keep in mind – “Process… before product…”  “Each child is an individual”, and learns at different paces and choices.  Each have their own strengths and weaknesses.

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Letters of Intent

As CMP begins its 25th year of caring for and educating children…! Letters of Intent for the 2018-19 school year will begin in the next few weeks. We expect this school year to be full once again, and with a wait list beginning. Please see your child’s teacher or email Debby with any questions or concerns. We honor and appreciate your choice and want to assist you in continuing to make the best choices possible for your child.

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THANK YOU

A huge, heartfelt THANK YOU to each and everyone of you!  The thoughtfulness, and generosity bestowed on each of us this past holiday season, and quite frankly, so many ways each week, is amazing, and we so appreciate your acknowledgements, cards, and gifts that you shared.
We love teaching and care for your children and serving each of you!
With Love,  CMP Teachers

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Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser and Sledding

Join other Countryside families on Saturday, February 3rd, at 8:30am, at Lakeview Lutheran Church, 4001 Mandrake Rd. (just up the street!) for a pancake breakfast fundraiser, followed by sledding, if there’s snow!  More details will be forthcoming.  Look for sign-ups for food donations by the sign-in sheet on each floor, starting soon.  Since this is a fundraiser, all food that is not donated will need to be purchased from the ticket sales, so please donate, as you are able.  Laura Jasiczek, is heading this up and could use a few volunteers to help out with breakfast prep and clean-up after. Please contact her at ldjasiczek@gmail.com, if you can help out.

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Winter Reminders!

-Thank you for sending your child ready to play outdoors each day.  We ask that you help your child practice getting dressed at home, as we do at school. RE: Independence feels great!

-Slippers make a great transition into the classroom, and boots are not allowed.

-As illness’ creep in, please keep your child home from school when sick and showing symptoms. A full 24 hours after the symptoms clear is what is requested.  We know this can be hard, but it is necessary in keeping all children and teachers healthy.

-Winter driving weather can be tricky.. please plan ahead and have a back up if necessary.  We want all to be safe.  A reminder to please arrive at least 5-10 minutes from your pick up time to provide time for a fast exit to avoid disruption with the next programming or school closing.

-If Madison Public Schools Close, CMP does too.  Please check local radio and television stations for listings.  We do NOT list our name, rather follow MMSD’s decision.

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Remember to buy your coffee from Rusty Dog

CMP Fairtrade Coffee Blend by Rusty Dog. Please go to rustydog.com and click on group orders – password “group” and order away. CMP receives $3.50 a bag, PLUS a portion is donated to the Humane Society, and a portion to Fair Trade, we call that a win=win=win! We have worked out with Tom, that orders can be delivered straight to CMP for pick up! Pick up will be every other Thursday at CMP!

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Seroogy’s Candy Bars

There are 6 varieties of Seroogy’s candy bars for sale at Countryside. If you’ve got a busy office, with lots of sweet tooths, consider “checking out” a variety box of candy bars and take them to your office to sell.  This chocolate is so good that, once people discover it, they will sell themselves!  Also, it will get your co-workers excited for our big, boxed candy Seroogy’s sale coming up!  See Debby for candy bar checkout.

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25th Anniversary Gala

Countryside will be celebrating 25 years in 2018!  Get ready to celebrate with us! Plans are still being made (let Patty or Debby know if you’re interested in helping out), but be ready for a night out this Spring.  All current families and alumni will be invited.

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Creative Ways to Say “No” To A Child

Kathryn Kvols

Saying “no” to your child can be difficult. Sometimes we end up feeling like a broken record that says “no” all the time. Sometimes our kids just wear us down. Yet saying “no” is a necessary ingredient to help children grow and to be able to say “no” to sex, drugs and other dubious things we want our children to refuse when we are not present. Here are 19 variations of saying “no” to add to your parenting repertoire.

For younger children:

1. Give them an alternative. “Walls are not for coloring. Here is a piece of paper.”
2.  Tell them what to do instead i.e., “Water needs to stay in the tub.”
3. Use distraction.
4. For a youngster who has something you don’t want her to have said, “That’s not a toy. However, this is a toy you can play with.”
5. Sing, “no, no, no.”
6. Say it in a funny way, i.e. “Never in a million trillion years!”

For older children:

1.  “That’s not an option.”
2. “I am unwilling….”
3. “That’s not appropriate.”
4. “I am not ready for you to do that yet.”
5. Ask, “What do you think you would need to do before I would be willing to say yes to that?”
6. Ask, “What do you think? Is this a good choice for you?” (If you choose to use this, make sure you are willing to abide by their answer.)
7. Ask, “What are your other options?”
8. “No, but I would be willing to…”
9.  “I appreciate your asking, however…”
10. “This is not negotiable.”
11. “Yes, as soon as (task) is done….”
12. “I’d love to, now’s not an option, let’s go put it on the calendar.”
13. Do the unexpected!  

Of course there are times when you should say, “no” and mean “no”. At those times it is helpful to make direct eye contact with the child and in a firm and neutral tone of voice, say the word “no,” ONCE. Some children do best with a brief reason why they are being told no. However, it is essential that this explanation is very short. Keep it short to avoid turning this into a lecture. Do not get into an argument. If you do, your child will learn that if he wears you down, you will give in.