For a great introduction to the importance of the kindergarten year in a Montessori classroom, check out the video below: "A Time to Blossom - Montessori for the Kindergarten Year" by the Montessori Foundation. It provides a wonderful overview of how Montessori kindergarten acts as a capstone for Primary students - enabling them to reach their full potential academically in the classroom and empowering them to act as leaders and mentors for the younger children.

KMS has been approved for a second "Healthy Habits" mini-grant from the Knox County Health Department to support our fitness and nutrition work with our Primary students. We plan to use these funds to involve the students in planting two vegetable gardens, two herb gardens, and a strawberry patch at the school this coming spring.

The Primary students will start the plants inside under grow lights early next year and move them outside when the weather gets warm enough. They will plant vegetables such as sugar snap peas, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage that will be ready to eat before the end of the school year in May. If the strawberries go in early enough, they should produce their first crop by the end of May as well. Our students already compost their lunch scraps, and we will use the compost on the gardens.

In addition to buying tools and materials for the gardens, we will also use the grant to purchase a new grow light (to supplement one we already have), new compost buckets for the classrooms, a see-through compost container so children can watch table scraps and other material turning into compost, and a "Root Vue Farm" that enables children to watch root vegetables like carrots and radishes grow. We will also buy several books on gardening with children that we will add to the Parent Resources shelf in the front office.

We are very happy that the Health Department has once again recognized the value of our work. The gardening project will be a wonderful experience for our students, and we're all looking forward to getting started on it in January.

Current Families, Alumni, Current

and Former Staff, and Friends

Please Join Us for

THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

AND WALK AROUND THE SUN

Saturday, October 22nd, 2011

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Help KMS and win something fun for yourself and your family by bidding in the KMS online auction on eBay. The following items are available:

• The Parthenon - Two tickets admitting two visitors per ticket
• Wilderness of the Smokies - Wild Water Dome Tickets - Tickets for 4 admissions to Wild Water Dome
• Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum - Two admissions tickets for two people
• Creative Discovery Museum - Four admission tickets to the Creative Discovery Museum
• Seaton Shoots Photography Session - 1 Consultation, studio photo session, and 8x10 portrait
• Cumberland County Playhouse - Two tickets to any Theatrical Shows at the Playhouse
• Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park - Two admission tickets to Chimney Rock
• Chattanooga's Southern Belle Riverboat - Tickets for a Sightseeing Cruise for two
• Courtyard by Marriott at Knoxville Airport Alcoa - Two nights accommodation in a Whirlpool Jacuzzi Suite
• Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament at Discover Mills - Two admissions for a Dinner and Tournament
• High Museum of Art - Four tickets to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, GA

You can bid on any or all of these items at http://shop.ebay.com/knoxmontessori/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1. Please help by spreading the word to others who might be interested as well.

All proceeds go to the KMS Building & Grounds Fund and help us make essential repairs and upgrades to our building and playground.

Thanks for your help and support!