Published On: May 1, 2018

Unplugged

Monday was the start of Screen-free Week, but it’s not too late to get involved! Formerly known as TV Turnoff Week, the campaign has expanded over the past 24 years and challenges individuals to break free from all forms of digital entertainment for just one week.  Have a look at these 101 activities for inspiration: (http://www.screenfree.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/101-Screen-Free-Activities.pdf). What activities will you choose?

Student Art Sale & Silent Auction

Our students’ art will remain on display at Stone Soup Gallery throughout the week – come by between 11-5 Tuesday – Friday or 10-5 on Saturday to purchase and pick up your student’s work! $20 per item, and have your students’ work framed for $40.  The school receives an added fundraiser for each piece of student art that Stone Soup frames.  The silent auction will also remain active through the week, and bidding will close Saturday (5/5) @ 5:00.

Lottery for SY2019 Enrollment

The lottery to determine enrollment for the 2019 school year takes place @ 4:15 this Friday in the Blue Tang classroom.  As a reminder, families of currently enrolled students must maintain all components of the Contract of Commitment: service hours, parent meetings, all-school meetings to maintain continuous enrollment at May Sands Montessori School.

Kinetic Sculpture

Earlier last month our Upper Elementary students spent time learning about the artist Stanely Papio with Ms. Adele Williams at the East Martello Museum, and they were intrigued at how local social commentary was an integral aspect of Papio’s sculptures.   Our school’s sculpture is taking shape and even has an element of local social commentary, in true Papio fashion.  Mr. Steve continues to work with our students to assemble ‘found’ objects into the likeness of an iguana; the often reviled scaly herbivore will be our featured kinetic sculpture at this Saturday’s Papio Kinetic Parade!   Parents, students, and staff are invited to finish crafting our school’s parade entry through this Friday (5/4) on campus.  The parade takes place Saturday (5/5) @ 5:00 and begins at the Custom’s House Museum.

India Hicks Fundraiser

We were the only school selected in Key West to be the beneficiaries of an India Hicks online Get Together Event –  30% of all sales will be sent to our school! Thank you for shopping and please share this link with your network of friends:  https://www.indiahicks.com/event/may-sands-montessori-school/shopping this event is live now and will close on 5/19.  Special thanks to Pinky Singh (Blue Tang, Reef Gecko) and Andrea Psaras for helping support tuition-free Montessori education in Key West!

Books & Books Community Day & Book Fair

Our local (awesome) bookstore will host a Community Book Fair to benefit May Sands Montessori School on Saturday, May 12th! Our school will reap a percentage of every ad that accompanies a sale! Share the attached coupons with your friends; we’re hoping to have a super-successful in-store book fair!  Our in-school Books & Books fair dates are May 14th  through the 25th and titles from teacher summer reading lists will be available for purchase.  We also have a couple of incentives to share with our community, thanks to our helpful students, see below!

All-School Meeting Elections

Our last meeting of the school year takes place @ school @ 6:00 on Wednesday, May 23.  As a reminder, families must attend two of the three All-School meetings in a school year to maintain compliance with the Contract of Commitment; families who have attended only one meeting are required to attend this meeting. Those families who attend all three meetings will earn an extra service hour point!

We have two parent seats that will expire this month; Briana Castillo (2011-2018) and Nancy Brundage (2015-2018) will finish their board service in May – thank you, ladies, for your volunteerism!  May Sands Montessori School families are invited to complete and return an application (attached) to our school office by 16 May 2018.  Voting will occur by ballot at our meeting on 23 May @ 6:00.

IV. VOTING BY CORPORATE MEMBERS

  1. In any vote for the election of a Director(s), a Member may vote in person or by written proxy. The Board shall draft an official proxy form to be used by Members in such elections.
  2. Each Member (the entire Member’s family, that is, both parents/legal guardians of one or more students constitute for voting purposes one Member; similarly, separated or divorced parents of one or more students also constitute for voting purposes one Member) is entitled to only one vote in any election for a Director(s) or on any single matter or issue at any membership or special meeting. Proxies shall be filed with the Board Secretary before being voted at the election of the Directors. A proxy purporting to be executed by or on behalf of a Member shall be deemed valid unless challenged at or prior to its exercise and the burden of proving invalidity shall rest on the challenger.
  3. The presence, in person or by proxy, of thirty percent (30%) of the Members entitled to vote in the election of Directors shall constitute a quorum, For all other meetings, a quorum shall consist of the presence of ten percent (10%) of the Members entitled to vote.

Voting for Directors shall be by written ballot, not requiring the name of the voter. Voting on other matters and issues may be conducted in such a manner as determined by the Board in its discretion.

(May Sands Montessori Bylaws, p.2)

Annual Fund Match

Help us double our Annual Fund campaign efforts within the next 22 days!   We have a generous donor who will match donations made to the school’s Annual Fund campaign up to $10,000! Families can pay by check, cash, or follow this link for credit card processing:  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/MjI0MDk=

The Annual Fund supports free, public Montessori education for students in Key West & the Lower Keys. Our public charter school relies, in part, on donations to cover the gap in funding that is required to provide authentic Montessori programming.  Monetary contributions made by families and Charter friends who support Montessori as an alternative education model ensures that our program will continue, regardless of State and local budget shortfalls. Donations made to the Annual Fund are tax deductible.

Pizza Fridays!

Our students will have the opportunity to purchase a pizza lunch each Friday through May 25th.  The cost is $3 for three slices; additional slices cost $1.

Community Events

Tutu Relay

Grab your tutu and lace up your sneakers, it’s time for the annual Tutu Relay! http://www.themeruns.com/tutu-relay/

For the first time ever, you do not have to run as part of a team; solo runners are now allowed to sign up and run the entire 10K!

Bring your own tutu. If you don’t have one yet, various styles and colors will be sold during registration the night before and morning of the race.

Register via this link: https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/KeyWest/Tutu10KRelay  8:00 Start time

RACE DAY INFO:

Packet pickup and in-person registration at Salute! from 4pm – 6pm Friday night and Saturday morning from 6:30am-7: 45 am. Registration is $25 per person online and increases to $30 after 4:00 pm on Friday, May 4th.

This race benefits Care Camp, which is a camp that allows children with cancer and their siblings to go away to KOA campgrounds together.

Papio Kinetic Parade Festival

As the parade winds down Duval Street the Truman Waterfront Amphitheater will open for the first annual Papio Festival!  The event  takes place from 5-9 on Saturday and will feature food trucks, local vendors, live music by Poi Dog Pondering, and a Kids Zone with games, face paintin, and inflatable slide

$25 general admission for adults, Kids under 18 are free!