Klahanie School April 2025 Newsletter!

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There are opportunities even in the most difficult moments.

I’m very conscious of the fact that you can’t do it alone.  It’s teamwork.  When you do it alone you run the risk that when you are no longer there nobody else will do it.  

~Dr. Wangari Maathai

Giving kids clothes and food is one thing, but it’s much more important to teach them that other people besides themselves are important and that the best thing that they can do with their lives is to use them in the service of other people.

When you have a conflict, that means that there are truths that have to be addressed on each side of the conflict. And when you have a conflict, then it’s an educational process to try to resolve the conflict. And to resolve that, you have to get people on both sides of the conflict involved so that they can dialogue.

~Delores Huerta 

Mommy Maestra: Dolores Huerta Lesson Plans, Activities, Coloring Sheets and More

April 2025 Topics & Gratitude

Thank you Klahanie School staff of Deb, Shelly, Emmy, Courtny, Brooklyn, Perla, Tallulah.  Thank you parents and grandparents and siblings and friends of students at Klahanie School.  Thank you for all you do. 

NO School Inservice Days March 26/27

No School Spring Break:  March 31-April 4  

School Housekeeping moving into spring-summer and Drop off reminders: Please be to school in the window of 8:30-8:45 am (gate closed and locks at 8:45am) for drop off for the following reasons:

Safety: Help teachers keep gates closed and kids safe.  Coming back to our safeties at school and all students accounted for, we seek to follow our established school policies of EMAILING the school no later than 7:30 am each morning for drop off and pick up variances, illness absences that we need on record. This request includes notes about varying topics related to your child such as: sleep, wellness, items coming to school, family absences and trips or deaths-emergency in family.  

Klahanie School faculty’s number one responsibility is for student safety and care, and when in the presence of students: 100% focus on their transitioning and care and will be addressing the child directly to support transitions.  If drop off is a challenge for your family, please  refer to the following video support titled “Supporting Transitions at Home”, found in the following link  You And Your Child’s Montessori Education: Early Childhood to practice some of those ideas and contact Emmy for clarifications if they arise.  

This far in the school year of consistency, your student knows us and what the routine is with two possibilities: 

a) circle to council the day or 

b) straight to concentration and continued projects w/ later circle to council the day.    

Suggested support is to prepare the night before with your child: lining out items at the door as well as clothing and comfortable-self independent footwear.  Added support for your child is leaving the house ten minutes earlier to account for the unexpected moments.  

The following 3min video titled “Supporting Transitions at Home,” found in the following link  You And Your Child’s Montessori Education: Early Childhood supports this transitioning awareness for parents to not only support their child, but to support their teachers and classmate community.  And preparing children in the car before walking to the tent with backpack on, lunch in hand as they exit the car to help the transitioning in the tent. 

Ask your children to carry their own items to hooks or lockers.   

Teacher guidelines of state responsibility for students: in Montessori Early Education, early consistent practice of self explorations and accountability at school are paramount in establishing an inner self care, that is collaborative with equitable social-shared group environments, and educational situations that carries them forward in confidence and teamwork awareness.  Since 2002 as a certified-AMS Montessori teacher, Emmy needs time with students to learn about how they learn individually through ongoing trained observations, lessons, assessments-referrals and time to support them in essential group learning moments and instruct faculty of those records and listen-recording their observations and supports administered.  Also the teacher’s job is to serve as the student’s best advocate in their current learning processes and Ed team, and preparations to support them in future educational Ed teams (sometimes w/IEPs) settings where essential cognitive academic, social-emotional, physical and independent and group learning foundational practices are required on a daily basis.  Being late is disruptive to the class and the teacher focuses.  The gate left open or unlatched is unsafe and needs to be only opened and locked by the teachers please. 

Klahanie School Circle means: *honoring Indigenous First Nations form of council and global ancient methods of how to build communications.  Circle here is communication community building with: awareness and ease into the discomfort of leaving home and being at school (humor, kindness cuddle, breath, meditation), brain gym, sharing bag, calendar, unit or class agreements reviews / environment or schedule updates, voting, talking and listening practices, intentions, social-emotional-life science focus in books and puppets, songs and dance parties. Klahanie Circle is vital for your child and they can always pass or be silent- it is their presence and many times, full contribution that matters most.  Please help them here- they need it and we need them! And these are the skills you will soak up as they age knowing it is embedded through these early learning moments in group with us. 

Thank you greatly for this support allowing us to best support your early learner.  Please contact Emmy if inquiries arise after spring break to discuss a collaborative approach about drop off following your watch of the video above and some at home practice time. 

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Welcome Spring 2025!  Daily we collectively are filled with humbled, reflective and joyful appreciation to share with your children as we soak up spring together. Our upcoming months will be focused on more projects and longer extensions to lessons as well as preparing children for next school environments if moving onwards.  We are elated to have time through summer supporting your child(ren) preparing confidences to their move into future environments, teaching styles and peer groups.  Our summers together increase a bit in diversity and size with enrollment of a couple of Chautauqua students, current Klahanie siblings/alums as well as some wonderful teen and MCM intern helpers.  Our monthly Specialists will continue as well and some planned KVI beach walks we hope to have some parent volunteer help in those days, are coming up so thank you for keeping up on school email correspondences.  

2025-2026 Enrollment Open, Thank you for your registration!  Please forward our information to prospective families supporting ongoing Montessori Antibias work in a multiage learning environment, respecting our commitment to two-three years.  Retention of students is essential for Montessori class communities and based on independent student and multiage student community learning.  Each and every child matters in a Montessori class.

Early departure from those two-three year agreements with the exception of medical, economic hardship, therapies, moving situations, areas the Klahanie School board, enrollment committee and faculty seek to avoid through clearer language in contracts so our school class ratios of students are not impacted further down the line. Please refer to your photo albums for reference of how it feels and looks for your early learners in a true community co-created by them, with peer-student support, and how intricately we nurture those essential social skills in children here at Klahanie School.  Thank you as a Klahanie School stakeholder for sharing this with prospective families.    

Below is our BeachComber advertisement, we have a couple of spots to fill.  

Name of Program: Klahanie School 

Type of Program: Year Round AMS Montessori Antibias 

Contact: http://www.klahanieschool.org, klahanieschool@gmail.com, 

Ages Served: 2.5yrs-Kindergarten, Teen Mentor-Internship (VHS credit), CES preschool (collaborations open) 

Openings: Filling up fast for the 2025-2026 school year.

Description of Program: AMS Accreditation candidate, utilizing two-site classrooms and the garden as our prepared environments to care for, and explore our ever changing world.  The Montessori and ABAR pedagogies are actively engaged in daily practices of Inclusion and Equity with exposure to Peacemaker monthly units, Mindfulness Social Emotional supports and healthy communication practices. Klahanie preserves the love of learning developed by students, offering trusting space for aspects of freedom and fun to develop at each learning level in prepared environments.  Side-by-side learning engagement with each student is provided.  Additional education is offered through movement, music, language introductions (ALS, Spanish, French), sciences and many connected community moments with monthly Specialists.  Families are supported with consistent communications, x2 conferences, and family education-community opportunities. 

Special Needs: Yes (CES preschool and island specialist collaborations available) Student-to-Teacher Ratio: 3:16 

Meals: Provided by families 

Thriftway Receipts Reminder to please supply Thriftway Receipts for 1% donations and consistent help with Bake Sales.  TW receipts: please write your name and phone number on the top of each receipt and place them bundled in the school drop box or jar on the entry table.  Thank you for the continued help!  

Volunteer & Donation Opportunities:

  • Tie-Dye Parent Help: Please email if you can donate your help organizing the fun for this annual tie dye day shared in July!  Anything you want tie dyed, let’s get clean items by June please.  We will tie dye Klahanie School tee-shirts in July! 
  • Help organize a collaboration with the Senior Center. 
  • Help us Walk and pick up at KVI beach TBA in May & June.
  • Donate old blunt garden shovels for the garden use.   

Celebrate Earth Month! 

  • Peace Maker, Nobel Peace Prize Winner Klahanie beloved Dr.Wangari Maathai.  April 1 is Dr. Wangari’s birthday!   We continue to honor this wonderful woman’s work for African women, children and the environment as well as the globe.  We tell Dr.Maathai’s life story in an age appropriate storytelling and now a new children’s book about her life–in the book we read, there is a section regarding her imprisonment.  We have  conversations regarding the tools used in that illustration (handgun and baton) to frighten her, to try and stop her work.  We make emphasis on her bravery and her team of support to get her out of jail.   We end our day with discussion questions of what makes us feel safe during big imaginative play with friends and how do you offer kindness to the earth.   We will explore safe words at school because school is meant to be a safe space.  Additional words you possibly will hear at home: trees, women, babies, money, planting, no food for the babies or families, soil, water, helping one another.  A wonderful educational reference giving tribute to Dr.Maathai’s work is from Project Learning Tree is at http://www.plt.org/words-to-live-by—a-tribute-to-wangari-maathai Wangari Maathai | The story | About Wangari Maathai, I will be a hummingbird – Wangari Maathai (English) Wangari Maathai & The Green Belt Movement 

It’s the little things citizens do.  That’s what will make the difference. My little thing is planting trees.

Education, if it means anything, should not take people away from the land, but instill in them even more respect for it, because educated people are in a position to understand what is being lost.  The future of the planet concerns all of us, and all of us should do what we can to protect it.  As I told the foresters, and the women, you don’t need a diploma to plant a tree.

~Dr. Wangari Maathai

  • Circle Showcase & Puppets and Stage Productions: more stage time! Opportunity for children, one at a time in groups, to bravely enter the circle or hop on the stage to tell a joke, dance, act, sing, silly movements or animal impersonation and puppet making.  Following each showcase we clap and celebrate the person’s bravery.  Like all spring life surrounding us, our class is popping with activity, interest and movement.   At the end of the day we might do group stretching and we also might create group story telling.  Theater will be the focus and trying out different methods such as Improv (“yes and..” approaches) to nurture confidence and deeper creativity to showcase. 
  • Please, Thank you, Pardon Me & More Grace and Courtesy Daily:  Learning various methods to connect and show our grace and courtesy to the classes, to the world.  A fun and practical request for Grace and Courtesy as well as practice of connecting. With our deeper work with communication, our circles will focus on listening games to practice exploring what listening is, how to listen to self and groups.  Songs, role-play of manners and facial expression/body language practice.
  • Parts of a Flower, Fruiting Trees, Planting Seeds: roots, stem, leaf, corolla (pedal), stamen, pistol using our class microscope at the science table.  Our class will begin exploring more of the plants and amphibian life in and outside of the garden, the classes are helping dig out a pond for our south garden, digging area. We are increasing our use of much more scientific vocabulary as well as labeling the plants with the names and if edible or non-edible.  In April we will gather from the winter garden, for class and guinea pig salads the children will make.  
  • Amazing Life of Hummingbirds
  • Science Tools: We will continue using our class microscope as well as increased usage of our magnifying glasses to use our science eyes to respect the habitats surrounding us.
  • Relationship of pollinators and flowers & Beautiful Insects: the importance of Insects and birds. Butterfly life cycle, bees, Robins, hummingbirds and beginning observation of Painted Lady larva to butterfly process.  Thank you for your help at home welcoming conversations about insects and their importance in our ecosystem.
  • Forest slime and other non-poisonous Forest funguses and plants.  Also explorations of poisonous plants in our forests and what to avoid. 
  • Earth Month:  varying earth month projects and music honoring discussion of how we all are Earth Peacekeepers and focus on renewable and reusable resources and water conservation activities and art.  
  • Woodworking & Recycle Art/Building: We will enjoy class woodworking fun practice and introduction as well as opening opportunities to create from the Recycle bin.  Get ready for some true re-usable, renewable fun coming home soon (garden art:)! 
  • Kindness and Inclusion Pole: Please donate colorful, long ribbons for the garden Kindness and Inclusion pole.   
  • Miraculous Fig Trees
  • April 8th will be Teacher Toby Art Day and Kelly from Dove Project visit for social emotional book topic support!

March 2025 Reflection

Happy Spring!  This month has brought us many wonderful opportunities in and outside the classroom.  We have had practical exploration of the importance of planting on hillsides and awareness of erosion and how to help prevent it.  We also began exploring transplanting times and how to support plants during that process.  The children’s self-initiated outside imagination is rich and many are using all areas of the garden and class spaces.   New and extremely kind friendships are developing and small pods of play happen daily.  We call our garden the outside classroom. This has allowed wonderful practice of listening opportunities as well as initiative for talking-listening rock to figure out taking turns with spaces, working through hurt feelings or misunderstandings.  The group is offering fantastic kindnesses as well as improv opportunities.  

Montessori Education Process: 

Montessori teachers encourage children to learn by placing the pupils, rather than the teacher, at the center of the experience.  Children in Montessori classrooms learn by imitation models, through peer tutoring, and in collaboration.  Montessori is a method of education that is based on self-directed activity, hands-on learning and collaborative play.  Montessori philosophy emphasizes healthily the importance of a three-year cycle during the Absorbent Mind of birth-6yr learners, believing that the full potential of the child is reached after three years in the same environment with the same teacher for confidence building–each age contributing to the classroom from the multi-age groupings.  Incredible mentorship and deeper understanding of the lessons is established with the practice and third year teaching out to complete the process.  For more information on this please click the AMS newsletter below.

AMS Family Connections Newsletter – April 2023.pdf

Supporting our well-being, we have been focusing on Square Breathing as a helpful technique to use in daily lives as families and learning communities as a tool we use in class.  

Box or Square Breathing 

Box breathing, also known as square breathing, is a technique used when taking slow, deep breaths. It’s also called four-square breathing.

How to do square breathing

Begin by slowly exhaling all of your air out.

Then, gently inhale through your nose to a slow count of 4.

Hold at the top of the breath for a count of 4.

Then gently exhale through your mouth for a count of 4. 

At the bottom of the breath, pause and hold for the count of 4.

Important Information to learn for our school about our rights during these challenging times:

Washington Federation of Independent Schools Weekly Member Zoom Meetings 

This week, we reminded K12 schools and early learning leaders of the Insurance Market Challenges insight that NPIP’s Sarah McDonnel shared with the WFIS board of directors for keeping premiums lower. Sarah also highlighted the need for accurate property valuations to avoid insurance issues due to inflation. Her advice: Each time your school initiates a new protocol, completes staff training, or invests in a health and safety product, your insurance company should receive an email about it. Your efforts to strengthen your school’s safety should go on file to seek credits at renewal or access to grants.

School leaders can send another team member to join the call anytime you cannot:

Guidance for schools on ICE access and student records

Yesterday, WFIS attended a Federal and Immigration Policy webinar with Zachary Lyons, an immigration lawyer with Barton Gilman Law, hosted by Montessori Public Policy Initiative (MPPI). With recent changes, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is no longer restricted from operating in schools. To ensure compliance while protecting students, staff, and school operations, Lyons suggested the following:

Student Records & FERPA Compliance

  • ICE must have a court order, judicial warrant, or subpoena to access student records.
  • Schools are not required to disclose directory information unless presented with a subpoena.
  • Schools should maintain a clear FERPA policy, collect minimal directory information, and provide families with an opt-out option for school directories.
  • Parental notification is required before disclosing student records.
  • Schools may challenge subpoenas or warrants in court and should always consult legal counsel before compliance.

Handling ICE Visits to Campus

Schools can lawfully deny access if ICE presents an administrative warrant (which is not court-authorized). If ICE arrives, your school official designated to deal with ICE should:

  • Verify documentation before allowing access to anything. Judicial warrants are issued by the U.S. federal court and signed by a judge, not ICE officials.
  • State: “I intend to comply but need to review this with my attorney before proceeding.”
  • If ICE has the proper documents, limit ICE agents’ movement within the school by having them wait in a closed office space.
  • Request that the sought individual be brought to the office rather than allowing agents to move freely through the school.
  • Employees subject to ICE actions have the right to remain silent and seek legal counsel.

Documentation & Legal Protections

Maintain detailed records of any ICE interactions, including:

  • Copies of ICE documents and badges
  • Security footage
  • A log of ICE visits for legal reference

No one (not a parent, administrator, or staff member) can accompany a detained student, regardless of age (even babies).

Employment & I-9 Compliance

Schools must verify work authorization (I-9 form) for all employees and retain records for three years after hire OR one year after termination, whichever is later.

  • ICE may conduct I-9 audits with at least three days’ notice.
  • Non-compliance can result in civil or criminal penalties.

International Travel Considerations

Schools organizing international travel must verify students’ eligibility to leave and re-enter the U.S. Ensure that:

  • Passports are valid
  • Permanent resident cards are up-to-date
  • Visa status is current
  • Necessary travel documentation (e.g., refugee travel permit, advance parole) is secured

Final Takeaways

Lyons reminded school leaders to train staff and have legal counsel on standby. Consult legal counsel before taking any action. Do not obstruct lawful enforcement, and know communication – with anyone – about ICE operations could be considered interference.

The most important thing to remember is to SLOW IT DOWN. There is no rush to give ICE what they ask for without verification.

MPPI has graciously encouraged the recording link be shared widely.

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/PYxJeVj1W0o9z5gMElqVQZ-N8xvZ4ebUUePCIIQhMv7bOofVZF8u3CoXA8EA6uTL.heAtSy_Ixpsid9Zr

Passcode: kRca$ce3

2025 Legislative Update Week #10There is a huge debate over taxes underway in Olympia for how to balance the state budget shortfall. (Read more). And yesterday, President Trump signed an executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure” of the U.S. Education Department. (Read more). WFIS has a strong connection to the Office of Nonpublic Education within the USDoE and has heard that some staff members have already left.Engrossed SSHB 1648 **ACTION Still NEEDED**Please send a note to the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education members. Let them know that this bill is incredibly important to early learning educators. There was a misunderstanding during the hearing, and we want to clarify that ongoing training, the ten star hours per year, is mandatory for everyone. Here is the list of members.SB 5506 extends the timeline for licensing boarding schools. The bill is scheduled for a hearing and vote next week.HB 1543 was heard on March 19. WFIS testified. We insist on an amendment that clarifies legislators’ prioritization of fixing serious health and safety issues within a school building BEFORE taking on energy usage issues. We are working with the Dept of Commerce and the Board of Health to fix this bill. The vote will be on March 28.Engrossed SSB 5509 will be voted on today. This bill requires cities, towns, and city codes to permit childcare centers in all zones except industrial zones, light industrial zones, and open spaces. Senator John Braun added an amendment stipulating “conditional use approval of an on-site child care center in industrial or light industrial zones, except in or around high hazard facilities.”SSB 5655 (HB 1582) will be voted on next week. The bill requires that when a child care center is operated in a dedicated space within an existing building with more than one use, the occupancy load must be based only on the areas where the child care services are provided.

AMS Parent Learning Opportunities:

As a former head of school, I truly understand how vital parent education is for fostering a strong school community and retaining families. And to ensure that your families appreciate how their children are learning in a Montessori environment and how they can support that learning at home.

To support you in this effort, we’re offering a course designed specifically for families eager to incorporate Montessori principles into their everyday lives and parenting practices.

This course provides participants with valuable resources to enhance their child’s education, deepen their understanding of Montessori philosophy, and learn practical ways to apply these principles at home. I know you can think of a family or two who would greatly benefit from this!

The course begins on March 31st, 2025, and requires a commitment of only 1-2 hours per week for six weeks. It’s oriented towards parents and guardians of children aged 2½ to 6 who are currently enrolled in a Montessori school or those interested in learning more about the Montessori approach. This may be a great introductory course for new families joining your school as well.

I encourage you to share this valuable resource with your parent community. Registration and more information can be found here. Use promo code: MEMBER10 for $10 off.

If you need any assistance, or have questions about your membership at any time, I hope you’ll reach out. Thank you for being a part of our mission to build a better world through Montessori.

Sincerely, 

_________________________________________

Dorothy Ewing (she/her)
Membership Development & Operations Manager
American Montessori Society
T: 646-965-5592
E: dorothy@amshq.org
W: amshq.org                             

Teaching for Change Resources: 

This lesson about Edna Griffin challenges assumptions about the Civil Rights Movement and helps students see the interconnectedness of different struggles. The lesson is from our book, Putting the Movement Back Into Civil Rights Teaching.

Our Social Justice Books site offers a list of books on organizing for all ages. https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/organizing/ 

We share a list of events for social justice educators and allies hosted by Teaching for Change and our colleagues. Join us! https://www.teachingforchange.org/news/national 

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