Week of September 14, 2026

Happening this Week

  • Monday: (Specials: E-Day)

  • Tuesday (Specials: A-Day)

  • Wednesday (Specials: B-Day)

  • Thursday (Specials: C-Day)

    • 5PM Curriculum Night & Classroom Dinner #1 (see below for specific classes assigned)

  • Friday (Specials: D-Day)

From Principal Jenn

Good Evening Families,

We have a few important updates for the upcoming week:

We are settling into the routines of school and learning! This week and next, we will be hosting our Curriculum Night with a classroom dinner. This is a great opportunity to see your child’s classroom, hear from their teachers, and connect with other families in your child’s class. Each class is assigned one of two dates (September 17 or 24), so be sure to check below to see which night to attend.

This Tuesday is our dine-out at Timber Pizza. We'll have delicious pizza and pints of Locopops ice cream. I hope to see many of you there enjoying a great dinner, while also supporting the George Watts Montessori PTA.

Have a great week, and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon!

Principal Jenn

This Week in your Family-Connect Folder

  • Grade level-band newsletter

  • Details for Curriculum Night + classroom dinner

Curriculum Nights and Classroom Dinners

Each Fall, we welcome families into our classrooms to learn more about their child’s daily experience and learning. We follow this with an outdoor picnic as a classroom community to give families an opportunity to meet one another. Please see the list below for which night each classroom is assigned.

  • September 17: primary classes–Duffy, Harris, Hawkins, Watson; lower el classes–Hamilton, Williams, S. Zopfi; upper el classes–Oakeley, Orsini, Pryor, Emma Singleton; EC Dev. Needs–Snyder.

  • September 24: primary classes–Whithaus-Meyers, Zehr; lower el classes–Bogue, Cooper, Joy Mason, Allie Schreiber, White, M. Zopfi; EC Dev. Needs–Gabriel Vogt.

Are you new to Montessori?

We want to share some “lingo” to ensure you know what we mean. Over the next several updates, we’ll share each one of the five core components of Montessori Education. This week’s core component of Montessori education is the “Trained Montessori Teachers”.

“A qualified Montessori teacher supports children’s natural development by observing their interests and abilities and introducing developmentally appropriate lessons and materials. Trained in Montessori theory and practice, these teachers skillfully use materials, guide students, and create a supportive learning environment.” (https://amshq.org/the-ams-difference/core-components-of-montessori/)

Obtaining your Montessori teaching credential is a rigorous process. At George Watts Montessori, we aim for every classroom teacher to complete their Montessori teaching credential. The credentialing program typically takes 2-3 years for teachers to complete and includes coursework, residential summer learning, and a classroom practicum. Credentialing programs are accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Montessori Teacher Education (MAC-TE) and are affiliated with American Montessori Society (AMS), American Montessori Internationale (AMI), or International Montessori Council (IMC). 

Because of the time and cost barriers associated with credentialing, only a few teachers can complete the process at the same time. Because of this, we also provide professional development for new teachers through our Montessori coordinator, Melissa Blalock. While teachers wait to participate in formal credentialing, they meet regularly with Ms. Blalock to learn Montessori philosophy, how to use Montessori materials, and more. 

We take Montessori-trained teachers very seriously at George Watts Montessori because we know how important it is for teachers to be equipped to support the Montessori classroom experience.