Elm City Montessori

We are excited to start school! At ECMS, we have spent the summer planning for safety, for social emotional well being, and for academics. We are so excited about the year to come and the ways we will grow in our reading, writing, mathematics, and in our discovery of ourselves and the world around us.

ELEMENTARY + K: The first day of school for Kindergarten – Grade 8 is Thursday, August 31st. It is a full day.

PREK4: To support our youngest learners their transition to school, we have a phase in schedule. The first day of school for PreK4  is Tuesday, September 5th; it is a half day. The first full day of school will be on Friday, September 8th.

PreK3 Group 1: To support a healthy transition to school, we have a phase in schedule. Your child’s first day  is Friday, September 8th; it is a half day. The first full day of school will be on Friday, September 15th.

PreK3 Group 2: To support a healthy transition to school, we have a phase in schedule. Your child’s first day is Monday, September 11th; it is a half day. The first full day of school will be on Friday, September 15th.

PreK3 Group 3: To support a healthy transition to school, we have a phase in schedule. Your child’s first day is Wednesday, September 13th; it is a half day. The first full day of school will be on Friday, September 15th.

As you prepare to return to school, please take a moment to review a few important documents:

• Key Policies from the Family Handbook. You will find information about common clothing, arrival/dismissal, food, and staff contact information.

• ECMS Calendar 2023-2024. You will find important community events and celebrations and information about early dismissals and days off of school.

• For students K-8, please complete this Google Form to share your default dismissal plan.

ECMS Community Events

We know that the transition back to school can bring up emotions for children and families. We have made space this August and September for building relationships and for information sharing. Please review the events below and mark your calendars for ways to connect to the ECMS community. 

• Required ECMS orientations for ALL families, both new and returning

To support strong family partnership, we will be hosting required ECMS orientations for ALL Families, both new and returning. During the orientations, we will share our vision for Anti Bias Anti Racist (ABAR) Montessori,  review school policies and procedures, and share ways to partner in learning this year. Families must attend one of the following orientations: 

• Tuesday, August 29th, 4:30PM-5:30PM at school (before Elementary Family Gathering) 

• Wednesday, August 30th, 11AM-12PM via zoom

• I Heart New Haven > Community Project Day. Come out and support us in tackling some major projects around campus, including repainting our parking lot, building picnic tables for our patio, and more!). We’ll have 150ish volunteers on campus, so having families help support the hosting, would be great. Children are very welcome! Saturday, August 26th, 10:30AM-2:30PM. Reach out to david.weinreb@elmcitymontessori.org with questions!

• Welcome Back Outdoor Gathering: Bring a blanket and dinner for your family and join us at our back to school gathering! We will come together in our beautiful outdoor environment and meet new and returning families and connect with our classroom teams.  

• Primary (PreK-K): Monday, August 28th 5:30-6:30pm

• Elementary & Erdkinder (Grades 1-8): Tuesday, August 29th, 5:30-6:30pm

• Home Visits for all students who are new to a classroom: Wednesday, August 30th or another agreed upon time (guides will reach out)

For all families new to a classroom, guides will reach out to schedule a 15 minute visit with you and your child at your home or a location in your neighborhood (ex. library, park). During this time, your child will meet their classroom team, learn more about the school day, and have time to connect.

• Montessori Open House in September

Join your classroom team for a look inside the learning and social experience in the classroom.

• Wednesday, September 20th, 4:00-5:00 – Primary Family Open House (Inspired by ABAR 1 Book 1 School Text, Love without Bounds)

• Wednesday, September 20th, 5:30-6:30 – Elementary & Erdkinder Family Open House (Inspired by ABAR 1 Book 1 School Text, Love without Bounds)

Classroom teams will be reaching out to families before school begins. In the meantime, feel free to contact me with any questions at julia.webb@elmcitymontessori.org. We look forward to seeing you in a few weeks!

Sincerely, 

Julia Webb
Principal