Our Staff, in a Summer State of Mind...
“Summer was on the way; Jem and I awaited it with impatience. Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the tree house; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape; but most of all, summer was Dill.”
Reghan McAuley, Primary Directress:I WILL...be working with some beautiful children this who will join me for summer fun in Montessori mornings! I will also enjoy special time and adventures with my super girls: Ella, Gabby and Brennah. I am continuing my education with two additional courses in Sociology. We will travel, play, and read! (At least 3 books at minimum- LOVE time to read! Can't wait!)I WON'T...sit still for long...never do.I WOULD...if I could, be "Alternate Reghan" and leave with my old, dear friend to a quiet, lovely beach far away for a girls' retreat for four days. Oh! And, add a kayak, please.I WISH...for the best balance of work, play and relaxation...and world peace.I WONDER...who will announce new babies for 2017? Really! Always the big surprise in the fall.Jess Jente, Primary Assistant:I WILL...celebrate my 30th birthday on a beach trip with my closest friends!I WON'T...have to miss ALL the children because I get to see many of their shining faces at Montessori Mornings and Camp Pegnita where I'll be all summer! But, the ones I won't see, I sure will miss!I WOULD...love to spend the summer traveling, but I'm happy to be here, too.I WISH...the weather would be 75 and sunny every day this summer.I WONDER...how many afternoons I will get to spend reading by the pool?Robyn Milos, Primary Directress:I WILL...drink coffee while watching my boys catch fireflies.?I WON'T...be scuba diving.?I WOULD...love a few weekend road trips!I WISH...there were three extra hours of evening each day in the summer.I WONDER...what all of the children will do over the summer. What memories will they be making? ?Christina Kerr, Primary Assistant:1. I WILL...LEARN! I will pass the AMI exams, have a friend visit from Romania and then travel forever!2. I WON'T...eat too much ice cream. Promise!3. I WOULD...love to go camping!4. I WISH...the days were longer!!!5. I WONDER...what the summers would be like without mosquitos!?Heather Steinman, Primary Directress:1. I WILL...enjoy every minute I have at home with my family.2. I WON'T...get to every project I have on my list (the list is very, very long, so I am trying to be real with myself).3. I WOULD...hope Emerson enjoys swimming.4. I WISH...time would slow down.5. I WONDER...if I can read some good books (not board books...those I read all the time).Maria Burr, Primary Assistant:1. I WILL...go on a family road trip vacation to Rocky Mountain National Park, the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore and Custer State Park!2. I WON'T...be bored. I'll be busy taking Assistants to Infancy training at Montessori Training Center!3. I WOULD...love to spend lots of time with my family!4. I WISH...to make lots of Montessori infant mobiles!5. I WONDER...what the weather will be like...hopefully, not too hot!!Anna Schwind, Lower Elementary Directress:1. I WILL...read, learn a new skill, make food in the kitchen, take a trip (or two), walk with my dad. Did I say read? Those long consecutive hours of uninterrupted reading are a special treasure of summer and have been since childhood.2. I WON'T...rule anything out at this point; that'd be premature.3. I WOULD...get a dog, but I think that will wait a year.4. I WISH...world peace would arrive sooner. I'm ready for it now.5. I WONDER...what thrilling stories about their summer my students will bring back for me in August to relay to me with bright eyes and animated faces.Sophie Andre, Lower Elementary Assistant:1. I WILL...spend 1.5 months with my family, in Provence, south of France (Can you already hear the cicadas and smell the lavender? I can!) before heading to Italy for two weeks (Rome, Venice, Florence, Napoli).2. I WON'T...forget sunscreen, sunglasses and bathsuit!3. I WOULD...read all of books on my waitlist if i have enough quiet time.4. I WISH...for everyone to have a wonderful summer.5. I WONDER...if i will be able to visit the archeological site of Pompeii in Italy.Melissa Urspruch, Lower Elementary Assistant:1. I WILL...travel to the beach and, hopefully, to the mountains; spend some time solidifying our experiential learning opportunities for the MAP this fall (I'm beyond excited!); and enjoy all of the great museums, parks and restaurants our lovely city has to offer.2. I WON'T...procrastinate getting some things at home organized during our first week off. ;)3. I WOULD...visit Europe if someone were up for adventuring with me (perhaps the certain someone mentioned in #4).4. I WISH...my fiance, Dave, and I would have a similar schedule this summer.5. I WONDER...if the weather will continue to be as beautiful as it has been for weeks!Rebecca Callander, Upper Elementary Directress:1. I WILL...travel to Michigan to see a bear that sleeps in a sand dune and travel to sunny Florida to see family and collect sand-dollars.2. I WON'T...dissect cow-eyeballs or trade Pokemon cards.3. I WOULD...accept last-minute tickets to a Nile River Cruise to see the pyramids at Giza. 4. I WISH...I could go on the aforementioned Egypt cruise with all my lovely children. I wish I could find the time to take jazz theory lessons.5. I WONDER...what adventures lie ahead for the Upper Elementary at Laumeier Sculpture Park. I wonder when Winston will agree to a hair cut.Hilary Lord, Director of Operations:1. I WILL...work in the garden.2. I WON'T...buy a dog.3. I WOULD...if I could.4. I WISH...non-dairy ice cream tasted good.5. I WONDER...if it really is the humidity and not the heat.Karolina Hanus, Late Stay Lead and Floater:1. I WILL...be traveling, reading, biking, relaxing and hard learning.2. I WON'T...eat too much ice cream. Sweet cone with three scoops is an optimal portion, isn't it? :)3. I WOULD...got on 60 different hikes if only I had time.4. I WISH...for the weather to be perfect.5. I WONDER...what my Montessori training will look like.Laura Ceretti-Michelman, Head of School:1. I WILL...enjoy hanging out with my children!2. I WON'T...wear a dress every day. Athletic wear, all day, every day!3. I WOULD...go away for the entire summer- see beautiful places with no agenda.4. I WISH...I could blink and phase one of Villa di Maria construction would be complete before school started.5. I WONDER...if I could conjure those powers...
HAPPY ALMOST-SUMMER BREAK, VILLA DI MARIA!