Montessori Minute

Upper El team WINS STATE!

(Written by Raandi Miller - Librarian)

It all started this morning at 8:45 with Amelie, Hazel, Jameson and Nora carrying big bags filled with pancakes, black bean brownies, bananas, grapes , oranges, pretzel bites, fruit snacks, string cheese and goodies I have forgotten, down to the conference room. The battle would start in 15 minutes, so they optimally arranged their chairs , the laptop and themselves for the first 32 questions.

Round One was the most challenging, but they did really well and missed only 2 questions. Their score of 240 made it into the secound round battle of 13 teams.

After a couple of pieces of pizza (thanks moms!) After some laps in the office, Round Two began and these amazing readers earned a perfect score!

Usually, Round 3 of the State Battle of the Books is a competition with 4 teams - the top scorers in Round 2. But SO MANY teams scored well, so there were 8 teams from across Alaska battling for the Championship.

They scored 100% in the first round of the battle, then went to a sudden death tiebreaker with 5 other teams.

Three teams had a perfect score for the tiebreaker round, Juneau Montessori, Fonteras (Mat-Su), and Twindley Bridge (Mat-Su) shared the first place championship missing no questions in the final round.

The Montessori Borealis Middle School Battle of the Books team competed in the AK Battle of the Books State Tournament this morning. There were 27 teams from around the state, from Kuspuk to Kenai to Juneau. They breezed throught Round 1 with a score of 205. Then they were one of the top thirteen teams to make it to Round 2. Consistancy was the theme of the day, with another score of 205 for Round 2. This put them in 6th place for the entire state!

We congratulate Lyndley Nakamura, Lilah Gaguine and Chava Levy for all the reading, listening and practicing accomplished to be able to compete at this level.

Pickup time at our Dzantik'i Heeni Campus can feel a bit like a small-town parade trying to squeeze through a keyhole.

Most days, it works because of goodwill and a little choreography. On the days when that choreography slips, we end up with:

• Cars lined up in a way that blocks access to the lower parking lot
• Families unable to enter the lot even when they simply want to park
• Traffic backing up into the roadway
• Crosswalks partially blocked
• Drivers using the exit to maneuver around the entrance
• Frustration rising faster than the brake lights

When paraeducators are available (Julie Blood in the afternoon and Steve Hill in the mornings), they do a wonderful job helping keep things flowing. But when they are out or supporting students elsewhere, the system depends entirely on shared awareness and cooperation.

Here is the simple adjustment that would make a significant difference:

• Please leave the first three spaces inside the lower lot clear.
• Only pull forward when there is room to fully enter without blocking the entrance.
• Those first few open spaces act like lungs for the parking lot. When they stay clear, traffic can breathe. When they are blocked, everything tightens.

• Please do not block the crosswalk
• Please do not use the exit to bypass the entrance line
• Approach pickup with patience and grace

We have more needs than we have staff during these brief 15 to 30 minute windows in the morning and afternoon. We rely heavily on community partnership to keep things safe and calm for students.

To that end, we are sharing a parent volunteer sign-up form. Even helping once a week during pickup or drop-off can make a visible difference. This sign-up will be shared across all three programs on campus in the hope that we build a small team of regular helpers who understand the flow and help model it for others. I've also included an area if you'd like to volunteer to help during recess - as we often have people out and are short-handed there as well!

Pickup (and drop-off) should feel orderly and safe, not tense and tangled. With a little space, a little patience, and a few extra hands, we can keep it that way.

Thank you for your care, your flexibility, and for looking out for one another.

Dear Families,

We kicked off Kids Heart Challenge! Sign up TODAY at http://www2.heart.org/goto/MontessoriBorealis. Let’s promote healthy & happy hearts while raising donations for the American Heart Association to fight America’s #1 and #4 killers, heart disease and stroke! Our school can also earn funding and PE equipment along the way!

3 Things to do TODAY!

1. Sign Up! It’s FREE and takes less than two minutes! http://www2.heart.org/goto/MontessoriBorealis
2. Give or Get a Donation! SEND 5 texts or emails to friends & family asking for support
3. Start Finn’s Mission where students become lifesavers by learning Hands-Only CPR and the warning signs of a stroke.

School Celebrations:

• First 50 Students to Sign Up, (FOR FREE) by FRIDAY, 2/27, will get a Bonus Mystery Gift Charm + their wristband!
• Complete Finn's Mission to earn your Heart Hero Cape and get entered to win Super Bowl Tickets
• The Top Fundraiser in Each Grade Level will earn a pack of Seattle Kraken Hockey Trading Cards!
• Classroom Challenge: The Class that has the most students sign up will win the Dragon heart hero for every student in their class!

Click the image below to meet Kindergartner Phil and hear how he SAVED A LIFE after completing Finn’s Mission. Don’t wait, sign up TODAY!

**To learn more about Kids Heart Challenge and what your student learned at school today, click HERE!

March 13 - AMP Coffee House

March 17 - "Necessary Nonsense" play in Commons

March 17 - Ancestor/Heritage Project Parent Orientation - 5:30 PM

March 18 - Battle of the Books (K-2)

March 23-27 - SPRING BREAK

As part of our district’s ongoing commitment to campus safety, we want families to be aware of something we have been using now for a few weeks called Verkada Guest. This system provides a streamlined way for visitors to check in when entering our school, helping us better monitor who is in our building and enhance security across all district sites.

This is not an "option" for visitors - it's a mandate by the district and something we are committed to using to ensure the safety of our students and staff. Our office staff are not the "decision makers" when it comes to this system, so please save any complaints and comments for me (although - I'm not the decision-maker either). john.paul@juneauschools.org is my email address - and I can pass your thoughts along to others for you.

Thank you for understanding that student and staff safety are paramount and - regardless of how many times you've entered our buildings - all visitors will continued to have to show ID and sign in using the Verkada system.

The restroom policy will not change for next year.

• YD students will use the restrooms downstairs
• JCCS will use whatever restrooms they prefer
• AMP will use whatever restrooms they prefer

HOWEVER, we WILL allow Montessori families to choose to allow their children to use the restroom closest to their learning environment. In other words - we may have parents/families tell us "I don't care where my kiddo goes" - and we will honor their wish.

The downstairs restrooms - to be clear - allow all students to use the restroom with which they identify. That needs to be part of your decision-making.

Please report any restroom "issues" that you observe to the front office immediately, and encourage students to report any issues to the Montessori office immediately as well.

Thank you!

Please click here for a quick survey on whether or not you plan to have your child(ren) come back to Montessori Borealis for the 2026-2027 school year! We must have an accurate count so we know how many spaces to open up for the Lottery - which will be run in April.

We are not anticipating - at this time - a change in our restroom policy. YD will continue to use the downstairs restrooms, Montessori Pre-K through 6th will use the upstairs restrooms, JCCS students will use the restrooms of their/(or parent) choice, and AMP will use the restrooms of their/(or parent) choice.

If a Montessori parent does not care which restroom their kiddo uses, then they will just let us know (we will send out a questionnaire right before school next year) and we will allow that preference as well.

Thank you!

John Paul

Here are the dates for all Site Council Meetings this year.

The Zoom link is below!

March 17th Zoom

April 21st In person

May 5th Zoom

Site Council Bylaws

Dear Families,

For many years of my life, two worlds have quietly overlapped in my mind: education and basketball.

That may sound like an odd pairing at first glance. For me, one of those now involves bead chains, careful observation, and child-led discovery. The other involves hardwood floors, shot clocks, and the occasional thunderous dunk. Yet the longer I’ve worked in education, the more I realize that the best teams and the best schools often run on the very same principles.

For me, one of the clearest examples of this comes from the organization I’ve admired for decades: the San Antonio Spurs.

For nearly 30 years, the Spurs were guided by Gregg Popovich, a coach who built a culture that went far beyond basketball. What always stood out about the Spurs wasn’t just that they won (although they certainly did plenty of that). It was how they won.

• They treated people with respect.
• They did the work quietly.
• They rarely found themselves in the news for the wrong reasons.
• They sacrificed individual statistics for the good of the team.
• They won with grace, humility, and sportsmanship.

Coach Popovich also embraced something that Montessori educators know very well: diversity makes communities stronger. Long before many teams were doing it, he actively sought out international players and welcomed different cultures, perspectives, and styles of play. The result was not just a better basketball team, but a richer community.

The Spurs became known for their team dinners, their family culture, and their deep commitment to the San Antonio community. Players were expected not only to play well, but to be thoughtful citizens who stood up for civil rights and for those who did not always have a voice.

During my 18 years coaching basketball in San Antonio, it was wonderfully easy to use the Spurs as an example for young athletes. Whenever conversations turned to character, teamwork, or leadership, I could simply point down the road to the Spurs organization and say: That’s how you do it.

I often told my players something that still rings true today:

“I’d rather lose with winners than win with losers.”

In other words, the people around you matter. Character matters. Culture matters.

And that idea sits beautifully inside the philosophy of Maria Montessori.

Montessori classrooms are not built around individual competition. They are communities. Children learn to support one another, to respect one another’s work, and to recognize that everyone brings something valuable to the group. Success is not measured by who finishes first, but by how the community grows together.

Just like a great basketball team, a Montessori classroom thrives when individuals contribute their strengths while understanding they are part of something larger.

Which brings me to a small but joyful bit of basketball news. The Spurs just completed a perfect February, going 11–0. Even more fun is that this success is coming after Coach Popovich passed the torch following his stroke two years ago. The culture he built is still very much alive. The Spurs machine is humming again, powered by the same values that defined it for decades.

And in a small, slightly irrational way that probably only longtime fans understand, it feels like the universe has clicked back into place.

Because whether we are talking about basketball teams or Montessori classrooms, the formula tends to be the same:

• Good people.
• Shared purpose.
• Respect for one another.
• A commitment to doing things the right way.

When those ingredients come together, wonderful things tend to happen.

And sometimes, if you're lucky, you even go 11–0 in February.

Many blessings,

John Paul

We have an upcoming spring break opportunity that may interest your K–3 students and their families.

During Spring Break (March 23–27), Raven Writes will host its first Spring Break Camp in Juneau.

Sealaska Heritage Institute, in partnership with SERRC, will offer hands-on learning experiences focused on storytelling, harvesting and preparing, and cultural learning.

Above is a digital flyer for families, and physical copies have been delivered to our office!

If you have any questions about the Spring Break Camp, please contact Terra Stark, SERRC Raven Writes Program Coordinator and Camp Director at terras@serrc.org or 907-433-7256.

For more information about SERRC’s Raven Writes Camps: https://serrc.org/raven-writes/

If you are one of our amazing volunteers that regularly come to the school or classroom - and have not already done so - PLEASE fill out the volunteer form through the district (listed below).

​Thank you so much for helping out - this just helps to keep everyone safe!

New families to Montessori Borealis should soon see an email invitation for Transparent Classroom to set up an account. You will need to do this to access lessons your children receive and to view your student's trimester reports. If you have any questions, please reach out to dustin.stogner@juneauschools.org.

Juneau School District

TMMS Middle School Athletic Schedule

25-26

Athletic Teams and Activities meet after school Monday through Thursday from 3:15 – 4:30 pm, during their season. Each season is typically 4 - 6 weeks in length. There will be Activity Buses available to take students home, leaving TMMS at 4:45 if they are out of walking distance. Please see the Falcon Flyer each Friday and the TMMS website for up-to-date information throughout the school year.

Volleyball – Boys and Girls

Season: Feb 23- April 10, 2026

Season begins February 23

Travel tbd

Track and Field – Boys and Girls

April 13,2026- May 14,2026

Season begins April 13

Southeast Track meet invitational Thursday May 14th

Folks can check out the Falcon Flyer (daily bulletin) on Fridays for more information and can reach out to assistant principal Laura Zimmerman by email (laura.zimmerman@juneauschools.org) or by calling her at 907-780-1905.

We have a lot of walking field trips! Sometimes they're in good weather, but as often as not, there is something inclement when our kiddos are out and about.

It's important for kiddos to have:

• The right footwear (often they're wearing crocs or sandals or something that isn't "long walk or hike friendly")
• The right outer wear (water proof is important)
• Warm enough outer wear (and socks)!

It's awesome to be outside and be exploring! Let's make sure our kiddos are equipped for it! If you need anything - please let us know!

Thanks!

SEAFOM is a very generous organization (Southeast Alaska Friends of Montessori) that contributes mightily to our school! This year, they are evening funding one entire teaching position.

If every one of our families joined - it'd be about $2,000 that would go directly back to our students in some way, shape, or form! Please consider joining - just scan the QR code below!

Parents - please check with your students to make sure they empty their lockers on Friday - of all of the wet items or lunch things that need to be thrown away or returned home! These things get stinky really quickly! :D

Also, a reminder that if the kids find something that isn’t theirs, they should take it to the office (up or downstairs - either one). They can also tell their teacher - so that those items can get back to the rightful owner.

In other words - "Just because we find something doesn’t mean we get to keep it." LOL! :D

Thank you!

Next time you're in the building - please stop for a bit and take a gander at the growing lost and found rack/pile in the commons. It's growing! Thank you!

After school, it is very important that students are supervised at all times - for safety purposes. We have limited resources and we often make the mistake of thinking the building is clear when, in fact, some students are still here, waiting for rides.

Please, for the sake of student safety:

• Pick up kiddos by 3:15 (or 2:45 on early release Mondays)
• If you're going to be late - please call (907) 796-5800 and let Dustin or Beccah know
• If you're going to be late - please have kiddos wait with bus riders in the Commons

Thank you!

You'll need to log in using student lunch number@juneaustudents.org and the password is the student lunch number!

If you haven't already done so, you should definitely get the mobile app to keep our families and community better informed and connected to what’s going on in our schools. The Juneau Borough Schools mobile app is available for free on both iPhone and Android smartphones. From a smartphone, go to the iTunes App Store® or Google Play®, search Juneau Borough Schools.

The app will deliver real time district news to a smartphone for fast, up-to-date access. The app will feature the latest district and school info as well as push notifications about breaking news, closures, weather, events, and more. This app will work when (at times) our regular communication systems (phone or email) fail due to incorrect data (wrong emails or numbers in Power School).