Let’s make some connections!
I/T Meet n’ Greet: Wednesday, September 6th @ UE Library
Primary Meet n’ Greet: Tuesday, August 29th @ MS Dining Hall
Lower Meet n’ Greet: Wednesday, August 30th @ MS Dining Hall
Upper Meet n’ Greet: Thursday, August 31st @ MS Dining Hall
Middle/High School Meet n’ Greet: Monday, August 28th @ Middle School Dining Hall.
Our ambassador program is designed to increase communication to families new to Oak Farm Montessori, but also families who have students moving up to a new level. Our ambassadors will be reaching out to all new families in August to introduce themselves and answer questions you may have about Oak Farm Connects, picture day or just general questions about the start of the year. * Please direct any curriculum questions to your classroom teacher.
Infant/Toddler:
Megan Yarian: meganyarian@gmail.com
Doug Lothamer: doug.lothamer@gmail.com
Christina Lothamer: christinaduncando@gmail.com
Primary:
Andrea Linson: zack.andrea.linson@gmail.com
Amy Carpenter: amy25marie@gmail.com
Lower Elementary:
Heather Kuhn: heatherkuhn@frontier.com
Jacquelyn Walkup: jwalkup6405@icloud.com
Coffee, tea and light refreshments will be offered during this time to mingle and meet fellow OFMS parents.
Upper Elementary:
Steph Weber: sweber865@gmail.com
Sindhu Kanuru: sindhukanuru@gmail.com
Middle/High School:
Cara Kaiser: clkaiser@frontier.com
Lauren Hale: blissfuldoula@ymail.com
Welcome to the 2023-24 school year! Our school believes in creating a strong communtiy and support system for our parents and students. While Oak Farm Connects isn’t your typical PTO program, it has many events and opportunites you are sure to love and we hope you will participate in this year. In this flyer you will find information about our Ambassador program for new families, or veteran families moving up to a new level, the Connects calendar of events, volunteer opportunites and an invitation to our adult social. If you have any questions along the way, please feel free to contact Nicole Lowe, our Community Relations Liaison, at nlowe@oakfarmschool.com
R.S.V.P. by Friday, August 25thConnect with your ambassador at the level meet n’ greets!
AUGUST 17th: Connects Parent Event: Adults only, 6:30 - 8:30pm with food & beverages.
SEPTEMBER 29th (new date): Fall Festival: Family-friendly event on campus with food, games and wagon rides. Event begins right after dismissal from school.
NOVEMBER 10th: Founder’s Day: Our Founder’s birthday is a day of rememberence, celebration and philanthropy.
NOVEMBER 17th: Community Coffee with Candice is an opportunity to hear the latest news from our Head of School.
DECEMBER 19th: Singing loud for all to hear: Join students and faculty for an opportunity to celebrate the season. This is a half day dismissal for students.
JANUARY TBA: Rollerskating party: Familyfriendly event at Skatin’ Station in Auburn.
FEBRUARY 24th: 17th annual Tall Oak Gala: It’s our biggest fundraiser of the year and you won’t want to miss it. This is an adult only event at the Mirro Center on a Saturday evening. The theme this year is the Roaring 20’s.
MARCH 22nd: Celebrating OFMS Fine Arts & Music. Let your eyes and ears enjoy the sights and sounds of our talented students!
APRIL 26th: Earthfest: Celebrate our beautiful Earth with family and friends. Join our students on the North campus after school for ecoliteracy opportunities and activities.
APRIL 19th: Elementary Sleepover: Join our super crazy staff for an overnight at OFMS. Watch for more information after Spring Break.
MAY 23rd: Graduation: Join us at the Wellness Center for the commencement and celebration of our graduates.
JUNE/JULY T.B.D.: Summer Reconnect: This family-friendly event may be a Tin Caps game, organized picnic/play date at a park, family barbeque or another summer fun activity.
People volunteer for a variety of reasons. For some, it offers the chance to give back or make a difference. For others, it provides an opportunity to develop new skills or build on existing experience. And still for others, volunteering is appealing for meeting new people and bonding. It’s not important why you choose to volunteer, it’s that your family DOES volunteer. Please consider Oak Farm Montessori when sharing your time. Grandparents are also more than welcome to share their time and talents as well. Please email Nicole at: nlowe@oakfarmschool.com to discuss volunteer opportunities.
Campus Gardening: If you love the outdoors, we have a spot for you! Our Eco-literacy Coordinator, Gena Grobarek, will be working hard this fall on the campus gardens; one is a perennial fruit & vegetable garden for imaginative, immersive experience and learning & the other is a production garden to present students with different ways of cultivating food. This work can take place weekly Tuesday or Thursday between 9:00 am and noon.
Totally, Terrific Task Tuesdays: Every first & third of the month, from 8:30 - 11:30am, we will have open volunteering in the basement of the Victorian Farmhouse. This time will be used to cut, laminate, organize and label materials the teachers need completed for the classrooms. The work sessions are great opportunities to meet other parents and grandparents. Stay for an hour or all three! Watch for updates in the weekly community memo.
Yearbook Candid Photography: Our yearbook coordinator, Michael Tyler, will be working with high school students to take pictures this year, but we would love a volunteer to take candid photos one time a month; September through January. Parents can use their own camera or the school has one available; phone cameras are discouraged. Memory cards can be given to Michael at the end of each shoot, so when you leave you are done!
After School Clubs: Do you have a talent you would love to teach to our youth? We are always looking for club instructors for our six week club sessions. Ideas include, but are not limited to: chess, fitness, photography, knitting, basic sewing, basket weaving and craft clubs. Clubs meet for one hour, once a week, for six weeks.
Take Home Projects: We have many busy families and sometimes it can be hard to volunteer at school. We usually have take home projects for people who would love to help, but do not have daytime hours available. Projects usually consist of cutting, sorting or labeling and can be returned to school one week later.
Community Networking: Are you interested in connecting with Oak Farm Montessori MS/HS students as a mentor or by sharing your expertise? We are building lists for guest lectures, shadowing experiences and internship opportunities.
BIG OR SMALL, TOGETHER WE CAN DO IT ALL!