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Yearly Traditions

At EACMSI we believe that the building blocks of a just and mindful society are relationships built on dignity and respect.

We actively nurture those relationships in every classroom every day and by coming together as a whole school in celebration of community.

“The child is capable of developing and giving us tangible proof of the possibility of a better humanity.” Dr. Maria Montessori

At the beginning of every school year we invite our children to bring their families and other loved ones to school for our Welcome Picnic.

“Character formation cannot be taught. It comes from experience and not from explanation.” Dr. Maria Montessori

“Joy, feeling one’s own value, being appreciated and loved by others, feeling useful and capable of production are all factors of enormous value for the human soul.” Dr. Maria Montessori

At EACMSI we place emphasis on the connections between beings because we believe that the building blocks of a just and mindful society are relationships built on dignity and respect.

Welcome Picnic

 

At the beginning of every school year, we invite our children to bring their families and other loved ones to school for a picnic on our Field of Dreams.

Andrea Riddle Day

 

On the first Friday in October, we celebrate founder Andrea Riddle. This magical afternoon consists of “celebration stations” with a variety of activities for children to engage in. ABR Day is our first buddy event adding to the excitement of the day.

United Nations Day

 

On October 24, we celebrate the United Nations, a peacekeeping organization that brings diverse peoples and nations together. Our students spend the week prior learning about US immigration since Pre-Colonial times and share their learning in an all-school assembly. The celebration continues in classrooms by honoring the diversity within our classroom community. Each Extended Day, Junior Level, Upper Level, and Middle School student is asked to share a dish from a favored family tradition and are invited to share the dish with their classroom.

Harvest Feast

 

As the hour of noon approaches on the Tuesday before November Recess, older buddies gather younger buddies and make their way to the multipurpose room for a feast. Each classroom prepares enough of one dish to feed the whole school.

Festival of Light

 

Students spend the days leading up to our Winter Break learning about a major religion and a festival of light from that tradition. We gather as a whole school, along with many of our families, and each classroom presents what they have learned. This is a much-loved event brightened only by the twinkle lights that are lit by children as they enter the space. Classrooms perform skits, sing songs, and create beautiful costumes and backdrops.

Lantern Fest

 

A weekend evening in mid-winter brings families to school to share a meal and create lanterns to take out into the night. We gather under the stars with hot chocolate and a bonfire and sing songs while our lanterns twinkle.

Ithaca Festival Parade

 

Every year students, faculty, staff, parents, and alum come together to march in the Ithaca Festival Parade. We are a marching band extraordinaire, complete with costumes and dancers. An especially fun community celebration that connects the old and the new, young and not-so-young…