“Education cannot be effective unless it helps a child to open up himself to life.”

~Dr. Maria Montessori

Please scroll down for the list of important dates.

On Thursday, December 14th, parents are invited to visit the middle school building for a Cookie Walk.  From 2:30 - 4:00 p.m. stop by and browse a beautiful display of homemade holiday cookies that have been made & donated by FCMA families. 

Dress rehearsal will be from 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Middle School & Upper El students are to report at 6:00 p.m.
Lower El, Early El & Pre-Primary are to report at 6:30 p.m.

Parents are welcome to wait in a designated area.  Light refreshments will be served.  

The concert will begin promptly at 7:00 p.m.
 

Dear FCMA families, 

In all music classes, we are preparing for our All-School concert which will take place Wednesday, December 20! We began this tradition last year and quickly realized that our chosen venue, Genesis the Church, was bursting at the seams with the many friends and families in attendance. So, this year, we are happy that our concert will take place in the spacious auditorium at Clawson High School. The concert is free and welcome to all. 

Because we will not be able to rehearse at the high school in advance, we will hold rehearsal for all students just before the concert. This will give students a chance to learn how to come on/off the risers and become more comfortable on stage. Middle school, upper, and lower elementary students are to report at 6, while early elementary and preprimary students will report at 6:30. Parents are welcome to gather in the lobby and enjoy some refreshments at that time. We will begin the concert at 7. Students may come in any dressy attire that makes them feel their best on stage! 

Students will be performing songs that showcase their musical developmental level. Our preprimary students are just learning to find their singing voice and may be a little shy on stage, while our early el students have become quite strong singing individually and in the group. Our lower elementary students are even more independent musically, and will be showcasing their ability to sing more complicated songs and separate harmony parts. Upper elementary students have focused on learning to accompany their own singing on ukulele, and will play songs that illustrate the extent of the skills they've acquired through hard work. Middle school students have been able to choose the types of pieces they want to be involved in, and you will see some students singing, some playing instruments, and others will be backstage working in production. There will be several special pieces that are completely student-lead, and collaboration pieces where students have the chance to perform with those they may not normally during the regular school day.

The theme for our concert is "All I Really Need." As we enter the holiday season when its easy to get caught up in materialism, our songs will be centered around the things we really need like love, family, and a healthy earth to help our children grow strong. The culmination of the concert will feature all FCMA students singing Raffi's "All I Really Need" together. 

I am looking forward to this wonderful event! See you there.
 

Turn Evening Ho Hum into Family Fun​

Start a New Family Tradition: Family Fun Nights!

With so many family get-togethers and school holidays on the horizon, there's never been a better time to explore ideas for activities whole families can enjoy together. How about a balloon race? Or an "opposite" night? Family fun doesn't have to be complicated or cost a fortune. Among the many resources available for filling long winter evenings, one stands out: Family Fun Nights: 140 Activities the Whole Family Will Enjoy. We've reprinted a note to parents from the author and just one of the many great ideas you'll find in the book.

Family Fun Nights

An Introduction to Parents
A recent article in Forever Families included the findings from national study of 1,500 schoolchildren who were asked what makes a happy family. Children didn't list such things as money or fancy cars. The most common answer was doing things together as a family.

Family memories and traditions can be created in an evening without a lot of work, and these memories can last a lifetime. Perhaps you have a little time after dinner or just before bedtime, or perhaps your child's little league game was rained out. These are all perfect times to enjoy family time.

The Mom Central newsletter suggests you 'establish family traditions that take precedence over outside activities, no matter how busy each family member becomes. Make spending time together a priority.' Your children will be glad you did.

—reprinted from Family Fun Nights; © 2009 Chicago Review Press

Make a Time Capsule

What you need: a tin or metal box with a lid that seals; paper; pens; materials you collect (see below for ideas).

1. Decide when you will open your time capsule—in 1 year? in 10 years? In 20 years?
2. Gather Materials that will be interesting in the future.
3. Put everything in the capsule, seal it, and label it with the words "Do not open until (date you have chosen)."
4. Here are ideas for things to place inside your time capsule:
   • Photographs
   • Newspaper clippings
   • Menus from your favorite restaurants
   • A list of today's prices for things such as gas, milk, and a movie
   • The names of top film stars and actors
   • The name of the president
   • Hit songs and popular bands
   • Pages from a current fashion magazine
   • The names of the teams that won popular sports events such as the Super Bowl or the World Series
   • Predictions for the future
   • Secret notes to other members of the family, not to be read until the capsule is opened

—reprinted from Family Fun Nights; © 2009 Chicago Review Press