On behalf of our entire UC family, we welcome students and parents to a new school year. The ‘new norm’ of Montessori education is unfolding each day and we are proud of all that we have planned for and accomplished to date.
The Health and Safety of our students, staff, and families is our priority! Through close analysis and review of daily processes and routines, over the summer, we put together a comprehensive re-opening plan that would allow for students to return to class and continue with their studies in a safe and controlled environment. Please refer to the attached links to review our Back to School Protocols and Health and Safety video. These measures were put into practice swiftly with accountability measures in place to combat the challenges which COVID-19 presented. Upon returning to school, all safety procedures, protocols and training have been reviewed with our staff, students, and posted information and virtual sessions have been offered to parents.
UC has recently updated the infrastructure of our technology to support high-speed access and to allow for multiple learning and virtual platforms to occur simultaneously. Cameras have been installed in Elementary classrooms to allow for our students who have opted for the ‘full online option’ of learning to be a part of their class and to allow for rotary teachers to be able to connect in real-time to students. Numerous resources, online tools, subscriptions and apps have been researched and purchased to enhance the overall learning and delivery of curriculum for our students.
The integration of technology is essential for today’s 21st-century learners. When technology is effectively integrated by educators into the curriculum, the tools can take learning to new limits. UC strongly believes in researching and implementing the most up-to-date resources and programmes. “Effective integration of technology is achieved when students are able to select technology tools to help them obtain information in a timely manner, analyze and synthesize the information, and present it professionally. The technology should become an integral part of how the classroom functions – as accessible as all other classroom tools.” ~National Educational Technology Standards for Students, International Society for Technology in Education.
Our dual format of teaching and learning (in-person and online) is one that we have planned for and invested in significantly to ensure that every child is receiving an optimal and enriching learning experience. Since the spring term, we have reflected upon and refined our online model of learning to enhance the visual connectivity and the interactive experience for our learners. We are confident that we have the infrastructure in place for all eventualities.
Our core curriculum is at the forefront of our programming: Literacy, Mathematics, Natural and Social Sciences, and the Arts. Much emphasis is placed upon providing a purpose-driven education on a daily basis where programme and technological innovations, enriched learning, critical thinking skills, communication and application are a part of everyday lessons. We want our students to be excited to learn, to make connections, to think beyond the question that is presented to them; we want for our students to be passionate, involved and engaged in their learning process.
