Message from Ms. Bridget

March is a month of in-between as we learn from the varied language and content assessments completed in February and modify our students' learning to meet their needs. I will also start actively hiring for next school year as our campus continues to grow. Please send any Montessori-certified or Montessori-interested educators my way! It is also very important that all families complete registration for next school year so I know exactly how many staff members I need to hire.

We hope your family enjoys spring break. I know our staff will appreciate the time to rest before a full last two months of school.

Your principal,
Ms. Bridget

bridget.farr@austinisd.org

512-414-2390 ext. 59454

Ms. Landry and Ms. Camille — Our Teacher of Promise, Ms. Landry, and our Teacher of the Year, Ms. Camille!

First Day of Girls Who Run Club!

Budget for 2025-2026

As many know, Austin ISD is in a budget shortfall that will impact the district's decisions over the next several years. Families can learn more at this Friday's Breakfast with Ms. Bridget or by attending one of the many district budget sessions. You can also learn more on the AISD website: https://www.austinisd.org/budget

What does this mean for our school?

Winn Montessori received significant Title I funding (a separate source of federal dollars) for the 2025-2026 school year which means we will see little change to our staffing our programming next year. Ms. Bridget has already been planning how to be smart in how we train staff and purchase Montessori materials to keep the school successful in the years to come when we have less money.

As we move forward, families who have the financial resources may consider donating funds in ways they don't have to now, such as paying for school supplies or field trips. This might look like our family meals do now, in which some families donate an extra ticket so that a family who can't afford one can participate, too.

We will continue to work together to provide a robust Montessori experience to your children!

Supporting Our Mathematicians!

This semester, we are focusing on building our students' mathematical thinking through Daily Numeracy. The goal of daily numeracy is, "to empower students to reason with numbers in an accurate, efficient, and flexible way."

Each day, classroom guides spend 10 minutes reviewing the images below and asking students questions to push their thinking. In March, we move on to "Patterns" in Kindergarten and "Guess the Number" in elementary. We encourage you to try them at home with your student.

Daily Numeracy Steps:

Find the images in our a shared folder for families.
Look at one image with your child.
Use the question guides to start the conversation.
Any answer with reason is acceptable!

Thank you for supporting our students in growing their skills as mathematicians.

Check out our Black History Month Activities!

Students tour Huston Tillotson — Touring Huston
Tillotson
University!

Students standing in room — Asking question about
the college experience.

Student play African instruments — Playing African
instruments.

Students carry full basket on their heads — Experiencing African
traditions through storytelling.

PRIDE Week 2025

Pride week is one of the many ways we highlight the district's commitment to creating a safe, supportive and inclusive environment for all.

Why it matters: When students feel safe and can show up as their full selves at school, they’re better able to engage in learning and thrive academically.

Winn Montessori Schedule:

Monday: All Are Welcome- Welcoming messages on our sidewalk with chalk.

Tuesday: Differences are beYOUtiful! -Students decorate cards to give to a family member, classmate or teacher with the message “You Matter.”

Wednesday: I am beYOUtiful! Wear something that makes you feel beautiful, confident, and proud of who you are. Students can also wear the rainbow!(Free dress day)

Thursday: Our Community is beYOUtiful!- Post pictures or drawings of families on our Winn Family bulletin board.

Friday: All the Colors/Local Pride & Spirit Day- We love everyone at Winn Montessori! Make friendship bracelets: braid yarn, beads. Everyone wears Winn Montessori shirts and rainbow swag (bracelet, sticker, etc.)

Why in March? The Austin Pride Parade take place in the summer when students are not in school.

Austin ISD hosts Pride Week during the school year to show support for our diverse students, staff and families.

Go deeper…with the Pride 2025 FAQs

School Uniform plus Fun Dress Days!

Please remember that each day your child should be dressed in the school uniform. Our uniforms can be purchased at various retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Target or any second-hand store. Our uniform consists of:

Navy or gray tops (or any Winn Montessori t-shirt)
Navy or khaki bottoms (no denim)
Navy, gray, or khaki dresses, jumpers, rompers, etc. (no denim)
Tennis shoes (no Crocs, sandals or flip flops)

The PTA maintains a FREE uniform closet outside the Caregiver Support Specialist's office, and families are free to shop and donate gently used uniforms any time they wish throughout the school year. Additionally, the PTA holds uniform swap events several times per year for families to pass down their gently used items and shop for the next size up.

Fun Dress Days in 2025!

After our some of our students wrote a petition and attended our Campus Advisory Council meeting, Ms. Bridget and the CAC have approved a series of fun dress days for students! On these days, students do not need to wear a uniform, though their clothing should still include tennis shoes and comply with the Austin ISD dress code.

We appreciate our students using their voice:

Wednesday, March 26: Wear something that celebrates your OR Wear the rainbow!

Monday, April 28: Wacky Outfit/Fun and funny clothes/”Funny ‘Fit”

Tuesday, May 27: Summer Outfit/Beach Day

Winn Montessori Campus Expectations

Click here to learn all about our school expectations, including uniforms, absences, volunteer opportunities, and even birthdays (Montessori celebrations without snacks)!

Family fun at PTA Game Night!

Hello, Winn Montessori! We hope everyone is enjoying the wonderful early spring weather and thank you to everyone who came out to our first ever Family Game Night on Friday. It was amazing to see so many of you at school playing games and connecting with each other. We just love our Winn Montessori community!

As of last week, all students should have received their NEW Winn Montessori t-shirt. If your student did not receive their shirt, please email our treasurer, Leslie Reeves. And if you’d like to purchase more shirts in kids or adult sizes, we will have them for sale tomorrow, Monday March 3, at afternoon pickup (there will be a table on the Susquehanna side) and then again at Breakfast with Bridget on Friday, March 7. We have sold out of a few adult sizes already, but please come talk to us anyway because we will be reordering and it would be good to know what sizes you’re looking for.

Please continue donating to the Annual Fund! Make your one-time (or recurring!) donation via GiveButter OR with the envelopes available in the front desk of the office. Right now, we’re working to fund Staff Appreciation week coming up this spring and we cannot pull off that event without contributions from the school community. Every penny counts! All donations are tax deductible and you will receive a tax receipt at the time of your donation.

Upcoming PTA events (check the school calendar for more detail):

Friday, March 28: Spirit Night to round out AISD Pride week (hopefully at another one of our great local breweries, but stay tuned!)
Thursday, April 10: PTA Elections. Please consider serving on the PTA board next school year. Information on how to nominate yourself and others will be distributed later this month.
Saturday, April 12: Keep Austin Beautiful Day. We are hoping for a BIG turnout from the school community to make this the biggest garden workday of the whole year to make our school SHINE.

To learn more about who PTA is and what we do at Winn Montessori, check out our webpage and keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram accounts.

March Newsletter