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Features and Traditions

Friday Morning Gatherings

Families are invited to join the NSM community for our longstanding tradition of Friday Morning Gatherings. Students, staff, and parents come together in the gym at 8:15 to say the pledge to the American flag and to the Earth, share announcements, and sing favorite songs in keeping with the Montessori tradition of education for peace. Classes occasionally share special performances to mark the seasons of the year. Students in our Middle School program take responsibility for choosing and leading the songs. Different songs are selected each month and classes are given the chance to learn the words ahead of time; visitors can sing along to the lyrics projected on the big screen courtesy of our Stage Crew. Some favorite songs include:

  • “This Pretty Planet” by Tom Chapin
  • “Kids’ Peace Song” (People come in different sizes) by Peter Alsop
  • “Light up your Light” by Gary Lapow

Annual Traditions

Throughout the year, North Shoreview Montessori (NSM) observes a number of special events to build community spirit and enhance our curriculum.

Fall International Potluck

Kick off the new school year by attending the annual Fall International Potluck. Join NSM families for an evening of socializing, eating, and dance entertainment. Because our school is rich in cultural diversity, the potluck has always had a delicious international flair. The evening is finished with an amazing night of international dance performances put on by NSM’s own students, including American hip-hop, Brazilian samba, traditional Japanese dancing, Mexican folk dancing, and dances of the Hawaiian and Pacific Islands. It’s a show not to be missed.

Equinox Celebrations

In celebration of the fall and spring equinoxes in September and March, students celebrate the change of seasons with poems, short plays, or songs during a Friday Morning Gathering. Parents are especially encouraged to attend on these dates.

Historical Timeline

The Historical Timeline is a longtime favorite NSM tradition and is held in October before the morning Halloween parade. It is an opportunity for students in the elementary grades to choose a historical figure, living or dead, to do research on this person, and (optionally) come to school in costume as this person. Students give presentations in their classrooms about the historical figure they elected to represent, and then line up in chronological order to see history come alive.

Variety Show

On the last day of the school year, all NSM students are given an opportunity to demonstrate their talents before the whole school. The accomplishments of our students are amazing. Past performances have included singing, dancing, hula hoop, piano, drums, clarinet, puppets, poems, dramatic readings, karate, gymnastics, baton twirling, mime, skits, and magic, among many other talents.

Stage Crew

The NSM stage has been renovated with professional quality audio-visual equipment anaesthetic improvements. Managed by parent volunteers, students in grades 6-8 may join the stage crew to be trained and then be responsible for running and maintaining the stage and its state-of-the-art equipment.

Steel Drum Bands

Originating from Trinidad, steel drums are 55-gallon oil drums hammered to produce a whole range of chromatic tones. These unique pitched percussion instruments can be used to play a wide variety of music. NSM students in fourth grade and up can learn and perform the steel drums as an after-school enrichment activity.

Children’s Annex

The Children’s Annex provides on-site before- and after-school care for NSM students in Kindergarten through 5th Grade. Please see the SMFC School District website for more information.