1. Log in to your Gmail at gmail.com.
2. Click the gear icon in the top right, and select Settings.
3. Click the Filters and Blocked Addresses tab.
4. Click Create a New Filter.
5. In the pop-up window, enter mir.org.
6. Click Create filter.
7. Check "Never send it to Spam".
8. Click Create filter.

1. Sign in to your account. Go to inbox.
2. Click Options located at the upper-right side of the page.
3. Select More Options.
4. Under Preventing junk email, click Safe and blocked senders.
5. Click Safe Senders.
6. In the text box, type in the domain mir.org, then click Add to list >>.

• If you use the Outlook email application on your computer, sign in to Outlook.com on a computer (not a mobile device) using your email address and password. Often our emails are in the junk folder on Outlook.com and are not passed along to the Outlook app.
• If you use the Focused inbox feature, click on "Other" to see if email is listed there.
• Microsoft has further instructions for whitelisting in Outlook here.

better if done from a computer rather than a mobile device

1. Click on the settings icon (the gear near the top right)
2. Scroll down and click on More Settings
3. Click on Filters
4. Click Add New Filters
5. Under Set Rules, select From > Contains and enter mir.org.
6. Under Choose Folder to Move To, select Inbox.
7. Click Save

Dear Families,

I am pleased to announce that we will be opening the MIR campus for summer school. We will follow the same rigorous safety requirements that essential worker childcare-centers have implemented since March, and we are well-positioned to provide safe on-site care for children and staff. The 2020 Summer Program will be held in 4 two-week sessions for the following dates:

• Session 1: June 15-26
• Session 2: June 29-July 10 No summer school on Friday, July 3 in observance of Independence Day.
• Session 3: July 13-24
• Session 4: July 27-August 7

The health and safety of our students and staff is our highest priority as we plan for re-opening our campus to children. Adult/child ratios, our use of physical spaces, student groupings, as well as our cleaning and disinfecting practices will all be significantly modified.

Students in the Toddler and Primary programs will enjoy their regular Montessori program, supplemented with outdoor and water play, music, and arts and crafts. The Elementary Summer Program will support students in building their academic, physical, and social-emotional skills while having a lot of fun. It will also offer much-needed social engagement after an extended stay at home.

Our Safety Team has outlined detailed safety protocols based on CDC, state, and county requirements. We will share detailed information about these protocols as soon as they are finalized. The summer program will give us the opportunity to practice and refine these protocols as we prepare for a larger on-site opening in the fall.

In keeping with this plan, and to meet updated requirements issued by Community Care Licensing, the following modifications will be made to our summer program:

• The daily schedule will be simplified to 8 a.m.-4 p.m. for all ages.
• We will not be able to offer swimming.
• Students will not take physical field trips.

On May 26, we will send more details about the MIR Summer Program and how to enroll. We are implementing a new system for summer school enrollment, which should simplify the process for you.

I continue to be inspired by the creativity and kindness of our community. Thank you for the faith and support you continue to provide to each other and to MIR. If you have any questions, please let me know.

In peace,
Jenny Davidson
Head of School

Dear MIR families,

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership as Montessori Home Learning continues. This week, our faculty is reflecting on your feedback on the home learning process and discussing ways we can streamline our support for you and your children. We know that this shutdown has been difficult for parents, and we want to help as much as we can.

I'm writing to share some updates about Montessori in Redlands and our current plans for reopening. The majority of our annual expenses are fixed, meaning that our budgeted expenses for this school year were committed before the current stay at home order was issued. Over the past several years, the MIR board has prioritized the cultivation of a reserve fund for unexpected emergencies, but with the immediate and school-wide impacts of this closure, we anticipate MIR’s financial recovery will take time.

When a campus closure became imminent, our business office took immediate action to freeze non-essential spending and conserve cash to help the school come through this pandemic intact. While we had few remaining options for reducing our projected expenses, our supply purchases, cleaning services and facility improvements were all placed on hold. These swift decisions, along with your continued tuition payments in this difficult time have ensured that Montessori in Redlands is in a position to chart a course for reopening and recovery.

For the foreseeable future, MIR has refocused our entire budget on a very simple purpose - sustaining and supporting our school community. To us this means:

Supporting families who have been hit hardest by the pandemic
Our school has repurposed every available dollar to our Emergency Financial Assistance program for this year and next. MIR has always maintained a modest financial aid fund for families facing financial difficulties. With the current downturn, our typical financial aid fund will be insufficient. We have reduced all non-essential spending through the 2020-21 school year and have launched the COVID-19 Relief Fund, which several families have already supported with donations. The full extent of our community’s need will only be known in time, but our priority is keeping our children’s relationships intact by not losing any students due to an inability to pay.

Retaining our staff
One of the remarkable characteristics of MIR is the longevity and commitment of our teachers and staff. Generations of MIR students have benefited from the consistency and experience that our staff brings year after year. We aim to continue that experience for your children and beyond.

Essential functioning and maintenance of the school
We know that some essential expenses cannot be reduced or delayed. As we look ahead to plans for re-opening, we will need to invest in additional health and safety equipment, and we will prioritize any spending that directly improves the quality of education we provide. These needs will not be compromised.

LOOKING AHEAD AND PLANS FOR REOPENING

While there is still uncertainty about what the summer and fall will hold, our staff and board are preparing for a variety of scenarios that are likely under current projections. We are closely monitoring government recommendations and are collaborating with a large community of independent schools to share insights and best practices. We anticipate that school will reopen as expected in the fall and we are exploring multiple options for our summer school program.

The MIR team is implementing significant safety measures for health and wellness to keep students, staff, and families safe while there is still risk of COVID-19 infection. We will share our detailed safety plans with you prior to opening. Your cooperation will help keep our community healthy and well.

We are preparing for the possibility that additional stay-at-home orders may be issued if COVID-19 infections increase locally. We know that this could require additional Montessori Home Learning sessions during the 2020-21 school year. Now that the school is in a position to prepare for this possibility, we are planning the following accommodations for next year:

Per Diem Tuition Credit for 2020-21 Home Learning sessions
If MIR’s physical campus is closed to protect our community from the virus, we will shift to Montessori Home Learning until it is deemed safe to reopen. A per-diem tuition credit will be offered for up to 40 days of Home Learning during the 2020-21 academic year. Toddler families will be granted a per-diem tuition credit of 50%, Primary will be granted 20%, and Elementary will be granted 15%. This tiered approach is based on the children’s level of independence in each age group and their ability to engage in home learning activities. Families will have the opportunity to donate their per-diem credit to the COVID-19 Relief Fund to support emergency financial assistance for MIR families in need.

Flexible school calendar
MIR is drafting a calendar for the 2020-21 school year with some of our regular closures designated as “Flexible Closures.” A portion of our Winter Break, the entirety of Spring Break, and several staff inservice days will be tentatively reserved on our calendar. In order to maximize our on-site instruction and ease the expectations of home learning, we may reschedule these school closures to align with a campus closure. Governor Newsom has also shared the possibility of schools beginning their academic year earlier than usual. We are exploring this option and will share any new information with you as soon as it is available.

Summer School
We are considering the feasibility of running Summer School under the current and projected safety restrictions and plan to announce the status of Summer Session 1 to families on or before May 26th. MIR summer school is offered in four 2-week sessions and each session will be assessed and confirmed independently of the others.

An updated rate sheet is attached to this email (available online here) reflecting the per-diem credit and rates for the 2020-21 school year. We will be sharing re-enrollment agreements with you on Monday, May 4th.

This global health emergency has created the need, and opportunity, to focus on what is most important. For Montessori in Redlands, that includes fulfilling our mission to support children’s development, and the health and well-being of our community. Those priorities will guide our decisions as we continue to navigate this time of change. Thank you for your continued support and understanding.

In peace,
Jenny Davidson
Head of School

Dear MIR families,

As you may know, MIR typically schedules two days of Parent Teacher Conferences at the end of April. Given the high levels of communication and collaboration between parents and teachers to support Montessori Home Learning, MIR will not be holding Spring conferences as usual. We are revising our schedule for this year as follows:

• Thursday, April 23: Home Learning continues as usual
• Friday, April 24: MIR is closed, staff and students have the day off from Home Learning
• Monday, April 27: MIR Staff In-service day, students have the day off from Home Learning

This plan offers one additional day of Montessori Home Learning guidance, it allows our families and staff to take a day's rest from home learning, and it supports a productive in-service day for MIR staff to work together.

Before the end of the school year, teachers will share a modified progress report summarizing your child's experiences from November through this Spring. Whether your child is moving up or returning to the same classroom next year, each teacher will be prepared to assess and support your child's learning when they return next fall. All children proceed through Montessori at their own pace -- rest assured that our teachers will meet your child wherever they are with compassion and care.

If you have not been in regular contact with your child's teacher about Montessori Home Learning and have questions or just want to connect, I hope you will reach out through your child's Learning Journal or arrange a time for a conversation. We are here for you and want to help however we can.

Sending you best wishes from the entire MIR team,
Jenny Davidson

Dear MIR families,

This week, California Governor Gavin Newsom released a statement calling for California school campuses to remain closed for the remainder of this school year, with the expectation that students' education will continue through home learning. While we are all disappointed by this news, we recognize that this decision is made with the interest of our community’s health and safety in mind.

I know that the transition to Montessori Home Learning has not been without challenge. We truly appreciate the willingness of our families and caregivers to partner with us in this unexpected journey. Fortunately, Montessori educators are experienced in creatively and compassionately responding to the unexpected. I believe we are uniquely suited to continue supporting our families through this and to provide a comprehensive home education program for our students.

The MIR Board and the business office are continuing to assess the financial impact of this campus closure on our school. We are facing a loss of income due to the cancellation of childcare fees and the gala, and new admissions for the spring have been halted, resulting in a loss of tuition.

We are also processing a high volume of requests for emergency financial assistance due to a loss of job or income. If you feel you qualify for emergency assistance, please email me directly. If you wish to make a contribution to our relief fund for families, you may do so here.

Our entire staff is actively working to support Montessori Home Learning, and we are doing everything within our power to avoid layoffs or reduction in compensation. Continued employment will ensure a smooth re-opening of the physical campus when this is over, and we have a fiduciary responsibility to the entire community to consider the ongoing strength of the school.

MIR has some reserve funds and a line of credit, but as a lean non-profit, we will need additional funding to carry the school through the pandemic and campus closure. We are currently applying for small business loans and the Paycheck Protection Program loan that was recently created through the CARES Act.

Every day and every week will give us more information about our sustainability, and I plan to offer updates as frequently as I am able. I am grateful for your supportive messages and solidarity as we do our best to navigate these unexpected changes. We truly appreciate your understanding and ongoing support.

Thank you sincerely,
Jenny

Dear MIR families,

We hope this email finds you and your family well. Thank you for your patience, support, and well-wishes as our entire community adjusts to California’s current stay-at-home order and to home learning.

Above and beyond our anxieties about the spread of this virus, I know that many MIR families have already experienced a loss of income or employment as a result of the pandemic. Our finance team is exploring multiple options to help our community through this difficult time and they are prioritizing support for the most vulnerable members of our school community. Please contact me directly if you have lost employment or if you are experiencing financial hardship due to this pandemic.

Some families have chosen to make donations to help our community through this time and I offer you my sincere gratitude. Your support will help us assist families who need it the most and will help MIR retain its teachers and staff. I know that not everyone is in a position to give, and that's okay. I am deeply moved by how much our community cares for each other and for the long-term sustainability of our school.

Many of you are healthcare professionals, first responders, or work in other crucial roles essential to our local pandemic response. MIR is investigating whether we are able to offer an emergency childcare program for you as essential workers.

If this is a service you would qualify for and be interested in accessing, please fill out this form to help us make a more informed decision. Thank you sincerely for your work, we are all deeply grateful.

Thank you and be safe,
Jenny

We hope everyone is well and finding moments of inspiration and fun while at home!

As we launch the Montessori Home Learning Program, MIR is scheduling time tomorrow (Wednesday, March 25) for students from the following classes to pick up work and belongings for the students. (Please note: it's perfectly fine if another family picks up items for you.)

If your class is not listed here, we are planning to arrange times for you to pick up your student's belongings directly from the classroom.

Items will be handed to you through your passenger-side window. If you prefer to have us put them directly into a trunk or back seat for you, just let us know when you arrive.

PICK-UP SCHEDULE AND LOCATIONS
South Campus Classes
Line up on the curb like you do for drop-off.

• 8:30-9 a.m.: Emily's class. Parents with siblings in Teesie's class can park on the curb between the office and Toddlers and wait for Teesie's pick up.
• 9-9:30 a.m.: Teesie's class.

North Campus Classes

8:30-9 a.m.

• Kristen's class: Line up on the west side of the parking lot (usual location for afternoon pick up).
• Kelly's class: Line up on the east side of the parking lot.

9-9:30 a.m.

• Venus's class: Line up on the west side of the parking lot.
• Roslyn's class: Line up on the east side of the parking lot (usual location for afternoon pick up).

9:30-10 a.m.

• Kara/Jenny's class: Line up on the west side of the parking lot.
• Maria/Jennifer's class: Line up on the east side of the parking lot.

If you have multiple children in multiple classes on north campus, or on both campuses, we suggest you arrange to pick up toward the end of one class's pick-up time and the beginning of the other.

If you need something specific from the classroom, please let us know. We will ask you to pull into a parking spot and will retrieve the item for you.

All student bags not picked up on Wednesday will be brought to the MIR yoga room. Please arrange an alternate time to pick up your student's items.

COMPUTING RESOURCES
Some families have reached out to us to let us know that they do not have (or have enough) computing resources at home to support Montessori Home Learning for multiple students. We have limited supplies of devices that we will check out. If this is your situation, please let us know by 12 p.m. on Wednesday by emailing us at info@mir.org for the first distribution of devices on Thursday. By necessity, we will prioritize families with the highest need. We will schedule a second distribution time as needed.

Dear MIR families,
Over this past week, you and your children have been at the forefront of our minds. The MIR staff shares a mission and long history of supporting child development through Montessori education. This work will continue.

As this pandemic prompted school closures across the globe, Montessori schools began collaborating at a blinding pace to develop strategies for supporting students’ learning and development from a distance. Over the Spring Break closure and during yesterday’s staff in-service, the MIR team has developed our own plan for our Montessori Home Learning Program. We have relied heavily on suggestions from other Montessori schools who are thinking creatively about this, and on many who have refined these approaches after being closed for several weeks already.

Each day this week, we will introduce you to a new component of the Montessori Home Learning Program. Today, we would like to start by sharing the Montessori Home Learning Handbook. It is an orientation to how we expect this process to unfold and the roles that our staff, you, and your student will play.

This work is rooted deeply in our Montessori philosophy: we believe children need both freedom and structure, children are naturally motivated to learn and develop, and adults should serve as a bridge to the children’s environment and learning opportunities.

Our priorities in developing this approach are to:

• Continue to foster each child’s love of learning and to guide learning opportunities for them.
• Support the emotional and mental health of both the child and the parents within the context of this situation.
• Maintain, extend, and encourage community connection in new ways.

We know that this is an extraordinary time and parents are overwhelmed. Starting tomorrow, your teachers will begin sharing resources and suggestions with you. The goals of these resources are to help you and your child establish routines that support learning, and to offer you both some independence.

We acknowledge that you, as parents, have many essential priorities right now. If you are not able to use these resources right away, please be forgiving with yourself. Your teachers will help you prioritize your family’s time and energy by sharing individualized recommendations for your child.

Take care, stay well, and please know that we are here to help.

Best,
Jenny Davidson, Head of School
Mandie Schadwinkel, Assistant Head of School
Jessica Brockardt, Elementary Coordinator​

Dear Parents,

As the situation surrounding the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to evolve, MIR is working hard to set up the infrastructure necessary to support our students and families working from home. You may have heard that Redlands Unified School District recently announced that their closure will be extended through Friday, May 1. For the health and safety of our staff and students, the campus closure at Montessori in Redlands will follow the same schedule.

Our physical campus is closed, but Montessori education will continue. Montessori in Redlands is transitioning to a Montessori Home Learning Program for the duration of time that our physical campus must remain closed.

Our students are uniquely capable of taking on the challenge of learning from home, even at the youngest ages. Montessori is a self-directed learning model. In their time in the classroom, students have learned how to concentrate, how to choose and persist through challenging work, and how to reach out for help when needed. These skills can continue to flourish in a home learning environment.

Our teachers will be there to guide the students and to support you. We will provide more detailed information about the Montessori Home Learning Program at the beginning of next week. The program is intended to support both students and parents in ensuring deep and developmentally appropriate learning continues while students are off campus. All students and parents, Toddlers through Elementary, will have access to their teachers via various forms of communications.

We know these are challenging times, and you have questions. Here are answers to some of the questions we’ve received. We will continue to send updates as this situation evolves. You can also find updates and an archive of emails at mir.org/covid-19.

When will we receive refunds for Spring Break Childcare and Spring extracurricular activities?
Childcare refunds will be processed by the end of next week.

Will we get a reimbursement of tuition fees?
We plan to continue our education program during the closure. The staff will be working during the closure to support your children remotely. Therefore, we will proceed with billing for tuition as scheduled.

All schools are in the same situation: our ability to retain and compensate teachers and support staff is vital to our ability to effectively carry out our mission and be ready to successfully resume normal operations once the pandemic containment period is over. We need to meet our responsibilities to our employees, which allows us to meet our responsibilities to you and to all of our students.

Is financial aid available to us?
We understand that many families may be facing increased financial hardship at this time, and we want to ensure families do not have to add the potential for a change in schools to an already stressful time. We will strive to make financial aid available for families who need it. Feel free to email me so that we can reach out to you with more information.

What about before- and after-school childcare fees?
MIR plans to issue a credit for before-school or after-school childcare fees that are incurred while the campus is closed.

Will the school year extend into the summer?
That is not the current plan; however, we will re-evaluate as the situation evolves. For now, we are continuing full instruction through the Montessori Home Learning Program and expect to end the school as originally scheduled. While the learning at home will be in a different format than in the classroom, we are providing critical structure and learning to ensure all students stay on track for the school year.

At this time, the MIR Summer Program will also continue as planned. For Toddler and Primary students, this program is the same as the school year program, with additional summer-only activities added. We encourage you to sign-up when enrollment opens to help return your students to their routines. The Elementary program provides focused learning activities that support academic and social-emotional skills. It will also give them the social engagement they will need and want after extended time at home.

What support will be available to families whose parents provide “essential services”?
We recognize that we have many parents who provide defined “essential services” and that this sudden school closure presents a real challenge. We are evaluating whether we can safely offer a limited program for parents in this situation. If you find yourself in an emergency situation or truly exceptional circumstances, please feel free to contact us at info@mir.org. We may be able to help or connect you with other families who would be willing to do so.

We’ve been inspired to hear how families are engaging with this crisis in ways that joyfully support their children. One family of another Montessori school wrote:

"We asked ourselves what could we do, and since in Italy schools are also closed and they have English in the academic curricula, my children will do Skype calls with Italian children to work on their 'English Conversations, Pronunciation, Homework.' We proposed half-time English, half-time Italian, so to have a win-win approach. Just 10 or 15 minutes a day."

How is your family responding creatively and generously to empower your children and others during this time? We would love to hear from you to share with other families. We will send more information soon about how you can share your pictures and stories to help our community stay connected.

This situation is challenging in so many ways, I know. We are committed to supporting our staff and families through this difficult time. I deeply appreciate your patience and support.

Sincerely,
Jenny Davidson

 

Dear MIR Families,

After careful consideration, Montessori in Redlands has decided to adjust our home learning schedule to align with the closure of Redlands Unified School District (RUSD). We now anticipate that our school will be implementing Montessori Home Learning from March 24 through April 3. We hope to re-open our physical campus on Monday, April 6. We feel that this is a critical time to prioritize our community’s health by staying home to observe social distancing.

I know that many of your Spring Break travel plans have been disrupted and children are hearing about school closures on the news. Our most recent blog post shares some helpful tips and resources that can help you navigate these topics with your children in an age appropriate way. Read it here.

The great news is that Montessori education already has a long and rich history of adapting to the unique needs of a particular time, place, and culture. We can continue to support your child's learning and development, even through a temporary campus closure. Our team is currently working on resources, tools, and schedules that will help you navigate these upcoming weeks at home and we look forward to sharing more with you soon.

If your family needs any assistance in navigating this challenging time, I hope you will let me know. We are fortunate to have a strong community who is willing to help when things get tough. I’ll do everything I can to help connect families who are struggling with community members who are able to help. Please just reach out.

I will also take this opportunity to tell you how much we genuinely love working with you and your children. I know I speak for all of our school when I say that we will miss the regular shared time that we have with your children, but we look forward to staying connected in other ways.

Thank you and be well!
Jenny

Dear MIR parents,

With the rapid changes from the COVID-19 pandemic, MIR has determined that proactive measures to ensure the health and safety of our school community members are necessary. MIR will be closing our campus to students and families from March 19-27, while we continue to assess the situation.

We are passionate about our mission and we are committed to continue supporting your child’s learning and development from home. Staff will meet for our in-service on March 23. After that date, your family will receive information and resources about how this will be structured moving forward.

In order to prepare for this shift, MIR is also closing for two Spring Break childcare days, Thursday and Friday, March 19 and 20. Families who have registered for those two days will be refunded their childcare fees.

Our schedule for the next two weeks will be as follows:

• March 16, 17, and 18: MIR is open for families who have registered for Spring Break childcare. If you need to make changes to your childcare schedules for these days, please email info@mir.org as soon as possible.
• March 19 and 20: Childcare is closed.
• March 23: In-service Day for staff members. MIR is closed to students.
• March 24-27: Teachers and staff will begin supporting Montessori learning from home. The school will assess the situation and communicate with families about the next steps.

We are canceling all school events through April 30. These include:

• Spring Gala
• Spring Carnival
• Parent-Child Night

April field trips will either be canceled or postponed. We will be canceling the Spring season of extracurriculars and processing refunds. We might make changes to the format of Parent-Teacher Conferences (April 23 and 24).

The health and safety of our school community is paramount to Montessori in Redlands. Please expect to hear from me with regular updates and additional opportunities for communication. Look for emails from us and sign up for the MIR text alert system. We will be notifying you of updates through that system. Text MIRRED to 41-411 to sign up.

Many thanks for your understanding. These are challenging times, but I am more than certain that our caring, capable, and creative MIR community is up to the challenges. We wish you health and well-being and look forward to our ongoing work together.

Sincerely,
Jenny Davidson

Dear Parents,

The County of San Bernardino is requiring organizations to cancel events with an attendance of more than 250 people due to the spread of the coronavirus. With this in mind, Montessori in Redlands will be canceling the Spring Gala and the Spring Carnival, both of which are scheduled in April. While we are sorry to lose these important community events, social responsibility is an important part of our mission. If this decision can help slow the transmission of the virus, we know it is the right thing to do.

Our team has already been brainstorming fun alternatives to our annual auction, so stay tuned for other opportunities to bid on the incredible class items you have seen in the MIR lobby. If you purchased a Gala ticket and would like a refund, please email loliver@mir.org with a request. If you bought a ticket and do not request a refund, the payment will be recorded as a donation and dedicated to offset cancellation fees for the event. You will receive a donation receipt for your records.

I know there are many questions about the possibility of school closures. Our administrative and advisory team will continue to monitor recommendations about this rapidly changing situation. At this time, we will continue the precautionary actions we have already established. We will share regular updates as we get more information. If you are not yet signed up to receive our text alerts, please do so by texting MIRRED to 41-411. Texting is used only for urgent communications.

Thank you for all of you help and support in this effort.

Sincerely,
Jenny Davidson