Ms. Laura

             May 2012

Welcome to our class! I am thrilled to be working with you and your child during the upcoming school year!   Working together as a team we can provide the ultimate learning experience for your child. My education background is Montessori Certification ages six through nine and a Master’s in Education. I hold an AZ Teaching Certificate, K-8. I have worked at Villa for almost nine years. I am married (22 years) with three children that have all gone through the Villa program. All of my children started at Montessori schools as toddlers. I also went to a Montessori school as a child. I have studied the Montessori Method extensively over the last nineteen years and feel it is truly the best way to teach and learn.

I love to create materials and spend my free time finding fun and interesting ways to present lessons. I plan to expand upon the science and wonderful cultural experiences that a balanced Montessori education offers to this age group.   There are links for everything on our classroom website - http://teacherweb.com/AZ/VillaMontessoriSchool/LauraAltmaier/ All of the important classroom information will be on this website and updated on a regular basis. Please check here often!

 Please have your child read to you (and also read to your child) on a daily basis this summer. I have enclosed a flyer regarding the importance of reading from the Department of Education. Some ways to expand upon the reading experience with your child include asking comprehension questions about what you or your child has read, encouraging children to write down new words that they can find the definitions to, and journaling and drawing about what they have read. The love of reading begins at home. Children are more likely to want to read when they see family members reading. 

I encourage you to contact me with any concerns or questions you may have. The best way to reach me is via email. I will normally respond to emails within 24 hours or less. 

 School begins Monday, August 13^th. An Open House will be held in our classroom on Friday, August 10^th, from 2:00 – 3:00. Feel free to bring your supplies, t-shirt and bag money, and pizza Friday money on this day.

I will meet with the third graders for a goal setting meeting on the first day of school.

Thank you for entrusting your child to me as we walk through this educational journey together.

Sincerely,

Laura Altmaier

laltmaier@villamontessori.com