Riverstone Montessori Academy

When planning what your kids do this summer, here is something to keep in mind. Doing nothing is sometimes a gift, as it forces their brain to be imaginative and creative. Skills that are necessary in a changing world. Avoiding screens, encouraging outdoor and creative play. Read - Read - Read....better than gaming. Having many great books around makes all the difference. Don't feel guilty if your kids are bored; boredom is actually a learning tool. Help their brain adapt to the world they will inherit by forcing it to problem solve, innovate and create. 

https://theconversation.com/denmarks-hands-off-approach-to-parenting-could-offer-a-blueprint-for-raising-more-resilient-self-reliant-kids-281485

https://childmind.org/article/the-benefits-of-boredom/

Things to think about happening in education. It is important to know what is happening behind the scenes of education science and who is 'experimenting' with new programs or ideas in the conventional classroom. Montessori is international and remains steady in its successful approach; both public and private schools are constantly changing for better or worse.

Cobb County School District experienced a 6.5-point decline on the 2024-2025 Georgia CCRPI report card, the largest decline among metro Atlanta districts, despite continued, though lower, outperformance of state averages. Elementary schools saw the steepest drop, declining by 10.9 points, with specific weaknesses noted in third-grade reading.

Key Performance Declines & Trends (2025 Data):
Overall Drop: The district's CCRPI score dropped, with declines across all levels: Elementary (⬇️ 10.9), Middle (⬇️ 4.8), and High (⬇️ 2.0).

Literacy Concerns: While Marietta City Schools saw gains, Cobb County experienced a 4-point decrease in third-grade reading scores.

Regional Position: Eight metro districts outperformed Cobb in 2025, dropping it into the bottom third of metro Atlanta districts, reversing its previous top-tier performance.

2025 Cobb County Schools College & Career Performance Index https://ccrpireportspublic.gadoe.org/ccrpireportspublicweb/Views/Shared/_Layout.html

You can track local school performance above. We encourage our families' participation in local school board decisions that will affect our RMA graduates as they move into public schools. Being educated about education benefits all of us.

Have a great week!
RMA Administration

GADOE CCRPI Reporting System GADOE CCRPI

Teacher Appreciation Week
Monday, May 4 - Friday, May 8, 2026

Dear Montessori community,
A heartfelt thank you to each of you for pouring your heart and soul in this work of building peace through education.
With deep appreciation,
AMI/USA

Attention Is Not a Trait—It’s a Teachable Skill Teachers can use these six strategies to boost students’ ability to work with sustained focus for increasing amounts of time.

Denmark’s ‘hands-off’ approach to parenting could offer a blueprint for raising more resilient, self-reliant kids

Denmark’s ‘hands-off’ approach to parenting could offer a blueprint for raising more resilient, self-reliant kids Unstructured play – especially the kind that allows kids to test their limits – can help children become competent, independent adults.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DZYt3HtpL/

In Montessori, beauty is not separate from function.

Aesthetic and arrangement supports concentration, independence, and invites children to care for the environment.

A “beautiful classroom” is not about decoration—it is about intention. Every material has a place and purpose; This is part of the teaching itself. When there is clarity in where things belong, children can focus their attention on meaningful work rather than navigating irrelevant clutter.

This is why AMI Montessori teachers spend a lot of time discussing, designing, refreshing and revising their classrooms: the better the environment MATCHES each child’s immediate needs, the more we see visible responses in children’s development, and in their joy!

What homeschool families do you know? Montessori is a great program for homeschool children who have experienced independent learning and are in need of more advanced instruction or social experiences that their family cannot provide. This is especially true and important for adolescent students who integrate well into our experience.

How cognitive ability and logical intuition evolve during middle and high school https://www.psypost.org/the-developing-teenage-brain-how-gut-instincts-learn-to-follow-the-rules-of-logi/

If you have any friends or family who would appreciate an individualized approach to education that promotes independent thought and exploration, we would love to hear from them. We happily pay $200 for referred families that successfully enroll in our program. We will be sending a check soon to a friend at Casa Montessori who shared their love of our program with a friend.

Things to think about happening in education. I often wonder if parents follow the constantly changing world of public/private non-Montessori education. It is important to know what is happening behind the scenes of education science and who is 'experimenting' with new programs or ideas in the conventional classroom.

Too often, these changes do not work, and those students have lost those academic years to poorly designed programs or fad science that does not meet the developmental needs of children. As a result, metrics are adjusted to pass unprepared students through the system. Montessori is consistent and found around the world in all cultures due to its reliability and success. Our mastery-based approach provides a better understanding of a child's needs and achievements. Our focus on academics with social and professional skills prepares the students for future challenges.

A lesson the US still hasn't learned: In 2009, Sweden Replaced Textbooks with Laptops: 15 Years Later, It’s Spending $120M to Bring Paper Back
https://dailygalaxy.com/2026/04/sweden-textbooks-screens-120-million-reversal/

Schools still struggling to teach the most basic skill: New reading laws sweep the nation following Sold a Story
https://www.apmreports.org/story/2025/10/16/legislators-reading-laws-sold-a-story #:~:text=Bills%20in%20at%20least%2014,to%20introduce%20a%20cueing%20ban.

Students Are More Unprepared For College Than Ever Before—Here Are The Essential Skills They Need To Succeed
https://www.forbes.com/sites/christopherrim/2025/11/18/students-are-more-unprepared-for-college-than-ever-before-here-are-the-essential-skills-they-need-to-succeed/

Take a moment for a quick read.

Have a great week!
RMA Administration

Students Are More Unprepared For College Than Ever Before—Here Are The Essential Skills They Need To Succeed A strong support system helps students develop emotional resilience, manage stress, build confidence, and gain the well-being skills colleges look for in top students.

Join us in supporting our community!

KRISTINA BOUTERSE REALTOR®

625 Molly Lane, Suite 140
Woodstock, Georgia 30189
678.451.5548
678.909.7709

www.LoveYourPlaceGeorgia.com

Join us in supporting our community!

PREMIER DENTAL CARE

They are a general dental office that practices emergency, preventive, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry. They re-opened on Monday, May 4th, and are following strict protocols set forth by the CDC, the American Dental Association, and OSHA to ensure the safety of our patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

They are open 8 AM to 5 PM on Monday through Thursday, and on two Fridays per month from 8 AM to 1 PM.

4343 S Main Street
Acworth, GA 30101
770-974-6868
[email protected]

Calling all doodlers!

Disney has free animation classes online—and drawing can help you relax and focus during the pandemic Disney has free drawing classes on YouTube that teach you how to doodle your favorite characters, right from the pros. Studies suggest it could help with stress, sadness and concentration amid Covid-19.