Mount Madonna School (MMS) teachers, students and staff took a spring break, March 30-April 3, though for some the learning, teaching and work continued! On April 6, school “resumed” for the third week of remote instruction.
“I am so proud of all the hard work our school faculty are putting into the carefully crafted remote-learning plans that they are creating and individualizing for each of their students,” said Director of Lower School Kami Pacheco. “Our teachers are working harder than ever from home, with Zoom 
classroom meeting times, individual Zoom meeting times with students and with parents, as well as learning new technology that allows them to continue to offer and assess new instruction in an online platform. We are very thankful for the support of our families at home who are assisting their students with their learning plans. We all miss the face-to-face interaction and look forward to times ahead that we can return to school as a stronger community for what we have been through together.”
Preschool and Kindergarten Director Hema Walker said she and teachers Michelle and Rachel are engaged in keeping learning vibrant and active with their young students.
“Our Pre/K students are working on their remote learning lessons and parents are sharing some photos of their child’s activities on our class Padlet account,” Walker said. “Next week we will begin weekly Zoom “sharing circles” with the kindergarten class and add circle time and story time videos to our YouTube channel to help enrich students’ curriculum.”
Pre/K teachers are also planning to create and share their own videos demonstrating simple science experiments, baking lessons, dance classes and other at-home activities for their students.
Senior Aaron Saavedra said he is focused on staying positive and making the best of a very difficult situation.
“Remote learning so far has been going fine for me,” commented Saavedra. “It has definitely been a major adjustment for both the students and teachers. Although all the students do get to see each other in class via Zoom, it doesn’t replace real in-person interactions. It’s important that we make the best out of the situation during this time of crisis. My dad is an ER doctor and is seeing the crisis first-hand in our community. I completely understand why it is necessary to shift to online learning. In my free time I am hanging out with my sister who is home doing online learning from UCLA. I also have been spending much of my free time taking care of my bog garden and the carnivorous plants in my greenhouse.”
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Contact: Leigh Ann Clifton, director of marketing & communications,
Nestled among the redwoods on 375 acres, Mount Madonna School (MMS) is a community of learners dedicated to creative, intellectual, and ethical growth. MMS supports its students in becoming caring, self-aware, discerning and articulate individuals; and believe a fulfilling life includes personal accomplishments, meaningful relationships