​Dear Families,
We draw to a close 2020, a very unusual year for all of us, and look forward to welcoming January 2021. 
Reflecting on our year so far, we have much to be grateful for at Monterey Park School.
Our students have been positive, strong and resilient.  We have all learned new ways to live in the world and students have seamlessly picked up and made safety protocols a part of our everyday living.  Teachers have done an amazing job of normalizing this work and ensuring our students continue to feel a strong sense of community and belonging at Monterey Park.
Our parents have been so very supportive and understanding of new guidelines.  They have remembered to send lunch and utensils with children daily, been respectful of ensuring their child arrives and is picked up from their cohort door, keeping sick children home and being incredibly responsive when they receive a call to come and pick up a sick child.  As well, thank you for the generous way each family who has been impacted by quarantine has responded when they have received the call.
Our teachers.  They are truly amazing.  Monterey Park School has the BEST staff! Our teachers have rallied to support protocols, online learning, students, families, teaching and learning.  We have had a large learning curve regarding how schools look during a pandemic and staff have been creative in finding solutions to problems that present themselves.  And, in addition to all of this, there has been rich, inspiring learning happening at Monterey Park School…as usual!
As a staff we have committed to using the lens of the Circle of Courage in learning and our interactions together.  The Circle of Courage has four quadrants, Belonging, Mastery, Independence and Generosity.  Monterey Park School has always been a place where everyone who enters is welcome and embraced into the MPS family. 
Through the lens of Belonging and Generosity:
Grade One students and our Grade Three students took it upon themselves to write letters, make signs and decorate classroom doors to welcome back classes as they returned from isolation.
 Our Grade Six HUB class wrote letters to seniors who would not have the opportunity to be with loved ones over the holidays.
Our school community supported six families with grocery cards, gifts and groceries to make the holidays a little brighter.  We received two donations from families in total of $1,500, a grant of $1,000 and staff donations of gifts and money to make this all possible.  The generosity of our community to support each other has been overwhelming.
We wish each of you and your families JOY, HEALTH and HAPPINESS in the New Year.
Happy Holidays,
Lynette, Michelle and the Monterey Park Staff