Montessori Buzz – Feb 24, 2026
Dear MA Families and Friends,
Staffing for 2026-2027
Planning for Transitions, Career Paths and Life Changes
Once re-enrolment closes and our new Offers of Admission start to get processed, we turn our attention to staffing needs across the school for the upcoming school year. Our community is extremely fortunate to have high staff retention every year and staff members with multiple levels of training; however with a school as long established as ours, and teachers in all stages of their careers, there are times when more change is a natural occurrence. MA has reached this point and is coming into a time of transition.
The school encourages professional development and training for different levels of programming. In fact, it’s part of our strategic priorities to support and invest in our people as we plan for the future. Several teachers are undertaking training outside the level they currently teach, and we also have staff who have taught at the same level for many years who are seeking a change. We take these requests into consideration every year while keeping in mind how our enrollment bubbles move through the school. In addition, we are moving into a period when we have teaching staff starting to prepare for retirement, as well as several taking parental leaves for 2026-2027.
We have already shared with the immediate classroom communities that next school year, Savannah Ramsay from UE 2, Sarah Magier from LE 3 and Amanda Langlois-Drysdale from Waterloo Toddler will all be off on parental leaves.
After dedicating 29 years to our Montessori Academy community, Susan Donaghy of UE1 has chosen to move into the next stage of her life – retirement! Starting in September, she will have plenty of time to enjoy working alongside her husband in his taxidermy business, as well as indulging in her beloved joy of reading. Susan is grateful for her time at MA and will carry forward fond memories of her students, families, and colleagues. We will all miss her humour, warmth, and energy very much, and we look forward to celebrating her at our staff milestone celebration at the end of the school year.
These life changes are just a part of our staffing puzzle for the upcoming year. This means that you may start to see postings for teaching positions that are becoming available, if we are unable to fill them internally. This is all part of our planning, and as always, we will communicate with families about staffing updates after new positions have been confirmed. This is an intricate process that takes time as we strive to meet the needs of our teachers and students. We appreciate your patience as we navigate all the exciting changes ahead for our staff community.
Reminder: 2026-2027 Enrolment Deposit Due March 1
2026-2027 Enrolment Deposit is due by March 1, 2026. If you have not yet submitted your $1,285 deposit, you can do so with the following payment options:
- In person at the front desk by credit or debit
- Cheque payable to Montessori Academy of London
- E-transfer to payments@montessori.on.ca
If you have any questions regarding your child’s 2026-2027 tuition amount, please contact Jennifer Rayman at jrayman@montessori.on.ca.
Board recruitment – Spring 2026
Seeking Fundraising and Finance experts!
Exciting news! Our Board of Governors is looking for some MA-zing people with:
- expertise in Fundraising Strategy and Finance
- previous board leadership and non-profit governance
- and a passion for Montessori or alternative education
See the full posting on our website for details, and please share this opportunity with your networks to help us spread the word. Thanks!
Phys Ed updates
Junior Hockey started on Thursday. Thank you to JH student Sadie W., for the incredible photos we shared on social media.
Fundraising update!
- $50 — Covers just over 2 sq. ft. of gym flooring
- $150 — Covers 1 ft. of protective wall padding
- $250 — Supports both flooring and safety upgrades
- Or choose an amount that’s meaningful to you — every gift brings us closer to a gym that matches the energy and spirit of our students.
Photos from the Week
Toddlers inspecting a spider
In the Toddler classroom, we were excited to get a good look at the spider found in our environment today. We examined it closely and then set it free.
Olympian mom in Westmount Casa
We recently welcomed Olympian Ko Gi-Hyun, a Westmount Casa parent who is a South Korean short track speed skater. She won both a Gold and Silver medal in the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games.
Ko shared her story of achieving her dream of participating in the Olympic Games. She encouraged us to always work hard and never give up!
Ramadan treat
When a friend brings a homemade treat for Ramadan! Ramadan Mubarak!
Lunar New Year in Lower El
Happy New Year! We are so grateful when our students and families share their cultural traditions with us!
MMUN 2026
Congratulations to our MMUN delegates on their successful trip to New York.
From the Community
Merrymount’s Family Beach Fest: March 21, 2026
Trade in your snow boots for some sandy bare feet and join us for the inaugural Merrymount Family Beach Fest – Saturday, March 21, from 1 – 6 p.m. at The Beach Hangar. For families with children ages 2–10.
Get tickets here: https://trellis.org/merrymount-family-beach-fest Children registered by March 7 will be entered into our prize basket draw!
