Remember the wonderful lady who was like the child whisperer
to both my kiddos who were melting down before entering school. Her name is Christine. She has three kiddos of her own and is very
active in the PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) at Monarch Montessori. You wouldn’t know it by seeing her. She does not flaunt who she is or what she
has done to help the school. She is PTO
by her actions. With gentle, purposeful interaction she tries to make everyone
feel comfortable and welcomed. That was
certainly the case for me on more than one occasion. There is also more than a few people who
think she is great person too. More
about that in a little bit.
Christine found Monarch and “totally fell in love with it
because it fit.” Her daughter had a hard
time adjusting to traditional learning.
She was enrolled in a private school.
Everyday her daughter would melt down before class because she didn’t
want to go. This is one of the reasons
why she has such empathy for other parents because she’s been there. At Monarch there is such a sense of
community. The school rallied around her
and supported her and her kids while going through a nasty divorce.
The whole Montessori philosophy of teaching kids order and how to focus
on a task to see it through to completion was two-fold. It taught her kids how to be more independent
which helped out at home.
Christine became a room-mom which ultimately lead to her
joining the PTO. She attended outreach
gatherings and helped organize a Trunk or Treat event at the school that brought
over 200 parents, students, and staff together.
She wishes parents would get more involved in school because the
teachers work so hard. She says of the
PTO, “It connects students and teachers.
It also helps bridge the primary school to the charter school.”
Besides being a loving mom of three and a major supporter
of her kiddos, she also has much going on behind the scenes. Isn’t that the case with all moms? She is also a seamstress and designer. She learned to sew when she was a little girl. Growing up she always liked fashion. She became a stylist for professional athletes. The job taught her a lot about fabric. Most athletes as she says are, “crazy unproportioned”. As a stylist she wore many hats. Her girls loved frill and so she designed
their bedrooms. A friend asked her to
make the drapes for a hotel down town.
With success and five sewing machines she is forming her own business
step by step. One thing she says people don’t know about her is that she is really shy and nerdy.
When asked what hello means to her she says, “It could mean so
much. It says you’re interested in
knowing about others. Hope your day is
beautiful orI’m wishing you the best for
your day!” She wants others to feel comfortable. Maybe by saying hi to others their day might
not be so grumpy. I couldn't agree more! Have a wonderful day everyone!
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