Pines Montessori School
Connections Compass Night August 2026
August 2026
Upcoming Events International Day of Peace Guided: After school until 4:00 Unguided: Until 6:15 pm
In the Peace Garden After school until they run out!
Friday September 11
th
Friday September 18th
Play in the Park After school until 4:30
8:45 - 9:15 am
Primary- Upper EL
ALL School
Upcoming Events Thanksgiving Family Feast 10:30 am - 12:00 pm Friday, November 20th
Will be required
NOON Dismissal
NOON Dismissal
3:00-5:00 pm Thursday December 17th
Sneak Peak at your Passport destinations this year!
Our Outdoor Friends Mr. Don, our landscape and backyard architect “gave a lesson” about a scared little garter snake.
Pines was invited to a very special day honoring the work of Mr. Bob Rehak.
Just a garden hose!
Chris Bloch and Bob Rehak
Chris Arceneaux Gerry, Theodore, Ms. Patty, Quest, Samantha Sabra and Merjaan
We were joined by many from Kingwood as the pedastrain bridge behind Pines was named in Mr. Bob’s honor. You can see his tiredless work to keep Kingwood safe here.
Upcoming Work Back in 2016 Oh my... 10 years ago!
Which brought us our wonderful, bright and airy classrooms.
We demoed and renoed the ENTIRE main building.
Our Primary classrooms were once half their size. We took down the center wall and created rooms that go from window to window. Fun Fact
Our Primary classrooms are just over 1,500 square feet each and Infants is a wooping 2,187 square feet!
Upcoming Work
Up next... The Main building
So it might have looked like the new Elementary Building was all we were working on but, at the same time that it was coming together we needed to see what was next for our original building. Built in 1983 our Infant, Toddler and Primary (Office too!) is in need a 10 year update.
Over the Thanksgiving break the entire main building of our school will be repainted! It will be refreshed with our peaceful Pines green.
HVAC We are moving closer to the scheduling phase of replacing the air conditioning, heating and ventalition system in this building as well. This will be planned to ensure the least amount of disruption to all. We are working closely with our General Contractor- “Mr. Shane” of KAustin, our MEP and Structional Engineers as well. PROMISE to keep you updated as soon as we have dates. When all is complete we will have new lighting, ceiling tiles and ceiling grid as well.
Play in the Park We
offering Play in the Park.
In order for this time to continue to be a safe event for children... parents, grandparents and guardians MUST supervise.
This means that there are no teaching faculty or staff outside.
Your children DO know the “rules” of the backyard and demonstrate them quite well during the school hours. Please support them and hold them accountable.
Groud Rules Both the Infant and Toddler prepared playgrounds are closed during this time. Nothing is to be thrown...sticks, rocks, sand, equipment, etc. Leave our grounds at the very first clap of thunder. Play in the Park promptly ends at 4:30. Please exit so that Extended Care may play next.
Remeber please As the adult, you set the tone for your child’s behavior. When you are watching and encouraging them they will make approprate choices and will enjoy playing with you and their friends. Play in the Park is for ADULTS! Your children have already played outside numerous times this day... YOU have not! Enjoy your adult friends (aka other parents) and play and supervise your children.
Kitchen Connections Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey
Baked Zucchini Fries Baked zucchini fries are a healthier, crispier alternative to traditional french fries.
The key to preventing them from becoming soggy is to draw out the excess moisture from the zucchini before baking and using a high oven temperature.
Ingredients
2 medium zucchinis 1 large egg, beaten ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 tsp garlic powder ½ tsp Italian seasoning ¼ tsp black pepper Olive oil spray
Instructions
Prep the zucchini: Wash zucchini and pat them completely dry. Slice off the ends, then cut them lengthwise into fry-shaped sticks, about ¼ to ½ inch thick. Draw out moisture: To prevent sogginess, lay the zucchini sticks on a plate and sprinkle with salt. Let them sit for 10–15 minutes, then use a paper towel to blot and remove any excess liquid. Prepare the coating: Set up a breading station with three shallow bowls. In the first bowl, add the beaten egg. In the second bowl, combine the Panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and black pepper.
Coat the zucchini: Dip each zucchini stick into the egg wash, letting any excess drip off. Then, dredge the stick in the Panko mixture, pressing gently to ensure an even coating. Arrange the fries: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat it with olive oil spray. Place the coated zucchini fries on the sheet in a single layer, ensuring they are not touching. This allows for air circulation and helps them get crispy. Bake the fries: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Bake for 20–25 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they are golden brown and crispy. Broil for extra crispiness: For a crispier finish, switch your oven to the broiler setting for the final 2–3 minutes. Watch them carefully to prevent burning. Serve immediately: Enjoy the zucchini fries fresh out of the oven, as they soften over time. Try them with a marinara sauce, our Pines ranch dressing, or a spicy aiol.
CONNECTIONS Note: Chef Liz has left us with many recipes whilst she is on maternity leave. Look for some Chef Eric tips and tricks soon too!
Book Review
I’ll start with what might not be the obvious: I’m not a parent.
But I have spent almost 20 years working with children, and I’ve had the privilege of watching A LOT of children grow up. I’ve also spent a lot of time watching the adults around them—parents, teachers, grandparents— and how all of those relationships shape a child. So while I’m not reading this book as a parent, I am reading it as someone who spends a pretty significant amount of time watching children be children. And I really liked this book.
One of the things I appreciated most is that you don’t have to be a Montessori parent—or really follow any particular parenting philosophy—to get something out of it. You don’t need a perfectly organized home, a beautifully prepared environment, or a carefully followed schedule. The heart of this book is really about awareness.
The basic idea is that sometimes we aren’t actually responding to the child in front of us. We are responding to our own childhood. Our experiences, our expectations, our fears, the things our parents did that we swore we would never do, or maybe the things we desperately wish our parents had done differently. And that can make it really hard to see the actual child standing in front of us. That idea really stuck with me. A few things that stood out to me: The child you imagined vs. the child you actually have. I think it is incredibly easy to create a picture in our heads of who our child is going to be. Maybe they will be like us. Maybe they will be nothing like us. Maybe they will be outgoing, athletic, academic, easygoing, adventurous, or whatever we imagined. And then you get this actual little human being who may be absolutely nothing like the picture in your head. And now what? The book really challenges us to put the picture down and actually look at the child. Our reactions aren't always about the child. This one feels especially important. A child's meltdown, refusal, attitude, anxiety, or withdrawal can push some pretty big buttons in an adult. But sometimes the intensity of our reaction has less to do with what is happening right now and more to do with what that behavior means to us because of our own experiences.
Book Review
That is a hard thing to notice in ourselves.
Temperament matters. A lot. This is something I see every single day in the classroom. Give five children the exact same experience and you will get five completely different responses. One jumps right in. One watches for ten minutes. One needs to know every detail before participating. One wants to do it independently. One decides they absolutely hate it before they've even tried it. None of those children are necessarily "wrong." They are different people. The more we understand that, the less energy we spend trying to make children into someone they aren't. And maybe the biggest one: regulate yourself first. Before we can expect children to manage their big feelings, we have to be willing to look at our own. The book keeps coming back to that pause—to notice what is happening inside us before we immediately react to what is happening in the child. I really appreciated that because I think it is one of those things that sounds simple until you actually have to do it. My biggest takeaway I've worked with families who are incredibly laid-back. I've worked with very structured families. I've worked with families who follow Montessori principles very closely and families who probably couldn't tell you what Montessori even means.
And honestly? The same thing seems to matter across all of them. Children do better when they feel seen.
Kristen Brigham Primary & Elementray Montessori Teacher Class 6
Not compared to their sibling. Not compared to who their parent was at that age. Not compared to who everyone hopes they will become. Not constantly evaluated against some imaginary version of the "perfect" child. Just seen for who they actually are.
I don't have children of my own, but I've watched enough children grow up in front of me to know that they can tell the difference between being seen and being managed.
And I think that's really what this book is asking parents to consider. Who is the child standing in front of me—and can I get quiet enough to actually see them? That's a question worth sitting with, no matter what kind of parent you are.
“Humble” Brag Your school holds three, internationally recognized, accrediations.
We said yes! We are very excited to host an International Montessori Council Retreat at Pines. This is such an honor and a real tesitment to the community that is Pines. We will keep you posted as we learn more. It will be in 2027 during our 50th year celebrations!
“Humble” Brag
Infants
No shoes in our Infant Community!
Toddlers
Class 1 Ms. Julie must had said something funny!
Toddlers
Class 2
And these aren’t even the smallest chairs we own!
Toddlers
Class 3 You all made it in the selfie!
Primary
Class 4
Half of Class 4...
...W y E r r o S
Forgot y e o k a u t r To
Picture
Primary
Class 5 This selfie was mostly ceiling!
The following week they moved outside!
Primary
Class 6
The first parents to play on this!
Also a very good angle!
Lower Elementary
West
Super FUN both weeks!
Lower Elementary
East
Lower El upstairs and Lower El downstairs!
Upper Elementary
West
These feel very professional!
Upper Elementary
East
Upper standing Up and Upper sitting Down!
Middle School
Middle School “family” portrait!
Forward Towards FIFTY
We are planning for our 50th School Year... NOW! The “Party” will begin on Saturday, May 1st 2026 at Here is super quick timeline of Pines.
and will conclude on Saturday, May 2nd 2027!
3535 Cedar Knolls Drive Kingwood Texas 77339 USA www.pinesmontessori.com