SOL International Festival
This cherished annual event, held in the fall, offers our school community a joyful opportunity to celebrate the rich diversity that makes SOL so special. Taking place early in the school year, it also serves as a welcoming gathering, helping families connect, build friendships, and begin the year together in a spirit of openness and joy. Children are invited to dress in traditional clothing that reflects their cultural heritage and to take part in a festive parade around the school.
Families are warmly encouraged to contribute a side dish that holds cultural significance to them, creating a shared table that reflects the many traditions within our community. Throughout the event, interactive booths and displays highlight different countries and cultures, inviting children and adults alike to explore, learn, and connect.
Together, we celebrate both what makes us unique and the shared humanity that unites us, fostering appreciation, respect, and a spirit of joyful togetherness.
Volunteer Days
Volunteer Days offer families a meaningful way to support our classrooms and contribute to the life of the school. Held monthly, typically on the first Friday of each month, these mornings provide an opportunity for parents and caregivers to assist faculty and staff with a variety of helpful, easy-to-do projects that support the classroom environment.
Projects may include preparing materials, organizing classroom spaces, or assisting with seasonal tasks that allow our teachers to focus more fully on their work with children. Volunteer Days are designed to be welcoming and accessible, and no prior experience is required.
Beginning in October and continuing throughout the school year, Volunteer Days reflect SOL’s spirit of service, collaboration, and shared care for our learning community. Participation is always optional, and deeply appreciated.
Celebración de la Luz
(Celebration of Light)
Held in early December, Celebración de la Luz is a joyful and uplifting community devotional gathering that brings children, families, and staff together to celebrate light, kindness, and hope. Taking place shortly before the winter break, this event offers a meaningful moment to come together in reflection and celebration.
Through songs, movement, artwork, readings, and prayer, children share expressions inspired by light as a universal symbol of love, goodness, and renewal. Music and shared participation create an atmosphere that is both celebratory and peaceful, allowing children to experience spiritual connection in an active and inclusive way.
Readings and prayers are thoughtfully selected from a range of spiritual and cultural traditions, emphasizing shared human values such as unity, compassion, gratitude, and service. Children’s artwork inspired by themes of light and goodness are also displayed, adding color and meaning to the gathering.
Celebración de la Luz is not a performance, but a shared experience, one that nurtures joy, inspiration, and a sense of connection. It offers a hopeful close to the term, inviting families into the winter season with uplifted hearts and renewed spirit.
SOL Community
Day of Service
Each spring, the SOL community comes together for a Community Day of Service, a meaningful school-wide gathering that reflects our shared values of unity, compassion, and service to others. This day offers children, families, and staff an opportunity to care for our campus, extend kindness beyond our school, and experience the joy that comes from contributing together.
Service activities are intentionally hands-on, age-appropriate, and collaborative. Through shared acts of care, children come to see themselves as capable contributors whose efforts, no matter how small, can bring beauty, comfort, and positive change into the world.
Working side by side with family members and classmates, children experience service as something joyful and life-affirming, nurturing a sense of belonging and an early understanding that caring for others is a natural and meaningful part of life.
Grand Friends Day
Grand Friends Day is a special opportunity for children to welcome grandparents, older relatives, and close family friends into their classroom and share a glimpse of their daily Montessori life. During this morning gathering, children take the lead, inviting their grand friends to observe lessons, explore materials, participate in simple activities, and experience the calm, purposeful rhythm of the environment. Light refreshments, including tea and biscuits, are offered to support a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.
To support a meaningful and manageable experience for everyone, each child may invite up to two grand friends. This helps ensure that the classroom remains comfortable and welcoming while allowing each child the space and attention needed to share their work with confidence.
Activities are intentionally familiar and child-led. Children may demonstrate a favorite work, engage in practical life activities such as flower arranging or food preparation, explore sensorial materials together, create simple art, or enjoy shared stories and songs. The emphasis is on connection rather than performance, allowing authentic moments of learning, conversation, and joy to unfold naturally.
Grand Friends Day honors the bond between generations and offers children a meaningful opportunity to share their independence, confidence, and growing sense of belonging within the classroom.
This event typically takes place between 9-11h on a school day.
SOL Community
Gathering & Picnic
A Celebration of Growth & Gratitude
Each year, the SOL community gathers for a community picnic that serves as a celebration of growth and gratitude. It is an end-of-year event honoring the learning, dedication, and relationships that unite our children, families, educators, and staff. The gathering is thoughtfully designed to include an intentional moment of reflection followed by time for families to connect and celebrate together in a relaxed outdoor setting.
The event begins with a formal gathering of children, families, and educators. Through shared songs and short reflections, the community pauses to express gratitude, recognize growth, and honor the spirit of service that guides life at SOL. This moment also provides an opportunity to acknowledge the dedication and care of our teachers and staff, whose commitment and love for children make the year’s growth possible. Children completing the Casa program are recognized for their accomplishments as they prepare for the next phase of their educational journey.
Following the gathering, families transition into a community picnic and unstructured time outdoors. Children and adults are invited to enjoy conversation, play, and connection at their own pace, creating a welcoming and joyful atmosphere.
The SOL Community Gathering and Picnic offers a meaningful close to the school year, sending families into summer with appreciation, joy, and a renewed connection to the values we share.