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W E D N E S D A Y W E E K L Y
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In this Issue
Upcoming Events
March 23
March 26-29
Spring Break*
March 30
Building Closed*
No child care available
April 2
April 5
Toddler Sing-Along
April 9-13
ERB Testing
(3rd-6th grade)
April 14
Tickets now on sale!
April 18
9:30 a.m. & 5 p.m.
Tell a friend!
* Building closed with no weekend access March 24 & 25, and March 30-April 1
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Preparing for WMS Middle School
Message from
Head of School Lisa Lalama
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for more from Lisa.
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It has now been a few months since we shared the good news that we are extending our program to include middle school. As you may recall, WMS and
PRIED
have agreed to become one entity, the WMS Middle School. You may be wondering what we've been doing to ensure a smooth transition when we welcome our inaugural middle school class to WMS in September.
One word may describe much of our work: meetings. WMS teachers
and administrators
have been meeting with Mandy Reis, the lead teacher at PRIED,
and Kerry Shweiki, PRIED's head of school
. Mandy and our staff are mapping out curriculum details and discussing the Expeditionary Learning model at PRIED and how it aligns with the Montessori curriculum. Mandy is also working closely with our 9-12 teachers to allow for a smooth transition from sixth grade into the middle school program, and collaborating with Rose and Paula to integrate our STEAM and technology programs.
We've also been talking to other Montessori schools about their middle school programs. If you don't see me for a few days, I am probably visiting a school or teacher training program to see what it has to offer. Each school I visit helps me better understand Dr. Montessori's vision for adolescent education. Everyone interprets it a bit differently, which gives us the opportunity to flesh out what this needs to look like at WMS, taking into account the hard work that has made PRIED a successful middle school and adapting it to meet the criteria of a Montessori-accredited middle school.
While there is a lot of work to be done to prepare for the fall, our primary focus remains on the children - at all age levels. Our entire staff is committed to ensuring the transition never disrupts our current students' education. Ultimately, our younger students will benefit from the leadership of our new middle-schoolers and all that they bring to our community, and we will continue to offer an exceptional education for students at all levels.
We have a tremendous opportunity ahead of us. We are eagerly working to ensure we have not only the best Montessori school, but that we also have an excellent middle school. Excellence, academic rigor, integration of technology and the arts, with a foundation of Montessori education: those are the ingredients that make our school successful and the best place for children of all ages. We will keep you updated as progress is made and certainly welcome your questions at any step along the way. We're happy to have you on this journey with us and know that you are as eager as we are to open our doors in September to students from 12 months to 14 years old.
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News & Notes
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Important Safety Reminder: WMS Parking Lot Road is One Way
Please remember to follow the road through the parking lot in one direction only. Drivers have been observed going the wrong way in the parking lot recently, which raises a serious safety concern for fellow drivers and pedestrians, and more importantly our students.
Arrows on the roadway mark the direction in which you should drive through the WMS campus. Please take care to observe these arrows as well as the 8 1/3 mph speed limit.
Refer to the map below to review the correct routes through the WMS parking lot.
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Getting To School on Time
Springing forward for daylight-saving time can throw off schedules and morning routines. Now that everyone has adjusted to the recent time change, we strongly encourage you to observe the start and ending times for your child's school day.
Particularly at a young age, children need routines to make sense of their ever-expanding world. For this reason, in Montessori classrooms, the day typically begins with a morning meeting (also known as "circle time") during which the children and teachers come together as a community. Teachers share songs, stories, activities and plans for the day. It is a time for children to connect with their classmates and focus on the day ahead before moving onto individual and small-group lessons. Late arrivals can be unsettling not only for the child who arrives late, but also his or her classmates.
Thank you for helping us ensure that all of our classrooms run smoothly and each of our children have the best learning experience possible.
Classroom Start Times:
- Toddler: open for arrival at 8:50 a.m.; classes start at 9 a.m.
- Primary: open for arrival at 8:35 a.m.; classes start at 8:45 a.m.
- Elementary: open for arrival at 8:20 a.m.; classes start at 8:30 a.m.
Classroom Dismissal Times:
- Half-day Toddler and Primary: noon (12:40 if staying for Lunch Bunch)
- Full-day Toddler and Primary: 3:15 p.m.
- Elementary: 3 p.m.
Note: If you need care for your child before or after the times listed below, please contact
Tracey Manerchia
to make arrangements.
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Only 10 Days Left to Get Your Camp Discount: Register Today!
If you wait until after spring break, you'll have missed out on your chance to save this summer at Camp Montesssori. Register for five or more weeks of camp (per family - e.g., two campers x three weeks of camp = six weeks total)
by March 31 and receive a 10% early registration discount.
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Ben Connor performing with Arden Shakespeare Gild
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WMS Alum Ben Connor (WMS '12) Honored for Creative Writing
Congratulations to Ben Connor, who was recently honored with two writing awards.
Ben received honorable mentions from the
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards - a national scholarship and recognition program for creative students in grades seven through 12 - in the writing portfolio, dramatic script and short story categories.
Ben was also named one of five finalists in the
2018 Delaware Young Playwrights Festival
for his play, "Aptitude." As a finalist, Ben
participated in a series of playwriting workshops with the Delaware Theatre Company (DTC). His play was part of a public showcase performance on
March 8 at
DTC.
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Warm Up Your Bidding Arms: the Online Auction Starts This Friday!
The live auction and gala will take place April 14 at WMS, but the
online auction begins this Friday, March 23, and will stay open for bidding through April 6.
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Today's Learners
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Bringing Practical Life Skills Home for Toddlers
by Lead Toddler Teacher Hillary McDonald
One of the hallmarks of the Montessori curriculum is Practical Life - vital skills children learn that help them care for themselves and their environment in everyday situations. These skills include everything from hand-washing to sweeping the kitchen floor.
At WMS, we help students develop these skills at school in hopes they will carry over at home. For toddlers, practicing Practical Life skills at home builds independence and confidence, and instills in them a sense of responsibility to take care of themselves as well as their surroundings.
How does a toddler who is learning new Practical Life skills at school bring them home? It starts with hanging up his or her coat (on a hook that's low enough to be accessible), and placing shoes where they belong. It continues with sorting and folding laundry, setting the table and even helping to bake. Using and developing the fine motor skills necessary to complete these activities will gradually make toddlers more sure of themselves, more mindful of their space and more independent.
As children develop these skills, they become second-nature. They instill a sense of order and routine, as well as confidence that completing ordinary but important tasks is not just for grownups. When a toddler sees that setting the table for dinner or sweeping the floor has made a real difference, he or she will gain a sense of accomplishment.
What does a home that fosters Practical Life skills look like? It starts with having a place to hang a jacket that a toddler can reach and trying to make everything as accessible as possible to the toddler. A child who can open her own drawers to find clothes will be able to dress herself. Shelves at the child's level will hold her favorite games, puzzles and toys. Having bookshelves at the toddler's level will make her favorite stories accessible.
Toddlers are capable of more than we realize. As parents demonstrate these skills for their children, they foster the child's independence at home as well as at school.
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 The Wednesday Weekly shares WMS news and events that are relevant to the families in our community.
Please send submissions to
[email protected]
by 4:30 p.m. on the Friday prior
to the issue in which you wish to include your information. Content may be edited for length
and style and may be held for a future issue due to space constraints.
For more information, contact Noel Dietrich, Director of Advancement & Communications.
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