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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
Parent Appreciation Week
February 16
February 19
Mid-winter break - school closed
Child care available
February 21
WMS Basketball -
WMS vs. IHM
5:30 p.m.
Claymont Community Center
February 22
8:15-9 a.m.
Room 1
February 26
WMS Basketball -
Pilot vs. WMS
3:30 p.m.
WMS Gym
March 9
All-Staff Professional Day - no school or child care
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WMS Parents Rock!
Message from
Head of School Lisa Lalama
It's Parent Appreciation Week at WMS - a week set aside for us to recognize the parents at our school for all they do. Most schools have parent organizations who sponsor a variety of activities and fundraisers. We have parents at the heart of our school.
One of the first things I noticed when I came to WMS was parent engagement. Parents are everywhere. They are in the classrooms, on field trips, at special events, in the Learning Commons, gathering outside or chatting in the hallways. New parents don't feel new for long. Relationships begin and friendships develop. Over the years I have seen so many parents become friends. Their children may be in high school and college and they continue to maintain those relationships that began in the hallways of WMS.
We have all read studies that show the importance of parent involvement in a child's education. At WMS that involvement runs deeper than homework support or working on a school event. Parents, students and staff work together to create the school you have helped build and come to appreciate. We all have a common goal: bringing the best education to the children at WMS. Each of us is an essential part of making this happen. Parents began the school in 1964, and they continue to be its strength and support its vision today. WMS parents rock!
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News & Notes
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Save the Date: the 2018 WMS Auction & Gala is April 14
Mark your calendars: this year's auction,
Growing Together: A Garden Gala & Auction
,
will take place
April 14
at WMS.
If you would like to be a sponsor or know an organization that might be interested in supporting the auction in exchange for promotion, please print the auction sponsor form and submit it to Noel Dietrich or Lori Oberly.
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February 22: Join Us for the Toddler Owl Maker Faire
Whooo will join us for the Toddler Owl Maker Faire? Next Thursday, February 22, our Toddler students and their families are invited to the Toddler Maker Studio (Room 1) from 8:15 to 9 a.m. to experience sights, sounds and textures related to owls.
Toddlers have been learning about owls and will culminate their learning with this fun making event. We will make our own snowy owl, create an owl nest using loose parts, view an owl web cam and explore a real owl pellet.
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Re-enroll Today: This Friday is the Re-enrollment Deadline
 February 16 is the last day to re-enroll students for the 2018-19 school year before we open enrollment to new families and the late enrollment fee of $100 takes effect.
Please re-enroll your children if you have not done so already, and thank you to those families who have already re-enrolled.
Why is it important to re-enroll by the deadline?
Having a good idea of the next school year's enrollment helps us:
- Offer contracts to teachers.
- More effectively plan for next year.
- Budget for and order supplies.
- Plan events.
- Prepare classroom spaces.
This year, many of our programs are at nearly full capacity, and we anticipate this being the case for next year.
We want ALL current families to return, so please contact
Tiffany Harrison if you are having any difficulty submitting your re-enrollment forms or deposit. If you have questions about financial aid or payment plans, please contact
Nancy Oddo.
We look forward to watching your children learn and grow at WMS!
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New Addition to Spring After-School Specials Lineup: Soccer Shots
We're excited to add Soccer Shots to this spring's after-school specials. This rain-or-shine course will introduce younger students to basic soccer skills, and help first- and second-graders build their skills, learn rules and play practice games.
- Soccer Shots (grades 1-2)
3:15-3:45, Fridays starting March 16
- Soccer Shots (ages 4-6)
3:50-4:20, Fridays starting March 16
As a reminder, there are several great after-school enrichment opportunities still open to students:
- Steel Drums (grades 4-6)
3:20-4:05 p.m., Wednesdays starting March 7
- Marine Biology Mania (Primary to grade 1)
3:45-4:45 p.m., Wednesdays starting March 14
- Running Club for Kindergarten
3:30-4:30 p.m., Mondays starting March 19
- Running Club (grades 1-6)
3:30-4:30 p.m., Mondays and Wednesdays starting March 19
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Today's Learners
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Language-Rich Learning for Toddlers
by Lead Toddler teacher Lauren Harris
Toddlers' brains are sponges that are primed and ready to take in all that surrounds them.
In WMS's Toddler classrooms, language development is at the forefront of the curriculum. Toddler language activities work to build vocabulary and communication skills, as well as lay the foundation for reading and writing.
Maria Montessori coined the term "sensitive period" - a time when a child shows a heightened focus on a particular area of learning. She believed the sensitive period for language occurred from birth through age 6, as language development begins from the moment a newborn first hears his or her parent's voice. Since children in this age group are taking in language through experiences in their environments, Montessori early childhood classrooms focus a lot of work on language development. Toddler teachers at WMS work to create a learning environment full of language-rich opportunities.
The first step to building language skills is to provide vibrant, descriptive language throughout the day. Whether we are explaining the qualities of an orange that the children are eating at snack time or the physical characteristics of a monarch caterpillar, Toddler teachers provide real, accurate language in everyday situations. Consistent modeling of language by their teachers helps children learn new words. It also helps them develop skills to initiate interactions with classmates and resolve conflict in a constructive, peaceful way. Additionally, providing children with tools to communicate their thoughts and needs allows them to become advocates for themselves and assists in building independence.
Beyond nurturing language experiences, Toddler teachers strive to provide language materials that are inviting and realistic. Activities like picture-to-picture matching are made with real photographs so children gain a strong understanding of what objects actually look like. Matching activities also help develop visual discrimination - an important pre-reading skill.
Similarly, the development of auditory discrimination
is encouraged though activities on the language shelf. These materials include letter sound baskets, picture dice and word-building with wooden letters, which introduce and reinforce concepts like isolating sounds and syllables, blending sounds and rhyming. When presenting these materials, the teacher emphasizes the beginning letter sound of a word, plays games with rhyming words or claps out the syllable breakdown of the children's names.
Language skills are further developed through circle time activities. Songs with rhyme, books that encourage silly word play or games where the children find similarities and differences between objects heighten a child's visual and auditory discrimination skills. Using songs to teach new words, ideas or to tie in a thematic unit allows children to solidify the new information in their brains, which is why we often use music to teach concepts to toddlers.
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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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