W E D N E S D A Y  W E E K L Y
April 25, 2018
In this Issue


Upcoming Events


April 23-27
Lobby
Bidding closes at 6 p.m., Friday, April 27.


April 25
Annual Meeting
7 p.m.
Great Room


April 26
3:15-4:15 p.m.
Peace Park


May 1
8:30 a.m./regular classroom start time - 11 a.m.


May 4
Professional day - no classes


May 7-25
Student art show
WMS lobby


May 24
9-12 musical - "Compose Yourself"
9:30 a.m. (dress rehearsal) &  7 p.m. 
Gym

Integrating the Arts at WMS
Message from
Head of School Lisa Lalama
 
for more from Lisa.
At this time of year, our school community has ample opportunity to sample the arts. Last week the Delaware Association for Independent Schools (DAIS) sponsored its annual middle school art show. Our 9-12 students proudly exhibited their work alongside student pieces from several local independent schools. 

In the past few weeks we have enjoyed two musical programs - the Toddler sing-along and the Primary spring concert, "Dreams and Lullabies." We've also had teaching artists from Delaware Institute for Arts in Education (DIAE) leading lessons with WMS students based on the work of Madhusmita Bora and the Monks of Assam . This exploration ties in with our students' cultural studies focused on Asia. They have created mandalas and explored Assamese dance. The culminating event will be next week's field trip to the Queen for kindergarten through sixth-grade students for a performance of Madhusmita's Hindu classical dance and the Monks of Assam's traditional drumming. 

Next month, we have the student art show and the 9-12 spring concert, "Compose Yourself," to look forward to. Phew! WMS has fully embraced the arts.

Three years ago we began to explore arts integration and the arts' impact on students' educational experience. Since that time, many of our teachers have attended professional the development conference at the Kennedy Center, Changing the Arts Through Education

WMS has furthered Maria Montessori's vision of finding multiple ways to explore concepts and learn them more deeply through cross-curricular connections. Yes, the arts are present in most early childhood and elementary classrooms. However, what isn't always present in other schools is the faculty's dedication to bringing rich, authentic experiences to their students. The Kennedy Center's thoughtful and comprehensive approach allows us to share specific studies more completely, giving students a deeper understanding of people and places throughout the world. This deeper study not only engages students in the learning process - furthering their academic studies - but also opens their hearts and minds to different people and ideas, embracing Dr. Montessori's vision of creating world peace one child at a time.



News & Notes News
momsMoms' Day is May 1!

When: May 1, drop-off to 11 a.m.
Where: Learning Commons, Classrooms and Great Room

WMS moms and special friends: please join us next Tuesday, May 1, for Moms' Day. 

Moms or special friends are welcome to join students in their classrooms from the start of the school day until 10 a.m. Following the classroom visits, moms are invited to the Great Room for refreshments and a special presentation. 

If you are interested in helping with Moms' Day, please sign up on one the co-op boards, stop by Lori Oberly's office or email 
co-op@wmsde.org .    

poem
This Thursday: Poetry in the Peace Park
Poetry
Where: WMS Peace Park
When: Thursday, April 26, 3:15-4:15 p.m.
WMS community members welcome 

The second annual WMS Poetry in the Peace Park event will be held tomorrow, April 26 (weather permitting). This event gives WMS students and community members the opportunity to share beloved poems. Students, staff and friends are welcome to read aloud or recite their favorite poetry. Please plan on joining us for this celebration of Poem in Your Pocket Day, an annual, nationwide event sponsored by the Academy of American Poets.

fire_sale
Thank you again to all who helped make Growing Together: A Garden Gala & Auction so successful!

You can still help support the auction by stopping by the  fire sale in the lobby this week. Many items start at 50% of their original minimum bid (or lower)! Don't miss out on great deals on items  including: 
  • A one-week winter getaway at Lake Naomi in the Poconos
  • An original painting by WMS's own Margo Long
  • A limited-edition Audubon shorebird print
  • VIP seating at next year's 6-9 concert
  • American Karate Studio birthday party
   Tables close on Friday, April 27, at 6 p.m.

Warmer Weather Brings Ticks Back to Bite: Tips for Avoiding Ticks 
by School Nurse Lisa Chou

How to safely remove a tick
Even before our recent warmer weather, something else was out with the sun: ticks. When it comes to reducing the risk of tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease, remember to BLAST - five key steps to eliminating the biggest risk factors for coming into contact with ticks and avoid being bitten:

B athe after outdoor activity 
Look for ticks and rashes 
Apply repellent
Spray the yard
Treat pets

 Additional pointers to help you weather tick season include:
  • Wash and dry clothes for 60 minutes on high heat to kill ticks that may have crawled onto them.
  • Repellents that contain 20-30% DEET are effective against ticks, but they should not be used on children under age 3.
  • To remove a tick, grasp it firmly with tweezers and pull straight out. If a "bull's eye" rash appears around the bite site, see a doctor right away.
  • Dispose of ticks by flushing them down the toilet.
  • Wear long-sleeve shirts, long pants and closed-toe shoes. Choose light colors so ticks are easier to spot.
Using LEGO Bricks to Build WMS's Middle School

In March, WMS faculty and staff built your children's future with LEGO bricks - literally! David Kubacki, a WMS parent and founder of ViaDel Consulting Group, led a two-hour ViaBricks LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Workshop with 70 members of the WMS team. The topic: middle school - in preparation for WMS's expansion next year.
 
LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® is a facilitated thinking, communication and problem-solving technique for groups. Participants are led through a series of questions, for which each participant builds his or her own three-dimensional LEGO model using specially selected LEGO bricks. These 3-D models serve as the basis for group discussion, knowledge sharing, problem-solving and decision-making.

The teachers and staff used LEGO bricks to build their answers to challenging questions and topics such as:
  •       What do you love about working at WMS?
  •       Build a model that tells a story about your own middle school experience.
  •       Build a model that is a metaphor for the ways in which having a middle school will change the culture of WMS.
"Our staff enjoyed it immensely and it got them talking," Lisa Lalama said. "I learned a great deal about how they view the middle school and what its impact will be on each part of the school."
 
In addition to being a fun activity, LEGO® Serious Play® can spark deep thinking and strategic exploration of an organization. At WMS, participants experienced a range of emotions - from laughing out loud as they considered the reality of educating students through the trials and tribulations of puberty, to getting choked up as they heard group presentations on how adding a middle school will challenge students and give them the tools they need to succeed in high school. 

Check out photos  currently on display in the lobby of the eight group models created by the WMS faculty and staff. 

Today's Learnersleaders2
Practicing Mindfulness in the Primary Classroom
by Primary Lead Teacher Betsy Haas

"Mindfulness is like a light, enabling concentration to really be there, and that also makes it possible for us to look deeply into the heart of things." - Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese Buddhist monk and peace activist


Mindfulness can be practiced by anyone, anywhere, anytime. Each morning in Room 16, we begin our day with some stretches or an energizing activity to get our "wiggles" out. We then ask the children to stand, sit or lie down, depending on the mindfulness activity we have chosen for the day. We remind the children what their bodies should look and sound like during our mindfulness activity - backs tall, breathing slow and calm, and whole bodies relaxed.

Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing awareness on the present moment while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations. Research has shown that practicing mindfulness activities reduces stress and helps with anxiety, aggression and ADHD.

Children enter the classroom in various states of mind. Some experience stress-free mornings, where everyone has calmly prepared for the day and left home with time to spare. Others may have left the house feeling rushed or filled with anxiety. Regardless of their pre-classroom environment, once children arrive and get settled, they are given the opportunity to reset themselves and their mindset. Practicing mindfulness activities allows them to set the tone for their school day. Over time, we have observed that practicing mindfulness also helps children better regulate their emotions, solve problems with peers and settle their bodies to focus on work.

Teachers benefit from practicing mindfulness just as much as their students. When a teacher can be fully present and in the moment, she is better able to support her students. In Room 16, the teachers focused first on their own mindfulness practice, setting an example for the students. As the adults in children's lives, we often forget how powerful an effect our disposition has on them. When they notice our calmness, they subsequently find calmness in themselves.

Consider fitting mindfulness into your daily routine. You may be surprised how good it feels inside to just stop, and take a few minutes to settle your mind and body. Room 16's door is always open for you to join us to practice various mindfulness activities. If you are interested in bringing mindfulness into your home, websites and apps such as calm.com or Mind Yeti may be valuable resources.

Tomorrow's Leadersalumni
Max Huhn Fiddles On Through the Great Outdoors

Max as a 6-9 student at WMS
WMS alum Max Huhn has already made his mark as fiddler and violinist - he's been playing the violin since age 6 and is a two-time fiddling state champion. Now a senior at Cab Calloway School of the Arts, where he is a strings major with a focus on bluegrass music, Max has spent a lot of time in the past year pondering his next steps.

"People always ask if I want to go to music school, but I am not sure I want to make a career out of [music]," he said. "But I will always play violin and go to music festivals and play with friends."

It's fair to ask Max whether he might pursue a career in music: in addition to playing the violin and fiddle most of his life, he was raised in a bluegrass-loving household. His father plays the violin and still plays in a bluegrass band, and his parents met at a Cajun dance, where Max's dad was playing fiddle in the Cajun band.

"I was born into fiddle music," Max said.

After attending WMS through third grade, Max spent his fourth and fifth grade years at Lancashire Elementary School in North Wilmington. He then enrolled at Cab Calloway for middle school at his dad's suggestion, and found his niche in the strings program.

Max (far right) with his band, UncleSAMS Bluegrass Band
A member of Cab Calloway's orchestra since sixth grade, Max also plays the fiddle in Cab Calloway's bluegrass band, CabGrass. In summer 2015, Max started his own four-member band, Uncle SAMS Bluegrass Band - an offshoot of CabGrass - which has performed at local bluegrass festivals and even booked a few private gigs.

Every fall Max goes to Rehoboth Beach to compete in the Delaware State Fiddlers' Festival, which is part of the larger annual Sea Witch festival. Max is a two-time youth fiddle champion and placed second overall in 2016 in the adult competition.

"I've competed against my dad a couple times - I beat him once and he beat me once [at the 2017 festival]," Max said.

While Max loves playing the violin and fiddle, it's his love for the outdoors - a love nurtured when he was a young WMS student and Boy Scout - that steered him toward University of Delaware's (UD) agriculture program. He will attend UD in the fall as an agriculture and natural resources major.

Max sitting on the bench he built for WMS
"I like the idea of an outdoor classroom," Max said, noting that UD maintains a 350-acre learning farm. "WMS always taught me about caring for the environment. We got to be outside every day, we built forts back in the woods and we were always allowed to run around."

While at WMS, Max joined the Cub Scouts after seeing a poster advertising the Scouts' annual rocket launch from the WMS soccer field. He's been a Boy Scout ever since, and recently attained his Eagle Scout rank.

Through the Scouts, he's participated in two high-adventure trips - a two-week canoeing trip in Atikokin, Ontario, Canada, and 12-day trek at the Philmont Ranch in New Mexico, which is viewed as the "pinnacle of scouting," Max explained. Philmont Ranch, the Boy Scouts' largest high-adventure base, boasts wilderness treks through 137,000 acres of the Sangro de Cristo mountain range.

For his Eagle Scount project, Max returned to WMS to clear overgrown underbrush, trash, and ivy from trees in the front of the WMS property along Harvey Road. He also built a bench, which you can find in the WMS lobby near the art display area.

"The bench was intended for the bus stop," Max said, "but seems to have found a home in the lobby."

The Wednesday Weekly shares WMS news and events that are relevant to the families in our community.  

Please send submissions to wednesday-weekly@wmsde.org 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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