Wednesday Weekly - May 20, 2020

WEDNESDAY WEEKLY

May 20, 2020

Our Path Forward Together

“We shall walk together on this path of life, for all things are part of the universe and are connected with each other to form one whole unity.”

Dr. Maria Montessori

UPCOMING EVENTS

Upcoming Virtual Open Houses - Admissions

Tell a friend!

Wednesday, May 27, noon
Wednesday, June 3, noon

May 20

Progress Report Information Meeting

Toddler/Preschool

7 p.m.

Zoom Link (uses WMS classroom passcode)

May 25

Memorial Day

No school.

May 29

Graduation

9:30 a.m.

June 4

Last Day of School!

Full Calendar

The school year is winding down. Last week many of you picked up your children’s belongings, and next week we will celebrate the WMS Class of 2020. It is a time of year that is always bittersweet, this year even more so.

As we prepare for a graduation like no other in the history of WMS, we are once again reminded that much of what we have done over the past few months is unprecedented. We are looking forward to celebrating the accomplishments of our eighth-graders. This group has made its mark on WMS. They have accomplished a great deal throughout their time here, from achievements in the Delaware Math League and Odyssey of the Mind championships, to writing their own musical in seventh grade and contributing to the broader community through service projects. They are the first students to represent our school at the Montessori Model United Nations and have learned so much about our world and its people.

No matter their interests, their accomplishments and their experience as students, what they have learned is so much more. They have learned how to adapt at a time that requires us to adapt much more than we have in decades or perhaps our lifetime. They have learned that people throughout the world will come together to serve and support one another in times of need. They have learned that even though the adults they have come to trust and depend on don’t have all of the answers, they will persevere and do what is in the interest of all, putting aside differing opinions and past grievances. They have learned the lesson that Dr. Maria Montessori has taught us so well: we are all interconnected. We must care for one another, pay homage to those who paved the way before us, and create a path for those coming behind us. That is the work of our graduates. That is the work of us all, as we forge a new path for our world.

We hope that you will join us for our graduation on Friday, May 29 at 9:30 a.m. on Zoom. Reserve your seat here !

NEWS & NOTES

Annual Meeting Recap

On Monday, we held the WMS Annual meeting. We appreciate those of you who were able to join us on Zoom. Because this is a time of change and we know there are lots of questions, we are sharing highlights from the meeting.

The following board members were elected to another term: Israel Floyd, Anna Quisel, Mayura Simon and Zehra Wamiq. Current parent, Joe Abele, was elected as a new member to the WMS Board of Directors.

The annual report reflects the last school year - 2018-19. That year was spent finalizing many of our strategic plan initiatives, such as arts integration, building a robust STEAM program, and opening our middle school. It was also a good year financially. Our revenue covered our expenses, allowing the small surplus to be used for infrastructure improvements.

Looking ahead, we are continuing to work on the new strategic plan , examining it in the light of COVID-19. We are planning for next school year, prioritizing practices that address the health and safety of our students, families and staff as well as creating plans for learning to continue should we face further COVID-19 related closures. We want to thank you, the WMS parents who are dedicated to the school and have helped us during this challenging time. You have once again affirmed the strength of our community and connection.

Financial Aid Update

As announced at the annual meeting, the WMS board of directors is sensitive to the financial impact of the pandemic on our families.

The window to apply for financial aid for the 2020-21 school year has been re-opened for those who have experienced job loss.

Please contact the business office for further details

Notes from the Nurse's Office

Thank you to everyone who has already completed their annual health and safety requirements in the Magnus Health System !

Deadlines:

For campers: All requirements were due by May 15. Please submit them ASAP to ensure that your child will be able to attend camp as scheduled.

For those not attending camp: All requirements are due by July 1.

We understand you may not be able to make appointments with your student’s physician to complete some of the health forms due to the current strain on the health-care system and Delaware's state-wide stay-at-home order. We are not asking you to focus on retrieving/completing health appraisals, immunization records and allergy/asthma action plans right now. However, we would like to ask that you do your best to complete all of the other electronic forms available in our school’s Magnus Health system.

We greatly appreciate you submitting all of the forms that you can complete today! With your help, we will be able to stay as close to our “normal” enrollment timeline as possible.

Please update Nurse Kathy at [email protected] with any future appointment dates so that she may be able to adjust dates and manage system alerts. As always, please don't hesitate to contact her with any questions or concerns.

Chat with Nurse Kathy:

Nurse Kathy continues to be available if you have any health questions. Her daily office hours (Monday through Friday) are:

10-11 a.m. - Zoom Link

Noon-1 p.m. - Zoom Link

(Same password as classrooms)

You can also reach her via email at [email protected].

Click here to log into your Magnus account.

Virtual Self-Care Room

Jill Hallissey, WMS's PE teacher and co-chair of our staff Wellness Committee, created a virtual room full of self-care resources including helpful links, apps, articles and more! Click the image below, then click "Present" when you see the Google Slide and you can begin exploring!

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.