Wednesday Weekly - November 18, 2020

WEDNESDAY WEEKLY

November 18, 2020

This is the time of year we would typically be working hard to prepare for Grandfriends' Day at WMS. Like so many things, this is a longstanding WMS tradition that is very different this year. We can’t invite our Grandfriends in to share their grandchildren’s school experience so we will be sharing greetings in a different way. If you’re a Grandfriend reading this, you’ve got a pleasant surprise coming your way!

We typically host Grandfriends' Day at this time because it is a time when Grandfriends travel to be with their grandchildren for the Thanksgiving holiday. Though Thanksgiving may be celebrated differently in each of our homes, most of us enjoy sharing a meal with family and friends. We have favorite foods, traditions and activities that are part of this feast. This year, many will not be having their typical Thanksgiving festivities. Instead, we may be smaller in number, staying in our homes rather than traveling.

No matter your plans for this coming week, we hope that you are able to enjoy some time with your family - whether in person or on Zoom. I spoke to a WMS family this week who shared that they are so happy to be a part of WMS because it feels like an extension of their family. We couldn’t agree more!

Enjoy your week!

Lisa A. Lalama

Head of School

NEWS & NOTES

Annual Fund Drive Update - Donate by Friday to be eligible for prizes!

We are halfway through our 2020-21 #WMSBetterTogether Annual Fund Drive, and we want to thank everyone everyone who has participated so far! Now more than ever, every gift matters as we work together to support our students and staff, providing an exceptional education while keeping our community safe.

Our goal is 100% participation! No matter the size of your gift, its value will be multiplied when we approach foundations for larger grants - high levels of participation are viewed as evidence of the strength and commitment of our school community. Last year, both our staff and our board reached 100% participation, and we'd love to do the same for our families.

Why give this week? During our Annual Fund Drive Week, we are offering some special prizes to donors.

Everyone who contributes at least $5 will receive one of our limited edition "WMS Better Together" car magnets (available to this week's donors only)! See bottom photo.
Everyone who donates at least $10 and tags WMS in a social media post using the hashtag #WMSbettertogether will be entered into our raffles for WMS spirit wear, Beanie Baby baskets, custom WMS masks and more! If your social media account is private, please take a screen shot of your post and email it to Noel so that you receive credit! You can also print and photograph one of these coloring sheets to share your thoughts!

How to give:

Donate via our website through Paypal/using a credit card.
Donate through our Facebook fundraiser.
Submit a check with "Annual Fund" in the memo in an envelope addressed to the Development Office. You can hand it to a staff member during drop-off or mail it to:

Wilmington Montessori School

Attn: Development Office

1400 Harvey Road

Wilmington, DE 19810

(Remittance envelopes are available upon request.)

Questions? Contact Noel Dietrich, Director of Advancement & Communications.

Thank you so much for your support!

Celebrate the Holidays Safely

As we approach Thanksgiving and the winter holiday season, we know that many people spend time traveling and visiting friends and family members near and far. As you make plans for your family, we encourage you to also think about your return to WMS. While we cannot advise you about where you may go or who you may see, we ask that you keep the safety of our community in mind when making these decisions.

During yesterday's press conference, Governor Carney announced the following restrictions on indoor gatherings that may apply to your family's holiday celebrations:

Indoor gatherings in homes must be capped at no more than 10 people.
Indoor gatherings outside of homes must be limited to 30 percent of the venue's stated fire capacity, up to a cap of 50 people.

We are asking you to follow the guidelines above (or those applicable to your state) and to continue to follow the protocols we follow each day at WMS when you are away from school: hand-washing, wearing appropriately fitting masks, maintaining social distance, and to continue to be tested on a regular basis. We, in turn, will continue to do the same - our staff's monthly testing schedule will continue through the weeks we are away from school on break. When we return from our break, we will continue our routine of health screenings at drop-off, hand-washing, mask wearing, social distancing, increased air circulation and remaining in cohorts.

If you travel to an area with an increased number of COVID-19 cases, we ask that you are tested prior to returning to WMS. We will continue to share testing sites within the state in the Wednesday Weekly, and you can also find them here. If you have any questions, please reach out to Nurse Kathy for assistance.

Thank you again for all you do on behalf of the WMS community. We wish you well in the coming weeks and are happy to answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to reach out to Nurse Kathy, Sarah or Lisa.

COVID-19 Testing Events

WMS is strongly recommends that students are tested for COVID-19 regularly. Results should be sent to Nurse Kathy for your child's health records.

We want to be sure you are aware of the ease of testing at the many State of Delaware-sponsored sites. There is no fee to be tested for Delaware residents. COVID-19 testing is a simple and fast process. The inside of the mouth is swabbed, which is minimally invasive, unlike the nasal swabbing that you may have seen or heard of in the news. Results are available as quickly as 24 hours.

Convenient testing is part of a public health initiative that is providing information regarding the incidence of COVID-19 in the state. It is possible that you or a member of your family may be infected and spreading COVID-19 without showing symptoms. This is particularly true with children. With your cooperation, we can help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Upcoming New Castle County Testing Events

Thursday, November 19

Frawley Stadium (2-7 p.m.)

Friday, November 20

Seeds of Greatness Church (2-7 p.m.)

Saturday, November 21

UD Star Campus (10 a.m. - 3 p.m.)

Monday, November 22

Congo Funeral Home (2-6 p.m.)

Full list of upcoming New Castle County test sites (updated weekly): nccde.org/2011/COVID-19-Resources

(Please visit this page to confirm that there have been no changes to the schedule above before going to your testing location.)

Policies & Procedures

WMS's COVID-19 policies are based on guidelines from the CDC and Delaware's Office of Child Care Licensing. We continue to monitor those sources for information to adjust our policies and practices as needed.

9-12 Talent Show Preview

Fall 2020 Talent Show Preview - "Can't Stop The Talent"

Watch Bloomz for information about how you can join our talent show watch party next week!

Spotlight on Outdoor Learning: 9-12 Students Creating a Colonial Village

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.