WEDNESDAY WEEKLY
April 8, 2020
NEWS & NOTES
A few updates regarding WMS operations as we continue to implement our home learning plans:
  • While we're at home, our wonderful facilities crew continues to clean and maintain the building and grounds to prepare it for our return on May 18.
  • Current families should have received an email from the WMS Board and Lisa regarding tuition options during this time of remote learning. Please respond by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 10, and contact businessoffice@wmsde.org if you need more information.
  • Some of you have asked about the loans available from the SBA. Yes, WMS is applying for one of these loans. Thank you for reaching out. 
Annual Meeting Update from the WMS Board of Directors
As part of our precautions with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are moving our annual meeting date to May 18, 2020.

At this time, we plan for the meeting to be held in-person in the Great Room at 7 p.m. However, as a result of future developments related to COVID-19, we may consider alternative arrangements for our annual meeting, which could include a change in date, time, or location of the meeting, or holding the meeting solely by means of remote communication.

Any changes will be announced in advance through the Wednesday Weekly.
Extended Day & Enrichment News
Virtual Child-Care Day Activities - Monday, April 13

WMS is closed this Friday, April 10, but on Monday, April 13, we will be offering virtual child-care activities for each age level. The day will start with a morning meeting for each group at 9 a.m., followed by opportunities for students to meet with teachers on Zoom and participate in other activities. 

If you would like your child to participate, please notify Tracey by noon tomorrow (Thursday) so she can schedule time slots for students to chat with the child-care staff. This opportunity is free and open to all families! 

We hope to “see” you on Monday!
After-School Enrichment 

We are continuing to offer daily enrichment meetings after school hours. WMS assistant teacher and coach Brandy Solomon hosts these meetings, which include activities, games, sports and most importantly an opportunity for your students to interact with each other in a relaxed atmosphere. 

Primary families meet at 4:30 p.m., and elementary and middle school students meet at 5:30 p.m. 

Please see Bloomz or your weekly classroom schedules for the Zoom meeting links, and email Tracey with any questions.
Additional Enrichment Videos & Activities  

Wilmington Montessori School's YouTube channel continues to be updated daily with videos from teaching assistants.

You'll find read-alouds , recipes , STEAM activities , arts and crafts , and other fun and educational videos (like Amber's new series on musical genres ).

Subscribe to our channel today to receive notifications when new content is posted.
Zoom Security Update
As you know, we made a few changes to our setting for Zoom meetings this week to help ensure that WMS's virtual classrooms remain secure.

Passcodes are now required for all WMS classroom sessions and meetings. The passcode can be found on Bloomz or in emails from your teacher. This provides an extra layer of security to our classes.

We will continue to monitor and evaluate the security of our online classes and make changes if needed. Thank you for your patience and flexibility as our home learning plans continue to evolve to best fit the needs of our community.
Home Learning Photo/Video Challenge Continues!

We are still collecting entries for our #WMSatHome photo/video challenge!

We love seeing what our students are doing at home throughout the day as they work on projects, assignments and free choice activities, or simply enjoy some active play outdoors!

Please tag @WilmingtonMontessori in your post on Instagram using #WMSatHome or share your images on our Facebook page. You can also email them to Noel or send them to her via Bloomz.

When we return to school, a lucky family will receive a WMS swag bag as a prize - each new post will count as a new entry in the random drawing!

We can't wait to see what you're up to!
Camp Montessori Early Registration Deadline - Extended until May 15
The Camp Montessori early registration deadline has been extended until May 15 to offer more time for our families to make summer plans and pay for camp.

Please note that certain age levels are expected to fill up, and spaces are reserved on a first come, first served basis.

Should camp be canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, your payment will be refunded.

Register for five or more weeks of camp per family (e.g., 2 campers x 3 weeks of camp = 6 weeks total)   by May 15 and receive your 10% early registration discount.

Questions? Contact Tracey Gable , Director of Montessori Enrichment.
Angie's Three-Day Video Diary

Wondering how other families are faring during this challenging time? Check out eighth-grader Angie Martin's video diary , which documents three days in the life of her family during spring break.
STAYING IN TOUCH
Our entire WMS staff remains employed during this time as they work tirelessly to support our families each day. We are all here for you. If you need to reach us, here's how to get in touch:
Health Questions?

As the global COVID-19 pandemic continues, we are all receiving with health information and advice from a variety of sources, and we know it's easy to become overwhelmed.

We wanted to remind you that Nurse Kathy is here for you. She is available on Zoom to chat with parents about health concerns (whether they are related to COVID-19 or something else) at 10 a.m. and noon daily. Please visit Bloomz to find the links!

These sessions are open to all WMS parents, so if you have a more private concern, please email nurse@wmsde.org to schedule a time to speak one-on-one.

Reminder: If your child becomes ill during our closure, please notify Nurse Kathy of the nature of the illness so we can continue to track patterns within our community. Thank you!
General Questions

We are still checking our voicemail hourly throughout the school day - if you have a question, call us at 302-475-0555 and the appropriate staff member will return your call within the next 24 hours.

You can also contact any staff member through the staff directory on the school website.
Educational Questions

As always, your child's teachers should be your first source of information regarding your child's education. If you have additional questions, please contact Lisa or Sarah.
Business Office

Email businessoffice@wmsde.org any questions related to tuition or financial aid.
Social Media

Stay in touch with WMS on social media!
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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