WEDNESDAY WEEKLY
October 30, 2019
NEWS & NOTES
Internet Safety/Cyberbullying Parent Workshop - Nov. 5

According to a 2018 Pew Research Center study, only 15% of parents admit to being “in the know” about their kids’ social networking habits, and how these habits can lead to cyberbullying. 

Parents of sixth- through eighth-graders are invited to join us on November 5 at 7 p.m., for a special workshop about internet safety and cyberbullying prevention from the Beau Biden Foundation. A facilitator will review topics including good digital citizenship, privacy and cyberbullying, with the goal of raising awareness about online dangers, and helping parents know how to address internet safety with their children.

Please RSVP through Bloomz by October 30 if you plan to attend.
Dust Off Your Dancing Shoes: It's Dance Party Time! - Nov. 8

Please join Upper Elementary and middle school students on Friday, November 8, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the gym for pizza, salad, dancing, dessert, a toddler play area, raffle prizes and more.

Tickets are $10 per person (with a $5 discount for parties of four or more) and may be purchased in the lobby before and after school the week of November 4. Tickets will also be available at the door before the dance. All ages are welcome.

The dance party is a fundraiser for next year's sixth-grade/middle school trip to New York City.
2020-21 Financial Aid Application Opens Friday

WMS's  financial aid application opens for returning families Friday, November 1. 

When you start the application process, enter WMS's code, 902045.

The financial aid system does not include all of WMS's program options. Please include the name of your specific program choice (e.g., "Primary 5 full-day," "12-month Lower Elementary," etc.) in your comments under "Other Considerations" so your application can be processed based on the correct tuition amount.

The deadline to be considered for a first-round award is Monday, January 6, 2020. Financial aid applications completed after January 6 will be considered as funds allow. Financial aid grants are made for one year only so you must re-apply each school year. 

Please contact  Barb Trotto with any questions.
School's Out Child-Care Day Reminders

To ensure your student has a positive experience on School's Out child-care days and that our staff can be as prepared as possible:

  • Please make every effort to register for School's Out days in advance. If your child care need arises last-minute, please email Tracey Gable.
  • When School's Out days fall on a Friday, we will always offer pizza. Pizza costs $1.25/slice and is due at drop-off. Please note: pre-payment for pizza in your child’s school-day classroom does not transfer to School's Out days.
  • If your child requires a nap mat, please bring it with him or her. 
  • Please make sure your child’s food containers and water bottles are labeled and packed in a lunch box with your child's name.  

Join the New WMS Family Involvement Group - Meeting, Oct. 31
Where: Learning Commons 
When: Thursday, October 31, 8:30-9:15 a.m.

Please join WMS parents Mayura Simon and Anna Quisel for an information session about the new WMS Family Involvement Group

The Family Involvement Group is open to anyone in the WMS community who wants to support friendship and community-building among our families, identify creative ways to foster school spirit and support school-wide activities while also earning co-op hours. 

Drop in for coffee and goodies before the Halloween parade to learn more! If you are unable to join us, please reach out to Mayura or Anna directly. 
Thank You From Our Annual Fund Chair
Dear WMS Families,

I would like to thank you for your contributions to the 2018-19 WMS Annual Fund last school year. Our annual fund brought in more than $90,000 from over 300 donors, including parents, students, grandparents, alumni, board members and many other wonderful community members. Special thanks to our staff and board members for reaching 100% participation! 

Last year's annual fund dollars helped better the WMS community in numerous ways, including: 

  • Financial Aid - Annual fund dollars were critical in offering 75 students access to a WMS education for the 2019-20 school year.
  • Professional Development for Teachers - WMS staff members continued their quest for lifelong learning by attending a variety of professional development events, including the American Montessori Society’s national conference in Washington, D.C.
  • State-of-the-Art Technology - WMS continues to enhance our STEAM and technology curricula with new equipment like additional 3D printers, Chromebooks and more. New STEAM activities are also available in the Learning Commons for families to check out or use before or after school.
  • New Montessori Materials - The annual fund allows us to continue to purchase new materials for our classrooms, to offer the best Montessori experience possible for our youngest students all the way through middle school.

We will be kicking off our 2019-20 Annual Fund in just a few weeks with our Annual Fund Drive (November 11-15). Stay tuned for information about this year's festivities! 

Sincerely,
 
Kevin Kahn (father of Bryce, Rm. 9/10)  
Annual Fund Chair
ALUMNI PROFILE
Lauren Jones (WMS '14) Brings Her Passion for Percussion to the Primary Playground
If you’ve ventured out to the Primary playground this school year, you’ll know why a couple flip-flops and drumsticks might come in handy. This summer, alumna Lauren Jones brought her Girl Scout construction team to WMS to install a music garden, which features buckets, pots and pans, PVC pipe and a washboard to encourage children to express themselves through percussion.

The music garden is the culmination of her Girl Scout Gold Award project - the highest achievement in Girl Scouts. An avid percussionist, Lauren found inspiration for the music garden project from the Music in the Woods installation at Camp Todd, a Girl Scout camp in Denton, Maryland. When her troop leader, WMS alumni parent Elva Delport, who has led Lauren’s troop since Lauren and Elva’s daughter Annika were young WMS students, suggested a similar outdoor music installation as a Gold Award project, Lauren took the idea and ran with it. She approached WMS as a potential site for the garden, and found support from former assistant head of school Laurie Orsic.

Lauren’s interest in music dates back to her days as a WMS student. She was already learning to play the piano outside of school and was thrilled to be part of the 9-12 chorus under former music teacher Kelly Rhodunda. When she was in fourth grade, the 9-12 students staged “Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr.” for the spring concert. 

“I remember the ‘Circulation Dance’ - it’s how I still know the parts of the heart,” she said.

After graduating from WMS in 2014, Lauren was eager to join the band at Garnet Valley Middle School. Her piano skills quickly transferred to the percussion section of the concert band, where she started playing the marimba. Now a senior at Garnet Valley High School, Lauren is the section leader for the marching band pit, where she plays center marimba, as well as a member of the indoor drumline. She’s excited to extend her percussion skills to Garnet Valley’s upcoming theatrical production of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” which will mark the first time she plays in the orchestra pit.

When she’s not busy with band, Lauren is preparing her college applications. Despite her propensity for the arts (she is also completing an AP studio art class), she plans to study biology, environmental science or biomedical engineering. She’s hoping to attend University of Delaware or University of Maryland, and plans to join the marching band wherever she winds up. 

Reflecting on her years at WMS, Lauren said she values the conflict resolution skills she learned through the peace table. 

“I learned how to be a good friend [at WMS],” she said. “Everyone was brought up to resolve conflicts because [conflicts] will impede your learning.”

She also regularly meets with members of her Girl Scout troop, who include fellow WMS alumni Sarah Breger, Annabelle Damude and Annika Delport. 

To complete her Gold Award music garden project, Lauren wrote an interactive story in which instruments represent different characters. She plans to use the music garden to present that story to Primary students later this school year.
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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