Volume 5 | November 12, 2021
Parent Education Events
Almost 200 members of the WHMS community gathered for inspiration from Mr. O, hula hooping, and a good time on Saturday, November 6 at the FLOCKart gallery.

Susan Thomas will be offering gallery hours and private viewings. Contact her for more information.
FLOCKart EXHIBIT SCHEDULE

“Mr. O” — Oct. 18 - Nov. 19, 2021
Ritvik Sharma — Nov. 29 - Dec. 17, 2021
Fenando Orellana (Lego robotics) — Jan. 5 - Feb. 19, 2022
WHMS Curator Club Gallery Shows — March and April 2022
Liz Zunon, May 2 — June 10, 2022
Watercolor Masterclass
On Saturday, December 11, WHMS will be hosting a Watercolor masterclass with our next FLOCKart gallery artist-in-residence, Ritvik Sharma. The class will run from 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. More details will be forthcoming.
Five Facts from our Faculty
We will profile WHMS faculty each Messenger with five facts about them. This week features Marion Heller, who has worked at WHMS since 2005.
  1. I am the mother of a WHMS graduate: Max started as a three-year-old in 2003 and graduated in 2014.
  2. I have been an early childhood educator for 40 years, the last nine of them with Toddlers at WHMS. I saved the best for last! ❤️
  3. I have lived in two foreign countries: Caen, France for a year as a 14-year-old and Munich, Germany for two years, ten years ago.
  4. I love to do crossword puzzles and cook.
  5. My favorite place to be is at the ocean.
Upper El Poppy project
To commemorate Veterans Day, Upper El students made paper poppies this week, requesting donations for the local veterans' hospital. The use of poppies as a symbol of Veterans Day was inspired by the poem In Flanders Fields, written by John McCrae in 1915.

They raised over $150 to benefit the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center!
WHMS Happenings
Last week, Nicole and Callie's class talked about Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. Nicole says that at the Primary level, books can provide a springboard to talk about the traditions and customs of holidays celebrated by students in the class.
Sara and Hannah's Lower El class learned about Diwali through books and a short video. First year student Sanvi shared with a special Diwali treat with the class.
Sara's class also learned about the Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) They read about Día de los Muertos and made an ofrenda for Maria Montessori after reading a short biography about her life. 
Representatives from Emma Willard School spoke with our Middle School students on Friday, November 5. Currently, there are ten WHMS alumnae attending Emma Willard.
Thank you to all of the families who donated cans for the Middle School's Kids Can Build STEAM competition before being donated to a local food bank.
A student in Cassandre's Primary class is shown capturing animal prints.
The annual Book Fair took place this week, earning more than $3,000 worth of books for the library and the classrooms. Thank you to the parents who supported the Fair and who bought books from the teachers' Wish Lists.
Upper El students created book reports out of pumpkins.