Wednesday Weekly - October 7, 2020

WEDNESDAY WEEKLY

October 7, 2020

Dear Families,

Over the next week, WMS will be holding parent conferences, which we do each October. This year, we made the decision to do this a bit earlier in order to let you know how your children are adapting to their return to school this year. Teachers have been working hard to bring students back into the fold, whether on campus or at home/online.

What can you expect to hear from your children’s teacher?

Conferences are a time for teachers to share assessments with you. They will show you not only the results of the assessments, but the plan going forward. As a Montessori school, our goal is always to follow the individual student’s path, meeting them where they are academically, socially and emotionally, and working toward the next goal along that path. By definition, this means that almost no two children are doing the exact same thing with the same exact goals. That is just one of the differences that benefits your child because you chose WMS. Ours is not an assembly line education, but instead a personalized one.

Please bring your questions and the things you are wondering about to your conference. The teachers are looking forward to this time with you. Getting to know you better and hearing more about your children is a strong part of the partnership we value and that serves your children as they continue to develop.

“We discovered that education is not something which the teacher does, but that it is a natural process which develops in the human being.”

- Maria Montessori

Lisa A. Lalama

Head of School

NEWS & NOTES

Drop-off/Pick-up Reminders

Thank you for your continued support in making our drop-off and pick-up processes run smoothly. Here are a few reminders to help keep our community safe:

All adults and children in the Primary Program and older should wear face coverings at all times during drop-off and pick-up.

During drop-off, please stay in your vehicle with your child until instructed to step out by a staff member. All children should exit the car from curbside.

During pick-up, families should remain in their cars until needed to help your children into the vehicle. Please do not wait outside or approach children's outdoor classroom areas.

Please do your best to drop your children during our designated drop-off windows. If you are late, please drive to your regular drop-off location, call 302-475-0555 and remain in your vehicle until a staff member comes to screen your child.

Thank you for your cooperation!

Delaware Division for Public Health School Updates

Last week, Dana Carr, the DPH liaison with Delaware independent and Catholic schools met with heads of schools sharing information about COVID-19 and the strategies used to keep us all as safe as possible. The meeting served as a reminder of the mitigation strategies we continue to follow daily:

Face coverings must be worn at all times when on the WMS campus (for all adults and students in the 3-6 Program and older).
Social distancing must be maintained at all times
Students and adults must remain in their assigned cohorts as much as possible.
Health status must be checked daily - for both students and staff.
Spend as much time outside as possible.
Cleaning and disinfecting must happen regularly as established by licensing and WMS protocols.
Adequate ventilation must be maintained at all times. Windows will be open throughout the year if we are inside the building with the goal of maintaining air flow. In addition, we have upgraded our HVAC filters to MERV 13 air filters.

All of these strategies are enforced at WMS at all times, with the standards either met or exceeded.

COVID-19 Testing Events

WMS is strongly recommends that students be tested for COVID-19 monthly (unless your child has symptoms or exposure is suspected). Results should be sent to Nurse Kathy for your child's health records.

Upcoming Events (all from 2:30-7 p.m.)

Wednesday, October 7

Middletown High School
A.I. Dupont High School

Thursday, October 8

Glasgow High School
Odessa High School

Friday, October 9

Kirk Middle School
William Penn High School

Saturday, October 10

Conrad School
William Penn High School

Full list of upcoming 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.)

Face Coverings

We are so grateful for all of your efforts to send your children to school prepared to wear face coverings daily.

Here are a few tips for making sure your child's mask is comfortable and protects our community as much as possible:

If you are able, find a mask that is made for children.
Make sure your child's mask fits snugly over the nose and mouth and covers the chin.
Ear loops and straps can stretch over time - please check the fit of your child's mask regularly and make sure there are no major gaps on the sides or above the nose.
Accessories like mask extenders and nose bridge strips are available to help adjust the fit of any masks you may already own.

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.

Jill's Departure

As you know, PE teacher Jill Hallissey will be leaving WMS for a new opportunity. In the email we shared with Primary through Middle School families, we incorrectly stated that Jill's last day would be this week. She will actually be with us through next week!

Spotlight on Outdoor Learning

Last week, several of our classrooms took part in the Nature Conservancy's Stream Stewards Virtual Watershed Cleanup, a program working to ensure cleaner water by picking up litter in neighborhoods and local parks. As you can see, they found some interesting items!

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.