WEDNESDAY WEEKLY
September 1, 2021
NEWS & NOTES
#WMSBacktoSchool Photo Contest - 2021
Thank you to everyone who has submitted photos to our #WMSbacktoschool photo contest so far! We will accept submissions through Friday, so there's still plenty of time post your favorite first-day-of-school (or back-to-school prep) photos on Instagram using our #wmsbacktoschool hashtag and be entered to win a special prize.

Don't forget to tag @wilmingtonmontessori!

Photos can also be emailed to noel_dietrich@wmsde.org.
School Communications

At WMS, communication with families is one of our highest priorities. We also know that our teachers and staff are at their best when they can maintain a healthy work/life balance throughout the school year. With this in mind, we would like to share a few notes about what you can expect when communicating with WMS staff.

Bloomz - The Bloomz app is our primary method of parent-teacher communication. Teachers use Bloomz to share group posts and individual photos with families, providing a regular glimpse into our classrooms. It will also be used for school-wide announcements. Please be sure you have turned on email notifications and/or push notifications if you use the app. If you are not yet connected to your child and their classroom on Bloomz, please respond to any invitations you may have received via email, or contact Noel Dietrich, Director of Advancement & Communications, if you need assistance.

Time-Sensitive Messages - While Bloomz and email are convenient methods of communicating with teachers, please know that our teachers are focused on your children during the school day. Time-sensitive messages including information about early pick-ups or forgotten lunches may not be received by teachers until the end of the school day. Please call the school at 302-475-0555 if you need to share information that requires a response before the end of the school day and a staff member will make sure the appropriate classroom teacher receives the information.

Off-Hours Communication - Messages sent during the evening hours and on weekends will receive a response on the next school day. We want our staff to have time to relax and enjoy time with their families when not in school.

Our Commitment to You - We will respond to all messages within 24 hours (or on the next school day if messages are received on weekends)!

The Family Cooperative (Co-op) Program is back!
More than 57 years ago, Wilmington Montessori School was founded by parents, and we continue to value the involvement of families in their children’s education. Each year, WMS requires our families to participate in the Co-op Program by completing their annual co-op hours, which, prior to the pandemic, was a 25-hour per family per school year obligation. Due to safety considerations in place because of COVID-19, the requirement will be reduced to 10 hours for the 2021-22 school year.

As you know, we are currently allowing only students, staff and approved contractors into the school building. Therefore, families will be able to complete their hours by attending online parent education programs and supporting our classrooms through activities that can be completed from home. Click here to submit your hours.

For example, you can already submit co-op hours for:
  • New Families - Entrance Survey
  • New Families - Reception/Orientation
  • Virtual Q&As with Lisa & Sarah

You can also earn one co-op hour by attending our upcoming Back-to-School Curriculum Nights (see calendar above). Teachers may share additional opportunities to assist with classroom tasks and activities from home, and you can expect to receive regular co-op updates in this newsletter.

Thank you for partnering with us!
School Drop-off & Pick-up Reminders

Thank you for helping our car lines run safely and smoothly as we begin the new school year! Here are a few reminders that will help speed our process up as we begin the new school year:

  • Please remain in your vehicle until a teacher arrives to screen your child in the morning, as well as during pick-up. This is for the safety of our families and staff, and to make our car lines move as quickly as possible! Students should only exit on the side of the car near the curb.
  • Masks are required for staff and students during screenings.
  • Class Start Times - The following are our class start times for each program level:
  • Middle School: 8 a.m. (Note: The side door will remain open until 8:05, but students arriving in class after 8 a.m. may be marked as tardy.)
  • Elementary (6-9 & 9-12): 8:30 a.m. (Note: The side door will remain open until 8:35, but students arriving in class after 8:30 may be marked as tardy.)
  • Primary (3-6) - Including Kindergarten: 8:45 a.m.
  • Toddler: 9 a.m.

Car Line Schedule and Locations -
Note for Siblings: In the case of families with multiple children, they will drop off at the location designated for their oldest child and pick up in the area assigned to their youngest. Example: If a family has a toddler and a middle-schooler, that family will drop both children off at the elementary/middle school entrance and pick up both at the toddler entrance.
 
Children will be brought to the car at the end of the school day for pick-up, at the same entrance used for drop-off, except in the case of siblings (see above).

Morning Drop-off:
Extended Day before-care for Primary, Elementary and Middle School - Great Room Door - 7-8:40 a.m.
Toddlers (including before-care) - Toddler Playground - 7-9 a.m.
Primary (ages 3-6) - including Kindergarten - Front Door (Main Entrance) - 8:30-8:45 a.m.
Elementary (grades 1-6) - Side Door - 8:20-8:35 a.m.
Middle School (grades 7 & 8) - Side Door - 7:50-8:05 a.m.

Late drop-off - If you plan to arrive later than your child's designated drop-off time, please notify your child's teacher or call the school at 302-475-0555. During regular drop-off times, additional staff members are scheduled to provide health screenings to students if your family arrives after this time, you may need to wait for a staff member to become available for screening.

Mid-Day/Afternoon Pick-up:
Parents should remain in their vehicle during the car line, until it is time to buckle their children into their car seats. 
Toddler Half-Day - Front Door (Main Entrance) - Noon
Toddler Half-Day with Lunch Bunch - Front Door (Main Entrance) - 12:40 p.m.
Toddler Full-Day - Toddler Playground - 3:15 p.m.
Toddler Extended Day After-Care* - Toddler Playground - Until 6 p.m.  

Primary Half-Day - Front Door (Main Entrance) - Noon
Primary Half-Day with Lunch Bunch - Front Door (Main Entrance) - 12:40 p.m.
Primary Full-Day - Front Door (Main Entrance) - 3:15 p.m.

Elementary - Side Door - 3 p.m.
Middle School - Side Door - 3:15 p.m.

Primary/Elementary/Middle School Extended Day After-Care* - Great Room Door - Until 6 p.m.

Once dismissal is complete, any remaining students will be escorted to after-care, and your family will be billed for Extended Day Child Care at the drop-in rate.

Note: If you need to pick your child up early, please let the teacher know well in advance, and we will have them ready for you at your designated pick-up spot.

*When picking up from after-care, you may need to call the front desk at 302-475-0555 when you arrive at your designated pick-up location, as staff will not be waiting at those doors for the entire afternoon. 
COVID-19 Testing: Next Results Due on Monday, September 13

WMS requires ongoing testing for students and staff, regardless of vaccination status. All students and staff must submit negative COVID-19 test results (from a test taken on or after September 6) by noon on Monday, September 13. Results must be emailed to nurse@wmsde.org as soon as they become available. If you are sending a screenshot, please include the date tested. Processing the results takes time, so do not be alarmed if you don't receive an acknowledgement message from Nurse Mariah immediately. You can rest assured that your child will be admitted to school on the 14th if your results are submitted on time.

Due to high volume, some testing locations are taking three or more days to process results. Please plan to test early in the testing window.

All tests must be conducted on-site at a testing location - no at-home test results will be accepted unless the test is supervised by a medical professional. Please contact the school nurse before testing if you are unsure as to whether or not your test results will be accepted by WMS.

Important: Please understand that if no results are forwarded to the nurse, your child will not be permitted to attend school on Tuesday, September 14. If your results are forwarded after noon on the due date, you may experience a delay in drop-off the next morning. A last-minute result may delay or prevent your child from attending school; time must be allowed for communication to the staff members conducting screenings in the car line.

We are in discussions to host onsite COVID testing. We will share more information about this as soon as it is available. 

As always, you are still welcome to have your child tested more frequently and may forward the results to nurse@wmsde.org.

Click here to find Delaware Curative testing locations near WMS.
 
Thank you, and please contact the school nurse if you have any questions!

Full list of test sites: coronavirus.delaware.gov/testing-events

Policies & Procedures

WMS's COVID-19 policies are based on guidelines from the CDC and State of Delaware Department of Education Office of Child Care Licensing. We continue to monitor those sources for information to adjust our policies and practices as needed.
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.
Copyright © 2021. All Rights Reserved.