Wednesday Weekly
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 September 19, 2012
7-9 Chalk4Peace art
WMS celebrates International Day of Peace 

This morning, Wilmington Montessori School students celebrated the International Day of Peace with an assembly in the gym, followed by our traditional participation in the Chalk4Peace initiative. 
 
Watch our Facebook page for more photos from this beautiful day - coming later this week!

Marie's Message  

Marie Dugan, Interim Head of School

Dear Friends,

 

I am filled with gratitude toward the anonymous donor who recently gave a generous matching gift of $1 million to our school. It is the beginning of an important fundraising initiative that will involve all of us.

In the coming weeks, we will share more information about this exciting campaign and how you can get involved. I already know that I will be helping to meet the challenge with a personal gift to this fund, which will ensure that Wilmington Montessori School will live on into the future. 

 

We expect to establish an endowment and enhance our academic and enrichment programs, increase financial support for our teachers and staff, and keep our status as one of the best Montessori independent schools in the country. I remind all of us that whatever amount that each of us gives makes a difference. Think 100 percent participation. For some, $5 is a stretch. Others can and will do much more. 

 

My thrill with fundraising increases with each campaign that I have been involved with. Why? Because it pleases me that donors care enough to support our work. WMS remains the model school for Montessori excellence in Delaware and beyond. Let's keep growing and continuing to develop children who are confident, and competent, who consistently demonstrate the outcomes of quality education.

 

I learned much of what I know about fundraising in 1986 when we bought the land on which this school resides. We raised $1 million dollars that year. We can do it again!

Stay tuned for details on our upcoming campaign! 

 

Marie

Mark Your Calendars
September   

19             Back-to-School/
                Curriculum Night
                5-7 and 7-9 Programs
                7 p.m.

22            WMS @ India Fest -
                Admissions

                11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
                Bob Carpenter Center  
                Co-op help still needed! 
               
                Sign-up outside
                Theresa 
Conaty's office. 

26            Yom Kippur - No School
                Pre-registered child care
                only. Sign-up using the
                advance child-care 
                registration form.
 
27            Back-to-School/
               Curriculum Night *

                Preschool 
               
                7 p.m.

October 
 
1            Montessori Monday - 
              Admissions
              9:30 a.m., meet in 
              the lobby. 
              Tell a friend!  
              Learn more 

2            Dr. Steve Hughes 
              Presents - Montessori 
              and Building 
              Better Brains               
              7-9 p.m. 
              at Gladwyne Montessori 
3            Student Portraits 
              Details TBA
              Co-op assistance still
              needed! See
              www.wmsde.org/co-op 
              for details


11           Montessori: It's About
              Making Connections
              (or "E.T. Phone home") 
              presented by
              Trevor Eissler *

              Register online
              7 p.m.   

  

12          Follow the Child:               
              Parenting Class begins

              Details below.

 

15           Montessori Monday - 
              Admissions
              9:30 a.m., meet in 
              the lobby. 
              Tell a friend!
              Learn more  
 
19          Save the Date - 
              WMS Family Night at
              Ramsey's Farm
              Details coming soon!


* Child care is available for these evening events at $10 per child.

Advance registration (of at least 24 hours) is required so staffing can be planned accordingly.

Contact [email protected] to sign up.  
Parent Education
followthechild

Wilmington Montessori School presents:
"Follow the Child: Parenting Class - for you and your child!"


Birth to 2 years

9:00-10:30 a.m.

Fridays, October 12, 19 and November 2, 9 & 16

Cost: $100


Registration deadline is Friday, October 5 - class fees due upon registration.

 

This weekly class offers moms, dads, grandparents and other caretakers mutual support and guidance in the beginning months of their child's life. Sara Grant, an Infant/Toddler Montessori teacher and mother of two, brings her many years of experience and observations to assist with the challenges of parenting and help parents enjoy the wonders of connecting their little one to the world around them. 

 

Set in an authentic Infant/Toddler Montessori classroom, this class will focus on nutrition, developing healthy eating habits, discipline, nursing and every-day life with your infant and toddler.  Meet other parents of infants and toddlers and enjoy lively discussions while your little one keeps busy in the classroom, prepared specifically for them at their stage of development.

 

Sara, who is also completing her doula certification training, will bring to life the Montessori Method through a wide range of enriching, hands-on activities in a fun environment for you and your child to explore.     

 
"So much happens in the first 18 months of your child's life!" Sara says. "I look forward to helping you apply Montessori principles at home to make the most of the most amazing stage of your child's development."

 

This workshop is open to families outside the WMS community so please tell a friend! 

 

Questions? Please contact [email protected] or call 302-475-0555.   

Register Now Button  

 

trevor


Join us for an evening of Montessori Madness on October 11!

Montessori MadnessIn a presentation called "Montessori: It's About Making Connections (or E.T. phone
 home)", Trevor Eissler, a Montessori father and advocate, will talk about the importance of personal, conceptual and community connections in Montessori education and how these principles are relevant to our children, ourselves and our world.   

Trevor Eissler is author of "Montessori Madness! A Parent to Parent Argument for Montessori Education," a book that challenges the direction of traditional schools and supports the choice of a Montessori education with passion and understanding. "Montessori Madness!" will be on sale for $10 on the night of the presentation.

Trevor has traveled to bring Montessori awareness to mainstream society. His workshops combine stories about his real-life experiences as a Montessori parent along with his informed and persuasive discussion as to why Montessori education is so relevant and important for every child. 
 
Space may be limited, so register today to reserve your seat! To learn more about Trevor and this event, visit www.wmsde.org/trevoreissler. Bring a friend - this event is free and open to the public!
 
Co-op Corner
Spotlight on the Scholastic Book Fair

Our WMS students love the Book Fair. It's magical - the Great Room transforms into an enormous book store; our children wander around browsing and sharing their reading faves with their friends; we, as parents, can sneak in some gift shopping and our families all enjoy "Family Fun Night," a party centered around the Book Fair. 

Thanks to parent Zehra Wamiq, this year's Book Fair is scheduled for Monday, October 22 through Friday, October 26. So, what does this involve?  

First, more about Zehra. She has been part of the WMS community for 13 years as the parent of three children, two of whom have graduated from WMS, and the youngest of whom is in kindergarten this year. Zehra got involved in the Book Fair early on helping to display and sell the books, and then coordinated the Book Fair for the first time in 2010.

"I always enjoyed coming to the Book Fair," Zehra said. "I love books. When I started to volunteer at the Book Fair, I found that I like bringing the children into the Book Fair and helping them find something they would like to read. I enjoyed spending time with the other volunteers and connected with them. It's a fun way to earn co-op hours."  
Book Fair 2011
    
As coordinator, Zehra's job begins with a workshop held by Scholastic Books at the Brandywine Hundred Library for local school book fair coordinators. Next, she will put up posters around WMS, highlighting this year's theme - "All Stars." She will then schedule time for each classroom to visit the Book Fair and find the volunteers who help run the Book Fair.

Throughout the five days of the Book Fair, Zehra will need five to eight volunteers to set up, three volunteers each day in the morning and afternoon to help children as they shop at the Book Fair, and five to eight volunteers to wrap up the Book Fair. She will also need a party-loving coordinator for Family Fun Night. "We have door prizes, games and pizza," Zehra said.

Getting involved in the Book Fair is a fun way to connect with kids and parents at WMS. Please contact Zehra at [email protected] to be part of it all. Thank you, Zehra!
 
Co-op jobs are listed on the main co-op board across from the library, and on the website at www.wmsde.org/co-op. Have questions about co-op?  Email [email protected]
News & Notes
Odyssey of the Mind 2012
Odyssey of the Mind Information Meeting

 

Dear potential Odyssey of the Mind team members, coaches and families:

 

Please join us for an information meeting on Monday afternoon, September 24, after school in Room 10.  

 

We will provide some light refreshments and anticipate that the meeting will run for about an hour.  Our goal at this meeting will be to get a list of interested team members/potential coaches and to share information about participation/coaching, etc. 

 

We are expecting a great deal of interest from children who want to participate this year.  In past years, we have had to turn kids away due to an insufficient number of coaches.  So, if you feel like coaching could be for you, please come to the meeting and find out more!  Having more than one coach for a team has been very helpful in the past and is a great way to share the workload.  We anticipate using this same model again this year, so it can really be a manageable commitment. 

 

If you are unable to attend the meeting, but would like more information for either you or your child, please contact me at [email protected].

 

Hope to see you there!

   

Leslie Bastianelli

Natalie Wolf

 

National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day 

by Nurse Paige

 

Have old, unwanted medication tucked away in a cabinet or drawer (with safety locks, of course)? Not sure what to do with it?    

 

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has scheduled another National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, September 29, 2012, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

This is a great opportunity for those who missed the previous events or have subsequently accumulated unwanted, unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of those medications.


The closest collection site is Shipley Manor on Shipley Road. 

Search for other sites and view directions.

 

The American people responded overwhelmingly to the most recent DEA-led National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. On April 28, citizens turned in a record-breaking 552,161 pounds (276 tons) of unwanted or expired medications for safe and proper disposal at the 5,659 take-back sites that were available in all 50 states and U.S. territories.

When the results of the four Take-Back Days to date are combined, the DEA and its state, local, and tribal law-enforcement and community partners have removed over 1.5 million pounds (774 tons) of medication from circulation.  



Medication
After-School Specials

There's still time to register for after-school specials!   

 

What goes up must come down...but why?  Send your budding 3rd-6th grade scientist to the after-school Physics Lab, where hands-on experiments turn into life-long knowledge!

 

Or take the first step towards the Academy Awards in the expanded after-school Drama Workshop on Mondays, now open to grades K-3!

 

View full program descriptions and register online.

 

Limited slots for Individual Piano Lessons with our favorite piano teacher, working musician and alumni parent Leslie Carey are now open on Thursdays after school. Contact Cass Winner for more info!  

_____________________


Steel Drums - Holiday Concert

WMS welcomes the SCHOOL OF STEEL DRUMS!

 

Get into the island groove with steel drum classes for ages 8 and up, starting Wednesday, September 26, 2012 from 4 to 5 p.m.    

Cost: $195 for 13 weeks

 

Contact Colvin "Atiba" Fields at (302) 981-7157 for more information or to register.

 

Raise money for WMS while shopping!
 

Last year, we earned $582 from Target's Take Charge of Education program, $93 from Giant Foods and $1,133 from the Funding Factory for recycling used printer cartridges and cell phones. Many thanks to all who participated!

 

Find out how you can raise funds for WMS while shopping at your favorite stores:
www.wmsde.org/shop4wms  

Pink Towercurriculumnight
Curriculum Nights

Curriculum night is the opportunity for you to meet with your child's teachers, meet other parents, visit the classroom and learn about the curriculum and activities planned for the school year. We hope to see all of you there!


Curriculum Nights are scheduled for:  
Preschool: Sept. 27 at 7 p.m. 
5-7 & 7-9 Programs: Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.  
 
Child care for curriculum nights will be offered to families at a cost of $10 per child. Please email [email protected] to register at least 24 hours before the event.

The Wednesday Weekly promotes 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.
 


Our Mission

Wilmington Montessori School is a collaborative learning community rooted in Montessori principles, inspiring the joyful discovery of self and a passion for learning and independent thinking. We empower children to be knowledgeable and responsible contributors to the global community.