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Fly away, butterfly!
Room 15, joined by teacher Betsy Haas's son Brody (Room 16), gathered outside on Tuesday afternoon to release a Monarch butterfly that Brody had raised at home from a caterpillar.
Children spoke to the butterfly before it was released, saying "I hope you make peaceful friends," "Have a peaceful journey" or simply "Good-bye" to their new friend.
They watched the beautiful Monarch fly away, carried by the soft fall breeze and said farewell as it flew out of sight!
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Marie's Message
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Dear Families and Staff,
I am excited to send the following message to you today. It is an invitation to attend a meeting on October 4 to learn about a new community-building group at WMS.
We have been talking about offering more opportunities to bring our community together. The reinvigorated co-op program has already strengthened this aspect of our school culture and is working really well this year. We think this new opportunity will also please you. I hope to see you at one of the meetings.
Special thanks to Meredith Amado, Kerry Shweiki, Anna Quisel and Susie Ventresca for creating the PPO!
Marie Dugan
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Message from the WMS Parent Partnership Organization (PPO):
WMS is holding an informational meeting about a new community partnership group, the PARENT PARTNERSHIP ORGANIZATION (PPO), on Thursday, October 4.
PPO's purpose is to involve parents and families in WMS in a rewarding way, and to strengthen the education of students by building a community that supports teachers and each other. It is a place to share ideas, give feedback and interact with other WMS families. It will also serve as a springboard for any co-op questions, input and match-making.
This meeting is open to all parents, caregivers, faculty, staff, alumni and community members who have an interest in WMS.
There will be two meetings on Thursday, October 4 - feel free to come to the one that best suits your schedule: 9 a.m. or 7 p.m.
Child care will be available in the evening for $10 per child. (Please contact Cass at least 24 hours in advance to reserve a spot for your child.)
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October
1 Montessori Monday - Admissions 9:30 a.m., meet in
the lobby. Tell a friend!
Learn more
2 Dr. Steve Hughes
3 Student Portraits
See flyers from teachers
to order.
4 Parent Partnership Organization (PPO) Meetings
9 a.m. and 7 p.m.
See "Marie's Message"
for details.
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12 Follow the Child:
Parenting Class begins
Details below.
16 Concert/Nature Walk with Clem Bowen
Save the Date 3:30 p.m. WMS woods & outdoor stage
19 WMS Family Night at
Ramsey's Farm
5:30-9 p.m.
View event on Facebook
22-26 WMS Book Fair
Great Room
24 Book Fair - Family Night
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Gym & Great Room
* 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 Cass_Winner@wmsde.org to sign up.
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Parent Education Programs
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Wilmington Montessori School presents:
"Follow the Child: Parenting Class - for you and your child!"
Birth to 2 years
9-10:30 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 Theresa_Conaty@wmsde.org or call 302-475-0555.
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Join us for an evening of Montessori Madness on October 11!
 In 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 travels to schools throughout the nation, bringing 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 about why Montessori education is so relevant and important for every child.
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Encouraging Our Children Toward Independence
Weekly Parenting Tips
by Certified Parent Educator (and WMS Great-Grandmother) Yvonne Nass
"Any child who is self-sufficient, who can tie his shoes, dress or undress himself, reflects his joy and sense of achievement the image of human dignity, which is derived from a sense of independence". - Marie Montessori
This parenting tip column will feature ways to encourage our children toward independence. There is a difference between praise and encouragement. Praise focuses on the person instead of the deed; it is based on performance and only given to the best. When this happens, the child will only work for the reward instead of being internally motivated. This dependence on extrinsic motivation fosters the atmosphere of competition. Encouragement, on the other hand, focuses on acceptance, instilling faith and confidence, building on strengths, accentuating the positive, recognizing effort and improvement, and promoting responsibility.
Tip: Develop the attitude of optimistic belief and give up the word "can't." Allow time to wait as you say, "You can do it!" |
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Spotlight on Homeroom Parents
Did you know that every class at WMS has a volunteer Homeroom Parent?
Homeroom Parents help teachers with communications to families, coordinates classroom co-op opportunities and acts as a resource for all of the parents in their room. One of their first duties is to develop a class list to share with all families so they can easily contact each other.
Thanks to all who have volunteered for this important position!
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Save the date - Clem Bowen Nature Walk & Free Concert
You've heard your toddlers and preschoolers talk about Clem Bowen's creative songs, stories and outdoor adventures...
Now, you and your child can join Clem and other WMS families for a free nature walk and concert after school! The concert on the outdoor stage begin at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 16, followed the nature walk in the beautiful WMS woods.
Seating by the stage is limited, so we suggest bringing lawn chairs or a picnic blanket to comfortably enjoy the concert with your child!
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Coming Soon... the WMS Book Fair!
Wilmington Montessori School's annual Scholastic Book Fair will be held Monday, October 22 through Friday, October 26. The hours of the fair are:
- Monday, October 22 - 2:30-4 p.m.
- Tuesday, October 23 - 8:30 a.m. - noon and 2:30-4 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 24 - 8:30 a.m. - noon, 2:30-4 p.m. and 6:30-8:30 p.m.
- Thursday, October 25 - 8:30 a.m. - noon and 2:30-4 p.m.
- Friday, October 26 - 8:30-10:30 a.m.
To help your child find the best books, all elementary students will visit the Book Fair during class time
and will be allowed to purchase books during that visit. We also encourage you to look over the attached list of featured books with your child. If you cannot attend, you may use the Book List order form and send it back to school with your child or visit our online Book Fair starting on October 17.
 Our Family Night event will be Wednesday, October 24, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Your family can shop together, participate in activities and enjoy refreshments. There will be several crafts and games for all ages. This year, kids can dress up as super heroes and can win prizes for best costumes. There will also be pizza for sale in the gym. We also invite you to stop by the Classroom Wish List display while visiting our Book Fair. We are busy building up each classroom library and adding new titles. Help add books to our classroom shelves by purchasing books and donating them to your child's class.
This year, we again have the opportunity to bring more books to our students and classrooms. We call it One for Books. Look for the collection jars at the cash register tables in the Great Room and the gym near the food during Family Night. All of the money collected goes directly to purchasing more books for WMS. In addition, Scholastic Book Fairs will match the One for Books dollars you raise with a donation of up to one million books to three non-profit organizations devoted to improving reading skills among children: Kids in Distressed Situations Inc., National Center or Family Literacy and the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.
We appreciate your dedication to creating lifelong readers. See you at our Book Fair!
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Wanted: Working Digital Cameras and Photo Frames
Have an old working digital camera sitting around the house?
Donate it to WMS for use by photography students or our teachers! We particularly need 5 megapixel (or higher) cameras, but will be grateful any kind that you have.
If the cameras use a non-standard battery, please include the charger.
In addition, we are also looking for a photo frame that is BATTERY-POWERED for use at admissions events.
See Lori at the front desk to get a donation receipt for a tax deduction!
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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.
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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 or atibamusic@comcast.net for more information or to register.
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WMS Alumni Recognized at Tower Hill School for Outstanding Academic Achievements
Two WMS alumni were recently honored for their outstanding achievements in the National Achievement® Program. Will Mette was named a Commended Student in the National Merit Scholarship Program for placing among the top 5 percent of the 1.5 million students who entered the competition. In addition, Zion Thomas has been recognized as an Outstanding Participant in the National Achievement Scholarship Program. He scored in the top 3 percent of more than 160,000 black Americans who requested consideration in the 2013 National Achievement® Program when they took the 2011 PSAT/NMSQT.
Congratulations, Will and Zion!
Please send alumni news to Noel Dietrich for inclusion on the WMS website or future issues of the Wednesday Weekly.
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The Wednesday Weekly promotes 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.
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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.
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