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Marie's Message
THANK YOU. The Annual Fund Drive festivities continue through Halloween. Thank you to everyone who has helped. The Giving Tree is looking magical, with the sparkling leaves filled with children's designs! In just one week, contributions total $40,000! Almost the entire staff has given, thanks to Marybeth Auld, who chairs the staff portion of the fund drive. She arrived on Friday as Gypsy Marybeth, handing fortunes and treats to each staff member as they made their contributions to the fund. Look for many more leaves on the tree. Our parent participation continues to grow as well. Please help us to climb higher toward the top goal of 100% participation. Online donations can be made at www.wmsde.org/annualfund. We are grateful for your support in any amount. Participation is really important when we reach outside funders, especially foundations.
Traffic Alert
Safety is a top priority at WMS. Cass and I have been observing the arrival and dismissal of cars and school buses at the entrance. We have also met with a representative from Del Dot to get the traffic light adjusted for people who cross Harvey Road to and from school, and to get buses to stop directly in front of the lower door. We expect that to happen soon. We ask everyone to slow down as you drive in and out each day. When you leave the property and turn right, please look very carefully, even if the light is green, for pedestrians in that crosswalk. If the light is RED, you must make a full stop and look to the right as well as the left before you proceed, making sure that no pedestrians are in the crosswalk. This is an IMPORTANT MESSAGE to ensure safety for our children.
Alumni News
Coming soon - an alumni news column in the Wednesday Weekly! Each week, you will hear about one of our former students as we prepare to celebrate WMS's 50th anniversary year (2013-2014) . Send information to Noel (noel_dietrich@wmsde.org) for this new addition.
Here is a little news about my own daughter and grandchildren:
My daughter Annette Dugan is a physical therapist who lives in Santa Monica, California. She attended preschool at the Arden School, then went to River Road School in the Brandywine School District, and graduated from Mount Pleasant High School and Virginia Commonwealth University. Annette's favorite memory of her Montessori experience was the metal insets!
Her son, Max attended toddler and primary classes at Santa Monica Montessori School. He just left for first grade at Franklin School. On the first day, I called to ask how the day went and what he liked best. Max said "I want to stay forever. I like it!" When asked what he liked about it, he said: "Mathematics." When asked what that is, he said: "You know. It's all about numbers. I like numbers." My other grandson attended the Family Montessori School in New York City. He now attends eighth grade at the United Nations School (UNIS).
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October
22-26 WMS Book Fair
Great Room Details24 Book Fair - Family Night 5-8:30 p.m. Gym & Great Room Please note that the date on the original events calendar, 10/25, was incorrect.
26 & 29 School-Wide Parent Conferences
No classes.
Child care is available.
30 Parents vs. students soccer game 3:30 p.m. on the soccer field 31 Halloween Parades Gym & Great Room Details
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November
1 Montessori Madness Book Club
9 a.m., Rm. 26
(Books are still available for
purchase at the front desk & book fair)
Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)
Meeting
4:30 p.m. in the Great Room
Free child care available
RSVP to Cass Winner.
3 Admissions Open House &
Performance by Clem Bowen
Open House - 10 a.m.
Performance - 11 a.m.
Tell a friend and receive co-op hours! Details
5 Montessori Monday - Admissions
9:30 a.m. - Tell a friend!
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 Visit the WMS Book Fair this week!
Family Fun Night: Tonight from 5 to 8:30 p.m.
Wilmington Montessori School's annual Scholastic Book Fair is underway! The hours of the fair for the remainder of the week are:
- Wednesday, October 24 - 8:30 a.m. - noon, 2:30-8:30 p.m. (Family Fun Night and after-school shopping!)
- 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. You may also visit the fair with your child before or after school. 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 through November 2.
 Our Family Night event will be Wednesday, October 24 (tonight), from 5 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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Encouraging Our Children Toward Independence
Weekly Parenting Tips
by Certified Parent Educator (and WMS Great-Grandmother) Yvonne Nass
What does your child do well? Are you as quick to appreciate it as you are to criticize when your child doesn't do something well?
Most of us tend to focus on weaknesses rather than strengths, thinking that we can influence our child to do better in an area they need to work on. Notice and appreciate what your child can do instead of pointing out what needs to be improved. Saying "Thank you for waiting quietly" when your child is quiet has much more power to improve behavior than to continue to say "Why can't you be quiet?"
Even as adults, criticism always makes us feel unaccepted. It is discouraging rather than encouraging. It is not the way to help a child feel positive about him or herself.
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Want to learn more from Yvonne? Sign up for her upcoming parent education course.
Positive Parenting: So, how's this supposed to work, anyway? - Five-week course starting Nov. 7
"I've been hearing about this class since I got to WMS and it's as great as I heard! I have new strategies to work into our routines and new language...recommend to all the parents I know!"
- Positive Parenting participant
Learning the ropes of parenting and need some experienced insight? Been a parent for a
while and feel like you need some additional perspective? This is the course for you!  This five-week series will cover skills that will help parents and caregivers create a strong, respectful and trusting relationship with their children. Join us in learning and sharing, in a supportive and encouraging setting. The topics include: - Listening
- Inviting cooperation
- Encouraging self-sufficiency
- Discipline with respect
- Dealing with emotions, including anger.
When: Wednesdays, beginning November 7, 7 - 8:30 p.m. (No class on 11/21 due to Thanksgiving) Where: Wilmington Montessori School Cost: $100 per person or $120 per couple (includes all five sessions) Registration: Online
Note: This workshop is open to families outside the WMS community, so tell your friends!
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A Fishy Co-op Job
Have you ever wondered who maintains the beautiful fish tank in the Aspen Wing? It is WMS parent Eva Glick!
Eva first saw the posting for a co-op opportunity four years ago. At that time, the display had dwindled to a few goldfish. Eva was determined to bring a visual variety for everyone to enjoy. There are now a yellow gourami, a Plecostomus, four creamsicle Lyretail Mollies, two very shy catfish and three Green Glow Tetras along with many small glow fish swimming happily. Starting to maintain the WMS aquarium was Eva's first experience with a fish tank but it has become more than a job. She
and Stefanie have enjoyed the fish so much that they now have a tank at home too! Preschool assistant teacher Tim Moore has been a valuable resource, sharing his knowledge of fish with Eva.
Eva is a chef and has spent time cooking with students every year. From chicken noodle soup with homemade bread to vegetable lo mein to soft pretzels, chef Eva's visits are always a welcome (and delicious) event for students!
Eva's daughter Stefanie is a second-grade student in room 14.
Thank you, Eva!
As always, if you have questions or comments about co-op, please email us at co-op@wmsde.org. We love to hear from you! Visit the Co-op Board across from the library to check out the latest co-op opportunities available. |
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Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) News
Hello friends!
Yes, it has happened - a name change!! Due to your feedback and in an effort to stay consistent with the industry standard, we will now be called the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO), rather than the PPO.
We wanted to give you an update on the PTO news. First of all, thanks for all your energy and involvement in WMS! We have been in touch with many of you already, but have not reached everyone who signed up for PPO teams yet. A huge thank you to our current team leaders Sharon Miller for the Parent Ambassador Team and Becky Allen for the Homeroom Parents Team. We will be breaking down into teams at the next meeting and working in smaller groups. We have many exciting ideas and volunteers for both the Community Service Projects Team, who will be coordinating with Noel Dietrich, and the Special Events Team, who will be coordinating with Theresa Conaty. We have people on board to help with PTO communications and several people already working on soft/free money fundraising for the school. We are off to a great start - thank you!
Our next meeting will be Thursday, November 1, at 4:30 p.m. in the WMS Great Room. Child care will be provided and free! Please let Cass (cass_winner@wmsde.org) know IN ADVANCE so she can plan ahead. Feel free to drop your kids off right after school at 3 p.m.
We will have a lot to talk about - looking forward to seeing you there!
Meredith Amado
Kerry Shweiki
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Get your 2012 tax write-off: Donate items to the Spring 2013 Junque 'n' Treasures Rummage Sale today!
WMS's Junque 'n' Treasures Sale is now accepting donations, and we have already received some amazing items! The sale will be held on Saturday, April 27, with a pre-sale on Thursday, April 25.
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Flu Shots - November 7
 The single best way to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated each year. Hand-washing and covering coughs and sneezes are important measures to take as well. Flu shots for parents and children will be available on Wednesday from 2:30-4 p.m. in the Great Room for $30 per person. Parents must be PRESENT for their child to have a flu shot, and children must be at least 6 months old. Limited shots are available. Please sign up in advance on the nurse's office door.
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WMS Family Night at Ramsey's Farm - Nov. 2
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Join other WMS families for a night of fun at Ramsey's Farm on Friday, November 2, at 5:30 p.m.!
Meet other WMS families, and enjoy hayrides, an 8-acre flashlight corn maze and bonfire with your family and friends. Find the WMS table in the picnic area for snacks and to say hello! You may bring food for a picnic (tables and charcoal grills are available for your use). Please bring your own flashlight and cooking utensils! Location: Ramsey Road (just past 500 Ramsey Road) Wilmington, DE 19803 View map and directions.
Prices: $8 - Ages 5 and up
$3 - Children under 5
(Pay when you get there!)
Don't forget to wear your WMS attire!
The last hayride of the night begins at 8 p.m. and the park closes at 9! Find out who's going - check out the event page on Facebook and let others know that you'll be there too by RSVPing! |
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Saturday Open House and Clem Bowen Concert - November 3
On Saturday, November 3, WMS will host a Saturday Open House for prospective families, starting at 10 a.m., followed by a performance by musician and storyteller Clem Bowen at 11 a.m.
Open House The open house will include an introduction to Montessori education, a brief school tour and a chance to visit classrooms.
Clem Bowen Performance Did you miss last week's concert and nature walk, or do you and your child want more Clem? The entire WMS community is invited to attend the performance, along with those who attend the open house!
Referrals
Know a family that would be a great fit for our community? Please invite them to attend! WMS families who bring a family to this open house with WMS-aged children will receive two co-op hours. Even better, if the family you refer decides to enroll at WMS, you can receive a $750 tuition credit or 30 co-op hours through our Building Community Referral Program. Those attending the open house should RSVP to admissions@wmsde.org. See Theresa for copies of our Open House flyer to share with your friends and family!
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Halloween at WMS
Please join us for our annual Halloween festivities, outlined below: 9:30 a.m. - Preschool parade begins in the Great Room. Classes will parade around the gym once to show off their costumes, then parade down the hallway past Cass's office and the elementary after-care rooms, around the loop by Rooms 15/16 and back to their classrooms.
11:15 - Elementary parade begins in the gym. Each class will parade around the gym once then past the front desk, down the hallway past Cass's office and the elementary after-care rooms, around the loop by Rooms 15/16 and back to their classrooms.
Families and friends are invited to line the hallways along the parade route for both age groups, and return to their child's classroom for refreshments. In addition, we ask that children's costumes meet the following rules: - No weapons of any kind are allowed as part of a costume.
- Costumes should not contain blood, guts or gore.
- Hair color and makeup should be applied at home, not brought to school.
- Since we have very young children at our school, please make sure that costumes are not frightening to small children.
If you have any questions, please see your child's teacher. |
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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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