February 26, 2014

A Message from Head of School Lisa Lalama

The time is upon us; Friday is the last day to re-enroll at WMS and ensure your child's spot for next year. After that date, we offer admission to new students. As a parent whose children attended independent schools, I am familiar with some of the questions that parents ask at this time of year. Is this the right school for my child? What am I getting at this school that I cannot get somewhere else, perhaps for lower tuition? Why do we continue to stay at this school? Is my child happy? Learning? Challenged? Engaged? Is it the right fit?

On the parenthood road there are many twists, turns and bumps. What we offer at WMS is a way to smooth the bumps and welcome your children each and every day to a nurturing and peaceful environment that is filled with a love of learning that will stay with your children for a lifetime. We set our own course, offering an educational experience that is time-tested and based on enduring wisdom, uncompromising standards and ongoing innovation. As an independent school, we are able to make this commitment to the education of your children that allows them to grow socially, emotionally and academically.

How do we know that our method works? Admissions officers and teachers from middle and high schools, as well as parents of alumni, tell us that our students thrive when they move on. We know that they are impressively represented in the gifted and IB programs, student leadership positions, and extra curricular activities such as sports and student government in both public and private schools. We know that when they are in college and beyond, alumni come back and tell us that what they learned here at WMS set the stage for their future successes.

Please take the time to read the rest of the Wednesday Weekly as we share the beginning of our Strategic Plan involving technology shifts at WMS. This is an exciting time to be a part of WMS. We hope your family will continue to be a member of our community.

Mark Your Calendar

February

27	Dads' Day - Drop-off time until 11 a.m. - Read More
28	PJ Bingo - 6 p.m. - Great Room - Read More

March

1	Re-enrollment deadline for current WMS families - Secure your space for the 2014-15 school year! For more information, contact Theresa Conaty.
3	Montessori Monday Open House (Admissions) - 9:30 a.m. - Tell a friend!
7	Registration deadline for Meerkat Milers relay teams - Learn more Diversity Movie Night: Children of Heaven - 6:30 p.m. - Great Room
10	Lead Teacher Professional Day - No school. Pre-registered child-care will be available.
13	9-12 Talent Show - WMS Gym Dress rehearsal - 9:30 a.m. Evening performance - 7 p.m.

WMS Dads and Other Special Friends - Please join us tomorrow!

Dads' Day is always a wonderful day at WMS - a time for children to show off their classrooms and share their excitement about all that they are learning.

Schedule:
8:30 a.m. (elementary) or 9 a.m. (toddler/preschool) until 10 a.m. - Classroom visits.

10 to 11 a.m. - Great Room
Enjoy refreshments, meet Head of School Lisa Lalama and learn about...

The Food Bank of Delaware project & Artist-in-Residency (presented by students)
The WMS Dads' Group
The Meerkat Milers Delaware Marathon Relay teams

Strategic Plan News

Coming soon... Technological Enhancements & Integration

The second initiative of WMS's 2013-16 Strategic Plan reflects our commitment to "advancing and sustaining WMS as a premier and forward-thinking Montessori school." Enhancements to the school's technology and STEM curriculum are key goals for within this initiative. With this in mind, months have been spent developing a technology plan that not only reflects current thinking about technology in education but also honors our Montessori environment and philosophy. We are pleased to announce that implementation of the plan has begun.

Our first steps have included replacing hardware such as laptops and cameras to provide our staff and students with the tools they need to smoothly integrate technology into their daily work. Many staff members received new laptops last week and more are on their way. In addition, we purchased new cameras to support work that is happening in the 9-12 program. In January, the students created storyboards and filmed short movies that shared their vision of the future of technology in schools.

These videos were submitted as part of the White House's first student film festival, and we await the results. So much learning occurred during this process.

This spring, we will begin the first steps of our iPad initiative. Each teacher will receive an iPad by the end of the school year. They will attend professional development over the summer to experience some ways in which they can be used in the classroom and integrated into lessons in the year ahead. Next fall, each 9-12 student will receive his/her own iPad. There will also be a cart of iPads available for other classrooms to use. This is the hardware that will be visible. What you won't see is the hard work that goes behind the acquisition of these tools.

We are beginning to integrate our specials programs into the classrooms each and every day. Technology is the first special to be fully integrated into each classroom. It will be apparent in each classroom each day. Children will not be leaving the classroom to learn these skills; instead, they will experience technology as part of all of their learning. This will look different at each age level, based on what is age-appropriate. The teachers will work collaboratively with an instructional technology coach who can model and guide to get the full benefits of the new hardware.

Teachers are excited about these changes. They are already thinking about ways to enrich the children's experience and share your child's world with you throughout the day.

Stay tuned for more to come. This is just the beginning, and as we close out the school year, we will have more to share about the technology landscape that lies ahead.

Everything on a tablet - White House Video Project
Watch more videos by the 9-12 students.

News & Notes

PJ Bingo - A Message from the WMS Class of 2015

The fifth-graders would like you to come to PJ Bingo this Friday, February 28. If you come, you can wear your pajamas and play bingo to win prizes.

Everyone leaves a winner! PJ Bingo, along with other events, raises money for the 5th graders' trip to the Global Citizenship Action Program (GCAP) next year. There will be pizza, drinks, dessert, a photo booth and raffles.

PJ Bingo will be held in the Great Room from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10 per person, with $5 off for families of four or more. We hope you can come support the fifth-grade class and have fun!

Sincerely,

Shannon

(5th grader)

Board News

Annual Meeting Summary

Each year, Wilmington Montessori School's Board of Directors holds an annual meeting that is open to the entire community. At last week's meeting, WMS leadership shared news regarding the school's financial status and strategic plan progress, responded to questions and announced results of this month's Board election.

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, Communications Officer.

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.