W E D N E S D A Y  W E E K L Y
October 1, 2014
In This Issue

Upcoming Events
Now - October 6
DelawareCAN Project Food Drive - Learn More
 
October 1
7 p.m., Montessori 101 - Parent Education

October 2 
School Photos - Day 2

9:30 a.m.,
Montessori 101 - Parent Education

6:30 p.m.,Cub Scout S'mores Social
October 3
Lead Teacher Professional Day - No classes. Pre-registered child-care available. 

October 7 & 8
3:30 p.m., Odyssey of the Mind interest meetings (for parents & students ages 6-12), Great Room

October 14
9 a.m., "Connections Matter" Parent Discussion Group, Room 7
  
October 15
5 p.m., Live family concert on WMS's outdoor stage

Message from Head of School
Lisa Lalama

 

September has come to a close. We have settled into a rhythm. Children maneuver through their days with relative ease and comfort. They know what to do, what to expect, and how to manage school and all that it entails. Much of this is the result of the hard work of each classroom as they create a community in which everyone feels accepted, appreciated and part of the group.

This year we have tried something a bit different at WMS. Twice each week, each member of the administrative team is joining a classroom for their morning meeting. Your children have enthusiastically welcomed an adult into their meeting to get to know that person and so that administrator can get to know the children they serve each day.

 

This effort was met with a bit of trepidation - on the part of the adults. They asked questions such as: "What do I do?", "How will I know what the rules are?" and "I'm afraid I'll make a mistake." 

 
What they learned was that the children would take care of them. The children know the routine. They understand how morning meeting works. They welcome new friends and try to make them feel at home.

 
The benefits of this are many. Children are asking where people's office spaces are. They want to know what the job is they do. They are curious about how their school works. They want answers to questions in a way they will understand. 

 
Your children are helping adults understand how WMS works. And the adults are learning to slow down for a few minutes and reconnect with the purpose of our school. They work hard to do the many jobs that keep our school operating so well. Now they have the opportunity to reach out to the very people who they are working for, your children. It has been eye-opening for all of us. Ask your children who visits their morning meeting and then ask them to introduce you to their new friend. 


 



News & Notesnews
cubscoutCub Scout Pack 1313 S'mores Social

Thursday, October 2, 6:30 p.m.

 

Families of boys in first grade and older are invited to join Cub Scout Pack 1313 for a s'mores social near the school's side entrance (by the pine trees). Learn more about scouting, find out about the activities we have planned for this year, and enjoy some tasty treats!

*** 

Try Smart Lunches for free!

 

Receive a free lunch when you sign up at

www.smartlunches.com. When you order your meal, use the code welcomelunch in the promo/gift code box, as pictured below.  

 

  For more information, contact WMS dad Kevin Kahn!

 


DelawareCAN Food Drive

by the students of the 9-12 Program
 

The DelawareCAN project is a fun food drive for the Food Bank of Delaware.This is the second year that the 9-12 students have worked on this project. We build sculptures out of the food we collect. 
Our food drive has started and will continue through Monday, October 6. Please help us feed the hungry in Delaware.

 

We are looking for the following items:
Regular Cheerios 20 oz boxes
 
Bruce's yams 29 oz
 
Original Bush's Baked Beans 28 oz
 
Del Monte peas & beans 15 oz
 
Chicken of the Sea 50 oz blue label
 
Libby's 100% Pumpkin 15 oz
 
Skippy Natural Peanut Butter 15oz
 
Bell's original stuffing mix 6oz
 
Progresso Chicken Noodle Soup 18.5oz
 
Chef Boyardee Lasagna 15oz
 

Please check the lobby for the specific numbers needed.
 

Thanks for your support!


 Extended Day News: Rainy Days & Thursdays Never Get Us Down 
by Cass Winner, Director of Extended Day Programs


School's out and it looks like rain...what are we going to do? 


 

The 66 children at WMS on Thursday found too many ideas to count! Linda Bunting, local musician, songwriter, educator and friend of WMS came to sing and dance with the toddlers, 3-6 and 5-7-year-olds. Each of the three programs was tailored to the ages and interests of the children, and she had us moving, shaking, singing and laughing together all morning. 

 

The 40 elementary students made homemade dip candles, and although the rain pre-empted our planned project in the woods, the children made their own caramel apples as a seasonal treat!  

Register Now Button

Today's LearnersLearner
News from the 9-12 Program: Building Community Through an Overnight Trip
by 9-12 Teachers Joanna Breger & Shelley Robyn

Each fall, students in the 9-12 program go on an overnight field trip. This occurs during the first month of school to help the students bond as a community and reinforce the principles of C.A.R.E.S. We focus on team-building activities and creative problem-solving. 

On the morning of Thursday, September 18, we left WMS for Camp Ockanickon in Medford, New Jersey. After a tour of the camp and a family-style lunch, students spent several hours learning to work as a team to solve a variety of problems.This was not as easy as they thought it would be, so it served as a learning experience for all of us. Other activities that helped us to learn about ourselves, our peers and our environment were canoeing, nature hikes, pond study and a night-time awareness walk. 


Students will use the skills learned on this trip throughout the year as they work in groups, both in and out of the classroom.  

 

 

Tomorrow's LeadersLeaders
New Hoop in Action: A Gift from the Class of 2014

 

Thanks to the class of 2014, 9-12 students are once again able to sharpen their basketball skills on the elementary playground.

 

Families from last year's graduating class combined their resources in order to purchase a new permanent basketball hoop for the 9-12s, described by one student as, "awesome!"

 

The Sixth-Grade Class Gift is a way for the graduating class to leave something behind at WMS as they move on to new experiences. Donations from recent graduating classes include the outdoor picnic tables outside the 9-12 classrooms, as well as upgrades and improvements to the school's sound system in the gym. Graduates and their families can show their appreciation for their experiences as members of the WMS community in a way that is meaningful to them. Last year's graduates agreed that their classmates and future 9-12s really needed a basketball hoop!

 

Thank you to the families of the class of 2014, and thank you to class of 2014 parents Leslie Bastianelli and Kerry Shweiki for heading up this effort. Your gift will be appreciated for years to come!

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2013 Constant Contact All-Star Award Logo The Wednesday Weekly shares WMS news and events that are relevant to the families in our community.  

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