W E D N E S D A Y  W E E K L Y
May 6, 2015
In This Issue


Upcoming Events

May 9 & 10
Delaware Marathon Weekend
Saturday - GYMM Fun Run, 11 a.m. at Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park (registration starts at 9:30 a.m.)
See Edmodo post for details.
 
Sunday - Relay Marathon
7 a.m., Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park

May 11
Montessori Monday Open House
9:30 a.m., Tell a friend!

May 13
Performance by WMS artist in residence Clyde Evans, Jr. and Chosen Dance
5:30 p.m. 
Learn More
 
9-12 students perform a Mexican dance at yesterday's Cinco de Mayo celebration. View the full photo album on Facebook.
Message from 
Head of School Lisa A. Lalama 
 
Read more from Lisa on our Montessori Message blog.

This week, lots is happening at WMS.

The annual student art show is in our lobby. You will find paper mâché sculptures, drawings, paintings, weaving and more on display. It is always fun to see what our resident artists have created.

Yesterday was Moms' Day. Though parents are in the school every day, it is a special day for moms to be a part of the classrooms and all that happens there.

After Moms' Day, there was even more excitement as Spanish teacher Ana Brown and the 9-12 students hosted a Cinco de Mayo celebration for the younger students, complete with Mexican dancing, games, crafts and delicious food.

Our artist-in-residence program is providing opportunities for students to compose poetry and experience the connection between poetry and hip-hop dance.

And these are just the things that are happening throughout the entire school. Even more is happening in each classroom as students learn about space, gardening, dinosaurs, birds and more.

 

While this week is particularly busy, each week brings new opportunities for learning. WMS is a vibrant learning community. We not only honor the work we do, the people who support our school and make up an important part of our community, but we also introduce new ideas and opportunities for our students and teachers. We learn, we share and we explore. We work together to remain open to new experiences and learn from each other.

What we know is that some of us see ourselves as artists, others as musicians, mathematicians, poets, dancers, writers, builders and scientists. Some of us are not quite sure who we are. There is room for all of us. It is the diversity of thought and interest that makes us who we are. 

 

 

 
News & NotesNews
3-6 students and their moms perform
3-6 students and their mothers perform "Why Mosquitos Buzz in People's Ears" with teaching artist Ashley SK Davis during this week's artist-in-residence program.  

Longwood Grant Update - Arts Integration at WMS

 

The Longwood Foundation has offered WMS a grant of $300,000 to be used toward Arts Integration if we can raise an additional $300,000. As of today, WMS has raised $120,840 toward the match. Funds raised will support professional development for teachers, upgrades to our performing arts spaces and more artists-in-residence like the program described below.

Chosen Dance Ensemble Performance

 

On Wednesday, May 13, at 5:30 p.m. WMS artist in residence Clyde Evans and the Chosen Dance Company will be here to perform for our students, families and staff. Admission is free. Please plan on joining in the fun. This is an amazing group of dancers, and you won't want to miss it!


About the Artist-in-Residence Program 

This week and next week, students are working with teaching artist Ashley SK Davis during PE classes. Ashley will help the children understand the connection between poetry and dance through movement and writing exercises.

A native of Wilmington, Ashley began her stage career at the age of 3 and is formally trained in ballet, modern, tap, jazz, hip-hop, African dance forms and Irish step dancing. Currently, she serves as the executive and artistic director of Pieces of a Dream, Inc., teaches dance at several studios in the tri-state area and works as a teaching artist in theater and dance with the Delaware Institute for the Arts in Education and the Wolf Trap Institute. In addition to her teaching work, Ashley has also choreographed for the City of Wilmington's Clifford Brown Jazz Festival among other events. 
 
During school on Wednesday, May 13, students will have the opportunity to work with guest performer Clyde Evans. The leader and founder of Chosen Dance, Clyde began dancing hip-hop at 11 years old. Originally from Trinidad, Evans immigrated to the United States in the early '80s where he began to learn how to break dance. It was the hip-hop phenomenon of "Breakin" that inspired him to dance and allowed him to fit into the American culture. His circle of friends encouraged him to dance on a popular kid's television program, Dance Party USA, where he met hip-hop dance pioneer Rennie Harris. In 1991, Evans became a founding member and lead dancer in Harris' company. Then in 2001, he began Chosen Dance Company. He has taught and performed hip-hop all over the world, appeared in movies, videos, commercials and major events such as the ESPN X-Games and worked with artists such as Robert Redford, Jill Scott, Bruce Willis, Will Smith, Brad Pitt and most recently M. Night Shyamalan. Evans teaches hip-hop at all levels throughout Philadelphia and now at Wesleyan and Drexel universities.
Pre-Camp Specialty Programs
 

What are you doing after school ends and before Camp Montessori begins? Check out our Pre-Camp Specialty Programs!
 

Soccer Camp (ages 8-11)

Monday-Friday, June 8-12, 9 a.m.-noon

Join WMS Physical Education teacher Ben Loder for five mornings of skill-building, rule-clarifying, shooting, defending and having fun!

 

Weather Camp (ages 6-9)

Monday-Friday, June 8-12, 1 - 4 p.m.

Join WMS alumna and veteran camp staffer Lucy Benson for a week of hands-on exploration of the wonders of our planet's weather. We'll read books, create experiments, build an anemometer, play active games, draw, paint and create art inspired by what we learn. 

 

Art Discovery (ages 4-6)

Tuesday-Thursday, June 9-11, 9:30-11:30

The talented staff of Darlington Arts Center brings their art discovery camp to WMS this week. Students will sample a variety of techniques, creating their own unique collection of one-of-a-kind art.

 

Register by contacting cass_winner@wmsde.org  or register and pay online. 
Co-op Cornerco-op

Support the WMS Meerkat Milers
 

Would you like a simple way to complete ALL 30 (or some part) of your family's Co-op hours in one fell swoop? Would you like to work on a Co-op task that will make a lot of people very happy (or, at least, hydrated)? The Meerkat Milers (Delaware Marathon Relay runners from WMS) need Co-op parents to host the Market Street water station on the race course on Sunday, May 10. Come join the fun and provide an invaluable service for the WMS runners (and other marathoners, some from the other side of the world!), while also earning Co-op hours. If you are interested in volunteering, please email meerkatmilers@wmsde.org or contact WMS mom Becky Davey!
Today's LearnersLearner
Book Spine Poetry
by Librarian Elizabeth Varley 

As a culmination of the work 6-9 students have been doing on poetry this month, they created poems made from the titles on the spines of books. We talked about how poems do not have to rhyme, but they do need to have a theme or some unifying element. Each group had 10 books to choose from and needed to use at least five of them to create their poem. It was great to see them work together and to see how different groups combined the books to create different poems.
Tomorrow's LeadersLeaders
Alumni Survey - Last Chance!

We are almost prepared to send out our WMS constituent survey, and we want to hear from our alumni. Please send your contact information to alumni@wmsde.org if you haven't received previous alumni messages from us (e.g., the annual Alumni Pizza Party invitation). 
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, Director of Communications.
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