W E D N E S D A Y  W E E K L Y
May 18, 2016
In this Issue


Upcoming Events

May 30
Memorial Day
School Closed
No Child-Care


May 31
Camp Registration Deadline


June 2
9-12 Spring Concert: School House Rock Live Jr.
Dress rehearsal at 9:30 a.m.;
Performance at 7 p.m. 


June 6
Elementary Field Day


June 8
Primary Field Day


June 10
Last Day of School

Graduation Ceremony
9:30 a.m., Gym
All are welcome! 


June 13-17
Pre-Camp Child-Care Week
Pre-register for child-care and/or check out our pre-camp specialty programs.
 
Message from Head of School
Lisa A. Lalama
 
For more from Lisa, visit our Montessori Message blog.
"Learning is not a thing. Learning is a process that occurs in an interpersonal and group context, and it is always composed of an interaction of factors to which we append labels such as motivation, cognition, emotion or affect, and attitude."
- Seymour Sarason, 'And What do You Mean by Learning?'

Throughout the ages, parents have greeted their children at the end of their school days asking one seemingly simple question, "What did you do in school today?" Only to hear the reply, "Nothing." End of discussion.

From a child's point of view, this answer may be an accurate description that means it was a day like the others - a day that has a routine the child has become familiar with and during which nothing unexpected occurred. School is a safe and predictable place; nothing happened. From a parent's point of view, they are sending their children into the world to learn math, reading, writing, science and social studies, to make friends, to develop thinking skills, to become organized, to learn to manage their time and eventually become a successful adult. They want them to learn everything that is possible and then some. So how could "nothing" fill the days? What is "nothing" made of?

At WMS, our students' days are filled with so many opportunities to learn and to grow. From our youngest students to the oldest, there are routines built into the day that allow them to build their social skills, gain language and math skills, and learn more about their world through cultural subjects of history, geography and various sciences. In addition to these "basics" that make up a WMS student's day, there is so much more: daily opportunities to run, play and enjoy the outdoors, library, art, music, Spanish, STEAM and technology. They learn to collaborate, working in small groups to practice what it means to be part of a team, how to lead and how to follow someone else's lead. Over the past two weeks alone, students at WMS learned to make paper and pop-up books working with visiting artist Nanci Hersh, the 9-12 students have rehearsed for their upcoming spring musical, and many of our students participated in the Delaware Marathon, running a 5K as part of a relay team. Our students are prepared for school and for life.

At WMS our days may look a bit different than your neighbor or friend's child's school experience. What you can be sure of, however, is that they are learning what is needed for success in the next step of their educational journey. They are prepared for their immediate and long-term future; they are learners who know how to learn and how to ask for what they need to succeed. As the school year ends and everyone begins to think about the upcoming summer, it is time when we take stock. We review each aspect of the school year and discuss what has gone well, what needs to be tweaked and how to meet the high standards we set for ourselves based on our accreditations and national standards in education. That is always put into the context of what serves children best and how we can meet the needs of the children entrusted to us. What did we do in school today? More than you can imagine.  
 
Co-op Cornercoop
Zero Co-op Hours Reported = $900

As the end of the school year approaches, the Business Office begins the process of tallying Co-op hours. Parents who have volunteered for multiple events/projects but have not submitted hours are surprised when they receive a bill for $900. We want to avoid that upending moment. Now is the time to either submit or complete hours, so your family can avoid confusion/charges at the end of the year. What should your family do if its 30-hour commitment has not been completed? There are plenty of opportunities for volunteering in the coming weeks - Primary or Elementary Field Day, sixth-grade graduation and tasks related to closing up classrooms, for example. Please email co-op@wmsde.org to volunteer for one of these events or to connect with a staff member about fulfilling your Co-op hours obligation.

Click here to submit your Co-op hours today.

Thank you!
News & NotesNews
Why go to camp?

You probably cook with your children, go on trips with them, and take them to carnivals. So why send them to camp?
 
At Camp Montessori, we have three cooking camps this summer, at which children will give real thought to how math, science and language are all integral to transforming raw ingredients into delicious meals. They'll do all of that in cooperation with other children - and adults - which exercises another set of "muscles" altogether. Camp Montessori is a community, just like WMS is during the school year.  The dynamics of the school-year classroom groups are replaced by everyone being new, in a way, and so all of us are practicing not just the stated discipline of the camp topic but also how to make new friends, work with others in a harmonious way and create something new together.
 
Information about Cooking Smart (ages 6-10), Cooking Science (ages 7-10) and Books & Cooks (ages 4-6) can be found at wmsde.org/specialtycamp.
 
In our final week of Traditional Camp, the oldest campers plan and run a carnival for the rest of camp.  The teens and tweens focus their impressive creativity on designing games and materials, planning the schedule and manning the tables once the carnival begins. It is always different and always a blast for everyone, adult and child alike! Last year, former WMS student Anthony Grossi - at just 11 years old - spent the carnival churning out balloon animals at an amazing speed, taking each child's request and making a custom critter just for them. 
 
Camp is about the spirit of curiosity, about friendship, about creativity and about growing stronger together. The registration deadline is May 31!
Today's LearnersLearner
Nature as the Classroom
by Lead Toddler Teacher Leanne Callaway

"It begins with a knowledge of his surroundings. How does the child assimilate his environment? He does it solely in virtue of one of those characteristics that we now know him to have. This is an intense and specialized sensitiveness in consequence of which the things about him awaken so much interest and so much enthusiasm that they become incorporated in his very existence. The child absorbs these impressions not with his mind but with his life itself." 
- Maria Montessori, "The Absorbent Mind"
 
Teachers who are trained in the Montessori Method learn about the importance of the classroom environment. The order, aesthetics and activities of the environment are especially crucial for our youngest students as they strive to gain independence. A well-prepared environment empowers a student to take ownership of the classroom and challenges him or her to be responsible for the care of the materials and take immense pride in the beauty and energy of the space. Dr. Montessori also believed strongly in the interconnectedness of life and, as a scientist, felt that children need to experience natural phenomena to inspire curiosity, awe and respect. What's the best way to nurture a connection between our children and our outdoor environment? Take the classroom outside!
 
While our woods walks and regular recess times are incredible opportunities to observe the birds nesting in the bird house near our playground, count caterpillars and wonder about what color butterfly they will turn into, or feel the great variety of pine cones and figure out how they're different, I think my favorite series of teachable moments occurs during our annual Earth Day planting and in the months following. This year, we planted local annuals on our back patio in both large containers and ground plots. We invited families to join us for the morning and received lots of donations of tools, soil, seeds and seedlings. The students feel a sense of order from first placing the soil into our planters, or digging a hole in the ground. Socially, they practice patience and self-control while they wait for their turn. Getting their hands dirty by making room in the soil for seedlings and spreading the packets of seeds satisfies their tactile needs. Finally, watering our new garden helps them feel a responsibility toward these tiny plants and a great pride in their accomplishments as the plants begin to grow.

Over the last several weeks of school, and during the summer months, the students will continue to care for our plants, making sure they have enough water, space and sunshine to thrive so that we can all enjoy these beautiful bursts of color. The students are already asking each day to check on our little garden and have been sharing their hard work with their families, insisting parents join them outside to check on our wildflowers, peonies and marigolds. Their sense of pride and ownership over our community garden is apparent in their eager, smiling faces.

The connection these children feel with nature could inspire new scientific discoveries, launch ambitious ideas and give way to exciting ways to experience our world. For them, the warmth of the sun and the coolness of the soil help their imaginations soar and guide their growth, much as it does that tiny seed they are caring for.
 
Happy spring, everyone!
Tomorrow's Leadersleaders
Would you be willing to participate in an interview or write about your family's WMS experience? Please email alumni@wmsde.org and we will be in touch! 
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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