Dear WMS Families and Friends,
Our daughter, Olivia, is in her fifth year at Wilmington Montessori School… and she’s only 5! She is in her third year of the Primary Program in Erin and Sharon’s class – and she’s finally achieved her lifelong dream of becoming a kindergartner. Olivia, an only child, has benefited greatly from WMS’s nurturing environment. Last March, we learned firsthand that WMS teachers would do anything to educate our kids as we quickly adapted to Zoom lessons and virtual gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic.
My wife, Grace, a physician, and I were uncertain of what we would do come September and “back to school” time, but WMS came through in a big way. The preparations the teachers and staff have made for safety protocols, outdoor learning and thoughtful, pandemic-adapted lesson plans have exceeded our expectations. Even amidst the challenges of 2020, the school’s commitment to the Montessori philosophy, the wonderful teachers who know each of our children as individuals and the beautiful campus – now utilized in ways beyond what we could have imagined – are among the many reasons that the WMS community is thriving.
I have been an active parent at WMS and have been a part of the annual fund in the past, but I was honored that Lisa Lalama (our Head of School) and Noel Dietrich (Director of Advancement) entrusted me as the chair during these challenging times. As the 2020-21 WMS Annual Fund chair, I am once again asking for your support for our community. Last year, the annual fund totaled more than $85,000 in gifts from current parents, grandparents, staff, board members and other generous friends of WMS. But 2020 is unlike any year before – and we need your support more than ever!
Your gifts in the past have made a difference in our school by providing financial assistance to families who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford a WMS education, supporting our teachers’ quests for lifelong learning, and allowing us to maintain our beautiful 25-acre campus and facilities. In 2020, your gifts will help to achieve all of those wonderful outcomes, in addition to giving the school the resources it needs to provide for the safety and well-being of our families and our WMS faculty and staff.
The support of the WMS community is essential to keep our school strong and thriving, allowing students to learn in an engaging and supportive environment that encourages them to become their best selves - and, more importantly, be better together!
Your gift is important and makes a difference! You can make your donation online or email give@wmsde.org to request a donation envelope. This year’s annual fund theme is #WMSbettertogether. We invite you to submit photos and videos expressing your gratitude for our WMS community on social media using our #WMSbettertogether hashtag. (Read below for information about the prizes your family could win by using our hashtag and supporting the WMS Annual Fund.)
I thank you all for continuing to support this wonderful school! I know that together we can empower our WMS community to offer a first-class education regardless of the challenges we face in 2020 and beyond!
Thank you,
David J. Kubacki
Father to Olivia, Husband to Grace, Grateful to WMS
