WEDNESDAY WEEKLY

June 28, 2023

UPCOMING EVENTS


Weekly

Kangaroos, Tigers, Meerkats & Dragons visit the pool on Tuesdays & Thursdays, weather-permitting.


July 3 & 4

Camp Closed for Holiday


July 5

Field Trip: Delaware Children's Museum

Kangaroos & Tigers Groups


July 7

Camp Visitor: University of Delaware "Learn, Grow, Eat & Go" Program

Tigers


July 12

Camp Visitor: Storyteller/Musician Clem Bowen

Turtles, Pandas & Kangaroos



Full Calendar


Summer is in full swing. You might finally have time to read some of those books on your list, learn a new skill or maybe even pursue a hobby that you’ve put on hold. We tend to look forward to summer precisely because it allows us to do things outside of our typical routines. 


School routines are familiar to both the adults and children in your family. When summer comes, we are often asked about how to help children maintain their skills over the summer months. One of the proven ways of solidifying learning is referred to as spaced practice. In other words, allowing the brain time to consider information it has been presented, synthesizing it with pre-existing knowledge and revisiting it later. Continuous drilling of information - think, perhaps, about the way you were taught the multiplication tables or the capitals of each state - is not effective in the long run. Regularly revisiting information with time and space in between each experience is much more effective and efficient for our brains. The same is true for innovation and creativity. How many times have you had an idea when you’re in the shower or taking a walk? You’re not even thinking about a topic when all of a sudden an idea occurs to you about something you’ve been working on! These opportunities are like summer for our brains. They allow us the time, the space, the opportunity to exist outside of our day-to-day routines. 


As we take the time to enjoy some free time this summer, to catch up with things we’ve saved for later and to spend time away from our regularly scheduled days, you may notice that you are a bit more creative, asking more questions and noticing that you have found a solution to a problem that has been on your mind for a while. You and your brain are taking time to experience summer… and to continue to learn and grow even during your down time! If you are working with your child this summer to support them as readers, writers or mathematicians, be sure to take advantage of spaced practice. Allow them the time needed to consolidate the information they are learning. Spending time outside, playing with friends, and exploring new places or ideas is just what is needed. We hope you’re enjoying your summer!

Lisa - Signature

Lisa A. Lalama

Head of School

NEWS & NOTES

Camp Reminders

  • Camp Montessori will be closed on Monday, July 3 and Tuesday, July 4 for the Fourth of July.
  • When dropping off or picking up, please park in the lot and do not leave your car unattended in the fire lane. Vehicles should only be parked along the sidewalk if they are occupied so they could be moved quickly in an emergency.
  • For security reasons, we ask that all families enter AND exit through the front door. Please do not use the side door, gym door, Great Room door, etc. Thank you!
  • Please make sure you set up your Bloomz account before your child's camp session begins. Bloomz is our primary method of family communication for both camp and the school year. If you have questions, please contact Noel Dietrich, Director of Advancement & Communications.
  • If you have a time-sensitive message for your child's camp counselors, please call the school at 302-475-0555 and leave a message with the front desk. Camp staff will not always see Bloomz messages sent in the middle of the camp day as they will be focused on the campers.

NEW FAMILY NOTES

Student Support - Child Development & Social-Emotional Learning


Did you know that WMS has two staff members dedicated to child development and social and emotional learning? This year, WMS welcomed Lynda Coan and Dr. Nineka Dyson to our Student Support Team. Their expertise has broadened WMS’s approach to student support and highlighted the importance of the social-emotional aspects of learning when considering student success. Read on to learn more about these specialists and find out how they work with our students and teachers.

Lynda Coan

Child Development Specialist


Prior to becoming a Montessori teacher, Lynda worked in early intervention for many years, providing services to children and families through both the educational and medical models of intervention. From 2014 to 2020, Lynda worked at WMS as a Lead Toddler Teacher, and we are grateful now to have her back in the role of Child Development Specialist. Lynda uses a systematic approach to support the youngest students at WMS, which includes focused observations of children, playful interactions to assess their skills, and collaboration with classroom teachers and families. She blends her knowledge of neuroscience, child development and educational best practices with Montessori principles to help teachers create learning environments that support all aspects of child development.


Dr. Nineka Dyson

WMS Counseling Support Specialist


Dr. Dyson has worked with children and adults from all facets of life for more than16 years. Her focus on prevention aligns with WMS’s approach to caring for students and staff, which has resulted in a wonderful partnership already. Since starting at WMS in September 2022, Dr. Dyson has spent time observing in classrooms, coaching students and advising teachers on best practices for meeting their students’ social and emotional needs. Dr. Dyson continues to build upon this work with a focus on well-being, social skills learning and self-regulation strategies that support all members of each classroom community.

CAMP SPOTLIGHT

Turtles Room 5: Outdoor Exploration

Tigers Room 27: Garden Week

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 Advancement & Communications.
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