October 4, 2023

Above: Highlights from this week's1964 dress-up day in honor of WMS's 60th anniversary school year!

Grandfriends' Day - Thursday, October 12

Grandfriends are special people in our children’s lives—aunts and uncles, family friends, grandmothers and grandfathers, and even great-grandparents. Now's your chance to spend a fun-filled morning with your Montessori child and experience a glimpse into their daily school life.

Enjoy refreshments and activities, and work alongside the students!

When:

Thursday, October 12, 2023

From drop-off time (8:30 a.m. for Elementary/Middle School, 8:45 a.m. for Primary & 9 a.m. for Toddler) until 10 a.m.

Where:

Wilmington Montessori School

1400 Harvey Road

Wilmington, Delaware 19810 

Event Schedule:

Registration at classroom doors

8:30-10 a.m. — Elementary/Middle School classrooms open to grandfriends for visits.

8:45-10 a.m. — Primary classrooms open to grandfriends for visits.

9-10 a.m. — Toddler classrooms open to grandfriends for visits.

RSVP by 10/10/23: www.wmsde.org/grandfriends

This Monday, the sounds of African drumming filled the halls of WMS as percussionist Tony Vacca and dancer Abdou Sarr brought an unforgettable arts integration program to the school through the Delaware Institute for the Arts in Education (DIAE).

Tony Vacca is an innovative American percussionist with jazz and world music roots going back to 1972. He incorporates percussion instruments from a world of traditions that include African, Caribbean, Asian and Middle-Eastern influences, to which he adds some of his spoken word and rhythm poetry. Tony's many trips to West Africa have contributed to his depth of knowledge regarding African and American musical traditions. Abdou Sarr, a dancer extraordinaire from Senegal, West Africa, teaches West African dance by breaking the dance down into segments of choreography, repeating the segments until all of the students have mastered it. Stories of his youth in Senegal are interspersed throughout his lessons, creating an experience that integrates music with storytelling and builds a deeper understanding of Senegalese cultural.

Students in kindergarten through middle school spent the morning in workshops with Tony and Abdou, drumming and learning dance moves to go with African rhythms. In the afternoon, the community was treated to an interactive performance. Watch our Facebook Live video here!

Want to see more of Tony and Abdou? Check out their free concert tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the Urban Arts Exchange Amphitheater (1500 Walnut Street, Wilmington, DE).

This program is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.