WEDNESDAY WEEKLY
May 6, 2020
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week
UPCOMING EVENTS
Upcoming Virtual Open Houses - Admissions
Tell a friend!
.
  • Thursday, May 7, 9:30 a.m.
  • Wednesday, May 13, noon
  • Thursday, May 14, 9:30 a.m.


May 16
Virtual Parent Coffee - "Sustain Yourself" with Licensed Psychologist Leslie Connor, Ph.D.
10-10:45 a.m. &
11-11:45 a.m.
Additional information below.


May 18
Annual Meeting
7 p.m., Zoom link coming soon.
Additional information below.


May 25
Memorial Day
No school.





YEAR-END EVENTS

We are in the process of reimagining year-end events like graduation and other WMS traditions. Watch Bloomz and the Wednesday Weekly for more information about how we will be celebrating the end of the 2019-20 school year.
It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, and we certainly are appreciating our teachers now more than ever. During this challenging time, they have gone above and beyond their typical responsibilities to make sure our community’s needs are met. They quickly adapted to moving instruction online, learning to navigate the technology and making decisions about which lessons are best done live and which can be shared to view later. They continue to connect with families online, by phone and through email. Our teachers have demonstrated their willingness to keep trying, make mistakes and try again.

As we look to the future, we know that we will continue to educate students in the best ways possible with or without the constraints that currently exist. We know that we will learn, improve and continue to live by our mission and core values . We are lifelong learners and this has truly put us to the test. WMS teachers have passed that test and are ready for what lies ahead. Their dedication to their students, families and the school is unsurpassed. Yes, other schools have moved online. Other schools have reached out to families. Other schools have offered lessons. But other schools do not have the rock solid foundation that WMS has - the foundation of Montessori principles and 56 years of a strong and stable community to see us through these times. Our connection to each other has shown us what we truly value and how we will continue to work together on behalf of the children.

Like me, you probably have a teacher or two in your life that you recall with fondness. It may be the person who inspired you, pushed you to be your best or listened when you needed a supportive ear. This week, take a moment to thank them. Teaching is work of the heart, the mind and the spirit. Thank you for supporting our teachers and working alongside them to support the growth of your children. We appreciate it.
Head of School
NEWS & NOTES
Parent Surveys

As we navigate through the uncharted territory of a global pandemic, we remain committed to providing your children with the very best educational experience. It is important for us to stay in touch with you and receive your feedback on how home learning plans are working for your family. To do this, we have several opportunities to share your thoughts:

COVID-19/Home Learning Plan Surveys
All WMS parents have been sent a brief survey related to COVID-19 and our home learning plans. A different version of this survey is also being administered to faculty members. These surveys, which are being administered by a third party, will close at midnight tonight so that your guidance can shape our work through the final weeks of school. We hope you will take a minute or two to share your thoughts via one of these links:

 

Student Observation Questionnaires (Early Childhood and Elementary)
Next week, you will receive another brief questionnaire regarding your observations of your child as he or she works at home. As you know, WMS progress reports include a section related to work habits, and your insights help us to develop a broader picture of the time your child has been working at home. We hope that in partnering with us to gather this information you gain insight into the types of observations we conduct on a regular basis and see this as an opportunity to learn more about your child’s development.

  • Toddler and Primary students will receive their questionnaire (the Ages & Stages Questionnaire) by mail.
  • Kindergarten through sixth-grade surveys will be sent by email, with different versions for each level.

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback and observations of your child with us!
Virtual Parent Coffee: "Sustain Yourself" with Licensed Psychologist Leslie Connor, Ph.D. - Saturday, May 16

An Invitation from Lisa & Sarah -
We would like to invite you to a virtual parent coffee with Leslie Connor, Ph.D., a Licensed Psychologist here in Wilmington. Leslie is also the parent of WMS alum Ben Connor (Class of 2012).

Leslie has been working with our staff, and they have found her sessions so helpful that they suggested she offer some support to our parents, as you continue to adapt your work and home lives during this COVID-19 pandemic.

We will be offering two Zoom sessions on Saturday morning, May 16, called "Sustain Yourself." One session will be for parents of younger children and the other for parents of older children. We have provided suggested ages, but please look at the discussion topics and consider which might best apply to your children.

Here's the plan - Leslie will offer some topics to discuss but will also make time for parents to exchange ideas and support. Perhaps we'll share a laugh, some good news, and some perspective as a community of caring parents.

10-10:45 a.m. (suggested ages - toddler through 2nd grade)
Topics:  
  • I don't want my kids to feel my anxiety. 
  • How do I make the most of this time together...and still work?
  • What if they ask questions?
  • Will they be forever changed?

11-11:45 a.m. (suggested ages - grades 3-8)
Topics:
  • How can we support older kids who understand what's happening and have feelings about it?
  • What if they won't tell me how they are feeling?
  • They are really missing their friends -- how can I help?
  • So much screen time!
  • Power struggles are exhausting.

We hope you can join Leslie and spend just a little bit of time focusing on yourself. After all, we as caregivers need to protect and sustain ourselves as we continue to offer warmth and strength to our loved ones.

Lisa & Sarah
What's new in after-school enrichment?

Join us for our FREE after-school enrichment sessions for Primary and Elementary students - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday!

WMS assistant teacher and coach Brandy Solomon hosts these daily meetings filled with activities, games, sports and, most importantly, an opportunity for your children to interact with each other in a relaxed way.

Next week (May 11-15), the class will be taken over by paws and claws as we celebrate Pet Week! Brandy will be featuring a special guest every day and their furry or not-so-furry friend! This is an event you don't want to miss! All ages are welcome.

Please see your Bloomz announcements for the Zoom link or contact Tracey Gable for more information.
 
We hope to see you there!
Toddler Enrichment: Breakfast with Pat & Taylor
Starting next Wednesday, May 13, we will begin hosting "Breakfast with Pat and Taylor" for toddlers every Wednesday from 8:30 to 9 a.m. This is a chance for our youngest students to see their friends and eat breakfast together! It is completely optional and just for fun.

Next Wednesday, in honor of Pet Week, we invite our toddlers to bring any pet or stuffed animal that they would like to share with the group. We look forward to seeing you and your children!
 
Meeting ID: 133 200 200

(Use WMS's classroom passcode to join!)
Annual Meeting Agenda
The WMS Annual Meeting will be held on Monday, May 18 at 7 p.m., via Zoom. Here is the agenda for the meeting:

  • Review of the past year
  • Financial update
  • Strategic plan update

In order to best address your questions we ask that they are submitted to annualmeeting@wmsde.org by Thursday, May 14.
Box Tops for Education - Double points for Teacher Appreciation Week!

Download the Box Tops for Education app today and earn double the points for Teacher Appreciation Week now through May 10. Simply download the app on your phone, choose WMS as your school, purchase participating items, scan your receipt and instantly add digital box tops to help raise funds for WMS!
We're thinking of you!
.A video message from the WMS teachers and staff:
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.
WILMINGTON MONTESSORI SCHOOL
WWW.WMSDE.ORG
Copyright © 2020. All Rights Reserved.