W E D N E S D A Y  W E E K L Y
December 19, 2018
In this Issue


Upcoming Events


December 20
Lead Teacher Professional Day - no classes, pre-registered child care available 


December 21
Winter Break - no classes, pre-registered child care available


December 24-January 1
Winter Break - building closed
(no Saturday access December 22 or 29)


January 2
Classes resume


January 7


January 10
Admissions Open House
9:30 a.m. & 5 p.m.


January 11

Happy Holidays
Message from
Head of School Lisa Lalama

Read more from Lisa on the Montessori Message blog.
Wow! This year is moving along quickly. It's hard to believe winter break is here. Everyone looks forward to this brief interruption in the school year: a time to shift your schedule to include more family, friends, relaxation and rejuvenation. At WMS, we begin this time with our annual 6-9 winter concert, which offers our community a chance to be wowed by our student performances. The children prepared for weeks, as did the staff members who supported the concert through teaching, constructing the set, readying the backdrop and preparing the sound and lighting to ensure we could all enjoy the show. It was a team effort.

At WMS, we will be taking time to be with family and friends and preparing for school to begin again in January. From our team to yours, we hope you enjoy this respite and look forward to seeing you in 2019!







News & Notes News
siblingsFinancial Aid Reminder

The deadline to be considered for a first-round financial aid award is Monday, January 7, 2019. The financial aid committee reviews applications in the order they are completed (including the submission of tax returns). Financial aid applications completed after January 7 will be considered as funds allow. Financial aid grants are made for one year only so you must re-apply each school year.  Please contact Nancy Oddo with any questions.

Security Reminder

Although WMS is a safe community, it's important to remember that our campus is accessible to the general public. Please remember to lock your car doors and remove valuables from sight. If you ever notice anything suspicious on our grounds, please alert the front desk immediately. Thank you!

leaders Today's Learners
Inspired by Nature: Lower Elementary Leaf Art 



Most school years at WMS, art class begins outside. Our 25-acre campus offers many opportunities for students to explore nature and create patterns and sculptures from sticks, stones, pine cones and leaves. Art teacher Laurie Muhlbauer often has students begin with observational drawing, which she describes as drawing "anything you see outside that's not going to get up and walk away." 

This year, as summer gave way to fall, the 6-9 students began to take a closer look at leaves. They collected fallen leaves and studied their contours, veins and textures, then selected one to sketch. Laurie underscores the critical role of observation skills in art. 

"If you want to know how to draw or paint it, you have to know what it looks like," she said.   

Guided by their observations, one group of Lower Elementary students created leaf mazes, while the other used their leaf drawings for block printing.

The students who worked on the leaf mazes enlarged their sketches, focusing on their leaves' contours and main veins. From there, each student created an intricate maze within his or her leaf drawing. After reviewing steps to create a maze, students first sketched their mazes in pencil, then traced over them in pen when they were satisfied with their mazes' solutions. 

Using sketches from their sketchbooks, the block printing group transferred images of their leaves onto rubber blocks. Using a gouging tool, they carved imprints of their leaves into rubber blocks, applied block-printing ink and stamped the resulting impressions on paper. As they honed their stamping techniques, some students began layering their prints to experiment with texture and color.

For a closer look at some of the leaf work the 6-9 students have been working on, stop by the art room display cases, where the leaf mazes are currently posted. 

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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