W E D N E S D A Y  W E E K L Y
May 1, 2019
In this Issue
Today's Leaders:
6-9 students become water-wise

Alumni parent Becca Gulino

Upcoming Events


May 2
Middle School Maker Morning
7:15-8 a.m.
Elementary/Middle School Maker Studio


May 3
Lead Teacher Professional Day - no classes; pre-registered child care available


May 7
Class start time  to 10:30 a.m.


May 6-24
Student Art Show
WMS lobby


May 9
9:30 a.m. - Dress Rehearsal
7 p.m. - Performance
Gym


May 13
Twin Poets Performance
6 p.m.


May 23
9-12 Performance - "Making the Band"
9:30 a.m. - Dress rehearsal
7 p.m. - Performance
Gym


Montessori Math Beads Over Google
Message from Assistant Head of School Laurie Orsic

Assistant Head of School Laurie Orsic
A few weeks ago, a Lower Elementary student challenged herself to calculate beyond the 1-10 times table to find the solutions to 11x11, 12x12 and 13x13. As an educator, it is always gratifying to see a student reach beyond a daily assignment. She was curious, engaged and ready to take on her self-assigned challenge. Using the Montessori beads to build the required numbers, she started to count 11 sets of 11. Her confidence flagged. "Let's just look it up on Google," she said, with a wave of her arm.
 
I chimed in, "But, I know you can figure this out." Of course, she absolutely could have found the answers on the internet. This experience could have been about finding the answer quickly. Instead, it was about more important goals. Developing a growth mindset and gaining a sense of academic self-reliance are critical to school success - as well as the ability to answer a question quickly. Using the Montessori materials at her fingertips to build the numbers, she pushed through the first problem. Her eyes started to twinkle; she moved on to 12x12, uncertain, but also intrigued. In a few minutes, she had found all three solutions herself and recorded them neatly in her math book.
 
The Montessori bead materials allowed her to identify patterns she might not have seen by simply "Googling" the answers. Working with the bead materials provided alternative ways to construct the solutions and the opportunity to understand the multiplication process more thoroughly. Above all, she knows more about applying the concept of multiplication to future tasks.
 
The student's pride in finding the products was even greater because she had applied herself to a task she had designed for herself and made the answers her own.

 


News & Notes News
parentBring Your Parent to Work Day 2 - May 7

When: May 7, class start time - 10:30 a.m.
Where: Your child's classroom, Great Room 

Next Tuesday, May 7, is our second Bring Your Parent to Work Day. As you may recall from our first Bring Your Parent to Work Day in January, these days replace what we formerly called Moms' Day and Dads' Day. One parent/representative per family (we encourage a different parent or family member than attended in January) is invited to visit and participate in students' work time.
 
Please join us for a chance to see your student at work, following the daily routines, participating in lessons and activities, and being a part of the classroom community. You can also expect a photo op with your child and special presentations by WMS students.

Want to help? Contact co-op@wmsde.org for volunteer opportunities.

Get Your Co-op Hours In!

Did you know there are only five weeks left in the 2018-19 school year? If you haven't submitted your co-op hours, please do so today via the  co-op report form . If you are in need of additional hours to fulfill your 30-hour requirement or have questions, please email co-op@wmsde.org . There are several end-of-year events for which we need co-op help. 

Board of Directors Election Results

At last month's annual meeting, current WMS board members  Ann Hriciga (chair),  Lisa Hastings-Sheppard and  Stephanie Simms were re-elected for another term. The board welcomes  Rick Gulino, an alumni parent, who was elected as a new board member. 

leaders Today's Learners
Lower Elementary Students Get Water-Wise



After learning about insects, dissecting owl pellets and exploring the biomes of Africa - part of a broader focus on biology and the second Montessori Great Lesson, the Coming of Life - 6-9 students are closing out the year by diving into water studies. They're learning that water is what all living things need to survive, how water filters through soil, how water picks up pollutants and which organisms can and cannot tolerate pollution.

On Friday, they kicked off their water unit with a visit from Connie Nye, environmental educator, author and owner of SWEET, who taught them about water usage, conservation and pollution. Students took turns pouring water through layers of soil and along the roadways, waterways and land of a model town to examine how water carries matter in its path and gets absorbed into the ground or runs off.


Read more about what the 6-9 students have in store for the remainder of their water unit on the WMS website

tomorrowTomorrow's Leaders
Alumni Parent Becca Gulino: Wilmington Montessori Parent for Life

Becca Gulino (top right) in 2008 with the WMS Girl Scout troop

Even though Becca Gulino's daughters, Ava and Adele, graduated from WMS in 2010 and 2012 respectively, she still jumps at the chance to lend a hand to support WMS events and activities. Most recently, she spearheaded the Alumni Amazing Race in December 2017, which brought together more than 30 past WMS students.

"I do pretty much anything they ask!" she said.   

Becca's continued involvement at WMS is a testament to the loyalty to WMS many parents maintain well after their children graduate. "I have as much nostalgia about [WMS] as my daughters," she said.

When it came time to enroll Ava in preschool in 2002, Becca started to research local schools. A friend recommended WMS, where her son attended at the time. Becca scheduled a tour and knew immediately it was the right place for both her and her daughters.

"I toured and that was it - I didn't give a second thought [to other schools]," she said.


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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