WEDNESDAY WEEKLY
November 4, 2020
UPCOMING EVENTS
November 4
Virtual Open House
5:30 p.m.


November 11
Lunch & Learn for Parents of Rising 1st & 4th Graders
Prepare for the next program level!
Noon (Zoom link to be sent to registrants)
Sign up by Tuesday, 11/10


November 16-20
2020 Annual Fund Drive
Join our community of giving!


November 17
Lunch & Learn for Parents of Rising Kindergartners & 7th Graders
Prepare for the next program level!
Noon (Zoom link to be sent to registrants)
Sign up by Tuesday, 11/10

Elementary & Middle School Parent Q&A
6 p.m. (Zoom link will be shared on Bloomz)

Toddler & Primary Parent Q&A
7 p.m. (Zoom link will be shared on Bloomz)


November 23 & 24
Lead Teacher Professional Days
No school - child care available.
Pre-registration required by 11/16.


November 25
Child Care Day
No school - child care available.
Pre-registration required by 11/16.


November 26 & 27
No school or child care
The Power of the Vote

Every four years, our country has a presidential election. Though elections take place every year, the four-year cycle of presidential elections is big. People look forward to it, using their vote to make their voices heard. At WMS, students also have opportunities to exercise their vote. Last week, many younger students voted for the best jack-o’-lantern carved by middle school students. They carefully considered the pumpkin designs and placed a ticket in front of the one they liked best. Over the next few weeks, they will also be voting on names for special outdoor spaces on campus. Each classroom has thoroughly investigated one of these areas. Based on what they have learned and experienced in the space, each class will be proposing names for those areas for the other students to vote on. 

These may seem like trivial decisions, but to students, these things are important. Not only are they getting the opportunity to influence others - by the best designed jack-o’-lantern or the name of a beloved outdoor space - they are recognizing the power of their ideas and their voices. There is not much more powerful than our voice, our ability to state what we care about and to try and influence others, perhaps making a difference for them along the way. Through these experiences. students are learning how to approach the voting process in a responsible manner. As Primary students examined the pumpkins, a Primary teacher was overheard saying: “Look carefully. You will need to make a choice about the pumpkin you like best. We will look one more time and then you get to place your ticket in front of your favorite pumpkin. You get one vote and one of them will win.” She was sharing the election process, the power of the vote. 

As we watch the counts come in from yesterday's election, one thing is clear: No matter who you think should be our next president, or governor or representative, your vote matters. Learning the power of your vote and the ways to carry out civil discourse to learn about others’ points of view and to share yours is critical in our country. From the youngest WMS voters who are learning to identify and express their interests and ideas to the oldest who are discussing issues such as systemic racism, LGBTQ, immigration and more, students are learning to shape their own opinions based on the facts before them. They are asking questions to gain further insight and understanding. They are thinking about what matters to them today as they grow to become informed citizens who exercise their vote in future elections. They are wondering why and how issues have evolved over time. They are curious, interested learners. They are our future.
Head of School
NEWS & NOTES
Thanksgiving Week Child Care
Message from Tracey Gable, Director of Montessori Enrichment

With the coming of the Thanksgiving holiday, we have three child-care days on the horizon - November 23-25. The deadline for registration is November 16 without exception so that we may staff appropriately per licensing and CDC guidelines for social distancing. No drop-ins will be accepted.

As always, there is an option for half day child care from 7 a.m. to noon ($30) and full-day from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. ($60). If you are enrolled in a 12-month program, please confirm with me that your children will be attending on those days.
Reminders
Thank you for your continued support in helping to keep our community safe. Here are a few reminders:

  • Holiday Travel - You should have received an email from Lisa on Monday regarding holiday travel plans and gatherings. We ask that you keep the safety of our community in mind when making these decisions over the next several weeks and get tested before your return to WMS if you travel to an area with an increased number of COVID-19 cases. 

  • Weather - As colder weather begins, please keep in mind that we will still be spending a good amount of time outdoors and indoors with the windows cracked open to improve ventilation. Please send layers of clothing to school and make sure your child has a waterproof jacket and boots available for rainy days.

  • Masks - Face coverings that are worn regularly stretch over time! Please check the fit of your child's mask - a properly fitting mask will not fall under the nose and fits tightly to the face without gaps on the top or sides.

  • Pick-up reminders: As we've shared in previous newsletters, we ask that parents remain in their vehicles during pick-up, until you are needed to help your child into the vehicle. Children will be walked to the cars. Even during after-care, when there are fewer cars coming and going, we ask that you continue to follow this guidance. For the safety of our staff and students, please do not approach the doors or play areas as this can be distracting to the children and makes it difficult to maintain a safe social distance. 

COVID-19 Testing Events

WMS is strongly recommends that students are tested for COVID-19 regularly. Results should be sent to Nurse Kathy for your child's health records.

We want to be sure you are aware of the ease of testing at the many State of Delaware-sponsored sites. There is no fee to be tested for Delaware residents. COVID-19 testing is a simple and fast process. The inside of the mouth is swabbed, which is minimally invasive, unlike the nasal swabbing that you may have seen or heard of in the news. Results are available as quickly as 24 hours.  

Convenient testing is part of a public health initiative that is providing information regarding the incidence of COVID-19 in the state. It is possible that you or a member of your family may be infected and spreading COVID-19 without showing symptoms. This is particularly true with children. With your cooperation, we can help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Upcoming New Castle County Testing Events

Thursday, November 5 
  • Seeds of Greatness Church (2-7 p.m.)

Friday, November 6
  • Frawley Stadium (2-7 p.m.)

Saturday, November 7
  • UD Star Campus (10 a.m. - 3 p.m.)
  • Wilmington Friends Meetinghouse (10 a.m. - 2 p.m. - walk-up)

Full list of upcoming test sites (updated weekly): nccde.org/2011/COVID-19-Resources

(Please visit this page to confirm that there have been no changes to the schedule above before going to your testing location.)
Policies & Procedures

WMS's COVID-19 policies are based on guidelines from the CDC and Delaware's Office of Child Care Licensing. We continue to monitor those sources for information to adjust our policies and practices as needed.
Reminder for K-8 Families

Have you submitted your latest Magnus requirement? Please check your email for a message from Nurse Kathy regarding a new permission form to allow students to self-apply sunscreen and insect repellent under the supervision of a teacher.

Please complete this additional requirement as soon as possible. This form is mandatory (whether or not you opt into the self-application option for your children), and you will continue to receive reminders until it is submitted.

If you give permission, please send in each labeled with your child's name for individual use. If you have any questions, please reach out to Nurse Kathy.
Halloween Fun

While Mother Nature rained on our planned socially distant Halloween parade, each classroom found different ways to make the day memorable for our students. From carving pumpkins in middle school to special Halloween snacks and crafts in the Primary classrooms and even a socially distant dance party for our 6-9 classes (including our virtual students), last week served as another example of how adaptable our children are and the joy they find in simply being together.
WMS: Then & Now
This year, school looks extremely different from in the past. We decided to showcase some of these differences using the popular "How it started... How it's going..." social media meme! Watch our Facebook and Instagram accounts for more #howitstartedvshowitsgoing examples!
Top Row: Halloween 2019 vs. 2020
Middle: In-person trip (Newseum in Washington, D.C.) vs. virtual field trip (9-12 "trip" to the Museum of Science in Boston)
Bottom Row: Drop-off 2019 vs. 2020 (with car line and daily health screenings)
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.