WEDNESDAY WEEKLY
September 18, 2019
UPCOMING EVENTS
September 19
Welcome Back/Peace Assembly
11:15 a.m.
Peace Park

September 26
Flu Shots
7:30-9:30 a.m.- Adults only
3-5 p.m. - Adults and children ages 4 and up (with adult)

October 1-2
Student Portraits
(October 29 make-up day)

October 3-4
9-12 and Middle School Overnight Field Trip
South Mountain YMCA Camp

October 7-10
Toddler Conferences
(All classes in session)
Watch Bloomz for sign-up information

October 8
Working Together: Bring Your Parent to Work Day
Classroom start times to 9:30 a.m.

October 10
Admissions Open Houses
9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.

*MTAD Parent Evening - Addressing Challenging Behaviors at Home
7 p.m.
Ursuline Academy

*Earn two co-op hours if you attend!

October 11
All-Staff Professional Day -no classes, no child care


International Day of Peace
“An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking; it involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the times in which they live.” - Maria Montessori

 Last Wednesday was the 18th anniversary of September 11, 2001. This day is always a somber reminder of the events that took place in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania at the beginning of that school year. As I reflect on that day, I recall the children in our school and the concern of parents here and in every town throughout the country, worried about what was happening and how they could ensure their child’s safety. Some of you, the parents of our current students, may have been those school children. 

Tomorrow we celebrate the International Day of Peace along with people throughout our world. The United Nations declared September 21 the Day of Peace, encouraging citizens throughout the world to lay down weapons in every conflict, from wars between countries to personal spats between individuals, and promote the ideals of peace. As a Montessori school, we are dedicated to the principles of peace and the hard work needed to achieve it in our daily lives and throughout the world. Our classrooms have peace tables and quiet corners - places to come together, share differing points of view, express hurts and work toward resolution. As children grow, they extend their understanding of peace. Starting this weekend, WMS Upper Elementary and Middle School students' artwork will be featured in the Youth Peace Art Exhibition, and our sixth- through eighth-graders will attend the Montessori Model UN this winter (which you can read more about in this issue's feature article below). 

Dr. Montessori was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times during her lifetime, recognizing her commitment to children, education and establishing peace. As we celebrate this day of peace, honoring our history and times when peace was elusive, we hope you will take a moment to visit the Peace Park, read the quote at the front desk, and offer a gesture to others extending Dr. Montessori’s message of peace and respect for all humanity.
NEWS & NOTES
Welcome Darla Flowers!

You may have noticed a new face at the front desk at afternoon pick-up time during the past two weeks. Darla Flowers has joined us as our afternoon receptionist and enrollment/events coordinator. Please welcome her to WMS if you haven't already!
Last Call for Fall After-School Specials

Don't miss out on WMS's fall enrichment lineup: WMS's upcoming After-School Enrichment Programs begin next week! There is still space available in several programs, so sign up today. This season's classes include Irish dance, tumbling, soccer, Science Explorers, Drama Kids and many more! Contact  Tracey Gable  or register online .   
Thursday, September 19: Emergency Communication System Test
 
WMS will test its emergency communication system (Blackboard Connect 5) this Thursday, September 19, at 6 p.m. 

Connect 5 is used to alert parents and staff of unexpected (usually weather-related) school closings/delays and to relay other emergency information. The notifications you receive will be based on your selections when you filled out your Emergency Alert Preferences in the  Magnus Health System  - options include phone calls, emails and text messages.

Please take note of whether you received test messages at all your designated email addresses and phone numbers. If you do not receive these notifications on Thursday, please email alert@wmsde.org  or contact Heather Russell at 302-475-0555.
Youth Peace Art on Display at Delaware Contemporary

Our WMS artists kicked off the school year creating artwork that represented their visions of peace for the upcoming Pacem in Terris Youth Peace Art Exhibition , which opens this weekend at the The Delaware Contemporary .

View 9-12 and middle school students' work on display from September 21 to 25.

Families are also invited to a special 
opening event at the museum this Sunday, September 22, at 1 p.m.   This exhibition is part of Peace Week Delaware, which is organized by the Movement for a Culture of Peace .

Note: The Delaware Contemporary is closed on Mondays.
Parent Handbook Now Available

Our latest parent handbook is now available on Bloomz .

To access the handbook on the Bloomz website, log into your Bloomz account, click on "Wilmington Montessori School" under "filter by communities" on the left navigation menu. Click on the "media" icon at the top of the page (third icon from the left), click on "documents" in the sub menu, and download the Parent Handbook PDF from there.

To access the handbook on the Bloomz app, click the "Media" icon on the bottom on the screen, click on "documents" via the top menu, and find the handbook in the "Wilmington Montessori School" folder.
*MTAD Parent Evening: Addressing Challenging Behaviors at Home

When: October 10, 7 p.m.
Where: Ursuline Academy

The Montessori Teachers' Association of Delaware (MTAD) invites parents to a free parent workshop with speakers Maria Eva Chaffin and Brynn Rangel about managing challenging behaviors at home. Join Maria Eva and Brynn as they share their insights and experience to help parents better understand and identify strategies for working with children with varying learning challenges.

Contact Laura Fodge or call 302-658-7158 x6242 to reserve a spot.

*Attendees may earn two co-op hours.
Get Your Flu Shot at WMS - Thursday, September 26
The best way to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated each year. Use the sign-up sheet on School Nurse Kathy Wittig-Valtos's office door if you would like to receive a shot. 

Schedule:
7:30-9:30 a.m. - Adults only
3-5 p.m. - Adults and children ages 4 and up (with parent/guardian)

Cost:  $35 - Pay with cash, check, credit card or flexible spending card.
TODAY'S LEARNERS
Middle School and Sixth-Graders Prepare for Montessori Model UN
Watch "What is MMUN?" from the Montessori Model United Nations for more about the MMUN experience.
This year middle-schoolers and sixth-graders will mark a first for WMS: participation in the Montessori Model United Nations (MMUN) . Rooted in Maria Montessori’s strong belief in peace education, the MMUN program brings upper elementary and middle school students together to learn about the United Nations and its role as the world’s largest international peacekeeping and humanitarian organization.

For WMS's oldest students, it’s a fitting project as they embrace conflict as their theme for the 2019-20 academic year. 

“It folds in a lot of skills - public speaking, group work, writing, research, reading - while working on real world things,” said Middle School lead teacher Mandy Balanetsky. 

Work is already underway among the middle-schoolers and sixth-graders to prepare for the February 2020 MMUN conference in New York City, where they will join 600 other students from around the world for a UN simulation experience to learn about cooperation and the art of compromise. 

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 © 2019. All Rights Reserved.