WAUWATOSA MONTESSORI SCHOOL

Hello Montessori families!

As you remember from December, we are intentional about how we celebrate and acknowledge holidays in a Montessori setting. We shared this document with you at that time, which is a detailed explanation of why we do (or don't do) what we do. For example, we do not do a traditional exchange of Valentine's as that can be disruptive to the learning and can cause social issues. We do have classes celebrating in various ways together, such as a waffle party or friendship feast!

Next week, we will be learning about Lunar New Year! We invite all students and staff to wear RED on Tuesday, February 17th, which is Lunar New Year. We will also do an activity to learn more about Chinese culture!

Tuesday is also the start of Ramadan! We will take some time to learn about how Ramadan is celebrated.

Families who celebrate Ramadan or Lunar New Year (or any other holidays) and have an idea for school-wide acknowledgement or education please let Elizabeth or your child's teacher know.

As a reminder, we have no school on Monday!

Have a great weekend!

Elizabeth

Join us on Wednesday, February 18, from 5:30–7:00 PM for Literacy Night, as we celebrate our All School Read!

Get ready for an out-of-this-world evening featuring:

An “anti-gravity” bounce house
A chance to explore Mars using VR glasses
Take Your Photo in Space
And more galactic fun for the whole family!

AP Inc. will be on hand selling fantastic snacks.

We can’t wait to celebrate together—see you there!

Wauwatosa School Board Election

Four seats for the Wauwatosa School Board will be up for election on April 7. Join the 8 candidates for these seats on March 2 for a non-partisan forum sponsored by the Wauwatosa PTA Council.

Monday March 2, 2026
6:30 - 8:30 pm
Longfellow Middle School Auditorium
Moderated by Dr. Derek Gottlieb, Ph.D.

All community members are welcome to attend the event in person or watch live via Zoom (Zoom information to be shared closer to the event). Those attending in-person should park in the north parking lot and enter the building using the N1 doors.

This forum is strictly non-partisan and will be facilitated to ensure a fair and impartial event.

Questions? Reach out to 2026TosaSBForum@gmail.com

Link to facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/share/19rzKZBDhM/

It's hard to believe that parent/teacher conferences are here again! Conferences will be held on Thursday, February 26th from 12pm-8pm and Friday, February 27th from 8am-12pm. As a reminder, there is no school for students these two days.

On Monday, 2/9 at 8:30am, parents will receive an email with links to each teacher's sign up genius to sign up for a conference time.

If you have a sibling you are looking to enroll for next year, or a friend you are encouraging to apply, please note the window for the lottery opens February 1st. Families must register their child in ther home school, and then apply for Montessori within Infinite Campus. Siblings do not automatically get in - you must apply for a seat. Siblings do get the first draw for the lottery. If you have questions, please reach out to Nora and Elizabeth.

Here are the directions to apply for the lottery.

Current classroom leader - Ms. Yifan's class has 16 students registered! Overall, at the end of Week 2, we have 44 students registered (that gives us 2 entries in the $10k fitness equipment lottery). For every 18 students who register, we receive an additional entry in the lottery. If every eligible student registered, we would have NINE entries in the $10,000 fitness equipment lottery!

Finn's Mission: Every student who completes the 7 modules of Finn's Mission will be entered in a drawing for TWO 2027 SUPERBOWL TICKETS!

Fundraising Goal: As a secondary achievement to participation, we have met 98% of our fundraising goal of $1500! Incredible effort by the students during these two weeks. Every dollar raised funds research and care for children with special hearts. And every dollar we contribute generates kickbacks in the form of cash and equipment for our PE program - thank you for all your work!

In PE this week, we have worked on basketball skills and activities, from dribbling rhythms and coordination to passing drills. Basketball is a full body exercise, a great opportunity for sportsmanship and flexible in terms of structure. If your family is looking for more heart healthy activity at home, try the NFL's Play60 videos! Email Ms. A with questions!

We have many students who love soccer at our school, and we are fortunate enough to have a connection to the Milwaukee Wave! Head Coach, Marcio Leite, sends his kids to our school! We will be having a WMS night out to the Wave Game on March 15th at 2:05pm! Families are welcome to purchase tickets in our section and enjoy a night together watching soccer! To purchase tickets, click here. Tickets are $27.05 each and include a gift!

Dear Tosa Montessori Families,

We are excited to share that Girls on the Run will be offered again this spring for 3rd–5th grade girls!

Registration opens February 16, and if more than 15 girls are interested, a lottery will be held to determine the final team roster.

The spring season will begin the week of March 23 and end the week of May 25. We learned so much during our fall season, and we’re thrilled to build on that momentum; especially because the spring curriculum is completely different. Even if your child participated in the fall, the lessons, activities, and team experiences this spring will all be new.

One thing that won’t change is the culminating event: our Celebratory 5K on Sunday, May 31—a fun and empowering milestone for all participants.

Practice Schedule:

Tuesdays: 3:30–4:45 PM
Wednesdays: 2:30–3:45 PM

Our fall coaching team—Erin, Melissa, and Staci—is returning, and we are happy to welcome Ms. Brown, LE teacher at Tosa Montessori, to the coaching team for the spring session.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Erin at erinpeschel@gmail.com.

We can’t wait for another great season of confidence, connection, and celebration!

Warmly,
Erin & the GOTR Coaching Team

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Girls on the Run is so much more than a running program—it’s a confidence-building experience that helps girls find and use their voice. With our new curriculum, Hello, Bold Heart!, girls learn to speak up, listen deeply, and share what’s in their hearts—even when it feels scary. Give your girl (3rd-5th grade) the tools to be bold, confident, and empowered on and off the track. Registration opens February 16. Questions? Email: Erin Hochevar at erinpeschel@gmail.com

We have 2 new student led clubs starting up!

Chess Club will start Monday, February 2nd and meet on Mondays from 3:30-4:30pm. Please bring your own chess board if you have one! This club is open for students in grades 3-8. Please complete this form if your child is interested in the club to help us plan for the appropriate space and supports!

Dragon Club is open for Lower Elementary students. The club meets on Mondays during recess.

Sledding @ WMS: Sun. Feb. 22, 10 a.m.-Noon

Pending weather, bring your sled or tube and join us on the hill by school! The PTSA will provide hot chocolate.

Corner Bakery Wauwatosa Restaurant Fundraiser: Thurs. Feb. 26, 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.

All orders that mention Tosa Montessori PTSA at the register or use code 659 online or in app (no third party apps) will have 20% donated back to our cause. Bring your family, friends, and appetite for a fun-filled day of food, community, and giving back.

Adult Trivia Night: Fri. March 6, 7-9 p.m.

WMS Trivia Night is back in a NEW location! We will be taking over the Urban Ecology Center at Washington Park on March 6, 2026 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. See the spot your kids are going on field trips this year!

Set up a team of up to 10 parents, caregivers, and/or teachers (sorry, grownups only!) for a fun night of testing your knowledge. Want to join a team to meet others in our school community? Let us know when you register and we can connect you with a team. Registration is $10 per team member. Register here: https://givebacks.com/causes/wauwatosamontessori/events/trivia26

Funds raised will help support the Wauwatosa Montessori PTSA. The PTSA provides funding for field trip transportation, teacher supplies, teacher appreciation, maintaining the teacher lounge, and more to help provide our children with the best educational experience possible.

Questions? Reach out to Lauren Hogan at 920-639-6833 or lauren.n.hogan@gmail.com.

The Tosa East Players are hosting their sixth annual Youth Clinic for Wauwatosa elementary and middle school students on Saturday, March 21st. The clinic will be held from 9am until 12pm in the Wauwatosa East Theatre and will give students the opportunity to work on singing, acting, and dancing through the music of The SpongeBob Musical (our spring production). Families can use the link below to register.

We would love to have as many Tosa students as we can. Thanks for your support - we hope you come see the show!

Link to Register:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeL9EQYfgy21Eie8VgaRmFoVY4t4yxbijrxWZgUcRSeocs5Dw/viewform?usp=header

Skate Club is Back!

Back by popular demand, Skate Club will be returning this year! Join us in January and February for some fun on wheels:

Thursdays after school until 4:00 p.m.
Fridays before school from 7:30–8:00 a.m.

We’ll be skating in the gym, and to help protect our beautiful new gym floor, skates must be in new condition and used only indoors. A helmet is required for all skaters.

For questions, please email Jenice Carolan at carolaje@wauwatosa.k12.wi.us.

IMPORTANT DATES!

February 16th - No School - Teacher Records Day
February 18th - All School Read Night 5:30-7pm
February 22nd - PTSA Sledding Event
February 26th - No School - Parent/Teacher Conferences 12-8pm
February 27th - No School - Parent/Teacher Conferences 8-12pm
March 1st - No School - Teacher Professional Learning Day

SAVE THE DATE - NCI for fall '26

Current 3rd through 5th grade families - save the date for Nature's Classroom! Upper Elementary will be going to NCI next fall from November 16th through 20th, 2026!!

Please see this month's AMS (American Montessori Society) monthly family newsletter by clicking here.

Fresh Hot Popcorn every Tuesday

We will once again have the opportunity to order popcorn on Tuesdays. The price is $.75 per bag. Students order it on Tuesday morning and the Next Steps crew make the popcorn and deliver it same day. So yummy!

Popcorn Order Form

February Choice Board

Attendance Request in Infinite Campus

Please take a moment to review this document explaining how to enter attendance into Infinite Campus. This is used for appts, sick, vac, etc. You can still call the attendance line but the new procedure is what the district would like you to use.

Infinite Campus Fee Payment

Use these directions to pay fees online in Infinite Campus.

DROPOFF / PICKUP MAP

Please review the map for a safe morning drop off and afternoon pickup. When pulling up to the school, please go forward to the next available spot; as to not keep cars waiting behind you. Thanks so much.