WAUWATOSA MONTESSORI SCHOOL

September 13th, 2024

PRINCIPALS MESSAGE

Dear Wauwatosa Montessori School Family:

We have many opportunities for family engagement in the next couple of weeks! Check out what we have in store for you!

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 3:30-5 p.m. MONTESSORI CURRICULUM NIGHT!

At our upcoming Montessori Curriculum Night, you will have the opportunity to learn about the Montessori curriculum from Children’s House to Adolescent Program! Most classrooms will be focusing on math for this event. For this event, you will be able to attend 15 minute drop in sessions in the library on the Montessori curriculum and our Wauwatosa Montessori School Growth plan. If you bring students, you and your student can walk through each classroom to see or hear about how a concept or a few concepts are presented in the curriculum. AP Inc. will also be selling snacks! You don’t want to miss this exciting opportunity to experience the Montessori curriculum firsthand.

What Are the Students Learning in Montessori Math?

In the Children’s House, one of the lessons Mrs. D and Ms. Shannon have been giving students is the Geometric Cabinet. Students trace a variety of shapes starting with circle, square and triangle and then move onto learning the names of various polygons as well as the name oval and ellipse. This lesson will be on display at curriculum night! In Lower Elementary, students have been experiencing place value with various Montessori materials including the Golden Beads, the Large Bead Frame, and the Checkerboard. Some of these materials will be on display at Curriculum Night! In the Upper Elementary over the first few weeks of school, students have had or will have the opportunity experience ratio and proportion with the Montessori Peg Board. In the Adolescent program, I observed one class working on multiple representations of linear functions. Check out some pictures and descriptions of Montessori math lessons and materials from the first couple of weeks of school here! Our staff is also doing a book club with the book Math Works: Montessori Math and the Developing Brain by Michael Duffy. It’s a great read for parents too!

Staff Member Highlight!

Staff Members of the Week: Laura Dolkiewicz and Letitia Berghammer

Mrs. D likes chai tea lattes, dark chocolates, post its, and popcorn! Mrs. Berghammer likes mixed nuts, coffee with creamer, Jersey Mikes, and dark chocolate!

Virtues of September: Friendliness and Peaceful/Mindful

Week 1 Friendliness Friendliness Description Week 2 Peaceful / Mindful

Hope to see you next week at the PTSA meeting on September 17th from 7-8:30 and don’t forget to order or go out for pizza on the 18th at Lou Malnati's Pizzeria (mention Wauwatosa Montessori from 11am - 10pm)!

Melissa,

Principal

Teams of teachers and specialists meet together during the week in collaborative planning time called PACE (Prepare, Align, Collaborate, Engage) to plan for rigorous Montessori instruction and strategies to engage all learners in reaching goals.

One of our Montessori K5 math lessons in focus is the Geometric Cabinet. Ben (K5) is asked to bring certain shapes. This game (distance matching) helps students keep the shape in memory for longer periods of time and learn challenging vocabulary. Come to Montessori Curriculum Night on September 25th from 3:30-5 p.m. to learn more about Math in Montessori from Children's House through the Adolescent Program!

Our Adolescent Program and Upper Elementary have been tracking their compost weight and garbage waste. This is part of our school-wide sustainability initiatives and the work of our Green Team! After we get this streamlined, we will move on to having the AP and Upper El. students and their advisors teach the Lower Elementary this process. This is also one way we involve students in experiencing math and science to solve real-world problems.

IMPORTANT DATES!

September 17th - Popcorn ordering starts - please see the popcorn at the bottom of the newsletter
September 17th - PTSA Meeting - 7-8:30pm - Montessori Room 30
September 18th - PTSA Fundraiser - Lou Malnati's Pizzeria- 11am - 10pm

15795 W Bluemound Road, Brookfield, WI

September 25th - Curriculum Night (Parent Information) - 3:30-5pm
September 29th - Parent Social - Lion's Tail in Tosa
October 3rd - Picture Taken/Retaken - 8:45 - 11:30am
October 4th - PL day for teachers - NO SCHOOL
October 10-11th - Parent/Teacher Conferences - NO SCHOOL
October 14th - Mid-Fall Break - NO SCHOOL
October 25th - Trunk or Treat - 6-7:30pm - Montessori Parking Lot
Just a heads up that the dates of our concerts have changed

Band/Orchestra/Choir is now December 16th from 2-3pm
General Music is now December 19th from 2-3pm

November 3rd - Fall Back - clocks back 1 hour

Author Visit

We are excited to announce that author Scott Reintgen will be here for an in person author visit with the Upper Elementary and AP classes. If anyone would like to order a signed copy of his latest book, The Last Dragon of Mars, please click on link below

Book Order Form-Due Sept 26

For more information on the author and his books see his website

www.itspronouncedrankin.com

PTSA CORNER

PTSA meeting

Our first PTSA meeting of the year is Tuesday, September 17th from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the AP Classroom (Room 30) at school. You can also join us online through a link that will be sent out on Sept 17th. Get informed. Get involved! You can become a PTSA member on Givebacks.

Parent Social Night

All parents and caregivers are cordially invited to Lion’s Tail Brewing Co. in Tosa on September 29th from 3:00-5:00p.m. Catch up with old friends and welcome new parents to our school!

Room Helpers

Please consider signing up to be a room helper for your child’s class. We are looking for 2-3 volunteers per classroom to help coordinate classroom celebrations, lend a hand in the classroom, and get to know our staff and Montessori families. Thank you to those who have already signed up; click here to fill the remaining spots!

Restaurant Fundraiser

Come to Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria (15795 W Bluemound Road, Brookfield, WI) Wednesday, September 18, 11:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m. This is our first restaurant fundraiser of the year! All you have to do is mention you're there for the fundraiser or use the online code (GPFUND24) for 20% of your order to be donated back to our PTSA.

Volunteers Needed!

October 25 is our annual WMS Trunk or Treat. Students and some parents dress up in costumes and many families decorate their cars for this super fun evening. Please sign up HERE to decorate your car and hand out treats or help the PTSA plan the event!

WMS Spirit Store is Open!

Get your Wauwatosa Montessori School spirit gear at our online store! The store will be open through Monday, September 23, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. There are t-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, hats and more to keep you cozy as we move into fall! A portion of each sale goes back to the WMS PTSA to help support our school community and children.

Spanish Newsletter

Yearbook Ordering

The cost of the yearbook is $11
May 1st is the last day to order a yearbook.

ALLERGY GUIDELINES

Volunteer Process Update!

Montessori Staff Directory

I have had several people ask me for staff emails. This is the current list of the staff member / their role / phone extension / email. I hope this helps when communicating with staff.

District Updates For Families

September Lunch Menu

September Orchestra Lesson Schedule

September Band Lesson Schedule

D.E.I.A. Request Form

WISH LISTS / DONORS CHOICE

If you are able to help with classroom "wishes", please do so. Maybe ask employers to donate as well?

LE Amazon Wish List

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2IBVQVVIVKKQO/ref=nav_wishlist_lists_1

LE Waseca Wish List

https://wasecabiomes.org/apps/giftregistry/wishlist/884407

UE2 Wish List

TPT class fund: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/ClassFund/Emily-Brenner-60523?ownCampaign=&utm_campaign=ClassFundDashboard

Amazon wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/FW79EVFAVO5Y?ref_=wl_share

Mrs. Myers - AP Math - Amazon Wish List

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/SB0K7TNED902?ref_=wl_share

Ms. D - AP

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1MD068F0WYKWO?ref_=wl_share

Fresh Hot Popcorn - STARTING TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17TH

We will once again have the opportunity to order popcorn on Tuesday's. 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!

Hot Buttered Popcorn Order Form:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1R5VPzuINlkmSb0stoNhUmmsg6ZIXyxrI/edit