Welcome!
The teachers were thrilled to see their new and returning students this morning and are looking forward to having their full classes tomorrow. As usual, we are surprised to see how tall the children have grown, the toothless grins, and the great confidence even the youngest children display. This is already looking like it will be a wonderful year.
New Parents’ Orientation
If you are new to EWMS (or started mid-year last year and still have questions) please plan to join us for the New Parents’ Orientation TONIGHT at 6:30 PM. Co-op requirements? “Lunch Box Mail?” Rainy-Day Dismissal? All of our routines will be explained, and your questions will be answered, plus you’ll meet other parents over refreshments.
Fooling the Flu
As you all know, this year’s flu season is predicted to be especially bad due to the H1N1 (“swine”) strain of flu that has been diagnosed throughout the US and the world. We want to keep our children healthy and keep the flu out of EWMS. There are things that we will be doing here at school, and things that families will need to do at home to ensure the health of all of our students and staff. During the school day we will
re-double our hand-washing efforts.
Encourage children to “sneeze into their elbows,” in the absence of a tissue.
Dispose of tissues promptly and properly and wash hands afterwards.
Wipe surfaces, handrails, and doorknobs regularly.
At home, we ask that you err on the side of caution if your child may be sick. Please do not send children to school if they are not well. Consult your pediatrician if you suspect flu. Consider getting a flu shot for your child. Do not send children back to school until they have been fever-free for 24-hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine.
For more information about preventing the flu, you may wish to visit the Centers For Disease Control website. Together we can keep the flu at bay.
Wanted
EI is looking for free or inexpensive continuous feed-type printer paper with blue or green bars shading. This old-style printer paper usually comes in 14.5 X 11” and 9.5 X 11” sizes – either or both would work. EI uses this paper for rough draft and practice writing paper. If you have a source or know of one, please alert Nancy or Lisa.
EWMS is in need of a grill. If you upgraded this summer and have a “spare” in the garage, please consider donating it to the school.
School Picnic Please plan to join us for the back-to-school picnic to be held on the playground next Tuesday, September 15, 2009 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM. EWMS will provide burgers (beef and veggie), condiments, beverages, and table wares. Please include your whole family and plan to bring a dish to share and a blanket or chairs for your group. For those of you who like an assignment, here is a suggestion for what to bring:
Last Name beginning
Brings
A – F
Chips/pretzels, etc.
G – K
Casserole or side dish
L – R
Dessert
S – Z
Salad or fruit
Due by Friday:
If you have not yet submitted your T-Shirt/Sweatshirt order or your Pizza Thursday order form, you must do so by Friday, September, 11, 2009. Blank forms are located in the parent information center in the front hall.
Also due by Friday, September 11, 2009 for Delaware families of children in kindergarten an older, is the Transportation Reimbursement Form. If you have any questions, please stop in at the office.
Finally, if you have not completed your child’s immunization records, please do so. You may want to contact your pediatrician’s office for an update. Immunization records are usually included in children’s permanent school records.
No Peanuts or Tree Nuts
Please remember to leave peanuts and tree nuts out of the lunches and snacks you send in for your children, and refrain from using them in dishes you may contribute to EWMS functions. We have several children with severe allergies to these nuts.
Mark Your Calendars
The 33rd Annual Coast Day will take place at UD’s Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes Delaware on Sunday, October 4, 2009 from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Fun for the whole family, the day features ship tours, marine critter touch tanks, children’s activities, nautical crafts, a crab cake cook-off and much more. Admission and Parking are free. For more information visit the Coast Day website.
International Day of Peace – September 21, 2009 EWMS will be joining 50,000 Montessori children from around the worldin celebrating the International Day of Peace on September 21 at 11:00 AM! We will be singing at 11:14 AM for about five minutes, after which we will learn about the UN, our Peace Pole, and what peace means to us. You can practice the song at home with your children. Light a Candle for Peace. Please feel free to join us on Monday, September 21, on the Labyrinth. If you have an instrument and would like to play with us you can do that, too. You can add your comments to the blogspot started by Shelley Murley, the song writer.This activity will be one of the largest hosted events for the United Nations International Peace Day, 2009 in part because of the overwhelming response of the International Montessori community of which EWMS is a part.
In addition to singing, the children will be creating 8 X 8 inch tiles that symbolize peace in cooperation with the “The Global Peace Tiles Project”. “As a result of the efforts of these and an increasing number of champions, Peace Tiles reflects a growing network of people using the arts to inspire social change. Peace Tiles – 8-inch by 8-inch collages on wood panel – are being used to brighten the spotlight on issues, raise funds to support causes, and inspire connection, collaboration and hope in communities around the world, from Thailand to Tanzania, Canada to Costa Rica, from India to Indiana.” http://peacetiles.mixedmedia.us/
At Elementary Workshop Montessori School, we will work on the peace tiles next week in our art classes. The tiles will be collages that represent peace to the students. If you have materials that might make for interesting collages, please send them in. We will mount the tiles on the wall outside of Class 2 as a way to share them. If someone wants to help make the 8 X 8 inch wooden pieces please let Amy or Danika know.
Congratulations
Fox and Olivia (EI), and Gemma and Praneeth (EC1) all participated in New Castle County’s summer Reading Club. Having completed the program’s requirements, they will have received a certificate signed by the Governor, County Executive and local librarian as well as a free book. Bravo, readers!
Calendar
Wednesday, 09/09
New Parents’ Orientation, 6:30 PM
Tuesday, 09/15
Back to School Picnic, 5:00 – 7:00 PM
Saturday, 09/19
Maintenance Day, 8:00 AM - Noon
Monday, 09/21
International Day of Peace Assembly, 11:00 AM
Tuesday, 09/22
School Pictures
Wednesday, 09/23
Parents’ Meeting, 7:00 PM
Tuesday, 10/06
EC Curriculum Night, 7:00 PM
Thursday, 10/08 – Friday, 10/09
EI Ashland Overnight
Monday, 10/12
Teacher In-Service Day, Child Care Available (minimum 10 children)
Please plan to join us for the back-to-school picnic to be held on the playground next Tuesday, September 15, 2009 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM. EWMS will provide burgers (beef and veggie), condiments, beverages, and table wares. Please include your whole family and plan to bring a dish to share and a blanket or chairs for your group. For those of you who like an assignment, here is a suggestion for what to bring:
The 33rd Annual Coast Day will take place at UD’s Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes Delaware on Sunday, October 4, 2009 from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Fun for the whole family, the day features ship tours, marine critter touch tanks, children’s activities, nautical crafts, a crab cake cook-off and much more. Admission and Parking are free. For more information visit the 
Calendar