School Pictures, Monday, September 15 Monday is picture day. If you plan to order school photos of your children, be sure to return your order form in the completed envelope attached to the flier by Friday. Checks should be made payable to EWMS.
Please plan to dress your children in something colorful with sleeves. If they will be wearing special clothing for the photographs, please pack a change of clothing in a marked bag.
Alumni Update Sophie Day, a May 2008 graduate of Wilmington Friends School was a co-recipient of the Howard W. Starkweather, Jr. Community Service Award. The award was established to recognize students who are distinguished by their exceptional service to our surrounding community and was selected by the senior team based on the depth and breadth of her service leadership. She is now attending the University of Tampa. William Larson, Jr. has graduated from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA. Ryan Day and Jamie Collier spent two weeks in France this summer. They lived with host families to immerse themselves in the French language and culture. Both are seniors at Wilmington Friends School.
Calendar
Monday, 09/15
School Pictures
Saturday, 09/20
Maintenance Day, 8:00 AM - noon
Thursday, 09/18
School Picnic, 5:00 – 7:00 PM
Thursday, 09/25
Parents’ Meeting, 6:30 PM
Friday, 09/26
In-service Day, no school, child care available
Thursday, 10/02 – Friday, 10/03
EII Ashland Overnight
Saturday, 10/11
Maintenance Day, 8:00 AM – noon
Friday, 10/17
The Silent Journey
Saturday, 10/18
The Discovery
Monday, 10/20
In-service Day, no school, child care available
Did you know…
Thanks to a generous grant from Marmot Foundation, Class 2 got a new roof and new, energy-efficient lights this summer.
Through a grant from Crystal Trust we were able to replace an 80’ length of our fence and the latch on the gate. We also had some tree pruning done, had a dead tree replaced, added some new plantings and sod. The playground is looking stellar. Come out one day. Walk the labyrinth. Sit under the cherry tree at one of the picnic tables. Notice the cushiony mulch under foot as you collect our children from the climbing apparatus.
Crystal Trust also supported the replacement of a lot of old plumbing and heating piping in our basement.
You may also have noticed that EWMS has had a series of advertisements in the NewsJournal and else where. This marketing effort has been funded in great part from the Laffey – McHugh Foundation.
The support we have had from foundations over the years has been tremendously helpful to this small school. This, together with the support we receive from EWMS families and friends of the school is humbling.
The Silent Journey and the Discovery
Have you ever wondered how your child can learn math concepts with the thousand chain or “stamps?” Do these materials seem foreign to you? Do you ever wonder how a Montessori education all comes together? To help parents find answers to these questions, EWMS recently secured grant funding for a two-part parent education program called "The Silent Journey and The Discovery," that will take place on Friday, October 17 and Saturday, October 18th. Thanks to the generous grant from the Marmot Foundation, the program will be led by an outside facilitator and the school will provide child care, breakfast, and lunch for the program attendees. The program is limited to 40 participants and spaces are already filling up! Call either McCrae or Victoria to sign up or to get more details about the program times and childcare.
Next week's newsletter will provide more information about the program facilitator, Mark Powell.
Images from
Animationfactory.com
Barrysclipart.com
Gifanimations.com
LabelforEducation.com
PolishFestival.net
Welcome
Two EWMS families welcomed new additions this summer. Madeline, Olivia, and Isabelle (EC1) are the proud older sisters to another brother. Joseph was born on July 1, 2008, weighed 7 lbs, 2 oz, and was 21” long. Kayla (EI) also welcomed a new brother, also named Joseph (“JP”) on August 8, 2008. He weighed 7 lbs, 8 oz, and was 20” long. Congratulations to all the big sisters and their parents.
Please also welcome the many new families we have this year: Bauman/ Delaney, Bryck/Calbazana, French, Gardner/Schulte, Hostin, Luma, Tambe/Sharma, Raghavendra, Rosica, and Shweiki. These ten families represent 14 children all of whom have been assimilating themselves into the EWMS groove. Welcome to all these new children and their families.
EWMS Nut-free Policy
EWMS has a tree- and peanut-free policy due to the growing number of children with severe tree- and peanut allergies. While some children have a sensitivity to these things, others have a life-threatening allergy which can result in anaphylaxis and death. Our policy was developed with this in mind. Please do not send your children to school with peanut butter (sandwiches, on crackers, in celery, with apples, etc.), pecan pie, cashews in a baggie, or any other tree- or peanut product. Though the children in question know not to share food, they are children, and we must do all that we can to protect their health. Please check labels and be sure that things you might send in for the class were not produced in a factory where nuts are processed.
While this may be an inconvenience, we know that you will be vigilant as children’s lives are at stake. We thank you in advance for taking this seriously.
There was an article in the Wilmington NewsJournal about nutrition for children today, you may find helpful.
Hours Opportunity The housekeeping committee is looking for new members. This committee is responsible for keeping the school’s steps and halls, and lavatories spruced up twice during the week. On a rotating basis, parents come in on a Tuesday or Thursday late afternoon and spend an hour on one or the other of these areas. This is an easy way to get your hours in, and the school could really use the help. If you are interested, contact Emma in the office or Marvin Sikes, committee chair. We are also looking for help with the playground committee. This job entails putting the trash and recycling cans out at the curb on the designated days, raking the sandbox, sweeping up mulch, and generally making sure the exterior of the school looks well-cared-for. Contact the office if this is of interest to you.
Pizza Thursday Sandra Han has taken on the role of Pizza Maven. Pizza has been ordered for tomorrow. If you did not order and pay for pizza (and/or juice) for your child(ren) yet, please pack a lunch tomorrow.
Box Tops and Campbell’s Labels Many of you have been sending in clipped General Mills’ Box Tops for Education and Campbell’s Labels for Education. This is a very easy way to earn money for the school and can involve the whole family. Children can cut the labels out. Grandparents in Nebraska or Arizona can be enlisted to clip coupons to benefit their grandchildren’s school. It’s good for everyone!
When clipping Campbell’s Labels for Education, please be sure the bar code is intact, as this is what is necessary for us to realize the label’s value.
General Mills and Campbell’s offer special bonus labels as well. Remember to check bottle caps, too. Old El Paso and V-8 often include caps with some value to schools.
We are attaching (or sending home) a Labels for Education collection sheet that you may choose to use at home if it would make things easier on you or your family. The completed sheet can be sent into school and put in the collection box just as you would labels, caps, or Box Tops.
Polish Festival St. Hedwig’s Annual Polish Festival will take place next week, from the 15th through the 20th of September at the Riverfront.
Monday is picture day. If you plan to order school photos of your children, be sure to return your order form in the completed envelope attached to the flier by Friday. Checks should be made payable to EWMS. 
Calendar
EWMS Nut-free Policy
The housekeeping committee is looking for new members. This committee is responsible for keeping the school’s steps and halls, and lavatories spruced up twice during the week. On a rotating basis, parents come in on a Tuesday or Thursday late afternoon and spend an hour on one or the other of these areas. This is an easy way to get your hours in, and the school could really use the help. If you are interested, contact Emma in the office or Marvin Sikes, committee chair.
We are also looking for help with the playground committee. This job entails putting the trash and recycling cans out at the curb on the designated days, raking the sandbox, sweeping up mulch, and generally making sure the exterior of the school looks well-cared-for. Contact the office if this is of interest to you.
Sandra Han has taken on the role of Pizza Maven. Pizza has been ordered for tomorrow. If you did not order and pay for pizza (and/or juice) for your child(ren) yet, please pack a lunch tomorrow. 
Many of you have been sending in clipped General Mills’ 
St. Hedwig’s Annual