Blog

Ms. Handibode: Whose Child Is This?

Posted on by Michelle Handibode

Continuing with our long-standing FWM tradition, our Kindergarten friends began working on their number rolls early in September and had the opportunity to unroll them on Wednesday. It is always a much-anticipated event that brings great joy to everyone. Each year, several middle school students will stop by and say, “I remember doing this, and I still have my number roll!”  The Kindergarten students were also presented with a “stuffie” from the Middle School students.  The children drew their animal, and then the Middle Schoolers created the stuffie from that drawing.  We started this tradition last year, and it is quickly becoming a delightful and important one! It is so amazing to see their drawings come to life.  This past week, we also had field day for all of the Primary students.  It was a great day and really brought together the whole school as a community.

The end of each school year is always an emotional time filled with wonder and pride at all that we have accomplished and how much each child has grown. To our Kindergarten students, those moving on, and their families, we wish you all the success you have worked so hard for. You will always hold a special place in our hearts, and we sincerely hope you will keep in touch throughout the years. To our returning students and families, we can’t wait to hear all about your summer and to experience the 2025-26 school year together. We wish all of you a summer filled with peace, love, happiness, and the chance to make beautiful memories. Enjoy the time with your loved ones, and may you all have a chance to relax and enjoy a calmer time of year. Thank you for sharing your children with us, and thank you for all the behind-the-scenes help that made our year so much smoother!

We leave you with a poem that resonates deeply with us every single year.

Whose Child Is This?      

“Whose child is this?” I asked one day
Seeing a little one out at play.
“Mine,” said the parent with a tender smile.
“Mine to keep a little while
To bathe his hands and comb his hair
To tell him what he is to wear
To prepare him that he may always be good
And each day do the things he should.”

“Whose child is this?” I asked again
As the door opened and someone came in.
“Mine,” said the teacher with the same tender smile.
“Mine, to keep just for a little while
To teach him how to be gentle and kind
To train and direct his dear little mind
To help him live by every rule
And get the best he can from school.”

“Whose child is this?” I ask once more
Just as the little one entered the door.
“Ours,” said the parent and the teacher as they smiled
And each took the hand of the little child.
“Ours to love and train together
Ours this blessed task forever.”

—–Author Unknown

With much love,

Michelle & Maria

Mrs. Wilson: WOW! What a Week — and What a Way to End the School Year!

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

Forget routines and all the hard work we’ve done throughout the year—this week was all about FUN! And fun is exactly what we had. The children reminded us just how resilient and adaptable they are, embracing every change in schedule with big smiles and boundless energy.

We kicked things off with Spirit Week, starting Monday with Field Day for our older students. Our class joined the dedication ceremony and participated in a school-wide photo to thank The McChord Foundation for their generous gift of our new turf field—what an incredible way to start the week!

Tuesday and Thursday were filled with excitement as the children rehearsed for our Moving Up Ceremony, and on Wednesday, we created a special Toddler Field Day just for our youngest students. We began on the field with a variety of activities for the children to explore: hoop hopping, mat rolling, tunnel crawling, a sponge-and-water relay, trampoline bouncing, and everyone’s favorite—the parachute! It was such a joy to see the children darting from one station to the next, laughter filling the air.

After all that movement, we headed to the playground for our very last food tasting of the school year: POPSICLES! A well-earned, refreshing treat after all their field day fun.

And just when they thought the excitement was over… we surprised them with a bubble-filled experience! The children whisked up bubbles with egg beaters, chased and popped clouds of bubbles blown by the teachers and middle school students, and watched in delight as bubble machines filled the air with thousands of tiny spheres. It was the perfect end to an unforgettable week.

Thank you for sharing your amazing children with us this year. We hope your summer is filled with sunshine, joy, and meaningful time together.

Here’s to making core memories that last a lifetime!

Cynthia and Sara

This Week in Upper El

Posted on by Karen Sankey
As we wrap up this school year, I can’t help but reflect on the incredible journey we’ve taken together. It’s hard to believe another year has come to a close, and I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt thanks to some really important people: my amazing students and their supportive families.
To my wonderful students, thank you for all your hard work and dedication this year. Watching you grow—both academically and personally—has truly been one of the highlights of my career. Each of you has made such impressive strides—whether it was mastering tough concepts, honing your skills, or simply being there for one another as friends. Your curiosity, creativity, and enthusiasm have inspired me every single day. From project presentations to working collaboratively in the classroom, your growth has been remarkable. Remember, the lessons you’ve learned and the friendships you’ve forged will stick with you as you continue on your educational journey. Now that summer is here, I encourage each of you to take the time to explore, relax, and recharge. Keep that curiosity alive and never stop learning. For those moving on, I wish you all the best, and I can’t wait to welcome my fifth-graders back next year. I’m excited to see all the wonderful things you’ll accomplish in the next school year and beyond.
To the families, thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Your encouragement at home, participation in school events, and collaboration with Sara and me as your child’s teachers have been essential to their success this year. It’s a real pleasure to work with such dedicated families, and I appreciate the open communication we’ve maintained. Your involvement has made a lasting impact on our classroom community.
Thank you all once again for an unforgettable year. Have a fantastic summer, and I can’t wait to see you again soon!

Middle School: That’s a Wrap on the 2024-25 Year!

Posted on by Michelle Lamb

Be on lookout for Summer Learning Resources, which will include summer assignments, that will be sent out soon!

Wow! What a busy last week of Middle School! It started with Field Day on Monday. Middle School students were divided into multi-age color teams for a day full of activities. 8th grade began the day as the Captains of the Primary color teams as they completed their activities. Afterwards, they competed in races, relays, tug-of-war, and even a dance off before the Green Team was announced the winning team. A competitive Middle School vs. Faculty dodgeball game ended the day.

On Wednesday, the 6th and 7th grade students gave a Farewell to the Class of 2025. They planned the event, including a heartfelt speech they wrote acknowledging each graduate, personalized superlative awards, graduation caps, 8th-grade Jeopardy, and a poetry reading. A memorable slideshow highlighting the 8th graders over the years added a special touch to the evening.

On Thursday, 8th graders, their families, friends, and teachers gathered at the Newtown Meetinghouse for the Commencement Ceremony. Students read original speeches and then had their teachers pay tribute to them with words honoring their time at Fraser Woods. Diplomas were awarded, some tears were shed, and cupcakes were consumed. It was a lovely evening.

The last day of school included a new school-wide event: Moving Up Ceremony. While all students were part of the festivities acknowledging those students moving up levels at FWM, the 8th grade was able to take the chance to say goodbye to all of their younger peers.

The Middle School team wants to thank all of the families for their support and trust this year. We are truly lucky!

Ms. Mollie: Experiences, Big Moments

Posted on by msmith

And just like that, our last week of school has wrapped up! Our last week of school was filled with many new experiences! The class enjoyed Field Day, Nini’s Bees, and Moving Up all this week! Field Day was split into two different days; we were able to watch, celebrate, and cheer on our older students with pride and admiration! Our mini toddler field day was filled with fun, skills, and laughter! We had the ball toss, bean bag launch, and relay race. 

Margot’s, Nini came to our classroom and showed us her spectacular Bees! Her patience and kindness are admirable; she took time explaining how bees gather nectar to help create delicious honey. The children were able to “spot” the queen bee and watch the amazing bees work in the live cell! They all enjoyed the honey tasting and asked for more! It is my sincere hope that this experience will imprint on the children forever to be protectors of bees. 

Moving up…this day is such a proud day! This day is a great celebration of pride. Your children have grown physically, mentally, academically, and socially. It’s a day that recognizes not only their growth and work, but also your commitment as parents to give them such a beautiful Montessori experience. 

Lizette, Anabelle, and I cannot put into words our gratitude and thanks for a splendid year! It was a joy to be with your children, love them each day, and give them all that Montessori has to offer. We see you as parents and how far you have come too, putting your trust in us, and we are so thankful for it! We wish you the best summer, filled with adventures, lots of play, and love!

With Full Hearts,

Ms. Mollie, Ms. Lizette, and Ms. Anabelle 

Mrs. Lopes: A Look at Our Week

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

We asked the children what they loved about summer and /or what their plans were for this summer.  We hope you enjoy their answers as much as we did!

  • Amelia–
  • Arhan–  Arhan is planning on looking for frogs in his yard.
  • Arian–  Arian is looking forward to going to Florida this summer.  He is excited about going to the space museum there.
  • Ben– Ben is planning on spending a lot of time in his pool with his family.  He likes to swim and play with the pool noodles.
  • Brisa–  Brisa is looking forward to going to art camp and performing in The Lion King play.
  • Brooke–  Brooke is excited for her birthday this summer.  She is also looking forward to playing Barbies and Polly Pocket with her Mom.
  • Casey–  Casey is excited for summer camp at school because there are Legos and you can go really high up in the tree.
  • Declan–  Declan is excited to spend a lot of days at home over the summer.  He’s looking forward to playing on his swing set and swimming in his hot tub.        
  • Enzo–  Enzo is excited to go to the water park at Quassy and climb up the stairs where the big bucket of water will spill on his head.
  • Evie– Evie is planning to go swimming at her grandparents pool.  Her favorite thing to do is jumping in the pool.
  • Fiona–  Fiona is excited to go to New Jersey this summer.  She plans to relax and maybe have a coconut drink.
  • Helena–   Helena is excited about going to the library over the summer and playing outside.
  • Kaiah–  Kaiah is planning to make a few key chains over the summer.  She is also looking forward to going to summer camp.
  • Kimberlin–  Kimberlin is looking forward to going to G-mom and Daddio’s house in Texas.  While she is there she plans on swimming in the pool and is excited about going swimming in the night and having fruit toast.
  • Love– Love is planning to sleep in late and go to the beach to watch the waves.
  • Nicolas–  Nicolas is looking forward to the hot days when he gets spray his Dad with his water sprayer.
  • Olivia– Olivia is looking forward to going to summer camp for the first time.  She is also excited about her birthday and becoming a big sister over the summer.
  • Ryder–  Ryder is excited for his vacation to Hawaii.  He’s going to go to the beach, a museum under a sunken battleship, and he hopes to see a tsunami.
  • Sadie– Sadie is planning to make activities up with her Mom and Dad and also make lemonade together.
  • Scotlyn– Scotlyn is looking forward to eating a lot of ice cream and swimming in the pool.
  • Zion– Zion is excited to go swimming in the pool and eat popsicles.

Wishing you a week filled with peace and love!

Amanda & Hema

Mrs. Hood’s: Creating, Celebrating, and Cherishing Our Final Days!

Posted on by Andrea Hood

 

This week was bursting with creativity, celebration, and hands-on exploration.

One of the highlights of the week was Art Exploration Day in Mrs. Reid’s classroom. She created a beautiful environment that sparked curiosity and encouraged creative exploration. The children were given the freedom to choose from a variety of unique art experiences, each offering a different way to express themselves:

  •  The “Art Cave”: A cozy space beneath a table where large sheets of paper were taped underneath, inviting children to lie down and draw above them. The children were fascinated by this new way of creating!
  •  Rolling Art with Marker Cars: In this station, toy cars had markers attached to them, allowing children to race across large sheets of paper, leaving colorful trails behind. This playful technique introduced the concept of movement in art, turning motion into markings. It was a big hit and invited a lot of collaboration and giggles.
  • Textured Easel Painting: Children explored different textures while painting on a wall constructed from recycled materials. They used brushes and even their hands to experiment with how paint behaves on different surfaces. It was a wonderful way to blend art with sensory exploration and environmental awareness.
  • Clay Exploration: With a variety of fun tools, the children dove into working with clay. They discovered how to transform a simple lump into something entirely new. Clay work offers so many developmental benefits, from strengthening fine motor skills to encouraging focus and imagination.

We truly appreciated Mrs. Reid’s creativity in bringing this inspiring day to life!

The children also worked together on a very special class project—a collaborative piece that will be part of our Field Day dedication next Monday. Though we were so engaged that we forgot to take pictures, the children worked with such joy and focus. This meaningful piece will be placed inside a time capsule to be opened years from now as a reminder of this special time in their early childhood.

In addition to our artistic adventures, we had the joy of celebrating the second birthday of the youngest member of our class! Our little friend was beaming with pride as he walked around the sun, and we all enjoyed singing and sharing a delicious treat together.

For food tasting this week, we tried dragon fruit—and it was a total hit! The children were intrigued by its bright yellow and spiky exterior and speckled inside, and many came back for second (and third!) tastes.

Lastly, our butterfly habitat continues to be a source of excitement and wonder. The children are carefully observing the chrysalises each day, waiting patiently for our butterflies to emerge. We can’t wait to witness their transformation and celebrate the beauty of nature right here in our classroom.

As we soak in these final days of the school year, it’s been heartwarming to see the children so engaged, joyful, and connected. Each moment reflects just how much they’ve grown and how special our time together has been. Thank you for being part of this journey with us!

Warmly,

Mrs. Hood and Ms. Patty

Ms. Marissa: Weekly Update

Posted on by Marissa Frisk

As the school year comes to a close, our classroom is full of quiet pride and joyful reflection. Each child is moving forward in their journey – our youngest are now confident explorers, ready to welcome new friends next fall. Our second year children have found their rhythm and will return as leaders, eager to guide with gentle hands and kind hearts.

And our Kindergarteners – how beautifully they’ve grown. With grace and strength, they’ve stepped into their roles as mentors and models, showing us what it means to care, to work hard, and to lead with joy. Now, they spread their wings and move on to Lower Elementary, ready for new challenges and adventures.

Watching each child grow at their own pace, in their own way has been the greatest gift. We will miss our graduates dearly, but we send them forward with love and confidence, knowing their roots are strong.

Have a great weekend,

Marissa & Sue