Blog

Mrs. Lopes: Off to a Great Start!

Posted on by Amanda Lopes

“A new school year means new beginnings, new adventures, new friendships, and new challenges.  The slate is clean and anything can happen.” -Denise Witmer

Even though our first week was short, you will see in the pictures how busy the children were!  We were impressed with how easily the children acclimated to the classroom environment and the excitement of a new school year filled Mrs. Hema and me with joy.  We look forward to working with you and your children this year!

Next Thursday, September 15th from 5:30-7:00pm is Curriculum Night at FWM.  We would like to invite you into our classroom to see the environment and materials your children will be working with daily.  This is a great opportunity for you to get a better understanding of the Montessori philosophy and expectations for the school year.  We look forward to seeing you there!

As a gentle reminder, in order to streamline our dismissal process, we ask that you please stay in your car as a teacher is bringing your child over.  The teacher will assist the child into the car.  Please pull forward against the side of the building before exiting the car and buckling them in.  Thank you for your help!

Have a wonderful week!

Amanda and Hema

Mrs. Semmah: Greetings

Posted on by Kaoutar Semmah

We welcomed new friends and families this year. The first week of the phase-in period helped the children with the transition to the new classroom. It is an absolute pleasure meeting your children, seeing their smiles, and getting some heart-warming hugs. This phase-in period is so helpful for a smooth transition for your children and for feeling safe in a new environment and getting to know their new teachers. The children were curious to explore the Montessori materials and share them with their friends. It was amazing to observe the children’s transition during this first week.

Our Curriculum Night is next Thursday, September 15th from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm. This year’s event will be in-person in your child’s classroom. All parents are invited to attend and get a closer look and feel of the Montessori environment at FWM. This will be an opportunity to see the classroom environment and the daily learning materials. We will also talk about the Montessori approach and describe the different areas of the classroom, and the daily structure. We are excited and look forward to welcoming you to your child’s classroom.

Thank you for all your support and we are looking forward to a wonderful school year!

Enjoy these back-to-school pictures!

As a gentle reminder, in order to streamline our dismissal process, we ask that you please stay in your car as a teacher is bringing your child over.  The teacher will assist the child into the car.  Please pull forward against the side of the building before exiting the car and buckling them in.  Thank you for your help!

Warm regards,

Kaoutar and Michelle

Lower El: Our Class is a Family

Posted on by Ashley O'Connell

Happy start of the school year! A new school year means new adventures, friendships, and challenges. A fresh beginning with so much ahead. Our Lower Elementary class is filled with a group of kind, energetic, and helpful peers. This week we learned new classroom routines, rekindled old friendships, formed new ones, and played a lot of community building games and activities. Some of the games we played  are called, “change your seat if..” “would you rather,” and “coyote.”

It is important to intentionally build community at the beginning of the school year. This year, one of our community building activities was reading “Our Class is Family” and then each child drew a self portrait. They are placed on a wall for the rest of the year to help set a sense of community in our classroom. In addition, ask your child about the class bingo, scavenger hunt, and peace dove activity they participated in this week. 

We are ready for a spectacular school year, I cannot wait for more learning and exploring to come!

Mrs. Wilson: New Beginnings

Posted on by Cynthia Wilson

This first week has been quite beautiful with our progress with phasing-in your children. I want to thank all the parents for your support and commitment in giving your child the time to gradually get acclimated. Phase-in sets the tone of the classroom. The children begin to learn to respect the environment and each other, as well as trust themselves, their peers, and us as their guides. They also learn to trust that their parents come back.

Ms. Sara and I can already sense what a magical year we will have.

We hope to see you all next Thursday, September 15th at 5:30 for Our Curriculum night. You will get an opportunity to explore our environment and learn about all our curriculum areas, the materials your children will use and the experiences they will be exposed to.  It’s also our goal to be able to support you as much as we can in this journey though toddlerhood, so curiosity and questions are welcomed!

Mrs. Hood: Building Trust!

Posted on by Andrea Hood

 

Welcome to FWM 2022-2023 school year!

As we end our first week of the phase-in period, we couldn’t be happier and more amazed with the progress we have already observed in each of your toddlers!

Children have been exploring the learning environment and getting familiar with the physical space. Our environment is a place where independence, freedom, and choice of materials are the rule. The children will gradually learn how to handle this choice and freedom while respecting and caring for each other, the materials, and the classroom!

Phase-in sets the stage for a successful year of learning, so we want to thank you all for your support and for helping us create an atmosphere of security and emotional comfort for each child. We also want to thank you for entrusting us with your precious jewels. We have already created a special bond with each child that for sure will continue to grow.

It’s going to be an awesome school year!

We hope to see you all next Thursday, September 15th at 5:30 for Our Curriculum night. You will get an opportunity to explore our environment and learn about all our curriculum areas, the materials your children will use and the experiences they will be exposed to.  It’s also our goal to be able to support you as much as we can in this journey though toddlerhood, so curiosity and questions are welcomed!

Enjoy the photos!

Warmly,

Mrs. Hood and Ms. Bethann

Upper El: A Great Year

Posted on by Karen Sankey

“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” -Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

What an amazing and beautiful group of humans I have had the good fortune to work with this year! They are compassionate, loving, kind, hard-working, and fun. I am blessed to have had a front seat to witnessing some incredible growth, beautiful interactions, and friendships blossoming. I told the rising sixth graders as they crossed the bridge to middle school; my wish for them as they move on and grow is that they stay true to who they are. To the rising fifths… we have another great year with a lot of fun and new friendships to look forward to!

Thank you very much for a great year! Thank you for choosing to place your precious children in my care. I am truly grateful.

I leave you with one more quote from our most recent Lit Circle read, The Little Prince.

“I am looking for friends. What does that mean — tame?”

“It is an act too often neglected,” said the fox. “It means to establish ties.”

“To establish ties?”

“Just that,” said the fox. “To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world….”

Have a wonderful summer!

With love,
Karen

Happy Summer!

Posted on by Gina Tryforos

Now that the end of the school year is here and I take a moment to reflect on all that we have accomplished together, I am humbled by all we achieved. Our FWM community came together, each day to celebrate the children! 

This week is no exception. It has been an incredible week of celebrations of community.  From our 8th year commencement ceremony Thursday evening, to our Kindergarten moving up ceremony, and our bridge crossing ceremonies for Toddler,  LE and UE, this has been a memorable week.

Thank you for sharing your beautiful children with us. They make our community what it is because they are absolutely overjoyed to be together at school every day.

Here is some information for you as the school year ends:

  • Teachers will send Summer Learning Resources and a Suggested Summer Reading List to all families next week.
  • Please encourage your children to read over the summer. Summer vacation allows us to relax, but is also a critical time to ensure students keep learning.
  • New school year instructions and supplies lists will be emailed to families in August. This communication will include a welcome from your child’s teacher.  

Wishing you and your family a happy, healthy and fun-filled summer!

Middle School: See You Later!

Posted on by Michelle Lamb

Never “Goodbye,” but “See you later!” That’s a wrap on the 2021-22 school year! It’s been a year of growth for everyone and full of memories. We ended with an awesome spirit week that included Park Day!

As we wish our 8th grade class a fantastic transition from Fraser Woods to high school, we welcome a new 8th grade class as well as brand new Upper El students to middle school.

Have a beautiful summer, everyone! We will miss you!

Love,

The MS Team (Michelle, Zak, & Megan)