Wilmington Montessori School Today’s Learners; Tomorrow’s Leaders.
ANNUAL REPORT | September 1, 2016 – August 31, 2017
Cover art: Room 16’s 2017 auction gift — paint on canvas
OUR MISSION
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ilmington Montessori School is a collaborative learning community rooted in Montessori principles, inspiring the joyful discovery of self and a passion for learning and independent thinking. We empower children to be knowledgeable and responsible contributors to the global community.
A MESSAGE FROM
Lisa A. Lalama & Anna Quisel
Dear WMS Families and Friends,
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ach winter, we reflect on the past fiscal year and share our work with the WMS community in our annual report. We are happy to report that it has been another successful year in the history of Wilmington Montessori School. We have strong admissions and enrollment, and we continue to exceed our fundraising goals. We also continue to support our mission throughout this time of growth. This annual report recognizes each of you as supporters and friends of WMS. Our community is strong, united and moving forward. Thank you for your contributions to the school. Your time, treasure and talent encourage our growth and remind us to stay true to the core values that have served us for more than 54 years. The 2016-17 school year saw the fruits of your tremendous support for WMS through the Marie M. Dugan Fund for the Future comprehensive campaign, which concluded in August 2016. We continued to implement the arts integration, technology and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) initiatives outlined in our 2013-16 Strategic Plan. Through our arts integration initiative, we completed the sound and lighting improvements in the gym. Our winter production “Melton, the Warm-Hearted Snowman” was the first performance to showcase these enhancements to a delighted audience of families and friends. The school year ended with “Seussical KIDS,” performed by the Upper Elementary students. In addition to our in-house performances, six of our students participated in the American Choral Directors Association Honors Choir. Our efforts to fully integrate the arts into our curriculum continued as additional teachers attended the Changing Education through the Arts (CETA) conference at the Kennedy Center, and our students continued to benefit from artists-in-residence. Yolanda Chetwynd worked with Lower Elementary students to create African masks while
the Twin Poets (Delaware poets laureate Al Mills and Nnamdi Chukwuocha) shared provocative poetry with the Upper Elementary students. Each of these experiences inspired our students to try things they hadn’t done before and to push themselves to participate in the arts in new ways. The arts are alive at WMS. Our STEAM and technology programs also continued to grow and integrate with WMS’s classroom experiences. The 9-12 students explored coding in greater depth and began work on designing a bridge across the stream in our woods, and Lower Elementary students designed and built models of communities, complete with lights and air conditioning. Like our elementary students, Toddler and Primary students continued their regular visits to the Maker (STEAM) Studios and explored STEAM topics alongside their parents at Maker Faires. During the 2016-17 school year, we also began work on our next strategic plan. In the fall of 2016, a group of board members, current parents, alumni parents and staff came together to discuss the future of WMS and prioritize potential goals for the 2017-20 Strategic Plan. As a result of these conversations, expanding WMS’s inspiring educational experience through the middle school years became a priority. As we announced last October, the WMS Board of Directors reached an agreement with Kerry and Ehyal Shweiki, founders of the Program for Rigor and Innovation in Education (PRIED) Middle School, and the PRIED Board of Directors to bring together the two schools to create a middle school program that is uniquely suited to young adolescents. We are grateful to Kerry, Ehyal and the PRIED Board for their support, and we eagerly anticipate opening the doors of WMS’s middle school program in September 2018. We look forward to sharing more news about our middle school program in next year’s annual report.
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Alumni, along with many of their parents, continue to return to WMS, sharing stories and reminiscing about their time here. Alumni families led another successful homecoming celebration in October 2016. If you weren’t able to attend, please keep in touch so we can let you know about the next alumni event. We look forward to hearing from each of you. Alumnus Michael Jones completed his Eagle Scout project at WMS, building an outdoor easel and small benches for the Primary playground, and Lukas MacKinney’s project, a video about WMS, made its debut at our 2017 Annual Meeting. It is through events such as these that we appreciate our strong community even more—once a part of WMS, always a part of WMS. Finally, we spent the better part of the year preparing our accreditation report for the American Montessori Society and Middle States Association. This process has given us the opportunity to reflect on each aspect of WMS. We are reminded of our strengths: providing the best education for children from 12 months to 12 years (soon to be 14 years!); remaining true to the Montessori philosophy and method of education; employing academic rigor at each level through best practices; fostering a community that is strong, resilient and dedicated to the core values of our school; and learning each and every day. We would like to thank you for all of the ways you contribute to our mission and support the students and faculty at WMS. We want you to know that you are making a lasting difference in the lives of the students and community, and we are deeply grateful for your contributions to WMS. If you haven’t visited us recently, we hope you will stop by to see all of the remarkable things that are happening each day because of your support.
Lisa A. Lalama Head of School
Anna Quisel Chair, WMS Board of Directors
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Anna Quisel, Chair Rinku Amin* Calissa Brown* Melissa Hayman** Israel Floyd Lisa Hastings-Sheppard Ann Hriciga Sharon Miller* Paul Sakaguchi Stephanie Simms Mayura Simon* Susie Ventresca Zehra Wamiq
ADVISORY BOARD
Giuliana de Grazia Audrey Doberstein Marie M. Dugan Harry G. Haskell, Jr. Michèle LeFever Quinn Nancy Karibjanian Deborah Murray-Sheppard William Ryan * Term began in 2017 **Term ended in 2017
TOMORROW’S LEADERS: WMS Alumni Take to the Stage
At WMS, children are introduced to theater and the performing arts before most of them can read. Toddlers learn to convey their emotions through movement, Primary students stage a spring concert, 6-9 students put on an elaborate winter-themed production every December, and our 9-12 group takes on a full-scale musical just before the school year winds down. Some WMS students have found their best footing on stage. For a handful of WMS alumni, early exposure to theater has led to starring roles in local high-school productions and beyond.
BEN (WMS ’12)
“WMS provided my introduction to most things, but theater especially,” said Ben Connor (WMS ’12), now a senior at Wilmington’s Mount Pleasant High School.
Under the guidance of then-music teacher Kelly Rhodunda, Ben was cast in a lead role in the WMS spring musical, “WMKR: The Journey of Jazz,” as a fifth-grader. “That was the kickstart for everything afterwards,” he said. “It gave me confidence that I could perform.” In sixth grade, Ben was ready to tackle the stage again for “Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr.,” but this time he wasn’t given a lead role. “Kelly explained that you can’t have the lead role
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every time,” he said. “I was fine with that, and I think it prepared me for the harsh reality of showbiz.” However, Ben has been lucky enough to land several lead roles since. He’s been involved in every theater production at Mount Pleasant since his freshman year. Following a run as John Proctor in the fall production of Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” Ben starred as Bert in the musical “Mary Poppins” this spring. He’s also penned and directed two “WMS provided my plays for Mount introduction to most Pleasant’s stu- things, but theater dent-produced especially....” One-Act Festival. Last year, his oneact play “Waiting for the Bus” was a runner-up in the New Voices One-Act Competition for Young Playwrights and was published by YouthPlays. This fall he’ll head to Brown University, where he hopes to study theater or playwriting.
We love to hear from our alumni! Please send your news to alumni@wmsde.org. annual report 2016-17
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TOMORROW’S LEADERS: WMS Alumni Take to the Stage DYLAN (’13)
Dylan Garvin (WMS ’13) also got his first exposure to theater at WMS in second grade, when he was cast in the annual winter show.
In fourth grade he got a part in the spring musical that made him want to do more. He sang “Three is the Magic Number” in “Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr.,” and as a sixth-grader, Dylan had a lead role as Handel in the musical “Compose Yourself.” “I found I really enjoyed being on stage,” he said. He continued performing in theater productions at P.S. duPont Middle School and arrived at Mount Pleasant High School as a freshman in time to take part in the musical “Ragtime,” which Dylan considers “the best show I’ve ever been in.” “I will take what I’ve learned from [theater]. it helps me speak publicly and has helped me with confidence.” Last year Dylan was cast as a lead in a one-act play, and he has remained involved in theater at Mount Pleasant through his (current) junior year. Dylan doesn’t necessarily think of himself as a “theater kid,” but he loves performing. He doesn’t plan to continue with theater beyond high school—he plans to pursue engineering—but he knows he will apply many of the skills he’s gained through his theater experience to his academic and professional pursuits. “I will take what I’ve learned from it,” he said. “It helps me speak publicly and has helped me with confidence.” 4
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ALEXIS (’12)
Alumna Alexis Szkotak (WMS ’12) also first found her love for theater at WMS, but she prefers to stay out of the spotlight.
“I started doing shows at WMS because [former WMS music teacher] Kelly Rhodunda had us all be part of it—we had to pick roles,” she explained. “You had to either audition and be in the show or work behind the scenes. I did stage crew and fell in love with it.” Now a senior at Haddonfield High School in Haddonfield, N.J., Alexis is the theater stage manager, overseeing props, set design and construction, and directing the actors and stage crew to move set pieces during the show. Alexis’ stage management highlight to date was Haddonfield’s spring 2017 production of “42nd Street,” which involved several large set pieces—train cars and a station—and short transitions between scenes. “No one thought we were going to be able to do it because it was such a big production. Even the director said ‘I don’t know how you’re going to move all that stuff,’” she said. But Alexis and her fellow crew members pulled it off, to which she joked, “I’d almost compare us to the Eagles.” While Alexis doesn’t plan to pursue theater after she graduates this spring—she plans to study early childhood education at Goucher College in the fall—she’s grateful for the early exposure she had to stage management at WMS. “[At WMS] you had to be in the show or work behind the scenes. I did stage crew and fell in love with it.….”
TOMORROW’S LEADERS: WMS Alumni Take to the Stage DANIEL (’06)
Unlike many fellow alumni, Daniel Potter (WMS ’06) was introduced to theater outside of WMS with the Ardensingers, a group that performs works by Gilbert and Sullivan at Wilmington’s Arden Guild Hall. At age 6, Daniel was tapped by a family friend to be part of the chorus in a musical called “The Zoo.”
“Because that first experience was so positive…it put me in a situation where I wanted to do more theater,” Daniel said. “My experiences at WMS were similarly positive and built upon that love of theater.” Like many WMS alumni, Daniel performed under the guidance of former WMS music teacher Kelly Rhodunda. He was cast as Tchaikovsky in the musical “Compose Yourself” as a fourthgrader and played George in “Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr.” in sixth grade. Daniel remained involved in community theater through middle school and performed in high school productions at Wilmington Friends School. Eventually, he focused more of his attention on music and singing. “I really enjoyed the opportunities to perform and the music from those shows and other musicals, but those interests ran in parallel to my love for choral singing,” he said.
JENNY (’97)
For Jenny Torgerson (WMS ’97), WMS laid the foundation for her passion for Shakespeare. “WMS is definitely where I got my love for Shakespeare and made me want to study Shakespeare,” Jenny said.
Jenny’s teachers at the time, Helen Gadsby and Stewart Hawkins, guided students through Shakespeare, in addition to theatrical classroom adaptations of “Alice in Wonderland,” “A Christmas Carol” and “The Once and Future King.” But her inspiration to perform began in sixth grade with a role in the Brandywiners’ production of “The Music Man” at Longwood Gardens. She’s been hooked ever since. Jenny participated in school theater productions at Immaculate Heart of Mary and later at Archmere Academy, while continuing to perform in various community theater productions in her free time. She’s performed locally with the Brandywiners, Wilmington Drama League, Delaware Children’s Theatre, Opera Delaware and Arden Theatre. “My one and only hobby was doing shows,” she said about her childhood extracurricular time.
Daniel sang with the Delaware All-State Choir from seventh through 12th grades. At Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., where he could no longer be in choir and theater at the same time because of rehearsal conflicts, he chose to sing in the choir.
Jenny went on to study drama and applied theater at New York University’s Tisch School and later attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where she earned a degree in Shakespeare studies. Additional acting credits include roles with the CRS Theatre Company and St. Jean’s Players in New York, the TV movie “Redemption Falls” and the TV series “The Chosen Ones.”
Daniel currently teaches music in New York City at PS/MS 89—The Williamsbridge School in the Bronx, where he also conducts two student choirs.
After many years living in New York and a few in Los Angeles, Jenny now lives in Philadelphia, where she teaches prekindergarten.
When he’s not teaching, he finds time to sing as part of the Riverside Choir at the Riverside Church in Manhattan, direct the Riverside Ringers handbell choir and play in the handbell choir at Calvary Baptist Church.
You will still find Jenny performing in her spare time. She’s now on the Brandywiners’ board and will serve as the assistant choreographer for this summer’s production of “The Music Man.” She also teaches an after-school theater class and teaches at a number of musical theater camps in the Philadelphia area.
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TOMORROW’S LEADERS: WMS Alumni Take to the Stage ADELE (’12)
Adele Gulino (WMS ’12) also discovered her penchant for performance on the WMS stage as a young elementary student. Adele recalls participating in a play in second grade. “There was a character named Sam… and I wanted Sam,” she said. “I always wanted to be the lead or take the part that had the most fun.”
Although Adele didn’t land the part of Sam, she was hooked on the idea of being front and center. “I always loved being the center of attention at all times,” she said. By the end of sixth grade, Adele had landed a starring role in “Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr.” During her performance, she took the opportunity to improvise a scene. “It was the first time I did something that got a huge laugh and I thought, ‘This is so great.’” As a freshman at Mount Pleasant High School, she auditioned for the fall play, “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged,” and was one of five freshman (along with classmate Ben Connor) to get a part. She considered her character’s scenes the funniest, which brought her back to the thrilling moment of getting a laugh back in sixth grade. By her junior year, Adele realized her heart was in comedy. “I just like making people laugh—it’s way easier than making people cry,” she said. Now a senior, Adele recently starred as Mrs. Lark in Mount Pleasant’s spring production of “Mary Poppins.” This fall she will attend Ithaca College, where she is excited to get involved with the college improv troupe. She hopes to stick with comedy well beyond high school and dreams of one day writing or acting for “Saturday Night Live” or a late-night talk show.
MICHAEL (’12)
As a 9-12 student at WMS, Michael Jones (WMS ’12) became known for a recurring character he introduced at the talent show called “Old Man Rambles”—a grumpy old man who inspired the role he played as a fifth-grader in WMS’s “WMKR: The Journey of Jazz.”
Like many of his WMS peers, Michael also got his introduction to the stage as an elementary student. “Kelly, the music teacher at the time, inspired me to give it a shot,” he said. “And I also had a lot of fun in the WMS talent show with my ‘Old Man Rambles’ skit. So I felt it to be natural to try the theater thing out at WMS.” In sixth grade, Michael landed a starring role in “Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr.,” which solidified his burgeoning love of performance. After WMS, Michael was keen to get involved in theater at Garnet Valley Middle School in Glen Mills, Pa. Now a senior at Garnet Valley High School, Michael is an integral part of the performing arts association. He has starred in roles including Conrad Birdie in “Bye Bye Birdie,” Warner in “Legally Blonde” and Usnavi in “In the Heights,” and he recently took the stage as Juan Peron in Garnet Valley’s spring production of “Evita.” While theater has been a big part of Michael’s school experience since WMS, he plans to study mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland (UMD) this fall. He hopes to get involved in theater at UMD, but he will wait until he settles into college life before he finds his way back to the stage.
TOMORROW’S LEADERS: WMS Alumni Take to the Stage CHRIS (’11)
For Chris Cauffman Cooke (WMS ’11), acting came naturally. His mother, Julie Cooke, who worked closely with former music teacher Kelly Rhodunda to support WMS’s theater productions while Chris was a student, is an acting coach and has been involved in theater for many years.
“I think I’ve always loved to perform in my soul, but I think WMS was the soil that let me grow,” Chris said. “Confidence is truly the biggest key when it comes to performing, so WMS was a huge confidence builder in the sense of letting me follow my dreams.” While Chris spent his early childhood around theater and performing, his earliest memories of being on stage are at WMS. By the time he graduated, Chris was firmly committed to acting and attended Wilmington’s Cab Calloway School of the Arts for middle and high school. In high school, Chris was part of various Cab productions, including “Almost Maine,” “Peter Pan,” “Into the Woods,” “Rumors” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Outside of school, he also did some work for PBS, and performed with Padua Academy, Delaware All-State Theatre and Wilmington Drama League. “I think I’ve always loved to perform in my soul, but I think WMS was the soil that let me grow.” While Chris briefly considered becoming a lawyer, he decided to follow his heart and pursue acting. “Acting has always been that passion of mine because when you act you inhibit emotions on others by showing your own,” he said. “I plan to be an actor, whether that be on stage or behind a camera, and maybe someday move to teaching.” Now a college freshman, Chris is working toward a degree in acting at Arcadia University in Glenside, Pa.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 2016-2017
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he 2016-17 school year was another strong year for Wilmington Montessori School from a financial perspective. Enrollment increased in both the school year programs and summer camp. Tuition revenue increased 6% year-overyear. Disciplined spending by the board and administration led to slightly lower operating expenses, while fundraising income from the annual fund and silent auction was up about 3%. We are thankful to our donors for their commitment to our community and programming. WMS spent $270,000 on strategic plan initiatives, which improve our campus and enhance the education we deliver to children.
EXPENSES: $3,947,298
SOURCES OF FUNDRAISING REVENUE Community Gifts Foundation Annual FundAuction $12,965
Other
instructional
42.6%
facilities
$13,716
9.03%
administrative
9.55%
15%
financial aid
8.4%
advancement
57.23%
6.3%
summer program
24.19%
$34,744
16.1%
5.6% 4.3%
benefits debt service
0
$82,203
annual fund
1.7%
community gifts
16
32
auction other
REVENUE AND SUPPORT: $3,899,819 tuition and fees
85%
summer program contributions investment income
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9% 4% 2%
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20
40
60
80
•Total tuition revenue was up by $220,000 or 6%. •WMS awarded $332,000 in financial aid. •The fair market value of the school’s investments was $3,533,700 as of August 31, 2017. •Total debt outstanding declined by $121,000 to $1,083,600.
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ANNUAL FUND 2016-17 Wilmington Montessori School would like to thank the following donors for their support of the 2016-17 Annual Fund (as of August 31, 2017). With your help, we raised more than $80,000 to support ongoing professional development, technology and arts enhancements, financial aid and many other operating expenses that are not covered by the cost of tuition. Thank you to our 2016-17 Annual Fund Co-Chairs Mayura Simon and Kevin Kahn for their leadership and commitment to Wilmington Montessori School. World Globe Friend ($5,000 and above) Mr. and Mrs. William P. Roberts, III The Quisel Snyder Family Golden Bead Friend ($2,500 to $4,999) Maurice Amado Foundation Anonymous The Hayman Family The Lintner Family Christine and Garrett Moritz William T. Ryan III Patricia Scott Pink Tower Friend ($1,000 to $2,499) Anonymous Ann Hriciga and Mike Coughlin Jim and Thelma Dooley Israel and Patricia Floyd The Karibjanian/Nemecz Family Lisa A. Lalama Pam and Jeffrey Politis The Sanders Family Elizabeth W. Snyder The Sultan Family Geometric Solid Friend ($500 to $999) Jeffrey Barnes and Felise Luchansky Joanne Capano Ford and Marie Downes The Huggett Family Grace, David and Olivia Kubacki Rob Magaw and Jodi Bettler The Honorable Jane P. Maroney Zollie McClary XXIV Sharon E. Miller
John and Jonathan O’Brien Michael W. O’Donnell Susan Ventresca and David Ropars Paul Sakaguchi Robert and Kathleen Siegfried James Wake and Priya Bhatia Trinomial Cube Friend ($250 to $499) Anonymous Trish Bradley The Czeschin Family Anton and Elva Delport Daniele Elkins Fallon Gilbert Jay, Masako, Shingo Francis and Mary Julian The Kahn Family Colleen M. Lamiet Kate Tullis and Phillip Liu Nancy and Rick Oddo Order Sons of Italy - St. Gabriel’s Lodge Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Petrillo Carolyn W. Shaffer, M.D. Cathy Simon-Cord Zhen Xu and Shaorong Chen Brown Stairs Friend ($100 to $249) Michael and Becky Allen The Amin Family Anonymous Marybeth Auld Basil and Sandra Battaglia Joan and Rob Beatson The Bombas AnneMarie Brescia, M.D., and Daniel J. Brennan Peter and Patricia Brennan Mr. Henry I. Brown III Peter and Lindsay Cappelli Lynda Coan Kevin and Brenda Cole Dr. Thomas and Martha Conaty The Conaty Family Chuck Connor Susan and Richard* Coyle Howard Damude and Julie Johnston George and Barbara Datto Evan and Mia deMarteleire The DePonte Family Noel Sarah Dietrich
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The Donahue Family Katie and Tim Donovan Jim and Helen Fath Bobby and Chelsea Gildea Michael Giuliani and Meredith McFadden Dean and Jenny Godowsky Gram and Grampa Grasso Becca and Rick Gulino Martin and Tiffany Harrison Mr. Michael Heneghan The Honaker Family Lamont and LaKeetra Josey Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth R. Kahn, Sr. Neil, Joanie, Matt and Lauren Kalin Rosemary Killian Dr. and Mrs. Lazarus M. Kirifides Michael and Kerry Kirifides The Kniaz Family Kenneth and Mary Lou Kubacki K.C. and Young Kwon Kelly and Jon Lambiras J. Travis and Rebecca Laster Lewis and Deanna Levin Damien and Laura Lewis Mary and Matthew Lo Nora and Jim Lober Tony Kinney and Alison Mack Mary Maloney Huss and Benjamin Goldstein The Mawhinney Family Kathleen McDaniel Maddie and Peter Murray Laura Z. Orsic The Pachowka Family David Paul and Kathy Klein Kent Quisel The Ranji Family A. Ray The Reiter Family The Saarloos-Latina Family The Shweiki Family Michiko Simon Kate Coughlin Stern Beth and Don Stookey Barb Trotto Deepa and Sandeep Vasudevan Jenn and Brett Weinheimer Mary Wiggin Cass Winner The Zankowsky Family Friends of WMS (Up to $99) Joseph Abele and Sara Weymouth RenĂŠe Anderson Anonymous (2) The Auffret Family Neil Baman Laurel Brown Nola Brown Patricia Callaway and Malcolm Christoph Matthew Civay Hilde Colton The Connelly Family The Dakin Family Giuliana de Grazia Patrick and Ann Deas
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Robert and Nancy Dietrich Jeffrey Donovan and Agueda Molina Vivian Downes Sean and Melisa Dulin Family of Campbell Ebling The Ehrlich Family Ruel and Mary Falkenburg The Faralli Walsh Family Christi and TJ Fath Rosemary Feehan Dr. Taryn Fletcher and Mr. Johnathan Fletcher The Fox Family Josh and Layla Gros The Haas Family Andrea Harding Carol and Lawrence Harris Kim Harris-Robinson The Harris Family Cindy Hausel Joseph and Kathleen Hickey Darren and Toni Hickman AJ Holveck The Huang Family Albert and Akua Hutchful Mitchell S. Juers The Junk Family Nanci Kehnast The Kirkpatrick Family Dayan and Nina Elizabeth Kocher Beverly Lewis-Carpenter Michael and Ayana Lewis Cindy Lober The Long Family Anita Louie Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Lyons Carolyn Malatesta Paul Malatesta Tracey Manerchia Bo and Kathryn Marriott Lisa and Joe Martin Bernard and Kathy McFadden Mark and Deanna Meloro Flo Miniscloux Bilal and Kristin Motley Constance E. Mucha Laurie Muhlbauer Yvonne Nass Alyssa Novello John, Lori, Cru and Cadi Oberly Karen Oberly Jiten and Prachi Patel Emmy Pittarelli Tina Randolph Jacob Renz Wanda L. Rhodes Christine Rispoli The Rollo Family Heather and Greg Russell Samantha Russell Amy Sacia Ben and Amy Sauers The Scheuer Family Loretta and Jim Schneider The Skouvakis Family
Mr. and Mrs. Drew Sloan The Strouds Pat Sumner Christine Tate Yvonne Tetreault Andre and Elizabeth Torres-Odom Laird and Jessica Townsend Mike and Stephanie VenDouern Rod Wallace Arlene Wason Erin Facciolo Wehler Sarah Williams Darla and GaGa Wilson Erin Winner WMS Staff The York Family
In Honor of Derek Lewis Anonymous In Honor of Sophia Miller Anonymous In Honor of Jonah E. Thomas William H. Thomas, Sr. In Honor of Claire and Brock Vinton The Vinton Family In Honor of Cass Winner Mr. and Mrs. Robert Byrd
In Honor of Marie M. Dugan Brian and Susan Greenberg Henry H. Hirschbiel Joyce and Don Hutchison Michèle LeFever Quinn In Honor of Alicia and All of the Room 3 Friends Jonathan and Holly Whitney In Honor of Amanda Clements Bonnie and Curtis Clements In Honor of Avigail and Judah Dadone Dr. and Mrs. Henry Weiner In Honor of Angela Datto Mr. and Mrs. Leon Janns In Honor of August and Theodore Donovan Alan and Gloria Lyles In Honor of Justin Holbrook, Teacher of the Year, Baltimore School District Marie M. and George Dugan In Honor of Katrina, Arielle and Nicky Nick and Sue Sotiropoulos In Honor of Addie Laster Drs. James and Madlon Laster
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In Memory of Mark Bomgardner Kathryn G. Lloyd and Kerwin Dobbs John and Sherry Goodill Trish Harkins In Memory of Kimberly Sullivan Giles The Giles Family The Simon Family In Memory of Akshay’s Grandmother Akshay Rasal’s Family In Memory of James Fox Andy and Kelly Fox In Memory of Dolores Morra The Garvin Family In Memory of Everett B. Roane - Grandfather Dr. Olivia D. Roane In Memory of Lillian Shah Anonymous Corporations, Foundations and Government Amazon General Mills Box Tops for Education Goodshop JP Morgan Chase Foundation Little Nest Portraits The Kula Foundation Matching Gifts AZPAC - Match Program (AstraZeneca) Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Capital One Financial Wells Fargo Community Support Campaign
*deceased We deeply regret any errors or omissions. Please notify Lori Oberly, Development Assistant, of any corrections at 302-475-0555 or giving@wmsde.org.
AUCTION 2017 Auction Chair Jennifer Renz and a dedicated committee of parents and staff staged the Blue Jeans Ball in the WMS gymnasium on April 8, 2017. Parents and friends of the school enjoyed competitive bidding for an array of auction items, and danced to live music from Late Ambitions. The 2017 auction raised more than $34,000 toward the school’s operating budget. WMS appreciates the support of the many volunteers that made this night a success, the generosity of our donors, and the talent and effort of the student artists who created so many exceptional class gifts. We warmly thank all contributors to the auction listed below: ACME Action Hardware American Karate Studios Andean Hands Anonymous Anytime Fitness The Arden Theatre Company Aunt Annie Loves the Kids Barclaycard US Belak Flowers Bellefonte Café Bob’s Discount Furniture Brandywine YMCA Brandywine Brewing Company Building Systems & Service, Inc. David Burslem Café Riviera Cajun Kate’s Camp Montessori The Candlelight Theatre CarpeVITA Home Care The Comic Book Shop Chuck Connor Corner Bistro Currie Hair, Skin & Nails DealCatcher.com Ann Deas Photography
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Delaware Art Museum Delaware Children’s Museum The Delaware Contemporary Delaware ShoutOut The Delaware Symphony Delaware Theatre Company Desserts by Dana Noel Sarah Dietrich The Dinner A’Fare Elk Mountain Ski Resort, Inc. Thomas Fallon Photography First State Ballet Theatre Ed Fleming Designs The Friendly Gift Shop Fusions Taster’s Choice Galaxy Gymnastics Girl Scout Troop 5 Goat Restaurant Hagley Museum and Library Hair Gallerie Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa Harry’s Hospitality Group Health Care Solutions Health One PA Chiropractic and Rehabilitation Akua Hutchful Bryce Johnson Kennett Design with a Splash of Wine Kramer Portraits The Laster Family Little Nest Portraits Margo Long Longwood Gardens Chef Ryan Marchetta Mathnasium Zollie McClary The Melting Pot Mid Atlantic Grand Prix Moore Brothers Tim Moore Mosquito Mob Name Bubbles, LLC National Constitution Center NFL Players Association Oasis Family Fun Center O.K. Video, LLC Once Again Bears Parent Education Consulting Services Penn Cinema Riverfront Pinot’s Palette
PNC Bank PSU TixMan Pure Yoga Pilates Studio The Quisel Snyder Family The Renz Family The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City Room 2 Room 3 Room 4 Room 5 Room 10 Room 11 Room 13 Room 14 Room 15 Room 16 Room 19 Room 20 The Saarloos-Latina Family Safeway Sanctuary Spa Luke Scheuer Stephanie Simms Cathy Simon-Cord Geoff and Mayura Simon Heather Siple SIW Vegetables Soccer Shots SSD Technology Partners Studio KMD Zehra Wamiq and Wamiq Sultan Sweeney’s Bakery Swiggs-Real Wine, Craft Beer and Spirits ThigPro Balance & Relationship Management Institute Tutto Fresco ViaDel Consulting Group Wegman Wilmington Blue Rocks WMS Administrative Team WMS Board of Directors WMS Elementary After-Care WMS Maintenance Team WMS Preschool Extended Care We deeply regret any errors or omissions. Please notify Lori Oberly, Development Assistant, of any corrections at 302-475-0555 or giving@wmsde.org.
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Poetry
“WHERE I’M FROM,” Excerpts from the class of 2017
I’
m from the woods. Running wildly through the tangle of trees, Jumping over roots and rocks, collecting bruises Playing in the creek, Angry about pollution, trying to clean it, but failing I’m from music. The Beatles, Vivaldi, Frank Zappa, my special yellow CD. From attempting to dance to heavy metal music with Dad, To singing my heart out to show tunes with Mum. From plunking out notes on the piano, To actually playing real music with both hands. Belting out all songs off-key, To taking voice lessons and improving my voice, Continuing to move forward. But most of all, I’m from WMS. Playing on the yellow turtle at recess, arguing about who gets to slide first, Getting chills when I hear Marybeth read a story to the preschoolers. From looking up to the big kids, worshiping them To being that person now, with them looking up to me. As I walk out of the building today, I will take with me all of the things I’ve learned, from how to do long division to learning how to keep my cool in frustrating situations. Even though I’m devastated about leaving, I know that I’m about to embark on the great journey of my life after WMS, where I will use the sentence, “I felt mad when you___,” things I thought were ridiculous to say then, but agree with them now. And as I move on, I will grow new leaves and branches, and my bark will get thicker and I will get taller, but WMS will always be where my roots are planted. —EVA JUNK
I
am from nature Playing outside Crying into the arms of an ancient tree Wondering how grass grows And exploring shady mountain woods With trickling playful streams. I am from animals Holding our chickens and singing to them Watching their red gold feathers glimmer in the sun. From painting red foxes and watching the bluebirds at summer. I am from friends and family Talking about jokes And discussing serious topics. Playing hearts on the road And walking to the nurse’s office. From whining about chores To happily working and playing together With both smiles and tears. I am from home The place my heart belongs The warmth of the hearth Memories tingling on the tip of my tongue In sentimental solitude Thinking about the adventures of my life, Filling every page with new stories Forever changing But never forgetting my first home And the season of my life At WMS. —LYDIA SNYDER
I
am from the water Diving into freezing cold salt water To leisurely floating comforting freshwater Canoeing in the sunlit lake And jumping over crashing waves I am from climbing trees Watching my brother jump from limb to limb Then doing the same Except for one very important detail He knew how to get down I didn’t I am from the days that most people dread Those cold windy rainy days The sky lit with lightning and the only sounds are the boom of the thunder and the pounding of rain I am from music Singing Hamilton and Wicked With my friends And Disney music With my sister Yes I am from all of these things But I am mostly from my friends and family The family that invited me into their lives And the friends that welcomed a loud rambunctious 8-year-old girl into their loving community The community of WMS Follow the people I used to call friends but I now call family. No matter how far away I go Part of me will always be here At the school that made me who I am. —ADDIE LASTER
Highlights
2016-17
16
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www.wmsde.org
Class of 2017
Today’s Learners; Tomorrow’s Leaders.
1400 Harvey Road, Wilmington, DE 19810 www.wmsde.org