Updates for week of November 9 available now!
English: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-ENG
en español: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-SPA

I hope you had a great weekend! It’s another very full weekly update, so be sure to see the full update in your inbox!

It's SPIRIT WEEK, be sure to see the full update for details!

There are just two days left in the PTA Annual Fund Drive–we look forward to celebrating on Tuesday at our Family Movie Night on the playground field after our school improvement team meeting. The students voted on SUPER MARIO GALAXY! Come around 5, the movie will start between 5:30 and 5:45! Pack a picnic, and free popcorn for everyone! 

There will be a parent interest meeting for Odyssey of the Mind on Thursday at 4:30PM. 

This week is our Fall Book Fair! In addition to shopping before school each morning, there will be open shopping from 4-5PM Tuesday, before movie night!

 Don’t forget, Wednesday is Veteran’s Day and school will be closed for students and staff!

Finally, Saturday is the DPS Showcase of Schools–a great opportunity for families to learn more about ALL of the different DPS schools!

Again, there are a LOT of updates, so be sure to check online for all of the specifics!

Hope to see you around soon–have a great week!

Updates for week of October 30 available now!
English: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-ENG
en español: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-SPA

I hope everyone is enjoying their long weekend–please remember, there is no school for students Monday and Tuesday. We encourage all to get out and vote on Tuesday if you did not vote early!

We have a lot of updates this week, so you’ll want to be sure to check out the full version of the weekly update online! Here are the updates included:

• Details about Vision to Learn, a no-cost opportunity for vision services at school–you can also find out more from the flyer in your child’s family-connect folder.

• Fall school pictures are ready to view and order. Please see the full update for a link and details. Deadline to order is November 16

• We’re still looking for volunteers to help plan one of our family nights! Learn more in the update!

• Finally, the book fair is coming soon–the week of November 9-13!

Again, there are a LOT of updates, so be sure to check online for all of the specifics!

Hope to see you around soon–have a great week!

Updates for week of October 26 available now!
English: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-ENG
en español: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-SPA

Welcome to Quarter 2! I can hardly believe we are already transitioning into the second nine weeks. We have a few important updates this week:

It’s not too late to provide feedback on our school improvement plan–links to the plan and feedback form are included in the full update.

Would you be interested in volunteering to help plan one of our family nights? Our goal is to have two family representatives on each committee to plan events that are meaningful to YOU! If you are interested, please email Principal Jenn or AP Bertson. 

We need your help… to keep our car riders and walkers safe during morning arrival and afternoon pickup. If you bike to school with your child, we would ask that you park in front of the school. Additionally, if you are parking and walking, please do not park directly across from the carpool circle or in the first spot outside of the car rider circle. 

Please be sure to see our full update with all of the important details!

Hope to see you around soon–have a great week!

Updates for week of October 19 available now!
English: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-ENG
en español: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-SPA

I hope you had a great weekend! We enjoyed seeing so many of your on Thursday at our Fall family event! You’ll want to be sure to see our full message to ensure you have access to all of the links–lots to share this week.

This week is our October PTA meeting on Wednesday at 5:30PM. We hope you’ll come and learn about ways to be involved in the coming weeks!

The first week of our 2026 Fall Fundraiser for our PTA was a success–we are just over 25% of our goal. See additional information included –we hope many of you will partner with us to support the PTA in all the ways they support our school!

Finally, our school has approved the 2026-2028 school improvement plan and DPS wants your feedback–see details in our full update. 

Hope to see you around soon–have a great week!

Updates for week of October 5 available now!
English: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-ENG
en español: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-SPA

We turned the calendar last week, and it is officially OCTOBER–wow! After a quiet week of updates last week, we have a lot to share this week–be sure to see the email or text version of the update so you have all of the details!

Wednesday is our first early-release day for this year. We will begin dismissal at 12:15PM. 

Thursday is our school improvement team meeting at 4PM in the media center. Ae will review our 2026-2028 school improvement plan and discuss advocacy for public schools. Spanish interpretation will be available at the SIT meeting. 

Friday is our quarter 1 coffee with the principals. Join me and Ms. Bertson for a cup of coffee and conversation just after morning arrival in the media center. There is no formal agenda, just an opportunity to connect–you get to come with what’s important to you, and we’ll chat about it! Hope to see you there!

Finally, Friday is PICTURE DAY! There is no need to preorder, as online proofs are available for viewing 2-3 weeks after picture day Speaking of pictures, there are a few spots remaining for family picture mini-sessions–sign up online.

Hope to see you around soon–have a great week!

Updates for week of September 28 available now!
English: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-ENG
en español: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-SPA

Good Evening Families, This is Principal Jenn with this week’s updates!

After several busy weeks, we finally have a week with just one big update for the week: Wednesday, September 30, is a teacher workday. Students will not report to school on Wednesday.

Other than that, we’re looking forward to a great week of learning!

Hope to see you around soon–have a great week!

Updates for week of September 21 available now!
English: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-ENG
en español: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-SPA

Good Evening Families, This is Principal Jenn with this week’s updates!

First, Monday is a teacher workday–we look forward to welcoming students back to school  on Tuesday morning. 

Thursday, we will be hosting our final Curriculum Night with a classroom dinner. We hope to see the assigned classes here on Thursday at 5PM. See the full message for remaining class assignments.

Tomorrow, in addition to being a teacher workday is International Peace Day. Each year, Montessori communities pause to recognize our commitment to peace. At George Watts Montessori, we do this with a peace parade. We will have our peace parade on Friday, September 25, just after morning arrival. 

Finally, be on the lookout for progress reports–this mid quarter check in will help provide you a bit of information regarding your child’s early progress this year. 

Be sure to check out the full version of this message in your email or linked in the text–there so many details to share and we want to make sure you have what you need to partner with us to support your child! Hope to see you around soon–have a great week!

It's almost time for the George Watts Montessori Family Picture Fundraiser!

Honor Roll Portraits, our school picture photographer, provides an opportunity for families to schedule mini-sessions for family portraits. The sessions take place at nearby locations and benefit our school! A great chance to update family photos while also supporting George Watts Montessori! This year’s sessions are on October 3, 11, 25, and November 14. Sign-up HERE today! Sign-up is first come and will fill up fast!

Updates for week of September 14 available now! (English: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-ENG/en español: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-SPA)

We are settling into the routines of school and learning! This week and next, we will be hosting our Curriculum Night with a classroom dinner. This will be a great opportunity to see your child’s classroom, hear from their teachers, and make connections with other families in your child’s class. Each class is assigned one of the two dates, September 17 or 24, so be sure to check the full version of this update or communication from your child’s teacher so you know which date to attend.

This Tuesday is our dine-out at Timber Pizza. This will feature both delicious pizza and pints of Locopops ice cream. I hope to see many of you there enjoying a great dinner, while also supporting the George Watts Montessori PTA.

Be sure to check out the full version of this message in your email or linked in the text–there so many details to share and we want to make sure you have what you need to partner with us to support your child! Hope to see you around soon–have a great week!

Updates for week of September 7 available now!
English: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-ENG
en español: https://bit.ly/GWM-Weekly-26-27-SPA

We had a great second week of school, despite the heat keeping us inside for most of the week! Happy the forecast includes a bit of a cool-down, if we can call the upper 80s and low 90s a cool-down. I will note that after the first 10 days of school, we are all a bit exhausted and excited for this three-day weekend; enjoy your labor day and we’ll see you on Tuesday!

This week’s update includes: 

• Information about how to sign up for resources such as weekend food bags, and other available resources.

• The details from the 2026 North Carolina School Report Card for George Watts Montessori.

• Information about communicating absences.

• And our Montessori learning for the week–Montessori didactic materials

Be sure to check out the full update linked above–there so many details to share and we want to make sure you have what you need to partner with us to support your child! Hope to see you around soon–have a great week!

Grounding–an intentional focus on the present

During our staff meeting yesterday, we had professional learning around stress management, including the brain science around sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. This also included tools for managing stress, for both staff and students, such as GROUNDING–an intentional practice of bringing one’s focus to the present moment, in your body or in your surroundings, instead of being trapped by the thoughts in your mind that are causing anxiety.

This morning, our community noticed a rainbow over George Watts Montessori–a beautiful moment in our surroundings on a heavy morning, navigating the real fear in our community brought by increased federal law enforcement activity this week. #gwmpeacematters 

Quarter 1 Family Nights coming up soon! You're invited: https://bit.ly/GWM-Q1Family-2025

You’re Invited: Quarter 1 Family Nights  

5:00-6:30 PM @ George Watts Montessori

• Primary + EC-AU K-2 classes: Thursday, September 25

• Lower El classes: Thursday, September 18

• Upper El + EC-AU 3-5 classes: Tuesday, September 16

Part 1: from 5:00-5:35, parent/guardian and student will visit the classroom to learn more about what the year will look like in the classroom for students. Each grade level band has curated an interactive opportunity for students and guardian.

Part 2: from 5:40-6:30, classroom communities will transition to the playground for a classroom dinner with students and guardians. Look for communication from your room parents about signing up to bring something to share. The PTA will provide pizza and paper plates for all classroom communities. Our hope is this will be a time to build connections with other families from your child’s classroom.