WMS COVID-19 FAQ

Wilmington Montessori School has put a number of safety measures into place and will continue to research best practices and follow licensing guidelines. Our most up-to-date policies can be viewed here.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, WMS has remained in close communication with Delaware Department of Education Office of Child Care Licensing (OCCL), along with other schools in the region and beyond. In addition, we continue to receive information from the Delaware Division of Public Health and CDC, while also considering the specific needs of our WMS community.
 

Age-appropriate face coverings for students must be used while indoors at WMS. Per the State of Delaware's Emergency Mask Requirement (which now extends until 2/8/22), WMS requires that all staff members and children (regardless of vaccination status) in the Primary through Middle School programs wear face coverings while indoors. Masks with valves (even those with filters) are not allowed. Face coverings should fit properly, covering the nose and mouth without gaps on the side. 

Children and staff are permitted to remove their masks when outdoors and maintaining physical distancing on the WMS campus. Staff will model and encourage age-appropriate physical distancing.

Exception: Masks must be worn by students and staff during screenings at drop-off.

Please review the following page for details: WMS Response to Positive COVID-19 Case

Access to the inside of the WMS building is currently limited to staff, students and approved contractors only. For the first time in the history of WMS, parents and family members are asked to remain in their cars, in the car line and not enter the building unless there is an urgent need. We look forward to welcoming you back into our building when it is safe to do so.

The opening/closing times for each program level are the same:

• Middle School, 8 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
• Elementary, 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Primary, 8:45 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
• Toddler, 9 a.m.-3:15 p.m.

Children will be dropped off and picked up from the areas designated for their program level to minimize contact between pods and avoid travel throughout the school.

In the case of multiple children from the same family, the children will be dropped off at the location of the oldest sibling's drop-off spot, and will be picked up at the location of the youngest child’s designated pick-up spot.

WMS teachers and staff will meet students at their cars and safely escort them into the building after temperature checks and brief health screenings (students and staff must be masked during this process).

• Toddlers will be dropped off and picked up at the entrance behind the pool house at the toddler playground. They will enter the building near the fish tank in the Aspen Wing.
• Primary, elementary and middle school students attending before- or after-care will dropped off/picked up at the Great Room entrance. 
• All other Primary students will enter/exit the building via the main entrance.
• All other elementary and middle school students will enter/exit the building through the side entrance of the school.

Signs will be posted to ease confusion.

Yes, but it will look a bit different than past years.

WMS was founded by parents and values the involvement of families in their children’s education. Each year, WMS requires our families to participate in the Co-op Program by completing their annual co-op hours, which, for the two years prior to the pandemic, was a 25-hour per family per school year obligation. Due to considerations regarding COVID-19, the requirement will be 10 hours for the 2021-22 school year. We know that we will begin the year allowing only students and staff in the school building, and we are uncertain about when that may change. Therefore, families will be able to complete their hours by attending online parent education programs and supporting our classrooms through activities that can be completed from home.

We look forward to continuing our strong partnership with you and your family. 

Field trips are an important part of students’ learning, offering first-hand experiences related to the curriculum. At this time, we are not planning outside field trips for our students; however, many classrooms are taking advantage of opportunities to take virtual field trips to museums and other locations and connect with experts via Zoom meetings. Pre-approved guests may also visit our school for on-campus field trips.

• Illness or treatment for an illness
• Doctor’s appointment
• Communicable disease
• Death in family or circle of friends
• Religious holiday
• Personal/family emergency
• Suspension from school
• Legal business 

Starting with the week of November 29, we are requiring that all WMS students be tested for COVID-19 on a weekly basis, regardless of their vaccination status. Please visit our current COVID-19 Testing Requirements page and watch the Wednesday Weekly newsletter for updates and deadlines. Students will not be permitted to attend school if results are not received by the listed deadlines.

Results should be submitted to covidresults@wmsde.org.