A Back-to-School Message from Head of School Sarah Williams
 

Dear Families,

As we welcome students and families back to WMS, we are beginning the year with a simple but important intention: to make space for every member of our community so they feel a sense of belonging and have opportunities to contribute and be heard. Welcoming a community is about more than being kind and making one another feel comfortable. It means creating the conditions for meaningful participation—for students to have voice and agency, for faculty and staff to bring their expertise and perspectives, and for families to be genuine partners in the life of our school. In the weeks leading up to the first day of school, we spent considerable time thinking about what it means to move beyond simply welcoming people into our community to intentionally ensuring that everyone has a meaningful place within it. This intentionality shapes how we listen, collaborate and make decisions and, ultimately, how we create an environment where every person knows their presence matters.

WMS’s commitment to partnership is one of the things that makes our school so special. Our Co-op Program, for instance, is intentionally designed around the belief that children benefit when families and educators work together as members of the same community. Our families also have the opportunity to observe classrooms regularly and see what happens in their child’s Montessori environment firsthand, from Pre-Primary through Middle School—a practice considered a hallmark of an authentic Montessori community. Observation creates shared understanding between home and school and provides families a window into the thoughtful, purposeful work happening here every day. Just as importantly, our faculty and staff value what families bring to the school: their knowledge of their children, their questions, ideas and perspectives. We believe the strongest school communities are built through partnership and transparency, not just communication.

Our first days of school, along with the family events leading up to them, have been full of excitement for the year ahead. We’ve had the opportunity to connect and experience the collective joy of being part of a close-knit community. As we continue celebrating the start of another wonderful school year at WMS, let’s keep investing in the relationships that support our students’ learning and well-being. That happens through the conversations we have, the questions we ask, the perspectives we consider and the ways we show up for one another.

Sarah Williams
Head of School