Wilmington Montessori School FY21 Annual Report

ANNUAL REPORT | September 1, 2020 – August 31, 2021
Wilmington Montessori School
Today’s Learners; Tomorrow’s Leaders.

OUR MISSION
Wilmington 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 & Ann Hriciga
Dear WMS Families and Friends,
This annual report tells the story of the 2021 fiscal year at
Wilmington Montessori School – a year of necessary creativity
and innovation.
Outdoor learning in the 9-12 Program
Outdoor production of “Peter Pan”
Outdoor classroom set up
As we ended the 2018-19 school year and began FY20, our community
came together to use design thinking to create a forward-looking
strategic plan for WMS. In March 2020, the global
pandemic made it necessary to place that work on hold and
dedicate our efforts to ensuring a safe and healthy school environment
for children. This continued to be our focus through
the 2020-21 school year as we worked together to provide safe
on-campus learning to our students, along with offering a virtual
learning option to families who preferred to keep their children
at home.
As we entered the current fiscal year, we continued to prioritize
health and safety while also refocusing on our strategic plan and
what we learned through the planning process. The new plan
centers on staying true to our commitment to a Montessori education
including increased use of our outdoor spaces, faculty
development in the areas of cognitive neuroscience and project-based
learning, and expanding our marketing presence. This
work is beginning in earnest, with more to share in the coming
months.
During FY21, we found the need to engage in WMS traditions in
creative ways. Our open houses, parent education events and
meetings all moved to a virtual platform. WMS values our connection
with families, which looked a bit different, but remained
strong throughout the year. Families were invited inside WMS
through Zoom meetings. Virtual classroom observations were
conducted so that parents could see their children in action.
Tours were given and brief videos were shared that allowed new
families to see every aspect of our well-appointed Montessori
classrooms. Parent question and answer sessions were held
regularly to keep the lines of communication open and help
annual report 2020-21 • 1

Virtual Montessori Model United Nations; Outdoor learning in the 6-9 Program
families get a peek into the daily life inside the building. Student performances were shared through
videos, culminating in an outdoor movie night to share the Upper Elementary students’ performance
of “Peter Pan: The Musical.” Filming this production allowed students to use the whole campus, including
the outdoor stage and woods! It was a team effort involving even more creativity and innovation.
During the 2020-21 school year, our sixth through eighth grade students participated in the Montessori
Model United Nations (MMUN) once again. This year, however, they attended the conference
virtually. They were able to experience the collaborative efforts of working with students throughout
the world as they negotiated solutions for global issues. Although they would have preferred to be in
person, this virtual platform allowed parents and staff to watch the students in action, sharing their
chosen country’s perspective on a variety of topics. The experience gave many of us a view of just how
important this conference is in furthering Dr. Montessori’s vision of creating peace through education.
As the year wound down, we enjoyed an outdoor graduation ceremony for the first time. It allowed us
to truly celebrate the accomplishments of the Class of 2021, with Class of 2012 alumnus Michael Jones
sending them off to a variety of local high schools to continue their education with a strong Wilmington
Montessori School foundation.
Though this year presented challenges, it also presented great opportunities. We once again were
reminded of the strength of our community, the dedication of our staff, families and alumni, and the
innovative spirit that exists in the heart of our school. We thank you for your continued support, your
questions and ideas, and your dedication to Montessori education. We look forward to continuing our
partnership.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
(2020-21)
Ann Hriciga, Chair
Joe Abele
Jayme Banks
Calissa Brown
Israel Floyd
Richard Gulino
Lisa Hastings-Sheppard
Joe Martin
Anna Quisel
Paul Sakaguchi
Stephanie Simms
Mayura Simon
Susie Ventresca
Zehra Wamiq
Lisa A. Lalama
Head of School
Ann Hriciga
Chair, WMS Board of Directors
ADVISORY BOARD
Giuliana de Grazia
Audrey Doberstein
Marie M. Dugan
Michèle LeFever Quinn
Nancy Karibjanian
Deborah Murray-Shepherd
William Ryan
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ALUMNI PROFILE: Michael Jones (WMS ’12)
Graduation Speaker Shares Passion for Learning and Life
Mechanical engineer. Writer. Musician. Actor. Eagle Scout. Lifelong learner. These are
just a few of the words and phrases that describe WMS’s well-rounded 2021 graduation
speaker, Michael Jones (Class of 2012).
Michael, who is now a senior mechanical engineering major at the University of Maryland,
started at WMS as a 3-year-old in the Primary (3-6) Program. In his sixth-grade
memory book, he shared that he didn’t want to enter his new classroom on that first
day, clutching his mother’s leg and screaming. When he finally entered the room, he was
immediately enthralled by everything there was to see and do. By the end of the day, he
had made new friends and was so happy in his new classroom environment that when
his mother picked him up, he yelled that he didn’t want to leave!
A decade later, Michael is still eager to return to WMS when he has the chance. He has
come a long way since those days in the Primary classroom, but at least two things have
stayed the same – his love of learning and connection with WMS.
While he loved school, not everything came easily to him during his time at WMS. “I
remember the long hours I spent just trying to improve my reading skills alone, as it was
something I struggled with in my early education,” Michael said.
Michael Jones at 2021 Graduation
Michael Jones playing soccer in sixth grade
As a student in the Upper Elementary (9-12) Program, his favorite academic classes were
math and science. He never saw himself as a writer and was surprised to be honored by
the Delaware Division of Libraries as part of the state-wide “Letters about Literature”
contest. He won the first place award for his letter to Andrea Warren, the author of “Letters
to Hitler,” and received a cash prize, which he donated to the WMS library.
Michael truly took advantage of everything WMS had to offer, not only academically but
in extracurricular activities as well. He played soccer, basketball and lacrosse (and lots of
wall ball at recess) and found a love for theater and music through performances led by
former WMS music teacher Kelly Rhodunda. As a 9-12 student, Michael 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 in “WMKR: The Journey of Jazz.”
“From my experiences at WMS, I was
able to make my education my own, find
my own path, and build skills that would
serve me for the rest of my life.
annual report 2020-21 • 3

“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 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. He continued his involvement with theater through high school,
playing lead roles in musicals like “Evita,” “In the Heights” and “Bye Bye Birdie.” His love for music
also inspired him to join the concert band as a percussionist in middle school – he would continue
drumming through high school and in college as the drumline section leader for the Mighty Sound of
Maryland Marching Band.
Michael also joined the Boy Scouts as a WMS student and would later complete his Eagle Scout
project on our campus, constructing an outdoor easel and seating for the Primary playground.
Michael Jones performing in
“Old Man Rambles.”
“Looking back toward my own WMS experience, I am still extremely thankful for the opportunities I
had,” Michael told the WMS class of 2021. “These opportunities, some of which included strengthening
skills in math/science/technology, writing and performing ‘unique’ skits for the talent show, participating
in summer camp, and even simply playing wall-ball at recess, all provided important lessons,
whether I knew it at the time or not. From my experiences at WMS, I was able to make my education
my own, find my own path, and build skills that would serve me for the rest of my life.”
Stay in touch! We love to hear
from our alumni! Please
send your news to
alumni@wmsde.org.
The love of math and science Michael developed as a student at WMS has continued through his academic
career, and as he prepares to graduate from college this spring, he will be putting those lessons
(and a few more advanced ones he learned in college) to good use.
At the University of Maryland, Michael was accepted into the Quality Enhancement Systems and
Teams (QUEST) honors program where most notably he and his team worked with Oceaneering
International to improve their cost estimation process. He also interned in the mechanical engineering
branch at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and later at Northrop Grumman, where he was
offered a full-time job as a hardware engineer following his graduation. “As a hardware engineer, I will
improve existing or design new hardware for various space system projects,” he explained. “I’ll hopefully
be involved in the design, manufacturing and test phases of hardware.”
While Michael knows that post-college life will look a lot different from his life today, he has learned to
embrace change and transitions in life.
“Anything new in our lives can cause a certain degree of fear because of the uncertainty it may bring,
but I say don’t let that discourage you. If I can offer any advice today, it’s this: transitions in your life
can bring new and exciting opportunities, but it is ultimately up to you to take them,” he told the class
of 2021. “And no matter where you go in life, no matter how far you go, you always have a place to call
home in WMS.”
“Transitions in your life can bring new and exciting opportunities,
but it is ultimately up to you to take them.
”
– Michael Jones, during his 2021 graduation speech
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ANNUAL FUND 2020-21
Wilmington Montessori School would like to thank the following donors for their support of the 2020-21 Annual Fund
(as of August 31, 2021). With your help, we raised more than $78,000 to support ongoing professional development,
outdoor learning, health and safety updates, technology and arts enhancements, financial aid, and many other operating
expenses that are not covered by the cost of tuition. Thank you to our 2020-21 Annual Fund chair David Kubacki for his leadership
and commitment to Wilmington Montessori School.
World Globe Friend ($5,000 and above)
Michael Coughlin and Ann Hriciga
Becca and Rick Gulino
The Lintner Family
Christine and Garrett Moritz
Joe Nemecz and Nancy Karibjanian
The Quisel Snyder Family
William P. Roberts, III
Golden Bead Friend ($2,500 to $4,999)
Laurent and Nastasha Chardonnet
Israel and Patricia Floyd
Sharon E. Miller
Pink Tower Friend ($1,000 to $2,499)
Anonymous
Calissa and Allan Brown
Cub Scout Pack 1313
Mr. and Mrs. Francis Julian
Ted, Laura, Sean, Quinn & Ryan Kirkpatrick
Athena and David Ruhl
Paul Sakaguchi
Patricia M. Scott
Geoffrey and Mayura Simon
The Sultan Family
Geometric Solid Friend ($500 to $999)
Donna Bissey and Michael Hartman
The Bradley Family
Joanne Capano
The Downes Family
Kenneth* and Mary Louise Kubacki
K.C. and Young Kwon
Lisa A. Lalama
Mary MaloneyHuss and Benjamin Goldstein
The Pachowka Family
Pam and Jeffrey Politis
William T. Ryan, III
Stephanie Simms
Trinomial Cube Friend ($250 to $499)
The Abele Weymouth Family
Michael and Becky Allen
Paul and Leslie Bastianelli
Gary D. Finger
Indroneel Ghosh
The Hayman Family
Jen and Frank Luckangelo
Susan Ventresca and David Ropars
Brown Stairs Friend ($100 to $249)
Daniel Potter
Donald Potter
The Reiters
The Schieffer Family
Sally L. Seletos
Lisa and David Sheppard
Cathy Simon Cord
Shweta Srikanth
Jeannie Stith-Mawhinney
Stephani Thompson
Barb Trotto
James and Priya Wake
*Deceased
annual report 2020-21 • 5

Sarah Williams
Linda Zankowsky
Cathy and JT Zimmerman
Joseph and Bonnie Zogby
Friends of WMS (Up to $99)
Renée Anderson
Anonymous
Mandy Balanetsky
Banks Family
Linda A. Barclay
Pamela Bargren
Sandra and Basil Battaglia
David Bostick and Ursula Guillen
The Boyers
Sean and Ana Brown
Laurel Brown
Marie Brown
Patricia Callaway and Malcolm Christoph
Neil and Sarah Campbell
Castellano Family
Hilde Colton
The Connelly Family
Michele Lee Cornish
Ann Deas
Christopher Dougherty
Sharon Entzminger
Mary Falkenburg
Theresa Fagan
Marilyn Faralli
Darla J. Flowers
Donna Gatewood
Mia Garibaldi-Godoy
Sharon Gilbert
Kerry Haley
Tarek Hajri and Saoussen Sarraj
Jill Hallissey
Harris Family
Phanna Hem and Tu Thai
Shelby and Brian Kaufman
Emily Kofke
Ping Lai
Carol Lettich
Cristin Lettich
Blayze and Allison Lewis
Carolyn Malatesta
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The Margolin Family
Jeannie McMullen and Erin O’Brien
Andrew and Lisa Morris
Laurie Muhlbauer
Elizabeth Napolin
Yvonne Nass
Laurie Orsic
Himani and Mrugesh Patel
Linda Pirlot
Emmy Pittarelli
Victoria Pittarelli
Corey Rhoads and
Gabrielle Sassone-Rhoads
Guy and Robin Romero
Luke Scheuer
Paula A. Sharpe
BrendaRose Simkin
Jaron and Yasha Simms
Pat Sumner
Faith Thorpe
Alli Trotto
Mike and Stephanie VenDouern
Elaine Walsh
Ariel Wang
Taylor Warrington-Purcell
The Wehler Family
Michael Werth
Amelia Wiggins
Erin Winner
Kathy Wittig-Valtos
Meredith Woods
Bianca Young

In Memory of Evelyn Abrams
Tom Abrams
In Honor of Mark Bomgardner
Kathryn Lloyd and Kerwin Dobbs
In Honor of Marie Dugan
Robert and MaryAnne Grenfell
Paul Szkotak
In Honor of Marie Dugan and All of the
Staff and Teachers Over the Decades
Don and Joyce Hutchison
In Memory of Kimberly Sullivan Giles
The Giles Family
In Honor of Janet Hewitt and
Pat Sumner
Grace, David and Olivia Kubacki
In Honor of Sophia and
Skylar Holbrook
Christopher and Kay Holbrook
In Memory of Dolores Morra
The Garvin Family
In Honor of Room 19 Teachers
Erin Wehler and Sharon Entzminger
Grace, David and Olivia Kubacki
Corporations, Foundations and
Government
Amazon
General Mills Box Tops for Education
PayPal
Reach Development
Matching Gifts
AstraZeneca PLC
Giving Assistant, Inc.
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.
Incyte Corporation
Spur Impact Association
We deeply regret any errors or omissions.
Please notify our development staff of any corrections
at 302-475-0555 or giving@wmsde.org.
annual report 2020-21 • 7

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 2020-21
Fiscal year 2021 was our second year under the cloud of COVID-19. However, with the support of families, students, staff and the
WMS Board of Directors, we were able to keep our school open for in-person learning through the entire year.
School-year enrollment declined during FY21, primarily due to families keeping their early childhood-age children at home due to the
uncertainty of COVID-19. However, our 2021 summer camp program showed a significant increase in enrollment compared to the
previous summer.
As was the case for many organizations and businesses around the world, FY21 was a challenging year for WMS in every way, including
our finances. Along with lower enrollment, expenses were higher due to the pandemic. WMS, like many child-care centers and schools,
received grants from the federal and state governments to help off-set the financial impact.
We spent $90,000 on capital expenditures to maintain and enhance our campus, and plan to make continual improvements to our
classrooms, building and grounds.
Community Gifts
As always, we are thankful to everyone in our community for all of the many ways you provide support every year.
Annual FundAuction
Other
SOURCES OF FUNDRAISING
REVENUE: $102,229
13%
10%
Covid-19 Contributions | $10,540
annual fund | $78,724
other | $12,965
77%
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EXPENSES: $3,294,791
Salaries & Benefits
64%
facilities, Maintenance
& Operations
20%
Financial Aid
12%
Classroom &
Educational Expenses
4%
0 16 32 48 64 80
REVENUE AND SUPPORT: $4,914,091
Tuition & Fees
46%
Government Grants &
other Cares Act
Funding
34%
Other Programs
10%
Investment Income
8%
Contributions
2%
0 10 20 30 40 50
annual report 2020-21 • 9

Class of
THE MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARS
2021
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annual report 2020-21 • 11

Highlights
2020-21

OUTDOOR LEARNING Montessori Way