We are just a few weeks out from the start of school, and we want you to be ready!

August 3 Update:

Hello Families,

For those of you who are new to George Watts Montessori, WELCOME! We are so excited for your family to join our community! I hope everyone is having a fun and relaxing summer! I wanted to connect with some summer updates as you prepare to return to school in less than a month–the summers go by so quickly!

Welcome Samaya Dawson-Hart to our front office! We said goodbye to Ms. Rebekah (Woods) at the end of June. Ms. Dawson-Hart will now serve as the data manager for George Watts Montessori. She is busy learning all of the ins and outs and will be available to support our families!

Key dates for the back-to-school season:

• Save the Date: Back-to-School Bash, Wednesday, August 19, 5:30-7PM. Additional details will be shared soon, but save the date 

• Friday, August 21, 8-9:30AM, meet the teacher, for Lower El and Upper El classrooms. Students in grades 1-5 are invited to stop by and meet their teacher and see their classroom in preparation for the first day of school. Primary students (preK & K) will have their meet-the-teacher event on Wednesday, August 26, 4-5PM.

• Monday, August 24, First Day of School. Please note, students in preK and kindergarten will start on a staggered schedule–detailed communication will be provided within the next week.

School supply lists are now posted on our website! While purchasing supplies for your child is helpful, we also have many community partners who will help if you are unable to purchase any supplies. See our supply list HERE.

Opportunities to get involved:

• George Watts Montessori PTA (parent-teacher-association) is an active group of parents seeking to connect the community of GWM and make our school the best learning environment possible for students to engage in learning! The PTA is seeking community volunteers to serve in a variety of roles, both small and medium. If you are interested in learning more, please contact PTA president, Elena Snavely. (elena.snavely@gmail.com).

• George Watts Montessori School Improvement Team (SIT). We are currently seeking nominations to fill two parent-representative positions on our school improvement team. The SIT meets monthly to review school data, discuss improvement ideas, and monitor the progress and implementation of school-improvement initiatives. Additionally, the SIT will discuss topics of interest to the community. SIT positions are two-year positions and a great way to connect with the school and impact school decisions. For more information or to volunteer for nomination, please contact me (jennifer_aguilar@dpsnc.net).

• It’s time to register to volunteer for the 2026-27 school year. Each year, volunteers must re-apply for volunteer approval, which includes a background check. This process can take up to a few weeks, so we encourage you to take a minute to apply now to ensure you have approval to volunteer in time for the 2026-27 school year! You can learn more and register HERE.

We are excited for the upcoming school year and look forward to connecting with each and every one of you! I hope the remainder of your summer is filled with fun, relaxation, and connection. Our offices are open from 8AM-2PM Monday through Thursday this summer–please let us know if we can serve you in any way!

Jenn Aguilar, GWM principal

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.