As you may know, MSOW elementary and middle school students have been taking the Forward Exam over the past several weeks. This is series of standardized tests offered in Wisconsin to measure student achievement against learning benchmarks. MSOW is a private, independent school and we complete the Forward Exam as a component of our relationship with the School District of Waukesha as a Community Partner School. Results demonstrate that MSOW, applying an authentic Montessori curriculum scope and sequence, maintains a very high level of academic achievement. Testing will conclude April 24th and results from the 2026 Forward Exam will be available by mid-June.

Below, is an overview of the MSOW results from last year's 2025 Forward Exam. We used these results to form continuous improvement goals.  Results in English Language Arts (ELA), Science, and Social Studies show MSOW students are consistently scoring well above both the local district and the state averages at all levels. In math, we see solid results too but our highest levels of achievement occur in middle school, after students complete Montessori's total scope and sequence.

Parents may have heard the saying: children first learn to read, and later they read to learn. In the early years, students focus on building strong reading skills. By the time they reach Upper Elementary, reading becomes an essential tool for learning new and more abstract content. At this stage, students rely less on Montessori materials—though they are still available—and more on reading to understand new ideas. 

Looking at English Language Arts, 24% more MSOW students are in the meeting expectations or advanced categories when compared to the local district and almost 29% more than the state.  If we look at only the students who scored at the advanced level in English Language Arts, MSOW has about 4% more in the advanced category than the local district and 7% more than the state.

Looking at science,  again, almost 24% more MSOW students are in the meeting expectations or advanced categories in Science when compared to the local district, and almost 26% more students than the state were in those categories.  If we look at only the students who scored at the advanced level in science, MSOW has about 8% more in the advanced category than the local district and 11.5% more than the state.

Social Studies   41% more MSOW students are in the meeting expectations or advanced categories in Social Studies when compared to the local district, and  40% more than the state has in those categories.  If we look at only the students who scored at the advanced level in Social Studies, MSOW has about 21% more in the advanced category than the local district and about 22% more than the state. 

Now let's look at Math -  When we look at math, our results show a different pattern than the other 3 areas. Overall, MSOW has 2% fewer students in the combined total of students in the meeting and advanced categories compared to the local district, but still 4% of the students more than the state. When looking at just the students in the advanced category in math, MSOW has 9% fewer students in that category than the local district and 3% fewer than the state. What happened? Keep reading…

While our eyebrows went up too when we saw these results, we did find that when we looked at student progress over time, we saw extremely positive results. As we looked at levels individually, we saw that by the time our students reached 8th grade and had completed the Montessori scope and sequence at MSOW, nearly all were meeting expectations or advanced in math.  

Let's look at our 8th graders’ math results:  90% of our 8th grade students were in the meeting or advanced categories. This is 40% more students than the local district, and 40% more than the state has in those categories.  

If we look at only the 8th grade students who scored at the advanced level in Math, MSOW has about 27% more students in the advanced category than the local district and 28% more in the advanced category than the state. 50% were now at the advanced level.  Both categories were well above district and state scores in math.

This suggests that our Montessori math scope and sequence builds strong mathematical understandings as students move through the grades. 

We also had to wonder if the way mathematical knowledge is assessed on standardized tests, which has been adjusted over time, had any impact on our students. Now, local districts and the state put an emphasis on the student knowing how to explain their thinking and how to show the detail behind their process for getting the answer. 

Still, when we analyzed our historical performance in math, we found that we still want to be proactive and look for more information in the data. 

To better understand and strengthen student performance in math in the elementary grades, we’ve purchased and have begun using a diagnostic assessment tool called Aimsweb in both reading and math during the 2025-26 academic year for students in 5K trhough 6th grade. This short assessment is more "real time" and helps us identify and target specific learning and skill gaps early - so teachers can tailor their instruction to meet students’ individual needs. Areas of strength are identified too. 

The goal is to ensure that all students build a solid foundation in math from the start, strengthening even more, the strong outcomes we already see by the completion of middle school. 

Aimsweb is delivered three times per year to the 5K - 6th year students AND can be done weekly if it is determined that progress monitoring would be helpful.

In all areas, we would also like to see more of our students move from the meeting expectations category to the advanced category. 

It is important to recognize that achievement and growth are two separate things. A child can be high achieving, but are they growing? This is an area identified for continuous improvement too and Aimsweb also helps us monitor this aspect of a student’s learning. 

Bethany Mueller, MSOW Director of Students shared this learning outcome information at the Board of Trustees Annual Meeting earlier this year.

Over spring break, construction activity ramped up significantly. One of the most noticeable efforts was the large-scale excavation work. Crews hauled out a substantial amount of dirt—using a rotation of 14 dump trucks throughout each day—and there is still more to be removed. The soil being taken away is primarily subsoil, while the valuable topsoil is being carefully preserved in a designated pile on campus for redistribution once construction is complete. In addition, we utilized ground-penetrating radar to scan beneath the existing gym floor, identifying two electrical conduits and a sewer line. These have now been documented and clearly marked to ensure safe construction when the gym remodel begins in June.

There have also been several changes to our outdoor spaces. Playground equipment, including the teeter-totter and green spinner, has been relocated to the Saturn Playground, along with the black edging that previously contained the pea gravel. That edging has been repurposed to create a larger sandbox area around the gazebo, similar to the one at the top of the hill. The ga-ga pit has been temporarily removed and will be reinstalled on the North Playground at a later time. Additionally, both Children’s House patios have been removed—CH1’s older deck will eventually be replaced with a concrete patio, while CH5’s patio was removed to make way for a key connection point in the new addition. Behind Campus West, VJS Construction has set up their trailer and temporary facilities, and inside the main building, plumbing work has begun in the ceiling to prepare for connecting the new additions.

Weather presented a few challenges, with rain impacting progress midweek. Even so, steady progress continues, and we appreciate everyone’s flexibility and support as we move forward with this exciting transformation of our campus. If you haven't already, take a drive down University and take a look at the action!

On March 26, Diane Nienas—author of the Living Life with Leo children’s book series and mother of Leo, who used a wheelchair due to the rare genetic disorder leukodystrophy—visited our school to share her inspiring story with Children's House Extended Day students.

During her visit, Ms. Nienas read aloud one of her books in an engaging, interactive session. Students eagerly participated by guessing rhyming words at the end of each stanza and searching for “Carl,” the hidden Cardinal featured on every page.

The Living Life with Leo series promotes inclusion, kindness, and acceptance by highlighting Leo’s adventures and joyful spirit. Despite facing significant physical challenges, Leo embraced life fully and participated in many of the same activities as other children. Through personal stories, Ms. Nienas helped students understand that differences do not limit a person’s ability to live a rich and meaningful life.

Extended Day Students Discover the Philippines

Jane Greenwood and her daughter, Lailah—an Upper Elementary 3 student—welcomed Extended Day students into the vibrant world of the Philippines during their World Languages presentation. 

They began by introducing common Filipino words, guiding students through everyday vocabulary such as numbers, colors, greetings, and family terms. The pair then explored the Philippines’ unique wildlife, highlighting a variety of animals found across the islands, and showcased notable landmarks that helped bring the country’s beauty and history to life.

Food was a highlight of the presentation. Jane and Lailah described popular Filipino dishes, sparking curiosity and excitement about new flavors and traditions. They also shared a fascinating look at public transportation in the Philippines, explaining how jeepneys, tricycles, and buses serve as essential—and often colorful—modes of daily travel.

To conclude, they shared an impressive fact: the Philippines is made up of 7,641 islands, each contributing to the nation’s incredible diversity.

Through their engaging and heartfelt presentation, Jane and Lailah invited students not only to learn about the Philippines, but to experience its culture, language, and everyday life.

M.S.O.W. celebrates the Fine Arts on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 5-8 P.M.  The Gymnasium at Main Campus is transformed into an Art Gallery that shows the work of every single Elementary and Middle School student. While Elementary and Middle School students who participate in M.S.O.W. Orchestra classes or private music instruction will be performing throughout the evening in the Campus West classrooms. 

The Art Gallery in the gymnasium is open continuously from 5:00 to 7:30 P.M. Every elementary and middle school student will have a work showing in the gallery. Our Makers Marketplace will also be open in the gallery throughout the evening. While enjoying the gallery, you will also notice a pictorial story of how our newest art installation was created. This amazing piece was inspired by the Montessori Great Lessons. We invite you to go upstairs and enjoy the piece in person. You will find it in the North Expansion hallway between the LE 2 and LE 3 classrooms.

Music performances are scheduled to begin every 30 minutes to facilitate audiences moving in and out while still providing a good performance situation for the student performers. Recitals feature students performing on voice and various musical instruments. Recitals take place in the Middle School classroom and the Campus West Music classroom at 5:00-5:30, 5:30-6:00, 6:00-6:30, 6:30-7:00, 7:00-7:30, and 7:30-8:00 (if needed.) Schedules are posted on the doors at Campus West. Rest your feet for 30 minutes and enjoy the music provided by our students.

Students in Elementary and Middle School who take private lessons on an instrument or voice are invited to register to perform at Fine Arts Night. If you have a student interested in performing in one of the recitals contact Ms. Lygia (ltopolovec@msow.org) or Ms. Sara (sschmitz@msow.org) directly.

We invite you all to celebrate the arts with M.S.O.W. on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, 5:00-8:00 P.M.