Montessori School of Waukesha

Message from the Head of School

Welcome to a new school year! Maria Montessori reminds us, “Free the child’s potential, and you will transform him into the world.” We believe each child carries within them a unique purpose—what Dr. Montessori called a cosmic task—a contribution only they can make to their community and to humanity. Our role as parents and educators is to guide, prepare, and encourage, while trusting the child’s natural path of growth. As we begin this year together, may we celebrate the unfolding of each child’s individuality and the promise they hold for the world, as we continue to fulfill our mission at MSOW: To foster each child's potential and a lifelong love of learning.

I look forward to seeing everyone at our annual Homecoming Event tomorrow!

Brenda Zellmer, Head of School

Homecoming 2025 Tomorrow!

Picture Day-Visit Your Classroom-Enjoy the Food Trucks-Montessori Marketplace

See you at MSOW Homecoming!

Tuesday, August 26, from 10 AM - 3PM

Join MSOW Families, Students, and Alumni for our annual Homecoming event. Visit the classrooms, meet your teachers, drop off supplies, and find your hook and drawer/cubbie. Don't forget to visit the Montessori Marketplace, grab lunch at the food trucks, check out the School event schedule, and learn about MSOW Scouts, our fabulous fall event called Montestarry Night, and more!

"Say Cheeeeese!"

Did you make your child's school photo appointment yet?

Picture Day is during Homecoming - August 26th in the Gym.

Click the link below to schedule your photo appointment

with Empire Photography and avoid long lines!

MSOW Picture Day Appointment

Food Trucks available at Homecoming 2025

Be sure to check out the menus of these delicious food trucks and come hungry! (Some of the trucks only take cash.) Click on the links below to explore the food truck options:

Scott's Doghouse

Wilma's Smokehouse

RonDaVu Shave Ice

We still need some help with setup on Monday, August 25th

from 3:30-6:30 pm if you are available. More volunteer opportunities are available the morning of the event on Tuesday, August 26th too. Review the many volunteer and donation opportunities by visiting the link below.

Click Here to Volunteer!

Get Your Spirit Wear!

Online Store Open Today thru September 11,

CLICK HERE TO SHOP NOW!

Spirit Wear- CLICK HERE TO SHOP NOW!

Faculty and Staff First Aid, CPR, and AED Training

Many MSOW faculty and staff members completed an on-campus training course approved by the American Red Cross on August 19th. The course included instruction in first aid, CPR, and use of an AED device. At MSOW, all employees are required to maintain current certification in First Aid/CPR/AED for Adult/Child through the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association. Pictured are the faculty and staff who were due to be trained this year. Certification is verified through a valid certificate of completion or certification card which needs to be updated every two years. Joining our employees this year was MSOW alumni, Ryder Setter, who was earning his certification to support his Eagle Scout candidacy. Ryder is pictured on the far right next to Mr. Crotteau - who earned his Eagle Scout status when he was about Ryder's age!

Meet the Classroom Teams and Specialists

Pre Children's House

Lead: BriAnne Brinkman (Center)

Paraprofessionals: Sarah Brimmer and Ann Mather

Children's House 1

Interim Lead: Sam El-Azem (Right)

Paraprofessional: Sandy Sullivan

Children's House 1

Children's House 1 Lead Teacher Camille Cruz is currently taking a leave of absence and when she returns, will resume her role as CH1 Lead. Sam will resume her role as CH1 Para and Sandy will return to her role as MSOW School Support Specialist.

Children's House 2

Lead: Molly Vermiglio (Right)

Paraprofessional: Kim Heyer

Children's House 3

Lead: Jenny Kell

Paraprofessional: Ally Aiello

Children's House 4

Lead: Heather Abasovski (Right)

Paraprofessional: Sarah Gerbasi

Children's House 5

Lead: Anne Crneckiy (Right)

Paraprofessional: Huong Tran

Lower Elementary 1

Lead: Devin Veselenak

Paraprofessional: Hannah Van Eerden

Lower Elementary 2

Lead: Sarah Chow (Right)

Paraprofessional: Jennifer Michaels

Lower Elementary 3

Lead: Catherine Lecke

Paraprofessional: Amy Brown

Lower Elementary 4

Lead: Jenna Schuettpelz

Paraprofessional: Jean Martinez

Upper Elementary 1

Lead: Abbey Blunck

Paraprofessional: Laura Kau

Upper Elementary 2

Lead: Elizabeth Wells (Right)

Paraprofessional: Tori Kelley

Upper Elementary 3

Lead: Taylor Burczyk

Paraprofessional: Crystal Thao

Middle School

Lead: Brian Bednarek (Right)

Lead: Luke Crotteau (Center)

Paraprofessional: Jackie Kascht

Lead Strings Specialist and Children's House General Music Teacher:

Lygia Topolovec

Lead Spanish Specialist: Evelyn Les

Lead Art Specialist: Gina Viola

Lead General Music Specialist: Sara Schmitz

Lead Physical Education Specialist: Sarah Harvey

Lead Mindfulness and Nutrition Specialist: Sarah O'Reilly

Next Week- Meet the rest of the MSOW Team Members: Administration, Support Staff, After School Care Staff, and MSOW Board of Trustees

Mark Your Calendars for These Upcoming Events!

Coming Soon-Watch for a Montestarry Night email for more information

MSOW Family Night!

Merrill Crest Park

616 S. University Dr. Waukesha

(Less than a mile from MSOW)

Montessori School of Waukesha: Let’s Make the Outside Shine as Bright as the Inside!

Read the descriptions below to learn more about volunteer opportunities to help tidy the MSOW grounds.

1 Hour + Your Family = Beautiful Grounds

Pre-Children’s House: Please pull up the grass that is growing in the stone areas of the playground. The grass clumps come up fairly easily. Please leave the pile of weeds in the corner of the stone area - they should not go in the dumpster. Our lawn mowing service will collect them. Thank you!

Added opportunity to help: We appreciate any added assistance with the large front berm of the school. It can use some attention with weeds that grew through the mulch and landscape cloth placed earlier this summer. Pick a section of the berm and remove the weeds please. Leave the weeds in a pile under the pine tree on the west end of the berm. Do not put the weeds in the dumpster please. Thank you!

MSOW Grounds Clean Up SIGN UP HERE

Children’s House 1

Children’s House 1: Please remove the scrub tree from the hydrangea bush, cut it into pieces and leave it in a pile by the edge of the deck. Please do not put debris in the dumpsters. Gather any wayward (broken) items that fell off the deck and dispose of them in the dumpsters. Thank you!

Added opportunity to help: The CH1 outside areas won’t take long. We appreciate any added assistance with the large front berm of the school. It can use some attention with weeds that grew through the mulch and landscape cloth placed earlier this summer. Pick a section of the berm and remove the weeds please. Leave the weeds in a pile under the pine tree on the west end of the berm. Do not put the weeds in the dumpster please. Thank you!

MSOW Grounds Clean Up SIGN UP HERE

Children’s House 2

Children’s House 2: The Children’s House 2 patio area does not have much to clean up so please tidy the plantings along the large windows and then turn your attention to the planting area around Saturn.

Added opportunity to help. Saturn is located on the Saturn Playground along Summit Avenue and there is a planting area around the base of Saturn that has some weeds growing again - especially on the south side. Please pull the weeds all around the base and leave them in a pile, on the grass, next to the Saturn Walkway. Our lawn mowing service will take care of them. Thank you!

MSOW Grounds Clean Up SIGN UP HERE

Children’s House 3

Children’s House 3: The Children’s House 3 patio area does not have much to clean up so please tidy up anything that has fallen off the deck - items in good shape may be placed on the deck. Broken items may be placed in the dumpster. Thank you!

Added opportunity to help: The CH3 outside areas won’t take long. We appreciate any added assistance with the large front berm of the school. It can use some tidying attention with weeds that grew through the mulch and landscape cloth placed earlier this summer. Pick a section of the berm and remove the weeds please. Leave the weeds in a pile under the pine tree on the west end of the berm. Do not put the weeds in the dumpster please. Thank you!

MSOW Grounds Clean Up SIGN UP HERE

Children’s House 4

Children’s House 4: The Children’s House 4 deck area went CRAZY this summer with the rain and the heat. All hands on deck for this effort - so we don’t lose the children!

Please pile the weeds inside the tall fence, on the stone area by the gate, to the north of the sidewalk. Inside the tall fence - not on the roadway. Thank you!

MSOW Grounds Clean Up SIGN UP HERE

Children’s House 5

Children’s House 5: The Children’s House 5 planting area does not have much to clean up so please tidy the plantings north of the patio, pictured along the west wall, and then turn your attention to the section of the planting area in front of the sign on the corner of Summit Avenue and University Drive. Thank you!

Added opportunity to help: On the corner of University Drive and Summit Avenue there is a planting area around the school sign that has some weeds growing again since the last weeding in July. Please pull the weeds in the entire area in front of the sign and leave them in a pile, on the grass, on the north side of the planting area. Please trim the iris leaves because they block the sign. Put the leaves with the weeds. Our lawn mowing service will take care of them. Thank you!

MSOW Grounds Clean Up SIGN UP HERE

Lower Elementary 1

Lower Elementary 1: The planting areas to the west (around the patio) and north of this corner classroom need to be weeded and then mulched. The mulch is on the pavement at the top of the steps. Thank you!

MSOW Grounds Clean Up SIGN UP HERE

Lower Elementary 2

Lower Elementary 2: The planting area along the building on either side of the LE2 patio need to be weeded again. Place the weeds in a pile near the patio. Do not put the weeds in the dumpster. Thank you!

Added opportunity to help: On the corner of University Drive and Summit Avenue there is a planting area around the school sign that has some weeds growing again since the last weeding in July. Please pull the weeds in the whole area behind the sign and leave them in a pile, on the grass, on the north side of the planting area. Our lawn mowing service will take care of them. Thank you!

MSOW Grounds Clean Up SIGN UP HERE

Lower Elementary 3

Lower Elementary 3: The Lower Elementary 3 patio (with the hose on it) does not need much attention - some light weeding around the bushes. Please weed and then place the weeds in the grass at the corner of the patio and our lawn mowing service will take care of them. Thank you!

Added opportunity to help: The LE3 outside areas won’t take long. We appreciate any added assistance with the large front berm of the school. It can use some tidying attention with weeds that grew through the mulch and landscape cloth placed earlier this summer. Pick a section of the berm and remove the weeds please. Leave the weeds in a pile under the pine tree on the west end of the berm. Do not put the weeds in the dumpster please. Thank you!

MSOW Grounds Clean Up SIGN UP HERE

Lower Elementary 4

Lower Elementary 4: Lower Elementary 4 does not have much to do to tidy up near the patio. Just a short stretch of a planting bed. (LE4 patio has the planting bench on it in photo.)

Added opportunity to help: Under the portico, the mulched area needs attention - weeding, removal of cornstalks (place them along the fence near the dumpsters) and general tidying. Other than the day lilies, all the other green plant material is weeds. Leave the weeds in a pile behind the red bud tree and our lawn mowing service will take care of them. Thank you!

MSOW Grounds Clean Up SIGN UP HERE

Upper Elementary 1

Upper Elementary 1: UE 1 Families can turn their attention to weeding this planting bed and trimming the tree and removing any scrub trees. Please also use those pruners to remove scrub trees near that light blue metal gym door concrete sidewalk. These tree branches can be placed in the grassy area to the left of the bottom of the gravel path. Do not throw in the dumpster or near the culvert that runs under the gravel path. Thank you!

MSOW Grounds Clean Up SIGN UP HERE

Upper Elementary 2

Upper Elementary 2: Please weed and mulch the planting areas on the north and east side of the UE2 classroom. Weeds can be placed in a pile at the corner of the building. Please do not put weeks in the dumpster. Thank you!

MSOW Grounds Clean Up SIGN UP HERE

Upper Elementary 3

Upper Elementary 3: Please weed this planting bed that is the focus of our entrance area. The tree needs some pruning at the base as do what appear to be bushes. Also, please give attention to the planting bed of bushes and ornamental grasses under the UE3 windows.

Both planting beds were weeded in July but the rain and heat brought back the weeds. Please place the weed pile at the top of the bush line in the empty space near the large bush at the corner of the building. Thank you!

MSOW Grounds Clean Up SIGN UP HERE

Middle School

Main entrance for Middle School.

Middle School: Families may choose from any of the areas shown in these four photos. Please place any weed piles to the far west side of the building between the building and the road. Our lawn mowing service will take care of the debris. Do not throw the weeds in the dumpsters. Please add mulch to the front planting beds. You will find the mulch across the parking lot. Thank you!

MSOW Grounds Clean Up SIGN UP HERE

Middle School Courtyard

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