For the complete MSOW 2025-26 External/Family Month by Month Calendar please,  CLICK HERE.

Build the Vision Capital Campaign Update

I am pleased to share an important update on our Build the Vision capital campaign. Since our last communication, we have secured an additional $1.1 million in commitments - a milestone made possible in large part because 100% of our families participated in the campaign during the 2024–25 school year. Your generosity and belief in the future of our school continue to inspire deep confidence among outside supporters. Thank you for demonstrating such remarkable unity and commitment.

We are encouraged by the strong forward momentum, and remain focused on moving from planning to action. To that end, members of the Board of Trustees and MSOW admin team are currently pursuing gap financing through a special loan program designed for nonprofit organizations - WHEFA - that offers favorable loan conditions. Securing this financing would allow us to begin construction as early as this spring, even though we have not yet reached the full fundraising total. We will keep you informed as these conversations progress.

I also want to update you on another piece of due-diligence work we have undertaken. As many of you may be aware, the School District of Waukesha is consolidating their schools due to declining enrollment. In mid November, district officials named the schools that would be closing after this academic year. On Monday, members of our administrative team and several board representatives visited one of those schools - Bethesda Elementary. It is located south of us on University Avenue about a mile or so. For those of you who attended the Beer Garden event early in the school year, it is the school that was adjacent to the public park.

Because the building is located so close to our own campus, we felt it was important to explore whether the facility could support any aspect of MSOW's long-term needs — particularly as we continue to plan for our expanding middle school program and begin preparing our next five-year strategic plan. Our current strategic plan concludes in June 2027 and it contains a directive to begin exploring the possibility of a high school program. Knowing this action item is in place, high level discussions and information gathering have begun.

I want to be exceptionally clear on this next point: we are not considering moving our school to Bethesda Elementary. The visit was part of our responsibility to examine and carefully consider viable options connected to Build the Vision, and to understand potential resources in our community as we create the strategic plan for MSOW's next five years. No decisions have been made, and our core campus remains here. The MSOW community will continue to be updated as information becomes available.

Thank you,

Brenda

As the weather turns colder and the snow begins to fly, we would like to take the opportunity to offer some helpful information on how inclement weather decisions are managed at Montessori School of Waukesha.  When the weather is predicted to be severe, MSOW will always follow the School District of Waukesha's school closure decisions.  The district's decision to close school will typically be made prior to 5:00 AM on any given day and you can expect to find the district's school closure information in the usual ways - tv, SDW website, facebook. (MSOW district students usually get a text and email from the district too.)

In addition, MSOW communicates school closures to all its families in a text and an email.  

NOTE: Is your phone number receiving texts?  This year, on every scheduled school closure date, a reminder text has been sent out. The most recent text would have been a reminder about Thanksgiving break.  If you did not receive this text,  please text the word "Yes" to opt into the MSOW notification system at the following number:  79041

The Girl Scout Birthday Bag Event benefitting Friends with Food in Waukesha was a huge success.  Our MSOW Girl Scout troops were able to deliver 105 Birthday Bags filled with supplies like baking mixes, frosting, streamers, balloons, and banners to help families in need celebrate birthdays. This event was in honor of Girl Scout Founder, Julliette Gorden Low who would have celebrated her 165th birthday on October 31st.   Leader, Elizabeth Beyer Schwartz, shared that they are so grateful for all the donations from MSOW families that made this possible. During this event, the Scouts also made ornaments for a tree at the Milwaukee County Zoo! Check out the "MSOW Flamingle All the Way"  tree if you visit the zoo this holiday season.

Students in the Winter Enrichment Program, Pokemon Club, enjoyed dedicated time to hone their gameplay, math, strategy, and even social skills.  

LE 3 Students work with Artist in Residence, Sally Duback. 

Lower Elementary students spent time brainstorming ideas, drawing pictures, and beginning to work on the clay tiles that will become a permanent part of the one-of-a-kind mosaic mural art pieces that will be part of MSOW for years to come.

CH 3 students stay warm and engaged inside.

LE 1 students take to the MSOW sledding hill.

LE 2 is hard at work.

Please consider dropping off donations December 1st - December 17th.

Last year, Middle School student Angelina Lanza organized a toy drive in Upper Elementary 2 to help an organization called Chosen in Love www.choseninlove.org that gives toys to foster children when their families can’t afford to purchase gifts. Students collected over six giant bins of toys (see the photo below) and it helped the organization immensely, Angelina reported.

This year, Angelina decided to help support the organization again, by doing another toy drive. The toys that are donated must be brand new and in the original packaging, but gently used clothes and shoes (sizes 3T to youth 12 for clothes) are accepted. There will be bins by the gymnasium and in the hallway on the upper level starting on December 1st. Thank you to everyone who is able to contribute!

Save Sunday, February 22nd on your family calendars because you won't want to miss the first ever Montessori's Got Talent...and snacks! family talent show at MSOW. Hosted by Waukesha Civic Theater's Doug Jarecki in the MSOW gym on a Sunday afternoon, the event will feature a maximum of 20 MSOW families - at least one adult and one child per family act - sing, dance, act, play instruments, twirl batons (not flaming please), do magic, play spoons or perhaps your family has other hidden talents? Snacks will be served during the event and the audience will sit at tables - club style. All entries will be entered into a drawing for an incredible family fun gift basket. Sign ups and event participation details will be published before winter break. The deadline for performers to enter is January 19, 2026.