MSOW’s annual Gala on Saturday, March 14 was an incredible evening, as families, friends, vendors, MSOW faculty and staff, and other school supporters gathered at the Brookfield Conference Center for this year’s Polynesian Paradise Gala celebration. The event raised a net amount of just over $140,000 which is a new record for MSOW! Guests were welcomed with leis and flowers upon arrival and could enjoy hors d’oeuvres and signature cocktails while exploring a variety of activities, including putt-putt golf, a wine pull, raffles, a caricature artist and an impressive display of silent auction items. 

Guests were called to the dining room by the sound of a conch shell horn and as the doors opened, the energy rose with the rhythmic sounds of Polynesian drummers, singers, and dancers, whose dynamic performance set the tone for the evening. A themed dinner followed, along with an exciting live auction and plenty of dancing, creating a festive night of community, generosity, and fun - all in support of MSOW. There was even a hula-hoop contest!

Enjoy the snapshots below supplied by guests, and go to the supplied link to see photobooth images of attendees having fun and supporting MSOW! 

2026 MSOW Polynesian Paradise Gala Photobooth Click Here!

Thank you to the Gala Committee: Kate Winchell, Ashley Maher, Lauren Dulde, Megan Price, Bethany Mueller, Jamie Marquardt, Theresa McClurg, and Rachel Zarling. 

A special thanks also goes out to those who volunteered to set up at the event, help during the event, and clean up afterwards - this effort had such a positive impact: John Imig, Tyler Hoeffner, Mike and Tess Zahn, John Stevens, Abbey Blunk, Amanda Kar, Karen Driscoll, Tim Maher, Tony & Kim Pine, and Sandy Sullivan. 

Thank you also to MSOW Room Ambassadors and classroom communities for organizing themed silent auction items - incredible! And to everyone who gathered other donations for the silent auction, thank you!

Mark your calendars for next year's gala - a celebration of the arts inspired by New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art's annual "Met Gala." Our MSOW 2027 Gala theme is: MSOW's Met Gala - an evening of creativity, expression, and imagination, Saturday, March 6, 2027. This promises to be another fantastic MSOW community event.

On March 5th, Children’s House classroom leads, Molly Vermiglio (CH2) and Heather Abasovski (CH4), offered a wonderful opportunity for families to step inside the Montessori early childhood experience and explore the sensorial materials that shape children’s learning each day. In the Montessori classroom, these materials help children make sense of the world through their senses—touch, sight, sound, taste, and smell. Because young children learn best through concrete, hands-on experiences, sensorial work provides the perfect bridge between exploration and understanding.

Each material is intentionally designed to isolate a single quality—such as size, color, shape, or texture—so children can compare, contrast, and refine their perceptions. While the Pink Tower, Color Tablets, and Sound Cylinders are often remembered for their beauty, they support far more than sensory development. As children work with these materials, they strengthen concentration, independence, coordination, and order—skills that form the foundation for all future learning.

Curriculum Connections

Sensorial work is deeply interconnected with every area of the Montessori curriculum:

• Language: Rich vocabulary naturally emerges as children describe what they see, feel, and hear.

• Mathematics: Concepts like grading, sequencing, and comparison prepare children for mathematical thinking.

• Literacy: Visual discrimination and fine motor control support writing and reading readiness.

• Science: Observation, classification, and problem‑solving are early expressions of scientific thinking.

Thank You for Joining Us

We hope the evening deepened your understanding of how these beautifully crafted materials nurture curiosity, confidence, and joyful learning.

On Saturday, March 7, MSOW hosted a highly successful Open House, welcoming prospective families as well as a few families who are already enrolled to start in 2026-27. Lead teachers Abbey Blunck, Catherine Lecke, and Jennifer Kell opened their classrooms to visitors, offering an authentic glimpse into the Montessori environment while thoughtfully answering questions about the curriculum scope and sequence.

Families newly enrolled for the 2026–27 school year enjoyed exploring the learning spaces and experiencing the materials firsthand. First-time visitors were equally engaged, connecting with Bethany Mueller, MSOW’s Director of Student Services, to learn more about the enrollment process and what makes the MSOW program so distinctive.

Other members of MSOW’s leadership were also present to support these conversations. Director of Faculty and Staff Karen Driscoll and Head of School Brenda Zellmer - both experienced Montessori educators who have also guided the preparation of future teachers - were available to answer questions and share their perspective.

Eighteen Early Childhood Education students from Hamilton High School visited our Children’s House and Lower Elementary classrooms last week. After observing Montessori education in action, they met with Karen Driscoll, Director of Faculty and Staff, for a Q&A session about our school and the Montessori approach to teaching and learning. As the only Montessori school in Wisconsin accredited by the American Montessori Society, MSOW is seen by the community as an excellent example of authentic Montessori practices.

David Stokes, Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education Teacher of the Year and recipient of the prestigious Aldo Leopold Award, visited Extended Day this week and captivated students with his lively blend of science, humor, and hands-on exploration. Through songs, stories, animal artifacts, and even a bit of sign language, David transformed learning into an adventure. Students were delighted by his uncanny animal sound impressions and fascinated by the many facts he shared about the creatures that live all around us. The most memorable moment came when children had the chance to pass around real animal furs and gently touch and hold live creatures—an experience that brought the natural world right to their fingertips. It was a joyful reminder that curiosity thrives when learning feels alive, and we’re grateful to David for inspiring our young naturalists to look a little closer at the world just outside their doors.

Students in the Extended Day program recently enjoyed a special World Languages presentation led by guest presenter Chantana Giombi. Chantana, who was born and lived in Thailand for many years and is also a former MSOW paraprofessional, volunteered her time to introduce students to the Thai language and share aspects of her culture.

Chantana began by explaining that Thailand is often called the “land of the free and the land of smiles.” She introduced students to the Thai language, sharing that it contains 44 consonants, 32 vowels, and multiple tones. Thai is a tonal language with five distinct lexical tones—mid, low, falling, high, and rising—meaning the pitch of a syllable can change the meaning of a word. Students enthusiastically repeated the sounds after Chantana as she modeled the pronunciation, giving them a chance to hear and practice the unique tones of the language.

Students also learned how to say several everyday words in Thai. Chantana demonstrated the pronunciation of common family and school words such as son, daughter, mom, dad, teacher, dog, and cat, and the children eagerly practiced saying them aloud.

A variety of colorful visuals helped bring Thailand to life for the students. Chantana shared posters and images featuring Thai food—highlighting the hundreds of different kinds of mangoes found in Thailand—as well as animals, flowers, and scenes from daily life. One favorite image showed elephants playing soccer, which sparked plenty of excitement and curiosity. Students also learned about Thailand’s famous floating markets, where boats serve as small “stores” along the water. Chantana displayed artifacts from Thailand as well, including a rice pot and a traditional floral garland called a malai.

Music was another engaging part of the presentation. Students listened to traditional Thai music and were challenged to identify the instruments they heard. They also listened to a popular folktale, The Tortoise and the Hare, told in Thai, giving them an opportunity to hear the rhythm and sound of the language in a story.

To conclude the visit, Chantana added a personal touch by writing each student’s name in Thai on the whiteboard and creating individual bookmarks with their names written in Thai script for them to take home. The presentation offered students a wonderful opportunity to explore a new language and culture through sounds, stories, music, and hands-on experiences. We are grateful to Chantana for sharing her time, knowledge, and enthusiasm with our students.

Last week, the Makerspace was buzzing with activity as students brought their classroom learning to life through creative projects. Many students chose to extend research they had been working on in their classrooms, transforming their ideas into hands-on creations that showcased what they had learned.

The Makerspace is open to elementary students each day from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., offering a dedicated time for students to deepen their understanding of classroom topics through building, designing, and creating. Before beginning a project, students complete a Makerspace Project Proposal and submit it to their classroom teacher for approval. Once approved, the proposal is shared with Gina Viola, who helps guide students through the process of completing their projects in the art room.

Each proposal encourages students to think carefully about their plans. Students include their name and classroom, a project title, and a description explaining what they intend to create. They also describe how their project connects to what they are learning in class, provide a drawing or diagram of their idea, and list the materials they will need. This process helps students plan thoughtfully while strengthening the connection between research, creativity, and hands-on learning.

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.

MSOW and School Librarian, Eve Bruce, wishes to send a Thank You to Mary Sedlmeier (Aunt of Michael) and Amanda Cole (Mother of Bejamin and Samuel) whose help made the Parent Teacher Conference Days Scholastic Book Fair a big success!