Week of May 4, 2026

Good Evening Families,

I hope you had a great weekend! I can hardly believe we have crossed into May–June 10 will be here before we know it!

Wednesday is our Cultural Celebration! Our quarter 4 family night is THIS week, Wednesday, May 6 from 5-6:30PM! We will be celebrating the many cultures that are part of our George Watts Montessori community! Come engage in activities, see student work from this year, visit family tables, and shop the book fair! We hope to see all of you on Wednesday! 

While this week is National Teacher Appreciation Week, at George Watts Montessori, we’re celebrating the week of May 18! See details below regarding next steps from our family team to prepare to show our staff how appreciated they are!

Have a great week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon!

Happening this week:

• Wednesday, May 6: Cultural Celebration, 5-6:30PM

 Specials Rotation:

• Monday: A

• Tuesday: B

• Wednesday: C

• Thursday: D

• Friday: E

Please note, we missed E day on Friday, but the schedule will remain with A day on Monday.

Teacher Appreciation Week

Dear Watts Families:

Teacher Appreciation Week is coming! We look forward to recognizing everyone who makes George Watts Montessori a great place to go to school throughout the week of May 18-22.* We have an exciting calendar of events planned, which we will share with everyone soon.

For now, we invite you to participate in a new-to-Watts Teacher Appreciation Week activity: Watts Teachers and Staff Gift Card Drawing Drive! Throughout the week of May 18-22, teachers and staff will draw from a bucket of donated gift cards of varying amounts from varying businesses as a fun way to brighten their Teacher Appreciation Week. This idea comes from within the Watts teaching/staff community as a way for families to recognize them and their peers.

We need Watts families to donate gift cards! There are 82 wonderful people working at Watts. So, if families donate 82 gift cards, everyone can draw once. If families donate 164 gift cards, everyone can draw twice. And so on. Numbers in between will mean that some get to draw more than others, which will be subject to chance (so, more drawing). Principal Jenn and her team will manage the drawing process.

We need donations of gift cards, delivered to the front office, beginning this Monday, May 4! Gift cards should be for at least $10 and can be to any nearby business. So, coffee shops, local stores, restaurants, grocery stores, etc. If you're able, please donate multiple gift cards! We'll collect through Friday, May 15, keep a tally of donations, and send gift-card-raising updates.

We look forward to showing our appreciation to everyone working at Watts in this fun and festive way! Please contact us if you have any questions, and please stay tuned for more details on our plans for each day of Teacher Appreciation Week.

With thanks,

Ashley and Caroline, PTA Family Involvement Co-Chairs

Support the PTA

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Week of April 27, 2026

Good Evening Families,

I hope you had as much fun at the carnival as we did! Every year, I forget just how much joy is experienced during our fun carnival together! Thanks for being a part of our community. After such a busy week, we have just a couple of announcements for the week ahead.

Wednesday is an early-release day. We will begin dismissal at 12:15PM. Additionally, Friday, May 1, is now a teacher workday. Students will not have school this Friday. 

We are coming up on our Quarter 4 family night (Wednesday, May 6, 5PM). We are still looking for families to host a table to share their family culture. If you are interested in hosting, please email me this week (jennifer_aguilar@dpsnc.net).

Have a great week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon!

Happening this week:

• Wednesday, April 29, early release day

• Friday, May 1, teacher workday

 Specials Rotation

• Monday: A

• Tuesday: B

• Wednesday: C

• Thursday: D

• Friday: E

 Support the PTA

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Week of April 20, 2026

Good Evening Families,

It was so much fun seeing so many of you at our block party on Wednesday–we are less than a week from our CARNIVAL! 

On May 6, we have our Cultural Celebration for our quarter 4 family night. We are celebrating all of the family cultures, and we would love to invite you to host a table to share about your family culture. Your table could include pictures, artifacts, or even food that represents YOUR family! Additionally, students will share work from the school year about the cultural learning they have done and there will be activities around the building for learning. All this AND pizza and a book fair–mark your calendar as you won’t want to miss it. If you are interested in hosting a table, please email me, Principal Jenn (jennifer_aguilar@dpsnc.net).

Carnival spirit week (and a half) continues this week! Most students received their carnival t-shirt on Friday. If your child did not, they will sometime this week! See details below for each day’s theme.

Have a great week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon and definitely on Saturday for our carnival!

Happening this week:

• Saturday, April 25, 11AM-2PM, GWM Spring Carnival

 Specials Rotation:

• Monday: A

• Tuesday: B

• Wednesday: C

• Thursday: D

• Friday: E

We’re so excited for the carnival, and it’s Carnival Spirit Week (and a half): 

• Monday, April 20: Sport/Jersey Day 

• Tuesday, April 21: Carnival Shirts

• Wednesday, April 22: Wear green or blue for Earth day

• Thursday, April 23: Earth Day Playground Cleanup

• Friday, April 24: Pep rally for kick off

 Carnival countdown! 

Our Spring Carnival is just a week away.  Help make it a success by...

• Donating gently used toys for prizes! Toy collection bins will be stationed at the carpool entrance from 7:15am-7:45am Tuesday-Friday;

• Staffing the collection bins (same place and timeframe) and help with collections;

• Sorting toys and games in the gym on Friday, April 24, from 2:30pm-4pm (email Katie at kathleenacrowe@gmail.com if you can help!);

• Sign up to take a volunteer shift at the carnival here (pick an hour to support the fun!);

• Sign up here if your student has a band and wants to play at the carnival!

Thank you for your support of our 2026 George Watts Spring Carnival and GaGa Tournament!

Support the PTA

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Week of April 13, 2026

Good Evening Families,

We have a fun couple of weeks ahead as we gear up for our Spring Carnival! Be sure you have all of the details on your family calendar!

Tuesday is Spring Picture Day at George Watts Montessori. Honor Roll Portraits will be here to take both individual and class pictures. Details for ordering will be provided with links to proofs a few weeks after picture day.

Tuesday is also our April PTA work session just after morning arrival. With the carnival and teacher appreciation week coming in the next month, we need all the help we can get–join us at 7:45AM in the media center just after morning arrival.

Wednesday, we kick-off a fun spirit week (and a half) in honor of the carnival with a fun Block Party (meet us on Mallard Ave between Oakwood and Gurley). Additional spirit week details will come home with your child on Monday (see below).

Finally, this week is our Dine-IN MURSDAY at Elmo’s to support the PTA. Monday through Thursday, enjoy a fun breakfast, brunch, or lunch with a friend and support the PTA (dine-in only).

Have a great week, and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon!

Happening this week:

• Monday, April 13 through Thursday, April 16: dine IN at Elmo’s to support the PTA.

• Monday, April 13: quarter 3 report cards coming home

• Tuesday, April 14: Spring picture day

• Tuesday, April 14: PTA work session, 7:45AM, all are welcome

• Wednesday, April 15: Block Party (see details below)

• Thursday, April 16: 4PM–virtual school improvement team meeting (click for meeting link)

Specials Rotation:

• Monday: A

• Tuesday: B

• Wednesday: C

• Thursday: D

• Friday: E

Carnival Kick-Off Block Party is THIS WEDNESDAY: 

• Wednesday, April 15, 5:30-6:30PM

• 500 block of Mallard Ave (between Gurley & Oakwood)

• Popsicles, bounce house, and chance to connect 

We’re so excited for the carnival, we feel like we need a Spirit Week (and a half): 

• Wednesday, April 15: Block Party, and Color Day for classrooms

• Thursday, April 16: Poem/ Joke in a Pocket

• Friday, April 17: Silly Sock Day 

• Monday, April 20: Sport/Jersey Day 

• Tuesday, April 21: Carnival Shirts

• Wednesday, April 22: Wear green or blue for Earth day

• Thursday, April 23: Earth Day Playground Cleanup

• Friday, April 24: Pep rally for kick off

Support the PTA

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Week of April 6, 2026

Good Evening Families,

I hope everyone enjoyed their time off and is ready to get back to school for QUARTER 4! It is crazy to think we’ll be saying goodbye for summer in just two short months!

Remember that tomorrow, Monday, April 6, is a teacher workday. Students will return to school on Tuesday. We are excited to see everyone!

Have a great week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon!

Happening this week:

• Monday, April 6: Teacher Workday, no school for students 

 Specials Rotation:

• Monday: no school

• Tuesday: B

• Wednesday: C

• Thursday: D

• Friday: E

Spring Carnival Updates

Carnival Kick-Off Block Party is NEXT WEDNESDAY: we will kick off our carnival spirit week with a fun block party on Mallard at 5:30PM on Wednesday, April 15. Additional details coming next week!

 The George Watts Montessori School Spring Carnival and Ga-Ga Ball Tournament is just six weeks away. It will take place on Saturday, April 25, from 11am - 2pm on the George Watts playground.

GAGA Ball Registration is OPEN! You can register for the Ga-Ga Ball tournament using this form.

If you are new to the tournament or need a refresher, here are the basics for the tournament:

1. Teams of two can register anytime between now and April 15

2. Each team must have at least one current Watts student. The second team member can be a child or adult

3. Teams are randomly assigned two initial games. Each game has four teams of two.  During each game, individuals are given scores based on when they are eliminated. The sum of those scores is then added up. The top scoring teams across the two round robin games advance to the knockout round

4. Teams are seeded in the knockout round based on the highest number of points earned during the round robin games. In the past, the two 32 teams have advanced into the knockout round, but the actual number of teams depends on the number of registrations

5. During the knockout round, the top two scoring teams advance. In the event of a tie, the team with the latest player in will advance. For example, if two teams have 14 points each, and Team A had the last player in the game, then Team A would advance

6. We hold open a couple of slots for day-of registrations, but we will only accept a limited number in order to keep the round robin matches balanced. If you want to play, please make sure you register by the deadline. 

Support the PTA

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Week of March 23, 2026

Good Evening Families,

It is difficult to believe this is our final week of Quarter 3 and Spring Break is just a week away. This will be our last weekly update until we return from break–remember that Monday, April 6 is a teacher workday.

After break, the Spring Carnival is just around the corner, and we still need volunteers! Click here to sign up to volunteer! Additionally, registration for the Ga-Ga Ball tournament is open, see details below!

Finally, save the date–on April 15, we’ll kick off carnival spirit week with a fun block party on Mallard. Details to come after break!

Have a great week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon!

Happening this week:

• Friday, March 27: last day of Quarter 3

 Specials Rotation:

• Monday: B

• Tuesday: C

• Wednesday: D

• Thursday: E

• Friday: A

Spring Carnival Updates

Save the date: we will kick off our carnival spirit week with a fun block party on Mallard at 5:30PM on Wednesday, April 15. Additional details to come!

The George Watts Montessori School Spring Carnival and Ga-Ga Ball Tournament is just six weeks away. It will take place on Saturday, April 25, from 11am - 2pm on the George Watts playground.

GAGA Ball Registration is OPEN! You can register for the Ga-Ga Ball tournament using this form.

If you are new to the tournament, or need a refresher, here are the basics for the tournament:

1. Teams of two can register anytime between now and April 15

2. Each team must have at least one current Watts student. The second team member can be a child or adult

3. Teams are randomly assigned two initial games. Each game has four teams of two.  During each game, individuals are given scores based on when they are eliminated. The sum of those scores is then added up. The top scoring teams across the two round robin games advance to the knockout round

4. Teams are seeded in the knockout round based on the highest number of points earned during the round robin games. In the past, the two 32 teams have advanced into the knockout round, but the actual number of teams depends on the number of registrations

5. During the knockout round, the top two scoring teams advance. In the event of a tie, the team with the latest player in will advance. For example, if two teams have 14 points each, and Team A had the last player in the game, then Team A would advance

6. We hold open a couple of slots for day-of registrations, but we will only accept a limited number in order to keep the round robin matches balanced. If you want to play, please make sure you register by the deadline. 

November / December Absences

As you may recall, during the period of November 14 through December 19, there was an increased presence of ICE/Border Patrol in our community. We understand that this created concern for some families and may have impacted student attendance during that time. If your family chose to keep your child(ren) at home due to these circumstances, you may request that those absences be reviewed for excusal. If you have not previously done so, please submit a written excuse note to your child’s school by April 10, 2026. 

 If you have any questions, please contact your school directly for support.

 Support the PTA

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Week of March 16, 2026

Good Evening Families,

We have definitely had some temperature swings in the past week, and it looks like we have a few chilly days this week. Make sure children come with jackets, as we will still want to get outdoors.

The afterschool program lottery for the 2026-27 school year is open and will close at 5PM on April 10. You can learn more on the afterschool website.

We have a PTA work session on Tuesday, after morning arrival in the media center–all are welcome!

It is budget season, and we encourage community engagement. Check out opportunities to engage with the Durham Public Schools school board and exercise your voice at the state level (find your state legislators). We are still awaiting an approved budget for the 2025-26 school year, while we are busy preparing for the 2026-27 school year!

We have just two more weeks before Spring Break–set a goal for perfect attendance during these ten days!

Have a great week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon!

Happening this week:

• Tuesday, March 17, 7:45AM, PTA work session, all are welcome

Specials Rotation:

• Monday: C

• Tuesday: D

• Wednesday: E

• Thursday: A

• Friday: B

 I have heard some questions and wanted to share…

On Tuesday, March 9, the DPS Board of Education hosted a joint meeting with Durham County Commissioners in which an update on the Durham Public Schools 10-Year Capital Improvement Plan was presented. The presentation mentioned scenarios for consolidating schools and your school was provided as an example for possible consolidation.

At this time, no decisions have been made and no recommendations have been brought forward regarding the consolidation of any schools. The schools referenced in the presentation were used solely as examples to illustrate the types of scenarios districts sometimes consider when reviewing enrollment trends, facility use, and long-term planning.

Like many school districts across North Carolina and the country, DPS is beginning conversations about consolidation as we respond to changing enrollment patterns and the need to ensure resources are used effectively to support students. Please know that any conversation about potential school changes would involve a careful, transparent, and public process.

If future discussions move forward, families, staff, and the broader community will have multiple opportunities to learn more, ask questions, and share feedback before any recommendation is considered by the Board of Education.

Support the PTA

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Week of March 9, 2026

Good Evening Families,

Clocks have changed, and evenings are longer–with 80 degree temperatures over the weekend, it is surely beginning to feel like Spring! 

We are already beginning to prepare for the 2026-27 school year. If your family anticipates a change (i.e. moving, sabbatical) or have already moved out of the GWM boundary or region, will you please reach out with an email to alert us (an email is non-binding–it just helps us plan). You can email me directly, jennifer_aguilar@dpsnc.net.

We have our March virtual School Improvement Team meeting on Thursday–all are welcome! Here is the meeting link for Microsoft Teams: Join the meeting now  Meeting ID: 220 121 304 150 7 Passcode: nu2hG6vi

Have a great week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon!

Happening this week:

• Thursday, 4PM Virtual School Improvement Team meeting

• Sunday, 1-3PM playground workday

 Specials Rotation:

• Monday: C

• Tuesday: D

• Wednesday: E

• Thursday: A

• Friday: B

 PTA Workday next weekend: 

Please join the PTA Grounds Committee on Sunday, March 15th, anytime from 1pm-3pm for a GW grounds tidy up.  Bring the whole family! Kids are welcome to hang out and play while parents work and socialize. Snacks and drinks will be provided.

We will be cleaning up debris on the playground, fixing up the gardens ahead of spring, and churning the fossil pit. If you have a wheelbarrow, cart, or wagon of some kind, they are always useful when hauling things to Urban Ave. Neighbors and student helpers (past and present) are always welcome!

Spring Carnival

The George Watts Montessori School Spring Carnival and Ga-Ga Ball Tournament will take place on Saturday, April 25, from 11am - 2pm on the George Watts playground.

Please mark your calendar, and spread the word to friends and family!  All are welcome to this wonderful event that supports our school, deepens connections, and promises smiles. 

There will be games and prizes, activity stations, food, The Mad Popper popcorn, music, touch-a-truck, and more!

It's a team effort to make the carnival a success. As you are able, here's how you can help:

Volunteer! 

Many hands make for light work, and there is a task and timeframe for everyone who is able to help. Click here to raise your hand; thank you!

Prize Donations!

Watts has an Earth-friendly tradition of collecting pre-owned toys, books, and games that are in sufficient shape to be 'recycled' as prizes for the carnival games. If you're willing to do a little 'spring cleaning' to set aside items that have run their course with your children but may bring joy to others, that would be wonderful!  Past treasures include such things as matchbox cars, small figurines, dolls, books, gently used stuffies, art kits, board games, toys, and balls. Details about where and when to deliver items will be shared in the season ahead. 

Props for the Photo Booth!  

If you have props, costumes, accessories, shiny or silly dress-up clothes like feather boas, hats, mustaches, etc., please consider donating them for the photo booth (no heirloom items please, as they won't be returned, but used in carnivals to come).

Business Sponsor Leads!

As you have local businesses in your life who you'd be willing to invite to serve as a carnival sponsor, we'd love to hear from you. This is a great way for businesses to gain exposure and spread their community spirit!

Thank you for saving the date for our Spring Carnival, and enlarging the joy of the community with the gift of your presence!

Please feel free to reach out if I can answer any questions.

Why chronic absenteeism matters
(even when excused): 

We know from the past few weeks, that attendance matters, and chronic absenteeism is impacted by both unexcused and excused absences. At the same time, when a child is sick, we want them to focus on getting better and staying home. When should a student stay home? DPS provides the following guidance:

Does your child feel well enough to participate in school? Symptoms that may prevent participation:

- Lethargic or significant loss of appetite

- Persistent headache, body aches, earache

- Persistent sneezing

- Sore throat - A minor sore throat is usually not a problem, but a severe sore throat could be strep throat or other illness even if there is no fever. Other symptoms of strep throat in children are headache, stomach upset, or rash. Contact your healthcare provider if your child has any of these symptoms.

Could other children get sick from your child?

Fever- Keep your child home if they have a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher. Keep your child at home until the fever is gone for 24 hours without medication.

Diarrhea- If your child has 3 or more loose stools within 24 hours they need to stay home.

Vomiting- Keep your child home if they have vomited 2 or more times within the past 24 hours.

Cough- A mild cough does not always mean that a child needs to stay home. If the cough is constant, your child has other symptoms above, or it causes problems breathing your child should stay home.

Week of March 2, 2026

as the school board race for each of the four districts. We encourage everyone to make sure their voice is heard–get out and vote!

Wednesday, Luna is hosting our PTA dine-out for March. If you haven’t eaten at Luna, it is delicious. Come out and have dinner and support the PTA!

As news is shared regarding measles outbreaks throughout North Carolina and the country, please know that there is no confirmed case in Durham Public Schools, and that we are continuously working with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and the Durham County Department of Public Health to remain proactive. 

If we do not have a record of your student’s measles vaccination or documented exemption, please submit it to the school as soon as possible. If your child has not received the measles vaccination, please contact your health provider as soon as possible. The Durham County Department of Public Health can also provide vaccinations. They may be reached at (919) 560-7645. Should you have any questions about this respiratory virus, please consult your physician or the district’s Lead Nurse Regina Blackmon at regina_blackmon@dpsnc.net.

Have a great week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon!

Happening this week:

• Tuesday, March 3: teacher workday, get out and vote! 

• Wednesday, March 4: dine out at LUNA (5-9PM), support the PTA and eat a great dinner!

• Friday, March 6: coffee with the principal, 7:50AM

Specials Rotation:

• Monday: D

• Tuesday: no school

• Wednesday: E

• Thursday: A

• Friday: B

PTA Workday coming soon:  please join the PTA Grounds Committee on Sunday, March 15th, anytime from 1pm-3pm for a GW grounds tidy up.  Bring the whole family! Kids are welcome to hang out and play while parents work and socialize. Snacks and drinks will be provided.

We will be cleaning up debris on the playground, fixing up the gardens ahead of spring, and churning the fossil pit. If you have a wheelbarrow, cart, or wagon of some kind, they are always useful when hauling things to Urban Ave. 

Neighbors and student helpers (past and present) are always welcome!

Why chronic absenteeism matters (even when excused): 

From Attendance Works: 

While chronic absence presents academic challenges for students not in class, when it reaches high levels in a classroom or school, all students may suffer because the resulting classroom churn hampers teachers’ ability to engage all students and meet their learning needs.

The good news is that our work throughout the country shows us that chronic absence is a solvable problem. What works is taking a data-driven, comprehensive approach that begins with engaging students and families as well as preventing absences from adding up before they fall behind academically. 

In the past 3 weeks, we have moved the needle–starting at 27% of students with chronic absenteeism down to 25%! Our goal is 20% or less, let’s keep up the strong attendance and help us reach our goal!

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

The George Watts Montessori School Spring Carnival and Ga-Ga Ball Tournament will take place on Saturday, April 25, from 11am - 2pm on the George Watts playground.

Please mark your calendar, and spread the word to friends and family!  All are welcome to this wonderful event that supports our school, deepens connections, and promises smiles. 

There will be games and prizes, activity stations, food, The Mad Popper popcorn, music, touch-a-truck, and more!

It's a team effort to make the carnival a success. As you are able, here's how you can help:

Volunteer! 

Many hands make for light work, and there is a task and timeframe for everyone who is able to help. Click here to raise your hand; thank you!

Prize Donations!

Watts has an Earth-friendly tradition of collecting pre-owned toys, books, and games that are in sufficient shape to be 'recycled' as prizes for the carnival games. If you're willing to do a little 'spring cleaning' to set aside items that have run their course with your children but may bring joy to others, that would be wonderful!  Past treasures include such things as matchbox cars, small figurines, dolls, books, gently used stuffies, art kits, board games, toys, and balls. Details about where and when to deliver items will be shared in the season ahead. 

Props for the Photo Booth!  

If you have props, costumes, accessories, shiny or silly dress-up clothes like feather boas, hats, mustaches, etc., please consider donating them for the photo booth (no heirloom items please, as they won't be returned, but used in carnivals to come).

Business Sponsor Leads!

As you have local businesses in your life who you'd be willing to invite to serve as a carnival sponsor, we'd love to hear from you. This is a great way for businesses to gain exposure and spread their community spirit!

Thank you for saving the date for our Spring Carnival, and enlarging the joy of the community with the gift of your presence!

Please feel free to reach out if I can answer any questions.

Week of February 23, 2026

Good Evening Families,

We had a great first night of quarter 3 families with primary and upper this past Thursday and are excited to welcome our lower elementary families this Thursday from 5-6:30PM. Please see communication for specifics about student-led conferences, pizza dinner, and classroom connection time. It’s going to be a great evening!

On Tuesday, 5 of our upper el students will join students from across DPS for the annual Evening to Shine at Durham Performing Arts Center with the support of our amazing music teacher, Keli Burke. We are SO proud of the hard work our students have put in and cannot wait to see them perform. There are still tickets available if you wish to support the Durham Promise Scholarship foundation and see an incredible show! Click for the DPAC website with all of the details!

Have a great week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon!

Happening this week

• Tuesday, February 24: DPS Evening to Shine at DPAC 

• Thursday, February 26: Quarter 3 family night for Lower El, 5-6:30PM

 Specials Rotation

• Monday: D

• Tuesday: E

• Wednesday: A

• Thursday: B

• Friday: C

 Other Announcements

Why chronic absenteeism matters (even when excused)

From Attendance Works: Chronic absence — missing 10 percent or more of school days due to absence for any reason—excused, unexcused absences and suspensions—can translate into students having difficulty learning to read by the third-grade, achieving in middle school, and graduating from high school. Read this research summary for more details.

The linked document above shares seven crucial studies looking at student attendance and absenteeism. We want to set students up for long-term success, and being present at school is critical to this work!

For the next several weeks, we will share more important information regarding school attendance.

PTA Workday coming soon

Please join the PTA Grounds Committee on Sunday, March 15th, anytime from 1pm-3pm for a GW grounds tidy up.  Bring the whole family! Kids are welcome to hang out and play while parents work and socialize. Snacks and drinks will be provided.

We will be cleaning up debris on the playground, fixing up the gardens ahead of spring, and churning the fossil pit. If you have a wheelbarrow, cart, or wagon of some kind, they are always useful when hauling things to Urban Ave. 

Neighbors and student helpers (past and present) are always welcome!

 Support the PTA

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Week of February 16, 2026

Good Evening Families,

We finally made it through a full FIVE day week! It was great to get everyone back into routines this past week. 

Tomorrow, Monday, February 16, is a teacher workday and school will be closed for students. 

Thursday, we have our first evening of quarter 3 family nights. This week, we will host upper el students and families on the third floor and primary on the first floor for student-led conferences, pizza, and a community meeting. Look for communication from your child’s teacher with additional details! We’ll be back for lower el next week!

We are celebrating our Teacher of the Year, Keli Burke. Keli will go on to compete for Durham Public Schools teacher of the year! We are also celebrating Spencer Smith, who was named Beginning Teacher of the Year! A huge congratulations to both of them!

Have a great week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon!

Happening this week:

• Monday, February 16: Teacher workday

• Thursday, February 19: Quarter 3 family night for Primary and Upper El

Specials Rotation:

• Monday: no school

• Tuesday: E

• Wednesday: A

• Thursday: B

• Friday: C

 School attendance is so important:

Regular school attendance does three important things: 

1. Helps ensure academic progress

2. Supports the social-emotional learning and development of kids

3. Helps reduce extra work for teachers.

Currently, at George Watts Montessori, 27% of students meet the criteria for “chronically absent,” meaning they have missed 10% or more of the school days so far this year (10 or more days absent). Research shows that 10% is the breaking point for a significant impact on long-term outcomes for students. Our goal by the end of the year is to reduce chronic absenteeism to no more than 20% of students, with the goal to reduce that even further next year. Will you commit to helping us meet our goal? 

For the next several weeks, we will share more important information regarding school attendance.

 Support the PTA

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Week of February 9, 2026

Good Evening Families,

I don’t know about you, but I sure am ready for spring! It does look like we have some warmer temps this week, so hopefully, we can get a full and normal week in!

We have two opportunities for you to get involved this week–first, our PTA work session is at 7:45 on Tuesday after morning dropoff, and then we have our mid-year data retreat with our school improvement team on Thursday at 4PM. 

Let’s hope for a normal, five full day week ahead!

Have a great week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon!

Looking ahead to the 2026-27 DPS Calendars

I have received a few questions about the meaning of “inclement weather reserve” days. While this has been uncommon in the past several years, it used to be a common practice on DPS calendars. “Inclement weather reserve” days are teacher workdays that could become school days in the event we need to make-up time due to weather-related closures. Some have asked, but why so early in the year? While it seems these past couple of weeks that winter weather is the main culprit of school closures, we have often had to close school during hurricane season as well. DPS administration determines when to use remote learning, banked time, or make-up time due to weather closures–they typically announce this within a week or two of a closure. 

Happening this Week

• Tuesday, Feb. 10, 7:45AM, PTA work session

• Thursday, Feb, 12, 4PM, school improvement team (in-person)

 Specials Rotation

• Monday: E

• Tuesday: A

• Wednesday: B

• Thursday: C

• Friday: D

 Save the Date

You won’t want to miss our Quarter 3 family nights–complete with pizza, student led conferences, and a classroom community activity. Primary and Upper El are scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 19 and Lower El is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 26.

 Support the PTA

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Week of February 2, 2026

Good Evening Families,

I hope you have had a great weekend and are warm, safe, and have power. It is another strange update to write with varying weekend forecasts, but near certainty for Winter weather. As with last week, I am writing this on Friday, as you read this, know that updates are pending the outcomes of this Winter storm, and DPS updates are more up-to-date than this message.

Report cards went home with students on Friday–if you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s teacher. 

Tuesday is our February dine-out at Alpaca on 9th Street–join us for a delicious dinner either dine-in or take-out. Just be sure to tell them you are there to support George Watts.  

Wednesday is an early-release day, we will dismiss at 12:15PM.

Stay warm, have a great week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon

Happening this Week

• Tuesday, Feb. 3, dine-out at Alpaca (2-7PM)

• Wednesday, Feb. 4, early-release day

 Specials Rotation

• Monday: B

• Tuesday: C

• Wednesday: D

• Thursday: E

• Friday: A

**in the event of school closure, our first day back will be a B day

Looking ahead to the 2026-27 DPS Calendars

I have received a few questions about the meaning of “inclement weather reserve” days. While this has been uncommon in the past several years, it used to be a common practice on DPS calendars. “Inclement weather reserve” days are teacher workdays that could become school days in the event we need to make-up time due to weather-related closures. Some have asked, but why so early in the year? While it seems these past couple of weeks that winter weather is the main culprit of school closures, we have often had to close school during hurricane season as well. DPS administration determines when to use remote learning, banked time, or make-up time due to weather closures–they typically announce this within a week or two of a closure.

Save the Date

You won’t want to miss our Quarter 3 family nights–complete with pizza, student led conferences, and a classroom community activity. Primary and Upper El are scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 19 and Lower El is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 26.

 Support the PTA

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Week of January 26, 2026

Good Evening Families,

I hope you have had a great weekend and are warm, safe, and have power. I am writing this on Friday, and it feels a bit strange to create an update when there is so much uncertainty about the impact the weather will have in the next 48-72 hours. So, as you read this, know that updates may be likely pending the outcomes of this Winter storm. 

The current plan is for report cards to go home on Friday. This is our first quarter using Infinite Campus for report cards, and they are still working out all of the kinks. With this and the weather in mind, we’ll keep you posted regarding whether or not to expect them on Friday. 

We do not have any special activities occurring this week, so this message is short. If the weather was indeed the expected snow and ice, please consider the DPS update to be more up to date than this message. 

Have a great week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon!

Specials Rotation:

• Monday: E

• Tuesday: A

• Wednesday: B

• Thursday: C

• Friday: D

**in the event of school closure, our first day back will be an E day 

Community Opportunity:

Is your 3rd-5th grader interested in playing lacrosse? Join the Warbirds team! We play two days a week (Tue PM, Sat AM) in March and April. Cost is $75, but scholarships are available. Equipment is needed but can be borrowed. For more information, visit https://www.warbirdslacrosse.org/youthclinics.

Support the PTA:

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Week of January 19, 2026

Good Evening Families,

I hope you have had a great weekend so far. 

A reminder, tomorrow is Martin Luther King Jr. day, school will be closed. Additionally, Tuesday is a teacher workday–we look forward to welcoming students back on Wednesday!

We have a virtual school improvement team meeting on Thursday at 4PM–all are welcome! Details to join: Join the meeting now (Meeting ID: 299 954 972 012 2; Passcode: ub7BH6wn).

At Thursday’s school board meeting, school calendars for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 school years were approved. You can find them HERE.

Have a great week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon!

Happening this week:

• Monday, Jan. 19, MLK Day, school closed

• Tuesday, Jan 20, teacher workday

• Thursday, Jan. 22, 4PM, school improvement team meeting (virtual)

 Specials Rotation:

• Monday: no school

• Tuesday: no school

• Wednesday: B

• Thursday: C

• Friday: D

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend” Martin Luther King Jr.

Support Watts PTA

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Week of January 12, 2026

Good Evening Families,

We had a great first week back–such fun to see all of our students again! 

Two opportunities this week for families to engage and support George Watts Montessori:

On Tuesday, the PTA will hold the January work session at 7:45AM at the school–this is a great time to learn about ways to participate in all that is happening at George Watts Montessori during the second semester.

On Thursday, from 6 until 8:30, Watts is meeting up at WHEELS for a fun family night. Details below. The PTA has sponsored tickets available for those who need assistance.

Have a great week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon!

George Watts is going roller skating! 

When: Thursday, January 15th, from 6-830 pm

Where: Wheels (715 N Hoover Rd, Durham, NC 27703)

Cost: $15 per skater (includes skate rental), $4 per spectator. We have PTA-sponsored tickets available - email Elena.snavely@gmail.com if you would like to reserve any.

What else to know: A portion of sales will be donated back to the Watts PTA! No outside food or drink is permitted.

Hope to see you there!

Happening this week:

• Tuesday, Jan. 13, 7:45AM, PTA Work Session

• Thursday, Jan. 15, 6-8:30PM, Family Fun at WHEELS

 Specials Rotation:

• Monday: B

• Tuesday: C

• Wednesday: D

• Thursday: E

• Friday: A

 This week with Ms. Parfitt

We will be exploring sad feelings and ways to boost them with primary, happy feelings with lower elementary, and caring for all emotions with upper elementary.  Upper elementary will be doing a culminating activity around different ways they can care for emotions; such as taking a walk, talking to a safe adult, deep breathing.

 Support GWM

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Week of January 5, 2026

Good Evening Families,

Happy New Year and welcome back! We are excited to get back to school tomorrow and to reconnect with all of our students! 

There are not a lot of updates this week, but I want to highlight that this Saturday, January 10, Durham Public Schools will host the rescheduled Showcase of Schools. This is a great opportunity for our fifth grade families to learn more about the middle schools in Durham. Showcase of Schools will be at Northern High School from 10AM to 2PM this Saturday. 

Tomorrow, Monday, January 5, is also the first day of the Durham Public Schools lottery for application schools. Please help us spread the word to rising pre-K families! The application window runs through January 30.

Have a great week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon!

Happening this Week

• Saturday, January 10, DPS Showcase of Schools

 Specials Rotation:

• Monday: B

• Tuesday: C

• Wednesday: D

• Thursday: E

• Friday: A

 This week with Ms. Parfitt:

I will be addressing feelings of sadness with primary and lower and big and small problems with our Upper Elementary students.  We will be using deep breathing techniques and listening to the read aloud “My Magic Breath” Belly breaths or square breathing is something you can practice with your student at home. I'm a new paragraph block.

Support Watts

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Week of December 15, 2025

Good Evening Families,

I simply cannot believe we are entering the final week of school for 2025! We are hoping for a far less eventful week in terms of weather, so we can finish up our learning and fun, as well as our middle of year benchmarks before closing up for our winter holiday break!

Over the past semester, we have partnered with a photography class at Duke University. As part of this course, students spend time at GWM documenting the life of the school. Each Duke student focused their efforts on one project.  That project could be a classroom, an individual student or a program at the school.  Projects are documentary-style and photographers aim to blend into the background, so it would not  interfere with learning. Final projects were presented at our Quarter 2 Family Night and in student assemblies this past week. We invite you to view projects online at https://wondersofwatts.com/.

While we do not have a lot of school announcements this week, but I do want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a restful and fun Winter break. Our offices will be closed Monday, December 22 through Friday, January 2. If you need any assistance during this time, please email Principal Jenn (jennifer_aguilar@dpsnc.net). While I won’t be checking my email daily, I will be checking in periodically and will reply as I am able.

Have a great week and if we don’t see you this week around George Watts Montessori, have a wonderful break too!

Showing love to staff for the holidays!

From the PTA… Class parents are raising funds to give holiday gifts to all Watts teachers and staff. If you have not yet heard from your class parents, please contact our front office.

 Parents’ Bill of Rights

Dear Parents, Under North Carolina’s Parents’ Bill of Rights, families have the right “to review all available records of materials their child has borrowed from a school library.” This means you can easily search your child’s school library catalog and view their checkout history. To explore your school’s library collection, visit the Follett Destiny Parent Portal. For step-by-step directions, see the guides in English or Spanish.  These tools help parents stay informed and involved in their child’s learning and library experiences.

Happening this Week

• Monday, December 15: Upper El Science Benchmark

• Tuesday, December 16: Grade 3 Math Benchmark

• Wednesday, December 17: Upper El Math Benchmark

 Specials Rotation:

• Monday: B

• Tuesday: C

• Wednesday: D

• Thursday: E

• Friday: A

 Holiday Doves Program

Thank you to the many families how supported our Holiday Doves Program. Please deliver wrapped gifts (labeled with dove #) by Tuesday to our front office. If you have any questions or complications, please reach out to Cynthia Wilson (cynthia_wilson@dpsnc.net). 

 Support Watts

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Week of December 8, 2025

Good Evening Families,

I hope everyone stayed warm and dry during our remote learning day on Friday–we have just 10 more days of instruction before we wrap up 2025!

Book Fair extended through Monday at noon! With remote learning on Friday, we know some missed out on shopping at our Fall book fair. It will remain open before school through noon on Monday for another opportunity to shop.

‘Tis the season of giving! Each year we choose a holiday drive to support families within our own community and families at Families Moving Forward. We will be collecting new toiletries and baby wipes all week. Please consider helping your child participate by bringing something in for our drive!

Wednesday is our second early-release day. Students will be dismissed at 12:15 to allow time for teachers and staff to engage in professional learning. The George Watts afterschool program will operate until 6PM.

Want a chance to talk and ask questions with our principal team? Join us Friday, just after morning arrival (7:50 AM) for a cup of coffee and conversation. No agenda, just a chance to connect!

Have a great week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon!

Showing love to staff for the holidays! From the PTA… Class parents are raising funds to give holiday gifts to all Watts teachers and staff. If you have not yet heard from your class parents, please contact our front office.

Happening this week:

• Monday, December 8, Book Fair, open until noon

• Wednesday, December 10, early-release day, dismiss at 12:15

• Friday, December 15, coffee with the principals, 7:50 AM

 Specials Rotation:

• Monday: E

• Tuesday: A

• Wednesday: no specials

• Thursday: B

• Friday: C

 Helping Holidays

We still need help supporting families with holiday needs. With the holidays just around the corner, many families in the GWM community are in need of assistance. If you are interested in supporting one of our families with holiday gifts, you can sign up HERE. If you are a family in need of assistance, please confidentially contact our school social worker, Cynthia Wilson (cynthia_wilson@dpsnc.net). Wrapped gifts should be delivered to the front office no later than Tuesday, December 16.

 Supporting Watts

Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Week of December 1, 2025

Good Evening Families,

Welcome back! I hope everyone enjoyed something fun or something relaxing over the past week. Tomorrow marks the start of DECEMBER! We have just three weeks of instruction remaining in 2025, and so much fun in the midst of that too!

Book Fair is at George Watts Montessori this week! Students and families are invited to shop this week at our book fair! The following are times when shopping is available.

• Shopping is open for shopping with a caretaker from 7:25 until 8AM daily.

• Students will have access to media passes to shop during the school day.

• Families are invited to shop during our Quarter 2 Family Night on Thursday!

Quarter 2 Family Night Thursday! Join us Thursday from 5-6:30PM to connect with staff, have some fun, and shop at the book fair. There will be 3 rotations, book fair, classrooms, and sing-along:

• Primary: Classroom, Book Fair, Sing-Along

• Lower El: Sing-Along, Classroom, Book Fair

• Upper El: Book Fair, Sing-Along, Classroom

Have a week and we hope to see you around George Watts Montessori soon! 

Happening this week:

• Book Fair–all week 

• Thursday, December 4, Q2 Family Night, 5-6:30PM

 Specials Rotation and Spirit Week

• Monday: A — and Rainbow Day

• Tuesday: B — and Sports Day

• Wednesday: C — and Silly Sock Day

• Thursday: D — and Hat Day/Family Night

• Friday: E — and Pajama Day

 Last call for Fall picture orders–deadline to order is December 1.

Use the link http://honorrollportraits.hhimagehost.com/25FallGW

Enter an active email address and your access code is your child's lastname and month a day of birth, mmdd. For Example, my name is Laura Wessell and my birthday is April 29: my access code is Wessell0429. If you have more than one child at George Watts, click on "add another access code" and input the access code for another child.

Have questions or need assistance, reach out to photographer, Laura Wessell directly at honorrollportraits@gmail.com. 

 George Watts Montessori, a community helping one another.

• With the holidays just around the corner, many families in the GWM community are in need of assistance. If you are interested in supporting one of our families with holiday gifts, you can sign up HERE. If you are a family in need of assistance, please confidentially contact our school social worker, Cynthia Wilson (cynthia_wilson@dpsnc.net).

•  Enjoy 20% off everything at Minted using our exclusive code and they'll donate 10% of sales back to us! https://www.minted.com/ OUR CODE IS: FUNDRAISEGWATTS

Duke Children’s Season of Hope

We’re excited to announce a new community project this season! Watts is partnering with Duke Children’s Hospital for their Season of Hope fundraiser. On Saturday, December 6, our students will have a booth at the Durham Central Park Art Market to sell student-made crafts, art, and baked goods with 100% of proceeds supporting Duke Children’s.

Families can participate in two ways:

1. Student Donations (There are options here for how to get your donations to the organizers)

2. Sell at the Market (Note - this sign-up asks for availability - actual slot assignments will be shared on 11/30.