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.

GWM Updates: Have a great break, but before you go...

Good Afternoon Families, 

I want to send everyone off for our week away with a few important updates, and then we’ll reconnect with a weekly message on Sunday, November 30. Our offices will be closed to the public next week, November 24 through November 28.

Showcase of Schools tomorrow has been postponed–The activities of the past week have presented serious challenges that have required extra staff time and resources to support our students, families, and communities. DPS looks forward to sharing more information once it is available.

Book Fair Volunteers needed: Would you be interested in helping with our book fair one morning the week of December 1? Sign up for a shift HERE. **Please note, it is important that all volunteers have completed their volunteer approval with DPS. You can start the approval process HERE.

GWM Spirit Week, December 1-5: Let’s celebrate our book fair and family event with a fun spirit week! Here are the details:

  • Monday (12/1): Rainbow Day: wear your favorite color or wear them all!

  • Tuesday (12:2): Sports Day: wear your favorite team colors or gear

  • Wednesday (12/3): Silly Sock Day: funky, silly, or mismatched socks 

  • Thursday (12/4): Hat Day: wear your favorite hat

  • Friday (12/5): Pajama Day: dress comfy and cozy for Friday

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).

Don’t miss out: Fall picture ordering closes December 1: Use the link http://honorrollportraits.hhimagehost.com/25FallGW

Enter an active email address, and your access code is your child's last name and the month and 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. 

We hope you and your family have a wonderful week off! See you December 1 to close out 2025!

Week of November 17, 2025

Good Evening Families,

Quarter 2 is already flying by! In fact, this is your last weekly update for 2 weeks, as we will be out of school for a full week next week (November 24 through November 28). Our offices will also be closed during the week of Thanksgiving. We’ll be refreshed and ready to close out the 2025 year on Monday December 1. As we reflect on thankfulness during the month of November, I can’t help but pause and express my extreme gratitude for our community. I am grateful to work in a community that shows such care for one another–this month: 

  • Our community gave over $4000 in support for nearly 40 families as they navigated the delay in SNAP benefits

  • For the past two Thursdays and for the foreseeable future, volunteers came to fill bags of food for over 40 students for our weekend backpack buddy program. 

  • We are prepared to provide Thanksgiving supplies for many families as needed.

We have several things happening this week including a PTA work session and a dine-out at Bull City Burger!

The week of December 1, we will have both a book fair and also our quarter 2 family event. Thursday, December 4 we’ll invite families for a fun winter sing-along, a fun grade level band activity, and an opportunity to shop the book fair. We’ll share all the specifics in our next update!

This upcoming Saturday, November 22, DPS will host the Showcase of Schools. This is an opportunity to learn about each DPS school, as well as learn about magnet and application options. I would encourage grade 5 families to stop by NCCU student center between 10AM and 2PM to check out all DPS has to offer. 

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

Happening this week:

  • Monday, November 17, 7:45AM, Room Parent Meeting

  • Tuesday, November 18, 7:45AM, PTA work session, all are welcome

  • Wednesday, November 19, Dine Out at Bull City Burger

  • Saturday, November 22, Durham Public Schools Showcase of Schools, 10AM-2PM at NCCU Student Center

 

Specials Rotation:

  • Monday: A

  • Tuesday: B

  • Wednesday: C

  • Thursday: D

  • Friday: E

 

Fall Pictures

Fall Pictures are ready for viewing and ordering (including make-up pictures)–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 Swag Pop-Up Shop

Check out the NEW designs and pre-order your George Watts Montessori swag here by 11/17. Youth t-shirts are pay what you can! Want to pay in cash–a PTA representative will be available for orders this Thursday (11/13) and Friday (11/14) during morning arrival!

Support George Watts with Minted

 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:

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

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

Week of November 10, 2025

Good Evening Families,

We had so much fun this past week at our MOVIE NIGHT! Our students made so many staff members beautiful with exquisite face-paint designs (see pictures below), our appetites were satisfied with pizza and popcorn, and laughter filled the cold air as we watched a movie. I am already looking forward to our next event. Thank you to the many families who joined us and to our PTA volunteers for making it such a fun evening!

Tuesday, we honor those who have served in the armed forces for Veteran’s Day. The school will be closed for both students and staff. This is also our final week of collecting leftover Halloween candy for troops. 

Do you have questions about standards-based grading on report cards or do you wonder about Grace & Courtesy. Join our virtual school improvement team meeting, Thursday at 4PM to learn more. 

Did you know the PTA has an advocacy committee? This committee helps families learn about issues affecting public schools and organizes caregivers to take collective action. They want your input on issues that our important to our families. You can provide your input HERE.

Looks like we have a cold start to the week–please make sure your child brings their coat for recess. We typically go outside as long as the temperature is above freezing. 

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

Happening this Week:

Tuesday, November 11: Veteran’s Day, school is closed

Wednesday, November 12: Dental screenings (preK, kindergarten, and Grade 5)

Thursday, November 13, 4PM, School Improvement Team meeting (virtual link) all are welcome

 

Specials Rotation:

Monday: B

Tuesday: no school

Wednesday: C

Thursday: D

Friday: A

 

George Watts Montessori Swag Pop-Up Shop 

Check out the NEW designs and pre-order your George Watts Montessori swag here by 11/17. Youth t-shirts are pay what you can! Want to pay in cash–a PTA representative will be available for orders this Thursday (11/13) and Friday (11/14) during morning arrival!

 

Fall Pictures are ready for viewing and ordering!

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. 

Week of November 3, 2025

Good Evening Families,

We’ve crossed into November and our clocks have fallen back–there is a chill in the air, and all signs are indicating it is FINALLY FALL!

We MET OUR GOAL for the PTA Fall Fund Drive. Make sure to join us for our evening of fun at tomorrow’s movie night! See details to the right!

Report cards for quarter 1 are nearly ready–we will send them home on Wednesday. Teachers are in the process of conducting parent-teacher conferences. If you have not yet heard from your teacher, please reach out to them and get on their calendar. We want to partner with you to ensure your child meets their goals this year!

November has several workdays and holidays, so be sure to mark your calendar, as students will not have school on the following days:

     November 4 (election day, teacher workday)

     November 11 (Veteran’s Day, school closed)

     November 24-27 (Thanksgiving Holiday Week)

Save the date, we’re already getting excited about our Quarter 2 family event–mark your calendars now for December 4. More details to come!

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

Happening this week:

Monday, November 3: MOVIE Night!

Tuesday, November 4: Teacher workday, no school–get out and VOTE!

Thursday, November 6: make-up picture day. If you missed picture day, our photographer will be back to take a picture!

Specials Rotation:

  • Monday: C

  • Tuesday: no school

  • Wednesday: D

  • Thursday: E

  • Friday: A

IT’S MOVIE NIGHT!

Bring a blanket or chair and join us on the field Monday, Nov. 3 for a showing of Clifford the Big Red Dog.

There will be FUN prior to the movie as we celebrate a successful Fall Fund Drive for the PTA! The crazy fun begins at 5:30PM. Come see which staff get a funny face paint from the students!

The PTA will provide free pizza and popcorn for all!

Got Extra Halloween Candy? Donate It!

Don’t toss that leftover candy — share it instead!

George Watts will be collecting extra Halloween candy to donate to Support Our Troops NC, an organization that sends care packages to deployed service members overseas. They’ll gladly accept any type of wrapped, store-bought candy. Homemade cards are also welcome — and deeply appreciated!

Candy is a rare treat that many deployed troops go months without, so your donation truly makes a difference.

You can send candy to school with your child or drop it off in the office November 3–14.

Let’s sweeten someone’s day — one piece of candy at a time! 

Bill of Rights

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.

 Fall Pictures are ready for viewing and ordering!

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. 

Week of October 27, 2025

Good Evening Families,

It’s a wrap–we finished up Quarter 1 on Friday and are ready to hit the ground running into Quarter 2 on TUESDAY–we have our teacher workday tomorrow, so kids are out (Monday, October 27).

Curious about how we prepare for emergencies. Our tagline for emergency preparedness is “We believe George Watts Montessori is a safe place to learn and work. The adults have a plan for all types of emergencies, and today we practiced one of those plans.” Throughout the year, we practice the following plans:

  • Evacuation (fire drill): monthly

  • Shelter-in-place (severe weather/tornado): twice per year, in September and March

  • Lockdown: twice per year, September/October and January/February/Early March

  • Earthquake: once per year in October (we completed this drill this past Wednesday).

You can learn more about DPS emergency protocols: English / Spanish. We will always alert families of any emergency protocols activated (a real or perceived incident) as soon as it is safe to do so, but we reserve our communication lines for emergencies as opposed to routine drills. If you ever have questions about our drills, please reach out (Principal Jenn).

Fall Pictures are ready for viewing and ordering!

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.

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

We are closing in on our last week of the Fall Fund Drive for our PTA–the PTA helps make so many things happen in our school community and your support is critical. We were just under 70% of our goal at the end of the week–help us close the gap and share this opportunity with others!

Happening this week:

  • Monday, October 27: Teacher Workday, no school for students.

Specials Rotation:

  • Monday: no school

  • Tuesday: D

  • Wednesday: E

  • Thursday: A

  • Friday: B

Fall Beautification Day–join the grounds team for a tidy-up on Sunday, Nov. 2 from 11AM-1PM (time change–now only 2 hours). We will be clearing out and raking up assorted debris and weeding the rain gardens to get the playground ready for GW Movie Night on November 3rd. Neighbors and student helpers (past and present) are always welcome! **If you have a wheelbarrow, cart, or wagon of some kind, they are always useful when hauling things to Urban Ave.

----------------------------------------

Got Extra Halloween Candy? Donate It!

Don’t toss that leftover candy — share it instead!

George Watts will be collecting extra Halloween candy to donate to Support Our Troops NC, an organization that sends care packages to deployed service members overseas. They’ll gladly accept any type of wrapped, store-bought candy. Homemade cards are also welcome — and deeply appreciated!

Candy is a rare treat that many deployed troops go months without, so your donation truly makes a difference.

You can send candy to school with your child or drop it off in the office November 3–14.

Let’s sweeten someone’s day — one piece of candy at a time!

Week of October 20, 2025

Good Evening Families,

I cannot believe we are finishing quarter 1 this week! 

We had so much fun this past week at our first annual Fall Fun Dance! There was lots of laughter, and we learned a lot about ways to make our next dance an even bigger success!

We have a fun schoolwide opportunity happening this week–on Friday, in celebration of Walk to School month, our school will take a short neighborhood walk shortly after morning arrival (8:10AM). This event is for students and staff but we welcome families to cheer as spectators. Look for permission slips to come home on Monday–please make sure to return them ASAP to ensure your child is able to participate.

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


Happening this week:

  • Tuesday, Oct. 21, Dine-Out at Bull City Solera, come eat some good food and support the GWM PTA.

Specials Rotation:

  • Monday: D

  • Tuesday: E

  • Wednesday: A

  • Thursday: B

  • Friday: C

Fall Beautification Day–join the grounds team for a tidy-up on Sunday, Nov. 2 from 11AM-1PM (time change–now only 2 hours). We will be clearing out and raking up assorted debris and weeding the rain gardens to get the playground ready for GW Movie Night on November 3rd. Neighbors and student helpers (past and present) are always welcome! **If you have a wheelbarrow, cart, or wagon of some kind, they are always useful when hauling things to Urban Ave.

You Belong Here: Let’s Reach our Goal and paint the teachers!

The Watts PTA Annual Fundraiser is in full swing, and we’re aiming to raise $25,000 to support field trips, teacher development, and school events all year long.

Here’s the fun part: if we hit our goal by November 3, students will get the chance to paint teachers’ faces at Movie Night! 

Every dollar counts — let’s come together and make this happen!

Give Today and Support the Feeling of Belonging:  http://app.givebacks.gives/gw2025

Week of October 13, 2025

Good Evening Families,

We have our first FALL FUN DANCE this week on Thursday from 5:30-6:30PM. Parents are encouraged to stay for a Dry Tailgate in the parking lot–enjoy refreshments, connect with other parents, and learn more about the PTA Annual Fund. What does a GWM dance look like? Imagine a room with fun, upbeat (kid-appropriate and approved) music with a mix of dancing & jumping–lots of fun and movement! Kids will definitely want to dress in movement-inspired clothes and sneakers are encouraged. Save the ball gowns and tuxedos for later years! *The dance is is for ALL students (preK through grade 5)

Thursday is also our PTA Annual Fund Giving Day! Bring donations during drop-off or carpool to help meet our goal. If we meet our goal, students will to paint a teacher’s face at Movie Night.

Join in SPIRIT WEEK as we celebrate our Fall fund drive! 

  • Monday-School Spirit Day, wear GWM gear or peace gear

  • Tuesday-Favorite Color Day, wear your favorite color(s)

  • Wednesday-Wacky Day, wear your silliest outfit

  • Thursday-Twin Day (match with a friend) and dance into school day with music at all of our entrances!

  • Friday-Pajama Day

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

Happening this week:

  • Tuesday, Oct. 14, 7:45AM, PTA work session in media center, all are welcome!

  • Thursday, Oct. 16, 5:30-6:30PM, Fall Fun Dance and Dry Tailgate

Specials Rotation:

  • Monday: D

  • Tuesday: E

  • Wednesday: A

  • Thursday: B

  • Friday: C

You Belong Here: Launching Our Fall Fundraising Campaign

This week is SPIRIT WEEK, FALL FUN DANCE, DRY TAILGATE and our GIVING DAY! A great week to participate in all we are doing! Our fund drive runs through Nov. 3.

Give Today and Support the Feeling of Belonging:  http://app.givebacks.gives/gw2025

Fall Beautification Day–join the grounds team for a tidy-up on Sunday, Nov. 2 from 11AM-3PM. We will be clearing out and raking up assorted debris and weeding the rain gardens to get the playground ready for GW Movie Night on November 3rd. Neighbors and student helpers (past and present) are always welcome! **If you have a wheelbarrow, cart, or wagon of some kind, they are always useful when hauling things to Urban Ave.

Family Picture Day is Nov. 2–sign up for a slot HERE. See Friday’s message for details!

Did you attend our family nights in September? If so, we want your feedback! Please complete THIS SURVEY.