Event Program
| 6:15 PM | Childcare Opens |
| 6:30 – 8:00 PM | Paint & Sip Lesson* |
| 6:30 – 7:30 PM | Drinks & Hors D’oeuvres |
| 7:30 PM | Opening Remarks |
| 7:45 PM | Silent Auction Closes |
| 8:00 PM | Live Auction Begins |
| 9:00 PM | Dance Floor Opens |
| 10:00 PM | Event Concludes |
| 10:00 PM | Childcare Closes |
PLEASE NOTE: All timing is approximate.
*Please be punctual if you have purchased tickets including the Paint & Sip Lesson from Sarah Lowe of The Art Cellar of Houston to ensure that the lesson is not interrupted for other guests.
Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served during the event. We will be sure to have options that fit all dietary needs.
• Bourbon-Glazed Salmon
• Coconut & Buffalo Shrimp Lettuce Bites
• Chicken Salad Croissant
• Pasta Fresca (Veggie)
• Asian Coleslaw
• Philly Cheesesteak Eggrolls
• Caprese Salad
• Key-Lime Pie
• Strawberry Cheesecake
• Chocolate Mousse
Please note that the menu is subject to change based on availability. If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to zoe@westsidemontessori.com for more information.
April 14, 2023
Dear Westside Montessori Community,
It is my great joy to welcome you to the WMS 2023 Art Walk & Auction. The Art Walk & Auction is not only a chance to have a great time in community. Our Art Walk & Auction is a chance for our community to come together, celebrate our collective achievements, and to show support to our students for their creativity and hard work.
The Art Walk & Auction is a new parent event that WMS will be hosting in place of the Gala this year. The event promises to be great fun! You can expect activities such as a Paint-and-Sip session with The Art Cellar, carnival games for adults, and the art auction itself, of course. Our teaching faculty and support staff have worked very hard this year to meet the high expectations we set to create truly meaningful and impactful learning experiences. We are looking forward to having you join us on April 29 to be in community and to support our students.
I am sending a huge Thank You to all of our volunteers who have poured in time and energy to bring to life this inaugural Art Walk & Auction event. The Art Walk & Auction leadership committee – Zoë Taylor, Zola Salako, and Melissa Zier have been a great team in coordinating our vendors and program details. We are a fortunate community to have such exemplary parent volunteers.
Thank you to all who support WMS, day-in and day-out. We could not do our jobs well without your support.
Enjoy the evening and happy bidding!
Dr. David LaViscount
Head of School
On behalf of the Event Committee, it is our great pleasure to welcome you to Westside Montessori School’s 2023 Starry, Starry Night Art Walk + Auction. We hope that this evening is an opportunity for our WMS community to unwind a little, to enjoy time with friends, old and new, and to raise staggeringly unprecedented funds for the school that we all love.
This special new event is the result of countless hours of effort from our incredible volunteers. So many parents have made tonight’s success their full-time jobs over the past several months and others have generously donated their artistic skills to make this evening possible.
In addition to our wonderful parents, our teachers and faculty have given so much beyond their vocational descriptions, that we are reminded every day of how fortunate our children are to be in this loving environment. Together, everyone has worked tirelessly to make this evening a success, and we are truly humbled by the demonstrated depths of kindness and dedication. We thank them all from the bottom of our hearts.
We wish you all an evening of good fun, great conversation, filled bellies, and emptied wallets!
Cheers,
The Westside Montessori School Event Committee
Zola Salako
Zoë Taylor
Stephanie Gounder
Niranjan Raj
David LaViscount
Melissa D. Zier
Valerie DeLeon
Manuela Carreon
Paige Chonka
Paint & Sip Lesson
The Art Cellar Houston
Auctioneer
Noel Rushin
Caterer
Sheriff’s Cuisine Houston
Bartender
Nathan Taylor
Cocktails Done Right
Caricature Artists
Caricature Plus – Martin Tremblay
Music
Ryan & Sarah McDonner
Energy Corridor of Houston Orchestra (ECHO)
Photography
SITN LLC
Alec DeLeon
Marketing & Communications
Melissa D. Zier
BusyMo Media & Design
PARENT VOLUNTEERS
| Catherine Alaniz | Alexis Parra |
| Rebecca Arata | Nahum Puebla |
| Danielle Baucum | Michelle Priest |
| John Baucum | Niranjan Raj |
| Erika Bottino Da Costa | Priya Raj |
| Rafael Canseco | Mari Rolen |
| Rebecca Casillas | Katie Rushin |
| Hsuan-Yu Chou | Noel Rushin |
| Mario Cuervo | David Salako |
| Maryela Cuervo | Zola Salako |
| Margie El Moussa | Shin San Sam |
| Monica Estrada | Michael Smith |
| Latrice Foster | Nubia Smith |
| Marisela Garcia | Caitlin Talkington Spanu |
| Michela Gentile | Jonathan Taylor |
| Stephanie Gounder | Zoë Taylor |
| Desiree Granzotto | Payal Thaker |
| Maylis Hopewell Curie | Tamara Thornton |
| Hueiyao Hsuan | Maria Torres |
| Katerina Kalachnikova | Arif Uzun |
| Matthew Low | Pamela Valderrama |
| Jochebed Maduagwu | Pamela Verduzco |
| Michael Moir | Mayrem Vilchez |
| Zoya Munir |
STUDENT VOLUNTEERS
| Dailen Angel | Matthew Low (former student) |
| Mia Cueto | Milo Roberson |
| Iker Estrada | Ixchel Mendoza |
| Zahra Gheewalla (former student) | Girl Scout Troop #149095 |
FEATURED SPONSOR
Thank you to Total Wine & More for offering WMS the Winery Direct wines at cost (30% off) for our ✨Starry, Starry Night Art Walk + Auction✨. We are grateful for your support!
President
Noel Rushin
Vice President
Zoë Taylor
Secretary
Mari Rolen
Treasurer
Victor Low
Head of School
David LaViscount
Business Manager
Paige Chonka
Directors
Michelle Priest
Zola Williams Salako
Shin San Sam
Michael Smith
Arif Uzun
Head of School
David LaViscount, Ph.D.
Business Manager
Paige Chonka
Office Manager
Manuela Carreon
Administrative Assistant
Valerie DeLeon
Head of Maintenance & Security
Michael Cooper
Campus Assistants
Arlette Garcia
Emma LaLonde
Samantha Diaz
Director of Marketing & Communications
Melissa D. Zier
Director of Student Support
Shelly Julian, M.Ed.
Student Support Teacher
Allison Bryant
Toddler Teachers & Assistants
Ana Cornejo
Charlee Munoz
Alexis Parra
Iranys Gutierrez
Jesusa Mejia-Castro
Kendra Smith
Primary School Teachers & Assistants
Liyuan Jin
Manju Gattu
Rachel Jorgensen
Jessica Maradiaga
Lydia Mojuetan
Maria Cardenas
Nabila Labib
Sabah Labib
Silvia Leal
Lower Elementary School Teachers
Sarah Airola
Gabi Hawkins
Jasmina Jasarevic
Kariene Jonker
Upper Elementary School Teachers
Christa Lazard
Gordon Roberson
Middle School Teachers
Chandria Byars
Specialty Faculty & After-School Staff
John James (Science – Volunteer)
Laverne Jones (PE)
Home Environment Staff
Alisa Hernandez
Vanessa Lopez
Our teachers and staff have written some specific needs that they have for their classroom or the school on a star with the corresponding cost. The stars will hang from a canopy at the event, and guests will take the star(s) of their choice and register to sponsor the items with their name and signature next to the corresponding item on a spreadsheet. Our business office will bill for these items after the event.
Any stars that are not sponsored during the event will be hung outside of the teacher’s classroom for sponsorship consideration as we close out the school year.
Tickets for raffle items can be obtained with volunteer hours, by winning games, or by purchasing tickets at the event.
- For WMS families, please write your name, phone number, and the “ITEM NUMBER” OF THE PRIZE YOU WISH TO WIN (anywhere on the ticket).
- For non-WMS families, please fill out all of the information on the back PLUS THE “ITEM NUMBER” OF THE PRIZE YOU WISH TO WIN (anywhere on the ticket).
- If the item number is not marked, it will be randomly chosen for you.
- Keep the portion marked “Keep this coupon” and return the “ticket” portion to the front desk.
- You DO NOT need to be present at the Art Walk + Auction to win.
RAFFLE PRIZES INCLUDE:
Driveway Naming Rights – Win the opportunity to have the driveway sign (currently “Ella and James Blvd”) named after your child or family for an entire school year. This prize typically sells for more than $500 when in our live auctions.
Head of School for the Day – Win this prestigious chance for your child to have the privilege of shadowing Dr. David for the day and performing special jobs, such as selecting dress code for the entire school that day (i.e. “everyone will wear purple”). This item typically sells for hundreds or thousands of dollars in our live auctions.
Dress Dr. David – Your child or your class will be able to select an entire outfit (silly or otherwise), or even a costume, for Dr. David to wear all day. Ever wanted to spray his hair blue and red or see him back in the owl mascot costume? Now is the moment! Dr. David will come to your child’s class, fully bedecked, and either read a story or have lunch with them all, as appropriate for the age group.
Pizza & Movie Party for the Class – Your or your child’s entire class will be thrilled when you win this item. They will be able to relax and enjoy an afternoon of cinematic luxury and delicious delights. This “mental health day” prize is as much a treat for teachers as it is for students!
Crazy Science Day – This is another whole-class win that will make you a very popular parent/teacher! What’s better than learning while having lots of fun? The class will spend an entire work cycle enjoying engaging and surprising experiments while they learn the science behind the “magic.” Interactive color-changing drinks will also be served at lunch.
Slime Dr. David – This is a chance in a lifetime that every child dreams of… they will get a chance to dump an entire bucket of slime over the head of the Head (or maybe a very cooperative teacher) at Field Day or a similar outdoor occasion. It’s a particularly great prize if your child enjoys putting on a show. This will be done in front of the entire school!
Raffle Basket: Forget the Kids – you deserve a little luxury, too! Win this beautiful basket full of delicious treats and tasty tipples, and even the glasses to go with it. (Generously donated by the Smith Family)
1. Visit the auction website to place your bids online.
2. Incremental bids that do not meet the minimum incremental bid amount are invalid bids.
3. Read all descriptions, information, and expirations on the website and acrylic signs carefully. All sales are final. There will be no exchanges or refunds.
4. Westside Montessori School has attempted to describe and catalog items correctly, but neither warrants nor represents and in no event shall be responsible for the correctness of descriptions, genuineness, authorship, provenance or condition of the items. No statement made in this catalog, or made orally at the auction or elsewhere, shall be deemed as a warranty, representation, or assumption of liability.
5. The Auction Committee reserves the right to add or withdraw items, without notice, to or from the auction.
6. Values set forth for some items being auctioned are estimates and are not guaranteed by Westside Montessori School for tax purposes or general value. Please consult your tax advisor regarding the deductibility of your purchases.
7. Westside Montessori School is not responsible for business or other failures beyond its control, which may result in the loss or non-delivery of items purchased at the auction.
8. The Silent Auction closes approximately at 7:45 p.m. This time is an estimate. An announcement may be made prior to 7:45 p.m.
1. The live auction begins at approximately 8:00 p.m. and will continue until all items are sold.
2. To enter a bid, the bidder will raise their paddle to signal the auctioneer that a bid is being made. Any acknowledgement, whether verbal, by hand or nod of a head, etc. is a legal contract to purchase an item.
3. The highest bidder acknowledged by the auctioneer will be the buyer. In the event of a dispute, the auctioneer will have the sole and final decision to determine the successful bidder or to re-sell the item in dispute.
4. Group purchases are encouraged and welcomed; however one person must be responsible for bidding and payment. The successful bid will be entered on that person’s bid account and must be paid for in full by that person.
5. Each successful bid will be recorded and entered on the bidder’s account.
6. Payments may be made with cash, check, or credit card payable to Westside Montessori School.
Silent auction purchases will be paid online at the end of the auction.
Our Business Manager, Paige Chonka, will email your invoice for live auction items and casino/raffle items within a few days after the event. Payment may be made by check or credit card, and payment arrangements must be coordinated directly with Paige.
At the end of the evening, Westside Montessori School family members must pick up, and take home, all tangible items won and/or purchased the night of the gala unless special arrangements have been made in advance. If you are not a current Westside Montessori School family member, you will be able to pick up all tangible items won and/or purchased after you have received your invoice and payment has been processed. Gift cards will not be distributed the night of the Art Walk + Auction. Instead, all gift cards may be picked up from Paige starting on Wednesday, May 3, when the Business Office will begin accepting payments.
Not in Houston? Please ask your WMS connection to pick up you won items from the school. Otherwise, we are happy to arrange shipping for you and add the cost of postage to your bill.
We want to extend our deepest gratitude to all of our volunteers, sponsors, donors, families, faculty, staff, Valerie DeLeon, Manuela Carreon, Paige Chonka, David LaViscount, Melissa D. Zier, and the community of Westside Montessori School for their time, dedication, collaboration, contribution and generosity! We look forward to sharing how your contributions this evening are going to be used to help us further our mission to improve Westside Montessori School for generations to come. Thank you for a great evening and for making our first Art Walk + Auction possible!
