Newton Montessori School Annual Report 2015–2016

Newton Montessori Year in Review 2015 – 2016

Year in Review, 2015–2016 1

“Individualized learning assessment conferences help students take pride in accomplishments and set new goals for themselves.

Conferencing tells us so much about what students understand and still need to learn—more than a test score ever would.”

NMS Teacher

2 Newton Montessori School

Year in Review 2015–2016

WHEN CAN I GO HOME?

While on vacation, a young NMS student posed this question several times. After some confusion, the parents realized their child was referring not to the family home but to Newton Montessori School!

As educators, we’re thrilled that NMS students and families consider the school a “home away from home.” We know that learning happens at a deeper level when students feel as safe and supported at school as they do in their own homes.

Feeling “at home” creates a sense of stability—a foundation that allows for learning and growth. That’s as true for the school as a whole as it is for individual students. This past year, thanks to hard work by school leaders, the Board of Trustees, representatives of Sacred Heart Parish, and others, Newton Montessori School negotiated a lease agreement through 2030, with an option to extend tenancy beyond that. Securing a long-term “home” for the school was a major milestone. With this foundation in place, we have been able to move forward with building improvements that upgrade safety and security, reduce operational costs, and enhance the learning environment for students.

None of these building upgrades or curricular enhancements would have been possible without the financial contributions of our donors.

A huge shout-out to everyone on the list of 2015–2016 Donors! Your generosity in giving to the Annual Fund and bidding on student art at the Lucky 13 Party resulted in an annual fundraising high of just over $140,000!

In an on-going effort to provide families with “windows” into what’s happening in your students’ “home away from home,” we have added a significant amount of informative content to this issue of the Year In Review as compared to previous years. I hope you will read it carefully and share your feedback! Please also feel welcome to share the articles with family members and friends who are interested in your child’s learning experiences. Students benefit when all of the adults in their lives understand the value of their MontessoriProgressive education and are able to talk with them about what they are learning at school.

Thank you for being part of this vibrant, diverse school community!

My door is open if you have questions, concerns, or ideas to share.

Beth Black Head of School

We hope that, like this Beginner, you'll enjoy our Year in Review cover-to-cover.

In This Issue in her own words A Conversation with Outgoing Board Chair, Linda Woodard

2

community involvement

4

movement matters Why are kids jumping in the halls?

5

design thinking What’s happening in the new Makerspace?

9

why 3? the 3-year cycle The Importance of Year 3

13

preparing the environment So many facilities improvements!

17

building a culture of giving

20

teachers as learners

23

financial report

25

staff news

26

the impact of a montessori education

27

in their own words Excerpts from Class of 2016 End-of-Year speeches

28

in her own words

A Conversation with Outgoing NMS Board Chair, Linda Woodard

Why did you originally join the NMS Board of Directors?

At the time I had recently left Noble and Greenough School, where I had served as Admission Director, Athletic Director, teacher and coach (among a few of my responsibilities!). I had joined a firm as an educational consultant and was enjoying my contact with my clients and their parents, but I missed the brainstorming and collaboration that is involved in planning strategically for a school’s future.

How did you make the decision to accept the nomination to serve as the Board Chair?

To me it was a natural transition. The school was ready to be launched to a new period of improvement and growth. I felt that, as a non-parent with educational experience at an independent school, I could bring an objective perspective to the future of the school.

What significant milestones have been achieved during your seven years as a trustee?

They have been busy years! We went through two searches for a Head of School; the second search brought us Beth Black in whose capable hands the school is now run.

During this time we were also accredited by two organizations: the American Montessori Society (AMS) and the Association of Independent Schools of New England (AISNE). It is remarkable to gain these accreditations as such a young school. It is a credit to the teachers, administrators, and board members who participated in the accreditation process.

Recently, we signed a long term lease with the Church that includes cost sharing for building improvements.

Since then, we’ve made continuous upgrades to our facilities.

2 Newton Montessori School

“Montessori students have a huge advantage over other students who are more traditionally prepared.”

Linda Woodard,

Educational Consultant and Outgoing NMS Board Chair

A Special Thank You In your capacity as an educational consultant, you work with students going to many different schools. How does NMS stack up in preparing kids for the rest of their academic careers?

Montessori students have a huge advantage over other students who are more traditionally prepared. They understand that they, not teachers, control how hard they work and that they need to manage their own time and priorities. Montessori students learn that being creative is OK and that asking for help shows initiative and eagerness for learning, not an inability to master difficult content.

They have been given the confidence to be themselves and develop passions. So often this is forgotten in educational preparation provided by other institutions.

As the world becomes more collaborative and requires innovation, students from Montessori schools are gifts in the classroom and school community wherever they go to middle school or high school. They often drive dialog and are what we educators often refer to as the “glue” of a class. Respectful, innovative, curious, independent, intellectual, responsible and kind are words that come to mind. They also bring with them parents who understand that education is a child’s responsibility that should be celebrated and respected.

What are the most pressing future issues for the school?

The first things that come to mind are Development and Community Involvement. The issue of fundraising is always a challenging topic. Many of the improvements in curriculum and the building have been funded by annual fund gifts. It is not easy to ask for money nor is it always easy for potential donors to understand why we ask for money. I hope families understand that we run a very tight budget and have no endowment to depend on. We also pay significant rent every year, which is something most schools do not need to do.

As a result, we need to ask for money to be a school that is able to continuously improve and to ensure a strong future.

That leads to the other issue that comes to mind, which is strategic thinking and planning for the future.

Now that the school has many of its “brick and mortar” needs solidified, the board will have more time to focus on other key issues. It will be an exciting time for the board, in the capable hands of Adrian DeDomenico (the new board chair) and Beth Black. •

Laura Gassner Otting, parent of NMS alumni Benjamin and Tobias Otting, served on the Board of Trustees with Linda. She offered this tribute at a trustee thank you event this past June:

Every organization is made up of innumerable people who contribute in large and small ways. Ten years ago, this school was formed by a group of parents who had, really, simply no idea how complicated and difficult a task we were undertaking. Ignorance was bliss, to be certain.

The truth is, though, that we parents had a vested interest.

We knew how great the teachers and the environment were for our children, and we wanted to see it continue. But, then, Linda Woodard came along. An actual expert in school administration. Who could have imagined that we would need such a thing, but Linda was truly the final piece of the puzzle.

The amount of work in the early days was staggering. Its volume was only outshone by its complexity. Linda had no vested interest, no kids at the school, no grandkids at the school.

She just showed up every day and worked. And worked.

And worked. Through growth, through transition, through tough times and good times.

Our students leave NMS with a strong sense of themselves and an understanding of what they can contribute, a strong academic foundation that leads to success in the future and, perhaps most importantly, a sense of the value of every peer’s strengths and challenges.

This value of respect is ever-present in faculty and students and it is truly a hallmark of the school.

Linda has served Newton Montessori School well.

We are forever in her debt.

Year in Review, 2015–2016 3

community involvement Board of Trustees 2016–2017

Parent Association 2016–2017

New PA Structure and Mission

Executive Committee

PA Officers

Adrian DeDomenico, Chair (Gabriel, P; Sophia, LE) Joe Jolly, Treasurer (Katie, P; Ellie, FS; Ben, FS) Hattie Kerwin Derrick, Clerk (Stella, FS) Beth Black, Head of School

Shirley Shalev, President Jen Cardy, Co-Vice-President Shannon Crotty, Co-Vice-President

The NMS Parent Association (PA), a community-building organization of parents whose children are enrolled at the school, went through a restructuring this past year. The updated mission of the PA is to:

At Large Members Brian Alfermann (Nora, B; Clara, FS) Jacqueline Angell (Clementine, B; Montgomery, P) Liz Bowie (Isla, LE; Calum, LE) Cara Candal (Eva, LE) Nick DeLeonardis (Bianca, P; Emerson, P; Olivia, FS) Harit Doshi (Heer, P) Soorena Farboodmanesh (Kian, P; Kourosh, LE) Rebecca Gavin (Olivia, P; Hannah, LE) Chad Hinkle (Petra, LE) Namita Mohta (Ayaan, LE; Aanika, UE) Alexandra Popma (Matias, FS; Isabela, FS) Nathalie Rayes (Alexander, FS; Julian, FS) Robert Reimann (Alex, LE; Max, UE) Wendy Secor, Director of Admission and Financial Aid, Dana Hall School Anna Turkova-Khan (Adam, B; Sasha, P) Claudia Urrea, Associate Director for Pre-K–12 MIT Office of Digital Learning Linda Woodard, Independent Educational Consultant for middle school, secondary, and college education planning B: Beginners

LE: Lower Elementary

P: Primary

UE: Upper Elementary

Class Parents B1 Ingrid Van Welie, Xinxin Wang B2 Erica DeRosa, Laura Gellis B3 Anthea Resnick, Bengisu Tulu B4 Kristen Arena, Anjolie Laubach P1 Florencia Halperin, Emily Robinson P2 Anjolie Laubach, Kara Nemeth P3 Katherine Lin, Fei Wang P4 Kim DeLeonardis, Abby Fischer P5 Shadi Johnston, Ashley Zimmel P6 Lisa Burton, Becca Havemeyer LE1 Liz Bowie, Catherine Sabatos-Peyton LE2 Nana Shin, Tracy Goulding UE Phil Chase, Suzanne Sheirr

· Welcome new families to the diverse school community · Support Class Parents in building community within their classrooms · Organize and run events for parents and families to get to know each other socially · Provide volunteer support for school-run events as needed · Promote school spirit through the sale of Spirit Wear and hosting an annual School Spirit Day · Coordinate and host staff appreciation activities Each class has Class Parents who serve as liaisons between the families in that class and the PA. However, all NMS parents are members of the PA and are welcome to attend meetings and join committees.

If you are interested to learn how to get involved at NMS, contact any leaders in the Board of Trustees, the Parent Association, or the school.

FS: Former Student

PA Fun of 2015–2016 included an Under the Sea Dance and Super Staff Appreciation.

We can't wait to see what 2016–2017 has in store!

4 Newton Montessori School

Movement Matters “When we think of intellectual activity, we always imagine people sitting still, motionless.

But mental development must be connected with movement ...

It is vital that educational theory and practice should be informed by this idea.”

Maria Montessori

“Can you push the plate to Africa?” NMS Primary teachers have incorporated physical activities such as plate-pushing, which strengthens a child’s core muscles, into a variety of lessons, including geography.

Year in Review, 2015–2016 5

Popping bubble wrap with a rolling pin is a fun Beginners activity that strengthens a child’s core muscles.

Below: a Primary student practices balance by walking in a line while holding an egg with a spoon.

the body-br ain connection

How Our Curriculum Integrates Movement to Enhance Learning

More than a hundred years ago, Maria Montessori recognized what modern brain scientists are now reporting: Learning isn’t all in the mind. The body and the brain are interconnected, which means that “movement matters.”

Physical activity has been shown to have significant positive effects on children’s cognitive performance, increasing attention and executive functioning skills, both of which are central to academic success in reading and mathematics.

While some advantages of movementbased education—body awareness, muscle development, obesity prevention, physical fitness—have long been touted, research now also supports the fact that regular movement actually increases a child’s brain function and enhances overall academic performance. Back in 2005, in Teaching with the Brain in Mind, Eric Jensen asserted that the evidence

of a strong link between learning and physical activity was mounting “and most neuroscientists agree that movement and cognition are powerfully connected.”

Since then, scores of scholarly journals, educational texts, and more popular media outlets such as the New York Times and The Atlantic have published or referenced research results—based on methods ranging from brain scans to observational studies—that show children are able to maintain focus longer, retain facts better, score better on tests, and even grow new neural connections in certain areas of the brains when they are encouraged to do what kids do best: move around and use their bodies.

Researchers have suggested that these findings warrant modification of contemporary educational policies and practices to allow more frequent opportunities for physical activity 6 Newton Montessori School

“Learning is a complicated process.

But almost every teacher will tell you that children learn by doing.

They need to move, touch and manipulate what they see in order to process their environment.

The Movement Matters program provides activities that allow for purposeful movement and meet the range of students' needs right in the classroom.”

Devon Beidler,

NMS Assistant Head of School for Educational Programs

at school. However, schools under pressure to demonstrate consistently high scores on standardized testing are finding it difficult to make time in students’ schedules for them to be away from their desks. Schools whose budgets have been cut may no longer offer the same robust performing arts programs they once did, reducing students’ opportunities for active movement through drama and dance.

Most schools still segregate movement solely into a Physical Education class, setting it apart from academic content.

By contrast, freedom of movement has long been central to Montessori pedagogy. Unlike students in classrooms where children are assigned desks and may have to ask for permission to leave their seats, Montessori students have been encouraged to move purposefully around the classroom as they complete their learning tasks.

Firmly rooted in the Montessori tradition, our school-wide curricular approach is nonetheless open to adaptation when research points to learning advantages for our students.

This past year, recognizing the impact of movement on cognition, NMS took steps to integrate movement even more fully into its curriculum. The goal was to embed more movement into classroom learning activities. To support the school-wide focus on movement in the classroom, the school held a mandatory workshop for teaching staff, led by Melani Alexander Fuchs, a master Montessori teacher with almost 30 years of teaching experience. Fuchs is the co-creator of Movement Matters, an aptly named battery of lessons (an “album,” as it’s known in Montessori vernacular) that includes close to 100 individual, group, and whole-class activities that can be integrated into all areas of student learning. Fuchs spent a day at NMS last August, explaining the theories behind Movement Matters and leading teachers through sample lessons from the curriculum.

Movement Matters activities are fun for kids, but they are purposeful, structured lessons designed to support physical and cognitive development. This variety of movement activities is not the same as unstructured play, which happens Year in Review, 2015–2016 7

Primary students practice jumping with “Spot Scotch,” a movement work with many variations that connects physical activity to academic learning, such as counting while jumping on numbers, saying the sounds of letters as you land on them, and hopping on letters to spell out words.

at recess. We intentionally work with students on building core strength, crossing the midline, and increasing proprioception because we know that strong bodies are the foundation for strong minds. We use movement activities to stimulate brain activity, reset attention, and reinforce knowledge.

Evidence of how well teachers have already integrated additional opportunities for purposeful movement into children’s daily experience at NMS can be found just by strolling the hallways. You’re likely to find Upper Elementary students doing a “walk and talk” lap around the building to prepare for a full class discussion. Informally

sharing ideas in pairs about an open-ended question central to their study topic, especially while moving around, primes their brains to participate at a deeper level. You might also find Primary students taking turns balancing on a wobble board or hopping on sandpaper letters, enunciating consonant sounds as they go. You may notice a Lower Elementary student walking on stilts for a “brain break” or encounter a group of Spanish students dancing to a beat and chanting the words to a Latin American song. It looks like fun, but it’s a serious business. Bodies are moving. Brains are growing. •

Core Strength refers to the strength of the muscles around the abdomen, back, and pelvis. These muscles stabilize the body in space and are engaged in almost all human activity, from sitting to balancing to running.

Children with poor core strength typically have poor posture and often tire easily, which can limit their attention for learning.

Sample NMS learning activity to build core strength: plate-pushing (pushing a paper plate across the floor, often in the context of doing another Montessori work).

Crossing the Midline refers to a child’s ability to use the limbs on one side of the body in the space on the opposite side of the body. This ability is considered an indication that both sides of the brain are able to work together effectively. Children who struggle with crossing the midline may have difficulty with reading and handwriting.

Sample NMS learning activity to support crossing the midline: passing a ball (turning to pass a ball with both hands), often done in the context of learning activities that involve vocalizing knowledge, such as counting to 100 by tens in Spanish.

Proprioception refers to a child’s awareness of the relative position of his or her body in space and the strength being applied to muscle movements. Children whose proprioceptive skills are not fully developed may have to concentrate more to avoid bumping into things or breaking things (e.g., snapping off pencil points by pushing harder than necessary), which can be tiring and frustrating, leading to a shorter attention span for learning. We help children develop proprioception through a variety of activities.

Tossing a ball while practicing vocabulary helps Elementary Spanish students stay focused and retain what they learn.

8 Newton Montessori School

Sample NMS learning activity to build proprioception: “heavy work” (lifting and carrying weighted objects that provide muscle resistance).

“Today, the defining skills of the previous era— the ‘left brain’ capabilities that powered the Information Age—are necessary but no longer sufficient. And the capabilities we once disdained or thought frivolous—the ‘right-brain’ qualities of inventiveness, empathy, joyfulness, and meaning— increasingly will determine who flourishes and who flounders.”

Daniel Pink, A Whole New Mind (2006)

“Look, this wire connects to the thing that triggers the bell.”

NMS Upper Elementary students learn about design principles by reverse engineering an old rotary telephone.

Year in Review, 2015–2016 9

An Upper Elementary student compares his computerized plan for a marble run to the model he created using the 3D printer.

design thinking Burst pipes? Call a plumber. Broken arm?

See a doctor. Since the Enlightenment and especially during the Information Age in the 20th century, our society has become increasingly dependent on experts who have the depth of specialized knowledge needed to address problems. In this context, the acquisition of technical knowledge has been viewed as the ticket to a successful, highly paid career, as well as a marker of intellectual ability.

Academic content related to math and science has often been more highly valued than the so-called “soft skills” students gain from study in humanities fields. The scientific method has reigned supreme.

That’s changing. Design thinking has emerged as another powerful way of thinking—not as a replacement for

the scientific method we all learned in school, but as an approach that is appropriate when no single area of expertise can yield answers.

Design thinking is a creative, integrative, collaborative, multidisciplinary and iterative strategy that can be used not only to generate innovative new products and services, but also to solve “messy” problems for which there is no known technical solution.

The model became popularized in the business world in the 1990s after David M. Kelley, who had studied the model at Stanford University, founded Ideo, a highly successful innovation and design company. Also in the 1990s, Dr. Charles Burnett, a professor at University of the Arts in Philadelphia began teaching a “Design With Kids” course for teachers,

10 Newton Montessori School

helping them to create design projects for students that would allow them to meet learning goals by responding to open-ended challenges within specific parameters. He posited that design thinking should be taught in schools because it integrates imagination and analytical thinking, emphasizes constructive thinking over factual retention, and provides visual feedback to students about how they have understood concepts or developed certain skills. Since that time, there has been a growing emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship in the workplace and an educational movement to expand STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) to include the Arts (STEAM). In this context, more and more schools have begun integrating design thinking into the curriculum.

“The Makerspace is, intentionally, a mistake-making place. It’s a safe place to take risks and fail. We want students to become resilient and persistent, to be able to give and receive feedback on their ideas, and to know that failure can be a springboard for both learning and innovation.”

Beth Black,

Head of School

NMS Elementary students were first exposed to design thinking in conjunction with the launch of the School’s new Makerspace last fall.

The large Makerspace room includes a new woodworking area, access to sewing machines, an area for computeraided design and 3D printing, an open space for building and testing prototypes, and storage for everything from beads, fabric, and recycled egg cartons to lumber and broken machine parts. Large icons on the wall above a huge dry-erase board serve as visual reminders of the Stanford University model of design thinking students are learning.

In the pilot version of Design Lab this past year, Elementary students tackled a number of open-ended design challenges. The kickoff was the Cardboard Challenge, during which first graders built free-standing arches for a croquet game, second graders designed cardboard chairs for stuffed animals, third graders built outdoor play equipment for Beginner students, and Upper Elementary students created unique arcade games. Each challenge had certain parameters and success metrics. Throughout the year, reinforcing previously taught academic STEAM content was a focus of design challenges that included building towers and designing balloon cars for speed and distance.

Next year, students will take a year-long Design Lab special co-taught by Merav Rosen, the NMS Woodworking teacher, and Paul Zmuda, who was one of the Design Lab teachers this past year.

Teachers are excited about the opportunities for students to use both woodworking and technological tools in their design projects. Older students may, for example, have the opportunity to test their ideas for full-scale woodworking projects by first creating smaller versions on the 3D printer. Students will still get a half year equivalent of each of the Woodworking and Design Lab specials offered last year; the curriculum will, however, be delivered somewhat differently in this year-long course in order to emphasize design thinking and enhance student learning.

The Makerspace is full of recycled materials for creative reuse.

Year in Review, 2015–2016 11

What is Design Thinking?

At NMS, students as young as six are being taught to internalize the Stanford University model of Design Thinking as a way of approaching complex problemsolving. The steps in this process include: EMPATHIZE · What are the user’s needs and wants? What exactly is the problem or opportunity? · Interview, Observe, Record DEFINE · What are the criteria for success?

How will we know if our design will work for the user? · Analyze, List, Prioritize IDEATE · What might work? What else might work? · Brainstorm, Discuss, Sketch in 2D PROTOTYPE · What can be learned from a rapidly produced, small scale model of an idea? What mistakes and costs can we avoid by testing the idea with cheaper materials before we build? · Build in 3D – small scale, cheaply, quickly TEST · What’s working? What’s not working? · Measure, Interview, Record ITERATE · How could this design be improved? How could this design be adapted for another use?

How could this be made more aesthetically pleasing, more cheaply, more quickly, with recycled materials, for users with special needs, etc.? · Go back to Empathize and cycle through the process again

“What’s amazing about Design Lab is that children are able to make their ideas visible to others. We teach them to use different kinds of tools and materials. The 3D objects they are then able to create demonstrate their understanding of various math and engineering concepts —as well as their individual creativity.”

Merav Rosen, Design Lab Teacher

Classroom teachers are increasingly giving students open-ended challenges in addition to the ones students tackle in the Design Lab special. They have also encouraged students to make use of the Makerspace for extension projects such as making costumes for cultural studies and binding research pages together in a book. The Makerspace is, above all, a resource room, similar in some ways to the NMS Library on the opposite hallway. A key difference is that students go to the

library to find information that will help them understand things, whereas they go to the Makerspace to make things that demonstrate what they understand. Knowing how to do research is essential, but so is knowing how (and when) to apply that knowledge to achieve a particular goal. Design thinking challenges offer students the opportunity to construct models that reveal how they might use what they have learned in the “real world.” At NMS, the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers is already at work. •

For this year's Global Cardboard Challenge, each second grader designed a Chair for a Bear.

Students measured their bears and considered their needs. See a final product below!

DESIGN HABITS OF MIND In Design Lab, students learn and practice ways of thinking and managing their work that will help them succeed in school and in life, including: Empathy learning and trying to meet others’ needs Creative thinking generating multiple solutions to open-ended challenges Critical thinking analyzing what criteria must be met for a successful design solution Problem-solving working through design challenges Task perseverance working on a project that takes time Emotional control patience, resilience when things fail Collaboration soliciting and accepting feedback, sharing ideas, championing others’ success Public speaking presenting solution ideas and explaining results of prototype testing Planning sketching in 2D, listing features, selecting tools and materials Attention to detail working with small parts and interconnected pieces Ability to follow sequence of steps assembling from parts in the right order Fine motor skills hand/eye coordination during tool use

12 Newton Montessori School

Why 3? The 3-Year Cycle

This NMS graduate focused her independent project on careers related to animals.

Year in Review, 2015–2016 13

“The greatest sign of success for a teacher is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.’”

Maria Montessori

In the Readers' Theatre Workshop, Primary Year 3 students find their voices and gain comfort with presenting to an audience.

the importance of year 3

Multi-age classrooms are a key feature of Montessori education. Do you know why?

Maria Montessori is perhaps best known today for her revolutionary work in early childhood education. Her work in education, however, stemmed from her scientific observations of children’s development from birth through age 24.

Based on those observations, Montessori posited that human development can be viewed as four distinct 6-year periods of growth: 0–6 years, 6–12 years, 12–18 years, and 18–24 years. In each successive phase, the child has particular cognitive, social, physical, moral and emotional needs. As a result, in each phase, children have an innate sensitivity to developing certain kinds of life skills and acquiring certain kinds of knowledge. (For example, in the first three years of life, children are intrinsically motivated to learn to speak and move their bodies independently, among other things.)

The Montessori method is based on this human development theory, with each distinct 6-year growth phase divided into two 3-year learning cycles. At NMS, these are called Beginners (a 2-year cycle because we do not start at birth), Primary (ages 3–6), Lower Elementary (ages 6–9) and Upper Elementary (ages 9–12). Each classroom has children of different ages who are grouped together because all are in the same “plane of development.” In other words, they are all working on developmental goals that are characteristic of that 3-year period in their lives. Children mature differently, so they may reach different developmental milestones at different times during those three years. However, absent any developmental delays, all will reach a similar stage by the end of the third year.

14 Newton Montessori School

In a typical 3-year cycle, first year students are busy exploring a new learning environment, acquiring a new set of skills, and broadening their knowledge base.

Second year students are experimenting with ways to practice newfound skills and apply what they are learning. Third year students are engaged in the very important task of becoming experts.

By “experts,” we mean learners whose skills and knowledge are so deeply embedded that they can access them easily and use them to do more advanced work. In the third year, the student’s prior learning is consolidated and reinforced, creating a solid foundation for learning and growth in the next 3-year cycle.

The third year in a Montessori program can be considered a “capstone” experience; it is a culminating academic

“We didn’t realize how important the third year of Primary would be, so we sent our older child to public kindergarten. It was a rough year—he was bored.

The NMS Kindergarten curriculum is much more advanced. We now see the advantages of completing the 3-year cycle and we are definitely enrolling our daughter for her PY3 year.”

NMS Parent

experience that gives richer meaning to what has come before. It is also often called the “leap year” because the special experiences students have in the third year contribute to significant leaps in understanding. Third year students focus on practicing good work and study habits with greater consistency than their younger classmates may be capable of demonstrating. In the third year of each cycle, students take on greater responsibility for self-directed study, from the first use of work plans in Primary Y3 to schoolwide internships in LE Y3 to independent research projects in UE Y3. They are also challenged to develop public speaking skills: Primary Y3 students have individual speaking roles in assemblies, LE Y3 students go into Newton Centre and talk about

International Peace Day with local residents, and UE Y3 students give a graduation speech to an audience of hundreds. All third year students are members of Y3 Student Council, a student organization that coordinates community service initiatives. They are expected to be leaders in the classroom, serving as role models and peer teachers for younger students. These levels of responsibility reinforce third year students’ learning and build a sense of accomplishment and pride.

Students who do not complete the third year of a Montessori program are missing out not only on the final year of a 3-year curricular cycle but also on the unique experience the third year offers. What sets Montessori education

Year in Review, 2015–2016 15

apart from many other pedagogical approaches is that students who complete the third year emerge with earned confidence in their learning abilities. Having had the time to solidify a sense of themselves as being capable of becoming “expert” at things that matter, they are able to enter the next phase of development with a willingness to take on new challenges. They are “stronger learners.” •

Below: At left, the Y3 Student Council organizes donations to their Thanksgiving Food Drive.

At right, third graders and sixth graders present a dreamcatcher to a local business on International Peace Day.

Year 3 Program Highlights Primary Year 3

Kindergarten students show the Wish Boxes they made for children fighting cancer.

Lower Elementary Year 3

Upper Elementary Year 3

Third grade Art Room Intern assists a young friend with an art project.

Sixth grade graduate presents a speech at the End of Year Ceremony.

NMS launched the new PY3 curriculum two years years ago to better prepare students for Elementary coursework. Montessori lessons are supplemented with small group Kindergarten Workshops designed to inspire a love of reading, writing, scientific observation and problem-solving and to build oral fluency and handwriting skills.

NMS Elementary faculty report a significant improvement in literacy and work habits among first grade students who completed the new PY3 curriculum.

NMS launched several initiatives in LE last year, from Design Lab (with its STEAM focus) to Focus Fridays (opportunities for learning about special areas of interest). Third year students take a skills inventory, apply for jobs at NMS, and work 30 minutes a week in an office or classroom. They also host a lunchtime “café” for their parents, taking turns to plan the menu, shop, cook, serve, and clean up. Third years spend an overnight at Nature’s Classroom and have an active role in planning Y3 Student Council community service activities.

“Primary students look forward to becoming a Third Year from the day they enter the classroom.

Third year students are wonderful role models for younger friends and often times can be found assisting them with work around the classroom. During the third year of the Primary cycle teachers see a jump in most children’s academic skills and drive. ”

“Lower Elementary third year students are motivated in their academic pursuits and able to manage their time efficiently and responsibly. At the same time, they are caring and empathetic—ready to take on leadership roles in their classroom and in the broader school community.”

Katie Hamill Primary Division Leader

Caitlin Bowring Lower Elementary Teacher and Elementary Division Leader

16 Newton Montessori School

NMS revised the UEY3 curriculum three years ago to integrate the teaching of executive functioning skills into the advanced study of science and history. The blended Montessori-Progressive curriculum emphasizes project-based learning; students also begin to study for and take tests. UE students also now transition from Montessori math lessons to a more traditional textbook in preparation for middle school.

“The Executive Functioning skills that go into the UEY3 research projects, applications to middle schools and graduation speech are a major component of how they bring their interests and passions together with the skills needed to organize time, materials and expectations.”

Devon Beidler Assistant Head of School and Learning Specialist

Preparing the Environment “The teacher’s first duty is to watch over the environment, and this takes precedence over all the rest. Its influence is indirect, but unless it be well done there will be no effective and permanent results of any kind, physical, intellectual or spiritual.”

Maria Montessori

Pictured above is a renovated Lower Elementary classroom during a morning work cycle, accommodating independent study and a small group lesson.

Year in Review, 2015–2016 17

We expanded our Upper Elementary classroom just in time for our record-breaking class of 18 UE students.

preparing the environment The Impact of Annual Fundraising Newton Montessori School is engaged in a multi-year master facilities improvement plan. Under the new lease agreement, Sacred Heart Parish and NMS are co-investing in building improvements related to safety systems and infrastructure upgrades. NMS is itself funding tenant improvements that make the property better-suited to our educational program needs.

with nature. It has classrooms in which students feel free to move around, spread out their work, or curl up in a corner with a good book. It has plenty of natural light, ample storage for Montessori materials, child-height sinks and furnishings, and areas like a library, gym, Makerspace, music and art rooms that are well-suited to “specials” activities. It’s a place that feels like a “second home.”

Maria Montessori emphasized the importance of “preparing the environment” for learning. Her observations showed that, when the physical space was set up in ways conducive to students exploring and interacting with learning materials, the result was increased student concentration and achievement.

Newton Montessori School students learn to care for their school environment by putting works away on the right shelves, mopping up spills, watering plants, and rolling up floor mats after use.

The ideal Montessori learning environment has inspiring spaces that reflect beauty, order, and harmony

It’s our job, as the adults who care deeply about their learning and growth, to show that we also care for the school environment. Our school community is doing that by executing the master facilities plan.

18 Newton Montessori School

Lower Elementary students now have use of two small, colorful breakout rooms.

Why is fundraising necessary?

Newton Montessori School receives no funding support from the government or any religious group. Regular school operations are supported primarily by revenue from tuition and Umbrella Care program fees.

BEFORE

In the meantime, the generous voluntary donations that NMS staff and parents make on an annual basis are helping the school ensure that the quality of education Newton Montessori students receive is reflected in the quality of their daily environment.

Thank you to all who contributed to the 2015–2016 Annual Fund and to the Lucky 13 Gala and Art Auction. We hope you will continue in generosity this year, as we celebrate the start of the school’s second decade. New families, we look forward to your support in this important work.

Projects shared with Sacred Heart: New, safer stairs New gas boiler New lower level windows New lighted Exit signs New ADA adult bathroom ¡ New fire safety systems ¡ Increased electrical power to the building ¡ Increased water to the building

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

The annual operations budget is designed to cover regular expenses such as staff salaries and other fixed program costs, not capital improvements.

A certain amount of money raised annually goes into the operating budget to support professional development for teachers and administrators; the balance goes into reserves to be used as prioritized by the Board of Trustees. In recent years, the Board of Trustees has voted to use fundraising money from reserves for facilities enhancements.

The school’s fundraising priority is not always likely to be for “bricks and mortar,” however. In 2016–2017 the school is engaged in the process of establishing strategic priorities for the school’s second decade.

MASTER FACILITIES PLAN

AFTER

NMS tenant improvements: ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Remodeled restrooms and the brand new gym are among recent renovation projects.

BEFORE

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡ ¡

AFTER

Your contribution makes a huge difference. The more people donate, the more we can do to enhance our school facility. Maria Montessori’s words are a call to action: “Let us therefore unite our efforts to construct an environment that will allow the child and the adolescent to live an independent, individual life.” • Year in Review, 2015–2016 19

New gym floor with storage New Makerspace New, larger UE classroom New LE2 classroom Newly painted Elementary classrooms Resurfaced playground New kitchen/storage in six Primary classrooms Newly painted Primary classrooms Air-conditioning in Beginners classrooms New offices for Business Office staff New Main Office reception area New Admission office New kitchen/storage in Beginners classrooms Newly painted Beginners classrooms New student bathrooms on lower and main levels Phase 2 of administrative offices redesign Redesigned playground And possibly more…

building a culture of giving

Annual Fund

A Conversation with NMS Parent, Brian Shin

Brian and Nana Shin, parents of Owen (Primary) and Ethan (Lower Elementary), sponsored a Matching Challenge for this year’s Annual Fund. This ten-day challenge alone raised $39,216, empowering the NMS community to achieve the greatest Annual Fund total in the history of the school: $124,099. Their generosity and yours made this possible.

Pioneer ($10,000 and up) Brian and Nana Shin

Transformer ($5,000 – $9,999)

Here are Brian’s thoughts on the importance of giving to NMS.

Nana and I have seen firsthand the positive impact that the wonderful teachers, the NMS environment, and the Montessori approach, particularly the 3-year program, have had on our own children, Ethan and Owen. What we love most about NMS is that there is this constant push to move forward and improve.

Ms. Black and school leadership are not content to sit back and let things be as they are. The renovation of the Elementary floor last year and the creation of the “Makerspace” are great examples of NMS working hard to enhance the environment for the benefit of our children.

NMS is a small and independent school and many of these initiatives need to be born out of sheer will and creative problem solving because there is no large endowment or public funds from which to draw. That is where you and I, the NMS community as a whole, must come in; we really are all in this together, not only to enjoy and appreciate what is happening here, but also to support it proactively.

We as parents already support the school with tuition and time. But if we can also work as a whole to create a Culture of Giving through fundraising events and donations, we can enable the school to continue to evolve and improve.

I believe that if we have a better understanding of the school’s needs and priorities, we can rally support and share responsibility for meeting those needs. Ultimately, we are working for the betterment of NMS for our own children. I know that it can feel like a burden when fundraising starts every year, but if we all pitch in to help however we can and build up grassroots efforts that extend beyond our parents— potentially to corporate sponsors, the broader community, and even to extended family members—we can make huge strides together and make a lasting impact.

David Bono and Holly Happe The Chow Family Josh Klevens and Anna Sinaiko Andrew Liu and Wendy Sheu Jonathan Otting and Laura Gassner Otting Jeffrey and Alexandra Popma Robert and Julie Reimann Tarek Samad and Nathalie Rayes

Visionary ($2,500 – $4,999) The Angell Family Adrian DeDomenico and Jennifer Cardy Erling and Ellen Donnelly ª Dobkin Family Foundation Patrick McDonagh and Kavindi Wickremage

Donors are NMS parents as of 2015–16 unless otherwise marked.

ª l

Friend of NMS Grandparent

¡ Staff Member

²

Corporate Match

“Attending NMS will be one of the most formative experiences in the early lives of our children.

Building a culture of giving throughout the NMS community will be one of the most important things we can do to help this special organization make the biggest possible impact for our kids.”

Brian Shin, NMS Parent

20 Newton Montessori School

Donors 2015–2016 Benefactor ($1,000 – $2,499)

l ¡

l

² ²

²

ª

Anonymous Anonymous Christopher Andreoli and Denise Gee Andreoli Amir Nashat and Carmen Barnes Shehzad Basaria and Milena BragaBasaria Deborah Berman Beth Black and Keith Gillette Isaac and Jessica Cheng Michael and Jessica Christo The Crystal Family D.T. DeDomenico Nicholas and Kim DeLeonardis Harit and Parul Doshi Mark Evans and Rebecca Gavin Soorena Farboodmanesh and Salumeh Companieh Fidelity Goldman Sachs Jason Jay and Alaka Ray Jay and Swapna Mehta Pfizer The Pluhar Family Andrew Popper and Heidi VanderbiltBrown Kevin Raskin and Sabeena Chacko Raskin Shuyu Ren and Cuiyan Xin Theorphilus and Jody Rose Andrew Teman and Erica DeRosa Christopher and Jaime Utano Ariel Winn and Adam Delaney-Winn Linda Woodard Feng Zhu and Monic Sun

Partner ($500 – $999) Brian and Jessica Alfermann Ethan and Maly Bernstein ² Biogen Idec Eugenio and Cara Candal James and Kathleen Castracane

Partner ($500 – $999) l Donna Christo John and Ana Davie ² Education First (EF) Stephen Esposito and Madeline McNeely Matt and Abby Fischer Helen and Jason Johnson Ranjit and Sucharita Kher Jacob and Anjolie Laubach John Lewis and Suzanne Sheirr Steve and Katherine Lin Will and Melissa Lyons Deepak and Shikha Malhotra ª Sarah Mulrooney Daniel Nelson and Jessica Hawks ² Novartis Randy and Crystal Pike ª Wendy Secor John and Muna Vitale Colin and Tiffany Woodworth

Patron ($250 – $499)

¡

¡

Anonymous Moris Aner and Elda Esim-Aner Zaid Ashai and Sarah Rahman Joseph and Jehanna Baker Devon Beidler Alexander Bendayan and Rebika ShawBendayan Sean and Lisa Burton Renata and Filipe Campante Mike and Katharine Carr Michael Cohen and Melanie Pogach James and Sarah Donnelly Ken and Tracy Goulding Steve and Kerrie Gross Chong Gu and Shirley Yang Chad Hinkle and Jaime Vines Joseph Jolly and Susan Rivers Alejandro Katz and Marier Hernandez Joseph Khoury and Wenlin Shao Ginta and Lauris Lambergs

Year in Review, 2015–2016 21

Our resurfaced playground provides a safe and fun environment where students can play during recess and our Umbrella Care programs.

Patron ($250 – $499) Richard Levey and Lisa Halm Jie Lin and Huayu Fang Jorge Otero and Bengisu Tulu Vaishnavi Panchapakesa Giuseppe and Emily Raviola Matthew and Emily Robinson David Shen and Bonnie Liu Daniel Toledano and Marisa Olalla Wei Tong and Li Xin ² TripAdvisor Brian and Olga Winner ¡

Annual Fund Donors 2015โ 2016 Friend (up to $249) Anonymous Anonymous ยก Rosie and Patrick Allen ยก Alsira Alvarez Scott Mohr and Filiz Aslan Mr. and Mrs. Hussein M. Attar Dennis and Pascale Behnsen Daniel and Toby Bernstein l The Bowring Family ยก The Bowring Family ยก The Brooks Family Santiago Brown and Michelle Dubiel ยก Kimberly Burk ยก Kristine Canastar ยก Sarah Chadwick

Sarah Chadwick, Deanna (DiCarlo) Griffiths, Becky Alukonis, and Ashley Epstein attended the American Montessori Society conference in Chicago (and posed with the bean!)

Friend (up to $249) Aloke Chakravarty and Sharmila Ray David Chang and Sarah Cho Tom Chiaino and Kara Nemeth Helena Chiou Stephen and Leigh Cirasuolo ยก Ken Condon and Becky Alukonis Walker and Jill Coppedge l Barbara Davis ยก Chris DeLeigh ยก Andree DiCarlo ยก Sarah and Andrew Dolan Rodrigo Echenique and Isabel Amat Vall Hugh Lee and Bianka Eichelberger The Epstein Family ยก Samantha Foley Karen Gage ยก Kalpana Garg ยก Maddisen Getchell Jonah and Lisa Gillette Judi Goldberg and Bill Dimmick ยก Deanna Griffiths ยก Laura Halm ยก Katie Hamill ยก Colleen Harrington Will Havemeyer and Rebecca Schulman Havemeyer Aviram Hinenzon and Anna LitvakHinenzon Joern Hopke and Sunghae Park ยก Vanessa Irzyk ยก Mikail Jaikaran Ian and Shadi Johnston ยก Elyse Kalins The Khan Family Soorena Khojasteh and Raena Khorram ยก Judith Kinner Justin and Karin Kliger ยก Ruth Langton ยก Beatriz Lares ยก Esther Seungyeon Lee ยก Katherine Legge

22โ Newton Montessori School

Friend (up to $249) Yuk Leung Yum and Michelle Leung Lisa and Brian Levine Debra Loevy-Reyes ยก Margarita Londono ยก Allison Lynch ยก Emily Magni ยก Lauretta Maynard ยก Nicole Mongeon ยก Srinivas Nyayapati and Priya Venkateswaran ยช Daniel Page ยก Megan Pentz Vlad Perju and Katie Young Blaine and Helen Perry Erik and Jennifer Peterson-Eacott ยก Haley Pittenger Jill Pluhar and Christina Petrigliano ยก Katie Quann ยก Bennie Rezaei ยก Ashley Robinson ยก Yoni and Merav Rosen Stephanie Rowe Omar Sacirbey and Ina Djonlagic ยก Claudia Schmiedigen ยก Laura Searles ยก Katherine Seavey Boaz and Shirley Shalev ยก Lisa Shrestha ยก Abraham Soto ยฒ State Street Corporation Gal and Orit Steinberg ยก Kayla Stiffler Rene and Leanne Torgersen Carlo Traverso and Florencia Halperin John and Caroline Ward ยก Jenn Wheelwright ยก Isabel Wilder ยก Denise Wilson Hongbo Yang and Jianming Liu David Yu and Angela Lin ยก Paul Zmuda

professional development Annual Fundraising Helps Teachers Grow

All faculty and staff attended professional development workshops at the school, including “Movement Matters” with Melani Alexander Fuchs, OT training workshops, and a workshop on positivity led by Steve Gross, Chief Playmaker of the Life is Good Kids Foundation and NMS dad (above).

“It's great to work at a school that invests in me as a learner as well as a teacher.”

NMS Teacher

For Classroom Teachers

For Specialists

Becky Alukonis, Krissy Canastar, Ruth (Langton) Clifford, and Megan Pentz were selected to present at next year's AMS conference in San Diego Becky Alukonis, Sarah Chadwick, Ashley Epstein, and Deanna (DiCarlo) Griffiths attended the AMS (American Montessori Society) conference in Chicago Rosie Allen attended a Learning and the Brain Seminar, “Building Better Math Brains” Caitlin Bowring and Ruth Clifford attended a Readers’ and Writers’ workshop with Lucy Calkins Ruth (Langton) Clifford completed her Upper Elementary training Sam Foley is beginning Infant/Toddler Montessori Training Judy Kinner attended a Montessori conference in New Jersey Claudia Schmiedigen attended an AMS seminar on “Literacy Instruction for Diverse Learners: Practical Applications of Developmental Continuum” Several teachers attended the MSM (Montessori Schools of Massachusetts) conference in January Paul Zmuda attended the NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) conference in San Francisco

Krissy Canastar attended the annual AISNE (Association of Independent Schools in New England) Diversity Conference in November Margarita Londono and Beatriz Lares attended the Learning and the Brain conference Katie Quann completed her certification in Orff-Schulwerk training and her FAME certification to teach First Steps in Music Abraham Soto attended the annual conference for PE teachers

Year YearininReview, Review,2015–2016 25 2015–2016 23

For Administrative Staff Beth Black, Deanna (DiCarlo) Griffiths, and Ashley Robinson attended the MSM conference on Enrollment Management Beth Black participated in the MSM Head of School Retreat Deanna (DiCarlo) Griffiths attended the ISM (Independent School Management) Summer Institute: “The New Admission Director” Katie Legge attended Veracross training Isabel Wilder attended the NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) conference and the ISM (Independent School Management) Advancement Academy

The increase in cash between June 30, 2015 and June 30, 2016 is largely the result of collecting tuition payments for the 2016–17 school year beginning in June. In 2015, most tuition payments were not collected until starting in July.

Data is based on unaudited results.

26 Newton Montessori School

2015–2016 Financial Report BALANCE SHEET Assets

2016 Total

2015 Total

$3,222,577

$2,382,506

Current Liabilities

2,508,596

3,072,080

10,778

33,622

$5,741,951

$5,488,208

$442,116

$379,801

Cash & cash equivalents Accounts receivable Prepaid assets Total Current Assets Total Property & Equipment, net

Liabilities & Net Assets

2016 Total

2015 Total

Deferred revenue

$4,057,788

$3,851,715

Accounts payable

51,773

34,869

Accrued liabilities

363,449

358,383

80,628

4,600

$4,553,638

$4,249,567

$80,628

$0

$4,553,638

$4,249,567

Total Unrestricted

$1,630,428

$1,618,442

Total Liabilities & Net Assets

$6,184,066

$5,868,009

Deferred rent Total Current Liabilities Long Term Liabilities Deferred rent Total Liabilities Net Assets

Total Assets

$6,184,067

$5,868,009

INCOME STATEMENT Actual Revenue

Tuition & Fees Fundraising Summer Program

$4,401,657 $140,649 $80,753

After School & Enrichment

$336,993

Other Income

$47,541

Total

$5,007,593

Fundraising

Individual Annual Fund Contributions

Actual Expenses

$112,924

Lucky 13 Party

$16,550

Corporate Matching Annual Fund Contributions

$11,175

Salaries & Benefits Facilities

$648,106

Financial Aid & Tuition Remission

$408,106

Program Expenses

$279,716

Administrative Expenses

$222,534

Fundraising Expense Total

Year in Review, 2015–2016 25

$140,649

$3,190,376

Total

$9,103 $4,757,941

staff news Grad School Laura Halm will attend the University of Central Florida to earn a Master's in SpeechLanguage Pathology.

Lisa Shrestha will attend Boston College to earn a Master's in Clinical Social Work with a focus on Children, Youth, and Families.

Nicole Mongeon will attend Framingham State University to earn a Master's in Counseling Psychology.

Weddings and Engagements

Personal Achievements and Awards Devon Beidler was selected to be a member of the Museum of Fine Arts Educators Advisory Board.

Sarah Chadwick performed in the Longwood Players production of “Urinetown.”

Ashley Epstein earned certification as a Zumba and Zumba Kids instructor.

Lisa Halm won the National Business Officers Association's Unsung Hero Award.

Vanessa Irzyk had solo art exhibitions at the Mingo Gallery and in the Mayor's Gallery at Boston City Hall, and was featured in a story on Big, Red, & Shiny.

Allison Lynch completed El Camino de Santiago in Spain.

Katie Quann performed with the band Billy Dodge Moody at venues such as the Hard Rock Cafe, and performed with the Waltham Symphony Orchestra.

1. Deanna Griffiths and husband, Norman 2. Laura Halm and wife, Lauren 3. Ruth Clifford and husband, Nick 4. Abraham Soto and wife, Jaclyn 5. Nicole Mongeon and fiancé, Jeff

Newborns 6. Emerson Elizabeth (Sarah Donnelly) 7. Grace Charlotte (Kayla Stiffler) 8. Brinley Katherine (Sarah Dolan)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

This past spring, Elementary students and NMS staff enjoyed a friendly soccer game!

26 Newton Montessori School

the impact of a montessori education A Conversation with Matias Page

Matias Page recently graduated from the University of Vermont and is applying to medical school. He attended the Montessori school that was housed in the current Newton Montessori School building before NMS was established. Matias connects his academic success with the solid foundation he received in his early years of Montessori education.

In what ways did your Montessori education prepare you for success?

I think my teachers struck a good balance between structured group learning and free independent learning.

I learned a lot during the planned lessons, especially when it came to subjects like math and grammar, which required formal instruction.

The materials they used to help teach, such as beads and cubes and stamps, were enormously useful. Math and grammar have always been relatively easy and even enjoyable for me, and I think it is because I started from a solid foundation.

One of the biggest benefits of learning independently was that I could go at my own pace and think through problems in a way that made sense to me. The teachers were always available to help or correct me, but I think having to figure things out for myself taught me how to think critically and flexibly rather than just follow instructions.

Another huge benefit was that I had the time and freedom to explore things I was interested in. For me, that involved reading a lot. When I finished all of my work for the day I often spent the rest of my time reading Greek myths, fantasy books, and Lemony Snicket novels. I definitely learned to love reading at Montessori, I think because the teachers encouraged us to read independently and because they gave us enough time during the day to do so.

What are you interested in academically and/or professionally right now? What extracurriculars or hobbies are you involved in?

I am fascinated by the way our brains work, and the cellular processes that underlie mental functioning. For the past three years I have worked in a lab that studies how seizures early on in life affect the neuronal networks involved in memory. I’ve been able to measure patterns of brain activity in rats while they are tested on how well they remember different locations. This experience has been challenging and rewarding, and has only made me more interested in neuroscience research. Having lived for four years in Burlington, Vermont, which is surrounded by mountains on one side and a beautiful lake on the other, I enjoy doing outdoorsy things such as hiking, skiing, and sailing. I also like to spend my time jogging, drawing, watching movies, and reading.

What are your plans for the future?

Where do you see yourself in five years? In ten years?

I am planning to apply to medical school next year, so in five years I see myself staying up late to study for exams. Ten years from now I see myself working somewhere as a physician, and I hope to be involved in some kind of research as well.

Year in Review, 2015–2016 27

“I have no doubt that some of my biggest strengths as a student were cultivated in Montessori.”

Matias Page,

Former Montessori Student

What advice would you give to current NMS students?

My advice to current NMS students is to figure out what’s really cool or interesting to you, and to delve into it.

Find the right balance of learning about it on your own and getting help from the teachers and even other students.

Would you recommend that kids go to NMS for elementary school?

If yes, why?

I would definitely recommend that kids go to NMS for elementary school because it is a great environment for developing curiosity and a desire to learn. I think these are among the most valuable things for a student to do well.

NMS also does an excellent job at giving kids a strong foundation of knowledge that sets them up very well for future schools. I have no doubt that some of my biggest strengths as a student were cultivated in Montessori. •

in their own words Reflections by our 2015–2016 Graduates

A capstone experience of Upper Elementary is the presentation of a speech at the End-of-Year Ceremony in front of hundreds of guests. The excerpts below from this year's speeches reveal the self-insight and maturity of NMS graduates.

“It took awhile but I have learned there is no point in getting mad and frustrated because mistakes are going to happen.

One mistake doesn’t mean it’s no good.

Often what you end up with is pretty awesome.

Newton Montessori teachers taught me to be persistent. They hold you accountable to do good work even when you don’t think you can. You learn to manage the freedom to plan your work.

You learn to make lots of decisions.

So, thank you to all my teachers, from Primary all the way up to Upper El.” —Tobias Otting

“This was my last year at Newton Montessori School. It was also my first.

I was accepted to Dana Hall for 6th grade but I came here for 6th grade instead. I was looking for a feeling of community and I knew I needed better academic preparation to do well at Dana Hall.

When I came to visit here, I knew I would get the academics I needed – and I have. The Upper El teachers quickly figured out what motivates me and helped me when I was struggling.

I was able to plan a research project that was personally meaningful to me and it helped me gain the confidence I needed.”

“One thing I appreciate about this school is that people take time to get to know others who aren’t like them.

I know, because I was different.

I moved to the United States when I was in second grade. When I started at Newton Montessori School, I spoke no English. Not one word. Not even Yes or No. Everyone tried to make me feel comfortable.

I think because lessons here are so individualized I never felt I wasn’t good enough or behind. The only person I was racing against was myself, so I was always going at the right pace.”

—Miki Litvak-Hinenzon

—Talia Loevy-Reyes

28 Newton Montessori School

Newton Montessori School Alumni:

We'd love to hear from you!

QUALITIES OF NMS GRADUATES Caring We focus on the whole child and the whole world. Students learn to care for themselves, others, and the environment.

Curious We nurture each child’s innate desire to discover and understand the world. Students are encouraged to explore their individual passions.

Confident

What have you been up to these days?

What are your fondest memories from NMS? How has NMS impacted who you are today?

Here's how to get in touch: 1. Send us a postcard 80 Crescent Avenue Newton Centre, MA 02459

2. Write us an email alumni@newtonmontessori.org 3. Connect on social media

We build skills that result in earned self-confidence.

Caring, curious, confident children are successful in school and happy at home.

4. Our favorite... stop by and visit!

Students who exhibit these qualities are in high demand. NMS students have continued their education at public and independent schools, including Beaver Country Day School, Boston Latin School, Boston Trinity Academy, Dana Hall School, Dedham Country Day School, Newton Country Day School, Meridian Academy, The Park School, and The Winsor School.

Concetta (Class of 2015) visited over her spring break, volunteering to teach Primary students a math lesson.

Managing Editor/Writer: Beth Black; Publication Designer: Ashley Robinson Feature Photographer: Nile Scott Shots

NMS NEWTON MONTESSORI SCHOOL

Newton Montessori School (NMS) is a diverse, collaborative community committed to educating children through the Montessori philosophy.

In this joyful, academically-rich learning environment, each member is supported and challenged to discover strengths and explore opportunities. We empower children, families, and staff to reach their fullest potential as passionate life-long learners who are confident, independent thinkers, and caring, responsible contributors toward peace in our world.

Pre-K – Grade 6 • 80 Crescent Avenue, Newton Centre, MA 02459 www.newtonmontessori.org • 617-969-4488 32 Newton Montessori School