montessori MESSENGER
Woodland Hill Montessori School
Moving Up and Graduation
On Friday, June 13, we came together to celebrate students moving up to new levels and our graduating Middle School class. The day began with a joyful morning ceremony in the school gymnasium, filled with excitement and anticipation. In the afternoon, we gathered once more to honor students from Lower Elementary through Middle School during a beautiful ceremony that showcased their growth and achievements. Our music teachers, Maria Germain and Iggy Calabria, curated a thoughtful and moving concert experience that highlighted the talents of our students. We were honored to hear from Shema Biefiet, our senior speaker, and Sarah Ward, who delivered a powerful commencement address.
Both speakers reflected on the strength of community and the deep interconnectedness we share, reminding us how Woodland Hill provides not just an education—but a space to grow, connect, and belong.
See all the images from Graduation here!
Student Dances!
This spring, the WHMS gym was transformed into an enchanted forest for Upper El Fun Night. Third through sixth grade students enjoyed an evening of music, dancing, and laughter—especially our rising fourth graders, who had one of their first chances to connect with their soonto-be classmates for the 2025–26 school year.
Meanwhile, the Middle School Dance—hosted every other year—took place off-campus at the Parker School. Our students arrived dressed to impress and spent the night celebrating together with plenty of dancing and fun. These events are a joyful tradition and a highlight of the school year!
Woodland Hill Has Pride!
Over 100 WHMS students, faculty, families, and alumni showed their support by marching in the Albany Pride Parade on Sunday, June 8. The celebration began on Friday evening with a signmaking event and dinner at school, where families gathered to express their creativity and enjoy quality time together. A big thank you to the WHMS Diversity Committee for organizing such a joyful and meaningful experience for our community!
Alumni Spolight: Amos Stack
We caught up with 2022 WHMS graduate Amos Stack, fresh off an impressive first-place finish in the New York State Championships for triple jump, where he reached a distance of 14.40 meters. Now a junior at Albany Academy, Amos recently competed at nationals, marking another exciting milestone in his athletic career.
To make this spotlight even more special, his younger brother Adama, a current WHMS student, conducted the interview—bringing it full circle for this Woodland Hill family. Read on as Amos reflects on his beginnings in WHMS athletics, what keeps him motivated, and how his time at WHMS shaped his journey.
When did you first start doing sports at WHMS, and what was your favorite part back then? I first started in 7th grade, and my favorite part was just playing with my friends and being around everyone. It was always fun.
Do you remember your first track meet? What was that experience like? I actually did track as early as second grade, but the first meet I really remember was in 8th grade when WHMS traveled to Academy. That one stuck with me.
Was there a moment when you realized you wanted to take track more seriously? Sort of. During my freshman year at Academy, soccer was still my main sport. But once spring track started, I realized I liked track even more. By sophomore year, I got more serious about it and added indoor track to the mix.
Did any of your WHMS coaches or teachers encourage you in sports? Definitely, Ben and Patrick played a big role. They always kept me active and motivated to try different sports.
How did being on a team at WHMS help you in high school sports? Starting sports early helped a lot with learning teamwork and how to work with different people. Those skills have carried over and made a big difference.
Was it hard to balance school and sports at first? How did you manage it? It was tough at first. I was taking six classes and had practice after school until 5 PM. Then I’d still have homework. But over time I got better at managing it all. Learning how to use my time wisely really helped.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in sports? Keep working at it. Nobody’s great when they first start. You just have to keep going.
How did it feel to win states? What was going through your mind? Honestly, it felt surreal. I wasn’t expecting it at all. Before the race, I joked to my dad that if I won states, I’d jump in the ocean—since we were on Staten Island and it was right there. And I actually did it! But yeah, it didn’t feel real at first.
Do you think starting at WHMS helped you become the athlete you are today? Absolutely. All the experiences I had in PE, sports, and even academically at WHMS helped shape me. I’ve made a lot of progress, and I owe a lot of that to Woodland Hill, so thank you all!
Spring Athletics Wrap-Up
This spring marked the inaugural baseball and softball seasons at WHMS, played on our freshly completed athletic field! Students also competed in Flag Football and Track and Field, rounding out a full and exciting season of sports.
To honor our student athletes, we hosted the 3rd Annual Sports Banquet on Thursday, May 15 at The Red Barn at East Greenbush Town Park. Families gathered for an evening of celebration, where coaches shared kind words about each athlete’s growth and contributions. The night was made even more meaningful with reflections from two WHMS alumni: Maris Seabury (Class of 2016) and Lucas PhayreGonzalez (Class of 2010).
Maris was a key member of the WHMS Track and Cross Country teams. She went on to run varsity track all four years at Ichabod Crane High School and graduated from SUNY Cortland in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Community Health and a minor in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Today, she coaches collegiate track and field at SUNY Cortland, specializing in sprints, hurdles, and relays.
Lucas was a multi-sport athlete at WHMS before becoming a standout goalie and team captain at Albany High School. He led his team to a Big Ten Championship and competed in the New York Section II Finals. Lucas continued both his athletic and academic journey at Russell Sage College, earning a bachelor’s degree in Theatre. He is now pursuing a successful acting career, with roles in series such as The Witcher and Bridgerton.
It was a great season for our athletes. Go Wolfpack!
Lucas and Maris
Field Day Fun
Field Day at WHMS is a beloved tradition, and this year was no exception! Each level enjoyed a fun-filled day designed just for them—packed with energy, teamwork, and laughter. The Lower School celebrated on our own WHMS field and playground, while the Upper School students headed to East Greenbush Town Park for their adventure.
Over the course of three exciting days, students kicked off the summer season with classic and creative activities like group games, bubble play, fishing, and nature walks. The joy and camaraderie were felt all around campus!
Even our tiniest toddlers got in on the action, enjoying special themed activities each day to make their first Field Day experience unforgettable. Here's to sunshine, smiles, and summer fun at Woodland Hill!
WE DID IT!
Helping Hands successfully completed its first club year. A big THANK YOU to the WHMS community and Pioneer Bank, whose generous support made our work possible.
WHO WE ARE
A student-led, parent-supported community service club for Upper-El and Middle School students. Club members work together to choose, organize, and execute community service projects that support both our own WHMS community and the greater community; and allow them to gain a better understanding of themselves and their world.
WHAT WE LEARNED
Our projects helped us to learn and hone important life skills including teamwork, planning, organization, marketing, and fundraising, as well as social-emotional skills such as humility and empathy. We learned about needs and issues in our school and community, and how sometimes what seems like the smallest assistance can have a big impact. Through our projects we got to know ourselves and each other better. We were all leaders, mentors, workers and helpers, allowing us to accomplish our goals.
WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED FUDGETASTIC FUDGERAISER!
Helping Hands successfully pulled off their first project, a Fudgeraiser which allowed them to increase their budget from $0 to over $900. Thanks to the generous support from the WHMS community, 77 boxes were sold. The hard work and long nights gained them rave reviews…
“The fudge they made was the best fudge I’ve ever had, and our whole family agrees.”
“…the fudge is delicious! What an amazing and special project.”
“Not only is the fudge delicious but the packaging, note, and all the special touches are amazing; it’s hard to believe this was done by students.”
FESTIVE OUTFIT SHARE, SWAP AND SHOP
Next up was our clothing swap project. Through this project we hope we were able to spread some seasonal cheer by creating a space for families to share, swap and shop for festive children’s clothing with WHMS community members. It seems the cheer extended past the holiday season. A conversation on the last day of school “I love your dress!” “Thank you, I got it at the shop and swap”
ESSENTIALS BAGS
Our largest, year-long project was our Essentials Bags. The students raised additional funds and were able to secure corporate sponsorship from Pioneer Bank. There was a lot of time and thought put into what would be included in the bags. The students selected and adjusted their selections to work with the budget they had, always being mindful of what items would give them the ability to give more.
“Today I handed out my bag and I was jumping for joy! We were both so excited and they put their hat on right away!”
“I think it would be cool if when we are driving around, we see people wearing our hats and bags and we can be reminded of how we were able to help someone” “Wow… what amazing items the children thought of. The bags exude caring and kindness.”
Scholars’ Circle ($5,000 +)
Joyce and Irving Goldman Family Foundation
John Nigro Donor Advised Fund of The Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region
Tien Family Foundation
Jenny & Joshua Wainman
Head of School Circle ($2,500$4,999)
Beth and John Armstrong
Drs. Coalton and Dzifa Kpodzo
Bennett
Julie and James Knox
Leadership Circle ($1,000$2,499)
Bilal Alp and Mevlude Akay Alp
The Benevity Community Impact Fund
Mary and David Buehl
Tim Dillon
Jason, Danielle, and JJ Dow
Peter and Jean Endryck
Lore and Charles Ferguson
Fidelity Charitable
Wendy and Charles Gilman
WHMS FUND
July
1, 2024 – June 30, 2025
Thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters, we are proud to share that we raised over $85,000 for the WHMS Fund. Woodland Hill Montessori School extends heartfelt appreciation to our current and alumni families, grandparents, board members, faculty, staff, and friends for their contributions. This list recognizes all unrestricted and donor-designated gifts made between July 1, 2024, and June 16, 2025. We are deeply grateful for the continued generosity of our donors.
Thank you to the 2024-2025 WHMS Fund chairs, Jennifer Baltrush and Matthew Gifford!
Global Partners LP
Niles and Jennifer Gold
IBM Corporation
Jacob Israelow and Tanu Kumar
Mallory and Murray Massry
Lisa McGrath
Neelam Mehta
Tony Mosher & Kate Stahnke
The Narayan Family
Kana Philip and Suzie Ryu
Tobi and Gary Saulnier
Erika and Chris Solomon
Investor ($500-$999)
Adobe
Vikash Agrawal
The Anderson Family
Kyle and Marina AngelicolaRichardson
Dr. Michael A. and Madeline Baltrush
Clifford Belden and Marianne Zwicklbauer, in honor of Lucy Zwicklbauer
The Brady Family
James L. Browning and Kenya
James
Heather Buehl
Hon. Ryan M. Caponera and Alberta
J. Caponera
Julie Clancy
Vicki Dillon
Drs. Carlos and Sonia Elguero
Susan and David Evans
Francis Florio & Dr. Natalie Singer
The Gernert-Dott Family
Huron Consulting Group
Nicole and Brendan Longcore
Pioneer Bank
Drs. Elham Pourtaher and Mohsen
Arabgol
Professor Wendy and Jesse Roberts
Stewart's Holiday Match
Benefactor ($250 - $499)
Elizabeth Angell, in honor of Hana and Alexander Angell
Anonymous (2)
Ann & Adam Ayers
Megan and Garett Baron
Melissa Breger & Tom Capezza, in honor of Bezyn and his graduating class of 2025
Christopher Cueman and Jaime
Nass
Mustafa Dokucu and Dr. Isil
Severcan-Dokucu
Michelle and Ashley Edwards
Bob and Tamara Gatchell
Jasmine Grace
Hannaford Supermarkets
Patrick and Laura Jordan
The Klemm Family
Andrew McClain and Sandy Blakeman
Richard Melita*
Erin and Fernando Mergil
Mr. and Mrs. Gary Noakes
Tom and Stephanie Puchner
Moira K. Rienzo
Stewart’s Shops*
The Turaew Family
The Soliman VanDuzer Family
Caleb and Tressa White
Friend ($1-$249)
16 Handles
Julie Adams
Jalila Aissi
The Alloush Family
Laura and Nathaniel Angell, in honor of Hana and the 2025 MS graduating class
Laura and Nathaniel Angell, in honor of Alexander and the 2025 LE graduating class Anonymous (8)
Dr. Roger W. Armstrong
The Assi Family, in honor of Khodor
Assi
Renata and Ben Atwood
James and Donna Baccei
Beth’s Farm Kitchen*
Emma and Jeremey Bogardus
The Alfred Bouchard Family
The Brown Family
Christine Bubriski
Simon Burke-Lipszky and Molly
Suwara
Joe and Anna Calabria, in honor of the Calabria girls
Ashley Campion
Tina Claus
Emily and Scott Clementson, in honor of Thor
Andrew Cohen
Jennifer Cote
Monique Cunin & Horia Pop
Leah D’Agostino and Ajay Yesupriya
Alyce D’Alberto & Brad Kasselman
Howard Daley and Karyn Yaffee
Megan Daly
Matt & Frankie Damico
Ellms Family Farm*
The Faso Family
Forts Ferry Farm Shoppe*
Andrew Gambarani and Alexandra Collins, in memory of Wesley Collins
Anthony and Jennifer George
Barbara Gifford
Matthew Gifford and Jennifer Baltrush
The Gonzalez Family
Stuart Goodrich
Alyssa Ha and Luke Baron
Gemma and Ilan Halfi
Danielle Hall
Hannaford Supermarkets
Ed and Maryanne Hannan, in honor of Maisie & Lily Armstrong
Justine Heilner and James Canty
Cora and Scott Heiser
Marion and Chris Heller
Sara Howard
Drs. Andrew Hune and Kirsten Grau
Ariel Jaitovich and Maria Moran, in honor of Juana and Lucia
Jeffrey Johnson & Alta Buden
John Johnson
Benjamin and Olivia Karis
Patrick Kearns and Katelyn Kippen
The Kenning Family
The Kovacs Family
Ryan Lauderdale and Lindsay Becker
Lidia's Empanadas*
The Logan Family
The MacGregor Family
Jim and Jenny Malatras
Kelsey and Charley Martin
Edwina and James McCormick, Jr.
The McGrath Family
Tami Meek
Montessori Services*
Ashley and Stephen Moschouris
The Nocella Family
Cat Pacini
Sima Patel-Harris and Michael
Harris
Sri Pininti & Priya Edunuri
The Placid Baker*
The Polishchuk Family
John K. Powers, in memory of Chris
Kelly Powers
Kate Powers and Josh Pepper
Remarkable Liquids*
Dr. J.T. Rinker & Dr. Carolyn Tennant
Katie and Lucas Rodriguez
Toni L. Roland
Aubrey (Ohanian) Roman
Tayler Rose & Arev Rose
Sheena Salvino & Nicolas Rattner
Samascott Orchards*
Audrey Sartiaux and Gregory Bonaros
Christopher Scobee and Jennifer Burns
Jodi Selzer
The Serra Family
Anne and Bill Siudy, in honor of Hunter Morrison
Stephanie and Tyler Smith
Kent Sopris and Caroline Brancatella
The Spencer Family
The Stasi Family
Sara Stevens
Drs. Angela and Stephen Stokes
Dr. Lucieli Trivizoli and Martin Reed
Laura Welles and Perry Woodin
Lyndsey and Kenneth Wieczerza
Michael Wolinsky
Deborah and Christopher Wren
Baris and Ceren Yoruk
Christopher and Mariola Zeitler
*Denotes in-kind donation
Granparents and Special Friends Day
On Friday, May 9, WHMS was filled with extra love and laughter as we welcomed Grandparents and Special Friends back to campus for one of our most heartwarming traditions. Students proudly returned to school in the afternoon hand-in-hand with the people who cheer them on outside the classroom, eager to share a glimpse into their Montessori day.
From classroom visits and hallway tours to joyful conversations, the day was brimming with connection, curiosity, and celebration. It’s always a delight to see students light up as they guide their guests through their school world—showing off their work, introducing teachers, and sharing their favorite spaces.
This beloved event wouldn’t be possible without the incredible efforts of the Friends of Woodland Hill Committee. A special thank you to Megan Stasi for creating an interactive craft station in the Makerspace that sparked creativity and gave families a meaningful keepsake to remember the day. We’re so grateful to everyone who helped make this day a joyful success!
Color Run
On the morning of June 1, Woodland Hill was bursting with excitement as the Friends of WHMS hosted the Color Run. Students ran joyfully through the woods and across the field while parent volunteers lined the path, tossing bursts of color and cheering them on every step of the way.
It was a perfect blend of movement, laughter, and community spirit, topped off with refreshing rocket pops for all participants! The event captured the energy of the season and brought students, staff, and families together in the most colorful way.
A big thank you to our incredible volunteers and the Friends of WHMS for making this event such a success. Don’t forget to save the date for Fall Family Fun Day is coming October 18, 2025!
