gladwyne montessori campaign case statement

Gladwyne Montessori ∙ 920 Youngsford Road ∙ Gladwyne, Pennsylvania ∙ 19035 ∙ 610.649.1761

GO BEYOND The Campaign for Gladwyne Montessori

The Campaign for

Gladwyne Montessori



Beyond Ordinary Education:

WHO WE ARE NOW

Founded in 1962, Gladwyne Montessori was among the first schools in the United States to offer children experiential learning opportunities based on the philosophy and methods of Dr. Maria Montessori. More than half a century later, we are housed in a historic stone schoolhouse and have grown to a faculty and staff of over 50, serving 255 students from toddler through 8th grade. With an average teacher tenure of 15 years, we are recognized as a true thought leader, with classrooms sought by teachers‐in‐training as a place to observe and learn. Informed by contemporary research and innovative practices, our hands‐on materials, multi‐age classrooms and integrated curriculum provide a multi‐dimensional learning experience, where interactive instruction is the norm and children are encouraged to discover their individual capabilities and interests. Dr. Montessori’s work in the early part of the 20th century revolutionized education practice by shifting the paradigm of a teacher‐centered system to a learner‐centered one. More than 100 years later, innovators like Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page as well as Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos credit much of their success and ability to “think outside the box” to their Montessori education where inquisitiveness was modeled and encouraged. Gladwyne Montessori graduates are engaged, independent and curious thinkers with a strong sense of self. They are respectful collaborators and problem‐solvers who have practiced leadership at every level of their Montessori experience. They are accepting and confident global citizens who seek to make the world a better place.

“The Montessori educational approach might be the surest route to joining the creative elite, which are so overrepresented by the school’s alumni that one might suspect a Montessori Mafia," writes The Wall Street Journal. "Is there something going on here? Is there something about the Montessori approach that nurtures creativity and inventiveness that we can all learn from?”

Page 1



Beyond Success:

OUR CHALLENGES

Our students thrive in the Montessori learning environment, an educational offering that remains unique in what has become a more competitive independent and public school marketplace. In 2002, the Rachel Eve Savett Building was constructed to house three elementary classrooms, an art studio and a research library to meet the needs of a growing student population. Since that time, the addition of the middle school and more special subject offerings have required the repurposing of multiple spaces. In order for our school to flourish and maintain its leadership position, we must expand to:

Connect Our Buildings ‐ An important Montessori principle is that older children reinforce their learning and model mature behavior by working with younger children. With two physically‐separate classroom buildings, our students’ ability to interact and learn together is limited. We look forward to one interconnected school which will allow for a more cohesive student community. Provide a School Gathering Space ‐ The Kindergym has admirably served as Gladwyne Montessori’s only physical education and gathering space for several decades. However, its nine‐foot ceiling height and restricted square footage significantly limit its use. At the heart of our physical expansion plans is a multi‐purpose facility, which will house physical education programs, assemblies, dramatic performances and incremental program space, as well as community gatherings and celebrations. Improve Parking – Limited parking availability and traffic back‐ups during morning and afternoon carpool are an unwanted outcome of our growing school community. In order to improve the Gladwyne Montessori experience for everyone and maximize safety, an improved traffic pattern for daily drop‐off and pick‐up as well as additional parking is critical. Create Extracurricular Outdoor Spaces – Providing additional space on campus for our students to interact with nature and participate in various scientific and athletic endeavors is also a necessary part of our expansion plans. With an improved footprint also comes an on‐campus athletic field and walking trails to be shared with our neighbors. Develop a Teacher Training Program – With Gladwyne Montessori's recent accreditation by the American Montessori Society (AMS), we are uniquely positioned to offer Montessori training for the benefit of our school and others. This program will honor the outstanding legacy of our past and present teachers and provide for Montessori excellence in the Philadelphia region and beyond. Address Educational Needs in Center City Philadelphia – Increased inquiries from families living downtown and the potential to partner with Philadelphia's vibrant university community have inspired us to develop an actionable plan to establish a Gladwyne Montessori satellite presence in Philadelphia within the next 18 months.

Page 2



Beyond Our Borders:

OUR OPPORTUNITIES Expanding Our Campus We are poised to begin a promising new chapter in the life of Gladwyne Montessori by expanding our facilities and programs in a direction that was never before possible. The Board of Trustees has purchased four neighboring properties while four additional and strategically important, contiguous parcels are being pursued. The sum total of these campus additions would more than double our total acreage. They are the cornerstone and starting point of our exciting plans.

“Education is a natural process carried out by the child and is not acquired by listening to words but by experiences in the environment.”

~ Maria Montessori

Page 3



Multi‐Purpose Activity “Hub” With a larger, upgraded campus, we will provide indoor and outdoor facilities for all ages in an environment that continues to focus on the individual child. Our goal is to design a multi‐purpose structure that meets Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) requirements and represents an expression of Gladwyne Montessori’s mission and vision.

Our multi‐purpose activity “Hub” will feature several points of access to the outdoors in order to readily connect our children to the beautiful green spaces of our expanded, suburban campus. With the construction of a middle school‐sized gym, our physical education curriculum will meet the needs of all Gladwyne Montessori students. An adjoining performance stage will allow performing arts activities to thrive and the combined spaces will serve as a community gathering place for school‐wide programs, musical concerts, theatrical productions, student art exhibits, parent education offerings and more. The “Hub” will also feature dedicated spaces for our visual art and music programs and provide flexible STEM and maker space for our award‐winning robotics program and other creative outlets. Our multi‐purpose activity “Hub” will allow the Montessori Method to thrive in concert with current‐day education and brain research to provide the richest learning experience possible.

Outdoor Learning Spaces Dr. Montessori believed that children recognize their place in the world through nature. Our expanded campus, with purposely designed landscaping, will offer fascinating outdoor classrooms, a greenhouse, ecology zones and ample play areas. Students will explore campus green spaces and abundant local conservation lands in a manner which has become uncommon for today’s screen‐dominated children. Their experiences will help forge a deep‐rooted respect and appreciation for the natural world and the environmental challenges it faces.

Page 4



Page 5



Page 6

“Not only do I know how to do it - I know WHY! And that’s the right way to learn. My way - the Montessori way.”

~ El i s e , Gladwyne Montes sor i Graduat ion Speech



Expanded Parking Additional campus acreage will also help eliminate parking challenges and reduce carpool traffic, ensuring that more families can enjoy our remarkable community. In conjunction with LEED and Lower Merion Township guidelines, we will limit our impervious and storm water impact. Expanded Classrooms The repurposing of the Kindergym will allow for the expansion and improvement of our renowned Stepping Stones program. Our beloved Parent‐Toddler classes will also enjoy an improved home in the renovated space. The revamped area will better accommodate our half and full‐day students and provide a dedicated nap and gross motor space. The larger population of two‐year‐old children will lead to expansion in our existing, six Primary classes. Thus, we look to the foreseeable future where our thriving Stepping Stones and Primary programs will result in additional space needs for increased retention of Elementary and Middle School children.

Teacher Education Program The mission of our recently established Teacher Education Program (TEP) is to advocate for Montessori education on a national scale. We will seek to increase the number of Montessori‐trained educators, stimulate research in Montessori education and foster the growth of the Montessori Method in traditional and non‐traditional settings in order to impact children of all ages. As part of these goals, we expect to:

Provide a quality American Montessori Society and Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education‐certified 24‐month training program for infant/toddler teachers with planned future expansion of programs.

Partner with a nationally‐recognized university for expanded programming, research and services.

Provide a training program to non‐Montessori professionals (public school teachers and licensed daycare providers) to spread Montessori methods in infant/toddler settings.

Provide internships at Gladwyne Montessori (main campus and satellite).

Achieve national recognition for the Gladwyne Montessori brand by joining a select group of school‐hosted Teacher Education Programs.

“I will sincerely remember all of my years at Gladwyne Montessori but it’s not just the golden bead frame or the racks and tubes, it’s the adventure and voyage that took my life and changed it, turned it, influenced and enriched it. I have learned that I am not only different but unique.”

~ Chr i s t ina, Gladwyne Monte s sor i Graduat ion Spee ch

Page 7



Satellite Location A satellite campus will bring the Gladwyne Montessori brand to the parents of young children (ages 2‐5) in the Center City Philadelphia market. This important strategic move would not only raise the profile of our school and meet early educational demands in Center City, but also allow Gladwyne Montessori to seek partnerships with area universities to establish maker programs, engage in research, further develop the TEP program and introduce Upper Elementary and Middle School students, on a regular basis, to valuable learning opportunities in Philadelphia. Parents of 2‐5 years olds could then continue their child's Montessori education at our Gladwyne Campus beginning in 1st Grade, serving as a potential enhancement to overall enrollment. Gladwyne Montessori will be positioned to maintain an essential peer group at all levels and will be able to attract many more students from beyond our area. This would be a transformational change for Gladwyne Montessori in the competitive independent and public school environment of the Main Line.

Beyond Dreams:

MAKING IT HAPPEN The Board of Trustees along with Head of School Abbie Miller and her administrative staff has engaged a project management team, an architectural firm and a civil engineer to produce a campus master plan and begin the Lower Merion Township approval process. We are seeking the generous financial support of our current families as well as our loyal, past families in order to make our dreams a reality. Our Capital Campaign will allow Gladwyne Montessori to solidify its identity as an innovative leader in Montessori and 21st century education not only in the Philadelphia region but across the country. As we continue in our sixth decade, we look forward to introducing more families to our remarkable community of learning. We are excited and challenged by an unprecedented opportunity to shape our exceptional school and guide its future.

Please join us as we Go Beyond.

“Today we go forth with all of the benefits of a Montessori education: Valued as unique individuals… Developed sense of order, coordination, concentration and independence… Part of a close, caring community… Freedom within limits… Active seekers of knowledge… We were given the freedom and support to question and make connections, to become confident, enthusiastic, self-directed learners.

~ Aydin, Gladwyne Montessori Graduation Speech

Page 8



Note: Construction target for “Hub” and Kindergym renovation is June 2016.

“Other schools try to shape you to their methods of learning. Gladwyne Montessori shapes the learning to you.”

~ Col in , Gladwyne Monte s sor i Graduat ion Speech

Campaign Progression Use of Campaign Funds

Page 9

PHASE 1 PHASE 2 PHASE 3



The Campaign for Gladwyne Montessori

Gladwyne Montessori Board of Trustees 2015‐16

Stefanie Langer, Chair Suzanne Schoch Rehl, Vice Chair Barry Walker, Secretary Ashley Govberg, Treasurer Jason Brown Alexander Feldman Donald Freeman P. Scott Gregorchuk Lori Israeli Daniel Lammot Abbie Miller, Head of School Rhonda LaHue Mordy Alixandra Batoff Morgan Bashar Qubain Genna Rufo Alexander Schoenfeld Suga Savage Smith Jon Tullis Will Wermuth Violet Mendoza Willing Christopher Yanney

Steven J. Hughes, PhD, Board Advisor

The Campaign for Gladwyne Montessori Steering Committee

Suzanne Schoch Rehl, Trustee, Co‐Chair Joe Scornavacchi, Associate Head of School, Co‐Chair Lauren Kline, Director of Development Abbie Miller, Head of School Rhonda LaHue Mordy, Trustee Stefanie Langer, Trustee Cindy Savett, Trustee Emeritus Jon Tullis, Trustee Will Wermuth, Trustee

Page 10



“Free the child’s potential and you will transform him into the world”

~ Maria Montessori

The Campaign for

Gladwyne Montessori

For more information, please contact:

Abbie Miller, Head of School (610) 649‐1761 ext. 103 or [email protected]

Joe Scornavacchi, Associate Head of School and Campaign Director (610) 517‐5579 or [email protected]

Lauren Kline, Director of Development and Campaign Manager (610) 649‐1761 ext. 104 or [email protected]

gladwyne montessori campaign case statement

Documents