May / June 2021
“MAKING AN IMPACT”
CELEBRATING OUR ALUMNI
Since the 1970’s, an on-going theme among alumni is the positive impact that a Montessori education and environment has in personal lives and goals long after NHMS/TMS.
Read on for stories from our alumni that will interest you!
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“Having watched my two children navigate their way from one side of the Montessori School to the other, has been a rewarding journey. Like my son, Dareus, and daughter, Noemi, I attended a Montessori school from kindergarten through elementary school. In fact, I attended the New Horizons Montessori School, which later became The Montessori School that we know today. Though the building is not the same and staff have changed throughout the years, I can see in the patterns of my kids' journey that the Montessori Method is still faithfully rendered, even as I remember it nearly 40 years later. From the simple geometry of the pink tower to the abstraction of grammatical rules in the form of colored shapes, there are many simple yet profound lessons that they master on their way to graduation. The flow of students of different ages into each classroom also has a unique and powerful impact on the way they relate to the new lessons and demands of each grade level. My son finds himself, today, at the zenith of this journey, and I know his sister is envious of his position. There will be days ahead, when he longs to return to his old school, but more often, I think he will be genuinely surprised by how much he learned, and how well those lessons prepared him for many years to come.
“As sixth grade draws to a close, my son, Dareus, is both excited and unsure about what the next step in his educational journey will bring. As a Montessori alum, myself, I could tell him with confidence that the mental tools he has mastered at The Montessori School, will give him a durable advantage throughout his education and beyond. I could tell him that just the word "montessori" will become a key that opens doors to people and relationships wherever he goes. I could tell him that many of the most interesting people he meets will be ‘montessori kids’ just like him. I could tell him that when he has kids, he's going to want them to share that same deep, personal approach to discovery and learning that was imprinted on him here at The Montessori School. I could tell him that his classmates of differing ages have taught him to be more understanding and generous with others, and in turn he will build friendships that cross generations and last decades. I could give him a long lecture, but I won't. As Maria Montessori said, ‘If you tell them, they will watch your lips move. If you show them, they will want to do it themselves.’ “
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Dareus (Jr) will be graduating from TMS this year, and his sister, Noemi, is a member of the class of 2023. Along with Dareus (Sr), both siblings have joined the ranks of Annual Fund donors—as this year's youngest!
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Amy Robinson ‘96 & Julia Robinson ‘98 |
“Like so many students who attend The Montessori School, and especially those who complete their entire elementary education here, the bonds to teachers and classmates and the institution as a whole are among the strongest we have ever formed.
“This is a testament to the sense of belonging and foundation provided by The Montessori School. This foundation establishes for students not only a comprehensive curriculum but also provides a means for how to approach learning - be it long division, a master’s thesis, or the demands of a new job - and where the foundation sets expectations for personal responsibility.
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“At The Montessori School, we both knew we could completely trust the adults to best support our weaknesses and help us further develop our strengths. It was a place where we were completely respected and trusted by the adults around us to fulfill meaningful tasks that directly impacted our school and classrooms. These priceless gifts led us to where we are today, now back at TMS as Montessori Guides, to help ensure that today’s students receive the same foundation and the same gifts as we did. |
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“Having graduated from TMS, North Penn High School and The Pennsylvania State University [Amy] and Tyler School of Art at Temple University [Julia] we each eventually went on to earn our Montessori credentials from the Institute for Advanced Montessori Studies [Amy] and the Montessori Institute of San Diego [Julia]. As students at TMS, we recognized that it was a special place to be able to receive our foundational education, and now having learned and experienced how to put the philosophy into practice we appreciate the opportunity we were given even more.” |
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Top Photo: Amy Robinson receiving the Arnold Zeleznick Award at Graduation.
Middle Photo: Julia Robinson (on left) on her 6th grade class trip to Virginia.
Bottom Photo: Amy Robinson (3rd from right) on a 6th grade Echo Hill trip on the “Annie D” boat.
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Amy can be found in Lower Elementary, while Julia is in the Toddler Community along with their mother, Cindy, who is a Toddler guide. Along with Kurt, their father, the Robinsons are loyal supporters of TMS. |
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“I have been working as an architect with Susan T Rodriguez • Architecture | Design in New York for the last several years. Two of my primary projects will reach major milestones this summer: the new Harlem Meer Center in Central Park, NYC, [top photo] breaks ground in the coming weeks, and five new girls' cabins at Camp Chewonki in Wiscasset, Maine, [middle photo] will welcome their first campers at the end of June. Designing the timber frame cabins brought back memories of Upper El weeks at Echo Hill (the absolute highlight of the year!), spending long days identifying plants [bottom photo] and exploring swamps, and falling asleep to a chorus of frogs.
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“On a slightly larger scale, working on the design of the Harlem Meer Center was also all about connecting people with nature, honoring the ecology and history of the site, and creating an inclusive and welcoming space for all--all ideas that were foundational at NHMS. |
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“Reflecting back, the seeds for becoming an architect must have been planted at New Horizons. The Montessori emphasis on tactile, hands-on, collaborative learning fostered my interest in working with materials, how our environment looks and feels, how things fit together and how they stand up, and also how to nurture curiosity, consider others, and imagine a world that is created for everyone.” |
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Sonia is from an active TMS family. Her brother, Ryan, graduated in 2005. Parents, Alan and Pearl, have been Annual Fund donors and volunteers, and Pearl was a trustee for many years. |
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“I currently work at Steppingstone Scholars, an education nonprofit that creates access to educational and workforce opportunities for talented, underserved students in Philadelphia. I've been at the organization since 2016. My current title is Associate Director of Talent and Retention. In this role, I have primary oversight on the recruitment, hiring and onboarding of part time and full time staff. I also am responsible for payroll, developing staff training, and retention and culture.
“TMS/NHMS has prepared me for this role in a few key ways. First, because of the multi-age classroom principle of Montessori education, from a very early age I learned to thrive in an environment where I would both learn from the people around me and also be seen as a teacher/coach/educator. I also became comfortable working with people in different age groups and with different backgrounds. This is important in my current job because the part- and full-time staff we employ range from high school students to teachers who have been in the workforce for 30 years and I need to be able to relate and convey information clearly to all.
“The second way my time at TMS/NHMS has prepared me for this role was that the school taught me intrinsic motivation. Unlike many of my colleagues who work directly with students and are able to see the direct impact of their work more often, my role does not have many obvious external rewards. However, the work I do that contributes to the retention of high-quality staff and employee satisfaction is extremely important to the overall success and quality of Steppingstone. By being motivated internally, I am able to keep on task and work hard even when I don't see immediate external success because I take pride in my work. Lastly, the Montessori environment allowed me to freely develop my interests and choose what I wanted to spend my time on while still helping me place structure around my work and set goals for my week.
"This is important in my current role because I often have several projects going on at once and some of my responsibilities require me to come up with new processes and strategies. TMS/NHMS taught me the importance of continuous learning and helped me develop confidence in my freedom to pursue my interests.
“I am grateful that I've been able to stay connected to the school through my work as a TMS Board trustee. I've served in the role since 2012 and currently serve as the trustee committee chair and board secretary, though my term is ending at the end of June. I've been able to develop many skills as a trustee, work with wonderful, devoted fellow trustees, as well as our incredible Head of School, Laurie. I believe so much in the Montessori method and the education that TMS provides and I consider it an honor to be part of the group that ensures the school's fiscal health and strategic growth so that we can continue to provide these incomparable services for many, many more years. Though this particular chapter is coming to end for me, I look forward to finding other ways to contribute to the school. It's the least I can do after all TMS has done for me, as a child and now as an adult.”
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Julia also hails from an active TMS family. Her other siblings, Jennifer, graduated in 1999, and James in 2005. Joan and Jim, their parents, have served as trustees and in fundraising leadership roles. We appreciate their ongoing support as donors. |
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Alumni of the Future / This Year's Graduates |
Graduates and their next schools (l-r):
Jackson Schein (Sandy Run Middle School)
Dareus Conover (Germantown Academy)
Jackson Stoddard (Springside Chestnut Hill Academy)
Rohan Desai (Wissahickon Middle School)
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TMS is celebrating 50 years of Montessori education and is gearing up for events during 2021-22. If you are interested in volunteering or serving on a 50th Anniversary committee, please send an email to development@themontessorischool.us.
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We welcome your gift of support!
Join the ranks of other donors who have contributed to TMS and the Annual Fund.
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The Montessori School
1701 Jarrettown Road, Dresher, PA 19025
215-542-0740
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