Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to Celebrate New York City Montessori Charter School Opening

October 3, 2011

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The New York City Montessori Charter School (NYCMCS), the first Montessori Charter School in New York State and the first Montessori public school in New York City, opened its doors to over 100 students in the South Bronx on Tuesday, September 6th, 2011. To mark the occasion, the school will hold an official ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, October 6th.

The ribbon cutting event will take place from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and will be held at the school, which is located at 416 Willis Avenue in the Bronx. The ceremony will begin with a panel discussion on Montessori and Charter Schools, followed by an official ribbon cutting, a tour of the classrooms, and refreshments. In attendance will be Gina Sardi, the founder and Principal of NYCMCS; guests representing the many groups that contributed to the creation of the school, including SoBRO, the American Montessori Society, The New School Incubator, and the NY Charter School Center; and other educators, community members, and families of children attending the school.

The school will use an approach that aligns the Montessori method with the Core Curriculum and New York State Standards. The first lottery to determine admission was held in April, and 100 students are currently enrolled in Kindergarten and first grade. The school will add one grade each year to reach a full capacity of 300 students in Kindergarten through 5th grade by its fifth year of operation. SoBRO and NYCMCS have formed an institutional partnership, and SoBRO plans to provide a wide range of services directed at both students and their parents in the coming years.

Montessori education has been in existence for more than 100 years. There are over 7,000 Montessori Schools worldwide, with around 4,000 in the US, including 300 public and charter schools. The schools are known for their individualized approach and the use of specially designed, developmentally appropriate concrete learning materials and lessons that are sequenced progressively. The Montessori approach has been successful in educating a broad range of students, including English language learners and students with special needs. Each class has two teachers, allowing teachers to interact closely with small groups or individual children.

For more information about NYCMCS, visit www.nycmcs.org or call 347-226-9094.
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