History
Founded more than 40 years ago in the parish house of St. Michael's Church on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Metropolitan Montessori School moved to its current location in 1996. Situated on a leafy, residential street, the school is one block east of Riverside Park and within easy walking distance of Central Park, the American Museum of Natural History and other New York cultural institutions.
The building, a former carriage house built by William Randolph Hearst, has been extensively renovated to meet the needs of the school. Classrooms are large and sunny, and specialty classes in music, art, Spanish and French are taught in classrooms that are specifically equipped for that purpose. There is a library, gymnasium, playground and rooftop garden and play area. The school's chef prepares hot lunches made with organic food.
The school's program serves boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 12 years and has an enrollment of approximately 200. The school follows traditional Montessori methods, but is sensitive to the demands of contemporary life.