MMS At A Glance
History
The school opened in 1964 as a parent cooperative. In 1996, it moved to its present location at 325 West 85th Street and changed its name to Metropolitan Montessori School. In 2016, the school opened its doors to an expanded space with more light and space.
Leadership
Head of School Brenda Mizel joined the school in 2011.
Accreditations
Affiliations
- Early Steps
- The Parents League
- Black Rock Forest Consortium
- Independent Schools Admissions Association of Greater New York (ISAAGNY)
- National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).
Recognition
- 2013: Blackboard Award for “outstanding nursery and grade school”
Grade levels
The school offers a beginning Montessori program for children who are two years and eight months to three years old, and teaches children between the ages of 3 and 12 in three-year mixed-age classrooms. The usual entry point is at 3 or 4 years old.
- Stepping Stones program: single classroom limited to no more than 12 children ages two years and eight months to three years old
- Early Childhood division, mixed-aged classrooms: four classes of children ages 3 through 5
- Lower Elementary, mixed-aged classrooms: three classes of children ages 6 through 9 (first through third grade)
- Upper Elementary: fourth, fifth and sixth graders in two homeroom classrooms; academic classes grouped by grade level, mixed-age groupings for enrichment programs
2017-2018 Enrollment: Total: 196
Community
We have more than 25 nationalities and backgrounds at MMS and 20 different languages spoken by our students. In addition, one third of our families have more than one child attending school here.
Educational philosophy
The school’s program reflects the philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori, but has adapted its curriculum to meet the particular needs of New York City children in the 21st Century.
Secondary school placements
MMS graduates attend many of New York’s selective ongoing schools. Read more about secondary school placements.
Faculty/Administration
The school has an outstanding faculty with a 6:1 teacher to student ratio and 361 total years of teaching experience.
Governance
Directed by a Board of Trustees comprised of current and former parents and community members.
Mailing address
325 West 85th Street
New York, NY 10024
Telephone/Fax
Reception: 212-579-5525, ext. 0
Fax: 212-579-5526
Social media
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Why Metropolitan Montessori School?
- Outstanding academics drawing on Montessori methodologies and other teaching strategies for language arts, math, social studies and science
- Attention to the child’s social and emotional development to support the development of independence, resiliency and awareness of the needs of others
- Performing arts instruction in choral music, violin, theater and movement
- Visual arts instruction in ceramics, woodworking and other mediums
- Foreign language instruction in French or Spanish
- Science and outdoor education experiences at Black Rock Forest
- Low teacher-student ratios
- Individualized placement process for graduating sixth graders
