
About Our School
The Montessori School of Schenectady is a non-denominational, nonprofit, educational corporation, founded in 1968 by parents who wanted the Montessori educational approach for their children. The school’s objective is to give each child the tools necessary to reach their highest potential.​Enrollments are accepted without regard to race, religion, or national origin.
Our History and Philosophy
The Montessori School of Schenectady is a non-denominational, nonprofit, educational corporation, founded in 1968 by parents who wanted the Montessori educational approach for their children. The school’s objective is to give each child the tools necessary to reach their highest potential. Enrollments are accepted without regard to race, religion, or national origin.
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The Montessori Philosophy
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Dr. Maria Montessori, the first woman doctor in Italy, recognized that each child has strong inner directives to learn a particular skill at a particular time in their life. In every child’s life there are times, when they are sensitive to: order, language, math concepts, reading, color, development of the senses, etc. During these times, the child is motivated by inner directives which enable him/her to learn the skill effortlessly, rapidly and with greater depth than would be possible at any other time. It is the task of the Montessori teacher to observe each child’s particular interests at any given time and then to guide him/her toward developing the skill. She accomplishes this by providing a prepared environment and by presenting specially designed, self-correcting materials he or she is ready for at that moment: whether it be in the practical life, sensorial, language or math areas.
The Role of The Montessori Teacher
It is the task of the Montessori teacher to observe each child’s particular interests at any given time and then to guide him/her toward developing that skill. The teacher accomplishes this by providing a prepared environment and by presenting specially designed self-correcting materials. Each child chooses the materials he or she is ready for at that moment, whether it be in the Practical Life area, in the Sensorial area or in the academic realm. The child is allowed to experience the excitement of learning by his/her own choice rather than by being forced.
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“The teacher’s task is not to talk, but to prepare and arrange a series of motives for cultural activity in a special environment” ~Maria Montessori

Program Options
Jocelyn Scott
Assistant Toddler Teacher
Tiffany Messinger
Assistant Primary Teacher
Abby Donnelly
Assistant Teacher
Faculty & Staff
Our staff members are trained in Montessori philosophy and practices. We believe that each child is an individual and we as teachers need to bring out the best in each student, meeting their needs intellectually, socially, physically and emotionally.
All staff is CPR and First Aid Trained.

Jodi McClernan
Head of School

Andrea Girard
Office Administrator

Kelly DeVirgeles
Primary Head Teacher

Aimee Munro
Head Primary Teacher/PM Kindergarten Teacher

Michelle Cuscino
Head Toddler Teacher

Robin Lamb
Primary Teacher

Jocelyn Scott
Assistant Toddler Teacher
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Sydney Alverson
After Care Assistant
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