Marie Dugan named Interim Head of Wilmington Montessori School for 2012-13 school year

Aug. 15, 2012 - PRLog -- Wilmington Montessori School’s Board of Directors announced on August 2, 2012 that Marie Dugan has been appointed Interim Head of School for the 2012-13 school year.

Marie brings a profound knowledge of Montessori education, a deep love of Wilmington Montessori School, and 31 years of history with WMS, both as an American Montessori Society (AMS) certified teacher and founding Head of School.

“We feel very fortunate that Marie is willing to join us as we strengthen Wilmington Montessori School’s path forward,” Board Chair Pam Politis wrote in a letter to WMS families announcing the appointment.

Following her retirement from WMS in 2000, Marie spent much of the past 12 years on the national Montessori stage and served AMS in a number of capacities – as executive director, president, board member, NGO representative to the United Nations, and current chair of the Archives Committee and member of the Development Committee. She was also honored in 2009 as the AMS Living Legacy. In addition, Marie is Coordinator of the Center for Montessori School Management (CMSM), and has been a member of the Board of Trustees of Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges, the AMS Accreditation Commission and chair of the AMS Heads of Schools Section.

In a letter to WMS staff, Marie reflected on these experiences: “My work with AMS and the Center for Montessori Education (CME) took me to many schools where I worked with teachers, boards and administrators,” she wrote. “These experiences will certainly help me meet the needs and challenges of our school.”

Marie’s goals for the coming year include the following: continuing excellence in WMS’s Montessori curriculum, increasing enrollment, reviving the parent resource (co-op) program, increasing financial and administrative support for staff and faculty, exploring new fundraising opportunities, and strengthening the parent/school community – with the ultimate focus on WMS children who consistently look forward to school and experience joyful learning every day.

“I continue to see WMS as a model of excellence—a school that has historically been known as one of the best in the country,” Marie told staff. “Together, we will continue to make it so.”

Marie will be following Linda Zankowsky, Wilmington Montessori’s Head of School for the past 12 years. The WMS Board will begin its search for a permanent head this fall.