Greene Towne Montessori School Announces Lower Elementary Program

PHILADELPHIA - July 10, 2023 - PRLog -- Greene Towne Montessori School (GTMS), Philadelphia's longest running and only accredited Montessori preschool and Kindergarten in Center City, is excited to announce the expansion of their Montessori program to include Lower Elementary, ages 6-9 in a mixed class for grades 1-3, effective September 2023. "Over the past five decades, Greene Towne has established itself as a leader in early childhood education and is the ideal school to bring Montessori elementary to Center City," said Head of School Sarah Sweeney-Denham.

The Lower Elementary (LE) program continues the Montessori philosophy of a mixed-aged classroom, individualized instruction and evaluation, and includes expanded instruction designed to tap into what Maria Montessori called the "second plane of development," the phase of development for the lower elementary age group.

The program will be co-led by current Greene Towne Montessori-trained teachers Shelby Feldman and Brandon Och. "This program will not only benefit the children in Lower Elementary but the entire school community," said Shelby Feldman. "Elementary students will have opportunities to serve as leaders to their younger Greene Towne friends, which is a powerful addition to our school," added Brandon Och.

The Montessori curriculum is interdisciplinary by design and Greene Towne's LE students will develop a deeper understanding of each curricular area, including the functional aspects as well as the history of the subject while incorporating practical applications. The surrounding city also will serve as an extension of the classroom. "I could not think of a better location for a lower elementary program than Philadelphia. We are centrally located to so many cultural institutions." Feldman shared. In addition to having access to the city, Greene Towne LE students will have access to a kitchen to cook plus art, music, movement and Spanish classes.

"It's exciting to give families an additional option for elementary in Center City Philadelphia and one that builds not only a strong educational foundation, but also gives young people a true experience in contributing to their own and their peers' learning through the collaborative Montessori approach," said Sweeney-Denham.

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Greene Towne Montessori School recently moved into a new, custom-designed building at 55. N. 22nd Street, which provides 30,000 square feet of learning environments to meet the growing demand for high quality, accredited and licensed early childhood education for young Philadelphia families. Since 1966, Greene Towne has served young families who live and work in and around Logan Square, Center City, and across many Philly neighborhoods. For more information about the school, admissions, and Lower Elementary, visit www.gtms.org.