Alumni
“Free the child’s potential and you will transform him into the world.”
- Maria Montessori
The Village School has a community of alumni that stay connected via social media platforms such as Facebook throughout the year. Alumni are invited to come back for various events during the year such as the Thankful Feast in November and Graduation in June. Even as they go their separate ways after leaving, our alumni tend to stay in touch with their Village School classmates throughout high school, college and beyond.
Every other year, we have an Alumni Q & A event where current parents can connect with graduates. We are always happy to have visits, planned or spontaneous, from our alumni and frequently find a familiar face in our lobby on a day when they are off school or home from away. They frequently share with us stories of how their experiences at The Village School have positively impacted their lives both in and out of the academic setting.
Here's what our Alumni are saying:
"12 years of my life were dedicated to being a student at The Village School, and these were years that I will always cherish and be thankful for as they exist as the groundwork for future success. It was at The Village School that I learned to work with and be accepting of others. It was at The Village School that I became confident in my public speaking ability to a range of different audiences, whether it be a simple history presentation to a class of 20 or the 6th grade Expert Project in front of a packed auditorium! This coupled for my budding interest in journalism led to my 13 year old self making the decision to become a news anchor, a decision that has not wavered over the course of high school. This fall, I will be attending the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University to study Broadcast Journalism, taking my the passion and skills I learned starting as a toddler at the Village School with me. All I can say is how thankful I am for having had the opportunity to be a part of such a wonderful and supportive community!"
- Conor Wight, '12
“I think that the thing that I learned most from The Village School was the importance of building meaningful relationships with classmates, because when you have an honest dialogue with people that you work with, especially in teams and groups, it allows for whatever task at hand to be done to be done more efficiently and with less conflict.”
–Dean Corrado, ’11
“The well rounded nature of my education at The Village School has taught me how to be creative in finding solutions and how to always treat others with respect and courtesy- life lessons that have always been valuable in a number of different situations!”
–Tia Kumar, ’10
"I would say that the village school helped me to learn how to learn. In addition to challenging me to learn necessary information in engaging and fun ways, I also think it helped me understand how I learn best, so that no matter where I go I can learn and succeed."
–Anna Iane, ’10
"I think The Village School has contributed to my communication skills. Having the various projects in 3rd grade, then the 6th year project and then giving our graduation speeches made me less afraid of public speaking."
–Annalise Carr, ’10
"The relationships between students and teachers and all the faculty is something that I will always be grateful for. The teachers not only care about your academic success but they also care about you as a person and will take the time to listen and help in any way they can."
–Haley Cheesman ‘09
“I credit my high school academic success to the study and time management skills I learned at The Village School”
–Katelyn Paradis ‘04
"The Village School offered unique opportunities I couldn’t have gotten elsewhere. When you have a teacher at The Village School for three years you develop a very special bond. I think of all the people at The Village School as my second family.”
–Bradford Meisel, ‘05
The Village School really taught me how to manage my time because the work plans were such an integral part of the curriculum. The School really sets you up for high school and prepares you for later in life.
–Lucy McAuliffe, ‘04
"I came to The Village School in the first grade from public school. From the first day I thought my teachers were amazing. Going to school wasn’t a chore."
–Anika Lindemann, ‘04
"A Village School education is the best and most secure investment a parent can make. What else in life is guaranteed to appreciate in value? My daughters have already benefited immensely from their time at The Village School just as I have benefited greatly from my time there, over 30 years ago!"
–Richard Engel, Village School Alumnus ’77
"All of my Village School presentations have made me very comfortable with public speaking."
–Jessica Epstein, ‘05
"I attribute my strong organizational skills to The Village School… It also fostered my love of reading…Dadmara’s passion for teaching made you forget you were learning.”
–Alina Soler, ‘00
When I reflect back on my years in Montessori, I truly believe the essence of who I am now can be traced back to the diverse nurturing environment of The Village School.
–Chisato Fukada, former Village School student