Thank You to Our Panel!

Parents had a wonderful opportunity to come and hear from five of our alumni and three of our alumni parents at this week’s evening panel discussion. The panelists answered the audience’s many questions with thoughtful and reflective answers, remembering back to when they were students or when their children were students at the school.

The alumni panelists ranged in age from 16-29. The high schools represented by the panel included an all-girls’ independent school (Stuart), two New England boarding schools (Andover and Groton), a large local public high school (Montgomery), and local independent boarding and day schools (Lawrenceville, Pennington, and Princeton Day School). The represented colleges included Columbia, Cornell, Franklin and Marshall, Monmouth University, New York University, and Quinnipiac. The panel was moderated by Michelle Morrison, Director of Middle School.

One parent in the audience commented that she was “delighted to hear the useful strategies that Montessori graduates use to transition into high school, both socially and academically. I found the alumni to be so impressive – extremely confident, articulate, and engaging. I was particularly struck by how reflective they each were, and how Montessori helped them recognize their strengths (and limitations) and develop strategies to capitalize on (and compensate for) these. I am grateful that the alumni and alumni parents took the time to share their experiences.”

Another parent said, “I am so glad I came. The panel allowed us to see and understand how, in a relatively short span of time, these wonderful Montessori students have blossomed into very special and accomplished adults. It was very reassuring.”

One of the alumni panelists wrote after the event to say, “I just hope that parents really understand how valuable and irreplaceable a Montessori education is for their children…I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to attend this school.”

We would like to thank the panelists for their time and enthusiasm in attending this event: Alumni - Isabel Soto (2009), Christina Hartnack (2006), Andrea Plasko (2003), Justin Yi (2002), and Tracey Spinner Baskin (1996); and Alumni Parents -  Jackie Bunn, Peter Egbert, and Rita Zetterburg.