The First Graduating Class of James N. Gamble Montessori High School

-Jill Wilson, CMS Vice President

The year 2011 marks the first graduating class of Cincinnati Public School's James N. Gamble Montessori High School.  At their Graduation Ceremony, the graduates wanted to remember and thank those who were instrumental in bringing Montessori to the Cincinnati Public Schools.  As the president of the Cincinnati Montessori Society, I was the treasure keeper of the historical files of CMS since it's inception in 1963.  During this time, I was called upon to conduct some research. As it turns out, CMS played an integral role in bringing Montessori to public schools.  Our research discovered that CMS, with Paula Lillard as the president at the time, provided funding and Montessori equipment in 1967 to start an elementary (6-9 year olds) program in the west end at The Sands School.  The class would serve graduates of pre-primary Montessori classes operated under Headstart by the Cincinnati Montessori Society as well as students from Montessori classes in other parts of the city.  The details become a bit unclear as to how long CMS' involvement lasted, but it is undeniably clear to me the impact their vision and efforts have had on Cincinnati and hundreds of students - from 1 classroom to 7 public schools and over 45 private schools in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area.

Not having been to a high school graduation since my own, I was curious as to what the evening would bring.  From the moment the Commencement Ceremony began I was inspired by the grace, style and passion of the faculty and students.  Jack Jose, Gamble Montessori School Principal, gave a brief history of the Montessori Movement and presented plaques honoring and thanking CMS, Xavier University, Sands Montessori School and Mrs. Fannie Mallory for their part in supporting Montessori Education in Cincinnati Public Schools - and that was the "boring" part.

From the "Ain't I a Woman" dance by Jazmine Meacham, the Senior Remarks by Jasmine Hill and Brennan Robb, and Te'Anna Foote singing "I Believe" to the Commencement Address by Meg Thomas, Founder of Gamble Montessori High School, the remarks by class president Dahnae Parrott, and the Gaelic Blessing sung by the choir, I don't think there was a dry eye in the house - including mine and my husband's!  And, as a pre-primary teacher who has read countless books to children, I was delighted to watch the group meeting led by Jason Banks, one of the 3 original teachers who helped to start the program, with all the graduates on the floor as he read "Oh, The Places You'll Go" by Dr. Seuss - talk about going full circle!

It was truly an honor to be a part of the Commencement Ceremony for the first graduating class of Gamble Montessori - congratulations to the twenty four  2011 Graduates of Gamble Montessori High School!

"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So...get on your way!" (Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!)

Central Montessori Academy is working on plans to build a new Natural Playground.

So I asked myself; where do Central Montessori Academy lower elementary students enjoy playing the most? I wondered if the 1st-3rd grade children enjoy playing in the natural areas we have more than the equipped playground or organized sports area. I also wondered about the value of natural playgrounds in helping with environmental conservation and its educational value for students.

As I gathered this information it provided the teachers, administrators, and the new playground committee with information to help create the new natural playground.

Observations and Prediction

During recess the children are able to play in a fenced equipped playground with a slide, tire swing, wooden fort,and pebble box. They also can play in a large grass field, wooded areas, or follow a trail through tall grasses. Before completing this study I observed many students playing in the natural areas; near trees and high grass area with trails. Creating a map of the playground was a way for students to think about the details of their environment and places they like to play . Children do best expressing their thoughts through drawing. (Salmon, 2008) When children are asked about their favorite spots on the playground the majority of students will record and write about the natural spaces. Some people believe that recess is a time where students are not learning but taking a break from learning.However recess is a very important time for young children to learn about leadership, socializing, and creativity. Giving children a natural environment to explore gives them more opportunities for active play. (McGinnis) A few years ago a group of CMA children created bug world (see pictures) where they created a stick structure and captured bugs to place within 'bug world.' The children had a president and security team to be sure that other children were careful not to knock their creation over. This type of long sustaining dramatic play is easily fostered using natural materials. This year large groups of students have created a home using sticks and food such as berries, grass, and monkey brains. Giving children a natural environment to play in promotes curiosity and appreciation for nature. Through this type of appreciation children learn about environmental conservation and ways they can help preserve their own environment. (Grodzińska-Jurczak & Stępska 2006) Nature provides many opportunities and challenges for children and an ever- changing place to play and that is why most children at CMA will choose the natural areas as their favorite places.

Methods Used to Find Where CMA Students Most Often Play.

Elementary students have a large area for recess. To find out where the 1st-3rd grade students like to play, the children mapped their playground.

The children have been learning about mapping and the value of maps. First the students looked at a satellite map of Central Montessori Academy (CMA) from Google Maps. Then students drew maps by looking at the playground and the field area.

The children included their own names for areas and marked 1 through 4 indicating their favorite spots with a red dot. Then they were asked to write and draw about their one favorite place. The children's favorite places on the maps were tallied along with their written responses for their favorite spot.

As you know, the Cincinnati Montessori Society is a non-profit organization whose mission is to bring together parents, teachers and schools in order to promote and support the Montessori philosophy. It is governed by a volunteer board of trustees of Montessori parents, teachers, students, administrators and others interested in supporting Montessori education. If you are interested in serving on the board or have talents to share, please email your name and contact info to our nominations committee at cms@cincinnatimontessorisociety.org.

• What do you like and/or dislike about our service?
• What ideas do you have to make our organization better?
• What areas do you think are important for CMS get involved in?

The Director must:

• Have strong communication skills
• Possess a collaborative leadership style
• Have the ability to further the school's mission and continue to develop its educational programs
• Have an understanding of successful admissions strategies and the ability to attract strong students and faculty to the school
• Lead and collaborate in development/fundraising activities
• Have financial astuteness
• Possess excellent interpersonal skills.