Profiles in Business Excellence: Wyoming Valley Montessori School

     People in communities around the world are busy planning celebratory events to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Dr. Maria Montessori opening the first Montessori class for children in Rome, Italy.
      One hundred years ago in San Lorenzo, Rome, on the 6th of January, 1907, Montessori began working with a group of disadvantaged children, helping them learn and develop. What transpired was the first Casa dei Bambini (Children's House) that grew into the worldwide Montessori educational movement for children.
      Montessori is the single largest pedagogy in the world, with more than 22,000 schools in more than 110 countries. The Montessori movement, however, is far broader and assists children and their families in a variety of settings.
      There are worldwide Centenary efforts throughout 2007 that will "Champion the Cause of all Children" and work to promote the interests of children by bringing to the attention of all cultures and societies the nature of children's development , what Dr. Montessori called the secret of childhood.
      Through her work, Dr. Montessori's realization was that: "...mankind can hope for a solution to its problems, among which the most urgent are those of peace and unity, only by turning its attention and energies to the discovery of the child and to the development of the great potentialities of the human personality in the course of its formation."
     Wyoming Valley Montessori School, 851 West Market Street, Kingston, in conjunction with the Advanced Marketing Class at King's College is currently planning a major contribution to the festivities by organizing a community celebration on May 12, 2007.
      The college students are provided with a learning opportunity to plan and implement an actual marketing strategy/event for the Montessori school. The event is planned and designed by students, with the assistance of marketing instructor Dr. Amy Parsons. Marketing students must work in teams, listen carefully to the client and each other, and use research, planning, and communication skills.
      Although only in the early stages of planning, those involved with the Wyoming Valley Montessori School are looking forward to the Montessori Centenary celebrations and the chance to showcase their school and share their excitement with the rest of the community.
      Wyoming Valley Montessori School was founded in 1970 as a private, non-profit, academic school incorporating the philosophy and methods of Dr. Maria Montessori. The school offers multi-age groupings, a curriculum implemented with hands-on materials, individualized attention to each child's learning style, and cross-disciplinary learning for children 18 months through eighth grade.