ABOUT OLD TOWN

Old Town Montessori was established in 1987 at the request of our parents who lived in historic Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. This recognized AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) Member School resides in a charming and perfectly restored townhouse, with two beautiful primary classroom environments and a generous outdoor courtyard with play equipment. It is a short 15-minute drive away from our larger Mount Vernon campus. Our Old Town campus serves children from ages 3 to 6. Children from Old Town continue their elementary studies and participate in summer camp at the Aquinas Montessori School campus.

Ages 3 to 6
Children are active learners in our primary classrooms exploring language, math, science, art, social graces, and music and movement. The primary curriculum is a fully comprehensive three-year program which allows for children to develop mastery and leadership in a wide variety of subjects and skills. Children are guided by their accomplished teachers in our carefully prepared classroom environments. Yoga and Spanish classes begin at age 5. Old Town Montessori School has primary classes for children from ages 3 to 6. Each class is led by an AMI trained primary teacher with the aid of an assistant.

Our Teachers
Our principal Montessori teachers hold AMI (Association Montessori Internationale) diplomas in addition to their undergraduate and graduate degrees. This means they have completed rigorous studies which enable them to understand the needs of children at each stage of development and to competently present the specialized, self-correcting materials for which Montessori schools are renowned. Our teachers are able to effectively respond to the learning patterns and needs of each child as an individual and to help each child grow in confidence, independence, and knowledge. Our assistants are also highly trained in child development and redirection techniques and support the efforts of the teachers to strengthen the independence of the children. Every classroom is guided by two adults, one teacher and one assistant.

School Day and Year
School day morning arrival is from 8:30 to 8:45 AM. Children in the half-day primary program are dismissed from 11:45 AM to 11:55 AM. Children in the full-day primary program remain for lunch and an afternoon session (or nap time) until dismissal from 3:00 to 3:15 PM. The school year is approximately 9 months, typically from the Tuesday after Labor Day (for returning students) to early June.

Child Care
The campus is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 AM until 6:00 PM. Afterschool aftercare is available from 3:00 to 6:00 PM using our dedicated aftercare space and outdoor courtyard.

Summer Camp
We operate a Montessori-inspired summer camp at our Aquinas Montessori School location each summer for campers from our primary and elementary programs. Campers work with the guidance of a professionally trained Montessori teacher in the morning exploring language, mathematics, science, art, and music. Every morning is an opportunity to connect with authentic Montessori materials in an environment of learning that encourages exploration and enthusiasm for the work followed by an afternoon on the beautiful wooded campus and in the heated swimming pool.

Old Town Montessori is a non-sectarian school. We value diversity among our students. We do not discriminate in our enrollment policies on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin.

Highly Trained Faculty

Highly Trained Faculty, all lead teachers have AMI diplomas in addition to their education degrees.

Love & Care

Home-like learning environments that the children assist in caring for, promoting responsibility and independence.

Hands-on Learning

Rich and dynamic hands-on learning experiences.

Innovative Learning

An innovative learning environment that fosters deeper thought and stimulates questioning and student-led research.

Natural Play Areas

Natural play areas and gardens that the children assist in caring for, promoting responsibility and independence.

Individual Curriculum

We provide individual curriculum for each child.

“The teachers at Aquinas all have Education and AMI degrees. Most of them have had other work experiences that add to the richness of the classrooms. The Arts are a large part of the class curriculum; there is a musical produced every year as well as several concerts. The PE program follows the Presidential Physical Education Program. Yoga, piano and cello are offered after school. It was a very well rounded experience for my family. However, the high caliber of academics throughout the school was what attracted us and we were not disappointed.”