CCHS grad is head of new program opening this fall
Parinaz Mokhtari, a 1990 Cornwall High School graduate, is head of Montgomery Montessori School, Inc. and she’s bringing the Montessori method of education to her former hometown. Children’s House Montessori of Cornwall, which will be based in the Main Street and Torrey Lane buildings once occupied by Butterhill Day School, is expected to open this fall.
Developed by Italian physician Dr. Maria Montessori, the self-named method of education encourages children to work independently and in groups. It fosters rigorous, self-motivated growth for children and adolescents by helping to develop and improve cognitive, emotional, social, and physical skills.
“It’s been an incredible journey,” Mokhtari said of returning home and walking the streets she once frequented as a kid. “It’s a dream come true.”
Mokhtari went to Iona College where she majored in clinical psychology and later became certified by the American Montessori Association. She said all teachers must be trained and certified in this specific method of teaching to work at a Montessori school.
Mokhtari saw her three daughters through the Montessori system and wanted other children to experience the same, so 10 years ago she opened a Pre-K to grade 12 school in Montgomery.
When space became available in Cornwall, she decided to open another school for children ages 18 months through first grade. The goal is to one day offer programs to children through third grade.
What’s different about Montessori compared to the public school system, there are no walls dividing children into classrooms. The children not only learn on their own, but from teachers and their peers.
Toddlers ages 18 to 36 months will be housed in the building on Torrey Lane while the older children will occupy the space on Main Street. Mokhtari said the floor plan allows the older children to become mentors to the younger kids. She said children learn better from each other.
The format also helps the older students review skills while boosting self-esteem and independence.
Some of the opportunities the children will have at Children’s House Montessori of Cornwall include learning growth and motor skills like how to tie laces, wet and dry pouring, and grasp objects. Another area will allow the kids to differentiate between heavier and lighter, taller and shorter, and bigger and small objects. They’ll learn by using their senses in hands-on activities. There will be yoga classes, cooking, sewing, art, music, and second language lessons.
Students will take class trips to New York City and Albany, as well as take advantage of all the Hudson Valley has to offer to enrich their education such as visits to Washington’s Headquarters or Museum Village.
“Our outdoor classroom, is an integral part of our curriculum at all levels,” Mokhtari said. “Our school is an early proponent of ‘experiential learning’ and considers the outdoor environment a natural extension of the classroom. The Montessori connection makes sense: Contact with nature affords opportunities for rich sensorial experiences, a vital element of Montessori learning. It also supports the whole child — body, mind, and soul — and promotes respect for all living things.”
As renovations take place in Cornwall, virtual tours of the Montgomery location are being conducted with prospective parents so they get an idea of what the space will look like. Mokhtari said eventually face-to-face meetings will be conducted outside with an open house once the buildings are ready. Montessori follows the September to June academic school year.
For more information, visit childrenshousecornwall.com.