Gloucester Montessori School
P.O. Box 15068381 George Washington Memorial Highway
Gloucester, Virginia, 23061
Tel: (804) 693-6455
info@gloucestermontessori.org
The GMS Approach
Our past and present
Available to children in preschool through eighth grade, GMS is proud to be the only Montessori school in a rapidly growing area of Virginia.
Leslie Bowie founded GMS in 1979. Initially, the school offered a single class for children three to six years old, but it expanded in 1986 to include an additional class for children ages six through nine. When Ms. Bowie announced in March 1989 that she was closing GMS, devoted parents organized to save the school. GMS was incorporated in May 1989, and since, it has continued its tradition of offering those living in Virginia's Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck an alternative educational option for their children.
GMS recognizes that a constant assessment of its performance is needed to maintain its commitment to the Montessori philosophy. At the same time, GMS notes the importance of keeping up with changing educational and cultural ideals.
Classroom environments are strategically designed to promote learning through the selection of practical materials and child-sized work stations. Teachers guide students through an understanding of individual personalities and strengths, and needs. Only when students master a work are they permitted to continue with their studies. This ensures every child receives a customized education focused on individual achievement and the mastery of concepts instead relying only on broad, test-based standards. Classrooms are well-structured through a system of rules and guide lines that provide freedom within limits. Children internalize these rules throughout the school year, beginning with a thorough orientation process which helps to introduce the child to this exciting new environment in a thoughtful and reassuring way.
The mission of the Gloucester Montessori School is to provide a safe and nurturing environment that invites children to reach their fullest lifetime potential.
We recognize and meet the challenge of remaining true to the Montessori philosophy and the GMS mission in a rapidly changing world,. By regularly assessing our programs in reference to non-Montessori learning standards, we ensure that the education received by our students is part of a solid academic foundation, no matter where they may go after leaving GMS.