Montessori’s Whole-School Management Course

Montessori
Image: montessori-namta.org

Since 1999, Kathy Minardi has served as the head of the Aidan Montessori School in Washington, DC. She is a member of the North American Montessori Teachers’ Association (NAMTA), which held its latest Montessori Whole-School Management course in October 2015. Kathy Minardi was one of the faculty presenters.

The multi-day course is focused on teaching educators to become effective Montessori administrators, and all of the concepts presented are based on NAMTA’s extensive research into school management. The first tier of the course is spent discussing Montessori principles. Participants come prepared with information about their school’s history, enrollment, and yearly budgets. They use this data to build a plan for improving upon their school’s weaknesses.

Since Montessori schools have grown in capacity and complexity during recent years, the second part of the course is centered on strategic planning. It is an advanced section for experienced administrators. There is a focus on developing long-term goals, effective collaboration with colleagues, and creating a system for tracking school progress.

NAMTA Holds Whole School Management Course in Maryland

An accomplished education leader with over four decades of experience, Kathy Minardi works as head of the Aidan Montessori School in Washington, DC. In addition to her activities at Aidan Montessori, Kathy Minardi frequently serves as a speaker for several organizations, including the North American Montessori Teachers’ Association (NAMTA). Recently, she presented at NAMTA’s Whole School Management course in Columbia, Maryland.

Held at the Sheraton Columbia Hotel from October 7-11, 2015, the Montessori Whole School Management course brought together Montessori-oriented administrators from across the country for five days of discussion and problem-solving activities focused on strategic planning management. The course featured educational offerings for novice and experienced Montessori school leaders as well as teachers just launching their administrative careers.

Attendees at all levels had the opportunity to hear from speakers who helped them develop their skills in several areas, including goal making, collaboration, and budgeting. Additionally, they were able to spend time with their peers creating individualized strategic plans based on several factors, such as their school’s history, enrollment, and budget.