erena School offers a specialized Montessori curriculum that integrates the study of math, science, history, geography, English, foreign languages, art and music. The Montessori program at Gerena encompasses pre-school through grade 5.

Montessori Program Elements:

The Montessori classroom is a joyous place to be.  It is geared to the child’s natural development where students have opportunities to explore and fulfill their individual potential.

Montessori schools are divided into multi-age classrooms: “Children’s House” for children ages 3 to 6, “E1” for students in 1st through 3rd grade, and “E2” for students in 4th and 5th grade.

The prepared environments introduce an uninterrupted series of learning passages, a continuum in which the role of the teacher is that of a guide or coach, a practice that distinguishes Montessori from other educational approaches.

Independent activity constitutes approximately eighty percent of the work in a Montessori classroom, with teacher-directed activity comprising the remaining twenty percent of the work at all levels. Every aspect of the curriculum involves creative invention and careful, thoughtful analysis. In viewing learning outcomes at each Montessori level, emphasis on why and how students arrive at what they know is just as important as what they know.

The Arts at Gerena:

Gerena has a thriving vocal music program and two visual arts teachers who work with students at every grade level, introducing them to the joys of creative artistic expression.  We are one of only two elementary schools in the city to offer an instrumental music program for students in 3rd through 5th grades.

Focus on Literacy:

At Gerena we are helping students become readers and writers by infusing best literacy practices through all content areas.  Our teachers are dedicated to enabling our students acquire the important skills to create successful students and citizens.