Guidepost Montessori at Palm Beach Gardens is officially ready to welcome students in grades 1 to 3 with the April opening of its new mixed-age, Montessori elementary program for Lower Elementary children aged 6 to 9 and Upper Elementary children ages 9 to 12. This expansion enables the campus, which opened in June 2021, to serve children and families all the way from early toddlerhood through elementary.
This three-year, mixed-age grouping is a hallmark of an authentic Montessori education, and it upholds the evidence-based benefits of grouping children by stage of development rather than arbitrarily by age. These mixed-age classrooms activate more collaborative, social learning environments where academic rigor is balanced with holistic social, emotional, and life skills.
“In the early years, these mixed-age environments empower children to build their sense of self with confidence and joy as they are trusted to lead and self-discover. At the elementary level, Montessori learning environments grow with the child’s natural mode of learning, which starts to become highly social,” said Dr. Sherri Danyali, Head of School at the Guidepost campus in Palm Beach Gardens.
In Montessori elementary, students’ increasing drive to learn through experience and in collaboration with others is not reserved for assigned group projects; it is normalized in the daily classroom experience. Facilitated by a Lead Guide, whose role is different than a traditional teacher, there are no hourly schedules where lessons are given to all at once. Instead, there is a three-hour uninterrupted work period that gives students more time and agency to either zoom in on their own work or to freely move and work in small groups.
To learn more, join their upcoming Instagram Live event on April 1st at 3:00 pm, where you can meet the new Elementary guides –– Ms. Alisha Williams, Elementary Lead Guide, and Ms. Sara Hagan, Junior Elementary Guide. The Guidepost Montessori team is also joining the local Summer Camp Expo and Children’s Festival on April 3 in Downtown Abacoa. There, you can meet the school team in person, learn more about Guidepost Montessori’s Summer Camp, and ask questions about the new elementary classroom.
 |  |
Ms. Alisha Williams | Ms. Sara Hagan |
Interested in reserving a spot for your child? Contact the admissions team by filling out this online form here or call (312)-809-9796.
This campus is part of the international Guidepost Montessori network, which provides authentic, child-centered education for children ages 0-14. Beyond campus, families can access Montessori education from anywhere in the world through Guidepost’s at-home suite, which offers Virtual School and Homeschool support. Resources, trainings, and courses are also accessible for parents and educators in partnership with The Prepared Montessorian, a MACTE-accredited teacher training institute.
