Welcome to Orchid Montessori School, a unique new Montessori program for ages 1.5 – 9 years launching in September 2024.
Orchid Montessori School is located in West Warwick, Rhode Island, and also serves students from Coventry, Cranston, East Greenwich, and the surrounding areas.
Our goal is to empower all children to learn, thrive, and explore their passions. We will offer both full and half-day programming.
Our Rhode Island Montessori school will will provide a home-away-from-home atmosphere with an intimate design, warm decor, and an inviting outdoor space for gardening, crafts, and free play. We have multiple outdoor play areas and plan to provide children with opportunities to learn outdoors (weather permitting) and engage with the natural world throughout the day.
Our unique program is an inclusive Montessori lab school. We believe that all children have unique strengths and challenges, and we have designed our physical space, classroom routines, and curriculum in a way that allows each child to develop holistically and at their own pace. For example, a child might be ready to explore reading, math or music at an accelerated pace but need additional support in developing fine motor skills, improving spatial awareness or cultivating friendships. Our goal is to embrace and meet each child where they are!
Our system of individualized supports was designed in partnership with Access Speech and Allied Therapy Group. Access Therapy will have a satellite office in our West Warwick, Rhode Island, building and will be able to provide speech and occupational therapy services to students who need them on-site. We will also use a robust parent communication system to ensure that families have the opportunity to connect their children’s experiences at school to their life beyond the classroom.
Orchid Montessori is a member of the Wildflower Network of schools. Wildflower is an ecosystem of decentralized Montessori micro-schools that support children, teachers, and parents. Wildflower aspires to give all children and families the opportunity to choose high quality, beautiful learning environments as they follow life’s unfolding journey.
Daily Schedule and Calendar
Our school follows a ten month academic year calendar and also offers optional summer programming. Please reach out to info@orchidmontessori.org to receive the most up-to-date version of our school calendar.
At this time, all available spots are for five days per week. However, we will consider enrolling a child for fewer days per week on a case-by-case basis.
Montessori Mornings
8:15-8:30 morning arrival window
8:30-11:30 morning work period (snacks/ movement breaks as needed)
11:30-11:45 outdoor time, dismissal window for morning students
Lunch Bunch
11:45-12:15 arrival window for lunch bunch + afternoon students
11:45-1:00 lunch, rest/nap time starts (as needed), free play
12:45 -1:00 dismissal window for morning + lunch bunch students
Afternoon Program
1:00-1:15 arrival window for afternoon students
1:00-3:00 afternoon work period/ classes, continued nap/rest time (as needed)
3:00 -3:15 dismissal window for full day + afternoon students
3:15-4:30 outdoor time, dismissal window for extended day students
Tuition
At Orchid Montessori School, we believe that a high-quality Montessori education should be available for families regardless of income. We have a flexible sliding-scale tuition model. We work with each family to find the right tuition rate based on their income and expenses. We also accept CCAP vouchers.
Please contact us at info@orchidmontessori.org to receive a copy of our tuition schedule or with additional questions about our tuition model!
Our Team
We are a team of teachers, therapeutic professionals and parents. We are passionate about providing a high-quality early learning experience for every child. Our extensive and diverse professional backgrounds have allowed us to design a unique approach that allows each individual child to thrive.
Katie Rodrigues, M.Ed.
Founding Teacher Leader
Katie (she/her) has been working in Montessori primary and elementary classrooms since 2007. She received her AMI Montessori Diploma for ages 6-12 in 2010 and her M. Ed. in Montessori Education in 2013. She is also a certified preschool teacher and is in the process of completing her Montessori primary training. She is thrilled to be serving on Orchid’s teaching team because she feels that every child, regardless of their unique gifts and challenges, deserves to learn in a classroom that embraces their individuality. She is so excited to be involved in this innovative partnership with Access Holistic Therapy Group!
Sarah Hamel, M.S., CCC-SLP
Founding Teacher Leader
Sarah (she/her) is an experienced Speech Language Pathologist who specializes in language acquisition during early childhood. She earned her M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the MGH Institute of Health Professions in 2013 and has worked as a therapist and curriculum consultant in classrooms for over 10 years. Sarah is also a professional musician and a certified Music Together teacher. Sarah is excited to complete her Montessori training while serving as one of Orchid Montessori’s founding teacher leaders!
Stephanie Izzi, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Inclusion Coordinator
Stephanie (she/they) will serve as our inclusion coordinator this year. An autistic adult herself, Stephanie specializes in designing robust programming for students with communication support needs. Stephanie completed their Ph.D. in Genetics at Stony Brook University, and M.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders at the MGH Institute of Health Professions. They are also the co-founder and Executive Director of Autism Included and Access Holistic Therapy Group, a nonprofit supporting those with communication disorders/differences.
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