Greenspring Montessori School
2024 Annual Report
Annual Report for the 2023-24 school year
Greenspring By the Numbers
Students Enrolled
Our school community continues to grow, with 256 students in the 2023-24 school year.
Staff members who speak more than one language
Our staff, students, and families represent many diverse cultures and backgrounds.
Students traveled to the MMUN Conference
Upper Elementary students represented Kenya and Congo-Brazzaville at the Montessori Model United Nations Conference in New York.
Spent on Tuition Assistance
Miles Traveled for Trips and Going Outs
Our students traveled near and far on field trips, overnights, and Going Outs.
Animals on Campus
Our campus is home to 5 turtles, 2 snakes, 2 lizards, 2 birds, a hermit crab, an axolotl, and many fish in 5 tanks.
After-School Programs
%
Students enrolled in Dual Language
Year in Review
At Greenspring Montessori School, we are guided by our Strategic Direction, with six areas we continually focus on each year. Those six areas include:
- Sharing Authentic Montessori values with the world
- Cultivating a Community of Empowerment
- Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
- Developing Effective Communicators
- Enhancing our Campus for Growth
- Inspiring an Allegiance to Nature
Sharing the Gifts of Montessori Education with the World
As I reflect on the 2023-24 academic year, I am proud of the growth and development of our children, adolescents, families, and staff, who have exemplified our mission of igniting purpose and voice in a fully engaged learning community.
We dug deeply into the work of centering the spirit of the child this year, knowing that the spirit of the child is their core – and needs nurturing and focus. We supported staff and students alike in:
- listening for their own heart knowing, learning to honor their values and self-knowledge;
- seeing the sacredness of all human life and studying the interconnected nature of all living things;
- and deepening understanding of how to live in, lead, and tend to their classroom and school communities.
We watched as the focus on spirit deepened our students’ academic practice and explorations, seeing their self-trust and understanding grow their development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed to engage meaningfully with the world around them.
Centering the spirit of the child guided us throughout the year in our many initiatives. Together we managed to support our growing Dual Language community through meaningful immersive trips and studies, foster our natural environments through lessons and professional development, build our understanding of how to best support students and families with diverse backgrounds, dig in deeply to our community values, and, perhaps most importantly, honor the spirit of the child in our daily work. You can learn more about our many initiatives here in our Annual Report.
We are grateful for your partnership on this journey. Thank you. We are, as always, better together!
Tamara Sheesley Balis
Head of School
Cultivating a Community of Empowerment
Human-centered values empower community members to practice and embody ownership and trust so that each member – students, families, and staff members – live in a community built around and for its people.
Community Spotlight:
Our Spanish Language Team
Since 2013, we have been working to grow our Spanish Dual Language community, recruiting native Spanish speakers who are drawn to our Montessori philosophy. Our Spanish team is full of talented, passionate leaders who are dedicated to sharing their language and cultures with our community. Click through to learn more about them here!
Ale Esquivel Castillo
Dual Language Guide
What inspires you to be a part of this community?
Greenspring Montessori School has an incredible method of education and I am fortunate to be part of such a wonderful community.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I love teaching and supporting the students through their Spanish language journey while sharing my culture and experiences.
What is an aspect of your culture or background that you have enjoyed sharing with the children and community?
The trip to my hometown of Mérida with the adolescents was a very wonderful experience – the bond that our adolescents have is extremely special and it was so wonderful to see how they were supporting each other in every step of the trip. I feel like I bonded with them and my goal was to make sure they felt comfortable and special.
What is one thing you would like families to know about you?
I love to share my Mayan heritage with the children. One of my favorite holidays is the Mayan celebration of Hanal Pixan, very similar to Día de Los Muertos.
Karen Mosqueira-Akintoye
Interim Dual Language Guide
What inspires you to be a part of this community?
The kindness of all the staff, the warm smiles on the children’s faces, the grateful notes and words from parents, the administration’s commitment to Montessori philosophy, and the school values.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
This year I am really enjoying sharing my culture, practicing Spanish with the children, and seeing them participate so enthusiastically – confidently and happily embracing a second language.
What is an aspect of your culture or background that you have enjoyed sharing with the children/community?
I enjoy wearing my traditional clothes from Cusco, Peru during the Flag Day parade, coloring and explaining the symbols of my flag, and singing traditional songs from Latin America which I used to sing when I was a child.
What is one thing you would like families to know about you?
That I love being around their children, and that the children are enjoying Spanish lessons. They love to sing and dance to Latin music.
Lisandro Soriano
Spanish Enrichment Guide
What inspires you to be a part of this community?
A powerful motivator for me is the ability to contribute to a student’s growth, education, and development. Seeing students achieving their goals and overcoming challenges not only in Spanish but also in other areas, is deeply fulfilling.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Witnessing a student’s growth in language skills and confidence is a highlight of my job. Observing students’ progress from learning basic words or phrases to holding a meaningful conversation, it is gratifying.
What is an aspect of your culture or background that you have enjoyed sharing with the children and community?
One aspect of Salvadoran culture that I particularly enjoyed sharing with students was a typical dish, called “pupusas”. Pupusas are a staple Salvadoran dish made of thick corn tortillas filled with various ingredients such as cheese, beans, or pork.
Making pupusas with students was so impactful for us. When cooking we make cultural connections, build community, and expand our palates.
What is one thing you would like families to know about you?
As a Salvadoran Spanish teacher, one thing I’d like families to know is how deeply I value and embrace the rich cultural heritage that comes with the language I teach. My Salvadoran background influences my teaching style and helps me bring a genuine, authentic perspective to the classroom which allows me to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment where every student can thrive.
Griselda Beasman
Dual Language Toddler Partner
What inspires you to be a part of this community?
I am inspired to teach my language to our youngest children.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I enjoy sharing my culture with the community.
What is an aspect of your culture or background that you have enjoyed sharing with the children and community?
My language.
What is one thing you would like families to know about you?
I am passionate about teaching the children my language.
Beth Callahan
Dual Language Toddler Guide
What inspires you to be a part of this community?
Imparting language to children at an early age while they’re in a sensitive period for growth makes the process so much easier!
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Introducing children to the community and inspiring them to love learning.
What is an aspect of your culture or background that you have enjoyed sharing with the children/community?
Cooking is such a wonderful activity to share with the children. Preparing cultural dishes allows them to experience new foods and flavors that they may not get at home.
What is one thing you would like families to know about you?
I love being a resource for parents who are navigating these early childhood years.
Cristina Lorenzo-Seda
Dual Language Toddler Partner
What inspires you to be a part of this community?
What inspires me to be a part of this community is how much emphasis is put on connecting with the child and going at their own pace.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I love sharing and teaching my native language to young children.
What is an aspect of your culture or background that you have enjoyed sharing with the children and community?
My native Spanish language.
What is one thing you would like families to know about you?
One thing that I would like families to know about me is that I am from Puerto Rico and I love nature and animals!
Tammy Trone
Dual Language Toddler Guide
What inspires you to be a part of this community?
I love being part of the Greenspring community. Everyone who works here is like-minded in that we want to provide a peaceful and engaging experience for every child. We are true Montessiorians and we believe in the philosophy and want to share it with every child, family, and staff member.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I enjoy watching the toddlers change from the time they start in the fall to when they are ready to move up to Children’s House. The toddler level is the foundation of the Montessori journey. They develop independence and confidence, and they learn what it means to be a part of a community.
Lorna Linares
Dual Language Children’s House Partner
What inspires you to be a part of this community?
I value the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with children, colleagues, and parents/caregivers. I appreciate the kindness and respect towards me in each interaction; that makes me feel like a valued member of this community.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
That’s a difficult choice. I would say: the opportunity to encourage children to dream is one. Dreams can inspire children to think beyond their comfort zones and challenge them to reach their fullest potential as the Montessori philosophy has proved.
Another aspect is a child’s enthusiasm for using more Spanish in a natural way, not just in daily lessons but in conversations with others.
What is an aspect of your culture or background that you have enjoyed sharing with the children and community?
I love cooking and I am privileged to be able to share my favorite native dishes and other recipes from Latin America with children and the community.
Another aspect would be sharing my language and insights of Venezuela. Sometimes we use different expressions or terms to convey the same idea than other Spanish speaking countries.
What is one thing you would like families to know about you?
I like to be a little vulnerable: Family and friends back in Venezuela are surprised that I am leading a cooking class for children. A little more than ten years ago I couldn’t even boil water. Today, they are proud of me; and I am living proof that you can accomplish anything in life if you apply yourself.
Emily Shattuck
Dual Language Children’s House Guide
What inspires you to be a part of this community?
I enjoy continually learning Spanish vocabulary and phrases from our Spanish-speaking community. It is so fun to have the opportunity to have conversations in Spanish daily with my co-workers and the children.
Saori Fotenos
Dual Language Children’s House Guide
What inspires you to be a part of this community?
The dedication and teaching craft of the staff.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
Seeing children’s joy.
What is an aspect of your culture or background that you have enjoyed sharing with the children/community?
Songs and the different names of animal sounds (baa baa vs mé mé).
What is one thing you would like families to know about you?
I am always looking for recipes, my current interest is horchata (rice? tiger nuts? barley? sesame?)
Angela Urquiza
Dual Language Children’s House Partner
What inspires you to be a part of this community?
I am inspired to teach my language to our youngest children.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I enjoy sharing my culture with the community.
What is an aspect of your culture or background that you have enjoyed sharing with the children and community?
My language.
What is one thing you would like families to know about you?
I am passionate about teaching the children my language.
Fernanda White
Dual Language Lower Elementary Partner
What inspires you to be a part of this community?
I am inspired by the authenticity of each staff member, kindness, cultural backgrounds, team work, children, and SMILES.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I love to share with children and staff members my native language, culture, traditions, experiences, and my knowledge in other areas!
What is an aspect of your culture or background that you have enjoyed sharing with the children and community?
I love to share experiences at school when I was their age – cultural events that we had, food, songs, my familia, and my native language.
What is one thing you would like families to know about you?
I love to learn about cultures around the world and do research about different countries. My favorite subject at school was Geography. Other hobbies I enjoy are are cooking, baking, art, and music.
Kate Costa
Dual Language Lower Elementary Guide
What inspires you to be a part of this community?
I’m inspired by the diversity in our Dual Language community. I enjoy learning about folks from different backgrounds. I admire those who have taken the adventurous leap to move to Baltimore.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I enjoy practicing Spanish with Fernanda, Ale, and Karen.
What is an aspect of your culture or background that you have enjoyed sharing with the children/community?
I enjoy learning about traditions and food celebrations from other cultures.
What is one thing you would like families to know about you?
I’ve been listening to a simple podcast on my way to work each morning as a way to improve my Spanish skills!
Tana Vilar
Upper Elementary Partner
What inspires you to be a part of this community?
I’m inspired by the children, the learners… by the opportunities to share my strengths and passions.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I really enjoy making real connections with the children, supporting them to find their passions and inspirations, cultivating their curiosity, motivation and thirst for learning. Guiding them to be lifelong learners and not just ‘students’. …and, very importantly, supporting their Spanish language skills.
What is an aspect of your culture or background that you have enjoyed sharing with the children and community?
I always enjoy sharing the Spanish language, but also traditions, food, history, and special celebrations such as Three Kings Day.
What is one thing you would like families to know about you?
I have a long history with Montessori education and with this school (that spans three generations!) and I have a passion for multilingualism. It is a very valuable skill/tool to have moving forward in this global society and to support peace education.
Zahra Contreras Gauthier
Adolescent Humanities Guide
What inspires you to be a part of this community?
The joy and enthusiasm shared by the Dual Language community about sharing our diverse experiences is so inspiring!
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I really like bringing in new perspectives to share with the Adolescents. I appreciate being able to affirm the many identities of my students while also helping them develop empathy for a broader range of experiences.
What is an aspect of your culture or background that you have enjoyed sharing with the children/community?
I have loved sharing food, music, and language with the Adolescents.
What is one thing you would like families to know about you?
Part of the reason I chose Greenspring for my own children is because of the Dual Language Program. We do not live close to our family members and I appreciate having my children be immersed in the Spanish language throughout the school day.
Sylvia Glassco
Dual Language Director
Adolescent Community Director
What inspires you to be a part of this community?
I am passionate about building a community that honors bilingualism and multicultural community from very young childhood through adolescence and adulthood.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
It is exciting and challenging for me to exist professionally in a bilingual space, speaking both my native language and one that is less comfortable to me. I know that I am learning from my Dual Language colleagues every day as we speak to each other and model connection, humility, and friendliness with error in front of our students.
What is an aspect of your culture or background that you have enjoyed sharing with the children and community?
I enjoy sharing about my journeys through-hiking the Camino de Santiago in Spain and how they were very formative for me as a young adult.
What is one thing you would like families to know about you?
I’m proud of Greenspring’s commitment to our Dual Language Program, and am excited to continue helping the program improve and grow.
Notes from Greenspring Families
“Montessori education incorporates the senses and builds on them encourages thinking from the inside out. Every child should be offered this.”
“We love the work our daughter is doing at the Greenspring Montessori School. We’ve noticed growth in her independence and problem-solving skills. We believe every child should be able to experience the best in education to ensure the success of their future.”
“The Greenspring community has not only helped our child to learn and grow, but our family as well. We will be forever grateful for this community and carry the lessons we learned throughout our lives.”
Developing Effective Communicators:
Adolescents Learning Abroad in Mérida, Mexico
In the spring of 2024, Adolescent students from Greenspring ventured to Mérida, Mexico for a seven day immersion trip with our sister school, Montessori Lancaster. The goal of the trip was for our Adolescents to connect with adolescents in Mérida and be immersed in the culture of the region.
Our Spanish Dual Language Team and Sister School Committee worked for two years to identify and partner with an established Montessori school in Latin America to provide students at both schools an opportunity to connect with peers across cultures.
After years of exposure to the Spanish language and cultures of Latin America, our adolescents embark upon a capstone experience. The adolescents visited the local market in downtown Mérida, rented bicycles and explored Paseo de Montejo, toured several cenotes throughout the region, and visited Chichen Itza and El Castillo—Mayan ruins. In addition, the adolescents were responsible for purchasing groceries in Mérida and preparing meals together.
Adolescents from Greenspring were eager to meet their peers in Mérida. Students from both schools immersed themselves in conversation, moving back and forth between Spanish and English. They cooked chilaquiles and enjoyed afternoon lessons together.
The trip to Merida was a transformative cultural exchange for our adolescents. Together they practiced team-building on a global scale and they returned home with many new lessons in language, culture, and civility.
Allegiance to Nature
At Greenspring, we are committed to cultivating an environment where children build an allegiance to natural spaces with an awareness of how their actions can impact climate change, young people are nurtured to respect nature and value sustainability, and our staff educate and serve as role models.
Sharing Montessori with the World
Greenspring Center for Lifelong Learning is a professional development organization that we launched to support Montessori educators, leaders, and schools around the world.
See how the Greenspring Center has impacted the Montessori community globally in 2023-24.
The mission of the Greenspring Center is to elevate and support the critical work of Montessori educators, leaders, and schools. We are pleased to share high-caliber Montessori resources including our Voices in Montessori Podcast and Mentoring Communities for new Guides and school leaders.
Podcast Downloads
Conferences and Events
We participated in conferences in Florida, Texas, and Virginia, and we hosted several workshops of our own with attendees from across the United States and Canada.
Experts in Education
The Greenspring Center has partnered with experts in education and leadership from around the world for our Mentoring Communities, Workshops, and Podcast.
Montessori Mentees
We offered three year-long mentoring cohorts for Montessori educators and leaders. Mentees tuned in weekly from Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Indiana, Washington, Florida, Canada, United Kingdom, the Navajo Nation, and Afghanistan for coaching and support.
The Greenspring Fund
Giving in 2023-24
Highlights in Giving
in total giving
Book Fair
We received over $7,000 back during the Scholastic Book Fair and we purchased 464 new books for the Greenspring Library.
School Fundraisers
Our Upper Elementary students raised a total of $3,234 at their Comfy Dinner and Bingo Night Fundraisers. These funds were put toward their trip to the Montessori Model United Nations in New York. Thank you to everyone who supported their big work!
Volunteering
Thank you to all those who saw a need on campus and volunteered their time and materials to support our community. We want you all to know that you made a difference in the support our staff felt during the year.
Our Fund-a-Need
Each year we seek community support in funding classroom wishlist items. The classroom staff thoughtfully consider what they wish to add to their classrooms to further enrich their children’s learning.
dollars given to our Fund-a-Need
Families gave to the Fund-A-Need
Items ordered for our Programs
classrooms and programs supported
“We have been very pleased and impressed with the nourishing environment for our daughter. We are giving to the Tuition Assistance Fund with the hope that it can contribute to broadening and diversifying access.“
“The Greenspring community has helped us raise our children in an environment that aligns with our values. We wish that every child could experience the magic of a Montessori education.”
“I choose to contribute for the educational growth of not only my son, but his classmates and future students. We have seen tremendous growth in our son due to the teachers at Greenspring, and we want them to have the tools they need to help all students succeed.”
“We are so grateful for the time our older children were able to spend at Greenspring. The school community has left a lasting impression on our hearts and we are thankful for the impact the Montessori education has had on their development. The teachers and staff are second to none!”
“It is my very small way of giving back to Greenspring for everything that they have done for our daughter. I have seen her tremendous growth and her love for learning and the Greenspring Montessori community. She never wants to go home. She is in a place that has nurtured her and helped to build her confidence. It is every parent’s dream to be able to send their child to a school that not only allows their child to blossom academically but also spiritually and emotionally. Greenspring Montessori has done that for our daughter and more.”
Donate to The 2024-25 Greenspring Fund
Through our Family of Funds, you can support us in our work this year. Whether it be supporting the beautification of our Greens & Grounds, providing Tuition Assistance to families in need, supporting Educational Initiatives, recognizing our Staff who bring their full intelligence and heart to school every day, or supporting the School with an unrestricted gift, we ask for your financial support.