Our construction crews were able to make much progress with the Main Building over the past two months. In December, we found out there was a massive fire in the 1930s that left smoke and fire damage to much of the roof, so workers have been tearing out damaged wood, reinforcing the beams and supports, and completely rebuilding sections of the roof. The building is coming along and we are beginning to talk about the finishing touches!

The walls have been framed and most of the electrical work has been done. It’s exciting to see the outline of where our new classrooms and offices will stand. Once all of the wiring is complete and inspections are done, the outer walls will be insulated and drywall will begin to go up.

Carpet, tile, appliances, lighting fixtures, and more have been selected, so we can really start to get a feel for the new space. We are looking forward to having a second Toddler and Children’s House Village with a kitchen, laundry machines, and a state-of-the-art teacher training center. The Maryland Center for Montessori Studies is our Montessori teacher training program, which offers lectures and workshops for aspiring Montessori teachers. Having this facility on-site will connect us with the best Montessori guides in the area and help us to spread the word about this unique pedagogy. The center will be equipped with all of the Montessori materials you would traditionally see in a Children’s House classroom, along with workspaces for adult learners, a built-in projector, and tech resources for presentations.

The Main Building will also be home to two Toddler classrooms and two Children’s House classrooms that will be equipped with new kitchen appliances, child-sized toilets and sinks, and ample room for work and play. The classrooms in the Main Building will all have direct access to an outdoor learning environment, where children can freely flow between indoor and outdoor workspaces throughout the day.

In the next month, we will see the renovations begin on the Creamery (the offices located in the back of the Main Building), along with the finishing touches on the front facade.

We are looking forward to opening these classrooms in the fall of 2018. More updates will be coming soon! To learn more about our Capital Project, please click here.