1-19-2023 8:46pm

Local School's 8-Year

Jeff Barto Editor

Join us on Friday as we celebrate the completion and grand opening of our Susquehanna Village. This building will be a central part of our campus, adding 5,500 square feet of learning space including three classrooms for our Elementary Community, a full kitchen, outdoor environments, and more. Refreshments and entertainment have been organized by our Elementary Community.

Eight years ago at Greenspring, an ambitious and inspiring campus-wide vision was born of expansive prepared environments—indoors and out, state-of-the-art facilities, and a well-stewarded, earth-friendly home to students, staff, and families. From that, an essential student-centered plan of action was set in motion, phase by thoughtful phase, accompanied by a long-term timeline to guide the way. The reality, however, was always the true timekeeper–i.e., concerned citizen groups, slow motion permitting processes, layers of nearly impenetrable ledge, and ultimately a pandemic. Thus, in true Montessori fashion, patience and humility became the watchwords for the better part of a decade in manifesting that vision and staying the course throughout this big work. As a result, the Elementary Village is nearing completion. Really!

Our Elementary students had a chance to tour their new building recently – it is a joy to see their reactions!

At the heart of the original vision was the desire for every student to possess a modern, healthy,
right-sized, and safe home of their own that calls them to learn and play, explore and grow. The Elementary Village brings the campus one integrated and holistic step closer to that goal. The new structure is tantalizingly close to welcoming students into its 5,560 square feet of beautiful, warm, inviting, developmentally-sensitive spaces. No matter the time of day or which classroom, the natural light is stunning, the interior flow apparent, the scale perfect, and the building’s textures and tones soothing. With all but the interior doors needing to be hung, mechanical systems powered up, life-safety systems installed and activated, and the various minor odds and ends attended to, the building is nearing the finish line.

At present, the new structure is scheduled to be ready for occupancy in mid-January 2023. It is also expected to be completed on budget—no small feat given the extended timeframe and being constructed amidst a period of steadily rising interest rates and prices. Perhaps no one is more eager for the ribbon to be cut than the Elementary students themselves, yet, no one has been more patient and respectful of the process from start to finish. How Montessori of them. Their new home will surely be worth the wait.