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MORNINGSIDE MONTESSORI SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 132573905 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B21Z · Education · Medium ($1M-$10M) · morningsidemontessori.org
revenue
$1.6M
expenses
$1.7M
net assets
$1.5M
employees
25
volunteers
10
program ratio
79%
mission · from form 990

MORNINGSIDE MONTESSORI SCHOOL BLENDS THE PHILOSOPHY AND METHODS OF DR. MARIA MONTESSORI WITH TODAY'S BEST PRACTICES IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT. TOGETHER, WE NURTURE CHILDREN INTO COMPASSIONATE, INDEPENDENT, LIFELONG LEARNERS.

profile · synthesized from sources

Morningside Montessori School Association operates a private Montessori school in New York City for children ages 1 through kindergarten entry. The school integrates Maria Montessori's philosophy with modern child development practices, emphasizing independence, hands-on learning, and social-emotional growth. It offers academic programming, enrichment activities, and transition support for families applying to kindergarten programs.

named programs · 6 · from sources

What they call their work

Afternoon Adventures
Extended-day enrichment series offering extracurricular classes in gymnastics, STEM, art, and yoga for Early Childhood students.
Early Childhood Program
Core Montessori-based academic program for children ages 2-5, focusing on independence, hands-on learning, and social development.
Kindergarten Placement Support
Comprehensive guidance program to support families through the kindergarten transition, including school consultations, alumni panels, and application assistance.
Small World Language Program
Morning language immersion classes in Spanish and Mandarin for Early Childhood students, supplementing classroom language learning.
Summer at Morningside: Space Explorers
Six-week summer program for children ages 2-5 featuring art, STEM, swim classes, field days, and nature exploration with a space theme.
Young Toddlers Together
Non-separation class for children aged 1-2 with caregivers, providing a gentle introduction to the Montessori classroom environment.
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • After-School Academic and Enrichment Programs 1 activity
    • After-school and extended-day enrichment programs
      Offers an optional extended-day enrichment program and hosts daily after-school classes from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM for enrolled early childhood students, providing additional creative and developmental opportunities beyond the core school day.
  • Montessori Education Programs 1 activity
    • Early childhood education programs using Montessori methods
      Provides child-centered early childhood education for children from birth to age six, using Montessori philosophy and contemporary best practices to foster order, coordination, concentration, independence, and holistic development. Programs include hands-on learning, extended work periods, and integration of art, music, movement, and outdoor activities.
  • Admissions Outreach and Enrollment Support 1 activity
    • Kindergarten transition support program
      Provides comprehensive, individualized support to families and children transitioning from Morningside Montessori to kindergarten, including personal consultations with the Head of School starting 18 months before entry, detailed school reports, alumni-led panels, an Independent School Info Fair, and regular event digests on public and independent school admissions.
  • Children's Play and Motor Development Spaces 1 activity
    • Outdoor and nature-based learning experiences
      Conducts daily gross motor play, nature walks, neighborhood walks, and park visits, including regular excursions to Riverside Park, to support physical development and experiential learning.
  • Summer Day Camp Programs 1 activity
    • Six-week summer program for children ages 2–5
      Operates a six-week summer program that includes water play, art and STEM activities, swim classes, field days, a nature education visit, and a field trip with park rangers for children ages 2 to 5.
  • Early Childhood Education & Development Programs 1 activity
    • Young Toddler and toddler programs for children ages 1–3
      Offers a non-separation Young Toddler program and a toddler program for children aged 1 to 3 years, supporting language development, self-awareness, socialization, and everyday life skills such as self-feeding, cleanup, and toilet use. Includes movement, music, and access to a 3,000 square foot outdoor playground.
  • Early Childhood Music Education 1 activity
    • Young Toddlers Together program with structured sessions
      Offers a structured Young Toddlers Together program with fall and spring sessions consisting of 27 and 38 classes respectively, held twice weekly, including weekly music classes led by a toddler program teacher.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Language immersion classes for early childhood students
      Offers morning language immersion classes in Spanish and Mandarin during the 2026/27 school year, with small class sizes limited to 10 children per language group.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.62M
Contributions & grants$38K2%
Program service revenue$1.43M89%
Investment income$105K6%
Other revenue$43K
expenses
Total expenses$1.71M
Program expenses79%
Admin / overhead19%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$1.34M
Grants paid out$104K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.40M
Cash$185K
Investments$1.94M
Liabilities$869K
Net assets$1.53M
Liquid reserves14.9 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -9.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
ALEXANDRA VALENTIN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 35 $105K
board members · 11
  • BARJES ANGULO — TREASURER
  • BENJAMIN SPECTOR — PRESIDENT
  • CHRISTOPHER MCNERNEY — TRUSTEE
  • DANIELLE GILL — TRUSTEE
  • HANNAH FIELDS — TRUSTEE
  • KATE MAYER — SECRETARY
  • LAURA SCHIFF — TRUSTEE
  • MARIE KICZEK — TRUSTEE
  • SETH COTTRELL — TRUSTEE
  • WESLEY SEARS — TRUSTEE
  • YUDANY OVIEDO — TRUSTEE
relationships · 16

Who they work with

  • American Montessori Society Network — Member of the American Montessori Society network, referencing its resources to inform Montessori practice.
  • American Montessori Society Network — Member of the American Montessori Society since 1967.
  • Ansche Chesed Partner — Located on the top floor of Ansche Chesed synagogue, indicating a space-sharing or institutional partnership.
  • Central Park Rangers Partner — Conducts a field trip for children during week 6 of the summer program.
  • Delia Rivera Partner — Administrator at Morningside Montessori School with 30 years of service, contributing to the school’s community and operations.
  • Discovery Programs Partner — Partners to offer gymnastics classes as part of the Afternoon Adventures enrichment program.
  • Imagine Swimming Partner — Provides weekly swim classes for children aged 3.5 and older during the summer program.
  • Independent Schools Admissions Association of Greater New York Network — Member of ISAAGNY, adhering to its principles of fair and professional admissions practices.
  • Laura Folque Partner — Experienced bilingual educator leading the Small World: Spanish class.
  • Laura Grave Partner — Alumni parent, Director of Admissions and Communications, and co-leader of Small Group Parent Tours
  • Ms. Laura Folque Partner — Toddler program teacher who leads weekly music classes in the Young Toddlers Together program.
  • Savi Yoga Partner — Partners to deliver yoga and mindfulness programming for children through the Afternoon Adventures series.
  • School Search NYC Partner — Partners with School Search NYC to provide public school admissions updates to families.
  • Sheree Evans Partner — Early Childhood teacher, alumni parent, and Associate Director of Admissions who co-leads tours
  • The Nature Company Partner — Provides a nature education visit during week 2 of the summer program through Mr. Anthony.
  • Yanjun Yao Partner — Skilled bilingual educator leading the Small World: Mandarin class.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Child-Centered, Self-Directed Learning Model
    methodology: child_directed_learning
    By following the child's interests and developmental stage through guided, self-directed activity, we foster intrinsic motivation, concentration, and long-term engagement because children learn best when autonomy and internal curiosity drive the process.
  • Family-Integrated Cooperative Model
    methodology: parent_cooperative_culture
    By fostering active partnerships between parents and staff, we strengthen continuity between home and school because family engagement deepens trust, enriches community culture, and supports consistent child development across environments.
  • Montessori-Based Holistic Development
    methodology: holistic_montessori
    By integrating Montessori philosophy with current research in child development, we support holistic growth—cognitive, social, emotional, and physical—because structured yet flexible environments aligned with developmental needs produce resilient, capable learners.
  • Multigenerational Peer Learning Through Mixed-Age Classrooms
    methodology: multi_age_grouping
    By placing children in multi-age groups, we enable younger children to learn through observation and older children to deepen understanding by teaching, because peer modeling and leadership naturally reinforce developmental progress and social cohesion.
  • Peace and Kindness-Centered Social-Emotional Curriculum
    methodology: peace_education
    By embedding peace education and a kindness curriculum into daily routines, we cultivate empathy, grace, and positive peer interactions because consistent modeling and practice of prosocial behaviors build a secure, respectful learning environment.