The Del Ray Montessori School is a non-profit Montessori School located in the quaint Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia, we are associated and recognized by AMI/USA (Association Montessori International). Founded in 2011, we serve children ages 18 months through age 12 and their families in the DC metropolitan area.
The DRMS family of faculty and staff are highly qualified and trained Montessori educators who bring respect, love, delight and inspiration to our students and families.
Modeling is everything. To build life-long learners, you have to model and be one yourself. Our DRMS family are true life-long learners, constantly pushing to grow and learn, with support and investment from the school in ongoing professional development. Every DRMS staff member has an individual budget that allows them to attend workshops that support Montessori education, child development, or a specialized learning course that will contribute professionally to their own development. This budget is spent on activities like annual AMI refresher courses – located throughout the United States; workshops at the Washington Montessori Institute (WMI); educational classes at the torpedo factory or through the Smithsonian; workshops offered through the Whole School Leadership Institute; and annual trainings through the Positive Discipline Association.
DRMS also regularly sponsors staff to enroll in AMI training centers throughout the United States to provide more education, knowledge, and overall, contributing to the international community of highly-trained Montessori educators. And, of course, this contributes to the dynamic child-centric community DRMS has created since its inception.
In addition to offering staff financial support to improve their skills and knowledge, DRMS also offers the following on-site training to every staff member:
First Aid and CPR training
Medication administration training
Noticing and reporting child abuse and neglect
Daily health observations of students
Positive Discipline Certification
Creating inclusive classrooms
Gross motor movement materials for indoors
