Why Morningside?
We’re here for every child and every family. Every day.
In 1966, one entrepreneurial parent with a passion for Montessori education tacked a poster onto a lamp post on the Upper West Side, soliciting other parents to help create a small, familial Montessori preschool. Soon, a dozen families had joined her, and Morningside Montessori School was born.
Today, over 50 years later, our school continues to embrace the values that gave it life: compassion, commitment, and the desire to foster a lifelong love of learning. Morningside Montessori balances a high-quality, carefully designed curriculum with down-to-earth school culture to support children, parents, teachers, and administrative members in becoming the best versions of themselves.
We are located on the top floor of Ansche Chesed synagogue on West 100th Street and West End Avenue. Our four beautiful sunny classrooms are the ideal environment for young children as a bridge from home to school. Loved by all is our unique terrace playground. It includes over 3,000 square feet of playscape, running space, and a gazebo with wooden building blocks. Our Upper West Side location also affords us access to Riverside Park for nature walks, play, and guided learning experiences.
We know families have many high-quality options when searching for preschools on the Upper West Side. We encourage you to ask us “why Morningside?” during your admissions process to learn about the many features that make this such a a unique and special community.
Warmly,
Alex Valentin, Head of School
Testimonials
“Our family is so grateful to be a part of the Morningside community. Our eldest son started at just two years old and truly blossomed, enjoying every moment. Academically, the school has been fantastic, but what stands out most is the close-knit community. It’s a place where we’ve made lasting connections, and our youngest, now in his second year, is thriving. He loves his teachers and friends, and we can see how much he’s growing each day. The teachers and staff are exceptional, and we feel incredibly lucky to be part of this amazing school family.”
-The Vargas-Oviedo Family (Morningside Family since 2022)
“Our daughter has become such a confident, caring individual through her three years at Morningside. We've been so lucky to find this wonderful, warm community of like-minded families and friends and Jia is excited each day to attend school. She's always sharing stories of friends and what they're learning about in school from peace and change makers like Wangaari Maathai to Maria Montessori. Jia is a rising kindergartener and her teachers have done so much to prepare her for the next step in her learning journey. It's a true partnership where the school teachers are working to make sure she's hitting milestones to succeed. She already talks about when she's planning to visit her teachers and read stories to her little sister's class when she joins Morningside in the near future!”
-The West Family (Morningside family since 2022)
“We didn't want to miss the opportunity to share with you how thankful we are for all of the hard work that you have been doing to help care for and educate our kids. Every single one of you has been so lovely with the children and are a delight to work with. Your class plans are well thought through, the communication is clear and the ideas set forth are fun, creative, and exciting for the kids. We especially appreciate the individual time you spend with each child - they really enjoy it and appear to be learning quite a bit from you.”
- Cara Gorman & Ben Moreno
“At Morningside, children are nurtured, families are supported, and teachers and staff are respected. It is place where children can enter and know that they will be taken care of; a safe and secure place where children will be encouraged to do their best. It is place where parents know that their child’s needs will be tended to and their families welcomed wholeheartedly. It is place where teachers are allowed to create the prepared environment that was so important to Maria Montessori.”
- Mary Jane Berkeley, Early Childhood Teacher
“Morningside is a warm, welcoming place, filled with children’s laughter and bright smiles. The children work with a purpose while enjoying each day, making meaningful connections between things they’ve learned, making friendships with classmates and teachers. They feel comfortable exploring and expressing themselves. Most importantly, even after children leave Morningside, many maintain the friendships that began here for years to come! I have been at Morningside for 30 years and it truly feels like my second home!”
- Delia Rivera - Administrator
