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, 60 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