Marlene Barron Fund/Financial Aid Program

The West Side Montessori School community mourns the passing of former Head of School, Marlene Barron, on June 1, 2022.

Marlene served in many different roles for many different people. She was a visionary, whose impact was far-reaching and effects are still felt at WSMS today.

Marlene was Head of School from 1979 until 2007, and oversaw an amazing array of accomplishments at WSMS, from major facilities updates in the 309 building, to leading two Montessori teacher education programs at NYU and CHAMP, which later became WSMS-TEP. Marlene embraced and celebrated the diversity of people. She coined the term “multi-multi,” insisting that her school and community embody a curriculum and environment that was multicultural, multi-economic, multi-racial, multi-sensorial … multi-everything. With anything Marlene created, everyone was welcome and everyone belonged.

Marlene began her Montessori career by starting a school for her daughter in Staten Island, and grew to become an international icon through her work at WSMS and WSMS-TEP. She served as president of the American Montessori Society (AMS) and on the board of MACTE, the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education. After she “retired” from WSMS, she traveled the globe as a Montessori consultant focused on training teachers; she lived for over a decade running a Montessori teacher training program in Beijing.

Marlene’s legacy will live on through the teachers she mentored and the countless children they guide through childhood.

Marlene Barron Fund/Financial Aid Program

In celebration of her remarkable life, and her commitment to West Side Montessori School, the WSMS Board has established a fund for children in her name.

WSMS budgets $1.3 million annually for financial aid that is provided to 20% of our families. WSMS has a long history of having a robust financial aid program to enhance the socioeconomic diversity of the community we love and value.

Please consider making a contribution in honor of Marlene, and in support of making a great beginning available to many more children at WSMS.