HISTORY
In describing the school she founded in 1989, Cinquegranelli Montessori Director, Gail Longo, stresses the word "community". Through its Italian language and culture program and its work with the city and neighborhood to create a park next door, the school has made connections from Seattle to Perugia, Italy; Otavalo, Ecuador; Mogadishu, Somalia; cities in China and Moscow, Russia.
Daily experiences in music and folk songs, along with practical application of the language, give children the advantage of learning a second language at an age when they can do it most easily. The urban park has provided a child-sized land laboratory of a living ecosystem where the children and staff gather to observe then document their observations. Environmental education continues with planting and harvesting in the Cinquegranelli garden.
After years of teaching in public and private schools, Longo adopted the Montessori approach to education "because of the way it supports the individual potential of each child". The school environment invites children to expand their abilities, make connections and see relationships. Children learn skills for practical living and environmental responsibility along with language, math, art, earth sciences, geography, and social studies.
"Every child comes here with his or her own gift."
Careful attention is given to the development of each child as an individual and contributing member of the world. Cinquegranelli Montessori school follows traditions that "reflect a home and family environment where children, 2 1/2 through 6 years of age, live and learn together in a community of friends".
Cinquegranelli is also an internship school, certified by Montessori Teacher Preparation of Washington (MIA). Teachers attend on-going Montessori in-service workshops presented by NAMTA, AMI, NCME, MIA and other leading Montessori training Centers.
In November 1991, an interning teacher traveled with Gail Longo to Perugia, Italy with a banner created by the children of Cinquegranelli Montessori. There they visited the International Center for Montessori Educators and the Center for Research and Education in the Casa dei Bambini (Scuola dell' Infanzia, S. Croce), both established by Dr. Maria Montessori in 1949. On May 5th, 1993, Seattle and Perugia formally became sister cities. The children of Cinquegranelli, represented by Francesca Belgrano, presented scrolls to the mayors of both cities to congratulate them on the event.
The second visit to Perugia, by both Gail and co-teacher Felicia Danon, came in November 1996 as part of their attendance at the World Congress of Montessori Educators in Rome Italy. The Scuola dell' Infanzia, S. Croce and Cinquegranelli have been exchanging children's artwork and correspondence since Gail's visit in 1991. Gail visited the original "Casa dei Bambini" in Rome, established by Dr. Montessori.Cinquegranelli Montessori School has been a long-time member of the Pacific Northwest Montessori Association (PNMA).
Italy
Gail first visited Perugia, Italy in 1991, bringing with her a gift from her students, a cloth banner illustrating a rainbow connection between Cinquegranelli and Scuola dell' Infanzia S. Croce, a school founded by Dr. Montessori. This initiated a correspondence of art, letters, and books in which the children express to each other their experiences, particularly their connections to nature.
Mural Man
Cinquegranelli has a cozy pink mural room! It is used as a little Italian style library cafe where children can find themselves in other places; like Venice, Milan, and Rome. Along with the Lion of Venice and the Pigeon of Milan, there is a tower crowned with an ancient fish design. Inscribed below are the Italian words: ASCOLTA IL TUO SOGNO, which means "Listen to Your Dream". Cherubs painted in the sky above smile down upon the children as they read or eat their snacks. This mural was created by Scott Summers (the "mural man")!
Somalia
The children of Cinquegranelli created puppets of the commedia character Arlecchino during their Carnevale Per i Bambini in 1998. Then, selling the puppets to raise funds for their sister school in Mogadishu, A School For Life, they contributed toward its efforts to construct a much needed well.
Scott Veysey
In 1998, Scott Veysey was staff assistant. Scott formerly worked with Dr. Patch Adams, and led us to Maria's Children in Moscow.
Moscow
Maria's Children, the young and gifted orphans of Moscow, are painting pictures to accompany these lyrics created by an alumnus of Cinquegranelli – all to celebrate Earth Day 2000.
We gaze up at the sky at night
And wonder at the stars so bright
Moon and planets all aglow
We're all a part of this you know
We are the children of the Earth
– lyrics © Janis & Joey Carper
Ecuador
"I want to salute all of the little children in the little school of the United States. And I want to ask you to come personally to the little school in Pichincha. And I want to know you personally...."
Ð Pauolina Perugachi, a student in Pichincha (artwork to left)
Gail worked with Luis Gramal (a Cinquegranelli alumni's father) developing music and stories to share with the children originating from Ecuador. Luis is a professional musician, speaks several languages, and has been entertaining in the Seattle area for several years. He has been a "headline" entertainer at Cinquegranelli’s annual CARNEVALE celebration in the past!
Fred Lauth
Standing tall in the west end of Baker Park is the Raven Bear Frog Totem Pole, carved by Haida Tribe Frog Clan member Fred Lauth in the summer of 1999.
Joseph Weisnewski
Joseph has an exceptional music program, which features appreciation of music, composers, and instruments from around the world. His career in music includes composing, arranging and teaching. Joseph has had extensive experience in writing for dramatic productions and dance. Find out more about Joseph and Musicians Network at:www.musiciansnetwork.com or contact him by e-mail:Musicians-net@MusiciansNetwork.com
Esther James
Esther is a virtuoso potter from New York. She trained as an art therapist in LA and now resides on Whidbey Island. She is 76 years of age. Esther sees herself as an "art doula". As she explains: "The doula takes care of new emerging experiences. It is not actual care-taking, but being an empathetic supportive presence for new life."
Esther sees nature and art together as "dendrite food". And her work today is characterized in clay, on paper and in language. Her question to us is: "How does nature and art together support children learning what they need to know...that they cannot be taught?"
Gail first visited Perugia, Italy in 1991, bringing with her a gift from her students, a cloth banner illustrating a rainbow connection between Cinquegranelli and Scuola dell' Infanzia S. Croce, a school founded by Dr. Montessori. This initiated a correspondence of art, letters, and books in which the children express to each other their experiences, particularly their connections to nature.
Mural Man
Cinquegranelli has a cozy pink mural room! It is used as a little Italian style library cafe where children can find themselves in other places; like Venice, Milan, and Rome. Along with the Lion of Venice and the Pigeon of Milan, there is a tower crowned with an ancient fish design. Inscribed below are the Italian words: ASCOLTA IL TUO SOGNO, which means "Listen to Your Dream". Cherubs painted in the sky above smile down upon the children as they read or eat their snacks. This mural was created by Scott Summers (the "mural man")!
Somalia
The children of Cinquegranelli created puppets of the commedia character Arlecchino during their Carnevale Per i Bambini in 1998. Then, selling the puppets to raise funds for their sister school in Mogadishu, A School For Life, they contributed toward its efforts to construct a much needed well.
Scott Veysey
In 1998, Scott Veysey was staff assistant. Scott formerly worked with Dr. Patch Adams, and led us to Maria's Children in Moscow.
Moscow
Maria's Children, the young and gifted orphans of Moscow, are painting pictures to accompany these lyrics created by an alumnus of Cinquegranelli – all to celebrate Earth Day 2000.
We gaze up at the sky at night
And wonder at the stars so bright
Moon and planets all aglow
We're all a part of this you know
We are the children of the Earth
– lyrics © Janis & Joey Carper
Ecuador
"I want to salute all of the little children in the little school of the United States. And I want to ask you to come personally to the little school in Pichincha. And I want to know you personally...."
Ð Pauolina Perugachi, a student in Pichincha (artwork to left)
Gail worked with Luis Gramal (a Cinquegranelli alumni's father) developing music and stories to share with the children originating from Ecuador. Luis is a professional musician, speaks several languages, and has been entertaining in the Seattle area for several years. He has been a "headline" entertainer at Cinquegranelli’s annual CARNEVALE celebration in the past!
Fred Lauth
Standing tall in the west end of Baker Park is the Raven Bear Frog Totem Pole, carved by Haida Tribe Frog Clan member Fred Lauth in the summer of 1999.
Joseph Weisnewski
Joseph has an exceptional music program, which features appreciation of music, composers, and instruments from around the world. His career in music includes composing, arranging and teaching. Joseph has had extensive experience in writing for dramatic productions and dance. Find out more about Joseph and Musicians Network at:www.musiciansnetwork.com or contact him by e-mail:Musicians-net@MusiciansNetwork.com
Esther James
Esther is a virtuoso potter from New York. She trained as an art therapist in LA and now resides on Whidbey Island. She is 76 years of age. Esther sees herself as an "art doula". As she explains: "The doula takes care of new emerging experiences. It is not actual care-taking, but being an empathetic supportive presence for new life."
Esther sees nature and art together as "dendrite food". And her work today is characterized in clay, on paper and in language. Her question to us is: "How does nature and art together support children learning what they need to know...that they cannot be taught?"
