OUR HISTORY

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The Happy Montessori School was founded in 1970 by Mrs. Amrit Sethi to provide quality education for young children.The school immediately developed a reputation for preparing children to succeed socially, emotionally, and academically.  Within one year of opening, Mrs. Sethi needed to find larger facilities, and she found a historic old inn overlooking Manhasset Bay.  The lovely old building with a wide front porch, tall windows, and a carriage house had been abandoned and was in a state of advanced disrepair.  Mrs. Sethi and her husband restored and renovated the building in 1971 and expanded it in 1997.

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At the time of the second restoration, the Village of Port Washington North decreed that November 16 would be "Happy Montessori Day." The award was given in recognition of the service provided to the community by the school through the education of generations of children, as well as in acknowledgment of the school's role in beautifying a part of Pleasant Avenue that had been neglected for decades.

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In 2000, Dr. Anita Sethi, a licensed clinical psychologist with a specialty in early childhood education, joined the staff, where she advises parents and teachers on developmental issues.  Today, the Happy Montessori School is the oldest preschool in Port Washington and the only non-sectarian Montessori school in the greater area.  Each year, Mrs. Sethi is fortunate and proud to see more and more graduates return each year to enroll their own children in the School. A reunion is held on Montessori Day, and it is gratifying to see generations of families returning to remember and celebrate their years at the Happy Montessori School.

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