Tag Archives: Ann Marie Simonetti

11.01.24
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TNCS’S Annual Character Dress-Up Parade!

One of The New Century School‘s longest standing traditions, the Annual Character Dress-Up Parade around the Fell’s Point neighborhood never fails to delight. But this year, TNCS Head of School Ann Marie Simonetti put her own special spin on it. On Thursday, October 31st, TNCS older students took TNCS younger students literally by the hand and led them lovingly along the parade route. Ms. Simonetti said, “Pairing middle schoolers with preschoolers in this year’s ‘Parade of Characters’ provided a safe, supportive experience for our youngest students and a valuable leadership opportunity for our older ones—building connection and community across all ages.”

As in years past, faculty and staff joined in the fun, showing their own creative sides! If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, anyone?

Without further ado, all hail, ye Maleficents, Harry Potters, Very Hungry Caterpillars, and Thomas the Trains! Go forth and conquer, ye firefighters, princesses, witches, fairies, and superheroes! Bag your treats, ye Jack Skellingtons, Beetlejuices, Minions, Monarch Butterflies, and Mutant Ninja Turtles!

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We can just imagine, as TNCS students headed home after school, possibly to more trick-or-treating, minds brimming with the excitement of the day, how they recounted their favorite moments to parents and siblings, maybe even as they recited lines from the books and movies they adore. During Halloween at TNCS, every costume tells a story and every child is a hero in their own tale.

09.13.24
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Ann Marie Simonetti is TNCS’s Head of School!

Heading into its 15th year, The New Century School made some “strategic” changes. A big one is Ann Marie Simonetti’s new role as Head of School and Director of Strategic Initiatives. Ms. Simonetti is not new to TNCS, however, having served as TNCS Admissions Director since 2021.

With her extensive background in nonprofit education, she brings a strategic approach to her role, emphasizing the importance of planning in various aspects of school management, including enrollment, marketing, family engagement, and financial sustainability.

It’s All About the Strategy!

As part of her Director of Strategic Initiatives, er, strategy, Ms. Simonetti is focused on aligning TNCS’s initiatives with its Core Values and Portrait of a Graduate.

She aims to create a shared understanding of the school’s objectives among leadership, faculty, staff, and the newly formed steering team. This approach ensures that everyone is working toward common goals, both short-term and long-term. “I think everyone must be tired of hearing me say the ‘S’ word—strategic,” she joked. “But, in all seriousness, the purpose of strategic initiatives is to serve our families’ needs as they evolve and ebb and flow.”

Organizational Approach

The school has recently adopted a more collaborative leadership model, moving away from a traditional hierarchical structure to a flatter, more circular organizational approach. This shift aligns with the agile philosophy, which emphasizes transparency, flexibility, and shared responsibility. To implement this approach, Ms. Simonetti uses a Kanban board—a visual management tool that helps track tasks, their progress, and who’s responsible for each item.

The newly formed steering team is another initiative aimed at increasing stakeholder engagement. This team, composed of families, faculty, and staff (with potential for student ambassadors in the future), provides a platform for sharing ideas, discussing successes, and addressing areas for improvement. It serves as a continuous feedback loop between the school community and leadership. Ms. Simonetti describes it as “giving families and faculty and staff, depending on what we might be working on or toward in a given season, a venue to bring ideas to the group, share successes, and what areas might need improvement.”

The 3 Cs” Communication, Community, and Connection

Communication is a crucial aspect of Ms. Simonetti’s strategy. The school has implemented a structured communication system, including daily reports for preschoolers, weekly newsletters for different grade levels, and a monthly “Third Thursday” update. Ms. Simonetti also writes a Head of School newsletter, which she sees as an opportunity to connect with families and share important information and reflections. “I see it as another way to connect with the community and do that in a really purposeful way,” she explained.

Ms. Simonetti emphasizes the importance of community and connection in her leadership approach. This was exemplified in a recent staff development activity in which the team walked the school’s labyrinth as a mindfulness exercise and sang together, setting an intention for the upcoming school year: “The way we come together as a group reflects the way that we’ll be able to bring students together in our school community.”

Customer Centricity

More Cs! Ms. Simonetti has also introduced a customer-centric model to TNCS, drawing inspiration from the Ritz-Carlton’s renowned customer service approach. During a staff development week, she used Ritz-Carlton training materials to help the team understand how to create positive experiences for students, families, and the broader community.

This approach ties into the Montessori philosophy, which emphasizes sensory experiences and mindful interactions.

Through these various initiatives, Ms. Simonetti aims to foster a connected, engaged, and purposeful school community at TNCS, where everyone understands their role in contributing to the school’s mission and success. “I start with the mission statement every time,” she said, “even if it’s for a group of people familiar with it because it’s the why. It’s why we are here in the first place.”

Ann Marie Simonetti—here’s to a great year with you helping steer the ship!

12.22.23
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Ann Marie Simonetti Soars at the Blackbaud Conference in Mile-High City!

One of the integral parts of The New Century School is an emphasis on lifelong learning—and this extends to faculty and staff, who embrace the opportunities to expand and grow. Earlier this school year, TNCS Director of Admissions, Marketing and Montessori Programming Ann Marie Simonetti got some very exciting news. She was accepted as a presenter for the global event bbcon, Blackbaud’s Tech Conference to Fuel Social Impact, in Denver from October 22–24. Because she described her experience so eloquently and beautifully, we’re going to give you this blog post in Q&A format, so you can hear it exactly as she expressed it.

Immersed: Why don’t we start with what your experience was like in general.
Ann Marie Simonetti: “It was nothing short of amazing. In the same way that Blackbaud hasn’t held this conference in person and with a synchronous option for several years, I hadn’t presented in that same format since before the pandemic. Being with that specific group of individuals, the energy and excitement was absolutely phenomenal. I have not been to Blackbaud’s conference before. I have done some of their online options and resources, but I don’t know if this is just how their crowd always is or if that energy was a little heightened because this is the first time we’ve all gotten together in recent years. But I have presented at other conferences, and Blackbaud went all out. One of the first things I experienced was a kickoff with the drum line from the Denver Broncos, and it was like something right out of a pep rally. It definitely bolstered that energy and excitement about everything we were going to be doing.

Photo courtesy of EPNAC.

The Denver Conference Center was the perfect venue. It has a humongous blue bear in front and that was even the landmark we were given to look for. It’s an outdoor sculpture multiple stories tall that made me feel welcome right off the bat by having this element of familiarity and reference that I had been learning about before I got there. Then the registration for Blackbaud was with this software designed to provide a streamlined customer experience. They did a wonderful job and seemed very mindful in designing that user experience in a way that closely mirrors the experience we’re trying to give our users as well. I’ve seen strategic planning from the Blackbaud team, and the way that was executed with that energy and enthusiasm really set the tone for me as an attendee and then as a presenter. That might be a little influenced from my time as an event planner in a conference center—I maybe thought a little more about it than other attendees might have done.

I presented with someone from Florida, and a couple members of her team were there, so I got to meet them. We had done a couple of zooms back and forth and talked multiple times beforehand, but it was the first time we had met in real life. It was very serendipitous that our personalities were great together, and we had done some mindful planning on the presentation to be sure that it flowed from one to the next but again just serendipity whereby some things that I ended up just talking about in my portion of the presentation segued really nicely into her portion.

Immersed: That sounds wonderful. Did you have time to have some fun? What did you do in your spare time?
AMS: It was a quick trip, but I packed in as much as I could. I attended some of the fun things that Blackbaud offered, like the drum line, and they also had some of the keynotes. One of my choices was four-time Olympic medalist Chaunté Lowe, who is also an author and a breast cancer survivor. She shared that “you have to be willing to set goals that take you outside of your comfort zone.”

Photo courtesy of EPNAC.

Another was actress America Ferrera, who spoke about our responsibility to ensure everyone is reflected and welcomed in our communities and shared “Community is power,” illustrating the power of coming together—when we unite, we discover our collective strength and courage.

I also attended Grammy-nominated recording artist Ruby Amanfu’s performance. In her song, “The Sun,” the lyrics “I don’t have all the answers we need. But I do have a little hope and a lot of empathy. Maybe that’s not gonna get it done; but change begins with only one. So I’ll keep the faith that change is gonna come. Cause I wanna see the sun shining on everyone.” stuck with me.

The other thing I enjoyed that I typically do with my family this time of year is volunteering. They had a booth set up for assembling health and hygiene kits to go to the Colorado Health Coalition for the Homeless, and conference attendees helping out at the booth assembled around 2000 hygiene kits. That was all really fascinating—getting to hear about software and services and tech impact but then also do some of these other more community-centric and philanthropic type of activities while I was there.

Outside the Conference Center, let’s say I definitely took advantage of the landscape, literally! The weather was great—it was in the 70s, so I did a 4-hour sightseeing excursion and got to see a nice wide range of a little spots along the mountains. That day was also a football game day, so there were lots of vendors and local artisans and craftspeople around. That was a neat experience to walk around and see what all the different wares were. On one of the tour stops on a street that’s not trafficked, there were all sorts of nice little shops to pop into, and I love to shop local as much as I can.

I also had to stop at the botanic gardens because during the pandemic, I spent a lot of time gardening, which was a really good stress outlet.

Immersed: It sounds like it was a wonderful trip all round. What are some of your main takeaways? What did you learn?
AMS: I learned some specific, granular things from the sessions I attended, but the keynotes and the artists held the most meaning. Ruby Amanfu’s song really resonated with me, and one of the things I came back really thinking about is something we talk about daily at TNCS, which is community and the power of coming together. There’s a quote from Helen Keller in Ms. Lane’s email signature that I see every time she sends me a message: “Alone we can do so little but together we can do so much.” Hearing some of these folks talk about their stories of resilience and having collective strength when we all get together, I came back thinking about how to embrace that in my daily life whether personally or professionally, how she encouraged our young people to have that experience and how we can cultivate those types of experiences for them, and having holistic opportunities to bring them into that type of awareness. What does that mean here for me and how can I take that forward and cultivate it at home and here at TNCS. I was looking at the lyrics, which are about having hope and how change begins with one. She emphasized seeing the sun shining on everyone, which made me then think about Chaunté Lowe’s keynote about how it’s our collective strength and that power up coming together. Even if it’s not a sunny day—and this is my takeaway—maybe the sun isn’t shining but one of us when we come together as a group, we can be the one to shine the light on that particular day or to offer that extra bit of strength on a day that we have more to give. Then on another day, we might be the one that needs it. So I was just coalescing and synthesizing the different things that I had heard and figuring out what to do with all of that. I’m a big music person, so I think that song was what helped me find that common thread from all of the experiences.

Immersed: It’s great that you had such a positive experience and you got so much out of it. And what you got out of it is so perfect for TNCS.
AMS: Well, I think that was part of the user experience at the conference. When you’re going in saying, ‘I have an awesome opportunity to learn, network, grow, and share TNCS with all of these wonderful people is really being mindful of how what I’m seeing, experiencing, learning, and hearing about what’s working can benefit the organization and our community as a whole. That’s the mind frame I was in while I was there, so I was thinking that out. Part of the reason I was there is that awareness of a community that is part of daily life here and is always at the forefront. That definitely was part of their focus, coincidentally, and it worked out really great.

11.10.23
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TNCS’s Montessori Professional Development Trip: A Transformative Journey

Terriann Lane has been Preschool Coordinator at The New Century School for a only few months so far, but her impact far outdistances her tenure!

One big example of Ms. Lane’s impact happened last month. TNCS preschool teachers embarked on an enriching professional development trip to the scenic Mountain Laurel Montessori (MLM) in Front Royal, Virginia. This venture provided teachers with the opportunity to immerse themselves in an authentic Montessori environment. They observed and engaged with both toddler (preprimary) and primary classrooms, soaking in the Montessori method in action.

Ms. Lane explained: “The visit was orchestrated through the guidance of my mentor, who connected me with a stellar Montessori teacher. She said to me, ‘You are two of my favorite people, and I need to connect you!'” The idea quickly took root, and Mountain Laurel Montessori opened its doors for observation and learning.

The group departed from TNCS on Sunday, October 8 at 2:30 p.m. On Monday, they went to MLM at 7:30 a.m. to meet their hosts and be directed to classrooms to observe before the children arrive at 8:00 a.m. There were nine in total, including Ms. Lane, Ms. Simonetti, Wang Laoshi, Sra. Garcia (x2!), Ms. Sussman, Sra. Pupo, Sra. Loveras, and Sharon Laoshi.

Beyond the professional growth, the trip was a delightful adventure involving, among other things, driving the TNCS van very slowly up a mountain. “We laughed and marveled as we navigated the Shenandoah Valley, arriving at a charming Airbnb nestled in the woods. It was an idyllic setting for continued learning, with additional sessions there on material-making and curriculum development led by myself and Ms. Simonetti,” said Ms. Lane.

Ms. Simonetti said of the experience:

We had a wonderful cabin; it was rustic but beautiful, with details like a claw foot tub. It was a great experience to see a different Montessori school and all the things that we’ve been introducing to them and showing them. Even though we have training and observation videos to see what’s possible, seeing it in practice are two different things. It really helps bridge the gap. And, again being able to connect with Ms. Lane and share our complementary knowledge and make plans for, for example, when a preprimary student might be ready to move up to primary. What are the skill sets? What are the different developmental elements that may indicate that readiness?

For many, the highlight of the trip was the bonding experience—sharing meals, conversations, and a deeper understanding of each other, both personally and professionally. It ignited curiosity among the teachers, who eagerly sought to enhance their knowledge and explore the potential for their classroom environments.

Reflecting on the trip, many teachers experienced a multitude of eye-opening moments. “As a passionate observer, I enjoyed witnessing both new and familiar teaching methods, which sparked ideas for implementation and improvement,” said Ms. Lane.

The journey has already spurred positive change at TNCS. Teachers are embracing the rich offerings of Montessori education with renewed vigor. Classrooms are transforming into spaces that reflect authentic Montessori environments, showcasing the commitment of TNCS educators to more fully embrace this approach. Those inspired by the trip are now pursuing further training, with interests ranging from positive discipline to Montessori philosophy and movement in the classroom.

This trip was a pioneering step for TNCS—an overnight professional development experience that proved to be a resounding success. It’s something we look forward to making a tradition, alongside arranging local development opportunities like those the preschool assistants enjoyed at Greenspring Montessori School.

This experience was a testament to the power of community, professional camaraderie, and the pursuit of educational excellence. It’s clear that TNCS preschool teachers are not just growing as individuals but also collectively elevating TNCS to new heights.

10.20.23
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Check-In with TNCS’s Admissions Director Ann Marie Simonetti!

Ann Marie Simonetti, pictured below with her children, wears several hats at The New Century School, actually.

Her full title is Director of Admissions and Marketing and Montessori Programming Advisor.

Admissions

Let’s see what she’s been up to so far this year. We’ll start with admissions and then delve into the other fun things she has on the horizon.

TNCS Open House

Saturday, October 21st will be Ms. Simonetti’s third TNCS Open House (register here!). She is spreading the word in multiple ways. She has a Facebook event that she is also asking the TNCS community to share. “Our wonderful executive assistant Jade Wells-White has been helping post to some of our local neighborhood sites, like the Canton Community Association and Fells Point Residential and some of the activities for kids websites that allow you to share your postings,” she said.

“Most of our referrals come from word of mouth anyway,” she added, “which is of course the most authentic seal of approval you can get. So, through the preschool newsletter and the Head of School newsletter, we have asked the TNCS community to share out with their families, friends, and colleagues. Some of our prospective families who are planning to attend asked me if they could invite friends with similar-aged children, which we of course encourage. We’re hoping for a big crowd. We have a good mix of prospective preschool friends and families as well as some K through 8s.”

During Ms. Simonetti’s first Open House in 2021, COVID-related concerns made having a synchronous component challenging. This year, everything returns to in person on campus. Mr. Warren has coordinated two student musical performances; those student ambassadors will also introduce themselves and speak briefly about what they like about TNCS and to showcase the Fine Arts. Although the format of the Open House will resemble prior TNCS Open Houses, one difference this year that has Ms. Simonetti particularly excited is showing off the newly refurbished primary environments. “Having everyone experience all of the wonderful work Ms. Lane has been putting in real life will be wonderful. I have been doing some virtual tours as kind of a first step for those prospective families who are sometimes more available to meet virtually, so they’re able to see the classrooms that way, but it’s not quite the same as when they can experience it in real life.”

In general at TNCS, the school year has gotten off to a very good start, which many attribute to the returning leadership team, and it looks promising from an admissions perspective as well. “The admissions cycle for preschool tends to happen on a rolling basis throughout the year as the children turn age 2,” explained Ms. Simontte. “COVID admissions data are outliers, because they were unreliable. We’re seeing a return to the times when our enrollment numbers are actually higher in the last day of school than on the first day of school. The projection for that rolling cycle is very similar and so very encouraging. Also, overall having the TNCS leadership team back this year is so helpful—together having been through this once, we’re able to reflect and move forward with purpose.”

Discover TNCS and Other Ways to Get to Know TNCS

TNCS has a host of exciting events coming up, aimed at familiarizing both prospective and current families with the unique offerings of the school.

Born out of the adaptations of 2020, these events have proven their value in terms of accessibility. They provide families with an insight into TNCS, minus the sometimes motion-sickness-inducing virtual tours. Instead, it’s a prerecorded slideshow that dives into the intricacies of what makes TNCS stand out. While the website does its part, these slides, supplemented with audio descriptions, offer a more tangible feel of the school environment. There’s an emphasis on TNCS’s extensive outdoor spaces and gardens, illustrating the school’s dedication to holistic learning.

Leadership from TNCS usually makes an appearance, offering their thoughts and insights. In some instances, current families, alumni, and even students share their experiences, providing a rounded perspective to prospective parents. A Q&A session allows attendees to get their specific queries addressed, and following the event, there’s an opportunity to schedule one-on-one meetings with the school representative. These sessions are thoughtfully capped at 45 minutes to an hour, considering attendees’ daily commitments.

In essence, Discover TNCS is more than just an event; it’s an experience, ensuring that families are well-informed and connected every step of the way.

Preschool Family Workshops and Observation Weeks

Current families get a firsthand experience of the Montessori and multilingual preschool programs at TNCS through these events. It’s a chance for parents to witness the practical implementation of the pedagogies they’ve heard about.

Kindergarten Previews

Tailored for current families with children turning 5 by September 1st of the next year, these previews are around the corner on the admissions calendar. They offer insights into the transition from preschool to kindergarten.

Customized Queries

TNCS understands that families might have specific concerns and questions about preschool, extended care, or other offerings. The school ensures that they have the right resources, be it meeting with a representative or coordinating with specific staff members, to address these tailored inquiries.

Adapting to Modern Admission Trends with a Montessori Perspective

TNCS has integrated Blackbaud as their mainstay communication and student management software, streamlining processes from admissions inquiries right through to report cards. While the software shares features with other platforms like Blackboard and Canvas, TNCS harnesses Blackbaud for its expansive capacities.

An upcoming Blackbaud Conference, set to take place in Denver, presents a golden opportunity for Ms. Simonetti. Earlier in the summer, she received an invitation to co-present after Blackbaud expressed interest in some of the proposals she was involved with. Blackbaud has combined its K-12 conference with other divisions, resulting in a grand global meet-up, both virtually and in-person.

Ms. Simonetti’s focus for the presentation is on the innovative methods TNCS has employed to elevate user experience for prospective families. The traditional admissions funnel has evolved; no longer a linear process, prospective parents often bypass preliminary stages, moving directly to applications or on-site tours. Recognizing this trend, TNCS has revamped its approach.

One significant change introduced was the self-scheduling system. Prospective parents can now schedule, modify, and manage their campus visits at their convenience. Automated yet personalized reminders ensure a smooth experience for both the school and the visitors. Such steps are pivotal in making the admission journey customer-centric.

By tapping into her previous experience and understanding of customer service, Ms. Simonetti has created a seamless and user-friendly admission process. The traditional notion of an “admissions funnel” suggests a linear path that prospective families must follow. However, as Ms. Simonetti reflected, this linear model doesn’t seem to resonate as much in today’s dynamic world, especially given the uncertainties posed by the pandemic. Instead, her Montessori-informed perspective evokes the image of a Nautilus or spiral, where families can enter, exit, and re-enter the admissions process at different stages as per their unique circumstances and preferences.

This cyclical approach mirrors the unpredictability and frequent changes families have faced, particularly during COVID. The spiral also aligns with the Montessori principle of accommodating individual needs, highlighting the adaptive and flexible nature of TNCS’s admissions process.

Regarding the upcoming presentation at the Blackbaud Conference, some content will be made available on demand. Stay tuned for a blog post in which Ms. Simonetti shares her experiences, offering a more in-depth insight into TNCS’s innovative admission strategies. This way, the larger community can benefit from the school’s pioneering approach and the ideas exchanged at the conference.

Montessori Adventures

Regarding Ms. Simonetti’s other main role at TNCS as Montessori programming advisor (from her infant and toddler Montessori background), she has been instrumental in helping Ms. Lane (primary Montessori credentials) acclimate to TNCS. “We love her; she’s awesome! Being able to share some level of institutional knowledge is helpful. We’ve spent lots of time brainstorming and having great dialogue about which materials are most appropriate to introduce not only to students but for staff to avoid too steep of a learning curve,” she said.

And here’s a little teaser about a future blog post: Ms. Lane recently orchestrated an overnight professional development trip for preschool staff to a Montessori school in Virginia.

We had a wonderful cabin; it was rustic but beautiful, with details like a claw foot tub. It was a great experience for preschool teachers to see a different Montessori school and all the things that we’ve been introducing to them and showing them. Even though we have training and observation videos to see what’s possible, seeing it in practice are two different things. It really helps bridge the gap. And, again being able to connect with Ms. Lane and share our complementary knowledge and make plans for, for example, when a preprimary student might be ready to move up to primary. What are the skill sets? What are the different developmental elements that may indicate that readiness?

TNCS Brand Awareness

Ms. Simonetti does not limit her reach to what her title describes. She helps TNCS achieve its objectives in many ways. Her background is extensive, and she weaves together its many threads to great effect. Did you know she even taught dance for 11 years? Her dance buddies and she created their own Zumba-inspired dance, and she stays in touch with those friends. But it’s her marketing experience that we’ll delve into next.

Brand awareness is crucial for any institution, and for TNCS, Ms. Simonetti is at the helm of this endeavor. When asked about her marketing expertise, she chuckled, “Maybe a bit comes naturally, but my background in hospitality, particularly sales and marketing, has certainly shaped my approach.”

Ms. Simonetti’s experience in event and wedding planning, industries renowned for their customer service-centric models, has been invaluable. “It’s all about the user experience, ensuring it’s positive,” she shared. Transitioning from a customer-oriented domain to a school setting presented its challenges, especially when operating without a full-fledged communications team or significant marketing budget.

However, her tenure in advancement roles within nonprofits honed her skills further. “I’ve taken courses and received training in digital marketing,” Ms. Simonetti explained. She emphasized the importance of leveraging available tools effectively, particularly those that don’t necessarily come with extra costs. “Staying updated is vital, as the landscape keeps changing,” she concluded, underscoring her commitment to providing TNCS with the best in brand awareness strategies.

High School Preparation

How is high school prep related to marketing? Well, when it comes to preparing high school–bound students, TNCS goes above and beyond. While Ms. Johnson hosts her annual seminar for 8th-graders, Ms. Simonetti’s main focus has been assisting students in their transitions. “It’s not so much about admissions for us at that point, but about ensuring these students are equipped with everything they need to move on,” Ms. Simonetti explained.

The school’s unique approach involves creating a comprehensive student portfolio instead of sending individual referrals and transcripts. “We work on building transcripts that are aesthetically pleasing. Instead of sending separate math teacher referrals, ELA teacher referrals, and transcripts, we compile everything into a student portfolio (abridged sample here). It provides a complete picture of the student,” Ms. Simonetti remarked.

Commenting on the difference between public and independent school processes, Ms. Simonetti observed, “You don’t get such a detailed portfolio at a public school. The portfolios we receive from public schools are not as comprehensive, and our method also aids in brand awareness.”

This unique approach not only makes TNCS students stand out but also embodies the school’s commitment to ensuring every student’s success beyond their campus.

It’s clear: Ms. Simonetti is integral to making TNCS the magical place it is, both present and future.