Beginning in the 1990’s, local Montessori administrators and parents began envisioning a Montessori elementary school in the Schenectady area. At that time the only Montessori elementary school in the capital region was located east of the Hudson River, which was considered too far away for many families in the western part of the region. In addition, with each passing year, the waiting list for Niskayuna and Schenectady Montessori preschools was growing.
On September 24, 2007, ten Montessori parents, teachers, and administrators met and decided they would open a new Montessori school in Schenectady County by September 2008 - an ambitious schedule but one the group was willing to assume.
They quickly got to work and over the course of the following year they decided on a name, incorporated and received a non-public charter from the NY State Education Department, created a Board of Trustees, drafted a Business Plan, Bylaws, Curriculum Guide, Staff Handbook and Parent Handbook, applied for a Federal 501(c)(3) non-profit status, launched a web-site, negotiated a rental agreement with St Anthony's Church in Schenectady, hired staff, purchased classroom materials, and enrolled twelve students in grades 1-3 for the fall of 2008.
Assisted by many good folks, the five parents who founded the school were Nancy Adis, Bettina Dill, Mary Jo Downey, Teresa Foster, and Jennifer Hanson.
On September 3, 2008, RiverRun Community Montessori opened its doors for its first day of class. Twelve students and two teachers along with the parents and Board of Trustees all gathered on that sunny Wednesday morning to enjoy a breakfast snack together and take a few pictures amidst balloons and a colorful banner (photo above).
In 2012, we opened our Upper Elementary Program for students in grades 4-6. In the fall of 2014, we opened our Primary Program for students ages 3-6 years and in the fall of 2015, we opened our Middle School Program for students in grades 7-8.
During the summer of 2019, we re-located the school to its current location at 210 Morris Road in Colonie.
We wish to thank all the RiverRun students, parents, staff and community members who have participated in this great adventure. Together, we have created a thriving non-public school that we envision meeting the needs of Montessori families in the Capital Region for many years to come.
