A new Montessori preschool and elementary school is being proposed at the West Alex development at the southeast corner of King and N. Beauregard streets in Alexandria's West End.
The school would accept 184 students ages 16 months to 12 years old, according to paperwork submitted to the City's Planning Commission.
The school is part of Higher Ground Education's network of Guidepost Montessori schools. It would be the first Guidepost Montessori in Virginia. The organization counts nearly 1,500 students in its schools located in nine states as well as in Shanghai, Bulgaria and Vienna, Austria.
The school plans to have a staff of 32 employees. Hours are expected to be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Plans call for more than 16,000 square feet of space for the school: 3,844 on the ground floor and 12,241 square feet on the third floor. The school plans call for offering education for age groups from toddler to age 12:
- Toddlers: Three rooms will be dedicated to toddlers (18 months to 3 years) with 14 toddlers per classroom (42 total).
- Preschoolers: Four rooms will be dedicated to preschoolers (ages 3-5 years) with a capacity of 28 students per classroom.
- Elementary: One room for students ages 6-12 with a capacity of 30 students.
Higher Ground Education was founded in 2016.
West Alex is a 500,000-square foot mixed use development which also includes a Harris Teeter grocery store and a Silver Diner as well as apartments.
See more about Guidepost Montessori on their website guidepostmontessori.com. See some of the job openings here.
