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Students graduating from our Upper Primary 9-12 Program share their experiences from their time at FMS. Read on to hear from Jade Mantica about her experiences.

It all started 11 years ago when Jade Mantica started FMS in the NIDO Program.

“I can still remember planting peas .  I planted so many pea plants that my mum had to throw some away.  It was my favourite thing to do.  I loved getting dirty!”

Jade has spent her whole education so far at FMS and in her own words, “Here I can be really creative and explore big ideas like animal testing.  Actually it was a project in 2019 about animal cruelty that led me to decide to become vegan.”

She was relaxed, happy to chat about her experiences and what she values about her education.  She’s ready to spread her wings at high school and thinks that the way she has learnt at FMS has really contributed to the confidence she feels:

“We learn faster, we go further, the teacher guides you into more advanced stuff so that’s going to really help me in high school.”

There was praise for her teachers because they allow students to run with their ideas and find alternative ways to demonstrate their knowledge.  She’d love to see that level of trust go even further in things like ‘Going Out’ where she thinks the Graduates could be given even more freedom. That praise extended to the respect the staff show to students like when the students are cooking they provide vegan options.

During the COVID-19 self-isolation time Jade read the book ‘Mrs Frisby and The Rats of Nimh’ by Rober C. O.Brien,  commenting that whilst it’s not one of her favourites, “I have a preference for mythology and action books. But I’ve enjoyed the activities like creating characters and designing a new community where we had to imagine that the climate is mild, wet winters with warm, dry summers. We could make up our own rules like how long school would be open or what laws we would invent?”

Asked if she had any recommendations for future improvements at FMS, Jade suggested we upgrade some of our buildings.

Outside of school, Jade likes nothing better than cooking.  At the moment she’s experimenting with her own recipes using puff pastry.

Keen to see how a Montessori education can help your child thrive beyond like Jade? Book a virtual tour today!

Denice Scala

Author Denice Scala

B.A, M.Ed, Dip ED, Dip RSA, Cert. Neuroscience. Principal, Forestville Montessori School. Denice Scala is an executive leader with extensive experience in key strategic roles requiring business transformation and innovation. As a passionate advocate for the power of education to enrich lives, Denice moved from classroom teaching to leadership positions in 1992 and since then has held international in roles in Scotland and Australia as Principal, Head of Junior School, and Head of Learning Support. She has an impressive working knowledge of early learning, primary, middle, and secondary schooling including gifted education and special needs. Her Masters in Gifted Education led her to work extensively to find ways to cater for gifted students. This led to providing professional development opportunities for educators to assist in their understanding of the characteristics of gifted children and the complexities of growing up gifted. Denice’s unparalleled grasp of current educational realities is equally matched by her big picture thinking combined with practical solutions to navigate change. Denice’s passion for Montessori education led her to undertake the AMI Introduction to Adolescents Course, to audit the AMI 6-12 Diploma, and to also currently undertake the AMI School Administration Certificate Course.

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