Announcing Aidan's New Head of School: Welcome Jamie Rue!

Dear Aidan Community,

On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I am thrilled to announce the appointment of Jamie Rue as Aidan Montessori School’s next Head of School, effective July 1, 2023. The Board voted unanimously to appoint Jamie based on the enthusiastic recommendation of the Head of School Search Committee and informed by a deliberate and thorough search process, which included meaningful input from faculty, staff, parents, and thoughtful reference conversations. 

Jamie’s depth of experience and strong reputation in the AMI school world led to her being nominated as a strong candidate when Aidan announced its search for a new Head of School. Jamie was known by numerous individuals at Aidan as she has served the school in a consulting capacity over the last several years. Jamie is recognized in the AMI world as an experienced Trainer and Consultant. Currently Jamie serves as Head of School at Sea Lavender Montessori (NJ), a micro-school that she helped to found, affiliated with the Wildflower network of schools. Additionally, she serves as CEO and Founder of Rising Tide Montessori, which provides high-quality free Montessori online resources as well as AMI teacher training, with a goal of making Montessori education more inclusive and accessible.

Jamie holds AMI Primary and Elementary Diplomas, and certifications as an AMI Trainer and as a Consultant at the Elementary Level. Jamie has consulted and coached at Montessori schools throughout the United States as well as New Zealand, Mexico, and Canada. She has served on the AMI/USA Board of Directors, as a board member and Pedagogical Advisor to AMI-EAA, and on several Montessori school Boards. As the Search Committee members got to know Jamie and learn more about her, they recognized the strong match between her relational, positive, and warm personality and the Aidan community.

Jamie’s references, professional educators who have worked with her for numerous years, underscored in their descriptions of Jamie the strengths and qualities the Search Committee saw in Jamie from the initial interview. Jamie was characterized as: "A natural leader;" "A strong Montessorian with great business sense;" and "A reflective leader with an ability to get things done." A diversity, equity and inclusion professional who has worked closely with Jamie noted, “She recognizes her privilege and centers the marginalized.” And, one reference shared, “Looking at Aidan’s core values, they so align with who Jamie is. I would almost think this is curated for her.”

Following Jamie’s visit to Aidan, faculty, staff, and parents shared their impressions with the Search Committee. Many people commented on Jamie’s strong Montessori background with one individual stating, “She is as well-versed as a person can be when it comes to Montessori pedagogy.” People also appreciated the strengths of her communication abilities, noting her calm and thoughtful communication style. Numerous faculty members commented that they were very excited at the prospect of Jamie serving as Aidan’s next Head of School.

The Board recognizes the great contributions of Head of School Kevin Clark, who has done so much the past seven years to ensure the school is well-positioned for the future. We thank him for his tremendous leadership and for his continued service to the school.

The search process highlighted the engagement in and commitment of the Aidan Montessori School community. The Board extends our heartfelt thanks to our Search Committee and to our dedicated faculty, staff, and parents for their active engagement and continued support of our school. Please join us in warmly welcoming Jamie to the Aidan Montessori School community.

Warmly,

Zoya Davis

Board of Trustees, President

A Letter from Jamie Rue

To the members of the Aidan Montessori School Community,

I am truly excited to join the community at Aidan Montessori. In my interactions with Aidan over the past several years, I’ve been continually impressed with the dedication and professionalism of the faculty and staff, their commitment to Montessori principles, and the joy that is palpable in every corner of the school. Aidan is an exceptional Montessori school community.

In the 25 years I’ve worked in Montessori education, I’ve seen dozens of schools, worked with hundreds of teachers and administrators, guided scores of children. Time and again, I have seen that the central key to success in schools is the development of strong relationships based on clear communication and trust. The children in a Montessori environment are best served when teachers and administrators build authentic relationships with them. This allows the children to take full advantage of the freedom and limits offered to them in the Montessori classroom, confident there are adults who know them well and can support them. Beyond the classroom, staff members work together best when they feel known, seen, and heard by their colleagues. The same is true for the relationship between staff and families. And it is essential that all adults in children’s lives work together. By preparing an environment where faculty, staff, and families build relationships and communicate effectively, we can best support the development of the children in our care.

I thoroughly enjoy developing strong relationships and I look forward to getting to know each of you! And I’m especially excited to get to know the children. I am humbled to have the opportunity to lead Aidan Montessori as it continues to grow and pursue its mission, and I am grateful to be joining a community so committed to high-quality Montessori education.

Warmly,

Jamie Rue