Why Hudson Montessori School Students Care About Our Hudson River
Many great things are in store for the students of Hudson Montessori School as we return to school; we’re returning to the water, namely the Hudson River waterway and estuary. Our Upper Elementary students are getting ready for their first field trip to Governors Island this week to learn why the Billion Oyster Project matters.
The Billion Oyster Project helps restore the Hudson River oysters that were decimated due to pollution and overfishing. Since 2014, the Billion Oyster Project has added more than 50 million oysters to the harbor, thanks to volunteers and partners like Hudson Montessori School. The goal is to restore one billion oysters to the Hudson River by 2035. By joining this project both outside and in the classroom, our students are helping the community and learning more about caring for the environment and marine life.
Our students' schedules are chock full of hands-on activities at the river in the next couple of months. Our younger elementary students are also looking forward to a field trip to the Liberty State Park Nature Center for an estuary study, later this week. And again, in October, our elementary and middle school students—from 1st grade to 8th grade are gearing up for a Day in the Life of the Hudson River. At that event, our students join many local and regional schools and colleges who are collecting data from 90 sites along 160 miles of the Hudson River and New York Harbor.
Our students’ commitment to the Hudson River extends beyond the classroom—and even supersedes the school year. This past summer, for a special event, Clear Waters JC: Clean & Learn Day at Liberty State Park Nature Center, our school community came together to spread awareness about our ecosystem and take action to keep it clean. The school partnered with local environmental agencies to spread awareness about American eels, local flooding issues, and hosted a beach cleanup along the shoreline Hudson Montessori School in partnership with the Waterfront Alliance, NYNJ Harbor Estuary Program, New Jersey Future, and Sewage-Free NJ.
At Hudson Montessori, STEAM education isn't simply about adding science or technology to the curriculum. We help students make meaningful connections across disciplines, by thinking creatively, asking thoughtful questions, and solving authentic problems. Rather than developing a surface understanding of individual subjects, students gain a deeper appreciation for how ideas connect and apply to the world around them. We are grateful to our students and family for their commitment to a cleaner, healthier Jersey City. We look forward to continuing this annual tradition and working together to protect our waterways, our neighborhoods, and the Hudson River for future generations.
Hudson Montessori School, located in downtown Jersey City, serves children from 18 months through 8th grade. The teachers use an interdisciplinary, theme-based learning approach grounded in Montessori philosophy and methodology to foster students' love of learning. The nationally certified STEM campus is the only one of its kind in New Jersey, featuring STEM-certified teachers who meet the highest standards set by the National Institute for STEM Education. The school welcomes parents to a school tour to learn more about its programs.
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