Sussex Montessori School Purchases Seaford Property

The Sussex Montessori Charter School says it has purchased a site for it’s home in Seaford.

The property, located at the former Wheaton Farm on Stein Highway is set to serve 465 elementary-aged students from Western Sussex County by 2022. That school is expected to open in June 2020 with 260 students in grades K-3, and eventually add a new grade each year until 2022.

Officials say any child from the age group can be enrolled at no cost and that a lottery will be held in January 2020 if the school has more applicants that capacity can allow.

Sussex Montessori School Board Chair Linda Zankowsky says “of the dozen or so charter Montessori schools we’ve identified in rural areas, none appears to serve a truly diverse student population, which is our goal for Sussex Montessori School.”

Zankowsky says the new Seaford site is an ideal location for the hands-on Montessori curriculum with nature and agriculture based learning opportunities.

The total cost to renovate and construct the Sussex Montessori School will be 10 million dollars, with 40 percent expected to be borrowed.