January 1, 2020
The Board of Trustees of the Middle Way School of the Hudson Valley is delighted to announce that Grace Ann Louis has accepted our offer to become our new Head of School.
Having opened and successfully run her own school, Grace has many years of administrative and educational experience. Middle Way has already benefited in countless ways from Grace’s presence and dedication to children and families since she joined us in the summer of 2019. Her warmth and good nature are a natural fit for our community. Her work ethic, commitment to our goals, and understanding of early childhood development are an invaluable resource for all of us moving forward. She has shown the gentle yet professional leadership style that our community has asked for.
A Phoenicia-native, Grace has deep roots in the area. After completing a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from St. Francis College in Brooklyn, she discovered that her true passion was in early childhood education. She worked at the International Preschool in New York, which emphasized an experiential and emergent curriculum. She went on to earn a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education with a concentration in Special Education from the University of Colorado at Boulder and began teaching at the Snow Lion School, a contemplative, Buddhist-inspired preschool.
“I am very excited for the opportunity to lead Middle Way School, which is built on the Buddhist view of wisdom and compassion, qualities I have embraced as an educator throughout my career. I have been blown away by the incredible devotion and involvement of the entire MWS community and could not be more thrilled to take this position.”
“Through many hours working in elementary schools, Head Start programs, and with early intervention coordinators, the contemplative educational model truly informed my teaching philosophy and helped me recognize the need for young children to unfold at their own developmental pace,” says Grace. “My experience teaching at Snow Lion [in Boulder, Colorado] inspired me to create an environment that fosters a child initiated play-based curriculum that builds a foundation for learning and later academic success.”