Castle Island Bilingual Montessori school celebrated the official grand opening ribbon cutting for its new downtown Albany location at 602 Broadway today, May 12, 2022. Joining Castle Island Founder and Director Diane Nickerson and Board of Trustees President Ed Nickerson were City of Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, Office of the Albany County Executive Director of Policy and Research Michael McLaughlin, and Redburn Development Partners Principal Jeff Buell.
The move to the Downtown property offered the school updated facilities, the ability to open more programming to the community, and easy access to student recreation opportunities at Tricentennial Park and the newly opened Albany Skyway to the Hudson Riverfront where Castle Island derived its name. The building is owned by Redburn Development, and was rehabilitated with support from Empire State Development, with exterior renovations supported by Capitalize Albany’s City of Albany Small Business Façade Improvement Grant program.
The ribbon cutting marks the opening of the first school of its kind in Downtown as residential occupancy continues to rise in the neighborhood. The 602 Broadway location is highlighted by the spectacular Capital Walls mural "Escape to Nature: Where Peace Awaits" by artist and educator Jade Warrick (also known as TrashKid Art). Castle Island instructs students who live steps away and those in neighboring communities, serving as an attraction for families to experience Downtown for the first time, or in a new way.
Established in 2012, Castle Island is an independent nonprofit metropolitan elementary school for children ages 3 to 12, offering an accessible world-class education nurturing every child's potential. Each student is fully immersed in both English and Spanish language learning in an environment designed to foster individual curiosity, collaboration, and innovation. The school celebrated its 10th anniversary with a move from its longtime midtown Albany location to a state-of-the-art facility in the heart of Downtown.
The name of the school celebrates its location adjacent to the Hudson River, as well as the rich history of its community. In 1540, French fur traders built a stone chateau on a piece of land in the river. Castle Island was named for this original structure, known as one of the earliest European-built edifices in North America. After being reconnected to the mainland in 1932, the site is the present location of the Port of Albany.
Established by Nobel Prize-nominated physician Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 20th century, the Montessori method's core principles emphasize effective learning as an independent practice and call for the development of the whole person as a means to uniquely prepare children for our fast-changing world. Inspired by these principles and passionate about creating a school environment with the highest quality of education, Castle Island Founder and Director Diane Nickerson utilized more than 25 years of educational experience - in a wide-ranging career that combines elementary education, English as a Second Language and Spanish, K-12 administration, and Montessori school management - to develop the school and its curriculum.
While raising her four sons to be bilingual, Nickerson had been seeking a school for them that would not only meet their language goals, but also provide creative opportunities for their inquisitive minds and active bodies. After some research and travel, Diane found an ideal approach in the Montessori method that holistically meets the learning needs of each child. Wanting to create a school that merges optimal learning environments for both bilingual language immersion and Montessori, she founded Castle Island for the Capital Region community.
Castle Island Bilingual Montessori Founder and Director Diane Nickerson said: "Castle Island's school community is thrilled to be settled into our new home in downtown Albany! Our partnership with Redburn Development has enabled the school to enhance the work toward our mission: providing accessible, world-class education to children of the Capital Region. Our Downtown location makes our school available to more families who are looking for a child-led, hands-on education of excellence that is immersed in language. In addition to English-Spanish immersion, students here gain refinement in academics throughout the Montessori curriculum with a strong sense of both self-confidence and empathy for others in the world around them. At our beautiful new facility designed especially for our school, an outdoor classroom is in the works, made possible with funding from a grant awarded by Capitalize Albany. The entire school community is very grateful for the warm welcome and support we’ve already received from businesses, leadership and residents in Downtown. We look forward to showcasing student artwork at 1st Friday events, playing soccer at Summer Camp in the green space at the Corning Preserve, welcoming our neighbors to our annual bilingual children's play performed at the First Church in Albany across the street, and to many more opportunities to play an active role in our new neighborhood."
Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said: “We are thrilled to welcome Castle Island Bilingual Montessori school to their new home in downtown Albany. Thanks to Redburn Development and a Capitalize Albany Façade Improvement Grant, this rehabilitated facility now offers more programming for students. This new location will allow students to thrive in a safe and fun learning environment that is also immersed in a culturally diverse and urban setting offering unique surroundings like the Capital Walls murals and access to new recreation opportunities such as Tricentennial Park and the Albany Skyway.”
Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy said: "Learning to speak a second language allows our young people to connect with others here at home and around the globe, to learn about different cultures, and to be better equipped for their futures. This is especially true considering Spanish is one of the most prevalent languages in the entire world. This is an exciting day for Albany County with the ribbon cutting of this new facility housing an institution that has been dedicated to furthering high quality and bilingual education over the last decade. Castle Island is a welcome addition to downtown Albany.”
Assemblymember John T. McDonald III, RPh said: "The Castle Island Montessori school opening is the product of many partners coming together to support this great new venture. This school adopts important principles that are fundamental to developing well-rounded individuals and celebrates an attitude of striving to learn more and educate ourselves about the world around us. The school also will be a great addition for the residents of Downtown Albany, an area that has seen expanded residential opportunities due to the investment of partners such as Redburn Development and others who see the potential for growth. Congratulations to Diane and all of those who join us to celebrate this new resource in the downtown Albany community."
Albany County Legislator Sam Fein said: "The Castle Island Bilingual Montessori school will help meet the needs of our increasingly diverse population here in Albany. This location is also a terrific location for children and is representative of downtown Albany's transformation. I am happy to welcome the Castle Island Bilingual Montessori school into the neighborhood!"
Reburn Development Partners Principal Jeff Buell said: "Projects like this could not happen without significant support. Redburn would like to thank the State of New York and Empire State Development for their investment in this property and our financing partner, The Bank of Greene County. Downtown Albany is alive with activity – residents and office workers sharing the sidewalks with school children and small business owners. Downtown is a true neighborhood, and Castle Island is just another example of the forward progress this neighborhood is celebrating almost everyday.”
Capitalize Albany Corporation president Sarah Reginelli said: "Congratulations to the entire Castle Island community on this new state-of-the-art facility located in a dynamic downtown learning environment. We’re looking forward to the school’s growth as a part of the downtown neighborhood with so many new opportunities supported by the exciting investment taking shape.”
Downtown Albany BID Executive Director Georgette Steffens said: "We are thrilled to welcome Castle Island Bilingual Montessori to Downtown. This ribbon cutting is symbolic of our neighborhood's progression from a 9-5 office environment to a true, diverse neighborhood. Students and parents will enjoy the best the Capital Region has to offer in this location, from incredible history and architecture to parks and the public art that greets children as they arrive to school each day."
Castle Island BIlingual Montessori is currently accepting enrollment for 2022-2023. For more information, visit castleislandmontessori.org or call 518.533.9838.
