The boards of the Wilmington Montessori School and PRIED Middle School have announced the two schools will merge into a single school educating children from toddler age through eight grade.

The combined school will open for the 2018-2019 school year. The current site of PRIED Middle School will be closed and all operations will be moved over to the Wilmington Montessori School.

WMS Head of School Lisa Lalama said both schools come from a position of strength and share educational philosophies. She noted that WMS students already go on to PREID after sixth grade.

“We could not be more excited than we are to be joining with PRIED Middle School,” said Lalama. “For years, Wilmington Montessori parents have been asking how we might expand the school to offer a comprehensive Montessori program through the eighth grade. By joining PRIED and WMS together, we will leverage the best of both institutions to create a comprehensive Montessori program committed to academic rigor and to unlocking the human potential in each of our students.”

The boards are now developing a year-long transition plan.