WHMS Blog

Nurturing Future Leaders

January 15th, 2025

One of the absolute best parts of my job is reconnecting with our alumni. I get a front-row seat to their incredible journeys of watching them grow, thrive, and launch into the world as compassionate, curious global citizens. It’s like having a lifetime subscription to an inspiring story series!

Last year, at EMPAC, I had a moment. Picture this: our community gathered in this stunning space, celebrating Moving Up and Graduation. The energy was lively and hopeful, and the setting? Pure magic. Watching our students confidently walk across that stage, I couldn’t help but feel it in my bones that they were ready. Ready for whatever educational journey awaited them next.

Lately, I have been reflecting on my early career days as an ELA middle school teacher in Queens, NY. During those years, I was also pursuing my master’s in education and school counseling, which eventually led me to a high school counseling role in Brooklyn. I had seen different educational methods in action and that time in my life had me wondering: What else is out there in education? When life brought me upstate, I discovered Woodland Hill. It was like a breath of fresh air.

Montessori education isn’t just about academics; it’s about educating the whole child. It’s thoughtful, intentional, and it works! Seeing the long-term impact on our alumni, from their confidence to their ability to navigate the world with curiosity and empathy, has been wonderful. Connecting with families and students post-graduation only reinforces what I already know. Montessori builds a solid foundation for life.

With our upcoming WHMS Outcomes: Parent and Alumni Panel, I’m excited to share some of the incredible insights from recent graduates. Their responses to our post-graduate survey are a testament to the lasting impact of their time here at Woodland Hill.

When asked, "Looking back on your child’s WHMS education and experience, in which areas did we assist your child to grow the most?" Here are some of my favorite answers:

“As a kind, confident, peaceful human being who loves to learn! He has become a strong self-advocate who respects education and the learning process.”

“WHMS helped our daughter grow into a confident and persistent learner. Even when she's struggling to learn a concept in math or biology, she won't give up. In both WHMS History and English, she was taught to read complex documents or novels and write about the key points. This gave her a foundation from which she's been able to adapt according to the expectations of her high school teachers. We were also impressed by her strong core sense of self, empathy toward others, and ability to respectfully communicate with her peers. These traits, which Woodland Hill helped her develop, have enabled her to look past high school drama and focus on building respectful friendships.”

“Developing more willingness to engage in academic activities, more willingness to put forth genuine effort on academic pursuits, and improved ability to connect academic pursuits to future goals. The experience at WHMS improved our child's school experience, outlook on school in general, and future academic and social prospects. The faculty, administration, and staff represent the best of what educators can, and should, be. We cannot say enough good things about WHMS. Our only regret is that we didn't discover WHMS when our child was younger!”

These are just a few quotes from our parents, but the overall sentiment is clear: Woodland Hill graduates are prepared for life in high school, college, and beyond.

Our graduates continue to excel. On average, their GPA is a 94, and they are taking between two and six AP or accelerated courses. Even more impressive? They remain kind, thoughtful, and good humans.

To hear even more inspiring stories, check out last year’s Alumni Parent Panel. And don’t miss our upcoming virtual Parent and Alumni Panel - WHMS Outcomes on January 22nd at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. We’d love to see you there!

Eraena Fraites-Gonzalez

Director of Admissions

Eraena Fraites-Gonzalez joined Woodland Hill Montessori School in 2020 as the Director of Auxiliary Services and now serves as the Director of Admissions. She brings extensive experience in education and communications, having worked as a school counselor, middle school Language Arts teacher, and substitute teacher for preschool through grade 12 in New York City. Her background also includes roles in sales and marketing with The Corcoran Group, Hilton Worldwide, and The Empire State Realty Trust. Eraena holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Temple University and a master’s degree in education and school counseling from Alfred University. As a Montessori parent and advocate, Eraena is dedicated to connecting families with the enriching opportunities at WHMS.