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History

Lenore Briggs, mother of six adult children, founded Lefferts Gardens Montessori School. Her interest in Montessori education began as a young teacher in Grenada, where she was born. Lenore’s energetic, vivacious, can-do, dedicated nature, finds expression in her love for humanity, especially in the enjoyment of teaching young children. 

After emigrating to New York City in 1965, many years later in 1973, she opened a home daycare center which grew into a preschool and kindergarten entitled, Mom’s Center for Early Childhood Development Incorporated and located at 559 Rogers Avenue in the Prospect Lefferts Gardens Neighborhood. After graduating from New York University with a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Montessori Education in 1986, she renamed Mom’s Center as Lefferts Gardens Montessori School, LGM.

Her vision for LGM was to serve the Prospect Lefferts Gardens Community with a highly qualitative, moderately priced, early childhood Montessori school. Soon after the school was formed the parents created the Parent Activity Group (PAG) to support their children’s education and to promote fundraising.  PAG operated as an independent group in order to provide an open forum for parents, as well as to create proposals for the school year. Today PAG continues to serve the LGM community of parents and teachers.

The School grew very quickly and word of mouth spread throughout the community and beyond; children attended from as far as Long Island. Soon new space was needed and another classroom was formed one block away at 527 Rogers Ave occupying the first floor, while the remaining floors were utilized as rentals.

Lenore received several awards and was recognized on many occasions for her achievement and contribution to the community, including a citation from the Brooklyn Borough President’s office.

Upon her retirement in 2007, her youngest son Anthony Briggs who is trained in Montessori Education, headed the school as the Executive Director and continued his mother’s vision.  In 2010, he expanded the school from a two classroom to a five classroom operation. 527 Rogers Avenue was renovated with completely green materials, housing three classrooms ages three to six years old; whereas the toddler program, ages two to three years old, located at 559 Rogers Avenue is occupied by two classrooms. Today, LGM remains a family-owned and operated business.

A group of dedicated parents envisioned a Montessori elementary school and are now part of the steering committee along with the administrative staff to make this idea a reality. LGM is growing once more and has expanded with the opening of Lefferts Gardens Montessori Elementary - LGME, in the Prospect Lefferts Gardens neighborhood for children ages five through ten, this past September, 2014.