Wikipedia talk:Articles for deletion/Wilmington Montessori School

To address the issues,

1) There are hundreds of schools with wikipedia entries. See the following entries for listings of schools who are members of the same local accreditation bodies and educational organizations as Wilmington Montessori School,
 * Delaware Association of Independent Schools
 * Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools

2) The phrase "Montessori schools are a dime a dozen" probably doesn't belong in this discussion as it doesn't state facts and could be considered a bit rude and inappropriate for this dispute resolution. I am not sure of the source of this particular bias against Montessori schools.  If we can stick to facts and cordial language, then I think that would be more helpful.   Striking my own comments.  I felt the editor's wording could have been better; however, I will assume good faith on the editor's part to ensure quality WP content. Daddy.twins (talk) 20:19, 4 February 2008 (UTC)

3) With a student body of nearly 400, Wilmington Montessori School is one of the largest American Montessori Society, fully Accredited schools in North America. Wordy quotes removed. Daddy.twins (talk) 21:59, 4 February 2008 (UTC)

4) The additional, notable accreditations include,

The Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation. Wordy quotes removed. Daddy.twins (talk) 21:59, 4 February 2008 (UTC)

National Association for the Education of Young Children. Wordy quotes removed. Daddy.twins (talk) 21:59, 4 February 2008 (UTC)

5) A teacher from the school was recently honored by the Governor of Delaware. Wordy quotes removed. Cited in article. Daddy.twins (talk) 21:59, 4 February 2008 (UTC)

6) Conflict of Interest. Although I am working on behalf of the school to provide information about the school, I am not being remunerated in any fashion for creating this wikipedia article.  I started creating this article after finding other local schools in the Wilmington, DE area with wikipedia articles.  With the help of another editor, I have removed any content that does not adhere to wikipedia policies.

Summary.

The combination of American Montessori Society full Accreditation, additional early education accreditation by notable bodies, recognition by the Governor of Delaware and a First Place Governor’s Award for Excellence in Early Care and Education all make this school worthy of note.

Wilmington Montessori School would like to have a wikipedia entry similar to hundreds of other schools including sister schools in the Mid-Atlantic region. Struck this comment of mine after reviewing WP:WAX Daddy.twins (talk) 21:59, 4 February 2008 (UTC)

Daddy.twins (talk) 23:54, 2 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Removed comments from this section after reviewing both Assume Good Faith and Please do not bite the newcomers. I would like to keep this discussion targeted at Notability and edits of the article. I don't believe any of the removed comments need to be retained in the final version of this talk page. If another editor finds that removing these comments was out of bounds, then please restore them.  Daddy.twins (talk) 21:59, 4 February 2008 (UTC)

I have located additional materials to address the concern of notability. They are, I have added them to the article.

I understand the rationale of What about X? and, in keeping with the spirit of the policy, I would like to keep my assertion that there are dozens, if not hundreds, of similar schools that have articles. This is only one assertion and should only be treated as part of the entire cogent argument.

If necessary, I can do the due diligence required to prove that WMS is one of the largest. The national accrediting body (AMS) provides enrollment numbers for the fully accredited schools. I understand that being accredited is not necessarily uniquely notable.

Daddy.twins (talk) 11:29, 3 February 2008 (UTC)

Daddy.twins (talk) 13:58, 3 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Added further references to the article, including the EPA funded project information, the ING Financial Services award, listing of Grant recipients (in the top 50 in the US in 1999)
 * Added additional notable faculty, including the current head of school who serves on the American Montessori Society research committee; and, including the founder and former head of school who served as a President of the American Montessori Society.
 * Added additional publications, including a doctoral dissertation published by the University of Delaware on the design of a classroom-based reading assessment system for Wilmington Montessori School.

analysis
I am not an inclusionist about elementary schools. Most WP entries on schools have only directory information, and if there is anything beyond it, the material is usually trivial. For this one.
 * 1) Accreditation even by multiple agencies is routine and a necessity for a school, not a sign of distinction. The various statements of requirements by the accreditors isnt even encyclopedic information. Multi-national accredition can sometimes be significant.
 * 2) "a dime a dozen" is not prejudice, just a statement that they are not notable just for being Montessori schools, unlike schools with a unique program.
 * 3) notable alumni:
 * 4) publications: the newspaper articles are trivial. The NYT has a single sentence is one example in a long article. All it shows is that the reporter knew of the school.
 * 5) Most of the teachers--local or state notability is not sufficient. it has to be national, or someone who is also an important professor, or who has written important books.
 * 6) Marie Dugan - Founder and Director of the Wilmington Montessori School, former President of  the American Montessori Society in 2004  She is significant enough. This is a national office. first positive one.
 * 7) PhD thesis. This is borderline relevant to notability. More so if it were a book. The second positive one.
 * 8) Foundation Grants: possible, but we dont know what they are. another possible plus.
 * 9) but Miscellaneous governmental grants for rehabilitation and so forth-- not significant.
 * 10) ING award for a internet pen-pals proposal. Conceivably notable, though I would want some consensus about these awards--the projects strike me as rather obvious in general. But a weak plus also.
 * 11) The Alumni--in this case not significant. Flo Miniscloux is not a notable actress--her role in '"The woodman" is "Girl in Mall", and is not mentioned in the WP article/. Torgerson "was seen" . Nothing more can of course be expected at this level, but it is not notable.
 * 12) Therefore, on balance, between the distinguished founder, and the thesis, and the possible foundation grant,and the ING award, this is considerably more notable than most elementary schools we should encourage articles like this, but--as is evident--they take a great deal of work. DGG (talk) 20:09, 3 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Question: does this mean that you are changing your opinion about the advisability of deleting this article? I ask, because this rather sounds like you are now leaning keep, and I want to be sure I am interpreting you correctly. :) --Moonriddengirl (talk) 20:42, 3 February 2008 (UTC)

I have been reviewing the Notability (schools)
'Primary Criteria'


 * A school is notable if it has been the subject of significant coverage[1] in secondary sources.


 * Grant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (previously cited)


 * Doctoral dissertation published by the University of Delaware (previously cited)


 * Mention in a New York Times article (previously cited)


 * Article in "Montessori Life" (previously cited)

'Secondary Criteria'

A school will be regarded as notable provided at least two of the following criteria can be reliably sourced:


 * The school has won multiple notable awards or status
 * Foundation Grants, including being in the top 50 in the US in 1999. (previously cited)


 * Having multiple notable alumni or staff, who would qualify for their own Wikipedia articles
 * Founder and Prior Headmaster, Marie Dugan served as AMS President and currently as an NGO at the United Nations(previously cited)


 * Current Headmaster, Linda Zankowsky Ed.D. serving on American Montessori Society Research committee.(previously cited)


 * Current Teacher, Lisa Wilson-Riblett shared first place as "Teacher from a Center or Preschool" in the 9th Annual Governor's Awards for Excellence in Early Care and Education. (previously cited)


 * Current Teacher, Angie Meadows was one of 100 educators in the country chosen as an "Unsung Hero" in 2005 by ING Financial Services.(previously cited)

Based on DGG's analysis above, I will not add the following non-notable alumni to the article.
 * Flo Miniscloux, a 2002 graduate of WMS, has been invited to participate in the upcoming movie, The Lovely Bones, directed by Peter Jackson, who also directed The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. She toured the United States performing in Dragon Tales Live as the leading performer, Emmy, from 2003-04. And, in 2003 she played a principal role in the movie, The Woodsman, starring Kevin Bacon. (not yet added)


 * Jenny Torgerson, a 200? graduate of WMS, was seen in the M. Knight Shamalan movie The Lady in the Water, and (for Bollywood fans) she also appeared in Quarter Life Crisis. (not yet added)

Daddy.twins (talk) 15:10, 3 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Comment WP:SCHOOLS is only a proposed guideline and has not been adopted - in fact its been rejected three times and seems set for a fourth rejection as much of it is inconsistent with key Wikipedia guidelines. As such, it should have no bearing on this discussion. --Nick Dowling (talk) 07:46, 4 February 2008 (UTC)


 * Comment I am unable to use other school entries based on WP:WAX even though there are many categories and entries to choose from under Category:Elementary_and_primary_schools. Well-meaning and experienced editors disagree on the notability of this school with opinions ranging from Speedy to Keep.  Each of which has good reasons for their position.  In the absence of an adopted guideline, the inability to use current school articles as a template, and disagreement among editors, I feel I have no option but to use a proposed guideline as a minimal starting point for addressing WP:N. I am continuing to provide primary and secondary source information so that editors may come to a reasonable consensus on notability for this entry in either direction.  Regards. Daddy.twins (talk) 20:13, 4 February 2008 (UTC)

Seeking editorial advice
on how to appropriately add the following information to the article to address Notability. Both items relate to nationally recognized grants awarded annually to a relatively select group of recipients. The first was established and funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the second is a partnership between Toyota and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). Toyota funds and NSTA administers the program.


 * First, if advisable, I'd like to highlight Community/Environment/Grant involvement in some way by moving the EPA Five Star Grant entry up. Here's additional info for that, In 2001, Wilmington Montessori School was one of 60 recipients in the country of a Five Star Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for restoration work on the school property.  reference was added to article --Daddy.twins (talk) 15:46, 5 February 2008 (UTC)

In 2007, Wilmington Montessori School was one of 50 recipients in the country of a Toyota TAPESTRY Large Grant. reference was added to article --Daddy.twins (talk) 15:46, 5 February 2008 (UTC)
 * Second, I'd like to add to the same section an entry for,

Daddy.twins (talk) 20:28, 4 February 2008 (UTC)