AMS Affinity Groups
AMS Affinity Groups are the American Montessori Society-approved and monitored member forums created for open dialogue, where attendees should be comfortable.
Affinity Groups are created by AMS members to drive change, provide a space for safe and open dialogue, and offer opportunities to solve particular issues. For each approved group, we create a dedicated AMS Affinity Group community space on AMS Connect, so that members may connect virtually. We will also ensure a meeting space at The Montessori Event.
Current AMS Affinity & Discussion Groups
AMS in Spanish Affinity Group
This group serves to unite, promote, and support Montessori education among Spanish-speaking populations. Zoom meetings are held the third Wednesday of every month at 7:00 PM (ET).
Please register for this group or email AffinityGroups@amshq.org for more information.
Montessorians of Color Affinity Group
This group centers and amplifies the work and lives of Montessorians of Color. Zoom meetings are held every other Sunday at 3:00 PM (ET).
LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group
This group seeks to create points of connection, provide support and resources, and form a safe space for sharing experiences and strengthening the very important work of LGBTQIA+ Montessorians and allies. Zoom meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.
How to Register
Interested in joining one of our existing Affinity Groups? Simply click below to register. Note that AMS Affinity Groups are currently on summer hiatus & will resume in the fall.
Affinity Group Guidelines
Eligibility
To join or start an AMS Affinity Group, you must:
- Be a member of AMS
- Identify as a member of the group for which it was formed
- Support the group’s mission
Responsibilities
All AMS Affinity Groups must have:
- An AMS-approved mission statement
- At least 3 members, including a chairperson
- At least 4 meetings per academic year. One meeting must be in person at The Montessori Event. The others may be virtual or in person.
AMS Affinity Groups must share with us:
- Name and contact information of each member upon the formation of the group
For every upcoming meeting:
- Day, time, and place
- Names of any new members
- Agenda
- Names of any speakers who are not AMS staff
- Copies of materials they anticipate circulating to the group
- In addition, information about upcoming meetings must be shared on AMS Connect in the appropriate affinity group community, so that others who are interested may attend
- Meeting minutes (within 10 days after the meeting)
- An annual report summarizing their activities (must be filed within 2 weeks after the academic year)
Behavior
An AMS Affinity Group is a forum for open dialogue where attendees should be comfortable.
To that end, during any AMS Affinity Group meeting/program, we ask that members be respectful of one another’s opinions and beliefs. If there is ever a disagreement or confrontation, it must be documented and immediately forwarded to us at AffinityGroups@amshq.org.
Affinity Responsibilities
We are here to support our affinity groups! We will promote our affinity groups to AMS members at large.
AMS reserves the right to audit any AMS Affinity Group and, if deemed appropriate by the AMS Board of Directors, to dissolve any AMS Affinity Group that is not acting in accordance with these and any other existing and future requirements and mission of AMS and AMS Affinity Groups.
Starting an AMS Affinity Group
The opportunity to start an AMS Affinity Group is open to all current AMS members.
The first step is to share information with us about your proposed group by completing an Affinity Group Application and emailing it to AffinityGroups@amshq.org.
The application asks for details such as your desired group name, description, objectives, and anticipated size. You’ll also need to include a mission statement and describe the ideal impact the group would have on the AMS community, and how it would foster AMS’s mission, vision, and values. We will review your application and get back to you with thoughts about the viability of the group, as well as information about next steps. Please allow up to 2 weeks for a response.
Questions About AMS Affinity Groups?
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