Montessori's unique design, which groups students by ability rather than age and shuns textbooks, makes it necessary to be in a school dedicated to the program. Two other plans were rejected prior to the suggestion of moving the program to Arlington at the start of the 2003-04 school year. Naomi Bradford, lead teacher at Axson, said faculty was devastated to learn of Fryer's decision. Bradford wondered if Fryer forgot that in the fall of 2002 construction will take half of the school's playground. Beyond those concerns, repairing Axson may not be easy.
Extensive work is needed.
Classroom walls are crumbling. Pipes frequently burst. When it rains, teachers set out pails to catch the water. To repair all the problems would cost as much as constructing a new building, Fryer said. And there is not enough money for that, he said.