After the school searched for members of its first elementary school class, from 30 years ago, three members joined together on Friday, June 5, at Fraser Woods Montessori School to open a time capsule from the 1984-85 school year.

“They were actually the first elementary school class of our school, and they created a time capsule that we are going to open today to see what is in it,” said Fraser Woods Montessori School Head of School Myriam Woods near the start of the event.

The three former Fraser Woods Montessori School students — Stephanie Dorenbosch, Becky Mazur, and Preston Meyer — stood side-by-side as they opened the time capsule.

When Fraser Woods Montessori School Head of School Myriam Woods began her career with the Newtown-based school in 1990, the time capsule was already in place behind a plaque on a wall in the school's elementary building, which was then located in Dodgingtown.

Fraser Woods expanded to include elementary school level programs in September 1984, and currently has programs through the eighth grade. The school is now located at 173 South Main Street, and Housatonic Valley Waldorf School is now housed in Fraser Woods Montessori School’s original grounds. When the move was made, roughly 15 years ago, Ms Woods said she made sure to bring the time capsule and its plaque along with her.

This school year marks both the 30th school year since the plaque and time capsule were placed in the school's original elementary school building and the 15 years that the school has been located at its building on South Main Street.

The cover of the time capsule read, “The Newtown Montessori Elementary School is dedicated to the potential of children: All children, everywhere. It is dedicated especially to the potential of its founding students, whose artwork and letters — to be opened in 30 years — are located behind this plaque.”

 “It’s going to be a surprise for me,” said Ms Dorenbosch before the time capsule was opened.

Mr Meyer said he has memories of the groundbreaking for the school building and the efforts to build it. When he was younger, the school parents, he said, were friends and the effort was made to build the school from that group.

One of the things Ms Mazur said was nice about attending Fraser Woods Montessori School was that it “spawned a lot of great friendships.”

Ms Mazur and Ms Dorenbosch have remained friends throughout the years.

When it came time to open the time capsule, each of the three former students grabbed a corner of the box.

Inside the capsule Ms Mazur, Ms Dorenbosch, and Mr Preston found laminated newspaper clippings and letters students wrote for the capsule.

When the time capsule was made the students were roughly 6 or 7 years old. As they read their letters from 30 years ago, the former students compared what they wanted to be then with what they grew up to be.

Mr Meyer read that he wanted to be an artist, and he is now a real estate investor.

Ms Dorenboasch also wrote as a child that she wanted to be an artist, and she grew up to be a lawyer.

Ms Mazur wrote that she wanted to be a veterinarian, and she grew up to be a librarian.

After the gathering of Fraser Woods Montessori School board members, educators, administrators, former alumni, and former school parents searched through the time capsule’s contents, Ms Woods and Fraser Woods Director of Marketing and Communications Kathy Anderson gave a tour of the school while talking about its history.

Following the tour, according to Ms Anderson, an end of the year concert was held, and she gave a presentation about the school’s last 15 years.

Attendees to both the time capsule unveiling and the 15-year celebration were then invited to tour the school’s new natural playground during a picnic, with music provided by the Korey Brodsky Band, said Ms Anderson.