GET TO KNOW Director of Lower School
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The Agnes Irwin School Core Values Our Core Values are the guiding principles that shape our decisions and define the character of The Agnes Irwin School community.
LEAD WITH CHARACTER We are courageous leaders who model empathy and compassion. We embody honesty, kindness, and personal integrity in all that we say and do.
FOSTER TRUST AND COMMUNITY We build trust through openness and understanding fostering supportive relationships, deep connections, safe risk-taking, and the space to be our best selves.
STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE We encourage and support each other to tenaciously reach our fullest potential as we demonstrate resilience and champion greatness in all our pursuits.
MELANIE SLEZAK has shaped the Lower School both inside and beyond the classroom for thirty-seven years. She is a key contributor to Agnes Irwin’s Leadership Toolkit. Before stepping into her current tole, Melanie served as a dedicated Kindergarten teacher and then as Lower School Dean. “Agnes Irwin Lower School is an incredibly joyful place. We are not about marching through content. We’re cultivating a mindset of curiosity, resilience, and purpose,” she shared. Melanie holds both her B.S. in Early Childhood Education and M.Ed. from the University of Delaware. A proud mom of two (including an AIS alumna, Class of 2011), Melanie is also a devoted animal lover, enthusiastic gardener, avid reader, and enjoys long walks. She finds reasons for gratitude every day.
NURTURE PASSIONS AND WELLBEING We nurture a love of learning and academic success by cultivating individual passions and the pursuit of our own unique path, supporting the whole person in wellness and wellbeing.
RESPECT AND CELEBRATE ALL We treat all with dignity and respect, welcoming differences in backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives. We foster an inclusive environment where everyone is valued, contributions are celebrated, and community is cherished.
Office of Admission 275 South Ithan Avenue | Rosemont, PA 19010 Grades PreK-4: 610.801.1203 | Grades 5-12: 610.801.1202 | admission@agnesirwin.org agnesirwin.org/admission
At Agnes Irwin, we know Lower School girls. And they ENERGIZE us. At Agnes Irwin, the very youngest among us gain a sense of belonging from day one, surrounded by a nurturing community and engaged in a balanced curriculum that adapts to each girl and her unique traits, skills, and personality. In our Lower School, students’ academic, social and emotional identities begin to take shape, and girls emerge joyful, curious, and fearless.
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