Arlie Forrester

Arlie Forrester brings a strong foundation in education, community engagement, and strategic thinking to the Brisbane Montessori School Board.

Appointed in 2024, Arlie joined the Brisbane Montessori School Board and now serves on the Montessori Excellence Sub-Committee. Drawing on both her professional background as an educator and her long-standing involvement within the BMS community, she views board service as a meaningful way to support the school’s future while contributing to a community that has become deeply significant to her family.

Arlie joined Brisbane Montessori School in 2017 after relocating from New York City, where her family’s Montessori journey first began. Since then, she has developed a deep and lasting connection to the school and its values. Her involvement has been both broad and meaningful, including serving as President of the Parents & Friends (P&F) Association for 12 months, being a class parent representative as well as supporting a range of P&F initiatives. She has also actively participated in school events and community activities.

Through this ongoing engagement, Arlie has built strong relationships across the parent body and the wider school community, helping to foster a collaborative, inclusive, and welcoming environment.

With a professional background in teaching and a strong understanding of Montessori philosophy, Arlie brings an educator’s perspective to governance. Her areas of expertise include educational practice and child development, strategic thinking, stakeholder engagement, community building, and effective communication. She offers insight into how governance decisions shape the learning environment, student experience, and long-term school culture.

Since joining the Board, Arlie has contributed to strategic discussions focused on sustainable growth and community alignment. She also supported the interview and recruitment process for the school’s new principal, appointed in 2025, helping to ensure that the school’s educational approach remains strong, consistent, and future-focused.

Arlie is deeply passionate about Montessori education and its capacity to nurture curiosity, creativity, independence, and social responsibility. For her family, BMS has become a second home, one that thrives through thoughtful stewardship and a willingness to evolve in response to future opportunities and challenges.

She joined the Board with a commitment to strengthening stakeholder engagement and ensuring that decision-making reflects the community’s values and aspirations.