Sunday, November 07, 1999
Moms launch Ky. Montessori
BY KAREN SAMPLES
The Cincinnati Enquirer
COVINGTON — Sometimes the Montessori method works a little too well. Your kid zips through preschool and kindergarten. She loves to learn. Reads like a whiz. Then — bam!
She hits traditional elementary school. Lots of rules and worksheets. Suddenly, she's bored.
For a handful of Northern Kentucky moms, this collision was too much to bear. They set out to find an alternative and ended up creating their own.
This fall, a Montessori academy opened for business inside Prince of Peace, a Catholic elementary school in Covington. The academy represents an extraordinary achievement by this handful of women. Without any prior experience, they researched the Montessori method, studied state regulations, met with local educators, looked for real estate and recruited customers.
Then they did the impossible.
“People said, "You can't do that. You can't open a school,'” recalls one of the moms, Amy Milburn of Covington. “I said, "Why not?'”
Why not, indeed.
There are eight children enrolled at Prince of Peace Montessori. They range from first to third grade. Next year, the school hopes to add fourth grade and gain 10 students.
The parents achieved their goal through a unique partnership with the Diocese of Covington. The diocese recognized an opportunity for one of its urban schools. The parents recognized their need for expert assistance. The result: a school within a school.
The Montessori children have their own classroom, which is organized in traditional Montessori fashion. Special learning materials are neatly stored on shelves made by the parents. Assignments are posted on a bulletin board, and the children complete them at their own pace.
For activities such as music and Mass, they join the rest of the school.
Their teacher, Amy Lemon, is employed by the diocese, but the parents had a say in her hiring. They also stay in close contact with the principal, Sister Mary Sharon. She recently attended her first conference in the Montessori method.
“Children learn in different ways,” the nun says. “If this is another way we can help parents and help students, I'm in favor of it.”
The parents' mission began two years ago, when they encountered a problem. Their children were doing well at Molly's Montessori in Fort Thomas, but it stopped at kindergarten. Montessori grade schools weren't available in Northern Kentucky yet, and Cincinnati options were too expensive or too far away.
Charlie Martin Branch placed her daughter, Dori, in Fort Wright Elementary School. Then they tried Villa Madonna Academy.
Neither was enough of a challenge, says Ms. Martin Branch, of Taylor Mill.
At Fort Wright, Dori was in first grade but taking third-grade math.
Public schools in Kentucky are required to meet the needs of gifted children. In fourth grade and beyond, these kids attend special enrichment programs.
At Fort Wright Elementary, younger children are placed in informal “talent pools.” Teachers might give them harder assignments or put them together to work on a project.
The talent-pool concept was just getting started when
Dori left. Her mother was worried. She didn't want her daughter to sour on learning.
Villa Madonna Academy was more challenging but still too structured, Ms. Martin Branch says.
Likewise for another child, Paige Menke of Piner.
“I hate to say this, but I got in a little trouble because I was bored,” says Paige, who is 7. “They taught me things I knew in kindergarten, like 5 plus 2. Easy stuff. Everybody had to be caught up on the same thing before I could move ahead.”
Paige's mother, Sharon Menke, joined forces with Ms. Martin Branch and Amy Milburn, whose children are still in preschool.
They started by meeting with local leaders, from the Kenton County schools superintendent to the director of Forward Quest. All were enthusiastic about Montessori but uncertain how to make it happen.
At the diocese, Superintendent Lawrence Bowman embraced the opportunity. The system's urban schools have formed an alliance to raise money and explore new ideas, Dr. Bowman says. The principals heard a presentation from the moms, and Prince of Peace was the best fit.
Meanwhile, another Montessori grade school, Cornerstone, opened in Bellevue. It leases space from St. Michael School, but its teacher is not employed by the diocese.
At Prince of Peace, Ms. Lemon presides over a busy classroom of independent learners. Every day, she uses Montessori materials such as measuring sticks and flash cards to present lessons the children repeat on their own.
The children also do language activities. Last week, they were writing campaign promises for a make-believe election.
Allie Caudill, 9, wants to be mayor. She says she'll go directly to Colombia to stop drugs.
Paige Menke is about to finish all the lessons, which means she'll be bored again. But only for a little while. Montessori is much better than regular school, she says.
She knows her mom had a lot to do with it.
“Now I'm glad she went to all those meetings,” Paige says. “It got a little annoying there. But now, from the very first day of school, I love it.”
TO HELP
• Prince of Peace Montessori is looking for new students and volunteers to help with fund-raising. For information, call the school at 431-5153, or Sharon Menke at 356-0457.
Karen Samples is Kentucky columnist for The Enquirer. Her column appears Thursdays and Sundays. She can be reached at 578-5584, or by e-mail at ksamples@enquirer.com.
Karen Samples is The Enquirer's Kentucky columnist. Her column appears on Sundays and Thursdays in The Kentucky Enquirer. She can be reached at 578-5584 or email
her at ksamples@enquirer.com
SAMPLES ARCHIVE