Montessori in the Park
Posted on 29. Apr, 2010 by Karen in Latest Dirt
Breaks Ground on New Buildings
By Kevin Crawley
On April 5th, Kim Anderson’s vision and dream for Montessori in the Park took one giant leap toward becoming reality with the official ground breaking of a new campus on Litchfield Road behind Romano’s Macaroni Grill. Anderson, the owner and co-manager of Montessori in the Park, celebrated with family, friends, community leaders, and business partners as well as staff, teachers, students and their parents who were in attendance for the ceremony. The school buildings are scheduled for completion in September.
The new complex will be comprised of three buildings: a preschool building for children age 3 to 6; an elementary school building for 6 to 12 year olds; and an administration building. Shaped in a “U” configuration, the new campus will feature a center courtyard that will be very conducive for outdoor activities that are so important to the Montessori method of education. Outdoor activities are one of the many advantages that the new buildings will have over Montessori in the Park’s current set up of two smaller separate locations, and are just one of the reasons the school’s staff, teachers, students and their parents are so excited.
“(The reaction has been) extreme excitement and enthusiasm,” said Lisa Cusick, president of the Parent Teacher Organization for Montessori in the Park. “A beautiful outdoor environment encourages students gardening and horticulture. Everything has been very well planned out inside and out. The spaces will be larger and improved.”
Montessori in the Park first opened in 2007 with locations at Veranda Commons in Litchfield Park and Indian School Crossing in Avondale. However, the plan has always been to eventually have one united campus despite hurdles that at times seemed insurmountable. “It’s hard to forget about (a new building) when parents are excited and supportive, and ask about the progress,” said Anderson.
As it turned out, parents became an even more vital part of bringing construction of the new buildings to fruition than Anderson originally could have thought.
“My kids went to Montessori in the Park, and I loved the school,” said Mike Hirth, principal at 101 West Commercial Advisors, who became the real estate developer for the project. “When I found out they were looking to expand, I asked how I could help.”
“Mike Hirth put his heart and soul into the project. We wouldn’t be here without him,” said Anderson at the ground breaking ceremony.
Finding the land proved to be the most difficult aspect. “It took awhile to find the right-sized land at the right price,” said Hirth. At first, suitable land was too expensive. However, as the recession took affect on real estate, the market moved into the range they were looking for.
Still, financing remained elusive. The group visited with over ten banks and numerous potential investors without coming to an agreement, but they remained persistent. “What is really amazing, after the number of people who turned this project down or said it couldn’t happen, is that we are here breaking ground,” said Hirth on the day of the ceremony.
CLC Associates and GCON, the respective architect and construction company on the project, were brought together to cooperate on a design-build to maximize cost effectiveness and Anderson decided to proceed without outside investors. Eventually the pieces fell into place – the location, the design, the builder and the financing.
With the Montessori method of education, the surroundings and environment play a very significant role, so everyone involved with the school is thrilled about the new campus. Based on the practices and findings of Italian educator Marie Montessori in the early 20th century, the method is often described as a way for children to learn through their own natural, self-directed activities with the role of teachers being to control the environment, not the child.
“The Montessori method is all about choice,” said Tammy Chavet, co-manager of Montessori in the Park. “Marie Montessori found that when kids have choice in what to do, they get more out of activity.”
According to Chavet and Anderson, Montessori students learn first from a global perspective rather than a local one; learn concepts early before putting them to pencil and paper later; and are reading and doing math at a high level by the ages of four and five. They also say the students do well when they transition to public school.
“The kids come out (of Montessori school) with a lot of leadership skills,” said Chavet. “They are self-assured and independent, and know what they want.”
“There are huge benefits to many types of education,” said Anderson. “This is one that produces good results. Montessori in the Park is here to give parents options that just weren’t here before.”
Goodyear Mayor James Cavanaugh, who took part in the ground breaking ceremony, agreed that the option is a good one for parents and that the new campus will be a positive resource in the community. “This is a great ownership group and Montessori is a great teaching concept, so this is a terrific way for the two to come together. I’m very supportive of this,” he said.
