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History |
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History of St. Maarten Montessori School The St. Maarten Montessori School opened its’ doors in August, 1993. The school was the dream and realization of Huguette and Andrew Erato. They wanted an environment where they would happily be able to send their daughters and one that would offer the dignity of education supplied by the Montessori Method. St. Maarten Montessori School received its accreditation in 2008 and is an accredited Montessori school under MSAC (Montessori Schools Accreditation Council) which inspects schools to review that they follow the Montessori Method to a high standard. Our school is also an International member of AMS (American Montessori Society) which is now including MSAC as part of their accreditation procedure. In 2005, St. Maarten Montessori School, seeing the need for training of teachers in the Montessori Method in our area, hosted a training program under the direction of Ms. Janice Mayhew as a satellite school for the LMS St. Maarten Montessori Teacher Education Program. This accredited AMS course is held at the school. Ms. Madalaine Patzalek is the coordinator of this course and supervises students studying to become qualified Montessori teachers. Mission of MSAC (Montessori School Accreditation Commission) The mission of the Montessori School Accreditation Commission is to provide a professional, nationally recognized accrediting agency through which quality Montessori schools may receive recognition based on standards rather than affiliation. Purpose The Montessori School Accreditation Commission seeks to fulfill the following purposes: 1. To serve the needs of the Montessori school community by providing a non-affiliation based school accreditation process. The accreditation process will be available to all Montessori schools that are staffed with certified Montessori teachers, maintain well-equipped classrooms and exemplify the Montessori philosophy and principles in their classrooms. 2. To provide an accreditation procedure that will assist schools in the process of self evaluation and team building. 3. To provide a quality assurance protocol that will give Montessori schools recognition for excellence within the educational community and the general public. 4. To provide qualifying Montessori schools with the approval of a nationally recognized accreditation organization whose standards meet or exceed state regulations, thus making it possible for the schools to apply for local, state or federal funding. 5. To serve as a vehicle for screening classroom environments suitable for approved teacher education practicum sites. 6. To provide a needed resource for parents seeking a level of assurance that the school they select meets quality standards set by the Montessori community. 7. To motivate Montessori schools to evaluate their programs, thus insuring they are operating within the highest of Montessori philosophical and educational standards. MSAC A quality school is always dynamic. It is a work in progress, because the highest levels of educational excellence require constant attention and commitment. Modern accreditation is also dynamic, and is considered by the educational community to be an activity, not a status. Every accredited school is expected to be an excellent yet improving institution worthy of trust and confidence. The Montessori School Accreditation Commission's (MSAC) accreditation procedures are meant to facilitate this process and to enhance and focus the school's efforts to maintain a top quality institution. MSAC accreditation is open to all Montessori schools that choose to embark on the journey of school accreditation. There are many benefits: First and foremost is the opportunity to involve the entire school in a process of team building. With accreditation as the catalyst, administration and faculty will work together to answer such important questions as, "What makes us a Montessori school?" "How does our implementation of Montessori pedagogy measure up to our ideals and values?" And, most importantly, "How is our work on a day-to-day basis furthering the inner needs, social/emotional development and the general education of the child?" Second is an increased public recognition of the high standards by which the school operates, bringing with it greater opportunities for keeping currently enrolled families and opportunities for enrolling new ones. Parents looking for quality education want schools that are safe, nurturing environments where learning is flourishing. They seek schools that have been through an assessment process, and will appreciate that MSAC accredited schools are recognized for their excellence. Third is the potential for outside funding. Through MSAC's membership with the National Council for Private School Accreditation, our accredited schools will be recognized by the federal and state agencies involved with placement of public funds through programs such as vouchers, universal preschool, and charter schools. Many private corporations also place a strong emphasis on a school's accreditation status when offering school tuition as an option in employee cafeteria plans. MSAC looks forward to working with the Montessori school community. Schools that provide quality education to their students should be recognized. - www.montessori-msac.org - |