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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Parents Push Montessori Expansion Cost, Training Are Obstacles; 2 Meetings Set For Next Week

Carla K. Johnson Staff writer

Parents supporting a popular alternative elementary program in Spokane School District 81 want to see a good turnout for two informational meetings next week, hoping that will encourage growth in the program.

The Montessori program, in its 10th year, is for children in grades 1 through 6. It operates at Jefferson Elementary, 3612 S. Grand, and Balboa Elementary, 3010 W. Holyoke.

The program stresses children’s natural wonder about the world and their ability to teach themselves in a prepared environment.

Students work at their own pace under the direction of specially trained teachers.

Parents interested in enrolling their children in the program must attend one of two meetings Wednesday and Thursday at 7 p.m. at the district administration building, 200 N. Bernard.

In the past, demand for the program has outpaced the number of openings.

Students are selected randomly by lottery, although siblings of current students are guaranteed space.

The Montessori parents group wants the program to grow and encourages people to turn out for the meetings, said Jan Boal, president of Spokane Community Advocates for Montessori Curriculum.

“We need to have the numbers to show the district,” Boal said.

Most openings will be for first- and second-graders.

The district supports expanding the Montessori program as long as its cost stays equivalent to the rest of the district’s elementary program, said Associate Superintendent Cynthia Lambarth. Class sizes must be the same as regular classrooms, for example.

Another obstacle to growth is getting Montessori training for teachers, Lambarth said.

The district opened the first Montessori classroom in 1986 after a group of parents won school board approval.

By 2000, the parents group wants a central location housing a public Montessori preschool and 10 elementary classrooms, Boal said.

There now are seven classrooms in the two school buildings.

, DataTimes