Traverse City Record-Eagle

Opinion

February 22, 2012

TCAPS gives parents one more Montessori option

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East-side Traverse City schools families and students are finally going to get easier access to a Montessori program, a good move for parents seeking options for their kids and the district.

The district has announced that Courtade Elementary School will host a new Montessori program this fall for students aged 3 to 8. The district is accepting student applications and will post openings for new teacher positions. Officials aren't sure how many students will enroll.

Courtade initially will offer a primary Montessori class for students 3 to 5 years old and a lower-elementary class for students 6 to 8. In 2013, the district hopes to extend classes to older students.

Courtade currently enrolls approximately 360 pre-K through fifth grade students. The additional Montessori classes will not impact Courtade's existing students or attendance boundaries.

The district had initially announced it would reopen Bertha Vos Elementary in Acme for both a Montessori program and an International Baccalaureate program.

They later said the two would not be a good mix in a single building because of the way the two programs grouped children by age and teacher criteria and IB guidelines.

It was important for the district to come through for east-side parents and ensure that this wasn't another false start. Parents looking for options for their children have created a waiting list for the district's sole Montessori program at the former Glenn Loomis elementary near downtown Traverse City, and east-side parents wanted more.

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