Back in February, when I visited an information session for Montessori For All, I was impressed by their unique model: Montessori education at a free, public charter school. (Read more in this earlier post.) Both Austin and San Antonio have thriving communities of charter schools, but they are nearly all private schools, and so the cost is out of reach for many families.
Montessori For All founder Sara Cotner is applying for a charter this year (Generation 18), with plans to open on Austin’s East Side in 2014 and San Antonio in 2016. (The San Antonio branch will be dubbed Redbud Montessori For All.) There are significant start-up costs associated with applying for a charter; fortunately, Montessori For All has recently received a $100,000 grant from Next Generation Learning Challenges. “Austin’s First Montessori School Receives $100k Grant”, Kate McGee, KUT News, July 24, 2013.
If you have kids age four or younger, I encourage you to fill out the pre-enrollment form to stay up to date with the school’s progress.
Looking for more ways to help? Order a copy of “Kids in the Kitchen”, a kids’ cookbook based on Montessori principles; proceeds help cover startup costs for Montessori for All. Also, please visit the Montessori for All Facebook page to express your support for free Montessori education in San Antonio.
