MONTESSORI LEARNING COMMUNITY OF ASHEVILLE
Our Story
About
The Montessori Learning Community of Asheville provides students with a creative and comfortable learning atmosphere. Our school has been shaping students’ minds since 1981. We are privileged to teach over 100 children daily across two locations, and our staff are committed educators that understand the life of a child as an infinite and unique door into the child's soul, gifts and expressions.
Mission
MLC aims to provide safe, positive and developmentally appropriate educational experiences that reinforce a child’s natural curiosity, determination, enthusiasm and sense of self in our society and world.
Vision
We encourage the acceptance of all creeds, religions, countries of origin, abilities and disabilities, ages, and beliefs.
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The Montessori method helps the child to help her or himself, to interact with a structured learning environment, which is self-correcting, and takes advantage of a child’s natural sensitive periods.
We strive to help children become flexible, open-minded and prepared for the future that lies ahead of them. Our philosophy embraces a respect and love of nature and the world around us, as well as a respect of self and others.
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Montessori’s philosophy also respects and understands a child’s need for spirituality.
History
1981
1986
1991
Montessori Learning Center at All Soul’s Parish in Biltmore, Asheville.
Victoria Robertson became head of the school in January. Enrollment was 24 students, ages 2 ½ to 5 years old. There were three employees.
Over the next four years, enrollment increased to 40. A Toddler Program was introduced. There were five teachers. Special needs children were admitted to the school with the help of the Mainstreaming of Area Preschoolers Program (MAPS) and the Foster Grandparents Program.
MLC moved from All Soul’s Parish (which became Cathedral of All Souls), and was fortunate to land at St. George’s Episcopal in West Asheville, the school’s present location. St. George’s helped substantially to finance the improvements necessary for licensing, with Father Clem Gunn as minister. The Toddler Program was first housed in the upstairs Parish Hall, and the children played in the Memorial Garden courtyard, and a small playground (1/3 the size of the current one).
1998
In May, the Parish was renovated and the entire MLC program moved downstairs, to share one level, in its present area. The Kindergarten class moved into the old kitchen. Toddlers moved into the old dining hall. Three-year-olds moved to the old Kindergarten room.
In July, the school received a grant for a new playground, designed by parent Mary Weber along with staff, parents and children of MLC. This grant of $29,000 plus $1000 from alumni parents paid for a new play space three times as big as the previous one, with a sand box, raised garden beds, butterfly garden, swings and play structure. Three shade trees, in addition to an existing Bradford Pear and Dogwood were planted, and an 80% shade cloth was suspended over the sandbox.
2012
Our playground received a considerable overhaul. New mulch, sand, raised garden beds and woodworking shed was added to our playground thanks to the CMR Memorial fund and parent fundraising. We were able to get a composter thanks to the fundraising of 2011-2012 students. We also received $500 from POEMS (Preschool Outdoor Environment Measurement Scale.) With this we build a raised platform and tree bench. Also a wood coin succulent garden and bamboo sun barrier was added to the sandbox. In August and September, the hallway and Toddler room floors were renovated. St. George’s roofing and guttering was replaced and new ground drains were installed to improve water drainage around the building.
2013
We continued work on our playground with new benches, roll-up sandbox cover and shape platforms. Thanks to the hard work by staff, the Wayman family and other generous volunteers we now have an outdoor garden classroom, which is a beautiful work in progress.
2015
After 42 years of teaching young children Ms. Victoria decided to step out of the teaching position. She passed the directorial reins over to Caitlin Thomas, who had been an active Deputy Director for 3 years prior as well as teaching at MLC since 2009. Victoria assures us she will not be a stranger and will participate on the Board of Directors for the School's non-profit.