October 23, 2002
'Developing minds, souls'
Montessori school holds open house for new facility
By Carol South
Herald contributing writer
The three-year mission started rather unremarkably.
One evening in 1999, members of the Montessori Children's House and Elementary School's buildings and grounds committee searched for a flashlight in the basement of a building on the Grand Traverse Commons. They wanted to see if this building could work for their developing vision of a larger facility.
It didn't, but the quest was launched to create a space that would meet growing demands for an independent Montessori school in the area.
On Saturday, parents and teachers, staff and students gathered to celebrate the culmination of three years of planning, searching, fundraising, building and moving. The open house event featured tours of the school's new facility on North Long Lake Road, highlighted by magic and music, hot dogs and cold hands.
"We are here to celebrate the developing minds and developing souls of the children," said Greg Holmes, outgoing chair of the school's board of directors, before the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Parents wandered through the hallways and classrooms Saturday, often propelled by their eager children. Many marveled at the light, airy building bursting with interesting things to do. The open house also featured a magician, performances by members of the Suzuki music classes that meet at the school and snacks galore.
"This place rocks!," noted Tim Esser, father of Nicole Blakkan-Esser, 4, a Montessori preschooler always excited to come to school - even on a Saturday.
The new 30,000-square-foot facility features 11 classrooms, divided among toddler, preschool and elementary age children. The kitchen was designed as a classroom for primary age students. Once a week, these students help prepare lunch for the school; last week found them cutting up apples to make into applesauce.
The school also features a sixth-grade, with its sole member reflecting growing interest in upper level Montessori education among some of the school's parents.
Longtime Montessori teacher Nadine Elmgren said the new school building embodies the Montessori philosophy of developing the whole child.
"I think that it offers just a multitude of opportunities and experiences," Elmgren said. "For example, in the entryway last week there was an art show hung by a local artist. That artist is going to work with the elementary students and then they are going to be docents who show that work to primary students."
"There's something about this space that is very peaceful, there's a wonderful sense of tranquillity here," she noted.
Kim Hagerty has been a member of the Montessori family for nearly six years. Her daughter, Mia, 7, has been attending since she was 16 months old. Hagerty recalls that when Mia began attending the school was operating in multiple locations.
"I've been fortunate enough to watch it go from an operation that was fragmented and in rental spaces to this beautiful space," said Hagerty, incoming chair of the board. "This facility certainly guides and nurtures the individual."
The Montessori Children's House and Elementary School was founded 19 years ago by Gretchen Uhlinger and Colleen Christensen. Both mothers of young children at the time, they found a creaky Suttons Bay farmhouse to use as a school building and had 24 children enroll, ages 18 months to five years old. With rabbits and chickens and acres of land to explore, the school flourished. As it grew over the years, it relocated to Traverse City, where demand for an independent Montessori school continued to grow.
In fact, the demand outstripped the school board's strategic plan, which did not call for a new building for another two years. However, based on the community's interest, they decided to move their timetable up. The growing, viable elementary program provided additional motivation.
"This building allows us to operate as a functional, healthy community," said Uhlinger, founding head of the school. "It really speaks to the wholeness of a human being and lets children find their areas of strength and build from that."
The property on North Long Lake Road was ideal for their facility, Uhlinger noted. A former farm, the rural setting and beauty of the grounds are key to implementing the Montessori philosophy.
"We have this outdoor environment that is ready for us to construct gardens the kids can help plant and maintain," Uhlinger said. "There will be a maze that the children will help design and plant and a greenhouse is under construction."