Chris Noel

Children in Montessori programs spend three years in the same prepared environment with the same teacher, in groupings that line up with stages that Dr. Maria Montessori called planes of development. At MSSA, the early childhood years that we call the Primary Level (3 – 6) correspond with the second half of the first plane … Read more

by Josh Duelm What I love about our middle school is that we are The Bridge.  We retain the unique Montessori instructional methods of UE, such as the extended 90 minute work time, hands-on activities, and student choice while helping students prepare for the rigors of high school. As a result, students graduate eighth grade … Read more

In the Primary lesson, the focus is on our five voices, matching the beat while playing instruments, and identifying what we hear when listening to music.  Our five voices are singing voice, talking voice, whisper voice, brain voice (inner hearing), and calling voice. Starting in Full Day Primary and through Upper Elementary we follow the … Read more

From the moment a child enters MSSA, practical life skills are taught. For example, in Primary students learn how to fold clothing, wash dishes, and sew. In LE students learn about pet care and care of the environment, and in UE students learn how to prepare food and continue caring for a classroom pet. Yesterday … Read more

The MSSA cross country team finished up the season last weekend at the ISAL district meet! The kids have continually improved week over week, and their hard work and dedication were evident at the district meet. Nearly every athlete ran a personal best time over the 2-mile course, and we even had a podium finish for Kate, … Read more

Middle School is a special time at MSSA as students move into adolescence and take on more responsibilities and challenges in their personal and academic lives. Our Middle School Advisory Program is designed to aid our students during this developmental period and support and nurture them as they grow.  Advisory groups in Middle School are a mix … Read more

At the start of the season, our third and fourth-grade team came in with an array of skills, strengths, and knowledge of the game. With such a range in talent, the focus was to form unity and give us the common goal of teamwork. Throughout the season, they have managed to further their strengths as … Read more

Did you know that all the faculty at MSSA complete at least 15 hours of professional development a year? Many complete more than 15 hours of professional development, including attending classes, workshops, webinars, and professional reading. It’s important for our community of adult learners to “practice what we preach” as education is not a static … Read more

by Coach Shannon Pettit For many students on the first and second-grade soccer team, this is their first time playing on a competitive team, while others have come to us with more experience. The range in skill sets means really finding the strengths each player brings to the team and putting each child in a … Read more