Ridgeline Montessori Public Charter School opened in Fall 2000 with a single lower-elementary classroom with grades 1–3. We grew over the years, adding students and grade levels, including kindergarten and middle school. In fall 2004 we enrolled 170 children and offered the full K–8 program our founders envisioned. Ridgeline now serves about 200 students, and the school is thriving. Our original home was the former Frances Willard Elementary School in South Eugene, where we have enjoyed use of the property’s large playgrounds and playing fields, along with one of the nicest gymnasiums in town. We've also appreciated the small covered outdoor play area, the ample garden space, and the availability of a kitchen, cafeteria, and stage. Sadly, a campus fire destroyed our main classroom building during summer vacation in 2009. Three classrooms remained at Willard, and we relocated a little more than half of our school to the former Dunn School campus, within a mile from the Willard site. In April 2011 Board President Ellen Wojahn announced that the Willard classes and offices would soon face a one-mile move, and in July we were reunited. The Dunn campus will house all of our school during the 2011–2012 academic year. We are thrilled to be together again on one campus, and we continue to seek a permanent, one-home site. Operating a young school such as ours requires many hands and hearts, but the effort shows every day. Our children are learning in happy, industrious classrooms that are rich in materials and experiences. Our experienced, Montessori-trained teachers demonstrate their commitment in the long hours they devote to creating the learning environment, and in their standing availability for parent questions and concerns. Teachers Cheri, Eric, Emily, Diana, Paula, Faith, Sarah, and Jon deserve the lion’s share of the credit for what Ridgeline is today, but we couldn’t get far without the leadership of Executive Director Chrystell Reed. We also have instructional assistants in each classroom who bring their own Montessori experience and wisdom to each child. And we can’t forget our specialists in music, Spanish, and PE! They are gems—people with whom the kids have genuinely bonded. The magic that is Montessori proves itself powerful each year, without fail. Even new students who have no previous experience with the Montessori method have quickly grasped their responsibilities as learners. Parents say their kids are eager to get to school and start on their work. Teachers report that their students become so engrossed in what they’re doing that sometimes even recess seems like an interruption. This wonderful school is, like every school, a work in progress. Questions abound: Can we continue to grow? Are there new ways to enrich the learning experience for our students? But this much is certain: Ridgeline Montessori will be all that our committed community—parents, students, and staff—is willing to make of it. As long as we have an excellent staff, and families who share their time, talents, and treasures with us, we know we will continue to offer one of the best public Montessori programs available anywhere. |
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About Ridgeline |