Our Mission is to create a structure that educates children, supports families and builds community.
Our Core Values are:
Christ Centered
We seek to live as Jesus taught us, by serving others without judgment, practicing grace and living by faith in the Son of God who loved us first. We welcome anyone from any tradition who wishes to be part of a community of grace.
High Quality Education
We want our children to have an excellent Montessori education that nurtures their intrinsic love of learning; let’s them develop at their own pace and instills respect for self and others.
Affordable
We strive to make tuition affordable for those families that value this unique educational model.
Inter-generational Community
We work to create opportunities that allow child, parent and grandparent generations to connect and enrich each other’s lives.
Service
We want our children to learn to give as well as receive; to grow through serving others.
The Montessori Philosophy
Our mixed age pre-K/Kindergarten classroom creates an ideal environment for children to engage in building their individual potential and explore academic and social pursuits. Our beautifully prepared environment and materials allow children to learn through hands-on materials that speak to their natural sense of curiosity.
The children will walk in and see materials on low shelves that they can choose to do independently which invoke a sense of wonder and allow for self-education. The school is fully equipped with the Montessori materials of Practical Life, Sensorial, Math, Language, Art, Science and Geography.
Our goal is to provide children the opportunities for independence and self-exploration. We allow children to dress themselves, clean up after themselves, and look to other for children for help when needed. With many different activities in the classroom available, there are opportunities for children to work individually or work together.
“It follows that the child can only develop fully by means of experience on his environment. We call such experience “work.” – Maria Montessori
Children learn through hands-on work; by exploring through play and purposeful activities which leave the child more energized than tired. We honor this exploration by calling it “work”, as play is the child’s work indeed. Our 2 1/2 free work time allows the child to follow their own intrinsic motivation toward work that ignites their senses and engage their soul. It is then that the child becomes centered which allows them to open up to the possibility of what they can achieve. Throughout the morning, teachers do individual lessons with children, small groups lessons, and observe the children’s work and choices which allows them to guide the children when necessary. Our goal to help the children discover a love of learning!
The children have unstructured playtime outside each day to explore the natural yard and to use time to run and play. The children use a sandbox, balance beam, nature, and their imaginations to create their playtime with friends.
Family Montessori is a non-profit organization that was developed by the vision of a parent who wished to have a Christian-based, affordable, Montessori education available to families in Lebanon. Through her work, she was able to secure many Montessori materials as well as a free place for school to begin and teachers to teach. Through the generosity of St. Patrick’s Church, Family Montessori was granted a temporary home for 2 years until the school was financially viable enough to rent the church’s space. The school is currently located at this space which is next door to St. Patrick’s Church. The school began in 2012 and continues to thrive.
The school is located at 220 East Main Street, Lebanon, OH. 45036. We are next to St. Patrick’s Church at the corner of East and Main in downtown Lebanon OH.
Tina Evans is the Director of Family Montessori and the Lead Teacher for the 3-6 classroom. Tina has her Montessori credential from the Crescent Ridge Academy Teacher Education Program, previously Greater Cincinnati Center for Montessori Education (GCCME), and has taught for over 10 years in the 3-6 classroom. She is also on faculty at Crescent Ridge Academy teaching future, adult Montessori educators in the Teacher Education Program.
Tina and her husband John have 1 daughter and 2 sons. When she isn’t making Montessori materials, she can be found on the tennis court playing a match. She loves to read, take long vacations in the summer, and play games with her growing children and extended family.
Jennifer Cottle is a Teacher for the 3-6 classroom. Jenn has her Early Childhood Education degree from Miami University and has taught K-3rd grade. Jenn has become an honorary Montessorian after embracing the education at Family Montessori for over 7 years. She has fallen in love with the educational process as well as enjoying the unique opportunity to work with this age group.
Jenn and her husband, Darren, have three sons. She loves to keep up with friends over regular lunches, go biking on bike trails, and spend time with her three boys. At one point she has had 3 dogs, 2 birds, 1 rabbit, and 1 hermit crab. She loves spending time in Hilton Head with her family.
Our Board of Directors include:
- Mary Lasher
- Cortney Dale
- Elaine Jones
- Jaime Robeck
- John Evans