Milwaukee Board of School Directors Approves Montessori Strategic Plan
Now that the Plan has been adopted, the Montessori Advisory Committee will begin to coordinate and implement the plan.
MILWAUKEE, WI – The Milwaukee Board of School Directors approved a district-wide strategic plan for Montessori education Thursday evening during its regular monthly meeting.
The new Montessori Strategic Plan (MSP) outlines a clear strategy to support and expand Montessori education within Milwaukee Public Schools, while reversing the trends of decreasing enrollment and revenue. The Plan was created by the district’s Montessori Advisory Committee (MAC), which was created in October 2018 after approval of Resolution 1819R-004 by Directors Larry Miller and Tony Baez. The MAC includes parents, school faculty, and community partners who have been focused on facilities, enrollment and expansion; staffing and leadership; and curriculum and evaluation.
The newly adopted Montessori Strategic Plan includes the following recommendations
- the adoption of Montessori Essential Elements;
- hiring of a Montessori Coordinator;
- implementation of a new teacher certification pathways;
- creation of and adolescent teacher certification; and
- expansion of program opportunities.
The recommendations could be completed by 2024.
“Milwaukee Public Schools has been a nation leader in public Montessori education,” said Larry Miller, Board Vice-President. “This Plan will ensure that high-quality Montessori education is available to Milwaukee Public Schools students for years to come.”
Now that the Plan has been adopted, the Montessori Advisory Committee will begin to coordinate and implement the plan.
“I’d like to thank all of the parents, MPS staff members, and community partners for their efforts in creating this plan,” said Miller. Many partners were instrumental in the crafting of the plan, including, but not limited to the Wisconsin Montessori Association and the Montessori Institute of Milwaukee.
For more information regarding the Montessori Advisory Council, please call Deputy Superintendent Chris Hauser at 414-475-8834
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
Let’s do it right. Rushing the program growth is no help to the children nor the effectiveness of the program overall. I taught at Craig Montessori for ten years and know the solid program that developed there with phased in growth. Then we need continued support which has not always been the case. Also, listening to Montessori professionals about the negative effects of standardized tests is an issue that has not been faced directly.
Any program works when it is done the way it is designed to be done. Montessori trained personnel at all levels at the schools are essential.