Company Description

Our founding committee has applied for charter authorization from the Montezuma-Cortez Re-1 School District in August of 2013. We hope to open our doors as a publicly funded Kindergarten through 8th grade program starting in the fall of 2014.

Vision:

The Children’s Kiva Montessori Charter School will provide a vibrant and engaging learning environment based on the teachings of Dr. Maria Montessori that supports all students’ academic excellence and ability to become empowered, creative, lifelong learners responsible for themselves, their community, and their environment.

Mission:

The Children’s Kiva Montessori Charter School uses authentic Montessori Methods, Community-Based educational approaches, and integrated academics (STEAM) to support student academic success, responsibility, and independence.

Guiding Principles:

The Children’s Kiva Montessori Charter School mentors, encourages, and guides children to become responsible, thoughtful, caring citizens through curriculum and practices that emphasize:

· Authentic Montessori methods

· Rigorous, integrated academics - project-based and Colorado Standards-based curriculum that integrates Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and the Arts (STEAM).

· Community-based approaches including field experiences in our rich local and global environments and close partnerships with families, community organizations, institutions, businesses, and higher education

· A whole child, whole school, whole community approach that embraces and enriches the talents and resources of our students, families, faculty, and community.

· A strong commitment to the remarkable cultural and ecological diversity of the Four Corners through inclusive practices in teaching, learning, hiring, and enrollment.

Students will achieve success, responsibility, self-reliance and empowerment in the following key areas:

· Language Arts and Mathematics

· Science, Technology, and Engineering

· Cultural Studies, Humanities and Spanish

· The Arts and Movement

· Character Development including personal, social, emotional skills

WHY MONTESSORI?
Longitudinal studies of Montessori education have found that Montessori students...
-have better academic and social skills than peers in non-Montessori classrooms
-are life-long learners -are self-disciplined and self-controlled
-have a greater understanding of truth and fairness
-are creative, especially in writing
-are more independent
-have stronger conceptual understandings in mathematics, grammar, and the sciences
-have deeper understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of humanities and the sciences
(Lillard
Science, 2006)
For more, see: http://weebly-file/2/1/8/8/21880172/montessori_education_provides_better_outcomes.docx
See also:
http://montessorimadness.com/Montessori_Madness%21/Videos.html
http://www.csmonitor.com/Innovation/Tech-Culture/2012/0831/Maria-Montessori-Is-the-Montessori-method-any-good