School Sup’t. Proposes Montessori Compromise

— by Margie Doyle —

At the end of the public hearing session of the June 18 meeting of the Orcas Island School District Board, Chair Janet Brownell thanked all the concerned parents and neighbors who spoke to urge the school to keep, and expand, the Montessori classroom.

“[It illustrates] the reason why you should show up for school board meetings — it’s hard for [the school board] and [Sup’t Eric Webb] and even the principals to know what you’re thinking. School board meetings are so important because [it impact the] kids that we all care about.”

She also praised Superintendent Webb for working with the supporters of the Montessori classes in the public school system.

After the public outcry regarding the immediate suspension of the grades 1-4 Montessori classroom at the May 24 meeting  Webb had proposed that:

“Martha [Inch] will serve as Montessori teacher for students in grades 1, 2, & 3, as she has over the past 15 years. At the end of the year [in June 2019], Martha’s request will be honored and she will be transferred into OASIS.”

Webb then proposed the following structure for Orcas Elementary School:

2019-2020
Montessori
“Montessori will become a stand-along program under ALE within the Orcas Island Public School District for the 2019-20 school year and beyond.

“A complete transition plan will be developed and executed over the next year by an appointed committee consisting of parents, teachers, and administrators. I am pleased to share that Martha Inch has offered to serve on this  committee and mentor the new Montessori teacher!

Elementary
“As we enter into a year of transitions (2018-19), I will support the elementary students with an additional teaching position. This new position will allow  us to continue to include first graders in Martha’s Montessori class and reduce class sizes overall.

“The class configurations for 2018-2019 are as follows:

Kindergarten
1st/2nd
1st/2nd
1st/2nd/3rd Montessori
3rd/4th
3rd/4th
4th/5th
4th/5th

“Additional support will be provided to the Elementary students in the form of a .6 FTE Math Interventionist. The Math Interventionist will provide support to students in an effort to close the achievement gap in math and support the District’s Problem of Practice. (Additional FTE will be provided to the MS/HS for math support as well.)

2019-20
District Wide

• The elementary music program will move into their new building
• English Learners will move out of the modular building and into the elementary building
• Montessori will move into the modular building as a stand-alone ALE program
• The Old Gym will be renovated with classroom space on the stage for drama and yoga
• Students, staff, and community will enjoy a new track.”

Public Comments
The bulk of the June 18 special meeting was devoted to parents urging the board to work with them and the administration on solutions

Parent Jami Donatuto pressed for a systematic study to achieve a “Long-term viable solution; a yearlong study to integrate Montessori into the school, a non biased researched base road map.”She also encouraged the board to interview staff singly and with the promise of anonymity” to find out how they really feel.”

Parents advocated for more options for students and a focus on the students.The proposal to house Montessori classes in the Modular building was regarded as isolating students and promoting concepts of exclusivity.

The benefits of Montessori learning were cited as “freedom to explore,” “accolades from deep within,” “parent involvement” and “actively engaging in materials vs. sitting at a desk, learning from instructors.”

Parents reiterated their commitment to finding a solution to continue Montessori and work with parents and community. One parent said, “The perceptions of exclusivity and morale observed at last meeting are not the fault of Montessori; we hope it won’t be a scapegoat.”

Another parent said,”Isolation, superiority — we don’t want that as part of our culture, absolutely, Let’s fix those problems not just sidestep them.”

The possibility for “co-existence of Montessori and Mainstream classrooms” was addressed alongside hopes for a strategic plan to integrate Montessori further into the public school. Such a plan would define the process, “look at data, and have interviews to find the best solution to this problem.”

Parents whose children were in both the traditional program and the Montessori classroom spoke of the benefits of both streams of education. One parent spoke to the changes in administration between 2013-2018, citing the two superintendents and four principals and many staff changes during those years: “the one consistent thread was the Montessori 1-2-3 program.” She also spoke of the desire previously expressed to the school board in expanding the Montessori into 4-5-6 grades.

The success of the Montessori program in giving educational choices and attracting families to the Orcas Island School District was noted by several speakers.

The school board then began the discussion of Webb’s recommendations and community input. Superintendent Webb said that the OASIS Alternative Learning Experience (ALE) program under the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction offered more choices for continuing Montessori education at the Orcas Elementary School. If not a part of ALE, the program could grow into a “class in the elementary building or another building, or as a stand-alone school.

“In order to keep the program going, we have to bring in the first graders, and that allows a year-long discussion,” Webb said. He advised a committee to answer questions and address concerns so that “we may have the best possible school.”

Montessori students will “still have access to special classes, as we offer them to private schools on the island,” said Webb. “We all want successful students, and successful programs

“Location seems to be an issue,” Webb continued, saying that he felt the modular building across from the north end of the Nellie Milton building was a good choice, when considering its natural light and inclusion of an office within the building.

He also discussed current Montessori teacher Martha Inch’s willingness to be a mentor to “whichever teacher takes on the Montessori classroom going forward,.

“There’s a lot of details to work out: that’s why we need a year to do that.”

Webb encouraged the board to select a committee to conduct the study by September, and an additional committee to assist Martha Inch in the selection of a teacher to take up the duties of the Montessori classroom. Fund-raising, student selection and size of a Montessori program are all concerns that will need to be addressed. “That’s the challenge,” said Webb.