Messiah Montessori Combines Academics and Spirituality

publication date: Jun 23, 2008

 | 

author/source: Jamie Woodhead / STAFF

By Jamie Woodhead / STAFF

Messiah Montessori School’s new building inauguration on June 21 began in true Montessori fashion. After the Board of Directors cut the ribbon signifying the school’s opening, the students cut a second ribbon and got to take a piece of the ribbon home with them, representing the Montessori philosophy of students taking a hands-on approach to their education.

But Messiah Montessori is not your every-day Montessori school. The school adds a Christian sense to education. It is not a religious school, but there is an added atmosphere of spirituality not typically found at Montessori schools. Messiah’s founder and director, Andi Hardy Jory, stated the school is based on three ideas.

“First and most importantly, we offer quality education. Second is the idea of family. We want our students to feel at home and be comfortable here, and we also encourage parents to participate in their children’s education. Third is the aspect of spirituality.”

Jory is so passionate about the school that she became emotional many times at the inauguration when she spoke about how special the school is to her. Jory’s dream began in 2005 when Messiah Montessori opened in a church. As her dream and the size of the school grew, she realized that she needed to find a larger campus. The school’s new location off of Hickory Flat Highway in Woodstock was the answer.

“I have a passion for kids and providing them with learning,” she explained, and the new campus will allow her to do just that.
Maria Acosta is proud to be a teacher at Messiah; just don’t call her a teacher.

“Montessori has different approaches. We are not teachers, we are directors and directresses,” Acosta said. “We are guiding a child through daily activities. We are helping them with the simple things that increase their knowledge and build their skills for the future.”

Carrie Willbur, whose six-year-old daughter attends Messiah, described her feelings of the school by stating, “It’s hard to put into words how I care for this school. The kids want to come here and learn. The materials are the students’. It’s their classroom, and they take pride in it.”

Messiah Montessori hopes that close to one hundred students will attend in the fall. Jory’s ulimate goal is “to provide the best education for kids. Hopefully, as we grow we can go all the way up to high school. We just want to nurture students in academics and sprirituality. We want to help develop their total self.”

Currently, Messiah Montessori offers programs for children ages one to twelve. For more information call 678-977-6501 or visit www.messiahmontessori.org.