Virtual Event:
Teacher Leader Stories
Are you interested in learning more about what it means to open a community-embedded, micro Montessori school? Do you want to hear directly from current Teacher Leaders what their experiences were like? Teacher Leader Stories is held throughout the school year to create this space. Here are some questions commonly covered during TL Stories events:
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When did you start dreaming about your school, and why did you partner with Wildflower? What makes your experience and or your school unique?
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During your Startup Journey, what was a challenge you faced and overcame?
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Frequently asked questions such as finding a Teacher Leader partner, identifying your facility, and student recruitment.
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Upcoming Event
We invite you to join us for the October Teacher Leader Stories event, featuring Brandi Allen and Kati McClurg who founded the first Wildflower schools in Utah and Florida, respectively. Discover how passionate Teacher Leaders can create community-centered Wildflower schools anywhere, as they share their journeys and insights on Thursday, October 24 at 6:30 PM EST.
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About Teacher Leader Stories:
Wildflower’s Teacher Leader Stories events bring together current school leaders with those interested in starting their own schools. This month’s featured schools and leaders are:
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Pinyon Montessori (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Founded by Brandi Allen, Chip Reichanadter, and Margaret McDonald, Pinyon Montessori (@pinyonmontessori) is Utah's first Wildflower school, committed to expanding access to Montessori education for families of all income levels and fostering strong connections within the community. Pinyon serves primary and elementary students in partnership with a low-income housing development.
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Rain Lily Montessori (Fernandina Beach, Florida)
Led by Kati McClurg and Tania Castro, Rain Lily Montessori (@rainlilymontessori) is Florida’s first Wildflower school. Serving primary-aged children, the school focuses on place-based education, accessibility, and nature exploration in a small coastal community. Rain Lily also emphasizes social justice and peace education, earning American Montessori Society (AMS)’s Ursula Thrush Peace Seed Grant for its efforts.
Join us for an engaging discussion with these school leaders!
Teacher Leader Stories Highlights
"This is a journey. You will learn about yourself a lot more than you thought you ever would - your limits as well as your breakthroughs."
Lixue Tu
Wisteria Montessori
Haverhill, MA
"We committed to not chasing families. Your school will connect with those it needs to connect with, and you have to trust that connection."
Sara Gensic
Alyssum Montessori
Fort Wayne, IN
"Figure out your 'why' and share that with the families in detail. This was very important for us because we had to market our school without yet having a campus. Like-minded families became a part of our community."
Alejandra Tryon
The Dahlia School of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
"Thank you so much for hosting this Wildflower Teacher Leader Stories event. I walked away way more knowledgeable, excited, and grateful to meet such grounded Montessorians doing the work. It also gave me a much clearer understanding of the process to making Wildflower schools become reality."
September, 2023