Alumni
Portrait of a Graduate
Parents of children who are starting out in a Montessori program are often curious about what they can expect their child to accomplish during their time in a Montessori Primary Class. The possibilities are endless. Varna, Matthew, Karishma and Ethan finished their time at THE SPRINGS in June 2011 and have moved on to elementary school. They provide great examples of Montessori educations.
Varna, Mrs. Hodge’s Class
Varna was 2 ½ years old when she started at The Springs. She spent four years in Mrs. Hodge’s class. She quickly became a good role model for all children in the classroom. She is very polite, always follows direction and is very gentle with the younger children as she helps them in the classroom. She enjoys mathematics, culture and story writing with illustration. “I enjoy afternoon reading time because books are non-fiction,” Varna said. Her favorite activities at home are painting and mathematics, especially division and problem solving. Varna also loves to sing. She sings different songs with a clear and artistic voice, and music class has been one of her favorite things at The Springs. She also loved Mrs. Hodge’s pretend trips to different countries because she likes learning about different cultures and foods. Varna told her teachers, “I want to become a chef and make exotic food with colorful decoration.”
Varna will attend Forestdale Elementary School in Springfield. She also plans to enroll in violin and soccer classes. She said that she will miss The Springs and would love to come back and visit.
Matthew, Ms. Rita’s Class
Matthew started at The Springs when he was 3 years old. He was shy and quiet when he first came to the school. After a year in the Montessori environment, he became a leader and a quick learner. Matthew told Ms. Rita that he loves all the activities in the Montessori classroom, especially geography, science and math. Matthew has finished all the maps and all the chains. He also enjoyed different science themes every month and even helped his class build an ant farm. When asked about his personality, he replied, “I am nice, polite and friendly to everyone.” If you ask Matthew what he wants to be when he grows up, he will tell you that he wants to be the next President of the United States because he knows how to be a good role model for the country.
Matthew and his family are moving to South Korea and he will continue his schooling at the Seoul American Elementary School. He is very excited for this new adventure!
Karishma, Ms. Cindy’s Class
Karishma has been a student at The Springs since February 2009. At first, she really enjoyed pin punching and polishing. However, after completing Kindergarten, she said the Multiplication Board and Stamp Game were two of her biggest accomplishments that made her feel especially proud. She also enjoyed learning about and celebrating all the
holidays. Karishma said that in addition to work she really enjoyed the goldfish snack and the meatball lunch at school. She likes the color red because it makes her feel happy and warm. When asked what she would miss the most she stated, “That’s easy, Ms. Cindy.”
Karishma has big plans for her future. She wants to be professional basketball player when she grows up. She will also work at and take over her parents business someday. In the meantime, Karishma said she will continue to write stories and listen to jazz music with her family. She will be attending elementary school at Holmes Run Montessori School.
Ethan, Ms. Leticia’s Class
Ethan started school at The Springs when he was 3 years old. 
He especially enjoyed reading, writing stories, problem solving and drawing the flags of different countries. Ethan was always willing to take part in every classroom activity. He likes to express himself through art and with words. Ethan frequently said, “Ms. Leticia, this work is easy for me. I need more challenging work.” Ethan is self-confident, has excellent manners, a good sense of humor and shows pride in his family. He is very sociable and enjoys performing special classroom duties. Regardless of how busy Ethan was he always had time to help his friends finish their work. He likes to play soccer and he really enjoys his ice skating class. Ethan is currently on the waiting list for the Spanish Immersion program at Rose Hill Elementary. Otherwise, he will attend Garfield Elementary School in Springfield.