The Wauwatosa School District is examining the idea of creating a Montessori charter school or pilot program, but some School Board members say the District is moving too quickly when implementing charter schools.
Since 2007, the district has opened the Tosa School of Health Science and Technology and the Tosa School of the Trades.
Proponents say the schools draw people to the district. Do you agree with that? Or should the City slow down and consider the long-tem impact of charter schools? Let us know what you think in our forum.
(10) Read All ResponsesMontessori schools are popular and provide a quality education. Some of the highest performing AND most popular schools in Milwaukee use the Montessori model. I hope the school board in Wauwatosa moves from their luke warm position and seriously considers providing this opportunity.
But why in Wauwatosa? What happened to G & T? No doubt Montessori schools provide a great education.....but at what price? And are they going to build a school to house the Montessori program? Wake up Tosa taxpayers...it's time to act before this Board takes us down the primrose path again.
crazyjeanne, what is G&T? And the planning for this has just started. As a matter of fact, some members of the Board are not for this idea. The School district would treat this as any other school. If the Montessori school is created, there would have to be grants and fundraising involved, just as with the current Charters schools. But, as I said, only one community meeting has occurred. There will be a grant application process involved, not to implement the school, but to have funding for the planning phase. I encourage any community members with suggestions, opinions and/or concerns, to attend the meetings, which are open to the public.
I read the report in the WauwatosaNOW today about discussions on this at the School Board meeting. I regret missing that meeting. Apparently, some School Board members do not have a clear idea of what Montessori is, or at what stage the talks are. And they are afraid the District is going too fast. They need to get a grip: talks about this just have started. The meetings with community members have demonstrated that there is interest. This is simply in a mere planning stage. Again, if people want to know more or express their opinions, they need to attend the meetings, which are open to the public. The District is not creating a pseudo-Montessori charter school and pushing it down the citizen's throats without their knowledge. There has not been a secret group planning this all along. The first meeting was really a FIRST. And, yes, from the 65 families that reside in Tosa and send their children to some form of private Montessori school, of course there is a lot of interest. But we have to remember, this does not only benefit them, but many other children whose parents may have an interest in Montessori but simply cannot afford it, as well as future students. I believe the TSST Charter started with room for 60 students. So 65+ families does not seem like a low number to me. I attempted to post here before and somehow my post was missing, so I guess I will try again...
The idea of a Montessori school sounds great, who can be against more opportunities in eductaion? However, where is the funding going to come from? Wauwatosa does not need to serve the need of 65 families who want this option. If the public school system is not what you want for your child, your option is to find a school that you are comfortable with. Its not up to the rest of society to pay for all your wants and needs for your children's education. If parents really want their child enrolled in a Montessori school, or any other alternative school, they may need to make personal financial sacrifices to achieve that goal.
This school is a done deal. If the sup. wants it, it will get done. Guess we'll focus on all of the kids behind in reading, writing, and math some other time.
I would love the idea of a Montessori track in the Wauwatosa School District. It would, however, need to be a complete educational track for the students. To apply the Montessori process to elementary school students and then thrust them into a middle or high school program where the student fails because they wear the wrong color socks to gym (and yes, I know a young man who endured that logic), all of the early 'atta boys' can be wiped out pretty quickly. I pray that the great kids coming out of the Wilson Charter program are sufficiently supported and challenged with the tracks they will have foisted upon them.
Kari, the funding would come from grants. Right now, there is a process in place to apply for a grant to fund the planning stage. The funding from the other charter schools come from grants and fundraisers the schools have done. It will not come from the district.
Sure, why not? The more good schools in a town the better