HARTSVILLE, SC – This fall, parents in the greater Hartsville area will have a new option for educating their young children. The Montessori Day Academy of Hartsville (MDAH) plans to open its doors at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church in August, with classes running from 8 am to 2:30 pm and extended care until 5:30 pm. For parents needing early drop off, this service is also available. Since open enrollment began in early February, the Academy boasts 75% enrollment, with one slot being available for infants ages six months to one year and four slots each available for toddlers ages one to three and for students age three to six-years-old in the early childhood class.
A native of Hartsville, administrator Terie Rousseau and her husband Bob moved to Hartsville last year from Naples, Florida where she had been teaching at Florida Gulf Coast University and Arizona State University. “While living in Naples, Florida, we were exposed to the Montessori Method of learning and were ready to enroll our daughter when we moved here, but the closest Montessori schools are in Camden and Florence. After talking to other parents and educators in the community, I quickly came to realize that opening a Montessori school here in Hartsville was my purpose and I am committed 100% to the academy and this community,” says Rousseau.
The Montessori Method emphasizes multiage learning in peer groups, whole-body learning, and most importantly, putting wonder and discovery in the hands of the students. MDAH is an education institution, not a daycare; lead teachers above infant level are required to have, at the minimum, bachelor’s degrees. Lead teachers are also Montessori certified, which means they undergo 400-500 contact hours and an on-site internship evaluated by Montessori professionals. Unique to MDAH is all assistant teachers will possess Basic Montessori Foundation and Principles training.
South Carolina has the most registered Montessori schools in the country and MDAH’s tuition is $150 less per year than the average private Montessori school in South Carolina. If you would like more information about MDAH, please email MontessoriHartsville@outlook.com or visit www.montessorihartsville.com.