Who we are

The Snake River Montessori School is a non-profit, non-religion affiliated school that offers preschool, all day kindergarten, lower and upper elementary education (1st - 6th grades) based on Dr. Maria Montessori's teaching philosophy.

History of the School

Established in 1989 by Jill Schurman and Barbara Turner, the Montessori Place was one of the first Montessori schools in southeastern Idaho. It was housed in the First Congregational Church. As it grew, it was obvious that the school needed a new space and a new organizational structure. The Snake River Montessori School was formed in 1996 as a non-profit organization. With the help of many dedicated parents, the current building was built in 2000 and expanded in 2003. We now have nine certified teachers and eight staff members. To date we have had 91 graduates from the 6th year elementary program.

What we do

A Montessori education is characterized by an emphasis on independence, freedom within limits, and respect for a child's natural psychological development, as well as technological advancements in society. This teaching concept was developed by Italian physician and educator Maria Montessori more than 100 years ago. Dr. Montessori determined that children essentially taught themselves by absorbing information from their environment, and she believed that by preparing the proper environment, even children from disadvantaged circumstances could succeed.

When you visit, you will see:

Mixed age classrooms,

Students choosing activities within a prescribed range of options,

Uninterrupted blocks of work time,

A discovery model, where students learn concepts from working with materials rather than by direct instruction,

Specialized educational materials developed by Dr. Montessori and her collaborators,

Special individual attention to each student.

Why Montessori?

Children spend three years in the same classroom with the same Montessori teacher,

Once a child is adapted to the classroom environment, he/she feels secure and comfortable and is able to concentrate on learning,

Due to the long-term relationship and daily observations, the teacher truly understands the individual child's strengths and weaknesses,

The teacher guides each child based upon individual differences,

Hands - on Learning

Integrated Curriculum