About the Montessori School of Evergreen

Mission Statement

Montessori School of Evergreen provides a nurturing educational environment in which children and adolescents explore, learn, and flourish. We promote academic excellence, encouraging students to follow their interests and passions, to develop a love of learning, to respect themselves, others and the environment, and to achieve their potential.

Our mountain school community fosters the self-worth, self-reliance and self-discipline. Our students thrive individually and collectively, contributing their unique gifts to the world. In this endeavor, we recognize and value the strength and commitment of our students, parents and faculty.

Children gain from their education at Montessori School of Evergreen a love of learning and positive attitude toward school and work, strong academic and life skills, self-confidence, independence, creativity, self-discipline, respect for themselves, others and the environment, and the ability to work together, cooperate and share a community spirit. From an early age, caring for others is emphasized and children at the school take part in activities helping their local and global communities through dedicated service and fundraising.

About the School

"Free the child's potential and you will transform both the child and the world." -Dr. Maria Montessori

Our school seeks to meet the needs of the whole child -- intellectual, physical, social and emotional -- while providing an enriched environment that entices the child to learn and develop his strengths. We want to nurture life long learners who have the tools to succeed in our society and the desire to make the world a better place. In our three attractive and well-furnished buildings, children at Montessori School of Evergreen have the opportunity to learn, whenever possible at their own pace, and follow their interests.

In accordance with the Montessori philosophy, our school has children of mixed ages in each classroom -- 2.5 to 6-year-olds in the primary environments, 6 to 9-year-olds in the lower elementary classes, 9 to 11-year-olds in the upper elementary classes and 11 to 14-year-olds in the middle school. Many students start in the program as preschoolers and continue at the school through eighth grade. We highly recommend that families enrolling young children plan to keep their child at the school at least through the extended day (kindergarten) year.

At Montessori School of Evergreen we strive to be "user-friendly" and provide parents with support and information that will help them meet the needs of their children. We attract parents who value quality education and who make the education of their children in and beyond the classroom a top priority. We are committed to always maintaining a positive approach when working with parents and students. When we find that a child is not thriving in our school environment we work with the family to make changes together to help the child. If we feel we cannot meet a child's needs, we advise the parents to find a school better suited for their child's learning style.

Montessori Philosophy

Education is a preparation for life, not a search for intellectual skills. The child has one intuitive aim in his self-development. He wants to develop his inner resources and his ability to cope with a strange, complex world. The child who accomplishes this moves into harmony with this world and becomes a full person.

Montessori tells us that the only really important thing in education is to teach the student how to learn. The motivation for learning must come from within the child. Human beings are born with the desire to know, the urge to explore, and the need to master their environment - in short, to achieve.

Thus, the learning environment is carefully prepared to train the senses, to stimulate curiosity, to satisfy the child's need-to-know and to protect him from unnecessary failure.

The philosophy of the Montessori approach is based on the belief in the personal dignity of each child. Because the child is a person, he must be respected. He must have worthwhile tasks to pursue and be involved in an atmosphere of respect for himself and others. He must have freedom to choose the interests he is most ready to develop. Through these experiences the child will develop into an adult who can function independently and maturely in society. The Montessori "prepared environment" is specifically designed to meet the child's needs and foster confidence and competence.

When the children have completed a Montessori program, we hope they will have developed self-discipline, self-knowledge and independence, as well as enthusiasm for learning. They should have an organized approach to problem solving and, finally, basic academic skills. These are long-range goals and can best be achieved over several years in a Montessori program.

"Dr. Maria Montessori believed that no human being is educated by another person. He must do it himself or it will never be done. A truly educated individual continues learning long after the hours and years he spends in the classroom because he is motivated from within by a natural curiosity and love for knowledge. Dr. Montessori felt, therefore, that the goal of education should not be to fill the child with facts from a preselected course of studies, but rather to cultivate his own natural desire to learn."

quote taken from "Montessori: Revolution in Education" E.M. Standing

The Goals of a Montessori Program

Children at all levels gain from their education at Montessori School of Evergreen a love of learning and positive attitude toward school and work, strong academic and life skills, self-confidence, independence, creativity, self-discipline, respect for themselves, others and the environment, and the ability to work together, cooperate and share a community spirit. From an early age, caring for others is emphasized and children at the school take part in activities to help their local and global communities through service and fundraising projects.

The Montessori Faculty

The faculty of the school has been carefully chosen, first and foremost for their qualities as fine human beings who can be outstanding role models for your children. They must not only be able to relate to and understand the children, but also have a love of learning and for the curriculum that they offer to their students. They are excited to learn along with their students. All teachers have at least a four year college degree and the appropriate Montessori teacher certification from the Association Montessori Internationale or the American Montessori Society. The school director, Betsy Hoke, initially was certified as a secondary English teacher, but decided to pursue her Montessori training at the primary level. She has taught children ages 2.5 - 6 and served as a school administrator since completing her Montessori training in London in 1973.

List of faculty members

Faculty profiles

The History of the School

The school, established in 1977 as a preschool, was founded by a Montessori teacher with two young children who hired Betsy Hoke, the current director, as a teacher/administrator in 1980. When the original owner's children outgrew the program, she sold it to Betsy. Gradually, because of parent demand, the school added kindergarten, elementary and finally, middle school levels. In December of 2005, the school transitioned to a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) led by a Board of Directors with Betsy Hoke continuing as Head of School. Currently serving children from as far away as Lookout Mountain and Bailey, Montessori School of Evergreen has grown to over 320 students and has built a national reputation as an outstanding Montessori program.

Parent Involvement

A series of workshops is presented throughout the year to acquaint parents with the faculty and the Montessori philosophy and curriculum. The teachers and director are always available for consultation. Conferences are scheduled at least twice a year and parents are encouraged to observe. The school has always been enriched by the support of the parent community who give many hours of volunteer time to the school. A variety of opportunities exist for parents to help in ways that are of interest to them.

Financial Aid

Funds are available for financial assistance through the school. Applicants for aid must prove financial need.