Maitland Montessori School – Gets Final Approval


A landmark in downtown Maitland, the Maitland Montessori School was founded in the early 1960's. The School's mission is to provide a quality education for children ages 3 years old through 6th grade, based on the philosophies and methods developed by Dr. Maria Montessori. Maria Montessori was the first female physician in Italy who graduated from medical school in 1896, and later developed the first Montessori School.

In 1987, Adele Fondo, M. Ed. and Muriel Owens purchased the growing Maitland school and have served as co-directors ever since. Under the tutelage of Owens & Fondo the school has flourished. The co-directors are veterans of Montessori education both with extensive global teaching experience. In fact, they have educated teachers from every continent around the world.

Presently, they are providing teacher education at the Maitland School and since 1988 have trained more than 500 educators. In addition both Owens and Fondo have been correspondence lecturers through the Montessori St. Nicolas in London, England. Owens serves as a Board Member of the American Montessori Society and Fondo is a member of the Teacher Education Action Committee for the American Montessori Society.

Approximately 200 students are enrolled at their Maitland and Altamonte Springs campuses. The Maitland campus has grown substantially in number of students and currently plans are complete to begin construction this summer on a new 2 story classroom building. Bob Miller, President of R. Miller Architecture, Inc. in Winter Park designed the new facility. The co-director's vision is one that enhances the students' educational experience by providing a comfortable structure of residential scale and character.

The Maitland Montessori School promotes quality education and excellence in community service. In tandem with their daily classroom education students excel in community service projects. The list of projects completed over the years is diverse such as supporting an orphanage in Uganda, providing aid to Tsunami victims, and painting a giant alligator for the Winter Park Bank of America with proceeds to benefit the Winter Park Day Nursery.

Students who have graduated from Maitland Montessori are model citizens working in a variety of fields including physicians, engineers, attorneys, architects, scientists and more. The Montessori School is accredited with the Montessori Schools Accreditation Council as well as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The pre-school is accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

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