Specialties
Morning Star offers children unique learning experiences according to Dr. Maria Montessori's groundbreaking and progressive educational philosophy. The children are exposed to beautiful, handcrafted materials that teach peace education, geometry, geography, cursive handwriting, art history, botany and zoology, as well as skills in daily living, sensorial training, language development and mathematics. This expansive curriculum is presented in a multi-aged learning environment where children have the freedom to choose, and experienced, certified teachers to gently guide them.
History
Established in 1997.
Morning Star Children's Center began as Morning Star Montessori School in 1997 in the rural town of Petersburgh, NY. Our school originally had an elementary program as well as an early childhood program. In 2010 we moved the school to a newly renovated, brick townhouse located on the corner of 2nd and Liberty Streets. We changed our name to Morning Star Children's Center because we offer Mommy and Me classes, summer art camps and an early childhood Montessori program. Our present community of learners now consists of 18 children between the ages of three and six and four teachers.
Meet the Business Owner: Maryann M.
Maryann discovered the Montessori approach to learning thirty years ago when she was researching preschools for her children. What she found was a philosophy that challenges and empowers children, and a career that satisfied her passion for nurturing children's individuality and their natural desire to learn.
In 1997 she founded the Morning Star Montessori School in Petersburgh, New York. Determined to offer the best quality early childhood education to her community, she decided to close Morning Star Montessori after twelve years to work beside master Montessori teachers in a large school setting. For the next three years, Maryann served as a lead lower elementary teacher and intern at Woodland Hill Montessori in North Greenbush, NY.
In October 2011, the extensive renovations to 159 Second Street in Troy - the home of Morning Star Children's Center - were complete, and the first early childhood Montessori class consisting of eight children aged two through five began.