New Discoveries Montessori Academy serves children in grades K-6. It is a public school open to anyone.

New Discoveries uses the Montessori philosophy as the core of its curriculum. Highly trained staff, stimulating classroom environments and manipulative materials allow children to explore and master their skills.

The school believes that through nurturing the development of each child, he or she will be given the tools to grow into an independent, responsible and compassionate life-long learner.

Montessori is a teaching methodology based on the natural learning process of children. Dr. Maria Montessori, an Italian physician, developed the method more than 100 years ago. Dr. Montessori used the term “the absorbent mind” to describe how a child learns in a comfortable and stimulating environment. Within such an environment, a child becomes absorbed in work, developing concentration, independence and self-discipline.

This philosophy also believes that children learn from one another and supports multi-age grouping. Grouping by ability and age is believed to improve relationships between students and allows the use of common learning objectives and expectations. It is also believed to improve peer culture, resulting in peer instruction, peer modeling and peer reinforcement.

The curriculum at New Discoveries is interdisciplinary subjects that are studied together, not in isolation. This integrated curriculum offers the child learning opportunities that result in a foundation in the core subject areas of language arts, social studies, science and math. The Montessori philosophy maintains that while the division of the world into these separate subjects is perhaps a convenient way to write about our work at school, it is not the way children experience them.

New Discoveries Montessori Academy is currently at the temporary location of the McLeod County Fairgrounds. Leaders hope to be moved into new facilities by the start of the 2008-2009 school year.