What Makes Phoenix Special?
- AMI based Montessori Program
- Small, intimate not-for-profit
- Directress with over 30 years of Montessori teaching experience
- Staff with many years of service, providing continuity for the children
- Bright, sunlit classrooms with complete “Nienhuis” Montessori materials for 3 – 6 year olds to use
- Spacious playground surrounded with beautiful gardens and trees
- Large deck for outdoor work and lunch when weather permits
- Tuition based on the 9 month school year with no extra month’s tuition required as a deposit
About the Phoenix Montessori School
The Phoenix Montessori school is a special place where children come to learn, explore, discover and create within a harmonious social community that truly reflects Maria Montessori’s vision and philosophy.
The Montessori environment, which has been carefully prepared to encourage children to work at their own pace and make their own choices, allows each individual to feel nurtured and supported as they develop independence, love of learning and responsibility for themselves in the classroom setting. It has been our goal since 1991 to provide this superior Montessori program for preschool and kindergarten children in our community.
The Montessori Method
Dr. Maria Montessori was a great observer of children as she developed her method of education. She spoke of the young child as asking the adult to “help me do it by myself.” This is a phrase we often hear with our children, “me do it” or “my turn!”
Dr. Montessori recognized that children are perfectly capable of accomplishing many tasks, but organizing the environment and helping them get started is needed for them to be successful. She made materials that are easily manipulated and most often self correcting so that children, once they have had a lesson, can work “on their own” without a great deal of adult supervision.
We see the joy each day on the children’s faces as they learn to read and write their name or encounter the marvelous world of numbers with the concrete math materials in our classrooms. Parents who enroll their children at Phoenix can be assured of our continuing commitment to Dr. Montessori’s vision of the child as “the creator of the future of mankind.” We look to the children every day for our inspiration and we honor Maria Montessori’s directive to “follow the child” in everything we do at Phoenix.
Our Program
Phoenix is open to preschool and kindergarten children ages two and a half through six. We meet 5 days a week from late August through May each year. Half day and extended day programs with mixed age groups are available. Visit our Calendar page for more information.
Come and visit us!
We welcome your inquiries and school visits. To ask a question or schedule a visit, call our Head Directress, Alice Blackford, at (913) 381-1250, or use our contact form to send us an email.
Non-Discrimination Policy
We are a non-profit school which admits students of any race, gender, national or ethnic origin, or religion to all our programs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin or disabilities in administration of our educational policies, admissions policies, or any scholarship, athletic or loan programs that we may have, or any other school-administered programs.
Our Founder, Alice Blackford
Alice Blackford studied at Avila College under the direction of Miss Lena Wikramaratne who actually lived and worked with Maria Montessori for 10 years of her life. This great experience, almost like having been under the guidance of Dr. Montessori herself, led to Mrs. Blackford receiving her AMI diploma in 1977.
Upon graduation, Mrs. Blackford was asked to lead a class of 3-6 year olds, in which students in the Montessori program would practice teach during their two year training period. In her four years at Avila, she became a mentor to the trainees and increased her skills at representing the Montessori philosophy to parents of the children enrolled in the program.
During the next 12 years, Mrs. Blackford assumed the role of lead teacher and program director at an AMI affiliated school in the Kansas City area. With a group of six dedicated Montessori families she founded The Phoenix Montessori School in the Fall of 1992. “Phoenix,” which suggests the power to rise above difficulty and to renew the spirit is the symbol for our school. It holds great meaning for Mrs. Blackford. Over the years, the involvement of our parents and the support of the Board of Directors have been invaluable in continuing the successful program we enjoy today.
Conveniently Located
The Phoenix Montessori School is conveniently located in Leawood, Kansas, near the intersection State Line Road and I-435. Our address is 2013 W. 104th Street: View it on a map.
To schedule a school visit, call our Head Directress, Alice Blackford, at (913) 381-1250.