Southern Magnolia Montessori School

Welcome!

Three mixed-age classes in three century-old schoolhouses in quaint, historic Abita Springs. Beautiful setting for a beautiful educational experience!

We are a Louisiana State Department of Education approved school for students aged 3 - 12, and we are accredited through the Louisiana Montessori Association. Please review our Curriculum section and our About Montessori section to discover all the wonderful learning opportunities that the Montessori method offers.

Thank you for your interest! Hope to hear from you soon!

Mission Statement

Our goals for students are for them to be compassionate, to gain a sense of themselves and others, and to understand and appreciate diversity. Southern Magnolia Montessori School wants students to be well trained in basic academic disciplines, to fulfill their creative potential, and to gain satisfaction in their emotional, social, and intellectual development. We want students to love learning and to value knowledge, creativity, and hard work. It is our hope that students will be responsible citizens, critical thinkers, and caring members of society.

We believe that all members of our community have a right to be treated with respect.
We seek to understand each person’s learning style and guide him individually and at his own pace.
Our curriculum is centered around the stages of child development as defined by Dr. Maria Montessori.
We strive for a balance among freedom, order, and responsibility.
We provide a wide preparation for life by balancing academics with personal and practical life skills.

Director

Valerie Harris, Owner and Director

Valerie, a Pennsylvania native, received a Bachelors of Science from Marywood College in 1993. After a seven-year stay in Washington D.C., she moved to Louisiana in 2003 and taught at Stepping Stones Montessori in New Orleans for six years. Valerie joined the Oaks Montessori School faculty in the 2009-2010 school year as a junior elementary directress. She received a primary diploma as well as an elementary diploma from M.W.E.I. and has Type A certification through the Louisiana Department of Education. Valerie is an experienced, passionate devotee of the Montessori method and is eager to begin a new phase of her wonderfully successful teaching career.