Meet The Owners: Country Village Montessori School

offers children an alternative education that taps into thei innate desire to learn.

Claire Doody founded her school ten years ago after seeing her own children grow under a Montessori education.

The Montessori Method of education, developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, is a child-centered educational approach based on scientific observations of children from birth to adulthood. Those who practice this form of teaching view each child as one who is naturally eager for knowledge and capable of initiating learning in a supportive, thoughtfully prepared learning environment.

Doody brings over 25 years in education experience, with a Master's of Education with Early childhood emphasis and a Master's of Communication with an emphasis in Human Communication. This is one top of her certification is through the American Montessori Society, where she holds credentials in Early Childhood, 6 to 9-year-olds and 6 to 12-year-olds. 

Country Village has three teachers, and one assistant, that provide before and after school services for children ages 2.9 months to 12 years of age in two classrooms. . The school is licensed to hold up to 40 students at one time. 

We sat down with Claire Doody to talk about leading a school like this and how it helps students grow.

Patch: What is the best part of your day?

Claire: It is such a pleasure to come here every day, and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I was in the Airforce right after college, and this is definitely much better. The kids are so easy to work with and I get to make a difference with children who may have struggled elsewhere. We have the luxury of time with these kids with no interruptions, so they can really get into their subjects. I can meet them where they are and move them forward in a big way, watch their achievements and their growth. It is a delight to be among wonderful kids and their parents are the best in the world.

Patch: Why start a Montessori school?

Claire: It has been a lifelong dream of mine since I had my own children succeed in Montessori schools. I attribute their success to this educational program. I am the original helicopter parent and made a point to follow my kids throughout their education. The school gave them such a joy out of learning, and I knew I had to look into this. The program is rigorous and I have no doubt that our students will succeed. It is the best alternative because we can follow a child’s progress and customize their learning accordingly.

Patch: What are some challenges of running your school?

Claire: This is a small Mom and Pop operation and it keeps me very busy. One challenge is being taken seriously as a school and a place of learning, since many people have not heard of Montessori. Besides that, it is the little challenges each day as we try and run a smooth operation here. The minutiae, like making sure kids arrive and leave on time, can definitely be a burden each day.

Patch: What makes your school unique among other Montessori schools?

Claire: Our staff here is carefully chosen according to the highest standards. They have to have at least a bachelors, if not a masters degree. they also have to be American Montessori Certified and adhere to the great code of ethics we follow. Some people say that Montessori education can be too lax, or even too strict. I feel that we are right in the middle. Not all Montessori schools are the same and our school sets a very high standard. We teach concious choices and good decision-making, along with respect on all levels.

Patch: What is fun about Country Village?

Claire: We have so many projects going on, and we spare no expense when it comes to the children. We give nothing but the best for our children and engage them in all areas of learning. The kids are always having fun with their projects, especially geography. Of course, they have the most fun at lunch and recess, as most kids do.

Patch: How do you go about meeting the needs of each student?

Claire: There are so many unique and different students here, and we are in a position to offer a child that struggles the individual attention they need. We can really get into the specifics of their learning through our education program. We also focus on developing a good relationship with the parents. If they bring their children here at their best, we give them the best we have. We work hard to address any difficulties and explore options to overcome them.

Visit their website here.