Montessori Academy at Belmont Greene transforms the “Open House” into “Welcome Wednesdays"

The traditional open house experience has never sat well with Montessori Academy at Belmont Greene Owner, Bart Theriot. “A Saturday morning group tour in a classroom with no students provides only a part of the picture.” But, the reality of parenting in the Loudoun area is that it is not always easy to schedule things in advance. So, Bart came up with a way to provide the full school experience while making time for busy parents. It’s called Welcome Wednesdays.

Welcome Wednesdays puts a new twist on the traditional open house. There is something beyond all of the comparisons between extra-curricular activities, lunch plans, field trips, playground equipment, accreditation credentials and even cost. “School choice should be based upon what the child does each day and why he or she does it,” as School Director Bart Theriot recommends. “Spending time in an operating classroom is the best way to find the right fit. 15 minutes in a classroom will show that this is an exceptional learning place. Through our Welcome Wednesday program more parents will be able to experience exactly why we’re so good at what we do.”

To start off the New Year, the Montessori Academy at Belmont Greene will be introducing Welcome Wednesdays. Each Wednesday the academy will offer walk-in tours to all prospective parents. The differences in an authentic Montessori classroom are clear. The room looks much more like a home than any standard classroom, and the atmosphere is calm amid the buzz of self-directed learning. Despite having 15 to 20 children in each classroom, the level of responsibility and independent activity is beyond impressive.

The Montessori Academy at Belmont Greene is a premier Montessori academy in the Northern Virginia area. All head teachers are Montessori-certified and have at least 7 years of experience with the Montessori Academy. Some have been there since the school opened in 2001. The Montessori Academy also hosts the Northern Virginia Montessori Institute, which has certified nearly 200 Montessori teachers at dozens of Montessori schools in Virginia and Maryland. Their teachers are experts in the fields of Montessori and child development. Unlike some schools which offer Montessori in the morning and daycare in the afternoon, the Montessori Academy offers all-day Montessori. Their certified teachers remain with the students for their entire day to provide continuous philosophy, environment, and materials from 8:30 to 6:00. The academy was founded in 2001 by Bart, Beth, and Larry Theriot. They have maintained a constant presence to ensure continuity and consistency of their programs.

There are an estimated 30,000 children in Loudoun County under the age of 5 and a lack of high-quality programs to accommodate all those children. This is the time of year when the parents of those children start thinking about school. The Montessori Academy at Belmont Greene is over 15,000 square feet of spacious classrooms, a gymnasium, library, and elementary wing. Their 3-acre wooded area offers two playgrounds, garden boxes, outdoor classrooms, and a nature trail. Visiting the Montessori Academy at Belmont Greene for Welcome Wednesdays will allow parents to see the benefits that Montessori could have for their child.

The Montessori Academy at Belmont Greene is located at 20300 Bowfonds St. Ashburn, VA 20147. On each Welcome Wednesday parents will be able to receive an individual tour of the classrooms, hands-on experience with the materials, and they can sit down for a classroom observation, meet with the Director to ask questions that are unique to their child. We invite all parents to join us for a Welcome Wednesday – they will not be disappointed! To schedule for a tour during Welcome Wednesdays parents are asked to contact Bart Theriot at btheriot@mabmontessori.com or 703-729-7200.

If you are interested in a tour of the school, an interview with the Director, Bart Theriot, or more information, please contact, Elysa Leonard of Splash Communications, email: elysa@splashmarcom.com or by phone: 571-426-5145.