Molly Ramsay has seen a world of changes during 30 years of teaching at St. Croix Montessori school.
One thing that hasn’t changed, she says, is the school’s focus on environmental education and hands-on learning.
The private school is located on an 18-acre property in West Lakeland Township, and the students, who range in age from 16 months to 12 years, take turns caring for the school’s animals, a menagerie that includes three alpacas, two miniature donkeys, two miniature goats and a flock of hens.
Each classroom gets a chance to do farm chores, “so they go out and they feed the animals, they scoop the poop, they collect the eggs,” said Ramsay, 62, of Hudson, Wis. “They see how animals interact and how they depend on us and how important it is for us to treat the animals respectfully. So many children don’t get to see large animals like that or see that chickens lay eggs, and then we can eat them or cook with them or whatever. It’s a group learning experience.”
The school, founded by Brian Sweeney and his late wife, Karla, is celebrating its 30th anniversary on Saturday with an all-school reunion of students, parents, teachers and staff. It opened in September 1993 in North Hudson, Wis., with one classroom of 25 students under the name St. Croix Academy. A year later, it moved to its current location.
The school’s adjacent farmhouse was purchased in 1999, and it was renamed St. Croix Montessori School in 2010. It now has 157 students, 23 full-time staff, two toddler classrooms, three Children’s House classrooms and two elementary classrooms. It also operates a summer camp.
Trails meander through the property, which features woods and a meadow. Each classroom features an outdoor environment for planting, bird feeders and other special activities. In the winter, there are sledding hills and a skating rink.
“Our property is just a gem,” Ramsay said. “Our little 2½-year-olds are out there pushing a chair with a helmet on and learning how to skate. It’s all part of the emphasis on nature. Studies show how important a connection to nature is to children — well, to all people, really —– just the reverence of it.”
Children in her classroom regularly spot birds out the window, she said. “They’ll say, ‘Look, there’s a cardinal! Oh look, there’s a bald eagle,’” she said. “They’re watching all the time. They see the hummingbirds come to the flowers. It’s just magical.”
Montessori teachers are known for slowing down their movements and breaking tasks down into small parts, Ramsay said. “You move very slowly so the children can see each step of the procedures that you are showing them,” she said. “A child needs a chance to work on things and then process it slowly. They need downtime so that all of the stimuli that have been coming at them can be assimilated, and they can relate it to other parts of their life. That’s why we offer real concrete things. They need real things to interact with.”
Teaching has gotten harder now that children are “used to a much faster pace and viewing things on devices that move rapidly,” she said.
“They have to almost be retrained to slow down a bit and to attend to and pay attention to things,” Ramsay said. “Thirty years ago, the children would sit there and observe. They would wait patiently. Now, they are expecting it to go faster. I guess the rapid pace of life now has changed, and it’s changed how children react to us.”
Teddy Bekele and Michele Manning, who live in Lake Elmo, picked St. Croix Montessori because it offers a chance for their children to connect with nature — something that has become more difficult to do with the rise of screen-based technologies, Manning said.
Luna Bekele, 3, enjoys feeding the chickens and learning about how they lay eggs. “She loves going to school every day,” Manning said. “She’s grown more independent, curious, and has an incredible vocabulary.”
Teddy Bekele, 10, especially likes tapping the school’s maple trees and making maple syrup. The school hosts a pancake breakfast every spring featuring the maple syrup that the kids have made, Manning said.
It’s the school’s staff that sets the school apart, Manning said. “They are remarkable — nurturing while guiding independence and problem-solving,” Manning said. “Teddy is thriving, excelling in advanced math and reading while his social and emotional growth are being equally nurtured.”
In recent years, the school has experienced tremendous growth, Manning said, leading to an influx of new students and waitlists at every grade level.
Last year, the school expanded by adding an additional toddler room, and this fall, it is adding an additional Children’s House classroom, Manning said. School officials plan to launch a capital campaign this fall to further expand its facilities to accommodate its rising elementary students.
“It’s amazing that students at the school get to spend their days identifying trees and native plants, tracking wildlife in the snow, planting gardens …” she said. “It’s lifelong learning. Rather than simply receiving instruction, every activity they engage in — from the moment they enter the school — becomes a valuable lesson.”
St. Croix Montessori all-school reunion
What: The St. Croix Montessori school is marking its 30th anniversary with an all-school reunion.
When: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23
Where: At the school, 177 Neal Ave. N., West Lakeland Township.
Highlights: The free event will include tours of the school, farm and the grounds starting at 12:30 p.m. There will be food trucks, light refreshments, live music and a bounce house.
RSVP and information: Attendees are asked to register at 30yearcelebrationscms.rsvpify.com. For more information, contact info@stcroixmontessori.org.