It Can Be Done

Chris Geden, Community Outreach Director Childrens Education Alliance of Missouri

On a very cold and rainy Thursday, November 3, people from around the Metro area gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking for the new, expanded City Garden Montessori Charter School in the Botanical Heights Neighborhood. I was fortunate enough to be there. The energy and the excitement was nothing short of amazing, even with the unseasonably cold, wet weather, hundreds of people were there to listen to local dignitaries and to take tours of the new facility which is still under construction. This is what local dignitaries had to say.

While the groundbreaking itself was inspirational, the real work and fortitude were on display when the community, board of directors and school staff came together to fulfill the communities dream of having a great school for the children in Shaw and Forest Park South East.

“As the highest–performing charter school in St. Louis, and a track record of excellence and innovation, City Garden Montessori is proud to have grown from the connections between parents and community members seeking better educational experiences for St. Louis City children,” says Christie Huck, Executive Director of City Garden. “With the permanence of our new home, we will continue to envision more programming, more services, more community building, more award-winning education.”

“City Garden Montessori’s demonstrated success in student achievement can be traced to its grass-roots, community-driven culture of collaboration and accountability,” says Steve Sanchez, Saint Louis University’s Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and director of the University’s charter school sponsorship program.  “As the school’s sponsor, we’ve witnessed the dramatic educational impact of parents, teachers, administrators, and board members working together to advance only one agenda:  student learning.”

“I’ve long been a supporter of quality charter schools,” says Mayor Francis G. Slay. “City Garden Montessori has already created a community of dedicated educators and parents to help our City’s children achieve success. Now, with its new building, this school community will continue to serve our City’s children by giving them a quality education in a nurturing environment.”