News

Five of the top 250 Power of the Pen Writers in Ohio are West Side Middle School students in 2023!

Three West Side Middle School eighth-level students were invited as youth finalists to the Discover, Inspire, Create: TMA Poetry Prize reception on Saturday, May 20, 2023.

"At every level, we have a phenomenal World Language program. It's wonderful that the school community values this special experience. I don’t know of any school around which can match our program, so it’s a unique gift a family can offer their child. The teachers are always innovating to make it better, too. We care a lot about our students as individuals and their learning experience." - Margaret Kohler, WSM French Teacher

West Side graduates are known for being leaders when they move on to high school and Layan Ridi (‘22) and Daivik Patel (‘21) are no exception. Both attend Maumee Valley Country Day School where Layan is a freshman and Daivik is a sophomore.

Congratulations to Lower Elementary teacher Molly Bernhardt on graduating with the American Montessori Society Instructor Academy's first cohort of teacher educators!

Congratulations West Side writers and Coach Mary Brandon! WSM's Power of the Pen team regional tournament competed at Lourdes University last weekend.

Rocio Laorden Baeza teaches Spanish to students ages 3 years old-4th grade and believes learning a new language from a young age can be a fun and rewarding experience that enhances cognitive development and cultural understanding.

Having your child take care of family pets can be a way of bringing the Montessori philosophy into your home. It develops a number of skills along with many positive character traits, which helps in the development of the “whole child.”

Morag Hastie is an Upper Elementary teacher at WSM and feels the most important role is supporting the students in figuring out how to sit in that struggle space, how to think, how to be tenacious, how to work hard. It is a skill that will help them regardless of where life takes them.  

Best of Round essays have been announced after the recent Power of the Pen competition in Lima, Ohio, where WSM's team took home several awards.

Andrew Sautter has taught at West Side Montessori for 12 years and believes the true magic of Montessori is the structure and environment allows students to develop responsibilities, explore their interests, investigate curiosities, gain a sense of self, learn boundaries, develop skills and gain knowledge in a way that is exciting and appealing to students which keeps them wanting more.

As new recommendations are made by the CDC, ODE, and local boards of health, this guidance is subject to change. Last updated 1/28/2023.

Bowsher High School Sophomore Ashley Lawrence ('21) took first place in the Northwest Ohio DECA District Competition. 

WSM's Middle School Power of the Pen team recently competed in a district tournament held in Lima, Ohio, where they competed against 14 other middle and high schools from the area.

Montessori materials teach only one skill at a time to provide children with the opportunity to master key learning outcomes through repetition and practice. Doctor Montessori stated, “Nothing goes into the mind that does not first go through the hands.”

Middle School student Hazel Shanahan was selected as the winner of the 8th-grade essay competition for the 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Art, Essay & Multimedia Contest, hosted by the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

Kyla has taught at West Side for the past 10 years and she believes that Montessori education isn’t just about how smart your child can be and achieving the best grades. It is about finding out who your child really is and nurturing them to be the best they can be.

Brittany Turner has been teaching in the Little House program at WSM for 5 years. Brittany is inspired by the thought and care that goes into creating a true Montessori environment.