Staff Spotlight: Whitney Hardin

𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐮𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟? 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫
𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐛𝐛𝐢𝐞𝐬.
I joined the West Side family in August of 2023. Prior to that, I was the lead Middle School Teacher and Secondary Supervisor at Meadow Montessori in Monroe, Michigan since 2012. I completed my Montessori Secondary training with CMSTEP, Cincinnati Montessori Secondary Teacher Education Program, back in 2017. I have been an Online Content Coach with Washtenaw Alliance for Virtual Education, an alternative high school through the Washtenaw County ISD, since 2011. I am a mom of two. My daughter Keelyn is 15 and attends Bedford High School, and my son, Liam, is 13 and attends Bedford Junior High. I live in Temperance, MI with my partner, Brad, my two kids, and Brad's three daughters, ages 13, 19, and 22. I enjoy being outdoors, gardening, cooking and baking, watching sports, spending time at the cabin up north, and spending time with family.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢 𝐪𝐮𝐨𝐭𝐞?
"Free the child's potential and you will transform him into the world."

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬?
Never be afraid to make mistakes. Always have compassion and show forgiveness, even with yourself.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢?
I love that Montessori embraces the whole child. We aren't here to just fill them with academic knowledge, but to guide them, as unique individuals to become citizens of the world.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞?
In my short time at West Side, I have been amazed at the support that is available not only to staff but also to students. It is a positive supportive environment, from the moment you walk in in the morning with warm greetings to the moment you leave at the end of the day. In every conversation I've had with other staff members regarding students it is obvious that meeting the needs of that student, and celebrating their uniqueness, are always the top priorities. 
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West Side Montessori is an independent, accredited Montessori school educating children 13 months through 8th grade (preschool, kindergarten, elementary school, and middle school). We are one of the leading private schools in Toledo and the nation.

WSM does not discriminate on the basis of ethnic origin, race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability in the administration of its admission policy, educational policy, or any school-administered program.