Today we’d like to introduce you to Brette Rothfield.
Brette, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
In 1963, Beverley and Jim McGhee, Sr. were searching for an early childhood facility for their two children in the Miami area. Beverley, a professional educator, was not satisfied with anything available at the time. In order to ensure that her own children would get an excellent educational head start, she founded Alexander Montessori School.
From the outset, the school enjoyed the reputation as a place where children learned and where the Staff cared. McGhee recognized early that the Montessori Method was best for children. She became certified as a Preschool Montessori Teacher and then as an Elementary Montessori Teacher. She gathered teachers around her who share her dedication to providing a quality, caring educational environment for children, and who are motivated to be second to none.
McGhee did not plan to start a school that would eventually become one of the largest and finest Montessori schools in the country. From that single Kindergarten class, however, Alexander Montessori School has grown into two Montessori Toddler Houses (for children ages 1½ to 3), nine Montessori Children’s Houses (for children ages 3 to 6) on three campuses, with an additional six-acre Elementary Campus for children ages 6 to 12. The school now enrolls more than 560 students.
More than 50 years later, some of the children of our alumni are experiencing first-hand the school where their parents spent their formative years.
Maria Montessori (1870–1952) envisioned and helped realize a new approach to education, and Alexander Montessori follows her philosophy. Our task is to aid children in their work of self-creation, to help them become independent learners and thinkers. Our goal is to help our students live up to our motto: “To Learn to Love to Learn.”
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Over the course of 54 years, there are bound to be struggles. From introducing what was a new educational “movement” to a new community to every economic downturn that has occurred in over half a century, yes, there have been struggles along the way. However, one thing has been steady: Parents’ commitment to educating their child for who their child is – not a standardized notion of who they should be.
Please tell us about Alexander Montessori School.
We stand for and are known for the extraordinary Montessori education of children. Our mission is encapsulated in our motto, “To learn to love to learn.”
Where Children Learn to Love Learning.
Nestled on four scenic campuses in Miami-Dade County, Alexander Montessori School holds a longstanding reputation as one of the world’s leading Montessori schools. Founded in 1963 by Jim McGhee, Sr. and Beverley A. McGhee, a Living Legacy in Montessori education, this independent day school remains the only fully-accredited American Montessori Society School in Miami and one of only 10 throughout Florida.
Alexander Montessori offers full-day and half-day educational programs uniquely designed to foster a love of learning for children ages 18 months to 12 years old. The child-centered Montessori philosophy provides a learning environment for Toddlers, Preschoolers, and Elementary students unlike other Miami private schools and traditional public education.
At Alexander Montessori, classrooms and curricula are tailored to a child’s learning and growth. Rather than imparting knowledge, the primary purpose of the Montessori Method is developing children intellectually and socially to be independent thinkers and self-directed leaders. Teachers follow the child’s lead, allowing learning to take its own path and pace, which often outpaces traditional education. Graduates of Alexander Montessori consistently go on to gain acceptance to the most respected college preparatory schools.
As stewards of a child’s early years, the dedicated Faculty and Staff of Alexander Montessori School take seriously their role in helping children become who they will be in the future. Empowering the whole child at Alexander Montessori includes a multidimensional Extracurricular Program, with everything from art and music to flag football, French, and ballet. A well-equipped Computer Lab, swimming pool, gymnasium, and tennis courts enhance this uncommon educational world for a child to learn to love to learn.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I am an alum of Alexander Montessori School, so one of my favorite memories from childhood is coming here! I love the friends I made here. One of the groomsmen at my wedding was someone I met at Alexander – when we were 6 years old – and he is among my best of friends today.
Pricing:
- Toddler Half-Day (18 months through 3 years): $13,330
- Toddler Full-Day (18 months through 3 years): $18,250
- Preschool Half-Day (3 through 6 years): $12,580
- Preschool Full-Day (3 through 6 years): $17,610
- Elementary (Grades 1-5, 6 through 12 years): $21,860
Contact Info:
- Address: 6050 Sw 57th Avenue
Miami, FL 33143 - Website: www.alexandermontessori.com
- Phone: (305) 665-6274
- Email: school@alexandermontessori.com
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