Virtual Event:
Teacher Leader Stories
Are you interested in learning more about what it means to open a community-embedded, micro Montessori school? Do you want to hear directly from current Teacher Leaders what their experiences were like? Teacher Leader Stories is held throughout the year to create this space. Here are some questions commonly covered during TL Stories events:
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When did you start dreaming about your school, and why did you partner with Wildflower? What makes your experience and or your school unique?
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During your Startup Journey, what was a challenge you faced and overcame?
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Frequently asked questions such as finding a Teacher Leader partner, identifying your facility, and student recruitment.
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Upcoming Event
Join us in May for our last Teacher Leader Stories event of the school year! We are hosting two Latino Teacher Leaders from our network, David Hernández (The Dahlia School of San Francisco Elementary) and Lisbeth Gonzalez (Flor de Loto Montessori, Puerto Rico). They will be sharing their stories in Spanish and we will provide English and Spanish interpretation during the event. We are thrilled to celebrate and learn from David and Lisbeth!
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The Dahlia School of San Francisco Elementary opened this fall under the leadership of David Hernández and co-founder Lindsey Barnes. They are excited to be the first K-6 school in Mission Bay, a socioeconomically and ethically diverse neighborhood of San Francisco with wonderful amenities, parks, and proximity to impactful nonprofits. Dahlia Elementary proudly shares its name with The Dahlia toddler and primary programs that opened two years prior. Unified in branding, the school provides seamless admissions partnership and continuity from the Early Childhood program in a city where the school placement system can be fraught with uncertainty. Dahlia Elementary is also a high-fidelity language immersive program where children learn in Spanish, French, and English, fostering a truly global perspective.
Founded by Lisbeth Gonzalez, Flor de Loto offers an authentic and accessible Montessori education for children ages 2.5 to 9 years in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The City of Ponce provides the school a municipal building for only $1 per year, and the school invested in improvements to make it a beautiful pillar of the community. Lisbeth is passionate about building a school that serves students and the community – Flor de Loto has become a resource center through a network of partnerships, providing emergency needs such as internet service, water, and food during Hurricane Fiona in 2022, for example. Flor de Loto families were also active participants in the creation and build-out of the school, installing furniture and play areas as well as donating materials. Their many contributions have made the school a collaborative place full of hope and shared vision.
Teacher Leader Stories Highlights
"This is a journey. You will learn about yourself a lot more than you thought you ever would - your limits as well as your breakthroughs."
Lixue Tu
Wisteria Montessori
Haverhill, MA
"We committed to not chasing families. Your school will connect with those it needs to connect with, and you have to trust that connection."
Sara Gensic
Alyssum Montessori
Fort Wayne, IN
"Figure out your 'why' and share that with the families in detail. This was very important for us because we had to market our school without yet having a campus. Like-minded families became a part of our community."
Alejandra Tryon
The Dahlia School of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
"Thank you so much for hosting this Wildflower Teacher Leader stories event. I walked away way more knowledgeable, excited, and grateful to meet such grounded Montessorians doing the work. It also gave me a much clearer understanding of the process to making Wildflower schools become reality."
September, 2023