At Murray-LaSaine, our mission is to provide a Montessori education that guides students to their fullest potential by instilling independence, social responsibility, and a lifelong love of learning.
We help all students develop the World Class Skills of the Profile of the South Carolin Graduate in our beautifully prepared environments with highly trained, well-qualified teachers and assistants. We do our work in partnership with our students’ parents and guardians, a child’s first teacher. We hold a deep respect for the child, meeting their needs wherever they are along their developmental path. We keep in mind Montessori’s belief that “within the child lies the fate of the future.”
We strive to create Montessori environments that promote rigorous standards in academic areas in addition to promoting creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. Our students learn self-direction and develop a strong work ethic starting at a very young age as they choose their works, focus for long periods of time during the uninterrupted work cycle, and direct their learning in the classroom.
At all levels, our teachers create meaningful reading and writing experiences based on a student interest and grade-level standards. We support struggling readers with daily intervention and challenge advanced readers with engaging texts and activities. MLMS participates in Read Around the Bases and Battle of the Books, which encourages our students to read beyond the required texts. Our Upper Elementary students practice their poetry skills during their Spring Poetry Slam. Staff participates in robust professional development opportunities including a session with Natalie Wexler and “The Knowledge Gap”, LETRs training, and more. We continue to work to ensure all students are reading on-grade level by fifth grade, by aligning Montessori scope and sequence with grade level standards and using adaptive digital content to supplement instruction.
We continue to work on improving math instruction and have added a math interventionist to our staff with ESSER II funds. This added support benefits students, teachers, and our community. Science is another area of continuous improvement as we work to embed science instruction in our Montessori classrooms. Our PTO invested in Mystery Science as a tool for our teachers and students to utilize.
This year, we once again partnered with Engaging Creative Minds. Primary students danced, Lower Elementary made projects, Upper Elementary worked with Charleston Stage, and our Adolescent students learned about indigo and dyeing textiles. In addition, our Adolescent students practiced all of these Profile of a SC Graduate skills through their efforts with food drives, creating a business to earn funds, helping to plan and deliver field day, 8th grade internships at businesses throughout Charleston, and guest speakers from the community to explore careers.
The 2021-22 school year was challenging in ways we did not anticipate. While COVID presented additional roadblocks to typical instruction and activities, we were thrilled to eventually return to ‘normal’ with field trips to Tybee Island and DNR, school dances, field day, and in-person end of year bridging ceremonies. We look forward with hope and optimism.
Meredith Wallace, Principal
Bainie Brunson and Jenn Dukes, School Improvement Council Co-Chairs
