The Enquirer, June 29, 2005
Preschoolers have new place to learn at Covington center
By Maureen O'Hara, Enquirer contributor

COVINGTON - "I'll put my heart and mind to it," sang the 92 preschoolers who greeted the opening of their new school, Montessori and Early Learning Academy, this month.

That's just what the Montessori school's teachers hope they'll do during their time spent at the academy, 419 Altamont St.

Child-care provider Children Inc. of Covington combined St. Ann's Child Development Center and the Montessori school at Fifth Street to offer Montessori and all-day, year-round child development in the same setting.

"This is a great program, open to people of all income levels," said Covington Mayor Butch Callery. He joined the children at the grand opening of their school.

"About 50 percent of our students are lower-income," said Stephanie Sparks, who directs the new academy. Children Inc. centers use Kentucky and United Way funding to help lower-income families pay reduced tuition.

The school says the student-to-teacher ratio is 8-to-1 for 2-year-olds and 10-to-1 for children age 3 through kindergarten.

The new academy is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the largest American accrediting agency for early learning schools.

Also, the academy has earned three stars from the state-funded Kids Now program. The stars mean the academy has low student/teacher ratios, credentialed teachers and other factors that help ensure advanced early learning. The rating is intended to help parents search for quality education for their children.

Montessori teaching focuses on five critical skills: cultural, language, math, practical living and sensorial, and the eight Children Inc. centers in Northern Kentucky offer a variety of lessons.

"We're really ... a child development center," said Danielle Ashley of Erlanger, a dance and movement specialist for many of the centers.

David Kisor, 47, of Cincinnati is Children Inc.'s music specialist, playing keyboards and writing songs. He travels to several Children's Inc. centers, collaborating with students to compose and sing original songs. He has written music for Children's Theatre, Cincinnati, and composed, performed and produced for the Ensemble Theatre, Cincinnati.

The children seem to be excited about the new setting, too.

"I like the work," said 6-year-old Katie Moore, a Montessori student. "My favorite is the sand and rock work. I like to read and do multiplication."

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