In 2003, Haven Montessori Children’s House was founded by Elisa McKnight as a toddler class for children from 1 year up to 3 years of age.  Elisa observed a great need for quality educational programs for toddlers in Flagstaf fand wanted to provide her own daughter, who was 2 years old at the time, with the best possible Montessori education.  With her daughter as the initial inspiration, Elisa created the highest quality toddler program she could envision.  The school became classified as a non-profit entity in 2005.  The toddler class later grew into a primary class in 2006 which became two primary classrooms in the fall of 2008.  The school applied for Charter status for the Kindergarteners, which took effect in the fall of 2009.  A private Elementary first through third grade classroom began at the same time, and in August 2010 was granted Charter status through the third grade.   In April 2011, our Charter was extended again through the sixth grade.  Currently, Haven Montessori School offers part and full time schedules for children from 4 months through 6^th grade.  The school follows the Montessori philosophy of education and the lead teachers are trained through the Association Montessori International (A.M.I.), which is the only training program started by Dr. Maria Montessori and the only one recognized worldwide.

Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952) was an Italian physician (the first female to earn a medical degree in Italy) who formulated the Montessori Method of education.  Dr. Montessori had a particular genius for observing children as they really are rather than as adults wish them to be.  Dr. Montessori’s writings suggest to both parents and teachers many advantageous conditions for natural development of the whole child from birth through maturity.  The classroom materials are simply an implementation of one aspect of her total philosophy.  Dr. Montessori opened her first school in Rome in 1907.