“We are thrilled,” said director Ann Luce. “We now have the resources we need to make sure that no child at Bright Water falls through the cracks. We are committed to making sure that all students at Bright Water Elementary reach their full potential.”
Audubon Center of the North Woods is the sponsor of the school. Steve Dess, liaison to the school who has monitored the school’s development stated: “The Bright Water Elementary leadership worked additional long hours to succeed in securing this great asset to help their students to succeed. This school has high expectations for staff, parents andd the children they serve and this is one marker for the record of their dedication. The additional funding from the Walton Family Foundation will allow the school to more quickly reach its vision of high student achievement through excellent Montessori education in a diverse, urban setting. We couldn’t be happier for them.”
Bright Water Elementary adheres strictly to the Montessori model of education. In addition to academic skills, students in a classic Montessori classroom also learn to act cooperatively, be self-directed, and to manage their time. The school is located in the former North Star Community School – the first charter school to lease space from the Minneapolis Public Schools. Bright Water currently serves 42 students in kindergarten through second grade. It will add a grade each year through sixth grade.
