Montessori programs to open, accept child care subsidies and opportunity scholarships

Press release from Hawthorn Montessori and Fox Flower Montessori:

Asheville, NC – Two micro-Montessori schools are opening in Asheville this summer to serve children ages 3-12.

Hawthorn Montessori and Fox Flower Montessori are the visions of local Montessorians Katie Anderson, Tori Litz, Cara Beth Brackins, and Canaan Brackins.  

Hawthorn is a primary program serving children ages 3-6. Fox Flower is an elementary program serving children ages 6-12. Each program will be open to approximately 20-25 children and will remain small, never reaching more than 30 children in order to remain teacher-led and truly responsive to the community it serves.  

Hawthorn and Fox Flower will provide a high-quality Montessori education to a racially and socioeconomically inclusive community of children and their families. Hawthorn and Fox Flower are working diligently with local partners to accept Child Care Subsidies and Opportunity Scholarships as well as offer generous need-based scholarships within their first year in operation.

I am a Montessori guide, first and foremost, because of my belief that it is the work of education to create a more peaceful and compassionate society.  I believe that Montessori education is the best pedagogy for realizing this vision. This requires Montessori to be accessible to everyone. It is our goal at Fox Flower Montessori to create an inclusive community that works together to nurture and welcome every child.  Every child deserves the opportunity to reach their potential while being loved and supported.

-Canaan Brackins, Co-head of Fox Flower Montessori

At Hawthorn Montessori, we believe that Montessori education should be accessible for any family that is interested, regardless of their financial means. Our mission is to enroll at least 1/3-1/2 of our learners with the support of child care subsidies, Opportunity Scholarships and/or generous school-based scholarships.
– Katie Anderson, Co-head of Hawthorn Montessori

We believe true learning happens through self-construction, as there is a power and joy in learners finding personal meaning in the world around them. At Fox Flower, children follow their interests along paths prepared by teacher-leaders who ensure students are mastering core subjects as they develop socially and emotionally. By providing a small school environment in our vibrant city, we hope to connect homes, neighborhoods, and the greater community in a way that models peace and collaboration across lines of racial and socioeconomic differences for children in Asheville.
– Fox Flower Montessori Vision Statement

Leaders of Hawthorn and Fox Flower hold American Montessori Society (AMS) credentials and have been supported through ongoing learning by Building Bridges and Embracing Equity in order to foster an excellent and inclusive school environment for all.  

In response to the needs of children and advice of working families, Hawthorn and Fox Flower will operate on a year-round schedule starting on August 7, 2019, and running through June 30, 2020. The school day will run from 8:30-3:00 with an early care option from 7:30-8:30 and an affordable aftercare option from 3:00-5:30. The schools will be located near the University of North Carolina Asheville on Riverside Drive. This shared location will offer beautiful classrooms and outdoor space with a natural playground and a community garden.

Hawthorn and Fox Flower are the first schools in Asheville to be part of the Wildflower Schools network of other teacher-led Montessori schools operating now in eight states and Puerto Rico. The Minneapolis-based Wildflower Foundation supports teachers to start and lead their own schools. MIT professor Sep Kamvar supported two Montessorians to create the first Wildflower school in 2014 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. While every school is independently operated by two Montessorians, Wildflower schools are united by nine principles, including a commitment to equity, a focus on nature, a seamless learning community bridging home and school, and attention to creating a beautiful learning environment.

In North Carolina, Wildflower schools are fueled by the coaching support of American Montessori Society Living Legacy award winner Marta Donahoe. Donahoe was the founder of the nation’s first public Montessori High School, Clark Montessori in Cincinnati. She is also the co-founder of Montessori Training Center, Cincinnati Montessori Secondary Teacher Education Program (CMStep) and consults with Montessori schools all over the country.

It’s exciting to see the expansion of quality Montessori schools in Asheville.  I am thrilled to support Hawthorn and Fox Flower schools as they grow into a model of healthy community and broader diversity.  Those are characteristics which make any organization better, and that will support the school and our city to thrive. – Marta Donahoe

Hawthorn Montessori and Fox Flower Montessori are currently accepting applications for the school year beginning in August.

To find out more or fill out an application, visit

• Hawthorn Montessori’s (ages 3-6) website: www.hawthornmontessori.org, or email at info@hawthornmontessori.org.

• Fox Flower’s (ages 6-12) website: www.foxflowermontessori.org, or email at info@foxflowermontessori.org.

If you are a Montessorian interested in opening your own Wildflower School or a community member interested in supporting the growth of equitable, community-nested, teacher-led schools, please visit www.wildflowerschools.org or email Rebecca Santander at rebecca.santander@wildflowerschools.org.