Swannanoa Valley Montessori School was founded as a non-profit school in 2003 by parents who sought a creative active learning environment for their young children. In the fall of 2004 we opened our lower elementary class of six- to nine-year olds. In 2007 we added an upper elementary program of nine- to twelve-year olds. We are currently in the preliminary fundraising and building stages of creating a new elementary satellite location in Asheville, NC. For more information about the future Asheville site, click here.
At SVMS we believe that excellent education is built around nurturing and supporting the whole child. Starting in preschool our teachers help students learn personal responsibility through peaceful resolution of minor conflicts and encourage a positive outlook regarding self and others. The core values in each classroom are respect for oneself, for others, and for the environment. The small size of our school allows close involvement among teachers, students, and parents, creating a powerful sense of community. Children feel valued for who they are, and parents become an important partner in the educational process.
As a Montessori school we understand that children really learn more by touching, seeing, smelling, tasting and exploring, than by just listening. Children learn by doing, not by passively accepting preexisting knowledge. Our developmentally appropriate approach has been designed to fit each individual child, instead of making the child fit the program.
Swannanoa Valley Montessori School is an Associate Member School of the American Montessori Society (AMS) and a Member School of the International Montessori Council (IMC). Please refer to their web sites to learn more about the world of Montessori Education and what it has to offer children. Their respective web site addresses are http://www.amshq.org and http://www.montessori.org/imc/.
