It’s official! The Montessori school at the Boothbay Region YMCA has a name, date of opening and two Montessori teachers to join our team of teachers at the Center.

Leading the way at Harbor Montessori is Alexandra (Tindal) Pinkham, who earned her bachelor’s degree at Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., and went on to attend the Northeast Montessori Institute in Massachusetts for her certification in Montessori training. Pinkham has taught at the Maplewood Montessori School in Portland for the past four years.

Lara Mann was recently hired as the assistant Montessori teacher. Mann will graduate this summer with a master's degree in natural science education from the University of Wyoming. Although her college years took her to Utah, Idaho, Iowa, Colorado, Minnesota and Wyoming, she is a New Englander at heart, having gone to New Hampton School in New Hampshire and has family roots on Orr’s Island.

During her college years, Mann worked with a group of students from Snake River Montessori. She became interested in the group’s education model, allowing students to work on individualized lessons.

“Giving students hands on experiences is another tenet of the Montessori model I find helpful in allowing students to explore their environment,” Mann said.

Mann is visiting Boothbay in May and will relocate to the region in July. As a part of the YMCAs professional development program, Mann will attend the Northeast Montessori Institute's Assistant Teacher Training at Gordon College this summer.

The community is invited to a meet and greet on April 29, 6-7 p.m. to learn more about the Harbor Montessori School at the Y and enrollment for children ages 2 1/2 to 6 years.

The Y Child Enrichment Center will be offered the same hours as it currently is, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the entire year. The Harbor Montessori School will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m., with the younger students attending school only until 11:30 a.m. The Harbor Montessori children can do before and after care at the center.

Please call Maddie Rideout at 207-633-4816 if you are interested in free babysitting during the meet and greet time or if you have questions about the school.