S3 E11 Montessori for All

Guest: Christie Huck, CEO, City Garden Montessori School (St. Louis, MO) Hosts: Vashaunta Harris & Jim Goenner Powered by the National Charter Schools Institute In this episode of Bold by Choice, we travel to St. Louis to spotlight City Garden Montessori School — a public charter school built on the belief that Montessori education should be accessible to every child. CEO Christie Huck shares the story of how City Garden began — not as an education reform initiative, but as a group of parents asking a powerful question: What kind of school do our children and our city truly deserve? What began with living-room conversations and a tiny preschool eventually grew into a public charter school serving more than 600 students across early childhood, elementary, and adolescent programs. Grounded in the Montessori philosophy, City Garden creates prepared environments where students build independence, responsibility, and a deep love of learning. In classrooms filled with hands-on materials, collaboration, and student ownership, children learn not just academics — but how to care for their community and for one another. City Garden reminds us that when schools trust children’s curiosity and design learning environments around their humanity, extraordinary things can happen. Stay Bold by Choice. Show Notes • Season 3 Partner: Diverse Charter Schools Coalition • City Garden Montessori School — St. Louis, Missouri • Montessori philosophy: autonomy, independence, and individualized learning • Prepared environments designed for beauty, order, and student ownership • Public charter model expanding Montessori access to diverse families • Grew from 53 students in 2008 to more than 600 students today • Teachers undergo rigorous Montessori certification and training • Students stay in multi-year classroom communities, strengthening relationships • Student lesson of the year: children show profound compassion and care for one another in times of hardship #SchoolBrag