History

In 1985, a handful of families from Eudora and Lawrence, Kansas met with Fr. James Flanagan from the Society of Our Lady (S.O.L.T.) to form the beginnings of what was to become Sancta Maria School. Fr. Flanagan’s vision was to realize a wider application of Montessori education in the United States. On September 10, 1985, eight children from the Lawrence and Eudora area began to meet in the home of one of our families, using the remodeled walk-out basement as their classroom. Two years later, as the children aged, the 6–12 elementary program was added. 

During the early years, much of the classroom tools and equipment necessary for Montessori teaching were built and hand-crafted by the parents and friends of our growing community. As the school continued to grow with the children into a high school program, several of our fathers built a spacious room addition adjacent to the walk-out basement to house the elementary program. 

Today, Sancta Maria School inhabits these same spaces and hosts a full primary Montessori classroom (ages 2.5-6). The elementary program is Montessori ages 6-9, and ages 9-12 utilize traditional learning methods (Saxon) paired with Montessori. A modified classical approach serves half a dozen students ages 12-15.  

Want to learn more? 
Contact sanctamariamontessori@gmail.com.