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Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Clark Montessori's New Home Dedicated In Hyde Park: Students, Parents, Teachers Thank 'Citizens of Cincinnati' for $18 Million Structure

Maria Montessori's Original School in Italy
CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Surprise.  The people who put up the money -- the taxpayers -- were honored during dedication ceremonies for the gleaming new school that is a treasure house of wit and wisdom, a spot dedicated to knowledge, inclusion and formation of character.  And of course, in true Montessori fashion, some students, parents and faculty members sat on the floor last evening during speeches and ceremonies.  The new building cost $18 million (there is a park-like greenzone on the roof) and gives America's first public Montessori high school its first permanent home.  Retired principal Tom Rothwell, who was among the education pioneers who started the school in 1994, seemed genuinely impressed that things had come so far.  It was an experiment in education that took root and blossomed. Said Rothwell: "Clark Montessori, we're 18 years old.  Which is unbelievable.  We did it, we all did it.  Anybody who has ever been involved in education knows it all starts at home, it's the parents.  We had great parents.  And they still have great parents."


Cincinnati Clark Montessori's Steel Drum Band
The faculty bought in, too.  Every teacher, every staffer, donated to a $50,000 capital campaign.  There are 600 senior and junior high school students enrolled.  There is a waiting list to get in.  Some people from the suburbs pay tuition to send their kids to this urban public school.  In 2010 Clark Montessori was a top 3 finalist in the White House top commencement challenge.  It just got a $50,000 check from the "Glee" Give a Note Contest, which was a movement to preserve school music programs across the nation during an era of budget cuts.  Clark has an unconventional steel drum band rather than a typical horn, drum and stringed instrument marching band.  From the start, all of Clark's seniors have graduated.  And all get accepted to college.  Urban public schools are a tough environment.  So Mark Twain's words from the 19th Century still might be apt.  He said "a peach was once a bitter almond." And Clark is a peach in a sea of bitter almonds.  The fruits of any school are its graduates -- these are turning out to be exceptional.  They have gone on to become artists, Peace Corps volunteers, aerospace engineers, a political operative who is running the campaign for governor of Washington State, an Air Force pilot, a marketing manager for an athletic apparel company that is a superstar on Wall Street, lawyers, and a musician touring with Mannheim Steamroller.  There are too many to list -- a soon-to-be lieutenant will be leading an Army infantry platoon.  Another Clark grad started and runs a day care center for autistic children.

There are two great public high schools in Cincinnati, Walnut Hills and Clark.  Walnut Hills is rated among the nation's Top 100 by U.S. News and World Report. Students must pass an entrance exam for Walnut Hills, a college prep powerhouse whose alums include a Nobel Laureate.  Clark is open to anyone (most students are eligible for Walnut Hills but choose Montessori over traditional college prep classes).  While both schools are successful, they are hardly alike.  Walnut Hills would be Yale compared to Clark's University of California, Berkeley.  Walnut would be Plato writing down his great thoughts for the ages compared to Socrates, wandering and engaging everyone on the streets of Athens in conversation and making them think.  Walnut Hills is Apple, Clark is Google.  Or put it like this, a Walnut Hills grad may someday discover how to eliminate malaria, one of the great scourges afflicting mankind  A Clark grad would head off into the bush distributing that cure and saving lives.  In these two schools, the citizens of Cincinnati surely have gotten their money's worth.  At the Clark dedication, speakers reflected on a school's responsibility to society -- "investment in the future," and "shared responsibility" and "passing down knowledge" and "hard work" were some of the phrarses.  Rothwell said it was "magical," when kids bought in.  He said their accomplishments could be magical for the universe.  Julie Stark, who heads the Clark Foundation, said they group planned for 75 people at the dedication.  It was standing room only:  "We never expected to have hundreds of people attending.  You are making this homecoming very special"  U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Oh2, sent a flag that had flown over the U.S. Capitol.  Here is a list of volunteers who worked on designing the 102,000 square foot building:

Charles Alexander, Steph Bradford, Robin Brandon, Ann and Marty Bruce, Chris Collier, Linda Dalton, Marta Donahoe, Paul Duffy, Heather Duncan, Burt and Terry Evans, Kate Fischer, Steffanie Gentile, Don Gunderson, Jo Guido, Vincent Hammerstein, Christy Holland, Ina Loftspring, Jean Marquard-Wisniewski.

Seat McGrory, Cathy McNair, Corey Parker, Josh Roderer, Ann Rundle, Mary Jo Schmidt, Barb Scholz, Peg Schorsch, Brandt C.P. Smith, Holly Taylor, Rupa Townsend, Bruce Weil, Melissa Wilkerson, Lynn Wyrick.

17 comments:

  1. Bill,

    You were on to something when you said Clark is Googley. Sergey Brin and Larry Page, Google's founders, are Montessori products. Both credit their Montessori schooling with making them self-directed and knowing how to think for themselves. Amazon's Jeff Bezos is another member of the Montessori Mafia.

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  2. Cincinnati is a fortunate city to have those excellent schools. We don't have them where I live in N. Kentucky.

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  3. Thank-you Bellwether for noticing the dedication ceremony program recognized "The citizens of Cincinnati'' for bringing this school to life.

    Those of us associated with Clark Montessori will make them proud. The citizens are venture capitalists. In the coming years, we will prove that they have made an excellent investment that will deliver a great return.

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  4. C'mon, Walnut Hills is far superior to Clark. There is no comparison. Apples and oranges? More like apples and coconuts.

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    1. Walnut has, ummmm, a 100 year or so head start. The two schools are dedicated to the same cause. They turn out first class minds and first class people. They are sowing the seeds of democracy. Clark is not all about chasing sunbeams.

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    2. Coconuts are the most prosperous seed in the world. Implying that coconuts are worse than apples? Ridiculous. Clark is much better than Walnut simply for the fact that it doesn't need to be better than Walnut.

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    3. As a recent graduate of Clark, while I will always feel in my heart that Clark is better, I know that they are both equal. Neither one is "better" than the other, they are simply different. Montessori education, while it works for a lot of people, is not for everyone. The traditional schooling that Walnut offers is not for everyone, either. Perhaps your right, there really is no comparison between apples and coconuts, neither one is better than the other, it's all up to your personal preference.

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    4. 2010 Clark, now MiamiFebruary 09, 2012 6:21 AM

      "Or put it like this, a Walnut Hills grad may someday discover how to eliminate malaria, one of the great scourges afflicting mankind A Clark grad would head off into the bush distributing that cure and saving lives." HA this is like the seminars we used to have at Clark.

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    5. Really? An actual my school is better debate is going on? Hahaha OK.

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  5. Great read, Bill. Clark is a special place, no doubt. You've captured that essence in your article.

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  6. The article certainly boasts the accomplishments of the students. Having known some of the teachers from the beginning, a great deal of credit needs to be given to them. For years, they have been there early in the morning till late in the early evening, spend many summer days preparing for their students. Many of the founding teachers started in their building, packed up and moved to a second, then to a third, back to th first until they arrived at their new home. That is a lot of dedication. J&K

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    1. Certainly no slight to teachers was intended. They have creative lesson plans, they work hard and long, they push kids to progress, they lead them on camp outs and trips that crisscross the world, from San Francisco, to the Bahamas, Morocco and Europe, or along the Appalachian Trail. They open minds. The teachers affect the future. Their dedication, and their devotion, their passion, really, enriches all they come in contact with. Again, they work hard and long hours, and they don't do it for pay alone.

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    2. Should the teachers be expected to be treated any differently than any other person who works a calendar year and probably works many more hours? Many people work countless hours in their of off time in order to produce a superior work product.

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  7. With all the planning, why didn't they plan an auditorium instead of a gym/cafeteria as a performance venue for the band?

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    1. Such a good question. Somewhat unfortunately, the Cincinnati Public School District requires that each space is used 80% of the time when planning a new building. Since we have such a beautiful gym, we knew it would be a good place to do concerts as well, and it is well-used. Our theatre program is very small and is just getting started. We do have a small stage, however. It is located in the cafeteria, so we call the space a cafetorium.

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  8. Thank you Bill for a wonderful article that replaces the need to compete with the desire to celebrate the abundance of riches in Cincinnati public education. This is how it should be done. Teach to the student based on what they need and how they need to learn and do it well! Wow, all this talk of fruit makes me hungry for more!!!

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  9. leral liamanowskiApril 23, 2013 2:22 PM

    Nice building...BIG problems with younger student body. Mismanagement of the staff, teachers allowed to run amok, and a very bed element of kids at the younger grades does not bode well for the future.

    Rupa Townsend the Principal is not very strong. The problem.

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