Little Star Montessori School celebrated its 36th birthday on March 22, a public event that drew more than 100 Little Star staff, students, families, board members and alumni to the school’s new building in Winthrop.
Visitors were offered tours of the school, along with dinner and rainbow cake.
The event also marked the publicity launch for Little Star’s capital campaign. The school announced a challenge grant of $100,000 if it can achieve its goal of 360 gifts by May 6. The campaign’s vision statement is, “Little Star can solve the Methow Valley’s early childhood education and child care crises, by leveraging its 35 years of valuable and highly relevant experience.”
Little Star’s expansion plans include:
• Growing in Winthrop, including a new building with three new classrooms, flexible spaces for active indoor and outdoor play, a kitchen and dedicated parent resource room to strengthen vital family connections.
• Opening the new satellite campus in Twisp called the Little Star South Collaborative (LSSC) in partnership with Room One and TwispWorks. LSSC will serve infants and toddlers, and provide year-round care, with the possibility of an additional age 3 thru 6 expansion. Designated spaces will be reserved for families who are a part of Room One and other support services. The campus opened in October 2017.
• Creating a long-term scholarship fund to ensure that the school can continue to offer adequate financial assistance to families in need, on both the Twisp and Winthrop campuses.
• Expanding partnerships with other local organizations.
Little Star will also offer several tours in the coming weeks:
• Tours of the Little Star South Collaborative at the TwispWorks campus on April 22 and May 5, from 11 a.m.-noon.
• Tours of Little Star’s new building in Winthrop on April 13 and April 27, at 4:30 p.m.
For information, call 996-2801.
