About Us
 In 1995 Dorothy Moffett decided to buy a plot of
land in a west Little Rock neighborhood with the
dream of opening a Montessori school. Mrs.
Moffett became fascinated by the strides Dr.
Montessori made during her lifetime. As a
teacher herself, Mrs. Moffett could immediately
see the beauty in children working hands-on
while learning to respect each other and the
environment, and being in control of that
environment. She then made it her mission to
become a certified Montessori teacher, and so
she left for Memphis, TN., to earn her
credentials. There were some obstacles she faced
trying to convince certain neighbors that the
school would blend in well with their community.
With only two enrolled students, Chenal
Montessori School became a reality in 1996.
"To the stars through difficulty" is a phrase
that certainly every new business owner can
relate to, as well as the challenge of finding
individuals truly trustworthy and team-oriented.
All the hard effort has paid off, and today the Chenal Valley Montessori School has flourished
with a faculty and staff on board who reflect
true integrity. The last few years have been the
best for Chenal Valley Montessori, with opening
of the new location on Cantrell due to growing
enrollment. We have added physical education
classes at the Little Rock Racquet Club for the
elementary students with Arrow Coach Lines
providing transportation services at no
additional cost to our parents, with the belief
that a well-rounded education not only includes
learning the content areas through all the
senses. Keyboarding, art, and dance
instruction are offered to our students as well
to provide entertainment and mind development.
On a final note, Chenal Valley Montessori has full membership with the American Montessori Society; the mainstay of the Montessori movement in the United States. This component of the school has been of utmost importance to Dorothy Moffett through her years of running the school. There is a very real difference in schools that have this accreditation and those simply labeled "Montessori School" - a title any entity can take on. There are very strict guidelines and AMS accredited school must adhere to. For example, having a faculty that completed AMS teacher training and a rigorous internship is the number one requirement. Because there is not an AMS accredited training facility here in Little Rock, the school has provided teacher training to its employees by financing their education at AMS sites such as the one in Memphis Mrs. Moffett completed, as well as other facilities in Dallas and Tulsa. Also, the school must use authentic Montessori materials purchased by Neinhaus Montessori, the elite provider of educational materials to AMS school throughout the world. CVMS takes pride in providing these to our students and using them according to Dr. Maria Montessori's curriculum guidelines. Keeping Dr. Maria Montessori's teaching methods to the letter remains the goal of Chenal Valley Montessori. Our mission remains to educate children regardless of learning ability. CVMS does not discriminate on the basis of of race, color, nationality, or ethic origin in the administration of admissions policies. We welcome all nationalities to apply. |
Discover
five basic components that help make a Montessori
education a parent's preferred choice.