MacDowell Montessori School is a public school that is part of the Milwaukee Public School District. Located at 6415 W Mt Vernon Ave it is on the west side of

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Milwaukee ( ), officially the City of Milwaukee, is both the most populous and most densely populated city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County. With a population of 577,222 at th ...

in the Bluemound Heights neighborhood. The school building was built in 1932 as the home for Solomon Juneau Business High School which closed down in 2006. The school began in late August 2009 as Montessori International Baccalaureate High School then during 2012–2013, they merged with Edward A. MacDowell Montessori School to now serve as a K3-12 school with an

International Baccalaureate The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly known as the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968. It offers four educational programmes: the IB D ...

curriculum for grades 11–12, while using Montessori education for K3-12.

About the School

MacDowell Montessori School promotes concentration, practical life, and problem-solving skills as students apply knowledge in all subjects. At the K-8 level, classrooms are multi-age, combining the ages of 3–6, 6–9, 9-12, and 12–14. Students integrate science, history, geography, and the arts through lessons, projects, and community experiences. The high school program combines the

Montessori The Montessori method of education involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing real-world skills. It emphasizes indepen ...

philosophy with the International Baccalaureate program, which provides a rigorous curriculum for college preparation. MacDowell emphasizes the importance of productive community involvement and a humanistic worldview.

International Baccalaureate

The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is a recognized leader in the field of international education. It is a non-profit, mission-driven foundation that works with 2,600 schools (April 2009). Students are taught to be active learners, well-rounded individuals, and engaged citizens, who gain practical experience of being part of an international community. There are various diploma program course offerings at MacDowell Montessori that can be taken during grades 11–12.

Montessori

Macdowell Montessori is one of many schools that use the Montessori method of education. The importance of developing a love of learning is central to the Montessori method of education. The Montessori method is based on the research of Italian physician and educator

Maria Montessori Maria Tecla Artemisia Montessori ( , ; August 31, 1870 – May 6, 1952) was an Italian physician and educator best known for the philosophy of education that bears her name, and her writing on scientific pedagogy. At an early age, Montessori e ...

(1870-1952), who developed the educational philosophy after scientifically observing children in learning environments. Dr. Montessori found that children have the effortless ability to absorb knowledge from their surroundings and develop confidence by teaching themselves. She developed educational plans based on the natural behavior of a child, untouched by adult commands, classroom competition or regimented schedules. Dr. Montessori's philosophy remains the foundation of an astounding educational practice today.

Athletics and Extra Curricular Activities

There are multiple extracurricular activities for grades 1-12, as well as various school occupations for grades 7-12. The Solomon Juneau Business High School athletics program (Juneau Pioneers) is being used by MacDowell Montessori for cross country, girls volleyball, girls & boys basketball, cheerleading, girls & boys golf, and girls & boys tennis under the name Milwaukee Juneau. They co-op with different schools for football, girls & boys swim, girls & boys soccer, wrestling, track & field, baseball, and girls softball.

School Tradition

A tradition from Solomon Juneau High School of not stepping on the Main Entrance

Mosaic A mosaic is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and were particularly pop ...

is also tradition within MacDowell Montessori.

Notable graduates of Solomon Juneau Business High School

* Robert A. Collins, Wisconsin State Assemblyman * Pat Curran, football player *

James Lovell James Arthur Lovell Jr. (; born March 25, 1928) is an American retired astronaut, naval aviator, test pilot and mechanical engineer. In 1968, as command module pilot of Apollo 8, he became, with Frank Borman and William Anders, one of the f ...

, astronaut, missions to the Moon with Apollo 8 and Apollo 13 *

Ann Morgan Guilbert Ann Morgan Guilbert (October 16, 1928 – June 14, 2016), sometimes credited as Ann Guilbert, was an American television and film actress and comedian who portrayed a number of roles from the 1950s on, most notably as Millie Helper in 61 episode ...

, actress

References

{{authority control High schools in Milwaukee Educational institutions established in 1932 Public schools in Wisconsin 1932 establishments in Wisconsin