Sparrow Montessori
A Montessori School in the Catholic Tradition located in St. Louis, Missouri
“As the sparrow finds a home and the swallow a nest to settle her young, My home is by your altars, LORD of hosts, my king and my God.”
Psalm 84:4
Sparrow Montessori desires to give the smallest people the very best things. We offer our students experiences with real-world objects and tasks to engender a sense of belonging in a real community. We learn about all aspects of God’s creation from plants and animals to language and numbers. We study human culture from every continent. Our study of our world is informed by our relationship with Jesus the Good Shepherd and the liturgy of the church.
We honor the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the child, given at Baptism, and we follow the child’s inclination to know and love God. We strive to inspire a sense of awe and wonder in the child. Our goal is for the child to feel safe, honored, treasured, and loved as one of God’s precious children.
MISSION
“Young children have a natural ability to enjoy their relationship with God in a very deep way. Children are capable of enjoying the presence of God; they are able to give themselves totally to God’s love.”
― Sofia Cavalletti
ACADEMICS
Sparrow Montessori offers a rich three-year Primary Program for children ages 2.5 to 6, rooted in the Montessori method and guided by the principles of faith and wonder. Children explore the five core areas of practical life, sensorial work, language, mathematics, and science/world cultures/art. Integrated into the curriculum is Level I of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, introducing children to the beauty of the Mass, Baptism, the Liturgical Year, the life of Christ, and the geography of the Holy Land through hands-on materials and quiet contemplation. Sparrow Montessori is a proud Member School of the American Montessori Society.
GIVE YOUR CHILD THE GIFT OF:
a multi-age classroom
a chance to experience kindergarten as a leadership year
the ability to work at his or her own pace
the opportunity to soar ahead of typical kindergarten curriculum into Montessori elementary curriculum when ready
progressing into writing by strengthening the hand
progressing into reading through shape and pattern recognition and oral sound exercises
introduction to numeracy, the four basic operations, geometry, fractions, squares, cubes, and more
nomenclature for the articles of the Mass
Infancy narratives of Christ and simple parables
quiet, personal prayer for the child through working with the catechetical materials
an introduction to communal prayer and Catholic prayer language
attending Adoration and listening quietly to the voice of the Good Shepherd
learning all of the major world cultures through continent study
recognizing the goodness of God in all of the cultures and all of His Creation
studying plants and animals, growing plants and gardening, harvesting our produce
preparing the food that we grow
setting a table, serving friends
cleaning a table, a floor, dusting, washing up
being in a joyful, learning community of faith and friendship
STAFF
Julie Riley started Sparrow Montessori to combine Catechesis of the Good Shepherd faith formation and Montessori academics into one program. Julie has been a CGS catechist since 2018. Julie has undergraduate degrees in French, English, and Secondary Education, and an M.A. in Theology. Her love for the Montessori method came from watching her own daughters’ experiences in Montessori schools and through implementing the Montessori method in both homeschool and private school settings.
Tuition Rates
Founding Families*
$9,495 Five Days
$5,950 Three Days
$3,950 Two Days
Monthly payment plans available.
Full Day
$5,495 Five Days
$3,250 Three Days
$2,150 Two Days
Monthly payment plans available.
Half Day
*This rate sheet is for the Founder Families in year one. These rates may change for future years. Sparrow Montessori intends to work with all families choosing to attend to make a workable situation.