Countryside Montessori Plans Middle School Expansion

Countryside Montessori school is taking the first steps toward expanding its campus on Pfingsten Road to include a 4,300-square-foot middle school.

School President Wendy Calise said that, based on demand from parents, the school plans to add seventh and eighth grade to its offerings. Countryside Montessori currently enrolls approximately 135 children from age 2 through sixth grade. 

“So a challenge for the families is that all our local middle schools start at sixth grade,” she said. “The parents are just looking to continue this a little bit longer.” 

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At a board meeting Tuesday night, trustees considered a preliminary application from Countryside Montessori for construction of the new building, which would enroll some 15 to 25 students, according to Calise.

In considering the plan, trustees said their biggest concerns were potential problems with access and potential lack of parking. That’s because the new building would be located on vacant land the school owns at 1985 Pfingsten Road, two lots north of its current building at 1945 Pfingsten. The middle lot, at 1965 Pfingsten, is occupied by the school’s retired founders, Frank and Annette Kulle. 

Under the plan submitted to the village board on Tuesday, Countryside Montessori would purchase the middle lot and the Kulles, who remain on the school’s board, would continue to stay in their home for the time being. But trustees were skeptical about how the arrangement might function in practice. 

“I’d like to understand how this works as a campus,” said trustee Bob Israel. “There’s basically a little vacuum in the middle.”

Trustee Kathryn Ciesla raised a concern about what could happen when parents were picking up kids at both schools, and those kids might want to walk from one building to the other on the public sidewalks—crossing over the exits and entryways to the property.

Heller was concerned about the number of parking spaces planned for the new building. While four spaces would meet village code for the building’s occupancy, he feared that it might create problems if the school planned evening activities for parents.

Reached after the meeting, Calise said that Countryside Montessori will revise its plans before coming back to the board for final review.

“We’ll definitely take into consideration the things that concern them,” she said.  Among other changes, Calise said the school would likely add a garden path connecting the buildings behind the Kulles’ home.

Calise said she expects to enroll 15 to 25 students in the new school, mostly coming from the lower grades at Countryside Montessori. She plans to begin with a seventh grade class next year, to be housed at the current school building, and expects construction work on the new building to be completed in September 2013. 

“Our mission is to help children become respectful and responseful and resourceful, and we’re leading them hanging at that time,” Calise said. “Although the parents are the ones that gave us the push, it’s really meeting the needs of the kids.”