Madison Montessori School is a non-profit, private pre-school and kindergarten, founded in 1981 by Terry Armstrong and Elizabeth McKinley as a result of the experience they shared as Montessori teachers at another school. Having taught together elsewhere, the two were able to put into place what they felt were the three essential components of a superior Montessori education: the right materials, the right teachers and the Montessori philosophy. With regard to philosophy, Terry was adamant that the school remain faithful to Maria Montessori’s principles. “The Montessori philosophy drives the program and unites the school,” she explains. With teachers, Terry marvels at her good fortune in securing so many talented people over the years. “Divine intervention allowed us to get just the right person at the right time,” she says. Looking back, Terry now recognizes that a fourth element has also been crucial to the school’s development: parents who embrace the school’s educational method.