About us

 

In 1990, Carson School in Price Hill became the Montessori Magnet school for Quadrant 1 of CPS. Once the highly energized school community learned that the vacant, wooded, one-acre lot next to the school was CPS property they cleared the rubble, added plantings, a teaching deck and built the Carson Montessori Nature Center. By 1996 it was clear that teaching staff needed assistance to fully utilize what the outdoor Land Lab had to offer. The ENCASE (Enjoying Nature Center As School Extension) program was developed and classrooms began making monthly visits.

Extra-curricular activities arose. In 2001 the west side Montessori school moved to the Dater site to accommodate expanding enrollment. With renewed energy and full sun the Dater Montessori Nature Center began to grow. Vegetable and Butterfly Gardens, a Meadow Maze of Ohio Native wildflowers and grasses, Vision Hill Arboretum which contains 30+ species of trees that have been adopted by the classrooms includes a small orchard. From 2002-05 the monthly lessons were organized into a volumous book of more than 80 activities. In 2005 junior high grades began to be added to Dater and by 2011 graduated the first Gamble Montessori High School class. These students were trained as mentors for their younger alum. They serve as Program assistants at the annual Nature Camp with Clark Montessori students.