Parents and Teachers Collaborate to Save Private Montessori School in South Eugene

Parents and teachers in the South Eugene community are rallying together to save a beloved Montessori school. After the previous director of Far Horizons Montessori School announced its closure, a dedicated group of parents and teachers are stepping up to create a new school in its place.

The new school, South Hills Montessori School, will be located at 2490 Hilyard St. Organizers wasted no time and have already replaced the old school sign with a new one. The school will officially open its doors on September 8th, welcoming students and teachers to a fresh start.

South Hills Montessori, Inc. was officially incorporated on August 26th, with parents and teachers coming together to make this dream a reality. Aya Cockram, a parent of a student at the school, shared that the school’s ultimate goal is to transition to a nonprofit model in the long run.

The impetus for this change came after the former director, Lynn Peacock, was informed that she could no longer operate at the location due to defaulting on the lease agreement. This unfortunate situation left teachers without paychecks and families with unresolved refund requests, prompting the community to take action.

The outpouring of support from parents, teachers, and local schools like Ridgeline Montessori and Eugene Montessori has been overwhelming. Families donated seed money to help launch South Hills Montessori, while other schools have generously contributed materials and furniture.

Lisa Cairo, a retired teacher from Far Horizons Montessori, has even decided to return to teaching at South Hills Montessori. The school is offering sign-on bonuses to teachers who want to come back and is honoring prepaid tuition from families affected by the closure of Far Horizons.

It hasn’t been an easy road, but the South Hills community remains committed to preserving the Montessori educational experience for their children. Despite the challenges, the spirit of collaboration and resilience has been the driving force behind this grassroots effort to create a new beginning for South Hills Montessori School.