EVM School Calendar For admissions information: admissions@elanvitale.org DONATE NOW 5228 Perkins Road Baton Rouge, LA 70808 225.767.6620 Fax 225.769.8122 Office Hours: 1:30-3:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday

Elan Vitale Provides Montessori Education for PK3 - 8th Grade "It is not the responsibility of the teacher to let the students do whatever they want; rather it is the responsibility of the teacher to help the students love what they have to do."  - Maria Montessori In fall 2006, Elan Vitale Montessori School opened its doors on Perkins Road as the first Montessori School in Baton Rouge dedicated to providing PK3 - 8th grade education. Twenty-five students were in the inaugural class -- 18 in Primary and seven in Elementary. Elan Vitale has an authentic Montessori environment where children develop a lifelong love of learning. Elan Vitale is structured as a traditional not-for-profit private school with a mission of providing Montessori education for families in Baton Rouge. Elan Vitale is the first Montessori School in Baton Rouge to offer extended care until 5:30 p.m. for working parents. (more) 2009 Summer Program Information & Application Elan Vitale Montessori will be offering an eight-week summer program of arts, language, science and academic enrichment for children 2-1/2 through 8 years of age. Half day, full day and extended care options are available, as well as weekly or monthly attendance. Download our pamphlet and fillable application form here. A Visit from Tom Varnado Students Learn About Native American Life American Indian Tom Varando brought his spectacular tepee and many artifacts and games from native life. He demonstrated how simple tools could be made from items found in the woods- string from bark, a drill made of wood and string, and a wonderful game made with corn cobs and feathers which we made a copy of at the school. He started a fire using a natural flint and moss, a Wal-Mart flint, and by packing the moss into the hollow of a stick and spinning the stick in the hollow. That was impressive. Sitting in Chief Tom’s tepee, we mostly learned about how people lived when there were no Home Depots and lived very well. Community Luncheon At Elan Vitale Elementary Cooks for the School Elementary students planned and prepared a meal for the faculty and primary class. The menu included soft and crispy tacos and a fruit parfait for dessert. The tables were set festively with name card for their important diners. Then they served the students and faculty before serving themselves. Breaking bread together is a community-building activity, a peace work, incorporating math skills, collaborative group work, and the science of cooking, of course. Mischief at Elan Vitale Children Love Caring for Their Horse Thanks to a generous gift, the students at Elan Vitale have a foal named Mischief. In keeping with the Montessori emphasis on care of the environment and her belief in the profound importance of connections with nature, the elementary students rotate responsibility for feeding, watering, and grooming the foal and mother, Isabella. Mischief is an active foal who has lately taken to playing with us; sometimes, kicking is playing for him. Fortunately, he doesn’t carry a lot of punch. It has been interesting to watch students as they have come to have confidence in their ability to take care of the horses. Of course, their favorite chore is mucking the pen. Field Trips-Out into the Community All Saints' Day, LASM, Fast Food Farm and More At the elementary level, Montessori said the walls of school must come down, figuratively speaking. Students want to learn about the world around them; every field trip adds another dimension to our classroom work. Fast Food Farm in Gramercy, LA was a day full of gardening, a scavenger hunt, soil study that ended with rich dessert that looked like soil, and other fun events. Ms. Denny, the docent at the Fast Food Farm, is a dedicated and selfless person, using her family’s land to introduce farm life to the students. Red Bluff Farm in Folsom included a close encounter with animals and a harvest theme. Lacombe in St. Tammany Parish is one of the few places in the country that still celebrates All Saints Day. Family members honor deceased kin by whitewashing their graves and smoothing the white sand around them. They then set votive candles in the sand and wait for the Priest to arrive to bless the graves. The trip to the Louisiana Art and Science Museum was a full day. Notable was the Egyptian exhibit (they were impressed by the mummy) and the Impressionistic collection that is hanging in the museum right now on loan from NOMA in gratitude for their help after Hurricane Katrina. Primary Soccer Mighty Crickets Had Fun Learning Teamwork Our Primary students played on a YMCA Soccer team, the Mighty Crickets. Here is one of their practices at school. They had a great time learning new skills and teamwork. Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Parents and Grandparents Share Picnic As part of the opening of Elan Vitale, parents, grandparents and friends of Elan Vitale gathered in the playground and circled around a 100 foot ribbon. During her brief remarks, Dr. Autrey thanked the parents for being part of on the journey to create an authentic Montessori school. Children, flanked by their parents then cut the ribbon (with blunt end scissors) then the group adjourned for an old fashioned picnic. Elementary Visits Louisiana State Museum Downtown Field Trip Includes Visit to State Capitol Elan Vitale elementary students went on their first field trip to the new Louisiana History Museum. The students followed the timeline of the economic, historical, societal and political milestones of our state. While downtown, the students toured the state capitol, including the bullet holes from Huey Long’s assassination and viewed the city from the top of the state capitol. They also ate lunch at Mortorano's and rode the downtown trolly. Upon returning to school, the students made journal entries on their reflections from the day. About Montessori Materials: The Knobbed Cylinders Here, an Elementary Student takes on the challenge of all four knobbed cylinders while she is blindfolded. This is not for the faint of heart. These were among the first materials Maria Montessori devised for three- to six-year olds. Want to more about how they work and what children can learn from the Knobbed Cylinders? Click below! More about the Knobbed Cylinders Request an Application for Fall 2009 Now Enrolling! Elan Vitale is currently taking applications for Fall 2008 for Primary (3-6) and Lower Elementary (1st - 5th Grade). If you are interested in receiving an application, please e-mail us at learn@elanvitale.org. For more information about Montessori Education and our Primary and Lower Elementary programs, please click on the links below. Primary Lower Elementary Montessori Education Overview