Yellowknife (Nov 19/04) - At close to $700 a month, a Montessori education was out of reach for many Yellowknife parents -- until recently.

Now that Yellowknife Education District No. 1 has absorbed the Montessori program into its public school system and the fees have been scrapped, more parents are taking a look.

Erin Dahl chose to work on her musical skills with bells for part of the day in her Montessori classroom recently. - Lisa Scott/NNSL photo

Justine Volk spent a day recently observing the Grade 1-4 Montessori class which now calls N.J. Macpherson school its home. She currently home schools her eight-year-old daughter, but is thinking of enroling her in the program.

"I was looking at it before, but we couldn't afford the tuition," Volk said.

The open class concept with students working at their own pace is appealing to Volk.

"I don't feel that there's the same pressure as other classrooms," she said.

The Montessori philosophy allows children freedom of choice and movement to follow their own interests, while providing guidance and structure.

The age 3-6 primary class is still housed at the Montessori building on 52nd Street. About 20 kids span across both classes.

Yellowknife Montessori school has been around since 1975, gaining private school status in 1998. The board, led by President Blake Rasmussen, approached Yk No. 1 in the spring to discuss joining the public district.

The trend towards higher enrolment in the primary program -- which costs about the same as day care -- was a factor, according to Rasmussen.

Parents often switched to the low-cost public system when their kids reached the elementary level.

The program risks losing its private school status by joining another district, but that's not a problem for the executive, Rasmussen said.

"Not having private school status is not important to us. What is, is to provide the Montessori education to children and make it more accessible to other people," he said.

The September integration caught some off guard, making the road a tad bumpy for teachers, parents and administration involved.

"For some people it came as a bit of a surprise. It's like going home and finding someone moved into your house," Rasmussen said of the class at N.J. Macpherson. An Oct. 20 information session addressed that problem, and since then the board has held its annual general meeting and first meeting of the year.

Some of the stipulations for Montessori school joining Yk No. 1 were the four NWT and Montessori certified teachers becoming civil servants under the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

While Yk No. 1 provides administration for the school, Yk Montessori school maintains an autonomous board of trustees.