Parents can expect positive changes at Bristow Montessori School, including gourmet catered lunches and a new playground installation.
Starting in February, Twisted Cork Grille will now be catering lunches for the Montessori-based daycare, pre-K and primary school in Bristow. Twisted Cork is the new American restaurant within Bristow Commons that also offers some farm-to-table dishes.
Bristow Montessori parents will have the opportunity to purchase a meal for their children or have them bring their lunches. The school will continue to provide children with two ample snacks thoughout the day.
Twisted Cork serves elegantly presented American cuisine.
Food catered by Twisted Cork will be delivered hot to Bristow Montessori and served in its classrooms. All of the dishes are right off Twisted Cork’s restaurant menu and are of restaurant quality.
Bristow Montessori Head of School Anita Ercole believes the meals are a step above the usual school lunch program.
“It is a very nice option. They are doing it specifically for us, which makes it a very custom program,” Ercole said.
The menu eschews usual kid foods for home-style comfort foods. Ercole is proud that the food is not shipped in from an outside vendor.
Teachers and staff at Bristow Montessori are also excited about the school’s new playground structure that was completed this January. It includes a slide, climbing wall and features designed for physical activity and imaginative play.Teacher watches children on the new playground installation and turf at Bristow Montessori.“We’re excited for our students. In Montessori we teach them about plant cycles,” Ercole explained. “To offer them a lunch program of primarily fresh or locally grown food, it reflects the Montessori culture.”
The entire playground has also been outfitted with safe, spongy, all-weather turf. The new turf will allow the school to use the playground more frequently, and the playground’s colors reflect the natural environment.
Ercole feels the outdoor experience is an important aspect of the Montessori philosophy. She encourages her teachers to plan lessons in which the children interact with nature.
All Montessori learning is experience based. The curriculum includes scientific experiments designed for young children. For instance, teachers used a frozen water balloon in water to teach them about glaciers.The class garden is also ideal for teaching the natural sciences. “Children will go outside and sketch plants they see in the environment, or uproot them, and take them in and draw the roots.”
While many schools have come to realize the benefits of incorporating Montessori elements, Ercole hopes parents will consider the powerful impact of a complete Montessori experience at Bristow Montessori School.
Article Originally Printed in Bristow Beat