Welcome to our family, we are so happy to have you here with us.

We are proud to offer a remarkably unique, highly specialized, Montessori focused and neurologically, emotionally, and compassionately creative learning experience with highly specialized and vibrant, compassionate staff here on the beautiful picturesque banks of the Vermilion river in Acadiana for children 4 years old through second grade. 

This new vision is the culmination of over 25 years of work, as our founder created a research institute based on progressive neurological, cognitive, behavioral and social longitudinal research that we have updated, refined, and re-created with our passions and specializations in mind—early childhood education and development, Montessori and creative artistic learning, gardening and farming and botany, nutrition, and optimal modalities for neurological growth and literacy and communication. The beautiful gardens, growing farmstead, gymnasium and outdoor sand areas are all lovingly curated to heighten and to create an immersive experience that leads to optimal learning and development on all levels in a whole child approach with highly specialized teachers who are continuing their academic and Montessori trainings. 

Montessori classrooms provide a prepared environment where children are free to respond to their natural tendency to work, and obstructions and lower energy responses are removed so that senses are balanced and aligned and heightened for learning and growth. 

The prepared environment offers the essential elements for optimal development. The key components comprise the children, teacher and physical surroundings including the specifically designed Montessori educational material. 

01.
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Beauty, order, reality, simplicity and accessibility.

02.
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Children must be given freedom to work and move around within suitable guidelines that enable them to act as part of a social group.

03.
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Children should be provided with specifically designed materials which help them to explore their world and enable them to develop essential cognitive skills.

04.
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Mixed age groups encourage all children to develop their personalities socially and intellectually at their own pace.

“Beyond the more obvious reasons why it is sensible to group the ages three by three, such as the little ones learn from the older children and the older ones learn by teaching the younger, every child can work at his own pace and rhythm, eliminating the bane of competition, there is the matter of order and discipline easily maintained even in very large classes with only one adult in charge. This is due to the sophisticated balance between liberty and discipline prevalent in Montessori classrooms, established at the very inception of a class. Children who have acquired the fine art of working freely in a structured environment, joyfully assume responsibility for upholding this structure, contributing to the cohesion of their social unit.”

- M. Montessori

There are two prepared environments for children at each successive developmental plane. These environments allow children to take responsibility for their own education, giving them the opportunity to become human beings able to function independently and hence interdependently. The child is at the height of motor-sensory exploration at age four, and neural mapping continues rapidly throughout the next seven years.  It is through the senses that the child will come to appreciate the world and the Montessori environment is an ideal settling in which the student’s keen awareness and sensitivity can be fully utilized. With the hands-on materials, the student is developing and refining the power to observe, and then compare and differentiate sensory input. The “wonder,” which is caught rather than taught, is as important as the information and structure provided by the guide.

We also add in another layer of goodness with our specific and specialized trainings and backgrounds as global educators, professors, college level coaches,  yoga teachers, PhD candidates, early childhood mentors, counselors and coaches who have created this learning collective and curated best practices for growth and happiness and the building of confidence and interpersonal skills on all levels, especially those students and families craving a unique and progressive environment filled with nature, music, art, and love, and a commitment to the whole being approach for wellness and for happiness. 

We have open houses available throughout the summer, and are happy to talk and share anytime. Thank you for your interest, and have a wonderful day. 

CERTIFICATIONS

Elementary and Mild/Moderate Education

Orton-Gillingham certified

Masters of Child and Family Studies

Masters in Neuro Linguistics

Math is Real

Math U See

Touch Math

Project Read

CiPP (Positive Psychology)

Masters Degree in Learning Disabilities

Reading Specialist

Educational Diagnostician

23yrs. Teaching experience in elementary/inclusion/self-contained classes

Multi-sensory instructor through Nicholls State Dyslexia Center

Master Coaching

AIMSweb Assessment and RTI solution

Secondary Accredited status:

• MSA-CESSA

• Ai

• NCPSA

• COE

Acadiana Arts Council

Council for Exceptional Children- 6 division

Division of Learning Disabilities

Teacher Education Division

Technology and Media Division

Division of Developmental Disorders

Division of Research and Development

Teaching Exceptional Children

La. Chapter for Autistic Children

La. Chapter Attention Deficit Disorders

International Dyslexia Association

Member of the Youngsville Chamber of Commerce

Lafayette Natural History Museum

Learning in the Brain

Pottery Alley Clay Creations

Drama/Theater Excursions

CODOFIL

AWARDS

Represented the U.S. to Russia through the Citizens Ambassador Program on Learning Disabilities in 1992

Nominated in 2007 by the Jr. League of Lafayette as one of the best new businesses to serve the needs of women and children

2007 Nominee for Outstanding Educator by the LEF Foundation

Teacher of the Year 2005

Awarded multiple grants through the Autism Society for our continued commitment in assisting students with autism 

Global CODOFIL Ambassador

PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS

Pediatric Therapy and Learning Center

Dr. Luke Elliott, Pediatric Psychologist

Dr. Joni Orazio, Pediatric Psychiatrist

Dr. Brent Prather, Pediatrician and Allergist who also specializes in treatment of ADHD

The Harmony Institute

Kripalu

The WHOLEBEING Institute