Community members and longtime supporters of the Patagonia Montessori Elementary School are calling on the school’s three-member board to explore ways to continue operations.
The board voted in March to close the school at the conclusion of fiscal year 2026, raising questions about what led to the decision and about the future of the 31 private preschool and charter school students enrolled at the school. There also have been concerns about how the nonprofit corporation that runs the school will wind down its affairs and dispose of its property.
A letter written by the school’s principal, Jessi Beebe, said she and her husband decided to leave Patagonia to be closer to family and that “it has become increasingly difficult to hire Montessori trained teachers. With most of our teachers and staff moving away at the end of this school year, we feel this is the right time to close our doors.”
The following letter was sent to board members this week:
Dear Members of the Board of Montessori Elementary School,
Several weeks ago the Patagonia community learned with surprise and sadness that the Montessori Elementary school had surrendered its charter, and made plans to officially close in the spring of this year.
Lots of wonderful educational experiences took place over many years, leaving lots of lasting wonderful memories. We salute the staff and teachers that labored long hours for the school, and extend our warmest appreciation for effort that was often beyond the call of duty.
Now that the existing staff and board have laid down the project, it’s time to look at the future. This letter is a bridge between the closing school and those in the community interested in the dream of continuing education in the Montessori tradition.
“Dream” is not too strong for the promise that existed when the school moved to its own quarters on the edge of town, over two decades ago. Not everyone now in Patagonia would remember, but only a few years into its 30-year history, the school acquired 40 acres on which to build its own model Montessori campus and programs. That was the work of a group of dedicated visionaries, who donated not only truly countless hours but also significant personal funds to get the land, and the plan, firmly put in place. Not all of those founders are still alive, but an enormous sense of community investment, and pride, still exists in a unique school, in a special location within a dynamic community.
Our hope is that the outgoing Board of the school will ask some of those community members to join the Board, or form a new one, with the aim of using any remaining assets to pursue the original mission: quality educational options, on the land, for the local community. Few communities of this size have the professional expertise, volunteer base, and overall community enthusiasm that Patagonia has shown repeatedly. A full community group working on education at the existing site is a very promising prospect.
Thank you, and please let us know when members of the interested community might meet with the Board, to discuss these possibilities.
Respectfully,
David H. Budd, Gianna Martin, Meredith Aronson, Exelee Ruiz, Linda Fong, Lars Marshall, Binx Selby, Jim McMahon, Carolyn Shafer, Terry Woodhouse, David Luna