Magnolia Montessori School Offers Free Childcare on Election Day

By Talbert Toole
Lifestyles Editor
talbert.toole@hottytoddy.com

Students of the Magnolia Montessori School participated in a civics engagement and voting lesson prior to the upcoming midterm elections. Photo via Magnolia Montessori.

As the midterm elections approach on Tuesday, Nov. 6, community organizations have buckled down in hopes of electing their respective political candidate.

In efforts to help LOU residents and members get to the polls, the Magnolia Montessori School is offering free child daycare on election day from 3-7:30 p.m.

The school offers before and aftercare for children each school day for all students, whether or not they are students at MMS; however, normally the extended care services come at a cost, said Katelyn Stowell, office manager of the school.

Stowell said the Montessori school has the opportunity to take on more students and children in its extended care programs.

“In thinking about the upcoming midterm election, we decided that services, like free childcare, could be really necessary on days where families need to get to the polls.”

Being able to focus is important when selecting a candidate in the election to represent a family in the government, Stowell said. With a large capacity to hold more children, the school decided the service would be a great addition, especially on election day. The service is completely open to the public.

Montessorians believe that every single person has a voice that is worthy of being heard, Stowell said, which is why the school decided to offer a service that allowed LOU residents a way to make it to the voting precincts.

“Offering free child care is in no way partisan,” Stowell said. “We are completely nonpartisan. We just want to empower others to exercise their voices, so their needs and wants can be heard.”

In addition to Montessorians believing in math, language and science as necessities for a successful life, Stowell said the school also believes in being a capable person leads to success, as well.

“We try to teach lessons that encourage our children to develop capability in all things,” she said. “One of the things an American needs to be capable in is how to be involved in their community.”

The school implemented a civic engagement and voting lesson to the elementary children, which emphasized how to vote, what it takes to vote and what it means to vote. The lesson was taught by Brooke Fly Spears, elementary lead guide and director of curriculum.

“We don’t think that lesson can ever come too early in a child’s life,” Stowell said.

For those interested in the daycare service, parents and guardians must sign-up their children through “Free Childcare on Voting Day,” no later than 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 6.

For those who are interested in volunteering for the childcare service at the Magnolia Montessori school, can sign-up here.