Prince George, BC – The students of Highglen Montessori School will be gathering at Exploration Place this evening, their first opportunity to share their feelings with each other about Monday’s fire at their school.

 

 

Parents, members of the Prince George Montessori Education Society and the Highglen Montessori Elementary Parent Advisory Council will also be on hand to talk about their next steps.

 

The fire that gutted a classroom and caused smoke, fire  and water damage throughout the school  on Monday, also meant the loss of the Montessori education materials. Montessori is very much a “hands on” style of education, where   educational aids are used. Yes, there is insurance, but at this point, it is not known how much could be replaced by insurance, and how much will need to purchased. “We are talking about 20 years of gathering materials for the classroom” says Tracey Summerville, Chair of the Montessori Education Society.  

 

To add insult to injury, the Society’s annual fundraising gala was set for this weekend. The Gala was to raise funds for classroom materials, pet food and supplies, field trips, teacher training, and a range of other initiatives. The event has now been cancelled as many of the items that were to be available for auction at that gala, were lost in the fire. The items which were   donated but not yet picked up, or were being stored offsite, will be available for  and online auction that is being organized. Further details on that effort will be forthcoming and will be available at  www.pgmontessori.ca.

 

Anyone wishing to donate an auction item should please contact Gillian at gala@pgmontessori.ca or call 250-562-9177.

 

The PGMES will also establish a Fire Damage Fund at the BMO, for the replacement of classroom materials, pet food and supplies, and other needed items.  Details will be posted at www.pgmontessori.ca.

 

The Montessori students and teachers will be back in class on Monday, but it will be at Gladstone, a school that was closed during the last round of school closures. “We are very happy to hear all of the students and staff will be in one place” says Summerville. She says arrangements are also being made for bus service and offers a thank you to all who are working to getting the students back to school “We are very grateful for the outpouring of support from the Prince George Community.”