The Sunday Times reports that the future of The Little Room program of the Brooklyn Heights Montessori School will be decided on Tuesday, when the school’s board of trustees votes on whether to move the Little Room (currently located at the intersection of Court and Bergen Streets) or to close it down. The 28-year-old program serves preschool-aged children with speech and language delays. In addition to providing a specialized curriculum to its 27 students, the Little Room offers several therapeutic services and counseling to preschool- and elementary-aged children.
“It’s heartbreaking because there’s nothing else like it around here,” said Kara Bohnenstiel, an artist whose 3-year-old son, Myat Haggart, is one of nine children who had been expected to stay in the program for another year. “I don’t know what we will do if they close it. There’s not going to be time to find another place for one oddball year.”
Dane L. Peters, the head of school, said that the Little Room does not fit in with Brooklyn Heights Montessori’s future plans, and that the school has been filling a gap between the program’s expenses and reimbursements from the state. Tuition for special education students is free.
“It is extremely difficult because there’s an inherent culture in this school to embrace diversity,” Mr. Peters said. “But the trustees have to look to the long-term sustainability of the school, and if the school is to grow and thrive, it sometimes is confronted by challenging decisions.”
I have directed The Little Room for the past 14 years. It is an exemplary program within the Brooklyn Heights Montessori School. I urge the School to collaborate with Little Room parents in order to relocate the program successfully. The loss of this program would significantly impact the local community of Brooklyn independent public and private schools. The program serves approximately 130 neighborhood children annually through its center-based, therapy services and evaluation components. Independent and public school leaders frequently seek assistance and guidance from the program.The program exemplifies the Montessori principles, including the embracing of diversity, upon which it was founded and to which the school is committed.Collaboration has always been a hallmark of the Brooklyn Heights Montessori School and I feel hopeful that it will prevail in this complex and painful decison making process.
As a parent whose child received an evaluation and speech services at The Little Room, I am saddened by this news. I can say only positive things about the program there, and it did wonders to help my child and our situation. The neighborhood needs something like this, and I do hope the program will continue in some form or other. My child is thriving now, and I want there to be more success stories like hers.
I am also a parent whose child was evaluated and received related services at The Little Room. It is a truly fantastic program, staffed by professional, caring individuals. The community is strengthened by having this program in our midst and I join with others to call for its remaining open, functioning and thriving.