Newbury Park School Looking for a New Site

Montessori Children’s House of Newbury Park may be forced to close its doors if it doesn’t find a new location after its lease runs out June 30.

The school, for children ages 2 through 9, has been operating out of leased quarters at St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church for more than 13 years. However, the church plans to start its own preschool and after-school program this September and needs the space.

The school started with two teachers and 24 students, said preschool director and elementary Principal Pam Nelson, and has grown to 11 teachers with 57 students.

Nelson said she learned they could lose the space last November, and since then, school representatives have looked at potential locations.

“Our hope and belief is there’s someplace out there for us,” she said.

None of the sites considered so far meets the school’s space requirements, including 1,000 square feet for the pre-kindergarten program and about the same amount of space for the elementary program, Nelson said. The school also needs two outdoor, fenced-in play areas large enough to provide 75 square feet of space per child. There also must be one toilet and one sink per 15 children, office space and an isolation area for children who become ill.

The city of Thousand Oaks also has strict zoning laws governing where schools may be located.

Montessori schools were founded around the turn of the century by Maria Montessori, an Italian physician and educator. Under the Montessori method, children are encouraged to use toys that are educational, are taught to complete tasks and are allowed to develop at their own pace.