Our Story...

      After initiating a Montessori pre-school and Kindergarten in a private elementary school, Mary Szlaius realized that in that setting preschool and kindergarten children could not be a top priority. To fulfill her dream and make early childhood paramount, she founded Woodview Terrace Montessori (WTM) in Woodbury in 1978. Recognizing the community need for full day child care, she designed that program in 1980. With the expansion, a larger site (our current preschool wing) was built in 1981.

      Soon many of our parents were requesting the addition of infant and toddler programs, so Mary attended classes in infants and toddler development and care and visited centers throughout the metro for two years. Convinced that WTM could provide this specialized care, she added an infant and toddler wing in 1989, tripling the size of the building. A full commercial kitchen was also added at this time to enable WTM to prepare fresh, healthy meals and snacks on site daily. The kitchen was completely renovated in 2008 and our cook continues to prepare our meals from scratch.

      WTM is an education based program with a fundamental Montessori philosophy, approach and learning materials. Our belief is that quality care and education is critical to a child’s development. It must be caring and consistent. It must also be supportive of parents, a partnership in the care and nurturing of their children. We strive not only to be responsive to the needs of children, but also to the needs of parents – to share the daily “stuff of living”, to listen to your concerns and provide resources and information, to rejoice in your children’s triumphs. We share your child-rearing dreams and support you in your difficulties. Our goal is to ensure that when you are thinking about your child during your day, you are confident your child is not only in a nurturing environment but one that is providing stellar socializing and learning opportunities as well.

      Partnering with her husband, Bill, daughter Catherine McDonnell, and son Bill, this is a family centered and family owned and operated organization.