There is a lot of spirit at St. Francis and Mt. Laverna center. The classrooms for the Montessori youngsters are filled with life and laughter. Teachers and children read and share their stories and it is like a whole new world is evolving. Spiritualizing education does not require religious indoctrination or moralistic preaching. All it takes is the setting of certain relationships among people and between people and the rest of nature.
Spirituality requires too a nurturing and free space for the child to be, explore and wonder.
We believe that children who grow up sharing resources and knowledge, collaborating to realize common goals, helping and being helped, serving the community that gives them access to everything it has, and identifying across social boundaries will become empathic and compassionate adults. All these values are within them, are found in their homes, but we only try to formalize, affirm and encourage to perpetuate them. We fear economic deprivation inhibit the child s ability to capture his or her own spirit. Mt. Laverna is located in an area where families are economically disadvantaged. They make lots of trade offs to make ends meet.