Jarrow Montessori School first opened its doors and began serving the Boulder community in 1964, becoming the first Montessori school in Colorado. At over 50 years old, we are proud to be one of the best schools in the state and hold the distinction of being fully accredited by the American Montessori Association.
Our Founders (from left to right)
James Scarritt, Margot Brauchli, Andor Toth, Gary Stahl, Christopher Brauchli,
Florence Becker Lennon, Hardy Frank, Prudence Scarritt, James Frank, Margaret Stahl
The original founders wanted a quality Montessori experience for their children and so Jarrow began as a preschool of twenty-one children ages three to six. In the beginning, Jarrow operated out of the Sunday school wing of the First Christian Church in Boulder. The school’s enrollment blossomed and in 1966, Jarrow invested in its future growth and moved to its present 3.5 acre site in North Boulder.
Soon after, in 1969, Jarrow added kindergarten classes, expanding to 120 students and securing its first Head of School, Janet Gollin. Janet led the school impeccably for twenty-five years with both vision and enthusiasm. “I don’t think it makes a lot of sense to educate children unless you involve yourself in the world they are going to grow up in”, she said.
Jarrow continued on the road of expansion and by its tenth anniversary, in 1974, we introduced the first elementary program in the region. The school’s enrollment has grown from that first class of 21, to our current level of 170, which serves ages 18 months through twelve years (6th grade).
“When Keely and Pierce took their CSAP’s for entry into middle school, they scored 12+ grade in Math, English, and Literature. Jarrow put them at a tremendous advantage compared to most of their classmates. This made the transition into a high school International Baccalaureate program effortless.” —Deb Shafer, Jarrow Parent & Neuro Kinesiologist