Despite the context of COVID-19 and hosting the conference virtually, there have been overwhelming positive
responses on the success of the conference. Attendees shared their favorite moments of the weekend and indicated their
excitement to use what they learn at the conference in their current work. Additionally, attendees expressed their eagerness
to start looking at their own role in structural racism and how they can better advocate for all Montessori children.
Sessions from the MPPI Conference are available as recordings HERE (https://montessoripublicpolicyinitiative.wildapricot.
org/EmailTracker/LinkTracker.ashx?linkAndRecipientCode=nbs5WfqVxRV6XoZVim2wJWC2FNLNQmLqfDwYGd9ggimqhtbj
T6JRdAZzsJiJZfuqMMm%2bp%2bv3zYm4kNYPAc1oo7PYiiE7GZj9Mec8BrfioCg%3d)
MPPI has been busy at work in the state of Florida over the last few months. Florida Montessori schools have had the
opportunity to participate in the Florida VPK and School Readiness programs for the last 5 years with Montessori as an
approved curriculum. That curriculum approval expired this year and MPPI, working in collaboration with AMS, AMI-USA,
IMC, MEPI, and Florida Montessorians, has been working to get that approval reinstated. A request for a waiver to both
submit the application and for programs to continue to choose Montessori as their curriculum until that application is
approved was granted last month. The waiver request process required legal representation, and we want to thank Kim
Vyjelja and Imagination Station Montessori for many hours of work and also the financial support for that process. If
your school will benefit from this curriculum approval and you are able to contribute to those costs, please contact
imaginationstn@bellsouth.net.
MPPI staff are busy at work completing the application and we are optimistic we will be hearing that the Montessori
curriculum has been approved in the coming months.
MPPI supports work such as this towards state level policy change and we are always looking for more Montessorians
to get involved and influence positive change. Our team is committed to offer the most up-to-date information in the
education policy landscape and provide advocacy tools to assist Montessori advocates in their work. You can find
resources, connect to your state advocacy group and get state policy information on our website or contact us
directly for support.
VOLUME 22 ISSUE 4 • 2020 | WWW.MONTESSORI.ORG/IMC | ©MONTESSORI LEADERSHIP
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