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Founded on a Dream
Founded on a Dream
Martin Luther King Montessori School was started after the tragic assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Three Fort Wayne women - Dottie Fitchey, Dorothy Holt and Mary Hoban – had a vision to do something positive in their community out of something so negative in our country. Dr. King believed in equal education for all children with no consideration given to their economic background or the color of their skin. In 1968, these women continued Dr. King’s dream by starting the Martin Luther King Montessori School at St. Mary’s Catholic School. With the space of one room donated by the church, 18 children attended the first classes.
For 38 years MLK Montessori School served the families of Fort Wayne from three separate sites located in churches throughout the city. Over 5000 students graduated from our school during this time. In October 2003, Lincoln Foundation generously offered their Great Beginnings Daycare building on Lewis Street to MLK Montessori School.
For 4 years, the MLKMS program operated 6 classes for preschool and kindergarten age children, in the spacious and beautiful child care facility right in the heart of downtown Fort Wayne. The City of Fort Wayne decided to build a ballpark in downtown Fort Wayne, and our school just happened to be in right field! So after much discussion and negotiations, during August of 2007, MLKMS moved to Village Elementary school, 4615 Werling Drive, leasing 5 classrooms, for 100 preschool children. Village Elementary School has the space, MLKMS has the need and there are many shared spaces to continue operating just as we have in the past. MLKMS will continue to offer before and after care for children and their families, and a family Services program (Foellinger Foundation). Food will be prepared on site with our children eating in the school cafeteria. The school gymnasium will be accessible to our children, with an expansive outdoor playground, and shared space in the school’s media/library center.
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