In a unanimous vote Nov. 21, The Denver Board of Education approved a proposal to add a new Montessori program at Lincoln Elementary School.

The new Montessori program, set to begin with the 2003-2004 school year, will operate side-by-side with the existing program at Lincoln (710 S. Pennsylvania St.).

The proposal has been under development by the Lincoln Elementary School Collaborative Decision-Making (CDM) committee and community groups for two years.

Montessori instruction, which emphasizes independent learning, will be phased-in at Lincoln over four years. At the beginning, there will be one Montessori primary class for three-, four- and five-year-old children. Three- and four-year-olds will attend half-day. Five-year-old children will attend full day.

The goal is to add 30 additional students each year. A tuition plan will be similar to one used in other district Montessori programs at Denison Montessori and Academia Ana Marie Sandoval.

The Lincoln Montessori program will not offer transportation for students.

“This has been two years in the planning and on behalf of the board we are very excited,” said Board President Elaine Gantz Berman.

"The Montessori and Lincoln traditional programs will both provide challenging and complementary educational programs that will address the educational needs of the community through an exciting partnership," said Lincoln principal Daphne Hunter.

“The school has listened to its constituency and has come up with another interesting choice within DPS,” said Board member Lucia Guzman.

For more information, please call Lincoln Elementary School, 303-744-1785.