Adeline Montessori School Announces Permanent Home in Waukesha

For immediate release March 17, 2026

From: Adeline Montessori School
Contact: Emily Rodriguez, Principal, erodriguez@adelinemontessori.com

On Wednesday, March 11, 2026, the Waukesha School Board voted to approve the sale of Hawthorne Elementary School to Adeline Montessori School, an independent public charter school. The sale will be finalized on July 1, 2026, and the 2026/2027 school year will commence this Fall at the new location. Adeline Montessori offers free, publicly funded Montessori education for students from 4K through 8th grade, with plans to launch high school programs in Fall 2026. Bus service and the hot lunch program will continue at the new site. Adeline also has an Early Learning Center that serves children ages 6 weeks to 3 years. It is a licensed childcare facility that accepts SHARES.

Adeline Montessori has been searching for a permanent home since opening as a public charter school in July 2021. The school was established in July 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, and was approved as an Independent Charter School on July 1, 2021. Its student enrollment grew from 27 to 134 in just one year, with a projected enrollment of around 200 students for 2026/2027. This rapid growth led to an initial move in 2021 to the space previously occupied by St. Joseph Catholic Middle School in downtown Waukesha, followed by a move in 2022 to their current location, a building owned by Abundant Life Apostolic Church, in the Village of Summit. Returning to Waukesha brings the school back to its roots.

Adeline Walsh co-founded and opened the now Montessori School of Waukesha in the early 1960s. She was also instrumental in the founding of Waukesha Head Start, where she appointed the current director, Tim Nolan. She had a deep passion for early childhood learning and watching children grow. Four years later, she tragically passed away, leaving behind her six children. The school changed course, Head Start and the then Montini Montessori School parted ways, and her vision slowly faded away. Her goal was to bring Montessori education to anyone who wanted it, regardless of socioeconomic status. I hope to honor her vision and bring Adeline back to Waukesha as a center for true accessibility.

Adeline Montessori emphasizes Montessori education, as its name indicates. Children are guided by licensed and credentialed teachers who embrace the Montessori Philosophy promoted by Maria Montessori and the American Montessori Society. Above core academics, key beliefs in Montessori philosophy include independence, practical life skills, and Grace and Courtesy. Montessorians aim to inspire good stewards of the community who understand their impact on the work around them. Older students have curricula designated to foster volunteering and community building. Students engage with work that meets them where they are, whether that is above or below what would be considered their typical “grade level,” in which critical thinking is sharpened and independence, responsibility, and internal motivation are essential to the student’s success within the Montessori classroom and school environment.

Our community has grown in our current home, and while it’s bittersweet to leave, we’re looking forward to expanding our impact on students, families, and the community in the new permanent location. We are very grateful to Abundant Life Apostolic Church for giving us a home to accommodate the larger student body.

Having Infants through 8th grade has allowed us to see each child’s progress from Early Childhood to Elementary and ultimately to Middle School, so we have been able to mitigate any challenges early in their educational careers. Each year, we’ve seen a growing need for services among our student body, particularly in special education and mental health. We’ve already expanded our partnership with Waukesha Family Services, so the move to Waukesha is serendipitous.

The Adeline Montessori mission emphasizes embracing diversity among our children, families, and staff, as well as within our community. We hold the belief that each person brings their own unique perspective, enhancing the community as a whole. We see inclusion as the foundation for compassion, understanding, and growth in our increasingly diverse world. Adeline Montessori School does not discriminate based on age, race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or relationship status, or disability. Everyone is welcome at Adeline Montessori School.

We welcome curiosity and hope the community is interested in learning more about us.

For more information, please visit us at www.adelinemontessori.com.