The Que la joie demeure Montessori School

March 2024

As stated in their application The Que la joie demeure (May the Joy Remain) Montessori School has been in existence for 10 years and today welcomes 57 children aged 3 to 12. The fees are among the lowest of alternative schools in order to make the school accessible to families with limited resources. We can afford to do this by deeply involving the families in the co-creation of the school and its daily life.

The heart of their mission is to accompany children on their learning journey, paying particular attention to preserving their natural joy of learning, living together, and being in close contact with nature. The location, a farm-school on a hilltop in the commune of Véronne, France, is perfectly suited for these encounters with nature. Each child has a small piece of land to take care of, plant vegetables and savory herbs, and attend to them daily. 20 hens share the schoolyard with the children. The nearby forest is part of their playground, where students spend a third of their day. The Que la joie demeure school is also a "2nd chance" school for many children who have experienced learning or integration difficulties in other schools.

Having adequate materials at their disposal is crucial for developing these skills. Over the last 11 years the current Montessori classroom materials have been significantly worn out from active use while at the same time the school has grown and added more students. MGGF has granted funds so that new Montessori materials can be purchased to accommodate the current number of children.

The School expects the renewal of materials will allow daily life in the classroom to be more dynamic and for students to work on a larger diversity of projects. The teachers will be more at ease knowing the materials are in good condition and can offer even more support to the learning process of each individual child.