History
Sagebrush Montessori Preschool and Kindergarten was founded by Karin Hines. Karin began her career in Germany where she received her Early Childhood Education degree. After meeting her husband, she moved to the Pacific Northwest. She found work as a classroom assistant in a Montessori school and fell in love with the teaching philosophy. She 1983, began her Montessori training at Montessori NW in Portland, Oregon. Karin worked as primary guide for 11 years before opening her own school. Sagebrush Montessori opened its doors in 1996 and has been offering families an authentic Montessori education for their children ever since.
In 2012 a group of parents dreamed of creating a Montessori elementary classroom their children. With a strong vision and fierce determination, they established a non-profit board and began the process of opening a Montessori elementary program. Through the startup process, the founding members relied heavily on Karin’s experience and they worked closely with her to shape the school and establish high standards for quality. Sagebrush Elementary opened its doors just a year later in the fall of 2013.
Sagebrush Montessori and Sagebrush Elementary continued to thrive and grow together as a community. In the spring of 2018, Karin retired from her long, celebrated career as an owner, director, and guide at Sagebrush Montessori. The school board embraced the opportunity to establish one community and merged the two businesses into a single non-profit organization. In the fall of 2018 Sagebrush Montessori and Sagebrush Elementary became collectively known as Sagebrush Montessori and currently serves nearly 100 students ages 3 through 12.