Mariposa Montessori to open elementary school

Today, that vision has become Mariposa Montessori, a school at 7809 Brodie Lane that educates children ages 8 weeks to three years, as well as children age 3–6 in its Children's House. The school is a full member of the American Montessori Society, Falcon said.

Montessori, an education approach developed by Italian educator Maria Montessori, is based on respecting students and guiding them as they make their own decisions, she said.

"It's just a very carefully crafted environment where [students] feel like they have total freedom to do whatever they want to," she said, noting that the teaching style encourages independence while instructors, or guides, ensure they are learning all the necessary materials.

Falcon said she always planned to expand the school by adding elementary. She said the suggestion for the new location came from parent Naima Brown, founder of Little Local Lunches, which delivers fresh local meals to Austin pre-schoolers. Mariposa will continue to look for a permanent site to combine both campuses.

"We're hoping someday down the line we'll be able to either build a campus or find something existing where we can all be together," Falcon said. "That's the ultimate vision for the school."

More information about the school is available at www.mariposamontessori.com