Mrs. Pearl Vanderwall
Villa di Maria Montessori
Founder
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Villa di Maria Montessori School is a member of the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI).
Villa di Maria was founded in 1967 by Pearl Vanderwall. Mrs. Vanderwall was a pupil of the late
Dr. Maria Montessori in Sri Lanka. She had a vision of an A.M.I. affiliated, not for profit
Montessori community, which would allow as many children as possible to be given the gift of
a Montessori education. In 1972, Mrs. Vanderwall opened the Montessori Training Center of St.
Louis enabling the Montessori community to grow and flourish in the Midwest. In 1978, the Elementary
level was added. After renting space from Incarnate Word, Des Peres Presbyterian Church, Des Peres
Baptist Church and then Sisters of Mercy Center, the school settled at our current location of 6
acres in a quiet, residential area of Kirkwood, MO in 1987.
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