Oak Knoll Montessori School Welcome Breakfast Draws Crowds Despite Heat

Oak Knoll Montessori School’s Welcome Breakfast, an annual event which was held on Saturday, September 7 at Loma Alta Park, is a school staple that allows new and old families at the school, as well as staff members, to meet and mingle over muffins. Despite the 100 degree heat, nearly every family showed up to socialize. 

Montessori is a type of schooling that focuses on child-led learning. Oak Knoll Montessori School, located on two campuses in Altadena and Pasadena, has been practicing the Montessori method since 1997. 

Having had a great experience with Montessori in Nashville, Andrew Smith’s family was looking for a similar school when they moved to Pasadena. 

“We researched a lot of Montessori programs, and this one was the most legitimate and took a true Montessori approach,” Smith said. “We just fell in love with the community.”

Ben Karakunnel, also an Oak Knoll Parent, agreed that the community was one of Oak Knoll’s main selling points. Smith and Karakunnel due to their children being in the same class and bonded over their shared experience of working in the senior care industry. Both of them expressed their appreciation that Oak Knoll is home to families with a diversity of occupations and interests. 

“There is a ton of [people who work in the creative field]…that’s been fun too, ‘cause I don’t know anything about that,” Smith said.

Chelsea and Mitchell Davis first became aware of Oak Knoll because of walking their dog through the neighborhood. Through research and asking around, the Davis’ found out more about the school. When it came time to look at schools for their son, Oak Knoll was their first and only choice. They started this year. 

“We had friends who really loved the experience, and that’s what got us here,” Chelsea Davis said.

Despite only having been at school for a short while, Davis says her son loves the program.

“He’s excited to go everyday, he’s excited when he comes home, he’s just generally happy.” she said.

Smith and Karakunnel both echoed that besides having the strong community at Oak Knoll, the Montessori method worked well for their children, as did Rossanna Wright, another parent at the school. 

“Montessori is really special…because it’s child focused and child led. I really love how it supports every individual child’s development,” Wright said. 

Keri Aspegren, Director of Curriculum and Learning, started working at Oak Knoll during the pandemic.

For her, one of the main attractions was the size. Having come from a larger school, she appreciated how Oak Knoll had fewer students, but a vibrant community. 

“This is like a family, this is the way that works the best,” Keri said.