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Our Mission

Juniper Early Learning Center continues to provide excellence in Montessori Education and Early Learning. We encourage independent, self directed learning for life in a child centered, international community, valuing peace, respect for others and pride in individual differences.

Our Philosophy

Kamloops Montessori Preschool/ Kindergarten was Kamloops' founding Montessori Program, which began operation in 1998. It was founded by Holly Schafer, with a small classroom, educating eight students in a morning class and eight students in an afternoon class. Since then, Holly has opened several Montessori child care centers, with Juniper Early Learning Center being opened in 2016. We have grown to around 100 students in the 5 different programs that we offer.

We pride ourselves in the continued excellence in our program, which fosters a love of learning and educates children to be caring, socially responsible citizens of their community and world. The educational and supplemental care programs involve children from 18 months to school age programs. We offer a Toddler Program,  a Kindergarten Prep Extended Day Program, a Full Day Program, and School Aged Care. Our programs seek to educate the whole child, applying Montessori philosophy, in a family-oriented environment. The philosophy is based on the principles of Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952) whose holistic vision of education focuses on the cognitive, social, emotional and physical needs of the child. For Dr. Montessori, and Juniper Early Learning Center, education is preparation for life. 

Our Sustainability Mission

Our programs strive to foster a sustainable relationship to the global environment by linking knowledge, inquiry and action, enabling current generations to meet their needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs, and building a future that supports all life on our planet. At this level we incorporate education that supports:

                       -Environment: We encourage lifestyles that promote regeneration rather than depletion; we work to understand                                                    our responsibilities as stewards for the earth.

                       -Global: We support awareness of the global community in which we live and recognize our interconnectedness                                            with other nations and cultures as well as our interdependence and responsibility for one another. 

Our Diversity Statement

We hold diversity itself as a value and nurture awareness of the global community by welcoming people of all cultures, races, gender abilities, languages, economic and social backgrounds, political beliefs and religions and family styles into a safe, accepting and respectful environment where we learn together, honouring and embracing our humanity. 

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