Montessori School of Salt Lake, established in 1973 by Sydney and Needra Nanayakkara, has been a key educational institution in the region for over five decades. Founded by these two Sri Lankan immigrants, the institution has nurtured generations of children, offering a unique blend of personalized learning and holistic development. Now, the school is making its own generational transition as the reins are passed to their children Chevan Nanayakkara and Nilanthi King. Brother and sister look forward to the continuation of a family legacy steeped in educational innovation and service to community.
Montessori education, renowned for its individualized approach and emphasis on its multisensory learning modalities, has gained popularity with parents over the years as a leading-edge, evidence-based pedagogy. However, recognizing an increasingly competitive landscape, the Montessori School of Salt Lake is charting a course towards further differentiation and expansion. A once-solitary Montessori landscape is now dotted with numerous schools across the valley. The institution aims to deepen its commitment to driving the best learning outcomes for each child by blending Montessori principles and processes with technology and digital capabilities that instill a lifelong love of learning in each child- a key skill necessary for children to grow into confident, happy adults who are adaptable and continuously competitive in the rapidly changing modern workforce.
Speaking on the school’s trajectory, Chevan Nanayakkara reflects on his mother’s legacy and the principles that have guided the institution since its inception. “She had a very specific philosophy, which is, I never turn a child away,” Nanayakkara affirms. This ethos of inclusivity and dedication to every child's development forms the bedrock of the Montessori School of Salt Lake’s mission.
Central to the school’s ethos is its belief in the innate value and potential of every child, irrespective of background or challenges they may face. Emphasizing a child-centric approach, the institution advocates for mixed-age classrooms, where younger and older children coexist, each progressing at their own pace under the attentive guidance of educators. This commitment to individualized growth sets this school apart, challenging conventional metrics of success and championing a more holistic, nuanced understanding of learning outcomes.
However, navigating the intersection of education and business presents its own set of challenges. Balancing the demands of maintaining quality standards with fiscal sustainability requires strategic foresight and adaptability. For Nanayakkara, this duality is deeply ingrained, a lesson learned from his mother’s stewardship of the school. He says, “We are all proud of the for-profit, market-competitive business that has stood as a landmark in this community for decades. With that idea in mind, my sister and I would like to double-down on Montessori, a philosophy we believe delivers immense value and is becoming more popular with parents every year. Additionally, we want to capture the unique and effective teaching style Needra has developed over many decades, as an owner/operator and practitioner, and infuse that style with contemporary techniques and technologies that close the loop of the critical triad of education: parents, children and educators. We believe this fusion will deliver the best learning outcomes for each child.”
As the torch passes from one generation to the next, the Montessori School of Salt Lake embarks on a new chapter with renewed energy and guided by a legacy of passion, dedication, and unwavering belief in the transformative power of education. Chevan and Nilanthi are excited to redefine the landscape of early childhood education, championing a vision where every child flourishes and thrives and parents are informed and involved about the educational progress their child is making.
In the words of Chevan Nanayakkara, “Our commitment remains unchanged: to nurture and empower every child who walks through our doors, regardless of the challenges they may face. This is not just a school; it’s a community, a family, where every child is valued and supported on their journey to excellence, happiness, confidence and a lifelong love of learning.”
Media Contact
Name: Chevan Nanayakkara
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