Jen Lavoie

I moved to the Florida Keys form New Hampshire with my husband in 1997. Seven years later, we had a daughter and then a son. We toured several schools when it came time for my daughter to begin kindergarten. Immediately, we knew OSCS was the school for our children. We observed students learning using manipulatives, rather than whole-class lecture style teaching. Students were working independently on lessons that they could self-check their work. Children were learning from real life experiences and field labs rather than reading about it in books. OSCS inspired me so much, that I changed my career as a restaurant manager to educator. In 2011, I completed my Montessori Elementary certificate and started teaching in a Montessori school. In 2014, I began teaching in the Dolphins 1st – 2nd grade class at Ocean Studies. Three years later, I moved to the SeaStars K – 1 class and I continue to teach the foundational skills there. OSCS has become a second home to my family and I. My son and daughter thrived at this school. They have worked with my class and other OSCS classes when the high schools’ Marine Science class and our class worked together on field labs. I love OSCS and the blend of traditional and Montessori co-teaching in classes. Students from OSCS develop into capable, compassionate humans who work to make their community better.

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