About Our School
Our Journey Montessori School is a private Montessori school in Riverton, Utah, serving children from infancy through 8th grade.
We are committed to the development of the whole child. That means:
Strong academics grounded in Montessori philosophy and child development
A focus on confidence, competence, and creativity
Daily practice in kindness, responsibility, and contribution
We desire for our students to grow into lifelong learners who are joyful contributors to society, compassionate global citizens, and thoughtful caretakers of the earth.
Our story began with one child who did not fit
When our founder and her husband welcomed their first child, they studied everything they could about education. Drive by Daniel Pink connected the dots. It described how traditional schools still carry a factory model that can suppress a child’s natural motivation. At the back of the book was a short list of schools that cultivate autonomy, mastery, and purpose. Montessori kept showing up.
They toured programs and enrolled their son at age five. Eighteen months later, they learned he had disabilities. Instead of support, they met resistance. The fit was wrong.
So she made a decision. If her own child could not find a truly supportive Montessori environment, she would build one.
Our Journey Montessori opened in 2014 with a simple promise. Every child belongs, whether “typical,” disabled, or simply wired differently. We work with who they are, what motivates them, and what they love. We follow the child. We teach the whole child. We honor authentic Montessori and use modern tools when they deepen learning.
The first students who joined us have gone on to college. Many finished early. More important, they left as kind, capable humans who are ready for what comes next.
OUR MISSION
Inspire the growth of the whole child by providing a safe, secure and loving environment, while upholding the principles and practices set forth by Dr. Maria Montessori and encouraging each child to reach their full potential.
Montessori education gives us a practical way to live this mission.
In our classrooms, children learn:
Independent thought and self-awareness
Foundational academic skills in language, math, science, and culture
Mindfulness of their environment and empathy for others
Social ease and quiet confidence
We guide each child along their own path of discovery. We encourage exploration, self-directed learning, flexible thinking, creative problem solving, curiosity, and creativity.
Education here is not about squeezing every child into the same mold. It is about enlarging their world and giving them the tools to meet it with courage and care.
“Education must not be the exploitation of a poor mind, which has to memorize boring things. It is not the imitation of study which is important. We discuss how long should be spent on each study, one hour, two hours or twenty minutes. This is not a reform. The reform of education is to give life and to give knowledge in a form which is necessary to life. When this is done, the students can learn much more than they do today without fatigue. We must enlarge the syllabus. We enlarge the mind if we give abundant nourishment.”
— Dr. Maria Montessori
Our History
Our story began in 1998, when Montessori at Riverton first opened its doors in the old Riverton Elementary building on Redwood Road.
Over the years the school moved a few times as it grew:
Riverton Elementary (1998)
A campus on 12765 S. 1400 W.
Then 11930 South Redwood Road through 2013
After the 2013–2014 school year, the founding owners retired and the school passed into the care of current Director, Emily Aune. In 2014 the school moved to its permanent home behind the historic Crane House at 1640 West 13200 South in Riverton.
In 2019 the name officially changed to Our Journey Montessori School, reflecting both the Montessori roots and the idea that each child’s growth is a unique journey.
Today the campus can accommodate over 100 children. As graduates move on to other schools, they carry with them a love of peace, self-direction, and a deep thirst for learning.
Our Campus
Our Journey’s campus sits on 2.25 acres tucked into Riverton, close to I-15 and Bangerter Highway but still surrounded by a calm, almost rural feel.
We often describe the entire campus as a “prepared environment,” not just the classrooms. The layout invites movement, exploration, and connection.
Key features include:
Historic Crane House
Built in 1916 and moved to its current location in 1996, the Crane House now holds our Upper Elementary and Middle School classrooms, along with the office and library.
Carriage House and Cottage
Behind the Crane House sits a combined Carriage House and Cottage that underwent a complete renovation and opened for the 2015–2016 school year. These buildings house four bright, spacious classrooms for our lower campus programs.
Old Barn
A third main structure on the property, the Old Barn, is reserved for future renovation. The long-term vision is to transform it into an auditorium or gym space for school gatherings and events. It currently houses the founder's Valais Blacknose sheep, the cutest sheep in the world, and children often get to engage with lambs during the springtime.
Our Outdoor Environment
Our outdoor spaces are a huge part of why families choose Our Journey.
The grounds include:
Mature shade trees and open fields
Hills and natural materials for climbing and imaginative play
Traditional playground structures
Flower gardens and a peace garden
An urban agriculture area with vegetable beds,
Children spend real time outside. They run, dig, build, climb, observe, and care for living things. We see the outdoors as another teacher that supports social, emotional, and academic growth.
Our Team
We are dedicated to employing qualified and experienced teachers. All of our lead teachers possess Bachelor's degrees and/or at least three years of teaching experience, in addition to Montessori Teaching Certifications.
Our faculty includes specialists in curriculum, art, STEM, and technology. They help enrich the program with creative projects, hands-on science, and thoughtful use of digital tools.
Above all, our staff models the same values we hope to nurture in students: empathy, integrity, resilience, curiosity, and a true love of learning.
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Emily has a diverse background in real estate, finance, and special needs education. She has owned and run several businesses and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Westminster College with dual majors in Special Education and Montessori Education. She has worked with children on the autism spectrum and is passionate about inclusive, supportive learning environments. Emily loves animals and has woven that love into the school, where students help care for various animals on campus. She and her husband, Josh, have four boys and one girl who have grown up around the school community.
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Ms. Lindsey’s has been teaching at Our Journey Montessori since 2017. She has received training from Utah Montessori Council and the Institute
for Guided Studies Montessori Teacher Education, both of which served to instill principles in the way she approaches teaching each and every day. Lindsey has her Early Childhood Certification from MACTE accredited Rings of Knowledge.
Lindsey is a huge advocate of the Montessori method since 2012, when her son Rhadek entered the program and demonstrated quick gains in both his social and academic development. As he fell in love with school and continued to succeed under the Montessori method, she knew that they had found something special.
In their spare time Lindsey’s husband, Tyson, Rhadek and her enjoy hiking and occasional trips to visit family
and Disneyland. She also enjoys cooking and hanging out with her dogs “Bella” and “Freya”.
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Ms. Alison holds a bachelor’s degree in Educational Studies from Western Governors University and is working towards her Master's degree in Education.
She owned and taught preschool at 'Butterflies, Dreams & Fairytales' from 2001-2004 and has taught private and group Art lessons since 1995. She lived in Japan and taught at Excel English from 2012-2014. She has taught for Our Journey Montessori since 2014. She continues to oversee our programs and lessons. She loves art, music, and education. She is married to Mark Atkinson and has 4 children, 2 grandchildren and 500 cats.
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Kacee Ljungberg serves as our Assistant Director, bringing a wealth of experience and dedication to her role. Having been with Our Journey Montessori since June 2016, Kacee has worked across multiple age groups, including Early Childhood, Infants and Toddlers, and Elementary. Her broad experience allows her to offer a unique perspective on the Montessori approach, ensuring our programs run smoothly and effectively.
Kacee holds Montessori Foundations training from Montessori Innovations and has completed her MACTE certification through Rings of Knowledge. As Assistant Director, she plays a key role in supporting both staff and students, fostering a positive, nurturing environment that aligns with our Montessori philosophy. Her passion for education, combined with her leadership skills, helps create a thriving learning community for all ages.
Outside of work, Kacee is married to Rohr and a proud mother to a toddler son and an infant daughter.
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Ms. Priscilla is a support teacher in the early childhood classroom who enjoys creating a warm, safe, and engaging environment for young learners. She is passionate about helping children build confidence, independence, and a love for learning through encouragement and hands-on experiences.
She is currently studying Elementary Education with the goal of becoming a teacher. Although she does not have children of her own, Priscilla finds great joy in working with little ones and supporting them as they grow socially, emotionally, and academically. She believes every child deserves to feel valued, supported, and excited to learn.
In her free time, Priscilla enjoys spending time with her husband, Chris, and their dog, Blaze. She also loves visiting Disneyland—where she and her husband got engaged—and making special memories with family. She is grateful to be part of the Our Journey Montessori community and looks forward to helping each child thrive.
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Josh has long had a deep curiosity and need to create, driving him to learn about the world around him and create things. He works in the computing industry where he started by designing and building several super computer systems which debuted in the top 10 in the world followed by a successful storage start up. Josh maintains our IT systems and teaches the computer club.
Support and scholarships
Our Journey Montessori is approved as a Carson Smith Scholarship school. Qualifying students with disabilities may be eligible for a state scholarship to assist with tuition
Our Journey is also an approved provider of the Utah FIts All Scholarship.
We participate in the Utah Montessori Council (UMC) and maintain active ties with the broader Montessori community throughout Utah.