We had the good fortune of connecting with Jenny McClure and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jenny, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Mini Montessori of Houston is a small ratio Montessori school that welcomes children with diverse needs and abilities. Our intimate size (12 children to 2 adults) is half the size of traditional Montessori programs, which allows us to follow the unique needs of our students. It is an inclusion school that is made up of 50% typically developing children and 50% children with neurodiversity (i.e. Autism, ADHD, language delay, Sensory Processing Disorder, Selective Mutism, etc). Our niche program allows families to access an authentic Montessori experience for their children who may not thrive in a larger Montessori setting. Ms. Jenny and Ms. Tori hold training, degrees, and experience in Montessori, ABA Therapy, and Special Education, allowing us to meet the needs of all children.

What should our readers know about your business?
I come from a family of small business owners and helped with the family business since I was a teenager. I saw how my parent’s dedication and efforts paid off and gained confidence by participation and association. Starting my own school in the fall of 2020 took a huge leap of faith, but I have always had blind faith in the success of Mini Montessori. I believe that I will find the families that I am meant to serve.

Many children with differences get asked to leave Montessori schools because the teachers and administration don’t have the training and experience to support them. The classrooms are also very large (25-30 children to 2 adults) so it’s frequently an overwhelming environment for a child with different needs. Our program is intentionally small (half the size at 12 students to 2 adults) and both myself and my assistant have training and experience working with neurotypical and neurodiverse children. We are able to modify the environment and each child’s experience in order to help every child at Mini Montessori achieve success!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh my! So many places to choose from!

For coffee I love Antidote, Black Hole, Brass Tacks, and Bebidas.
My favorite ice cream shops are Flower and Cream, Van Leeuwen Ice Cream, Sweetcup & Cloud 10 (I like fancy ice cream)!
I love getting my nails done at Paloma.
I adore visiting the Menil Collection, contemporary arts museum, MFAH, Rothko Chapel, gem and mineral exhibit at the Museum of Natural Science, Buffalo Bayou Park’s Cistern, Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary, and Friends Meeting House.
For shopping I head to the heights to Genera, Kalos Eidos Wild Blooms, and Relic General Store.
I love eating at We are Vibrant, Hando, Betelgeuse Betelgeuse, Cadente, and Eloise Nichols.
Beloved bookshops are Blue Willow, Brazos Bookstore, and Kaboom Books.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family (John, Susan, and Jonathan McClure & David, Marge, Quinn, and Jack Culloty) have supported my vision from its inception. My dad firmly believed that if I built it, the families would come. My parents felt like my unique background in Art Therapy, ABA Therapy, and Montessori would help me to serve the families in Houston that are seeking a smaller Montessori environment for their children.

My friends (Megan Monks, Renea Holman Murti, Jennifer Uitenbroek, Jessica Croyle, Resa Kipp, Jenny Nuzzo, Hifa Sobhani) have also believed in Mini Montessori’s unique vision and supported our mission of Montessori for every child.

My Montessori mentors, Melinda Neilsen and Andree Rolfe, have also guided me on this journey through their wisdom, experience, and knowledge of Montessori.

Website: minimontessoriofhouston.com

Instagram: Mini Montessori of Houston

Facebook: Mini Montessori of Houston

Image Credits
Jenny McClure

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