We, the undersigned families and community members, urge The Spring Hill School to preserve its traditional Montessori program and keep the Snowy Egrets class together with Ms. Denise and Ms. Rosalva. We also urge the Board and Head of School to preserve the Primary program and maintain the integrity of the Preschool’s Montessori curriculum.

Future plans proposed by Head of School Eric Saibel would transition toddler students to the main campus and eliminate the Montessori Primary program entirely, placing Primary-aged children into TK instead. These changes would fundamentally alter the school’s Montessori model and end Spring Hill’s role as a traditional Montessori school.

The benefits of a Montessori education extend far beyond early childhood. Montessori programs foster independence, concentration, confidence, social-emotional growth, and a lifelong love of learning — qualities that continue to positively shape children throughout their lives.

We agree with the Snowy Egrets families letter to the board that “teachers are not interchangeable resources, particularly in early childhood education. For many families, these educators are the very reason they chose and remained committed to Spring Hill.”

Spring Hill’s Montessori preschool program is what sets the school apart. In a community with many preschool options, families specifically choose Spring Hill for its authentic Montessori foundation, consistency, and strong teacher-child relationships.

Ms. Denise and Ms. Rosalva have created a calm, nurturing, and deeply impactful classroom environment that reflects the core values Spring Hill was founded on. The Snowy Egrets classroom is not simply a class — it is a trusted community where children feel safe, supported, and excited to learn.

Disrupting established Montessori classrooms and teaching teams undermines the continuity that is central to Montessori education and changes the very foundation of what makes the preschool program successful.

The preschool program remains one of Spring Hill’s strongest and most valued programs. Removing the qualities that families specifically enroll for risks weakening the school’s identity, parent trust, and long-term enrollment.

We oppose Eric Saibel's plan to cut the Montessori Primary program. Cutting Primary Years 2 and 3 would interrupt the educational continuity that is central to Montessori learning. Children thrive through the stability, progression, and long-term relationships built over multiple years in the classroom. Families enrolled at Spring Hill with the expectation that their children would be able to continue developing within this established Montessori framework, and removing those later primary years disrupts both their education and the trust families placed in the school.

Many of these school changes were announced suddenly, after contracts had already been issued and families had made important educational, financial, and childcare plans based on those commitments. The announcement came as a shock to many members of the Preschool community.

We are asking the Head of School and Board for greater transparency, clearer communication, and meaningful engagement with the families who are deeply invested in Spring Hill’s Montessori program.

We urge the administration and Board to preserve primary, Snowy Egrets and keep Ms. Denise and Ms. Rosalva together for current and future students.

Sincerely,

Preschool families and Spring Hill community members

Staff and Faculty Addendum

We, the undersigned teachers and staff of The Spring Hill School, stand in full solidarity with our families. We are signing this petition because the Head of School’s plan to eliminate the Montessori Primary program directly threatens our job security, disrupts our employment terms, and creates an unstable and unsustainable working environment for the remaining staff. 

For more than 50 years, Spring Hill’s success has been rooted in the strength of its Montessori Preschool community and its wonderful teachers.

This petition is a parent-led community initiative hosted through Change.org, an independent third-party platform that independently maintains records of participation, signatures, and related activity. Participants in this petition are engaging in lawful protected expression and community advocacy.

We expect that all responses to this petition, including any communications, inquiries, interviews, or actions directed toward faculty, staff, parents, or community members, will be conducted in strict compliance with applicable law, School policies, and established principles prohibiting retaliation, intimidation, coercion, interference, or discriminatory treatment based on lawful participation in protected activity.

Participation in this petition is entirely voluntary. Any attempt to pressure, monitor, discourage, discipline, isolate, investigate, intimidate, or otherwise adversely affect any employee, teacher, staff member, parent, or community participant based on actual or perceived support for this petition or the viewpoints expressed herein may raise serious legal and governance concerns.

This petition reflects the independent views and actions of parents and community members. It is not organized by, directed by, coordinated with, or submitted on behalf of School employees.