History of JSB
The Joseph S. Bruno Montessori Academy was founded in 1982, by Joseph S. Bruno and Theresa Bruno Sprain. It began as Whispering Pines School and accepted children 3-6 years old. The original campus included ten acres of beautiful wooded land, meadows, and a small house, eventually used as a classroom. The first structure built was a small building for the first classroom of four children. In keeping with the founders’ philosophy to expose children to the beauty of nature and wildlife, the school accepted the gifts of two sheep and two goats. The pond on the campus was already home to bass and catfish.
In 1983, Theresa Sprain received her Montessori Certification and the school became Whispering Pines Montessori School. In 1984, Ms. Sue Richards joined Ms. Theresa as a preschool teacher. Margaret Lewis, a certified Montessori teacher from New Orleans, became the third preschool teacher in 1985. By 1989, the number of children attending the preschool increased to ninety.
After Sue Richards took Montessori Training in Chicago, Illinois, she became the first certified teacher of the 6-9 year olds. The lower elementary/office building was constructed in 1989, and the first classroom for children 6-9 years opened with Sue Richards as the first teacher. Our first 6-9 classroom enrolled twenty-two children. As teachers were added to the faculty, the school provided the opportunity for training at centers in Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C. for Montessori education and certification.
In 1990, the school was renamed Joseph S. Bruno Montessori Academy. As the number of children increased, additional classroom space was needed, especially for the one hundred preschoolers. The decision was made by the administrators to build two new preschool buildings in 1990. Major expansion occurred again in 1992, when the fine arts building was constructed on the site of the original preschool building. The upper elementary and gymnasium/cafeteria buildings were built to accommodate a growing student population. In 2002, the middle school building was opened and additional land was purchased. The increased acreage allowed space for a running track, two tennis courts, a beach volleyball court, a basketball court, playgrounds, and soccer fields.
The school faculty worked diligently to receive accreditation from the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges in 1996 and reaccreditation through 2016. In 2009, the Joseph S. Bruno Montessori Academy received accredited with the American Montessori Society.
In 2011, Ms. Sue Richards and Ms. Margaret Lewis retired after over twenty-five years of service to the school and its students. Joseph S. Bruno Montessori Academy continues to maintain high standards in education so that every child has the opportunity to achieve his or her potential in all areas of development.
