Goodwater Montessori Public Charter School

04/11/2026

04/11/2026

Goodwater Montessori Families

Good Morning Everyone!
As many of you know, we had an incredibly informative board meeting this week regarding the potential closure of our school. While the situation is serious, it has also sparked a renewed sense of purpose and commitment within our community.
Cecelia Dvorak is leading a task force, alongside several volunteers, including myself, to strengthen the Goodwater community through increased enrollment, enhanced marketing efforts, and additional financial support. As a first step, she has created a Google Form where parents can share their information, ideas, and willingness to get involved. This will help us bring together our collective strengths and take meaningful action.
In the coming days, we will also be setting up a GoFundMe (or similar platform) to establish clear goals and provide an opportunity for our community and supporters to contribute. While these goals are ambitious, they reflect what this school, and our children, are worth.
This is more than a school; it’s a community where our children grow, learn, and thrive. By coming together, we have the opportunity to shape its future. Your voice, your ideas, and your involvement matter now more than ever. Let’s rally together to support something truly special.
Here is the google form link:

We're working to assist the administration and school board to stabilize Goodwater Montessori in the short term and build a sustainable path forward. This brief form will help us understand family needs, level of commitment, and who is willing to support solutions. It should take 2-3 minutes. Your i...

03/13/2026

A cornerstone of a Montessori education is providing strategies for students to advocate for themselves in a positive proactive ways, as opposed to negative reactive ways. Dr. Bruce has written strategies that provide insight into adults assisting students to learn this important aspect of learning. Here is the link for this article:

A Montessori-Inspired Approach for Students, Guides, School Leaders, and Families In a Montessori-inspired learning environment, education extends well beyond academic instruction. Students learn how to think, communicate, collaborate, and reflect.

03/13/2026

With state testing fast approaching we are inviting you to read the article Dr. Bruce has written relating to the STAAR assessment, which occurs in April and May. Please reach out if you have questions. Hey is the link:

In Texas, students in Grades 3–5 participate in the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR), administered by the Texas Education Agency. These assessments are aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), which outline what students are expected to learn at each grad...

02/19/2026

Introducing our Outdoor Education leader, Leigh-Anna Martinets.

"I love all living things, even snakes and bugs; I guess that’s why my favorite color is green. I’ve been known to spot a Dactyloidae (anole) on a tree limb from a distance.

My passion for the outdoors began as a kid on my family’s hobby farm in Round Rock. I can remember the first time my mom and I pulled carrots and picked green beans from the garden we had planted - I was awestruck and hooked! Pretty soon I was rehabbing nests of tiny cottontails my father unknowingly plowed up with his tractor. It didn’t take long before we added horses, cows, chickens, hogs and lambs to our repertoire of 4-H and FFA projects. I especially loved horses and went on to compete in western riding events and horse judging. Over the years I’ve grown very fond of birding and cultivating native plants around my home. This summer was brilliant for the Queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus) in our pollinator garden.

I have a wonderfully supportive husband, Steve, who you may see at times helping out in the Orchard. My precious son Asa is a junior at Georgetown High School and was educated primarily in Montessori schools from toddler through middle school, including two years at Goodwater Montessori! I truly believe the natural world is a child’s best playground and classroom.

Currently I’m working on my Master Naturalist certification. When my head and hands aren’t in the stalks and stems they’re on the fur of my dogs, cats, four rescue donkeys and Haflinger horse. I guess you can say I’m rooted in nature, wild at heart and always chasing birdsong. I’m probably part squirrel."

02/19/2026

12/02/2025

This Giving Tuesday, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to every member of our Goodwater Montessori community. Your support, encouragement, and commitment make it possible for our
students to grow, learn, and thrive in an environment rooted in dignity, independence, and joyful discovery.

As a Texas public charter school, Goodwater Montessori faces a significant funding challenge. Charter schools in Texas receive $676 to $1,621 less per student than traditional ISDs. This disparity exists because charter schools do not receive local property tax revenue—funds that make up a large portion of traditional district budgets, including facilities funding. Goodwater Montessori receives 100% of its funding from the state, while ISDs benefit from
both state funding and local property taxes.

Additionally, our Pre-K 3 students are funded only for half-day, even though we provide a full-day program because we know how vital a full day of learning is for our youngest children.

Altogether, this results in a loss of $187,500 to $437,670 in annual funding—an enormous strain on our reserves and on our ability to meet the needs of our students.

This is why we need your help.
Your Giving Tuesday contribution directly supports:
✨ A prepared Montessori environment and high-quality learning materials
✨ Outdoor education, including our orchard program
✨ Full-day early childhood education for Pre-K 3
✨ Specialists, intervention support, and classroom resources
✨ Safe, beautiful facilities for children to learn and grow
✨ The continuation of a true Montessori education for students in Williamson County

You can make your Giving Tuesday donation today by visiting:
�� https://goodwatermontessori.org/donations/donation-form/

We appreciate any amount—every contribution strengthens Goodwater Montessori School and ensures our mission continues for the children we serve.

Thank you for supporting the students of Goodwater Montessori School. Together, we make a difference that lasts a lifetime

12/01/2025

We’re participating in this year!
is a global day of giving on December 2 this year. That’s right — following Black Friday and Cyber Monday! What better way to start getting into the holiday giving-back spirit?

We’d love it if you participated with us. The best way to do that is to share our cause on social media using the hashtag(s) , , and to join millions of global givers on Dec 2 by donating on our designated donation page: https://goodwatermontessori.org/donations/donation-form/

Your donation to our school's general fund will help provide public Montessori education, fostering conscientious citizens who approach their world with confidence, creativity, and collaboration.

Double your gift! Many companies will match their employee’s donations on . Will your company match yours? Click here to find out. Don’t see your company in the tool? Ask your manager, or human resources team.

10/19/2025

See you soon!