MAJOR GIFT WILL EXPAND ACCESS TO MONTESSORI EDUCATION AT JACKSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

As Des Moines Public Schools reimagines education for the future at Iowa’s largest school district, a major philanthropic gift will help bring an innovative learning model to the city’s south side. The donation from the Thomas and Linda Koehn Foundation will support access to a Montessori education at Jackson Elementary School.  

 

“As we reimagine education at DMPS, this transformative gift from Tom and Linda Koehn supports our mission to provide students and families with signature schools across Des Moines that align with their interests and aspirations,” said Dr. Ian Roberts, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools. “Montessori is a time-tested, research-backed approach that helps children learn, grow, and succeed.”  

 

Tom Koehn stated, “Linda and I are thrilled to be able to support the expansion of Montessori teaching method to Jackson Elementary and the south side of Des Moines.  We know that the Des Moines Public Schools are committed to providing a comprehensive educational offering to all its students and given the very positive response over the years from parents, students and teachers at Cowles Elementary,  we feel that being able to accelerate the expansion of the Montessori offering to the south side of Des Moines is an important next step in the vision of reimagining education for the future.”  

“Strong communities make for strong public schools, and the leadership and generosity of the Koehns is a sign of how deeply our community cares about education,” added Jackie Norris, chair of the Des Moines School Board. “As we work to improve and strengthen our schools for the future of DMPS, this significant gift from the Tom and Linda Koehn enables us to make a highly successful educational program available to students and families here on the south side of Des Moines.”  

 

Beginning with the 2026–27 school year, Jackson Elementary will transition to a Montessori school and expand to include grades 7 and 8. The Koehn Foundation’s gift will support essential components of the transition, including teacher training, curriculum development, classroom furnishings, and other implementation costs over the next 4 years.  

 

Montessori education is a student-centered approach that emphasizes hands-on learning, self-direction, and individual pacing. Developed more than a century ago by Dr. Maria Montessori in Italy, the method is rooted in the belief that children are naturally curious and capable of driving their own learning when supported in the right environment.  

 

DMPS has offered a Montessori education for more than 30 years at Cowles Montessori School, which was Iowa’s only public Montessori school for decades. This school year, Findley and Pleasant Hill elementary schools also began offering Montessori programs. With the addition of Jackson, DMPS will offer Montessori learning opportunities in all regions of the city.