Small World Montessori School (Racine, Wisconsin)

Small World Montessori School is a private non-profit early education and daycare, located at 1008 High Street in Racine, Wisconsin. Formerly located at St. Rita's Church in Caledonia, the school was founded in 1973 and moved to its current location, a former church, in 1980. The school describes itself as offering "a quality Montessori education to children ages 2-6 regardless of race, creed, culture, or economic background", in the form of preschool and kindergarten classes as well as daycare and childcare services.

History
Small World Montessori School was established by Sister Ruthanne Reed, a nun at St. Rita's Convent, in a room at the convent in 1973. The school's name was "chosen with much thought and deliberation" by the board of directors on April 12 of that year. The school's Montessori learning materials were made by Nienhuis, a Dutch company that had worked with Maria Montessori, and shipped from the Netherlands to Milwaukee in July 1973. The school's first day of operation at St. Rita's was September 4. It was the third Montessori school to open in the Racine area, after Racine Montessori School and Rosehart Montessori School.

In August 1980, Small World Montessori moved from St. Rita's to its current building, the former Faith Baptist Church at 1008 High Street. Moving to a larger building allowed the school to expand its operations, offering year-round full-day Montessori education to as many as 75 students, while continuing to offer daycare and half-day schooling during the traditional school year.