NEW DISCOVERIES MONTESSORI ACADEMY

Charter School 219 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 8th

School Overview

New Discoveries Montessori Academy (NDMA) is a tuition-free public charter school located in Hutchinson, Minnesota, serving students from kindergarten through eighth grade. Guided by the educational philosophy of Dr. Maria Montessori, the school emphasizes a student-centered approach that fosters independence, self-motivation, and a lifelong love of learning. By utilizing multi-age classrooms, the academy allows students to learn at their own pace within a carefully prepared environment that balances academic rigor with social and emotional development.

Beyond its core curriculum, NDMA is dedicated to cultivating a strong sense of community and stewardship. The school encourages hands-on exploration and critical thinking, often integrating experiential learning to help students connect classroom concepts to the real world. By focusing on the "whole child," New Discoveries Montessori Academy strives to provide a supportive educational foundation that prepares its students not only for high school success but also for responsible and engaged citizenship.

219

Total Students

20.8

Full-Time Teachers

10.5

Student/Teacher Ratio

59.4%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for NEW DISCOVERIES MONTESSORI ACADEMY
Demographic	Student Count
White	182
Hispanic	24
Black	2
Asian	1
Two or More	9
American Indian	1

White
182 (83.1%)
Hispanic
24 (11.0%)
Two or More
9 (4.1%)
Black
2 (0.9%)
Asian
1 (0.5%)
American Indian
1 (0.5%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	NEW DISCOVERIES MONTESSORI ACADEMY
Phone:	(320)234-6362
Website:	http://newdiscoveries.org/
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 8th
Total Students:	219
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	20.8
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	10.5
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	104
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	26

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 29

Kindergarten 24

Grade 1 26

Grade 2 26

Grade 3 24

Grade 4 23

Grade 5 25

Grade 6 14

Grade 7 16

Grade 8 12