After close to a decade of success at its pilot school, Tacoma School District is gearing up to open its second public Montessori.

Starting September 2010, Geiger Elementary School will start its transition from traditional to Montessori teaching methods by opening three preschool/kindergarten and two first/second grade Montessori-style classes.

The Montessori offerings will grow with the kindergarten, first and second-grade students as they age through school. Eventually, all classes at Geiger will be taught under the Montessori method.

“At the end of the day it speaks to the achievement gap, the dropout rate and being competitive with families who are looking for a more personalized approach to learning,” Geiger Principal Paula Bond said.

District officials stress that expanding the Montessori program is not the cure-all for all the district’s problems, but that it is a way to help more children get access to a successful program.

“It’s important to recognize that kids aren’t widgets, and that in a large, urban school district where we have incredible diversity, we need to be responsive to that by providing a range of alternatives in learning,” Bond affirmed.

Bond, who helped launch Bryant Montessori in 2000, transferred to Geiger last year after district officials selected the site to host the district’s second Montessori.

The success of Bryant is what prompted district officials to examine adding more Montessori options for students and families seeking something a little different.

In the last nine years, enrollment at Bryant has more than doubled - from 175 students to 450 - and still has a waiting list for prospective students.

In 2004, the school expanded to incorporate some middle-school options for a small class of sixth, seventh and eighth-graders.

Geiger, as a school that sits on the border with University Place School District, has been experiencing a sharp decline in enrollment over the last five years.

It currently has 170 students.

“The one thing that stands out for me with Montessori is student engagement. It’s authentic, focused, un-interruptible concentration. It’s students choosing work, loving work and being intrinsically motivated to work and learn,” Bond said.

In the past year, Bond has sought grant funding to help launch the program and cover additional training for teachers. Geiger teachers will have the choice to opt in or out of the new Montessori-style Geiger.

Registration begins March 1. Preschool is $600 a month for 10 months. All other classes are free and open to students from Tacoma and surrounding areas.

Informational sessions will be held March 1 at Geiger Elementary School, 621 S. Jackson Ave., and March 4 at Bryant Montessori, 717 S. Grant Ave.