Patricia Fosdick was a state-certified Nursery and Elementary teacher. In addition she earned certificates in the Montessori Method and was qualified to teach 2 1/2 to 12 year old children. She had over 20 years of teaching experience.

She believed, as did “Maria Montessori,” that the goal of early childhood education should be to cultivate the child's own natural desire to learn. The Montessori classroom offers the child the joy and excitement of learning, at his or her own pace and level of interest in a structured environment.

It was Mrs. Fosdick's experience that this method of education benefits children all through their growing years and carries them into adulthood. It provides a basic, concrete foundation which enables them to truly understand abstract concepts later on in their education.

Her dream to establish an elementary program came to fruition in 2006 with the launch of Chrismont's initiate elementary class.

Patricia Fosdick passed away in 2005, but her vision lives on.