History

Margarita Cabrera founded the school in 1988 in beautiful El Paso, TX. Her initial intention was to
provide her grandchildren with a prepared montessori environment that would gift the opportunity of
Cosmic Education, an education in nature where children build respect for, learn in and love their
environment. It is her grandchildren that motivated Margarita to open a quality Montessori school; it
has been the children of the community that have motivated her to keep the doors open for thirty
years.

Mountain West Montessori began with 8 children and now serves a community of 210 students. The
school initiated by offering Children’s House levels for some years, and the interest of the parents for
the Elementary levels quickly emerged. When the school moved to the beautiful 403 Frontera Rd
property where it is currently located, the school continued to grow and develop. The Infant Community
and the Upper Elementary levels emerged soon. In 2011 the Adolescent Program begun with 7 students
and now serves an average of 30.

Natalia Bennett, Margarita Cabrera’s daughter has been the Head of School for 20 years.
Margarita has taught many of the children that have passed through the school over the past thirty
years, but while she has not taught all of them, all of them are precious to her and her well-trained staff
who recognize that children that are treated with respect and nurtured in the Montessori way become
mature, self-sufficient, and citizens of the World.

After thirty years, we have seen the rewarding results of embracing the Montessori pedagogy. We are
proud of Margarita’s legacy of young men and women who carry on the tradition of respecting nature,
caring about people and perpetuating nurturing educational traditions so that future generations can
ensure our planet’s healthy future.