By Devin McGlon
Special to The LaGrange Daily News

A passion for learning sparked a fire in 36-year-old Bethany Headrick, to give more education options for the people in her community. Headrick, a LaGrange native, used her experience of learning in a Montessori school when she was younger to decide that was the education she wanted to introduce to the people around her. Headrick began her teaching career as an English teacher at LaGrange High, but she is now currently the director of Hillside Montessori School. She began this nonprofit organization with a group of parents about six years ago.

“We began to have conversations about the possibility of our kids continuing a Montessori beyond kindergarten.” she said.

“We formed an official steering committee, and we worked together for about a year to look for potential locations, and learn what all went behind actually running a school.”

Montessori is a method of education based on hands-on learning and collaborative play.

“I remember being in a Montessori classroom that was beautiful and captivating,” Headrick said. “Everything from the physical environment to the nurturing teachers, made school a marvelous adventure. I want kids in our community to feel the same way, to love learning and never want to stop growing in their knowledge.”

She said that along with her personal experience, she wanted to introduce a new way of learning to her community.

“By opening this new school, it shows people that there are other ways to learn besides just the traditional school,” Headrick said.

Her inspiration behind the opening of Hillside is the potential of the child.

“We, as adults, have the responsibility to nurture and honor that potential rather than hinder it,” she said.

Headrick said she is interested in providing opportunities for people to do their best work in this world and to not fall short of their capacity.

“We, as humans, are the dominant species and a lot rests in our hands,” she said.

Bethany credits her parents for always supporting and encouraging her.

“They have always allowed myself and my siblings to make decisions for ourselves never sheltering us from the consequences of those decisions, which allowed us to become independent,” Headrick said.

Headrick is married to Robert Bailey. Along with her work as director at Hillside Montessori, Headrick enjoys reading and anything to do with food. Whether it’s cooking, reading culinary books, or venturing out to new restaurants, she enjoys it.

Headrick said her main hobby is being a parent to her four kids.