Treasure Village Montessori Principal Kelly Mangel watched as a crane placed four new modular classrooms onto the school grounds on Aug. 17. Since conception, Mangel spent roughly a year-and-a-half on bringing more classrooms for students to partake in art, music and other cultural studies.
“A big part of our school is our character,” said Mangel. “Being able to have all our students together on one campus, with older students supporting the younger ones, is important to us.”
Modular units were delivered to TVM in July 2021. Work to secure a permit commenced a month later. Mangel said the belief was that it would be a quick installation. But that wasn’t the case.
Last May, the Islamorada Village Council gave its approval for a major conditional use for the placement of four modular classrooms as an addition to the existing school.
While TVM worked to get the necessary approvals, school officials searched for space outside school grounds for their students last school year. Thanks to Island Christian School, 70 middle school students were able to spend their school days at the former school at MM 83.4 in Islamorada.
“They were very gracious in lending the space to be able to be utilized while we were in transition,” Mangel said. “It was something we asked to use for three months starting out, and then six months and the whole year. They were really flexible with us and allowed us to utilize the space and get it ready for students to come back.”
Four new classrooms will allow all students to be on campus at one time, Mangel said. Prior to using ICS, TVM rented space from their neighbors at Pelican Plaza. Besides Puerto Vallarta, TVM rented all other space for technology class, art class and music.
Once the modulars are complete, Mangel said, students will enjoy new classroom space for art, music and technology.
In addition, Mangel said enrollment numbers at TVM won’t be increasing with the new modulars.
“That was a concern from the community,” she said. “Our enrollment stays the same at 220. We continue to offer small class sizes.”
Mangel credited the work of Chris Trentine, of CBT Construction; Ty Harris, local attorney on land use and environmental law; Tommy Hofstetter, of Chief Marine Group; TVM board of directors and Monroe County School Board.
“We’re plugging away and we’re doing the best we can to get our students in as soon as possible,” she said. “Once the village gave clearance to begin the process and once our permitting was approved, we’ve been going full steam ahead.”
Once the deck, sprinkler system and finishing touches are complete, Mangel said students will likely enter new classrooms following the Thanksgiving break.
