We are VdM (at a distance): The Scott Family

The very best part of Villa di Maria is our people. Our community of families, faculty and staff is something to be proud of and something to hold onto during our school's COVID-19 closure. In this series, We are VdM, we’ll highlight the energies, talents, humor and wisdom of some of our amazing people—and we'll stay connected! Today, we'll meet Lauren, Andrew, Selena and Lincoln Scott. Selena joined Mrs. Steinman's Children's House in 2018, and Lincoln will join her in the fall.Villa di Maria: Tell us a bit about you and your family.Lauren: Hello! We are the Scott family! I am Lauren and my husband is Andrew. We have two children: Selena (P3) who is 5 and Lincoln (soon to be P3) who is 2. Can’t forget to mention our sweet pooch, Oliver. We currently reside in Ballwin. I grew up Arnold, MO and Andrew grew up in Jamaica until he was 17. We met in college at Missouri Baptist University. We both majored in Biology and participated in the track & field. It’s funny—something else we had in common was the same last name!VdM: How did you find Montessori and what brought you to VdM?Lauren: We found VdM through my very good friend Megan Milos. Megan and I worked together starting in 2016. When her son Grayson started school at Villa she always mentioned how amazing Villa is and what Montessori is all about. She really encouraged me to visit VdM as we were looking to place Selena in a preschool setting. After a few months we finally scheduled a tour. Andrew loved that the school was very similar to the way primary school was in Jamaica and I loved it too! We had our hearts set that our kids would attend! All the details that go into the prepared environment is fascinating!VdM: What do you and your spouse do, career-wise?Lauren: I am a registered nurse at Barnes-Jewish Hospital on an acute medicine floor. I have recently graduated from a family nurse practitioner program and cannot wait to transition into a new role, hopefully soon!Andrew has a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Logan University. Shortly after graduation, he realized his passion still lies in track & field, so he has started his own track & field club named Tallawah Track & Field. In Jamaica, the word Tallawah means “small, but strong.” He also coaches at Whitfield High School in the spring as a track & field coach. He loves to work with the student athletes and help them find their confidence to not only navigate the sport, but in life as well.VdM: Tell us something your family is doing to make the most of this extended break from school?Lauren: To make the most of this extended break, we have been doing a lot of outdoor play that includes nature walks to the creek and bike riding, lots of practice with our daily work from the google classroom, and just enjoying the time that we have together by playing games, watching movies, and baking. Selena does miss her friends very much but the Zoom meetings and videos from the VdM staff always bring a smile to her face so we are very thankful for that. One thing I’m very thankful for is that Lincoln and Selena have become very close during this quarantine and do EVERYTHING together.

VdM: A question specifically for Selena -Which do you like better, painting or drawing? And why?

Selena: Painting! I like to paint the pictures my dad draws for me!Thank you, Lauren, Andrew, Selena and Lincoln for being a part of the VdM community and for sharing your lives with us today. And a special thank you to Lauren for being a nurse. Your time, hard work and compassion keep us all safe, especially during this pandemic. We hope you continue to stay well and healthy, and we can't wait to see you all again soon.Photos courtesy of the Scott family.