Leaders at St. Joseph School in Mandan hope that starting a Montessori program to offer a more hands-on approach to education will boost student enrollment, just as it did for Christ the King School across town. “For decades, we just haven’t really seen an influx in our school,” said the Rev. Josh Waltz of St. Joseph Catholic Church, which is connected with the school.

The school started a Montessori program last fall for its youngest children, ages 3-6, and it plans to expand the effort to cover all grades next school year. It also will add an “adolescent” program covering traditional junior high grades seven through nine, The Bismarck Tribune reported.