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Above: Mrs. Rosario Acierto receivedher certification from the AmericanMontessori Society in 1991.Below: Mark Acierto, VP foradminstration poses with students ofCasa del Niño .The search led Rosario Acierto to ateaching job in OB Montessori. Several yearsof teaching in the school prepared her wellfor what was to come. In 1981, the familyeventually decided to open their own preschool,which they named Casa del NiñoMontessori (House of Children Montessori)in Laguna.“Developments were in Calabarzonat that time. We moved to the south andthe family said let’s put up a small school.It kept everyone busy, earning just enoughincome,” says Mark who was but a toddlerat that time.The school started in their house. Askids, the Acierto children grew up seeing theirhouse transform into a garage school by dayand back to home by night. In fact, Mark andhis siblings were among Casa del Nino’s firstbatch of 17 pre-schoolers. The school and theAcierto kids grew side by side.“We were growing in the business evenif we weren’t part of it. We’ve always beenthere. Ayaw mo na non. Sabi ko nga parangayaw ko ng mag-teacher (I told myself, Idon’t think I want to be a teacher,)” sharesMark. He later proved his point by choosingto pursue dentistry in college.The pre-school started earning after afew years. Rosario used the funds to pursuestudies in New York in the mid-80s. Shereceived a certification from the AmericanMontessori Society a year after. Bettersme focusequipped with knowledge and not justexperience, the family followed their gutfeel and expanded the business.They established the grade schooldepartment and in a couple more years,sought out a bank partner that can helpthem to expand to high school level.The right business partner“Our company (at that time) was quiteyoung and ignorant of business processes,even jargons. We were so small that nobank would ever trust us. That’s wherePlantersbank came in. They gave us thebreak,” says Mark recalling the hardships ofbeing a new player in the business.The partnership with Plantersbankwas forged in 1995. The Aciertos, who havealways been passionate about teaching,slowly learned the business side of theirwork.“Naabutan ko pa hanggang magkahighschoolkami. (I was able to attenduntil high school.) There’s pressure in thesense that I had to behave really well!”Mark shares of his extraordinary schoolingcircumstances.With the help of a partner who truststheir business instincts, Casa del Niño didnot only realize the dream of having a highschool, but also that of establishing moreschools. They have six school branches todate.“the end of education is character”vol. 2 issue 3 2007 / 21