A Montessori high school will soon open inside Dayton’s downtown Arcade.

In today’s Morning Briefing, we tell you about the new school and how leaders are preparing for the opening. It’s also the final day for voting in our Best of Dayton contest.

If you have thoughts or feedback on this newsletter or other news tips, please let me know at Greg.Lynch@coxinc.com.

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The newsletter should take about 4 minutes, 15 seconds to read.

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New Montessori high school to open in downtown Dayton’s Arcade

A new high school will be coming to downtown Dayton next school year.

• About the school: Valor Montessori High School is an independent school. In its first year, the school will enroll ninth and tenth grade students. It was not yet clear what the capacity of the school would be.

• Where is it located? It will open in August at 31 S. Main St., on the north side of the Arcade complex. The school is set to open inside The Hub at the Arcade.

• Partners: The school is partnered with three other Montessori independent schools in Dayton, including Montessori School of Dayton, Dayton Montessori Society, and Enon Montessori.

• What they are saying: “We believe students thrive when they are known, respected and challenged in meaningful ways,” said Becky Konecki, founding teacher leader. “Valor empowers students to co-design their learning path and build the skills they need to lead with confidence and compassion.”

• Open house: An open house is set for Monday from 5-7 p.m. at The Hub.

Best of Dayton 2025

It’s the last day to vote in our Best of Dayton contest.

• Categories: We have more than 180 categories covering all aspects of Dayton life. You can vote here.

• Timeline: Winners will be announced in this newsletter on Friday, June 27, and a special section will publish in the Dayton Daily News on Sunday, June 29.

• Other ways to get involved: Here are all the ways you can enjoy the contest.

• Closest races: Here are the closest races in our Food, Dining and Drinking category.

What to know today

• One big takeaway: Thousands are flocking to Xenia this weekend for Hamvention, an amateur radio show.

• Big move of the day: The Hilton Garden Inn Dayton Downtown will officially open to guests on Monday, just in time for the spring session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

• Dayton Food & Dining: Leona Li has worked in Japanese restaurants for more than 20 years and decided it was time to open her own, Wasabi Japanese Cuisine in Springboro.

• Personal Journey: The owner of The Fairy Godmother Events, Ashley Campbell, aims to spread Disney magic and happiness to local families.

• Inside Ohio Politics: The Ohio Senate passed a measure this week that would generally prohibit Ohio K-12 students from using cellphones during the school day.

• Historic spots in Dayton: The Bunker Hill House in Preble County, a stop for pioneers heading west.

• Cincinnati Bengals: Here are 5 things to know about the team’s 2025 schedule.

• Thing to do: This weekend, there will be many events taking place across the Dayton area including festivals, markets and concerts.

• Athlete of the week: Hailey Cooper. In one week this Franklin sophomore went 13 for 18 at the plate (.722 average and 1.056 slugging percentage) with nine runs, three doubles and her first over-the-fence homer.

• Photo of the day: SICSA Pet Adoption & Wellness Center hosted its first The Pet Gala – The Art of Community fundraiser at The Modern College of Design in Kettering on Saturday. Art enthusiasts and animal lovers gathered to enjoy a unique, pet-friendly cocktail party and art exhibition celebrating the collaboration amongst non-profits in the Greater Dayton community. More photos here.