The ‘too-structured’ misconception may stem from the training our teachers receive that requires lessons to be given a consistent, sequenced manner. This is because children don’t miss a thing! They will repeat or mimic what they observe so the adult must be precise, careful, and deliberate. Once the child has received a lesson, they are free to repeat the lesson as often as they choose. Montessori believed in allowing children “freedom within limits” and understood that humans crave choice in their work and study. When children are shown respect and trusted with (initially very small) choices, their work becomes meaningful, lasting, and joyful.

Yes, we are. For the safety of our students, we do not allow products containing peanuts and tree nuts on our campus. 

These test scores are only one measure of performance. The teacher’s direct observation and interaction with the child is the primary measure used to identify areas of development. This testing allows children to become familiar with the testing process they will experience in high school and beyond. MSOL students typically score very high relative to national averages particularly with respect to conceptual thinking skills.

Before and after school care is available for additional fees. Registration is required and Administrative approval is needed to use this program. Before School Care begins at 7:45 a.m. Children in After School Care may be picked up at any time between the end of the full school day and 5:00 p.m.

Optional after school activities are available from 3:30- 4:30 p.m. for an additional fee. Children can participate in After School Specials including soccer, art, cooking, robotics, chess, music, or yoga. Specials may change each semester.

At the 3-6 year old level, the emphasis is on creating a learning environment based on the use of concrete materials to demonstrate and explain concepts. For example, children are introduced to the symbols of letters that they learn to trace repeatedly while saying the sound of that letter. Then the letter can be placed around the room with an object that has that sound at the beginning of the word, such as “t” for table. Later, as the child recognizes more such sounds, they can compose words using letters of a “movable alphabet” and eventually, sentences.

In math, a child learns that one bead represents a “unit”. Ten “unit” beads wired together in a line represent the “tens” place value. Ten “tens” connected together create one “hundred-square,” and ten hundreds stacked together create a cube of one thousand beads. From there we physically ‘build’ numbers and this concrete foundation for learning the decimal system, squaring, and cubing will be built upon in the elementary level.

At the elementary level, the emphasis is on presenting the universe to the child.  Five “Great Lessons” are presented in sequence and focus on the formation of the universe, life on earth, humans, and the development of language and math.  These stories provide the context for the studies in every curricular area from geography and history to math, music, art and different languages.