Welcome to Mountaintop
Montessori

Montessori schools follow a unique and exciting educational approach that nurtures a child’s intrinsic desire to learn. Founded on the work of Dr. Maria Montessori (1870-1952), Montessori schools focus on each child’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.

Our classrooms are mixed-age environments designed to entice children to develop concentration while they are exploring and discovering concepts at their own pace, guided by a Montessori-credentialed teacher that is an expert in the particular age group. Montessori classrooms foster independence, organization, and problem solving skills while providing children with a solid academic foundation.

Recently there have been many articles in the popular press highlighting how the Montessori philosophy of teaching is ideally suited to meet the needs of 21st century learners. This is due to the fact that Montessori classrooms resemble more of a workplace or company than they do a traditional school.

When you walk into a Montessori classroom you will see groups of children engaged in a variety of academic subjects as they meet their goals for the day. Some children will be working on math, others on language, or science, or geography, etc. You will find the teachers giving small group presentations specifically targeted to the skill level of the children present at the lesson. Other children might be preparing snack, caring for animals or the garden. In a Montessori classroom academic strengths are celebrated and differences supported; therefore, there are no limits to what each child can learn.

Mountaintop Montessori is fully accredited by both the American Montessori Society (AMS) and the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS). We are committed to providing children from Toddler to the Middle School years with an outstanding education that supports the development of the whole child. The Montessori curriculum is expanded with co-curricular programs in art, music, spanish, ecology, PE, and garden to table (cooking). Our older students also develop skills in hydroponics, computers/technology, and entrepreneurship. We are housed on a beautiful 9-acre garden-campus filled with age-appropriate spaces for children to learn, play and grow.

We are looking forward to meeting you in person and sharing our school with you!

Sincerely,

Patricia Colby, PhD
Head of School