About Us
Diversity and Inclusion
Mission Montessori offers programs for infants (12 weeks-18 months), toddlers (18 months-3 years), primary/preschool (3-6 years), and elementary students (6-12 years). We also offer an optional Spanish Immersion track starting at 18 months and through the elementary years.
Through Montessori education, we help each child become a passionate member of the human community who is confident, creative, and flourishing.
Our goal is to nurture young children who will ultimately thrive in a diverse and global community. Montessori is an international educational movement with a curriculum that takes a global perspective. At the core of what we do is an understanding and appreciation of the dignity and worth of each individual child, parent, and teacher we serve, regardless of race, religion, gender, sexuality, learning need, or socio-economic status. We teach children of all ages to celebrate the differences among us while embracing the common humanity that unites us.
We believe that the key to understanding is to ignite within each child a curiosity of other cultures, perspectives, and other countries, ultimately sparking a love of the world. Diverse voices and perspectives bring vibrancy to our community and greater opportunities for learning. Through Montessori education, children are exposed to different ideas and to different people, and they are taught (age appropriately) how to confront real-life challenges in their own lives and the community around them.
We believe that helping children learn to love and respect themselves is the first step in helping them to love and respect others. As educators, we empower children to expand their social-emotional capacity, to develop and practice empathy, to ground their knowledge of right and wrong, and to build their confidence to seek out and speak up for the truth.
While the world seems increasingly complex, while our societal and political problems may seem intractable, the role of education is to make sense of the world for the children we teach and to give them the skills and resilience to flourish regardless of what comes their way. Ultimately, our success as a school is a community effort, one founded on trust and partnership, so it is incumbent on us to engage every day in the work of building a community that is welcoming to all.
Mission Montessori is a community—a community of educators, of parents, and of course, of children. We are here for all, and we are here for each other. Welcome.
Bringing Our Statement to Life
We believe that with a greater understanding of one another and ourselves comes a greater appreciation of the diverse cultures that make up our community. Inspiring a deep appreciation of the diversity of our world starts within our own walls.
Below are some examples of how we are working to embody our community commitments around diversity and inclusion.
Mission Schools
Through our non-profit, Mission Schools, we work to fund needs-based scholarships for families seeking a quality education for their child and to help diversify our Mission Montessori community. We believe that a diverse community enriches the lives of all children. You can read more about our mission to bring Montessori to as many families as possible here.
Spanish Immersion Program
Our teachers thoughtfully create immersive environments where both adults and children joyously build their communication skills and simultaneously celebrate a rich tapestry of cultures. By baking dishes from Spanish-speaking countries, constructing Día de los Muertos altars, reading books for el Día de San Jorge, and singing songs from around the world, students learn about the different aspects of Hispanic culture while developing fluency and literacy in Spanish language.
Our Parent-Led Cultural Appreciation Team
Our parent community is actively involved in co-creating a space with us where all children, parents, and families connect and learn from one another. Our Cultural Appreciation Team meets monthly to collaborate on cultural events, projects, displays, and initiatives to celebrate the richness of different cultures. Together we work towards fostering curiosity and empathy, and finding ways to celebrate similarities and differences in everyday life and in bigger celebrations.
Additional Cultural Curriculum
Throughout the year, children are involved in projects that guide them deeper into exploring other cultures through our Cultural Potluck, classroom celebrations, parent visitors, and guest readers. Our work towards diversity and inclusivity is a constantly evolving collaborative effort.
Maria Montessori
Education and Peace
“An education capable of saving humanity is no small undertaking: it involves the spiritual development of man, the enhancement of his value as an individual, and the preparation of young people to understand the times in which they live.”
Our schools do not discriminate in employment or the provision of educational services on the basis of race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, disability, citizenship status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.