Our School

Our Teachers

We give hugs! Our classroom sizes are smaller so that we can build close, nurturing relationships with each student. Our staff is deeply committed to creating a quality Montessori experience in Bend and that means we must have meaningful connections with parents, too. Although our learning environments are carefully prepared for the students, we strive to create learning opportunities for adults so that the Montessori approach may become a way of life at home with your children as well.

 

Kindness and Nurturing

Modeling and sharing kindness with our students is integral to our day-to-day activities. We strive to create a positive community experience for every child, parent, teacher, and friend of our school. We speak with warm hearts, smile often, and give hugs.

 

Our Peace Curriculum includes activities that focus on self-awareness, community awareness, cultural awareness, and environmental awareness. This curriculum reinforces how special each child is and helps give them a greater understanding of how their bodies, minds, and emotions can be managed so that the pure love or light in their hearts can shine through in all they do.

 

Small Class Size

Our classes are small; the student to teacher ratio is 8:1. Our ideal and licensed class size is 16 children. This allows us to observe and guide each child intentionally. It also provides us with the time to communicate and involve parents and extended family. It gives us the freedom to take learning outside of the school walls with field trips throughout the community. In our school, there a busy hum of activity, yet our small classes also support our profound respect for silence. 

 

Family and Community

Parents, grandparents, and extended family are immensely important to children. Knowing this, we strive to weave the involvement of our students’ families into our curriculum. We are fortunate to work with diverse and talented families and we often connect to enrich our programs.

 

Teaching students to collaborate with people and places beyond our school is an essential element of our curriculum. We take field trips to see how things are made and to learn how things work. These field trips help our students gain an understanding of how they can participate as engaged citizens now and in the future.  We also invite community members into to our school as guest instructors and presenters. This supports a broader understanding of the community in which we live.

 

Bend’s Original Montessori Program

Bend Montessori School has been part of our community since the mid-1980s. First known as Hands On Montessori, our school was the first Montessori program in Bend. At that time, the curriculum was supplemented with Yamaha music and Spanish programs and quickly garnered a following of forward thinking parents. In 1999, the school was established as Bend Montessori School, and the program has continued to grow and evolve. The program became a Certified Child Care Center in 2015, and maintains its roots in a downtown location since the early 2000’s. 

 

Qualified Staff

Our teachers have specialized knowledge and training in Montessori, early childhood and elementary education, and within their respective disciplines. They bring a depth of knowledge to the classroom and share their own passion for learning with our students.