Pioneer Montessori School

Since 1981

“It’s a feeling of community… of connection with our peers… of being a part of a rich 40-year history in the valley.

It’s a feeling of respect and belonging.”

-Molly Lansing, Head of School

Our students

Pioneer Montessori School deeply respects the child as an individual and builds supportive classroom communities that promote independence and a lifelong love of learning.

Our spaces

Students work in beautifully prepared environments with self-correcting materials that grow in scope and scale to gain confidence and ability.

Our guides

Trained teachers use scientific observation to guide students on their unique paths of self-construction. Each of our guides has successfully completed a rigorous post-bachelor, multi-year Montessori training at an accredited training center and continue to take related course to deepen their knowledge.

Love of learning

It is through the experience of an authentic Montessori education that a student at our school comes to have true ownership over their learning and growth. A child’s innate desire to learn is fostered with their active participation. With the support of a trained Montessori guide, the child’s experience becomes one of individual accountability, mastery, respect and most importantly, JOY! The result of all of this hard work is a passionate, engaged and curious life-long learner.

Dr. Maria Montessori said, “the greatest gifts we can give our children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.” At Pioneer Montessori School, we develop both in order to serve and prepare our students for the rest of their lives.

Passion and curiosity ignite

“Our care of the child should be governed, not by the desire to make him learn things, but by the endeavor always to keep burning within him that light which is intelligence.”

-Dr. Maria Montessori

Molly Lansing, Head of School

Welcome to Pioneer Montessori School.

The centerpiece of a Montessori education is its respect of the child, focus on the individual learner, and encouragement of independence and self-discovery. In our classrooms, children take charge of their own learning, forge their own paths, and negotiate their place in the society of the school. Our brilliant team of educators are guides who facilitate, not determine or force, these outcomes. Each classroom is a caring community in which every student is an integral member whose contributions are valued.

It’s a magical sight to watch what happens when children are given the freedom to follow their own interests and the authority and tools to work through a challenging social situation. Their true inner potential shines.

I hope you take the time to explore all that Pioneer Montessori School has to offer, including the Montessori philosophy below. We are thrilled you are here.

“Growth is not merely a harmonious increase in size, but a transformation.”