Community Montessori is a focus school within the Boulder Valley School District.
What is a focus school? Focus school programs include both educational programs in separate schools and programs within neighborhood schools, sometimes called strands, that have a distinct theme or philosophy. Students must open enroll both into focus schools and focus programs in their neighborhood school.
Community Montessori is a 100% open enrollment school.
For all students, admission to Community Montessori is by lottery through the BVSD open enrollment process. We are a school without neighborhood boundaries.
Community Montessori is the only public Montessori school in Boulder Valley.
Community Montessori serves children from age 3 through age 11, preschool through 5 th grade.
Maria Montessori's theory of child development is based on three-year cycles. The mixed age grouping of children at each level corresponds with this theory. Children will usually have the same teacher for three years. The Pre-K cycle is an integral foundation for the elementary cycles.
Primary - Preschool through K (ages 3-6):
The carefully prepared Montessori classroom facilitates the preschool child's development of independence, concentration, coordination and sense of order. Learning activities are hierarchical and move from the concrete to the abstract in the following curriculum areas: Practical Life, Sensorial, Mathematics, Language Arts and Cultural.
The Community Montessori Preschool + full-day kindergarten is tuition based with financial assistance available for those who qualify based on income.
Lower Elementary Grades 1-3 (ages 6-9),
Upper Elementary Grades 4-5 (ages 9-11):
The elementary curriculum offers a continuum that builds on the preschool experience and reflects a new stage of development. The child learns through individual, or collaborative discovery of concepts by participating in experiential work in the following curriculum areas: Mathematics, Geometry, Language Arts, Science, Geography, History, Music, Art, Practical Life, Computers and Physical Education.
Community Montessori History
In 1993 working teams of parents, community members and Montessori educators interested in founding a public Montessori school within the Boulder Valley School District joined forces. This group developed the required proposal for presentation to the Boulder Valley School Board.
In the fall of 1994 the proposal was presented and accepted for implementation. Through the efforts of these "pioneers" the first public Montessori school in the Boulder Valley School District opened its doors in the fall of 1995. Since then Community Montessori has grown from 4 to 11 classrooms.
Through extensive fundraising and volunteerism our community has fully equipped the program including classrooms, art, music, physical education, library as well as materials for outdoor education. Community Montessori continues to be strongly supported by parent and community involvement, commitment and vision.
Community Montessori maintains Belief Statements.
We believe:
- That the whole child should be nurtured through education-mind, body and spirit – not just academic
- In honoring a student's individual and unique developmental timetable and learning style by providing differentiated instruction, self-directed, independent learning choices, opportunity to work at one's own pace and rhythm and the freedom to pursue interests
- That each child has a right to respect in a safe and nurturing environment that challenges their learning potential
- That parents are in partnership with teachers, students and staff forming a community that works and plays together where each child feels needed, connected and cherished
- In nurturing respect for the natural world by providing outdoor learning areas and experiences
- That cooperation can and should be fostered rather than competition
- That teachers work in collaboration with students toward setting goals and facilitating learning
- That students are encouraged to be responsible through intrinsic rather that extrinsic means
- In gripping the child's fascination through the whole, big, fantastic, universal picture then examining the detail
- That problem solving is a communal effort, including discipline
- That we are preparing children to become lifelong learners
- That the school staff models respect, cooperation and lifelong learning
- In a multicultural curriculum where diversity is not only respected but celebrated
- In an integrated and spiral approach for implementing curriculum
- In the value of a common educational philosophy
- That diversity is our greatest strength in building a full and varied community.
Community Montessori’s Mascot – The Bee.
The Community Montessori mascot is a bee for some of the following reasons:
Bees spend their lives living and working for their community. Each bee has its job and each makes a valuable contribution - what a beautiful metaphor for a school community.
Just like the bees taking a little from every flower, then making it into something new, honey, for the sustenance of the colony - students take a little knowledge from every parent, teacher and peer, create their own wisdom and use this creative energy for the good of society.
According to the theory of aerodynamics, as may be readily demonstrated through wind tunnel experiments, the bumblebee is unable to fly. This is because the size, weight, and shape of its body - in relation to total wingspan - makes flying impossible. But the bumblebee, being ignorant of these scientific truths, goes ahead and flies anyway, and makes a little honey on the side each day. – The MASTER Teacher, Inc.
Community Montessori’s Peace Pole.
You may visit our Peace Pole and Peace Garden located on the west side of the school, or view our Peace Pole mural in the front of the school. Peace poles are four-sided pillars with the message "May Peace Prevail On Earth" written on each side in a different language. Worldwide there are over 100,000 Peace Poles in over 160 countries. Peace Poles are planted in town squares, schools, places of worship, parks, business centers, governmental offices, and homes acting as a constant reminder to visualize world peace.
Community Montessori’s Peace pole was dedicated in June 2000 during our "World A Fair" celebration. The languages displayed on our Peace Pole are: English, Spanish, Lakota Sioux and Japanese. Although any languages could have been chosen these languages represent peoples who have had an extensive history in the western United States, as well as, Japanese to represent the peoples of the eastern hemisphere.