Our Elementary environment is designed to educate, nurture, and encourage the whole child to explore the new powers that come with this new stage of development—imagination, critical thinking and reasoning, and social growth. As with all of our programs, our ultimate goal is to help each child construct a true sense of self, explore an ever-broadening world of knowledge, and discover a true love of learning.

At age 6 or 7, children leave the Children’s House with the same insatiable curiosity they’ve always had plus an armory of new knowledge and skills, growing confidence, a powerful imagination, and a mind that is beginning to think abstractly and to reason. During their elementary years, they will refine their reading, writing and mathematical skills and make new discoveries in the sciences and humanities.

You will not find a stationary, lecturing teacher at the head of the elementary classroom imposing an hourly work schedule on the classroom—there is no “math at nine and English at ten” policy. Instead, the AMI-certified Guide and the Assistant are moving about the room, engaging with the children. Each child is free to choose their materials as well as where to work and for how long.

The classroom is organized so that the materials are categorized by subject, but they are not separated. All materials are accessible, inviting, and challenging. The key disciplines of the Montessori elementary curriculum include geometry, mathematics, language, history, geography, music, art, and science.

Every lesson, every school subject, is formally presented to each child by the Guide, and the Guide remains always present to assist as children delve into their particular interests. Daily conversations and monitored work journals allow the Guide to follow and encourage the progress of each child in each subject. And most importantly, each child is invited to think critically and to follow their inherent interests and curiosities, all the while developing a life-long love of learning.

At Villa di Maria, we offer two levels of elementary education so that our children may remain a part of our community for as long as possible. The Lower Elementary classroom serves ages 6 through 9, grades 1 through 3, and the Upper Elementary classroom serves ages 9 through 12, grades 4 through 6. It is expected that a child remain enrolled throughout the complete elementary program.

The school day runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Early Care: Children can be dropped off as early as 7:30 a.m. with an additional fee.

Late Stay: Children can be picked up as late as 5:30 p.m. with an additional fee.