Since its inception, one of the aims of the Montessori Fountainhead School has been to present the Montessori environment in an environment where children - even those who have never been away from their parents - can quickly feel comfortable.
The constant overriding concern of the Montessori Fountainhead School is the development of the "whole child" through his/her sensitive periods and stages of physical and intellectual growth by means of creative education according to the principles and techniques conceived, elaborated, and refined by Dr. Montessori.
Frequent conferences with parents, both in person and by telephone, strengthen the necessary professional involvement in teacher-child relationships.
An integral part of our curriculum is the study of a foreign language. During their early years, up to about 6, children learn languages naturally, without the necessity for translation. In our primary class we have a native speaker of Russian who communicates with the students only in that language. For half a day, every day, she works with the children individually, as well as in groups, using the Montessori materials in our classroom.
In the elementary classroom, Montessori students build on the foundation they developed during their time in "the children's house," adding detail and depth of understanding to their existing knowledge. In addition, students are given more responsibility for their own work, teaching them initiative, responsibility and time/self-management.
Students also learn social and environmental responsibility. In the classroom, we use eco-friendly "green" paper and cleaning products, encourage students to minimize their waste, use compost and recycling bins, and cultivate plants from seedlings to maturity over the course of the year.