Long before the first day of school, the Junior High (which we call the Adolescent Program—AP) campus at Hollis Montessori was already buzzing with energy. Over several days this summer, AP students, guides, and families came together for hands-on work that keeps our small community thriving. They repaired the chicken tractor, weeded and tended the garden, began building a protective fence around the beds, and organized tools and supplies in the shed.

At first glance, it might look like simple manual labor. But in Montessori education — and especially in the Adolescent Program — there’s always more happening beneath the surface…

At Hollis Montessori, our goal is to provide an environment where all students can succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. We believe every child deserves to thrive at their own pace and in their own way. As our community has grown, so have the diverse learning needs of our students. This year, we are very pleased to have hired Nicole DeRosa in the newly created position of Learning Support Specialist.

Nicole supports both students and teachers in creating an inclusive, responsive learning environment, and ensures that each child receives the individualized attention and strategies they need to reach their fullest potential. We interviewed Nicole about the path of her career and how she came to Hollis Montessori School.

A new study by Angeline Lillard, one of the foremost education scholars studying Montessori education, has found that attending a Montessori pre-school has measurably positive impacts by the end of Kindergarten. The study, A national randomized controlled trial of the impact of public Montessori preschool at the end of kindergarten, found that students who attended Montessori preschools “had significantly better end-of-kindergarten outcomes for reading, short-term memory, executive function, and social understanding.” Interestingly, while there was no significant difference between the groups at the end of the 3 year old or 4 year old years, the significant differences appeared by the end of kindergarten. 

Over several Observer issues, we have been featuring stories about our Alumni in our “Where Are They Now” series. In Part Three, we talked to Elena Longan, who is pursuing an AMI 3-6 diploma (Children’s House) in Portugal. Elena feels that her Montessori background has completely influenced her current life in the most positive of ways.

In conjunction with our article about alumna Vanessa Longan training to be an AMI Guide (Association Montessori Internationale), we thought it would be helpful to explain what AMI is, and how our school came to embrace it. Our founders were seeking a method of Montessori education that was truly authentic, and when they came across an AMI affiliated school they realized they had found what they were looking for.

Elementary-aged children need a feeling of responsibility, and the need to be active contributors to their community; whether that community  is their family, a group of children they are working with at school, all of the people in their classroom, another group like Scouts or a sports team, or even humanity as a whole. Learning how to care for their environment is one way that Elementary children practice responsibility to themselves and others.

Have you ever wondered what goes on in the Hollis Montessori Adolescent Program (AP)? AP Guide Susan Holmes Glazier describes just how much work, learning, and growth goes into what may seem like simple projects.

Last November,, the Lower Elementary classes had one of our most exciting evenings of the year: Candlelight Cafe! This is an evening that the children really look forward to. It's full of poetry, songs, cookies, cocoa, tea, and community.

"We must help the child to act for himself, will for himself, think for himself; this is the art of those who aspire to serve the spirit."  ~Maria Montessori

One of the things that makes Montessori education unique is the emphasis we place on helping the children to be independent.

If you have been on campus at Hollis Montessori School at the end of the day lately, you may have noticed Adolescent Program (AP) students and guides hiking up from the pond looking wet, tired, and happy. They have been studying Dunklee Pond in the Hollis Town Forest. This fall they are doing a water quality assessment of Dunklee Pond to submit to the NH Department of Environmental Services. The Adolescent Community has taken on a water quality study every few years so they have now begun to accumulate long term data and can begin to look at the trends.