Is Montessori a franchise? No, Montessori is a method of education developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, the first female physician in Italy.  The first school based on her methods opened in Rome, Italy in 1907. Countryside Montessori School is independently owned and operated by Robin and Melayna Boling.

Are all Montessori Schools the same? The short answer is no, but there is more to it than that. The name Montessori is not copyrighted or trademarked so it can be implemented differently at different schools, it will be different between classrooms at the same school. While there is a core program which all truly authentic Montessori schools share, there can be slightly different ways of implementing the program due to the guide’s particular training.  Also, the Montessori method is a dynamic, not a static pedagogy.  

How do I know if a Montessori School is authentic? Looking for an authentic Montessori School can be a great challenge. Especially because as a parent you may not know what to look for. In addition, the word Montessori is not trademarked and can be used by anyone regardless of adherence to the Montessori philosophy. 

In short, the largest indicators of an authentic Montessori School are Montessori credentialed guides who are certified by a MACTE- accredited training center in all the school’s classroom communities, and association with one of the recognized Montessori associations. These associations are: International Montessori Council (IMC), American Montessori Society (AMS), or Association Montessori Internationale (AMI).

Countryside Montessori School is affiliated with IMC.

Does Countryside offer two or three day programs? No, we do not offer these types of programs. Over the years we have found that children do not acclimate well into the community routines and struggle with social connections. We do offer a five half day and several different pick up times for different family needs.

Does Countryside have immediate openings for my child? Normally, our classrooms run at full capacity. For our admissions process, please go to our admissions page.

Does Countryside Montessori accept Virginia Child Care Subsidy?

No, we do not accept any subsidy at this time. We do offer some financial assistance programs within our school community. You can inquiry about financial assistance during the admissions process.