Since its founding in 1981 by Anita Chastain, an immigrant from Germany, CMS has proudly welcomed families from St. Louis, across the USA, and around the world to our community.

One of our favorite ways to celebrate includes the yearly International Food Festival. Families bring their favorite traditional dishes to share with the community; an outdoor potluck with music and fun for the children. It’s also a chance for parents to hang out in an informal setting and get to know others at the school.

It’s something we all look forward to, and not just for the great cuisine! Seeing everyone excited to share their culture in such a meaningful way is special to us here at CMS. Food really is a universal language, and families are as delighted to share their culture as they are to partake in each other's.

Diversity at CMS keeps us current and learning. The languages present in the classroom offer many learning opportunities for the children, and ways to connect. Everyday we see the use of more than one language between students. Older students help younger get used to being at school—younger kids who perhaps don’t speak English yet, and are nervous to be in a new environment. An older child who speaks their first language often jumps at the chance to help to ease that transition. Our staff also represents a variety of backgrounds and languages spoken.

Additionally, our authentic Montessori materials naturally deepen appreciation for nature, different cultures, and help students to become global citizens. Read more about the activities we offer which help CMS students understand their place in the world, become aware of the unity of humanity, and appreciate the incredible variation among people that results from physical geography and humans’ creative inventions.