What sets CMS apart?

Reputable Academics

CMS is the only St. Louis area school that is recognized by both the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) and accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States.

We offer authentic, academically rigorous Montessori education for children from 16 months through 6th grade. Music, fine arts, cultural activities and social-emotional learning are all integrated into the curriculum. The approach to individualized, hands-on, evidence-based education cultivates students’ passion for learning and leads to success for life.

Diversity

The highly diverse international student population draws families from around the globe.

Chesterfield Montessori is the most diverse Montessori school, and the percent of minority students enrolled at CMS is among the top 10% of private grade schools in the St. Louis area, according to St. Louis Magazine’s 2022-2023 Private Schools Issue.

The parent Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee is designed to ensure that we fulfill Dr. Montessori’s vision of preventing adult biases from impeding the children’s development. DEI work at our school is ongoing. Partnerships with parents and the St. Louis MOSAIC Project help us continually tie the DEI work to the Montessori mission of the school.

Screen-Free Environments

Learning to navigate a device is easy to pick up later in life. Acquiring executive function skills during critical periods of brain development demands a certain type of learning environment that is rare in today’s world.

CMS children develop the concentration, focus, innovation, collaborative skills and love of learning they need to be successful in STEM jobs (or in any career) through:

• Purposeful, hands-on activities
• Scientifically developed materials
• Uninterrupted work periods
• Collaborative research, projects and activities
• Individualized learning plans
• Interdisciplinary lessons
• Outdoor time and movement

These experiences prepare them not only for academic and career successes, but for life satisfaction. Chesterfield Montessori children are not allowed to bring phones or smart devices into school. There are no smart boards in the classrooms. Children learn handwriting in cursive.

The Toddler and Primary classrooms are screen-free. Lower Elementary children occasionally send supervised emails to their parents to get permission for Going Out experiences.

Upper Elementary children learn keyboarding on a typewriter. They then use the shared classroom computer as needed for limited research or coding projects (after first consulting books and learning how to critically assess the veracity of online resources).

Computer use for research and writing papers in the Adolescent Program is balanced with Socratic style seminars, collaborative projects, hands on work, movement and outdoor time.

Prestigious Alumni

Montessori education prepares students academically, socially and emotionally for any high school experience and beyond.

Over 90% of the students who attend CMS through the Upper Elementary program are admitted to their first-choice secondary school. The pie chart below illustrates where CMS alums have attended over the last five years (Fall 2016-Spring 2021).

The majority of our graduates have entered STEM fields (science, technology, engineering or math), and we also have alums who’ve pursued entrepreneurship, finance and the arts.



Of course, we can’t imagine what careers might be available for today’s children, so we are teaching them to think, adapt to a changing world and solve problems.

“The future is unknowable. What we need to do is to prepare our children to face the unpredictable... The purpose of education is to help people to become full human beings and members of the human community.” -Andre Roberfroid, former President, Association Montessori International

Engaging Community

We are a not-for-profit organization run by highly-educated professionals and governed by an independent, volunteer Board of trustees which includes alumni, Association Montessori International trainers, former and current parents and community members.

Our beautiful 5-acre campus includes an architecturally significant building with open rooms and ample natural light, an organic children’s garden, a tennis court, a basketball court, playgrounds and a prairie restoration project with native plants, butterflies, birds and dragonflies.

CMS encourages parents and caregivers to take part in our many activities, events and meetings that provide a groundwork for experience and knowledge sharing, and also enable parents to keep updated about their children's endeavors and achievements. From the Parent Social Committee and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, to a variety of Montessori education events and the annual international festival, there are many ways for the entire family to get involved in the CMS community.

Professional, Dedicated Staff

Every one of our classrooms is guided by a teacher who has a Diploma from Association Montessori International, the organization started by Dr. Montessori to continue her work.

The staff who support the classrooms, the office and our Extended Care programs are also dedicated to respecting and empowering children by following core Montessori principles. We are committed to an ongoing process of self-examination and growth as individuals, and as an organization.

CMS is Great Place to Work®-Certified™, meaning we are recognized as an employer who creates an outstanding company culture and work experience. We are the only school in Missouri to hold this distinction and one of only two Montessori schools nationwide. Certification is a two-step process that includes surveying our employees and completing a short questionnaire about the workforce. Learn more about pursuing a careers at CMS.