Our Mission
CMC’s mission is to provide affordable, fully-implemented Montessori education and child care to an intentionally diverse group of families in ways that promote social justice and environmental responsibility.
Fully-implemented Montessori
We provide children and families with a complete educational experience as pioneered by Dr. Maria Montessori and upheld by Association Montessori Internationale (AMI). In honor of Dr. Maria Montessori’s legacy of empiricism and scientific scrutiny, the school uses current educational research to inform programming choices. Dr. Maria Montessori established AMI in 1929 to protect the integrity of her work and to support high standards for both teacher training and schools. As an AMI-style Montessori school, we are committed to:
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Classrooms led by AMI Diploma holders and furnished with complete sets of Montessori materials;
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Mixed-age learning communities starting with Children’s House communities made up of children from 30 months up through six years of age (through the first year of eligibility for kindergarten);
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Uninterrupted learning periods of approximately three hours for all children with their communities and in their classrooms (at least five mornings and, for children no longer napping or resting, four afternoons each full school week);
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Individually appropriate levels of freedom for all children to choose meaningful activity within the structure of the Montessori materials, lessons, and project choices provided;
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The opportunity for all children to complete school work while at school — children will be encouraged to contribute to their family, pursue their own interests, and rest while not at school;
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Primary assessment through adult observation of work at school — neither testing nor grades are used as an instructional strategy; testing will only be in service of overall program success or meeting the needs of children or families in unique circumstances.
Intentional Diversity
Our community recognizes the benefits that a diverse and equitable educational community brings to all its members and especially its children. We also recognize segregation and inequity as it exists in our educational systems and seek to overcome these obstacles through our work as a school. We strive to make CMC accessible and welcoming to all that wish to participate in our community by:
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Recruiting diverse staff and families from across Central Ohio;
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Providing enrollment, withdrawal, and scheduling options significantly more flexible than typical independent schools;
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Supporting families in using our sliding scale fee program as well as all available sources of public funding for child care and education;
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Offering extended hours of operation, food, and other wrap-around programming to provide integrated first-shift child care options for our families.
Social Justice
We all strive to support educational, social, and economic equity and opportunity in the wider Central Ohio community. We do not tolerate exclusion or marginalization based on: race; ethnicity; national origin; language; religion; gender identity; sexual orientation; family background, structure, or makeup; education; class background; or economic circumstances. Our staff work to model openness and trust as we welcome community members with diverse identities and abilities.
At CMC, multiculturalism and inclusion go beyond the superficial exploration of “foods, fashions, and festivals” and are defined by amplifying the experiences and perspectives of marginalized individuals and groups. We welcome individuals and families to define their experiences, identities, and relationships on their own terms — through the use of names, pronouns, and other descriptive and expressive means. The creation of and participation in systems of exclusion and marginalization — both historical and current — are honestly addressed while seeking paths to equity, opportunity, and peace. Strong traditions of community service and engagement are continually cultivated.
Environmental Responsibility
We model operating in the most sustainable ways feasible and, in so doing, build an awareness of sustainability issues in staff, children, and families. Scientific consensus on how human behavior impacts our habitat and the Earth as a whole is addressed in honest, age-appropriate ways. As the owners and stewards of our property at 5400 Karl Rd., we are committed to responsible use of materials, energy, and space. The use of materials that are safer for the environment and humans guides all purchasing decisions.
We have built an alternative culture of consumption around environmental stewardship — skills such as organic gardening, the preparation of healthy, more sustainable foods, composting, repurposing, repairing, doing with less, doing without, and responsible waste management are valued and shared. Finally, we prioritize maintenance of natural outdoor space and time outdoors for all community members.
