By Jennifer Russo

Maria Montessori, an Italian educator and physician born in 1870, believed that the best way to encourage learning is to cultivate a child’s natural interests through hands-on activities, collaborative play, and a self-paced education driven by an environment which inspires functional independence and exploration. Statistics have revealed that Montessori students tend to show better creative performance, higher intrinsic motivation, and a greater self-awareness leading to better socio-emotional outcomes throughout their lives.

 

The Christian Family Montessori School (CFMS) in Holliston strives to nurture the curiosity of children and foster a lifetime love of learning. Open to children that are between two years, nine months and six years of age, the school began as a home daycare back in 1983, and has since expanded to a Montessori school, where up to thirty students can learn and discover their full potential in a unique way.

“Sometimes people may overlook us because we are a smaller school, but it’s an absolutely wonderful place for children to be. Because it is smaller, we are much closer-knit, knowing our families well and having excellent cross-communication. It’s a community. We are very attentive to the needs of our students and invested not only in their academic education, but also in who they are as individual people,” says school director Gina Russell. 

Students at the school come from Holliston and surrounding towns, and the school encompasses a wide variety of learning opportunities dependent on age and ability. Students learn language and math skills, geography, cultural studies, science, and nature, but they also learn practical life skills, problem solving, art, courtesy, and how to be a good community member. Though not all students are of the Christian faith, the school does have a faith-centered approach to learning, teaching the children about compassion and respect, the joy of helping others, and practicing gratitude. 

With a large 1,500 square-foot classroom, the students are divided into two teams, as equally as possible. Students in these groups can benefit from seeing what the other team is doing throughout the day, which is part of the learning method. Additionally, younger students look up to the older ones and learn from them, while the older students have the opportunity to be mentors and reinforce their own learning by helping younger students. The children also have lunch and playtime together.

CFMS has four full-time teachers with a wealth of credentials, including a wide range of educational backgrounds that span education, psychology, applied physics, IT, and Montessori teaching methodologies. They lead the children through their day, which includes enabling students to choose work for their work cycles and facilitating group lessons, crafts and activities, playtime, and music. 

“We also try to accommodate kids who have specific requirements however we are able to. For example, we added speakers in the classroom for a student who was hearing impaired. We are happy to work with caregivers in addressing any needs as best as we can,” shares Gina.

Christian Family Montessori School is currently accepting applications for the 2025-26 school year. Parents are encouraged to schedule a tour to learn more about what the Montessori environment has to offer. CFMS is also looking to expand with the addition of a new toddler program and are currently hiring two Lead Toddler Teachers – a fantastic opportunity for a teacher who wants to build a program from the ground up.

The Christian Family Montessori School is conveniently located in the Saint Michael’s church located at 1162 Highland Street in Holliston, and very easy to get to from towns like Medway, Ashland, Hopkinton, Milford, Hopedale, Millis, Medfield, and other surrounding communities. Learn more about the school and its mission, the teachers and curriculum, and tuition costs on their website at www.cfmontessori.com and follow them on Facebook at Facebook.com/cfmontessori.  You can also reach them by phone with any questions or to schedule a tour at 508-429-5478. 

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