Our Montessori Environment
Welcome to East Bay Montessori
Letter from Head of School, Dylan McCrystal
Preparation for Life, Education for Peace, a Community for Children.
At East Bay Montessori, we help children thrive in a place of peaceful efforts, where each child is honored for their individuality as well as for their contributions to the group. Students are guided by observant adults and caring peers in multi-age classrooms, and they engage in purposeful work that expands their understanding of the world and gives them the tools and the will to be able to change it for themselves.
When our graduates leave our walls, many of whom join us at age 4 and graduate at age 14, they carry with them a rich childhood shaped by experiences that matter: being trusted to make mistakes and try again; learning to console a friend and to apologize from the heart; knowing how to ask questions, work hard with purpose, and write with both creativity and conviction. They leave as young people of genuine character and deep self-confidence.
They grow up here performing music in an ensemble and experiencing math as a pleasure that takes root in the hands and flowers in the mind. They learn to speak in front of friends and strangers, to say the truth with kindness even when it is hard, and to come to understand the person they have grown into. This, we believe, is preparation for life, no matter what life may bring next. And for these remarkable, astonishing young people, what life brings next is - always - as remarkable and astonishing as they are.
To be helped to come into your own in a place of love and respect is the foundation of an education for peace, where children have freedom to explore, and be recognized for, their innate senses of justice, equanimity, and goodness. To grow up seeing what is possible in an environment of peace is a profound start to life for an adult who will care for themselves, cherish the people around them, believe in their power to improve themselves and to aid others, and to make a difference in our world.
We believe that serving children in the tradition founded by Maria Montessori can be a powerful foundation in a blossoming life. They flourish in this place because we see each of our students as a whole being; an individual with their own interests, capacities, tendencies, and strengths. They develop reserves of resourcefulness and determination, hone the skills of conflict resolution and cooperation, and best of all, they love school.
If you hope for your child to bloom in a community for children, to experience a sense of belonging and discover themselves in a supportive and inclusive environment, then I’m very glad to be able to invite you to take a look at our school for yourself. We hope you'll love it as much as we do.
With gratitude,
Dylan
Our Mission Statement
East Bay Montessori is a child-centered, innovative learning environment that is grounded in the principles of Maria Montessori. We are a diverse and inclusive community that nurtures and develops our students to be peaceful, empathetic, life-long learners, who are prepared to be highly adaptive and dynamic contributors to the world.
Preparation for
LIFE
EBM prepares children to thrive. Purposeful activity, multi-age classrooms, adult and peer role models, and an exceptional Montessori curriculum prepare the students to participate meaningfully and skillfully in an ever-changing world. Students leave EBM primed for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in high school, in college, and in life.
Education for
PEACE
The classroom is a place of peace at EBM. Children express their innate sense of justice, equality, and goodness within the classroom community. Regular experiences of peaceful conflict resolution, freedom within limits, and social responsibility cultivate a value system our graduates carry out into the greater world to contribute to a more peaceful society.
A Community for
CHILDREN
The Montessori classroom is a loving community within which all members actively support one another while successfully pursuing their own development and interests. This sense of interconnectedness and responsibility is carried by alumni and families into the community at large. EBM is a collective of students, teachers, administrators, board members, and parents who are focused on doing what serves children best.
Our Montessori Core Values
Respect
Of vital importance is respect for children and for one another. Each day we embody compassion and integrity—qualities essential to education for peace.
Asking What Serves Children
Our community exists to serve children; we continually ask how we may better serve each child.
Purposeful Work
We support children’s efforts to improve their world through their own work. We honor the multiple ways children learn and innovate.
Autonomy and Collaboration
A collaborative community of autonomous individuals mirrors the interconnected nature of all things. We provide children with the first-hand experience that collaboration yields powerful results.
Learning and Teaching in Meaningful Contexts
We provide a dynamic environment to encourage personal growth, academic accomplishment, and intellectual curiosity.
Working Within the Framework of the Montessori Philosophy
As a Montessori school, we value a thoughtful and well-prepared learning environment that is both purposeful and peaceful.
East Bay Montessori Loves our Planet!
East Bay Montessori is proud to take the initiative to reduce our environmental impact. Since as early as 2011, our campus in El Cerrito has had 60 solar panel modules on our roof. These have been producing electricity at 126% of their expected production since installation. Our campus also includes garden areas for students to explore growing edible plants from seed to bloom. The school also understands the importance of growing plants that are native to our beautiful California foothills. You will find evergreen trees, coast live oaks, and mature cypress trees throughout our site, as well as blooming native flowers and grape vines.
Furthermore, at the start of each school year, our students learn about the importance of recycling and composting. Students are responsible for composting after meals, and learning the difference between what must go in landfill and what is recyclable. Student passion is an important part of these efforts; last year, an entire dramatic play on disposal was generated by the Upper Elementary students and presented to the school at our Community Meeting! East Bay Montessori prides itself in doing its part to keep our beautiful city clean and green.