About Our School
Bellevue Montessori School was founded in 1966 after
Margo Rossano envisioned an exceptional preschool for her eighth
child.
Research led her to discover the Montessori method,
where students experience the excitement of learning with materials
that guide children to understand abstract ideas.
Mrs. Rossano’s dream became a reality in 1966, when Bellevue
Montessori School opened as the first Montessori school on the
eastside. The school began in a small two-room schoolhouse in
downtown Bellevue. As more parents learned about this amazing
method of education, the need for a larger school soon became
apparent.
A site with special attributes was selected for
the new building. A natural treed environment with a slope would
provide for nature studies and muscle development. An architectural
team was selected to design a building oriented to the heavily
wooded hillside while preserving the natural beauty on the 1½-acre
site. Trails link the outside and inside learning environments.
The entrance opens to a perceptual motor court surrounded
by five classrooms. Interior classroom design provides large community
space while also allowing smaller learning areas. Each room has
high ceilings and large windows, as well as a children’s
bathroom. An outside door leads to nature trails.
The Early Childhood program continued to thrive
and grow; and our Elementary program now grades one through six,
was established in 1975. Now Bellevue Montessori School has two
Elementary campuses—one in Sammamish and one in Bellevue.
Each provides rich academic experiences in a small intimate setting.
The Montessori Elementary curriculum is the ideal continuation
to the Montessori pre-Elementary program. The small Elementary
community allows for a depth of learning taught by highly qualified
educators.
A premier school, Bellevue Montessori School has
served as a model school for the Montessori community, becoming
the first school in the state to be accredited by the Montessori
School Accreditation Commission (MSAC).
Our school has been providing excellence in education
since 1966.
We are also associated with The Montessori College,
an accredited teacher education program for local and international
students. Interns completing their practicums teach alongside
certified head teachers at Bellevue Montessori School and other
qualified Montessori schools in the greater Seattle area.
Vision
Statement
We believe a school must be
a delight to the whole child.
We envision an atmosphere where
teachers and parents are committed
to achieve an empowering and fruitful
education for the child.
We provide an age-appropriate curriculum
that challenges the child with
building blocks of experience each day.
Our active-living curriculum creates
internal, instinctive and permanent
understanding for the child.
The value of a fine education will be a
positive influence on the child's attitude
towards further learning.
School Accreditation
Montessori School Accreditation Commission (MSAC)
Teaching
Staff Credentials
Our staff is diverse and all have Montessori teaching credentials,
including Montessori certificates from NCME, AMS, and AMI.
Affiliation
American Montessori Society (AMS)
Pacific Northwest Montessori Association (PNMA)
The Montessori College
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