Diamond Hill Montessori School

We are proud to have been featured in the Women in Business issue of Vicinity Magazine. It is our pleasure and purpose to bring an authentic Montessori early childhood experience to the families in our community 🌎❤️☮️

Auna Conrad & Kristina Brusco | BestofEssex.com Auna Conrad & Kristina Brusco Diamond Hill Montessori 105 Diamond Hill Road, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922 908-464-5051 | diamondhillmontessori.com

✨ Cosmic Education ✨

It’s that time of year when the Primary students at DHMS are introduced to the story of the beginning of our universe through a special Big Bang presentation. In the Montessori Method, this lesson is part of Cosmic Education, where children begin to explore the wonder of how everything in our universe came to be. This presentation of the coming of the universe is the first of the five Great Lessons - key impressionistic stories that are discussed at the elementary level of education that capture imagination and inspire further research.

Through a simple demonstration, the children observed how something very small can expand and change, helping them imagine how the universe began long ago. This lesson sparked curiosity as the children talked about stars, planets, and the Earth. Children also learn that every element, from a rock to a human, has a “cosmic task”—a specific role in maintaining the harmony and interconnectedness of the universe.

Dr. Maria Montessori believed that when children understand the story of the universe, they begin to see their special place within it. These moments of discovery inspire awe, imagination, and a deep respect for the world around us. 🌎💫🕊️

“Since it has been seen to be necessary to give so much to the child, let us give him a vision of the whole universe. The universe is an imposing reality, and an answer to all questions.” - Maria Montessori

DHMS was all about celebrating the joy of reading as we took part in Read Across America Week.

We were so lucky to have many wonderful visitors come and share stories with our children. Members of the Berkeley Heights chapter of the Woman’s Club visited our school and read to each of our classrooms for the second year in a row! We are also so grateful to all of our parent guest readers as well as those who sent in family favorites to share in their classrooms. Incorporating our community and family members was such a special way to celebrate 📚❤️🌎🙏🏻

“The child who has felt a strong love for reading will seek out knowledge and understanding throughout life.” — Maria Montessori 📖

🌯✨ DON’T COOK TOMORROW ✨🌯

Join us in supporting the amazing teachers of Diamond Hill Montessori School as they prepare to attend the The American Montessori Society national convention this month! This is a delicious (and easy!) way to help fund their professional growth and bring even more inspiration back to our classrooms. 💛

📍 Where: Chipotle Mexican Grill - 1260 Springfield Ave Ste 2
🗓 When: Wednesday, March 4th
⏰ Time: 5:00–9:00 PM

🌮 How to Participate:

Option 1 – Order In-Store:
Stop by between 5:00–9:00 PM and mention the Diamond Hill Montessori School Fundraiser at checkout (or show the flyer).

Option 2 – Order Online for Pick-Up:
Order through the Chipotle app for pick-up at the New Providence location between 5:00–9:00 PM.
➡️ Enter code TE3ANVK in the “Enter promo code” section at checkout and click apply.

(Please note: Chipotle delivery and third-party delivery services do not count toward the fundraiser.)

Grab dinner, skip the cooking, and support our dedicated teachers on their path to the National Convention! 🌟

We are so grateful for this incredible community — hope to see you there!

Happy Montessori Education Week 🌿🌎🕊️

The last week in February, we celebrate the founder of our school’s philosophy, Maria Montessori, in many special ways throughout DHMS. The children cut and glued their own Pink Towers, created sandpaper letters using glue and sand, and some even drew pictures of their favorite classroom work. We also sang a song about Dr. Montessori during circle time, filling our classroom with joy and excitement. Since Maria was from Italy, children also made pizza 🍕 It was such a fun way to connect culture with our celebration.

Our wonderful DHMS families also joined in by sharing what they love most about Montessori education — a beautiful way to honor this inspiring method of learning.

“Movement of the hand is essential. Little children reveal that the development of the mind is stimulated by the movement of the hands. The hand is the instrument of the intelligence.”
— Maria Montessori ✨

Today we celebrated 100 Days of School with a special Pajama Day! 🎉🛌

Our Primary friends were beyond excited to bring in 100 of something special. During circle time, many of them proudly counted their collections, and some even incorporated their items into their math work. They also counted together how many days we have been in school with different colored beads representing each month - such fun and meaningful ways to celebrate learning!

In our Toddler classrooms, our little learners worked together to create the Diamond Hill logo using 100 buttons — such teamwork and focus! They also used Cheerios and marshmallows to count 1-10 ten times, making 💯

And what celebration wouldn’t be complete without a special snack 😋 We created the number 100 using food - cheese sticks and graham crackers for the 1, and apple rings for the zeros!

Reaching 100 days of school is a huge milestone, and we are so proud of all the growth, learning, and memories made so far. Today was filled with excitement, smiles, and so much joy. Here’s to many more days of learning and fun ahead! 💚✨💙

February is the shortest month with the most packed in! ❄️💖☃️

• We’ve been spreading the love by creating Valentine’s cards for classmates 💌
• We explored shadows with a presentation showing how light reflects on our bodies using flashlights 🔦✨
• We made ice cream in the snow (yes, really!) and it was a big hit with our friends 🍦🧊
• We researched how polar animals are able to live in the cold, with a “hands” on experiment to see the effects of blubber 🐧🐻‍❄️
• We dove into some wonderful books and stories for Black History Month 📚🖤

So much learning, creativity, and joy packed - and it’s just the first week!

💫“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”💫

These powerful words from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. emphasized our interconnectedness as citizens of the world — that what affects one of us, affects us all. Today, we honor Dr. King and his enduring message of justice, equality, and our shared humanity.
In our Montessori community, we strive to nurture respect, empathy, and a sense of responsibility for one another and for the world our children are growing into. We carry these values forward by teaching our children respect, empathy, and the importance of caring for one another. May we continue to follow the example set forth by Dr. King to guide our children toward a future rooted in kindness, courage and peace today, and always. ❤️🌎☮️

✨🕎 Happy Hanukkah 🕎✨
As we light the first candle of the holiday, we send love and light to all who celebrate. May your homes be filled with peace, happiness, and meaningful traditions. Chag Sameach!💙

Thankful for Our Teachers 🧡🤎💛

As we wrap up the Thanksgiving holiday, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our incredible teachers. Your dedication, warmth, and unwavering commitment to our children make our school community truly special. We are so grateful for the care and love you bring into the classroom every single day.

We hope everyone enjoyed a warm and joyful Thanksgiving, surrounded by good food, good company, and moments of rest. Here’s to carrying this spirit of gratitude into the holiday season ahead.

✨ Join Us Tonight! ✨
Curious about the Montessori approach and what makes it so successful for young learners?

All prospective Toddler and Preschool parents are invited to our Montessori Informational Session this evening at 6:00 PM at the Berkeley Heights Library. Come learn more about our nurturing environment for children ages 2.5–6 and discover how Montessori is the foundation for a lifelong love of learning.

Please be sure to fill out the RSVP form using the QR code on the flyer so we can tailor our discussion to the topics you’re most interested in.

We can’t wait to meet you and share what makes our community so special! 🌟🌿☮️