We are expanding our program to serve students through 12th grade, beginning with the addition of 9th grade in the 2023–24 school year, and adding one grade
each year to a full high school program (12th grade) in the 2026-27 school year. At Butler Montessori school every child is a unique individual, naturally driven to grow, develop and learn. What Is Montessori education? The Montessori method of education is based on the observations of Dr. Maria Montessori. In the early 1900s she redefined how children were taught as she advocated a natural learning process; one where children learn not only through play, but through self-guided, experiential learning. Butler School History:
When this philosophy was rediscovered in the 1960s, Rilla Spellman embraced it. She would go on to become a founding member of the Washington Montessori Institute, became a directress of 2 Montessori schools, and then founded her own school...known today as Butler Montessori School. Rilla moved to Darnestown, Maryland in 1969 and quickly set about providing the opportunity for a Montessori education in Montgomery County. The school’s initial location was at the Fairhaven United Methodist Church in Darnestown and was called “Fairhaven School.” The year was 1970, and Darnestown was really still “the country.” The early years focused on Montessori Preschool methods for a younger age group. But Fairhaven School outgrew its original location as the demand for Montessori education grew. The school acquired its current 22-acre campus in 1983, expanded to provide Montessori Elementary classes, and was renamed Butler School. More growth led to the Montessori Middle School, or Intermediate Program, for young adolescents in 1995. By 2012, the Butler School once again realized the need for a new name that reflected its continuing evolution, commitment to the Montessori method, and recognition of the whole child development approach. In an effort to highlight those roots and principles the school was renamed Butler Montessori. Our School:
Our focus is on teaching children the skills they need to become life-long learners, lovers of education, and productive members of the world. Dr. Montessori observed that learning is a natural human impulse. We use her Whole Child Development method as the basis for academic, music, art and physical education. By doing so, we help develop children with the skills and confidence to navigate complex relationships, embrace diversity, and face challenges with creativity and optimism. We go beyond teaching for tests, and instead show children how to learn, how to problem solve, how to be confident. Our classrooms, outdoor space, classes, activities, and all of our staff are part of this whole child approach to education, and for over 45 years, we have been incredibly successful.
