Montessori Community School

Part of the Montessori experience is learning through nature—and today, our campus flowers were the perfect teachers. 🌷🌞
1: Cosmos (These flowers are self-seeding! No need to plant new ones next year.)
2. Zinnia
3. Purple Coneflower
4. Balloon Flower (Check out the bee inside it, doing its pollinator thing!)
5. Gladiolus
6. Black-Eyed Susans

UPDATE: Our prospective *student* turned out to be a prospective *parent*! She was so impressed by the MCS campus that she decided to make a nest—in the Toddler playground boat! Don’t worry—the nest was safely relocated nearby so the mom could continue to care for them. Welcome to the tiniest members of the MCS family. 🐇🐇🐇

Spotted on the Toddler playground: Our newest prospective student, hopping in for a tour!

As we close out the school year, we’re reminded that beauty often lives in what’s left behind. One of our parents gathered the scraps from this year’s classroom art pieces—created for our Gala—and transformed them into a stunning work in the colors of the rainbow. A reminder that even as we part ways for summer, we remain connected by the joyful, creative threads of community.

We hope your summer is as colorful and connected as the art we made together.

Just over a week ago, our 8th-year students returned from their Solo—a powerful rite of passage rooted in reflection, independence, and growth. As they walked back onto campus, they were met with cheers, hugs, and the Golden Bead ceremony, where our Primary elders offered each graduate a bead as a reminder: you are independent, yes—but you are never alone.

Tonight, those same students cross the stage at graduation.

We’ve watched them grow into thoughtful leaders, compassionate peers, and courageous learners. And as they step into their next chapter, they carry with them not only the lessons of their time here, but the love and strength of the community that helped shape them.

Congratulations to the MCS Class of 2025. You make us proud.

We’ve watched them grow into thoughtful leaders, compassionate peers, and courageous learners. And as they step into their next chapter, they carry with them not only the lessons of their time here but the love and strength of the community that helped shape them.

Lower Elementary students harvested raspberries and a banana pepper from their garden—grown, picked, and tasted by the students themselves.

This week, students have not only visited the Book Fair—they’ve written about it, drawn it, and shared what they loved. These Lower Elementary journal entries are just a few of the many ways we’ve seen joy for reading in action.

A big thank you to Quail Ridge Books and the amazing MCS family volunteers for helping make this possible. Don’t forget: Friday is the last day to stop by!

Quail Ridge Books

We loved having Maggie, an MCS alum, back on campus for a short internship as part of her schoolwork at Carolina Friends School.

She jumped right in—and made a few Toddler friends along the way.

Carolina Friends School

Our 8th years have arrived for their Solo—a rite of passage that asks students to step away, slow down, and reflect.

It’s one of the most meaningful markers of the Adolescent experience at MCS, and a powerful way to close one chapter and prepare for the next.

For toddlers, learning starts with exploration and trust.
Trust in their ability to choose, to test limits, to notice small details. Montessori creates space for that kind of learning—unrushed, self-directed, and rooted in curiosity.

It took several days and a lot of focus—but one of our Primary students finished writing the entire thousand chain.

To celebrate, her classmates helped unroll the scroll on the playground. A joyful reminder of what patience, practice, and community can create.

(Swipe to see the full picture!)