Montessori Community School

Montessori Community School Founded in 1980 and accredited by the American Montessori Society, MCS serves students, toddler through 8th grade.

Montessori Community School is home to students, ages 18 months to 14 years. Our campus is set on 14 acres of natural landscape that lends itself to a Montessori environment. Located on the border between Durham and Chapel Hill, we offer children in toddler to middle school wonderful indoor and outdoor spaces where they can work, play, discover, and learn. We have a highly dedicated and trained faculty that guide each child’s progress through the curriculum. We educate children according to Dr. Maria Montessori’s highest values of community, love of learning, perseverance, and education as an aid to life. We also prepare students for success in the local secondary schools. MCS has a strong community of teachers, staff, students, and parents, all working in concert to the best outcome for our children. It is a place where parents are active partners in their children’s education. We have a very active parent/teacher organization (the PTO), a strong, forward-thinking board, and an outstanding team of administrators responsible for each of the programs – toddler/primary, elementary, and adolescent. We have a robust academic program that promotes independent learning with an emphasis on building concepts, problem-solving, and mastery of skills. Our specials include P.E., Spanish, music, ceramics, and art for all students from K to 8th grade and Spanish and music for our pre-K students. A variety of clubs, sports, and classes are available after school.

We’re incredibly proud to share that Montessori Community School has been recognized as a Project ADAM “Heart Safe Schoo...
08/19/2026

We’re incredibly proud to share that Montessori Community School has been recognized as a Project ADAM “Heart Safe School,” becoming just the third school in Durham to receive this important designation!

This achievement reflects the dedication and preparation of our Medical Emergency Response Team and Nurse Megan, who have worked alongside Project ADAM North Carolina, a program of Duke Children’s Pediatric and Congenital Heart Center, to develop a comprehensive plan for responding to sudden cardiac arrest and other medical emergencies.

Being a Heart Safe School means our team is trained, prepared, and ready to respond when every second matters. It’s another important step in creating a safe and prepared environment where our students, faculty, staff, and families can learn, grow, and thrive.

We’re so grateful to everyone who helped make this achievement possible and especially proud of the people who work every day to care for our MCS community.

Prepared. Trained. Heart Safe.

08/15/2026

As the 2026–27 school year approaches, our campus is coming back to life, and our MCS community is getting ready to welcome everyone back.

We can’t wait to see familiar faces, welcome new ones, reconnect as a community, and begin another year of curiosity, discovery, and growth together.

See you soon!

Summer Play Dates Are Here!Our campus misses you, and we can't wait to welcome you back for a morning of fun, connection...
06/25/2026

Summer Play Dates Are Here!

Our campus misses you, and we can't wait to welcome you back for a morning of fun, connection, and play! Join us this Saturday, June 27, from 9:00–11:00 AM as we open our Toddler, Primary, and Elementary playgrounds, along with the Sport Court and field, for MCS families, newly enrolled families, prospective families, and friends.

Pack your water bottles, hats, sunscreen, and snacks, and enjoy a relaxed summer morning exploring campus, reconnecting with friends, and meeting new members of our community.

Can't make it this weekend? Mark your calendar for our second Summer Play Date on July 25! We're planning a few extra surprises and will be sharing more details soon, so keep an eye out for future updates.

At Montessori Community School, learning extends far beyond the walls of the classroom. 🌿Across our nature-rich campus, ...
05/12/2026

At Montessori Community School, learning extends far beyond the walls of the classroom. 🌿

Across our nature-rich campus, students grow alongside the environment around them, building a relationship with the land, its ecosystems, and their community throughout every stage of their Montessori journey.

From their earliest years in Toddler and Primary, students begin exploring and connecting with the natural world through outdoor discovery and care for their environment. As they move into Lower and Upper Elementary, those experiences deepen through greater responsibility and hands-on learning within the spaces that make our campus so unique.

By the time students reach our Adolescent Community, they are not simply learning about these environments. They are actively working within them.

Our adolescent students help steward two beautiful wetlands, tend expansive garden spaces, care for chickens and collect fresh eggs, and participate in beekeeping experiences that allow them to help harvest honey from our campus hives.

Through this work, students develop confidence, responsibility, collaboration, environmental stewardship, and a deeper understanding of how their actions impact the world around them.

These experiences embody the heart of Montessori education: real-world learning with meaningful purpose.

At MCS, nature is not just part of our campus. It is woven into the learning experience from the very beginning, growing alongside our students every step of the way.

To learn more about our programs, and how our students grow from program to program, click the link in our bio.

Heads up, MCS Community! We have something truly amazing coming up!Join us for An Evening of Voices Tuesday, May 26 | 5:...
05/07/2026

Heads up, MCS Community! We have something truly amazing coming up!

Join us for An Evening of Voices
Tuesday, May 26 | 5:45–7:45 PM

Celebrate the power of stories, music, creativity, and community at this year’s Book Fair event in partnership with Quail Ridge Bookstore!

This year’s theme, Voices, highlights the many perspectives and lived experiences that literature brings to life — a celebration of all people and the stories that connect us.

Enjoy:

🎙️ Student poetry & book showcases
🎧 A Voices Recording Station
🔎 A Family Scavenger Hunt
📖 Curated book selections for all ages
🎵 Live music & storytelling with Sarah McCombie and Austin McCombie

Sarah McCombie — former MCS music teacher and author of Abigail — will share the journey of turning a song into a story, perform music inspired by the book alongside Austin McCombie, and sign copies during the event!

PLUS — test your family’s literary knowledge for a chance to win a copy of Abigail 👀

"Once there was a tree... and she loved a little boy."

Do you know the book?

We can’t wait to celebrate an evening full of stories, voices, and connection with our community.

Heads Up, MCS Community! We have something truly amazing coming up!Join us for An Evening of Voices Tuesday, May 26 | 5:...
05/07/2026

Heads Up, MCS Community! We have something truly amazing coming up!

Join us for An Evening of Voices
Tuesday, May 26 | 5:45–7:45 PM

Celebrate the power of stories, music, creativity, and community at this year’s Book Fair event in partnership with Quail Ridge Bookstore!

This year’s theme, Voices, highlights the many perspectives and lived experiences that literature brings to life — a celebration of all people and the stories that connect us.

Enjoy:
🎙️ Student poetry & book showcases
🎧 A Voices Recording Station
🔎 A Family Scavenger Hunt
📖 Curated book selections for all ages
🎵 Live music & storytelling with Sarah McCombie and Austin McCombie

Sarah McCombie — former MCS music teacher and author of Abigail — will share the journey of turning a song into a story, perform music inspired by the book alongside Austin McCombie, and sign copies during the event!

PLUS — test your family’s literary knowledge for a chance to win a copy of Abigail 👀

"Once there was a tree... and she loved a little boy."

Do you know the book?

We can’t wait to celebrate an evening full of stories, voices, and connection with our community.

Join us for An Evening of Voices Tuesday, May 26 | 5:45–7:45 PMCelebrate the power of stories, music, creativity, and co...
05/07/2026

Join us for An Evening of Voices
Tuesday, May 26 | 5:45–7:45 PM

Celebrate the power of stories, music, creativity, and community at this year’s Book Fair event in partnership with Quail Ridge Bookstore!

This year’s theme, Voices, highlights the many perspectives and lived experiences that literature brings to life — a celebration of all people and the stories that connect us.

Enjoy:

🎙️ Student poetry & book showcases
🎧 A Voices Recording Station
🔎 A Family Scavenger Hunt
📖 Curated book selections for all ages
🎵 Live music & storytelling with Sarah McCombie and Austin McCombie

Sarah McCombie — former MCS music teacher and author of Abigail — will share the journey of turning a song into a story, perform music inspired by the book alongside Austin McCombie, and sign copies during the event!

PLUS — test your family’s literary knowledge for a chance to win a copy of Abigail 👀

"Once there was a tree... and she loved a little boy."

Do you know the book?

We can’t wait to celebrate an evening full of stories, voices, and connection with our community.

For a limited time: Apply and receive $100 off your application fee! If you’ve been considering Montessori Community Sch...
05/01/2026

For a limited time: Apply and receive $100 off your application fee!

If you’ve been considering Montessori Community School, now is a wonderful time to take the next step.

At MCS, children are guided through a thoughtfully designed journey—from our nurturing Toddler program through Primary, Elementary, and into our Adolescent (Middle School) community. Each stage builds on the last, supporting independence, confidence, and a deep love of learning.

Our classrooms are intentionally prepared to foster curiosity and meaningful work, while our beautiful campus offers space for exploration, connection, and growth—both inside and out. Students are not only engaged academically, but are encouraged to think critically, collaborate, and develop a strong sense of self.

Families are often drawn to MCS for the strength of our academics and stay for the community—one that values respect, purpose, and the whole child. Our graduates leave prepared, confident, and ready for what comes next.

If you’ve been curious about what makes Montessori education—and MCS—so special, we invite you to explore it for yourself.

✨ Apply now and receive $100 off your application fee for a limited time.

👉 Start your application through the link in our bio

There’s something powerful about watching an MCS student grow… and then come back to show us how far they’ve gone.2023 M...
04/22/2026

There’s something powerful about watching an MCS student grow… and then come back to show us how far they’ve gone.

2023 MCS Alum, Nora, returned to campus this year as part of an AP Research project, bringing her learning full circle in a deeply meaningful way. Her work explores how different approaches to environmental education—conversational learning versus art-based experiences—can shape how young students understand and connect with environmental ideas.

To bring her research to life, Nora stepped back into MCS classrooms, working directly with elementary students over multiple sessions—leading lessons, observing engagement, and gathering real-time insights from the very kind of learners she once was.

What resulted was a 5,000-word research paper and formal presentation, but the true impact of her work extends far beyond the final product.

Nora shares that her time at MCS laid the foundation for this experience—the curiosity, research habits, and care for learning that continue to guide her academic journey today.

Moments like this remind us what MCS is truly about: not just preparing students for the next step, but empowering students to return, contribute, and create work that makes a difference.

Once an MCS student. Always an MCS learner.

Address

4512 Pope Road
Durham, NC
27707

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4pm
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 4pm

Telephone

+19194938541

Website

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