Urban Montessori

This is the official page for Urban Montessori Charter School located in Oakland, California Join us! OaklandEnrolls.org

Urban Montessori Charter School is the only public Montessori school in Oakland, CA. Our school is based on the teachings of Maria Montessori, Design Thinking, and Arts Integration. We are actively creating a truly inclusive school community reflective of the racial and socioeconomic diversity of Oakland. We recognize that maintaining a respectful community where all students achieve, differences

08/11/2025

Wishing the best for all our students and faculty today as they start in their new schools and spaces. These pictures are from our last day at UMCS when we officially took down our sign. Our three new classrooms at Brookfield are beautiful and the staff is so welcoming. UMCS will live on through their work. ❤️

06/21/2025

Huge Yard Sale @ Urban Montessori
Sat: 10 -4, Sun: 12 to 2

Celebrating Urban Montessori Charter School

06/08/2025

As we close our doors after twelve years of serving the children and families of Oakland, we do so with deep gratitude. Urban Montessori Charter School was built on a bold vision: that a high-quality Montessori education, rooted in peace, independence, and a deep respect for children, should be accessible to all. That vision became a reality because of you.

From the earliest days, UMCS has been sustained and shaped by the dedication of our founders, the tireless work of our staff, and most importantly, by the families who believed in this model and chose to be part of it. Together, we built something rare and powerful—an alternative to the traditional public school system that honored each child’s potential and nurtured their curiosity and sense of justice.

What we created here was not easy. It required courage, commitment, and collective care. And we hope everyone who stayed with us through this final chapter feels proud. Because something truly special happened here.

While today marks the end of UMCS as a school, the work is far from over. We are excited to continue the mission of public Montessori education next year at Brookfield Elementary with 1 primary and 2 elementary classrooms led (pending OUSD hiring) by, Ms. Denisse, Ms. Laura, and Ms. Jodi! We hope that many of you join us there. Moving forward, UMCS will live on as the Public Montessori Institute of Oakland, the name of our teacher training center that we started four years ago. Through this work, we will continue to support schools, teachers, and communities with the same passion and purpose that brought UMCS to life.

Before we go, we invite you to watch this video we’ve created — a tribute to the love, labor, and learning that made this school so extraordinary.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Thank you for believing. And thank you for helping us build something that will continue to inspire, grow, and live on in many forms.

With deepest gratitude,

Daniel Bissonnette
Head of School

Celebrating Urban Montessori Charter School As we close our doors after twelve years of serving the children and families of Oakland, we do so with deep gratitude. Urban Montessori Charter School was b...

06/02/2025

05/14/2025

Don't forget to RSVP for the May 17th Fun-a-Thon.

05/13/2025

umcsoakland
Come celebrate our school this Saturday, May 17th, at the UMCS Fun-A-Thon. We will have Arts & Crafts, Carnival Games, Food and Drinks, and a Foam Party. Please RSVP on ParentSquare. 🎉

Saturday, May 17th - 10am - 2pm

Students should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Multiple Oakland charter schools to close, impacting over a thousand students

02/28/2025

Urban Montessori is in the news. Oakland families deserve access to a FREE Montessori education.

Multiple Oakland charter schools to close, impacting over a thousand students Amanda Hari reports on the planned closures of multiple Oakland charter schools. Website: http://kpix.com/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/CBSSanFrancisco Facebook: ...

02/28/2025

Urban Montessori is celebrating Black History with a big Changemaker Parade and school-wide student gathering on Friday. Students spent all month researching and preparing presentations on the Chanemaker of their choice, tomorrow is the big day to dress-up and present what they learned. Stay tuned for pictures.