New Farm Montessori

We're currently accepting applications for children who will be 30-36 months for September enrollment. Please email [email protected] to request an application and schedule a tour!

Preschool For All applications are now open to families! Check it out:

Where do families apply?

Families can apply on their own through our online portal at: pfa.multco.us.

If families can’t apply online and need help, click here to find Family Navigators who can apply on their behalf.

Who is eligible for PFA?

There are just two eligibility requirements to participate in PFA. Children must be 3 or 4 years old on or before September 1 of the preschool year, and have a parent or legal guardian living in Multnomah County.

Unsure if the child is eligible? Use the eligibility form on our website to check!

When does the family application close?

The last day to apply is April 30, 2026 at 11:59pm.

The application will close after April 30th. We will process all submitted applications at the same time.

New Farm Montessori will be hosting tours for Preschool For All applicants throughout the month of April. Reach out to sign up for a time to visit. We're looking forward to connecting with new families! [email protected]

We are now accepting applications for the 2026-2027 school year for children who will be 2.5-3 years old in September, as well as for children who will be 3 or 4 years old and participating in Preschool for All!

To request an application, email: [email protected] or check out our website for details and current offerings: newfarmmontessori.com

This is not new.

"Democracy begins at birth. The child must know what is going to happen to him, that he will not be seized suddenly, that his permission will be asked first."
— Maria Montessori
The 1946 London Lectures, p. 132

We are happy to announce that we will be opening 2 spaces for children who will be at least 2.5 years old this February for attendance at New Farm Montessori beginning March 1 or April 1, 2026. If you have friends or neighbors who may be interested, please send them our way! To request an application, please email: [email protected]

Hi neighbors! We have a last minute opening for a 2.5-3.5 year old for the upcoming school year, beginning as soon as mid-September. To learn more and to request an application, email us at [email protected]

Hello neighbors! We are currently accepting applications for the upcoming school year. Please email [email protected] for more information and to request an application.

Agreed! 💕

Maria Montessori, the Italian educator and physician who created the Montessori Method, was born on this day in 1870. Montessori's educational philosophy of encouraging children's learning through discovery is now used in an estimated 20,000 schools worldwide.

Montessori grew up in Italy and enrolled in the University of Rome's school of medicine in 1893. As a woman, she faced hostility from both fellow students and professors, even being forced to perform dissections alone after hours as it was deemed inappropriate for her to attend classes with men in the presence of a naked cadaver. Despite the obstacles, she graduated in 1896 and set up a private practice.

Montessori rapidly became an advocate for both women's rights and the rights of children with disabilities. She regularly worked with children facing these challenges, and she was a major supporter of their right to access education. In 1901, she left her practice to engage in further study in psychology and educational philosophy, and began considering how to adapt the methods she used for general classroom use.

In 1906, Montessori was asked to oversee the education of children of working low-income parents in Rome. At first, it was outfitted like a standard classroom of the day, but as Montessori observed the children and provided them with the resources she had developed, she discovered that they preferred practical activities to toys and that, if they were given a free choice of activities, they would develop spontaneous self-discipline.

In response, Montessori decided to transform the traditional classroom: she replaced the large furniture with child-sized desks and chairs, put tools and activities on low, child-accessible shelving, and included more exercises that encouraged caring for the environment and the self, such as cooking, gymnastics, and care of pets, as well as practical activities such as sweeping, self-dressing, and hand washing. She also introduced literacy materials like moveable cutout letters and picture cards with labels, which resulted in her students becoming proficient in reading and writing far sooner than was expected with traditional methods.

Her Casa dei Bambini (Children's House) was a great success, and by 1907 another had been opened in Rome. The independence, concentration, and self-discipline of her students began attracting attention from journalists, politicians, and educators, and in 1909, Montessori held her first teacher training course. In 1911, Montessori methods had been adopted in Italian and Swiss public schools; by 1912, Montessori schools were being planned in places from Paris to India, and Montessori societies were founded in the US and UK. By the time she died in 1952, Montessori had revolutionized the way educators and parents thought about child development. Her legacy is obvious in both public school systems and in the Montessori schools that can be found around the world today.

For several books by Maria Montessori that explore her educational philosophy, check out "The Montessori Method" (https://amzn.to/3BilWwq), "The Secret of Childhood" (https://amzn.to/3DtO9Ci), "The Absorbent Mind" (https://amzn.to/3jAXFMd), and "The Discovery of the Child" (https://amzn.to/3mLJDZW)

To learn more about her work and educational philosophy, we also recommend the insightful biography "Maria Montessori: Her Life and Work" at http://amzn.to/1u0EQA6

To introduce children to this inspiring role model, we recommend the new board book "My First Maria Montessori" for ages 2 to 4 (https://www.amightygirl.com/maria-my-first-maria-montessori) and the picture book version for ages 5 to 8 (https://www.amightygirl.com/maria-montessori)

Many of the toys featured A Mighty Girl's toy section were selected with a similar philosophy to Maria Montessori's in mind -- we've sought out high-quality toys that would help children to exercise their imagination while mastering basic skills and growing confident in their abilities to be self-directed learners.

If you're new to A Mighty Girl, mouse over the "Toys' button on our main menu bar to open our toy directory which is divided into six main categories: Toys/Games, Imaginative Play, Arts/Crafts, Outdoor Play, For Baby, and Kids' Gear. To start exploring our selection of over 2,000 girl-empowering toys, visit https://www.amightygirl.com/toys

A huge thank you to Red Yarn for rocking our New Farm Montessori back-to-school (masked & socially distant) party this weekend! Here’s to a safe and joyful school year!

Friends! We have a few unexpected openings for fall enrollment at New Farm Montessori! Please email us at [email protected] to request an application and schedule a family visit.