Christopher Academy: The Montessori School

08/31/2026

07/15/2026

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A curated, progress-tracking learning platform for Montessori educators and parents, organizing theory and practical lessons into structured courses.

07/03/2026

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07/03/2026

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06/09/2026

06/05/2026

“Liberty is not to be free to do anything one likes; it is to be able to act without help.” - Maria Montessori

05/26/2026

Long time teacher, former Director and friend of Christopher Academy, Cathy Maravetz, passed away last week.

Cathy embodied that rare combination of a brilliant scientific mind, an artist’s soul and a teacher’s heart. In our classrooms, Cathy modeled a child-centered curiosity and wonder. She could explain the mysteries of chemistry one moment and discuss the poetry of nature the next, and even as she explained some of the most complicated ideas in the universe, she made you feel like the most interesting person in the room. Cathy was full of wonder. At the Christopher Academy, Cathy created these beautiful little sanctuaries, where children felt truly seen and valued. Every child who walked through those doors experienced what her friends and colleagues knew intimately, that Cathy believed in, and took joy in cultivating, the profound potential within each person.

Cathy moved to Westfield in 1967 to be closer to Christopher Academy, where her children were students, she became a teacher and she eventually directed the school. As a Montessorian, Cathy treated childhood as sacred ground. She understood that how we teach matters as much as what we teach, and she approached every interaction with warmth, humor, and grace. If you ever met Cathy, you were likely to have seen her smile, the way her eyes sparkled when she laughed and how much delight she took in learning with, from and about the people around her. To have been smiled at by Cathy Maravetz is its own blessing.

Although it’s been many years since Cathy retired from Christopher Academy, she never stopped being a teacher. Her scientist’s mind and servant’s heart led her into other communities in Westfield and beyond, where she offered her kindness, her wonder and her unwavering commitment to helping others flourish with such generosity and love. Her legacy lives on in the countless lives she touched and the young minds she nurtured. We are so grateful to have had her joyful wisdom at Christopher Academy. May her soul be at the right hand of the Divine.

https://www.dooleycolonialfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Catherine-Cathy-Maravetz?obId=48465557&fbclid=IwY2xjawSCrLlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeCUpNCg71KUiRoxDNwC3mB9U-mar1fgwp1R8aiZXRU3yFil3KMS1Lz75xbLQ_aem_y5h2FjCCe3yhe84zGhYGnA #/obituaryInfo