Discover HarbourviewMontessori
Founded on the principles of individualized learning and nurturing environments, Harbourview Montessori has a rich history of fostering children's unique talents. Our vision is to create a supportive, joy-filled space where every child can thrive and grow into their best selves.
Our Story
Harbourview Montessori is a school that grew from a place of great love and respect for children. It was the brainchild of the founder, teacher and mom, Michelle Morrison.
Michelle's dream was to create a beautiful, calm and enriching environment for young children. It was to create a place in which children would be supported in their development, learn according to their individual learning styles and temperaments, and come to know that they have unique gifts to be developed and realized.
Maintaining a cheerful, accepting and loving environment would be the atmosphere essential to the development of each child’s unique gifts. For too long, the happiness factor had been left out of the education equation; it was time to make this a priority.
Almost two decades ago, Harbourview Montessori School began as Harbourview Montessori Children’s House with six 3-year old children. The following year, the school expanded to 20 children; the third year, 24. We had reached our capacity. After our 6th year, we purchased the old Westmount School, fully renovated it and expanded to include Elementary and, eventually, Middle School. Today, we have 4 beautiful classrooms, over 2 acres of wild and landscaped grounds, and a staff that is dedicated to our goal of nurturing, inspiring and supporting the social, emotional, physical and intellectual development of the children in our care.
As teachers, we feel a deep sense of satisfaction when we walk down the hallway, hearing and seeing signs of joyful learning. We feel a real sense of contentment when we hear, over and over again, parents praising us for our peaceful atmosphere, our open and professional communication, and the rich and varied curriculum we offer to our students. Finally, we feel a sense of humility when we realize that, together, we are helping to raise children to be kind, loving, intelligent and self-actualized individuals who will see and create beauty in our world. We are happy to say that, after almost 30 years, we are as strong in our core beliefs as we were in the beginning.
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Why Choose us?
Step into our classrooms and you will instantly feel an atmosphere of warmth and respect. Observe our children at work and you will see happy, self-directed learners. Talk to our children and you will hear about their experiences of collaboration, understanding and cultural awareness. We gently stress the importance of generosity, respect, kindness and a strong work ethic.
We begin with a deep respect for the child as a unique individual. We work from a deep concern for his or her social and emotional development because there is far more to education than mastering facts.
Harbourview Montessori School is a warm and supportive community of students, teachers and parents. You will not get lost in the crowd here!
We consciously teach our students to be kind, generous and peaceful. We include this in our daily routines.
Here, learning is not focused on rote drill and memorization. Instead, our goal is to help children to develop a true understanding of their work as well as to learn proper research skills in order to find things out for themselves.
Our students learn through hands-on experience, investigation and research. They become actively engaged in their studies, rather than passively accepting what is given to them.
Our students are not afraid of making mistakes; they see them as natural steps in the learning process.
Our Mission
To inspire a passion for excellence, promote exploration and innovation, and to ignite a love of learning.
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Dr. Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori lived from 1870 until 1952. She was the first female doctor of medicine in Italy. Through her work, she developed a philosophy and method of education based on what she observed to be universal principles of development. Montessori was an educational innovator whose ideas have greatly influenced modern views of education and parenting.
"Scientific observation then has established that education is not what the teacher gives; education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual and is acquired not by listening to words but by experiences upon the environment."
Hear from our parents
"We’re incredibly grateful for the experiences our children, Taleen and Luna, have had at Harbourview Montessori. Taleen, now nine, has grown into a confident, compassionate girl since starting at three. Luna, after just a year and a half, has developed independence and a love for learning. A special thank you to Julie from Children’s House for her warmth and guidance, which have had a lasting positive impact on both girls. Harbourview has truly been a home away from home, and we’re thankful for the exceptional teachers and staff who support their growth.”
“We highly recommend Harbourview Montessori for the educational and emotional experience for children. From the second you walk into their doors, you feel so welcomed and cared for. Our daughter feels this positive energy everyday. All of her teachers are nurturing, loving and engaging. They support every single child on an individual basis and were so patient with us as it took our daughter some time to adjust to the new environment. Everyone was so open and encouraging and now our daughter loves to go to school. The care is second to none!”
“For someone who was terrified of potentially having to send their children to public school and was seriously considering home schooling. Harbourveiw Montesorri was a breath of fresh air. From our first tour my wife and I were hooked. The teachers and staff members value every single student, welcoming them into a beautiful environment that is set up, not only to educate and teach, but to promote a lifelong love of learning and independence every parent can appreciate. They go above and beyond setting the children up for success, nurturing their confidence, independence, and self worth. This is the schooling and education every child deserves.”
“Our experience with Harbor View Montessori has been truly wonderful. My daughter, Alda, started at the school when she was just 2.5 years old. From the very first day, I felt the warmth of the school’s atmosphere—welcoming, caring, and peaceful. It gave me complete peace of mind knowing that she was in a nurturing environment where she could thrive. The teachers are incredibly attentive and always take the time to listen, support, and guide us as a family. When I was expecting my son, Silas, I had no hesitation in adding his name to the waitlist because I wanted him to have the same childhood experience as Alda—one filled with care, encouragement, and growth. Now, just a few weeks into his time at Harbor View Montessori, Silas has already developed a strong connection with his teachers. It is truly a testament to the loving and supportive environment the school provides. We are so grateful to be part of this wonderful community!”
We love Harbourview Montessori. Both of our children started at three and it has been an all-around wonderful experience. The teachers and administrators are incredibly thoughtful in all that they do and we know that even from preschool age our children have been getting a peace-centered, intentional, open, curiosity-provoking education. Everything about this school feels different than traditional schools in the very best way - you can tell that all of the staff always see the inherent goodness and worth in all of the children.
Our son has never been happier in school! Like many children within our community the local public schooling was failing to provide adequate education, security and additional help when needed.With the environment, teaching staff, professionalism and overall positive life style at Harbourview Montessori our son is finally receiving the education he deserves.The staff at Harbourview Montessori is absolutely incredible and are easily accessible when needed.Thank you all for your amazing work!
"Our son started Harbourview Montessori School in grade four and it has been a wonderful fit for him and our family. I had lots of questions as I didn't understand the teaching model, but once we met with the teachers and saw the students in action, I knew for sure that we would take the leap. So happy we did! The pace, the depth of learning materials and the small class size helped our son to be a person who dives into subjects that spark his interest on his own (outside of school), and also to be a productive community member due to the numerous school activities meeting interesting people, pets and places. Education doesn't HAVE to be like forcing a circle into a square... It can fit just right and when you see a child looking comfortable with their environment, achievements and challenges it's heartwarming to be a part of."
