Elementary
The imaginative, social and creative child thrives in an environment with the right freedoms and boundaries. Our expansive elementary curriculum supports curiosity while preparing students for the challenges of the future. We don’t rush childhood in our elementary classrooms; we cherish it.
Learn more!
We invite you to submit an inquiry form, schedule a virtual tour & chat, and visit campus at one of our upcoming admissions open houses.
About our
Elementary Program
Guided by teachers who are seasoned experts in the field of whole-child Montessori curriculum and child development, children in the Elementary program form a respectful community and support one another in their learning journeys. They learn to raise questions, think critically, and take responsibility for their own learning—all skills that will benefit them later in education and life.
Teachers guide students through a rigorous and progressive interdisciplinary curriculum geared toward their interests, needs and abilities. The end goal is to develop the students’ academic skills, executive functioning capacities and self-confidence so that they can become content, independent and compassionate critical thinkers – and ultimately, positive forces to care for and transform our world.
Learn more!
We invite you to submit an inquiry form, schedule a virtual tour & chat, and visit campus at one of our upcoming admissions open houses.
A 10-month program with summer care available through Camp MCS.
A Day in Our
Elementary Program
The elementary program includes Lower Elementary classroom communities for students ages 6-9 (grades 1-3) and Upper Elementary for students ages 9-12 (grades 4-6). Each day begins with the class meeting. Led by the children, the class meeting provides an opportunity for the class to set a positive and focused tone, build community, and plan for the day together.
8:00–8:15 am - Arrive at school & enjoy time on the multi-sport court or in the classroom
8:15-8:30 am - Class community meeting
8:30–11:45 am - Montessori uninterrupted work period (snack and learning specialist time offered)
11:45 am–12:15 pm - Lunch time as a class
12:15-1:00 pm - Playground time
1:00–2:30 pm - Specialist classes and small-group instruction
2:30-2:45 pm - Classroom jobs
2:45–3:00 pm - Carline dismissal
2:45–5:30 pm - Aftercare & after-school classes available
Elementary students enjoy a variety of weekly activities, including art, music, sports, library, and language classes in Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.
Learn about our elementary Spanish immersion program!
Outdoor Education in the Elementary Years
At Montessori Center School, the natural world is an extension of the classroom. A cornerstone of the elementary program, our outdoor education initiative nurtures curiosity, resilience, and stewardship of the environment through immersive, hands-on experiences that connect deeply with Montessori principles of independence and interconnectedness.
Lower Elementary students begin their outdoor journey with family campouts at local gems like Refugio, El Capitán, and Sage Hill campgrounds, where children and families come together to strengthen community bonds and enjoy the beauty of our coastal and mountain environments.
In Upper Elementary, students embark on a week-long fall science trip, rotating every three years through AstroCamp, CIMI, and Yosemite’s NatureBridge, each experience aligning with their cultural studies curriculum and deepening their understanding of science, ecology, and the cosmos. In spring, students take to the trails for a three-day backcountry backpacking trip in the Santa Barbara mountains—preparing their own gear, organizing into cooking and tent groups, and developing teamwork, confidence, and a lifelong appreciation for the wilderness.
Through these experiences, children come to see themselves as part of a larger, living world—learning not only about nature, but from it.
401 North Fairview Avenue, Suite #1, Goleta, California 93117, United States
Montessori Center School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.